Beef Freezer Meals

Beef Freezer meals

Jumbo Shells

Lasagna Rolls

Taco Meat

Beef Rigatoni

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Lion House Chili

Beef and Black Bean Taco Bake

The amounts listed make two meals.

Jumbo Shells

1 lb. Ground Beef

½ onion

Pinch of Nutmeg, Salt, Pepper, Garlic

1 box Jumbo Shells (there are about 40 shells in 1 box)

4 oz. Parmesan Cheese (1/2 a container)

16 oz. Frozen Spinach (1 whole bag, thaw it)

½ lb. Mozzarella Cheese, grated

12 oz. Cottage Cheese…you can use ricotta instead (to expensive for me)

1 Lg. can Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

Put shells in boiling water.  Chop onion.  Cook beef, and onion together.  Add seasoning to meat mixture.  While meat is cooking, prepare filling.

Pour half of spaghetti sauce into casserole dish.

Filling (this is what you spoon into the shells once they finish boiling).

In a large bowl, add parmesan, half of the 8 oz. (4 oz.) of mozzarella, cottage cheese, spinach, and when the meat is cooked add it to the filling also.  Mix well.

Fill shells with filling.  Put shells in casserole dish.  Pour the remaining ½ can of spaghetti sauce over the shells.  Sprinkle with the remaining 4 oz. of mozzarella cheese.

Lasagna Rolls

1 pkg Lasagna

The rest of the ingredients are the same as the above in the Jumbo Shells recipe

Directions:

Cook Lasagna

Cook beef and onion together

Make filling (same as Jumbo shells)

Once lasagna is fully cooked, cut lasagna noodles in half (I do this on my large cutting board)

Pour ½ can of spaghetti sauce in casserole dish

Spread filling on lasagna noodles and the roll up

Put Lasagna Rolls in casserole dish

Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over lasagna rolls

Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. 

Taco Meat (easiest freezer meal!)

1 lb ground beef

½ onion

1 lb of black beans

Taco seasoning

            2 tbs. onion flakes or powder

            1 ½ tsp. chili powder

            1 tsp. basil

            1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. garlic, dried or fresh (I buy my garlic already pressed/grated in 32 oz. jars at Walmart…Great Value brand).

            ½ tsp. salt & ½ tsp. pepper

1/2-3/4 c. water

Directions:
 

Cook ground beef with onion, add seasoning.  Once cooked, turn off stove and add black beans.  Separate taco meat into 2 quart size freezer bags. 

Beef Rigatoni

1 1/2 boxes Rigatoni (you can use 2 if desired)

1 lb ground beef

½ onion, chopped

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes

½ lb mozzarella cheese

4 oz. parmesan cheese

1 can spaghetti sauce

Directions:

Boil Rigatoni.  Cook ground beef with onion. In a large bowl combine rigatoni, meat mixture, diced tomatoes, ¼ lb of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and spaghetti sauce.  Pour noodle mixture into 2 casserole dishes and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Unstuffed Bell Peppers (also another easy one)

*this recipe has the same ingredients as stuffed bell peppers, but the green bell peppers are chopped up and added to the meat mixture…and then when you pull it out of the freezer you simply heat it up and serve over rice or mashed potatoes. 

1 lb ground beef

½ onion, chopped

3 green bell peppers, chopped

6 Roma tomatoes, chopped

½ c. ketchup

1 tsp worcestershireWorcester sauce

Add to taste salt, pepper, garlic, oregano

Directions:

Cook ground beef and onion add remaining ingredients.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs (recipe from Our Best Bites by Sara Wells & Kate Jones)

2 lbs ground beef

4 tbs. dehydrated onion (I just chop of fresh onion really finely)

½ tsp pepper

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten

½ c. bread crumbs

Sauce

1 ½  c. brown sugar  (I only use ½ c. brown sugar…way to sweet otherwise)

6 tbs. flour

3 c. pineapple juice

½ c. white vinegar

6 tbs. soy sauce

Directions:

Combine meatball ingredients. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray.  Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes.  Then I cook them for another 10-15 min. at 350 deg.

*In a saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients and bring to boil. 

*Put 15-20 meatballs in 2 quart size bags, add ½ of sauce to each bag

*Pull out of freezer, thaw, reheat in saucepan and serve over rice.

Lion House Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb. diced lean beef (I use lean ground beef)
2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. chili powder
2 t. granulated or fresh garlic

2 t. cumin
2 t. crushed black pepper
3 t. kosher salt
½ t. cayenne pepper 
4 cans (8 oz. each) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
8 cups canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained (sometimes I do 4 c. kidney bean and 4 c. black beans)
2 cans tomato sauce 
1 c. brown sugar…I use 1 c. of pineapple juice and it’s delicious

(add water as needed if it seems to thick)

Top with:
Sour cream
Cheese, grated
Green onion, finely chopped
Directions:

• Preheat a large, pot, heavy skillet, Dutch oven or crock-pot
• Brown beef, bell peppers, onion, and spices together in canola oil. 
• When beef is browned, add the remaining ingredients
• Simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Garnish with dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, and finely chopped onion.

*Pour Chili into 2 gallon size freezer bags.

