Freezable Meals

I was so delighted to have finished 8 great meals before 1:00 today. Thank God for my fantastic helpers who assist me in my domestic goddess endeavors. Hope you eat well for the next month or so Grandma.

Katie doing what she does best...baking. Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake was on the menu here. Love that I did nothing but separated it into two prepared pans for her.

Okay, so he cooks like his mom....making a great big mess. However, I'm thrilled that he wants to be right in the mix too!

On the menu...Italian Baked Chicken & Ditali Pasta, Hash Brown Quiche, Beef Enchilada Ring, Tator Tot Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, Spinach Ravioli Lasagna, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, Strawberry Cream Cheese Bars, and tomorrow...Brushetta 'n Cheese Chicken.

BTW…I love the Ziploc Freezer thing in the picture above. Works wonderfully. The bags are great quality, the process EASY and the cost low compared to my “professional” one at home that no longer works. 😦

Recipes found below for today’s “plan ahead cooking day”. They are all tried and true recipes in my kitchen at home. However, post your own in the comments so as to share the wealth and enlighten our cooking day planned for early May. The only requirement, it must freeze well.

Bruschetta ‘n Cheese Chicken from Kraft Foods. Recipe HERE.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake by Paula Deen. Recipe HERE.

Spinach Ravioli Lasagna found in Southern Living magazine Aug. 2008. Recipe HERE.

Hash Brown Quiche by Paula Deen. Recipe HERE.

Italian Baked Chicken & Pastina. Recipe HERE.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bars. Recipe HERE.

Chicken (or beef) Enchilada Ring – 2 cups cooked chicken/beef, 1/4 c. chopped olives, 1 c shredded cheddar & monterrey jack cheese, 1 can chopped green chilies, /2 cup mayo, 1 tbsp taco seasoning, 2 plum tomatoes diced, 2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips, 2 pkg. crescent rolls (salsa & sour cream for garnish)

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine chicken, olives, cheese, green chilies, tomato, mayo & seasoning mix. Reserve 2-3 tbsp crushed chips, add rest to the chicken mixture. Press crescent triangles into crushed chips and lay face down on a baking sheet. Continue with remaining triangles arranging them in a circle at their widest points (you will overlap the triangle corners). Fill “circle” with spoonfuls of the chicken mixture. Fold over triangle points to the center of the ring. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Tator Tot Casserole – Brown 1-2 lbs beef seasoned with pepper and garlic salt. When meat is slightly cooled, add 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1/4 cup water. Cut small chunks of Velveeta cheese and mix into beef mixture.  Spread meat in large greased dish. Cover with a layer of seasoned tator tots. Bake 450F for 30 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole – 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 3/4 cup milk, 2 cans cut green beans drained, 1 1/3 cups french fried onions, black pepper, velveeta cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon.

In a 1 1/2 qt casserole dish, mix soup, milk, bacon and pepper. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup onions. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, stir. Top with 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 minutes. Serve warm.