Soups
While I grew up eating canned soup, that’s not been the case for my
kids. The canned variety is generally oversalted, oversweetened, and
overpriced. Since it’s so easy to make my own, there’s really no reason
not to.
I regularly prepare our favorite soups, sometimes two or three
varieties at a time, and freeze them in family- and individually-sized
portions. It’s super easy to grab a few different pints of soup from the
freezer for a quick lunch or supper. They pack well to work as well to
reheat in the microwave.
Soups are great to pack on vacation, send to college with your child,
or fill the freezer of a new mom or aging parent. Soup is good food.
Particularly if you make it ahead of time and stash it in the freezer.
Favorite recipes:
Casseroles
Casseroles are an ultimate comfort food. It speaks my husband’s love
language to pull a pan of enchiladas out of the oven. For my kids, it’s
my famous Chicken Pot Pie or Lawnmower Taco. It’s even easier to treat
their tastebuds when I’ve made a bulk batch of these and stashed them in
the deep freeze.
Consider your favorite lasagna, enchilada, quiche, egg bake, or other
casserole. Next time you prep it, make two (or more) and freeze the
extras. It really doesn't take that much more time, but you'll reap the
rewards later.
Favorite recipes:
Marinated or Cooked Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is one of the most economical
proteins here on the West Coast where it’s regularly less than $2/pound.
I snatch up big flats of chicken and do one of two things: I package
trimmed breast fillets with marinade in a ziptop freezer bag, or I cook
it up by poaching or grilling and then I freeze the cooked results.
The fruit of my labor is an easy, ready-to go protein. I can thaw the
marinated chicken in the fridge overnight and have it ready to throw on
the grill at dinnertime. I can thaw the cooked chicken and toss it into
salads, stir it into soups, or tuck it into sandwiches.
Favorite recipes:
Taco and Burrito Fillings
We’ve always been big taco and burrito fans, so it makes sense to
keep the fillings on hand for quick and easy suppers. By cooking up bulk
batches of seasoned taco meat, pinto beans, or carnitas, I’ve got the
makings of many a great dinner. Since these items are already cooked, I
can quickly thaw and reheat, lay out tortillas, taco shells, chips, rice
or even fried potatoes, and an array of toppings, and dinner is served
before I can make a run for the border.
Favorite recipes:
Apple Pie
Apple pie is a meal, right? Well, at our house it is, at least on the
first day of school when I serve apple pie for breakfast. While it may
not be your typical "meal," it sure is nice to have a stash of pies in
the freezer.
Every fall, I prep as many pies as I can and store them in our big
freezer. This allows me to surprise my family with a fresh-baked pie on
cold fall evenings. It takes the load off my Thanksgiving Day prep work
since I only need to slide them into the oven on Wednesday night. And it
brings a comfort and a touch of sweetness to savor the flavors of fall
throughout the cold winter months.
Favorite recipes:
When I’ve got my freezer stocked with these five of my favorite
things, all’s right with the world. I can surprise my family with their
favorite foods. I can pull a quick dinner off in less time than it would
take me to find my car keys and latch some car seats. I can rest a
little easier, knowing that if other plans don’t go my way, at least
dinner will.
Check out Jessica's book on freezer meals
Visit Jessica's family cooking blog:
(Images: Jessica Fisher)
Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/5-great-meals-to-make-ahead-and-freeze-193994
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