Beef and Black Bean Taco Bake (HTTP://EATATHOMECOOKS.COM/)

INGREDIENTS

§       2 lb. ground beef, browned

§       2 can black beans, drained and rinsed

§       2 jar of black bean and corn salsa

§       12-20 tortillas, corn or flour, cut into bite sized pieces

§       4 cups cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, shredded

§       extra cheese for the top, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

2.     Pour into a 9×13 casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

3.     Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Since I can’t fit a 15, 9x13 casserole dishes into my freezer,  a lot of the time I will just put the mixtures in gallon or quart sized bags and then I’ll pull out of the freezer and I’ll pour and then reheat mixture in a casserole dish. 

Soup Freezer Meals

Soups

La Madeleine's Tomato Basil Soup

Minestrone Soup

Goldilock's Gourmet Spinach Soup

Creamy Potato Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The amounts listed make 2 freezer meals

La Madeleine’s Tomato Basil Soup (if you’ve ever had this soup, you know that it’s the best!)

8 C. canned whole tomatoes (blend in blender)

4 C. tomato juice

4 C.  vegetable or chicken stock

4 T basil

2 C. heavy cream

½ lb. butter

salt to taste

¼ tsp cracked pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice and stock in large pot.  Puree in blender.  Pour back into large pot and add basil leaves.  Add cream and butter. 

Pour into 2 gallon sized freezer bags. Reheat on stove when ready to eat and serve with your favorite bread and salad.

Minestrone Soup (from the kitchen of Sara Millett)

2 onions, chopped

12 C. chicken broth

1 T minced garlic

2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 cans garbanzo beans

2 cans kidney beans

4 c. spinach leaves

2 c. whole wheat pasta (ziti or curly noodles work well)

1 tsp. basil, rosemary, oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients

Pour into 2 gallon sized freezer bags.  Thaw, reheat in large pot and serve with your favorite bread and salad.

Goldilocks’ Gourmet Spinach Soup

My dear cousin (through marriage) and friend, Sara Millett, treated me one day and we went to this sweet little restaurant in Salano, TX.  We both ordered this soup and it is DIVINE!

10 T. butter

½ lb. mushrooms, washed, trimmed and diced

2 scallions, chopped

10 T. flour

4 c. chicken broth

4 c. milk

1 tsp. salt, pepper, nutmeg

½ lb. cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes

1 c. swiss cheese

1 ½ lbs. spinach, fresh

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  In it slowly sauté the mushroom and scallion until tender.  Add flour and stir until flour is cooked. Whisk in chicken broth and then milk slowly, until thickened.  Add seasonings, cream cheese, swiss cheese; stir until melted.   Stir in spinach.  Heat and stir very gently. 

*Pour in to 2 gallon sized freezer bags

Creamy Potato Soup

4 T garlic

2 C. diced onion

2 C. diced carrot

12 C. diced baking potato (about 4 pounds)

8 C. chicken broth

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 C. low fat milk

a couple of pinches of cumin

Add everthing to a large pot.  When potatoes and carrots are soft, puree soup in a blender.  Pour creamy potato soup in to 2 gallon sized freezer bags.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (this recipe is taken and modified from “Our Best Bites by Sara Wells and Kate Jones)

2-4 T. oil

2 onions, chopped

2 lbs shredded chicken

2 packets of Taco seasoning

3 T. minced garlic

12 C. of chicken broth

30 oz of diced tomatoes

½ c. lime juice (6-8 limes)

½ c. chopped cilantro

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp black pepper

Directions:

Chop chicken and add taco seasoning and fry in a pan.  In a pot heat oil and add onion, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic until fragrant.  Chop chicken and add taco seasoning Add chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and allow to simmer. Add lime juice, cilantro and chopped chicken to soup.  Season with salt and pepper. 

*Pour into 2 gallon sized freezer bags.  When ready to eat, thaw reheat in large pot.  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, crispy corn tortilla strips. 

Chicken Freezer Meals

Chicken Freezer Meals

Alfredo Broccoli Chicken Lasagna Rolls

Rosemary Ranch Chicken

Honey Lime Teriyaki Chicken

Chicken Fajitas

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Haystacks

Coconut Chicken Curry

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

The amounts listed make 2 freezer meals

Alfredo Broccoli Chicken (ABC) Lasagna Rolls

Alfredo Sauce

6 tbs. butter

6 tbs. flour

2 c. Milk

4 oz. Parmesan

1 c. Chicken stock

Salt, pepper and garlic to taste

Filling

½ lb. Mozzarella Cheese, grated

12 oz. large curd cottage cheese (you can opt to use ricottoa)

1 1/2 lbs. (3 breasts) Shredded Chicken breast, shredded

14 oz. frozen broccoli florets, thaw and blend in blender until it looks like a paste

1 pkg. Lasagna noodles

Directions:

Boil lasagna noodles.  Boil thawed chicken.  When cool, shred chicken (I pull it apart with my fingers).  While chicken is boiling, make alfredo sauce.  Put flour and butter in saucepan and stir.  Slowly whisk milk into a roué until thickened and then slowly add chicken stock.  Add parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Turn off stove when thickened.  In a large bowl combine all of the filling ingredients.  Save half of mozzarella cheese to sprinkle on top of lasagna rolls.  Pour half of alfredo sauce in casserole dish. Cut lasagna noodles in half, spread filling on top of each lasagna noodle and roll up.  Place lasagna rolls in alfredo sauce in casserole dish.  Pour remaining alfredo sauce over lasagna rolls.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. 

*You don’t have to make lasagna rolls…instead of cutting the lasagna noodles, just leave them whole and layer the ingredients like you would a normal lasagna.  I like the rolls, because they are sooo easy to serve!    

MARINADES…love the marinaded freezer meals! (from the kitchen of Sara Millett via Kath Mickelson)…you don’t cook the chicken in these meals.  Simply prepare the marinades and pour over chicken in quart size bags.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken

This is a family favorite!  I admit, I didn’t think it’d be that great when I was first prepared it…and believe me, it is delicious! I divide the raw chicken breasts and put them in quart size bags and then pour half of the marinade into each bag, and freeze.  So easy!  When I take this meal out of the freezer, I thaw it and bake it for 45 min. at 350 deg. And serve with rice and vegetables.

8-10 Chicken breasts (depending on the size of your family)

1 c. ranch dressing

½ c. olive oil (I probably add ¼ c.)

6 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. minced freshrosemary

1 t. salt

2 t. lemon juice

2 t. white vinegar

Honey Lime Teriyaki Chicken

6 T Soy sauce

3 T Worcestershire sauce

2 t Lime juice

2 T Honey

2 t minced Garlic

6-8 Chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch strips

*no need to cook chicken breasts, just divide and put into 2 quart size freezer bags

*you know how much your family eats at a meal, so put that many breasts in a quart size bag and add the marinade

*Take meal out of freezer and thaw, cook in a large pan, add a little flour or cornstarch to thicken marinade and add stir-fry vegetables (love the Great Value stir fry vegetables at Walmart) and serve over rice. 

Chicken Fajitas

½.3 c. Soy sauce

½ c. Worcestershire

½ c. Lime juice

2 t. chili powder

2 t. cumin

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. dried oregano

8 raw chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch strips

Directions:

Put raw chicken breasts strips in 2 quart size bags and add ½ of marinade to each bag.  Freeze. 

*Take meal out of freezer, thaw, cook in a large pan and add sliced bell pepper, onion, and roma tomato.  Serve with tortillas or tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream, salsa.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (marinade)

4 t cornstarch

1 t salt

½ c. juice from canned pineapple

½ c. white vinegar

½ c. ketchup

2 T brown sugar

6-8 chicken breasts

2 10 oz cans of pineapple chunks

2 green bell peppers, sliced

In a saucepan heat the first 6 ingredients together.  Constantly stir until thickened.  Add chicken breasts, pinapple chunks, and bell pepper to quart sized freezer bags and then add the thickened marinade.  Freeze.  When ready to eat, thaw, cook in casserole dish for 40 min. at 350 deg.  Serve over rice

Haystacks

6 Chicken breasts

20 oz BBQ sauce (use bbq sauce you like)

1 can of cream of chicken…or you can make your own with milk, flour, butter and chicken boullion. 

Directions:

Boil chicken breasts and shred chicken with fingers when cool.  Mix BBQ sauce with cream of chicken and add shredded chicken breast.  Put mixture into 2 quart size freezer bags. 

*When ready to eat, thaw and reheat in a pan.  Serve over rice with pineapple, ice-berg lettuce, coconut, etc. 

Coconut Chicken Curry

Indian food is becoming more and more popular.  My husband served his mission in Indian so needless to say, we LOVE Indian food and typically eat it 1-2 times a week.  This is my favorite Indian dish!

3 T canola oil

1 Onion

2 tsp cumin seed or powder

1 t cinnamon

1 tsp garam masala or coriander powder

2 T minced garlic

4 t ginger powder or 1 t minced ginger

2 green bell peppers

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ t cayenne pepper (don’t add if you don’t like the heat)

4-6 chicken breast, chopped in bite sized pieces

2 can coconut milk

16 oz tomato sauce

1 tsp salt, to taste

1 t lime or lemon juice

optional: 1 t crushed mint leave or cilantro

1 T butter

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot.  Fry onions for several minutes until translucent.  Add spices and bell peppers.  Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.  Add chicken and fry on medium heat until browned.  Add coconut milk, bring to boil and let simmer for 10 min. 

*Pour mixture into 2 gallon sized freezer bags.  When ready to eat, thaw and reheat in pan.  Serve over rice (basmati rice is tradional for Indian food).

 

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas (http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/)

Ingredients:

Marinade -

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded

8-10 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)

1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce

1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-loc bag.

2. Let it marinate for at least a 1/2 hour, but preferably a half day or so.

3. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.

4. Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.

5. Put tortillas in 9x13 pan as you go.

6. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any).

7. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas.

8. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

This recipe was found at dinner on a dime.
This is also a great recipe to make as a freezer meal- put into 2 8x8" pans. Bake 1 pan for dinner now, put the other pan into the freezer. Pull it out and bake it when you need it!