I need casserole recipes for freezer cooking

[laurajetter]

I just posted this on the recipes forum but figured I'd post here too...

I am almost 38 weeks pregnant and I recently heard about freezer cooking, making dishes ahead of time to freeze and then cook later. I would love to make a few casserole dishes ahead of time so we don't have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen once the baby is here.

What I'm looking for are casserole recipes that can be frozen and then go directly into the oven from the freezer, along with instructions for doing so and any tips you may have (i.e. does the casserole get completely cooked prior to freezing or is it simply assembled prior to freezing? If it's cooked beforehand, will reheating in oven dry it out? What are the directions for heating/cooking in the oven?, how do I wrap up the casserole for the freezer?, etc.) I am thinking about getting some of those disposable foil casserole dishes to use, but please advise if there is a better way.

We like Italian dishes, pasta and veggies, mac 'n cheese, chicken pot pie, quiches, etc., but are open to suggestions if you have something really yummy! I prefer the recipes to contain some healthy items like vegetables if possible (just so I know we're attempting to get a balanced diet) however a nice mac -n cheese recipe wouldn't be turned down either! We just don't want anything that is too spicy since I'll be breastfeeding.

The thing I'm most interested in is how to prep the casserole to have it cook directly from a frozen state and the specific directions on how to do that... hopefully there are experienced people here who have done this!

TIA

 

[worm761]

I am pregnant too but not quite as far along as you. I am planning to do the same thing to try to make the transition to a bigger family a little easier. I found this website: http://www.30daygourmet.com/Recipes/Free_Recipes.aspx

 

[scottishduffy]

Ok, you asked so I will supply. I have quite a few things I make in bulk and then freeze. I have found that any lasagna I have tried freezes well.

My favorite way to freeze them is to line a casserole dish with tin foil. Cover this tin foil with Syran wrap that has been generously sprayed with non-stick spray. Assemble casserole then freeze. After it has frozen use tin foil to life casserole from casserole dish. Remove tin foil and syran wrap then place into a gallon ziploc bag to store. When you need to cook just place it back into whatever casserole dish and bake.


Now... the recipes! This will be divided into several posts.


Burrito Pie

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
9 ounces shredded Colby cheese

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes with green chile peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.

**** Freeze here**

4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Nutrition: (serves 16) 435 cals 24g fat 34g carbs 20g protein

Tweak: 1) Spread beans on separately from beef mix 2) Replace tomatoes with salsa.
*********************************


Meat Loaf Minis
** Okay, so there is no nutritional info on this one. It is the ONLY recipe I am making an exception for because it is sooooo darn good.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 to 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups Crispix cereal, crushed
• 3 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 pounds lean ground beef

Method:
In a large bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Remove 1/2 cup for topping; set aside. Add eggs, Worcestershire sauce, cereal and seasonings to remaining ketchup mixture; mix well. Let stand for 5 minutes. Crumble beef over cereal mixture and mix well.
Press meat mixture into 18 muffin cups (about 1/3 cup each). Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes. Drizzle with reserved ketchup mixture; bake 10 minutes longer or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160°. Serve desired number of meat loaves. Cool remaining loaves; freeze. Transfer to freezer bags; freeze for up to 3 months.
To use frozen meat loaves: Completely thaw in the refrigerator. Place loaves in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through, or cover and microwave on high for 1 minute or until heated through. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.


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Lentil Soup


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground toasted cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise

Method:
Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin and grains of paradise and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Tweaks: 1) add a few cloves of garlic, minced. 2) substitute pepper for GoP, with a dash of nutmeg.

Nutrition: I don’t have the exact numbers, but judging by similar recipes should be between 200 – 250 cals per servings... probably a bit less.

** After it is cooked just freeze in tupperware. Can be thawed and reheated any time.

 

[scottishduffy]

Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients:
10 uncooked Lasagna noodles
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
1 ½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 ¾ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups 2% small curd cottage cheese
½ cup egg substitute
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part skim mozzarella
Method:
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Broil chicken 6in from heat until juices run clear; let stand for 15 min or until cool enough to handle. Shred chicken with two forks.
3. In a large non-stick skillet combine shredded chicken, tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, onion, basil, ¾ teaspoon salt and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 25-30 minutes.
4. In a bowl combine the cottage cheese, egg substitute, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper and remaining salt.
5. In a 13x9x2in baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray, place half of the noodles, overlapping them. Layer with half of the cheese mixture, chicken mixture and mozzarella. Repeat layers. *** Freezer here**
6. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition: Calories 240 Fat 7g Carbs 17g Protein 28g Serves 12

***********************************

Italian Spinach & Cheese Chicken Roll-ups
** Another convenient freezer recipe.

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh torn spinach (5 ounces)
1 chopped onion
1 garlic clove minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices Provolone cheese, halved
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
¼ cup minced fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon parsley seasoning
½ cup skim milk

Method:
1. In a large nonstick skillet cook spinach in ½ inch of water over medium heat until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain and set spinach aside in a large bowl.
2. In same skillet sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add to bowl and mix thoroughly with spinach.
3. Flatten chicken to ¼ inch thickness. Place a half slice of provolone and some of spinach mixture on each piece of chicken. Roll-up from short side and tuck in end, then secure with a toothpick.
4. Pour milk into a bowl. In a separate bowl combine the bread crumbs, grated cheese and parsley. Dip chicken rolls into milk and then roll bread crumb mixture.
5. TO COOK: to cook right away, place roll-ups seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Spritz chicken with nonstick spray and bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.
6. TO FREEZE: Wrap chicken bundles and freeze for up to 2 months. To cook, thaw chicken in refrigerator. Unwrap and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, until juices run clear.


Per serving: 300 cals

***********************************************

Baked Chicken Chimichangas
*** Very filling!

Ingredients:
8 oz cooked chicken
1 8 oz jar salsa
1 16 oz can fat free refried beans.
1 4 ½ oz can diced green chile peppers. Drained
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
4 oz (1 cup) reduced fat Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, shredded
8 8-9 inch tortillas
Fat free sour cream (optional)

Method:
1. Using two forks, shred chicken.
2. In a large skillet combine shredded chicken, salsa, beans, chile peppers, and green onions. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. Stir in cheese.
3. Heat tortillas in Microwave for 15 seconds to make them maleable.
4. Place half cup of meat mixture onto each tortilla. Fold in sides and roll up.
5. Spray 13x9x2 baking dish with nonstick spray. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until tortillas are crisp and brown. If desired serve with sour cream.
FREEZING DIRECTIONS: Place unbaked chimichangas in freezer containers. Seal and freeze for up to 6 months. To prepare wrap frozen chimichanga individually in foil, bake in 350 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes longer.



Makes 8 servings: 260 cals 9 g fat 28 g carb 18g protein

*************************************************

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN


Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
14-ounce can water-packed artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise (Hellmann's used)
2 cloves crushed garlic
Cooking spray

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Place chicken breasts between two layers of waxed paper and pound for
10 seconds each. Put in a single layer in a casserole (we used a
9-by-13-inch baking dish) sprayed with cooking spray. Overlap if
necessary.
3) Combine other ingredients and spread evenly over chicken, coating
completely. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Nutrition: 300 cals 21g fat 13 g carbs 15g protein

To Freeze: Assemble casserole and then freeze. Thaw at later time to bake.

 

[scottishduffy]

Prosciutto Lasagna


Ingredients:
5 garlic cloves
1 (16-ounce) carton 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Romano cheese, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large egg
1 (26-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Muir Glen)
Cooking spray
12 cooked lasagna noodles
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped prosciutto or ham
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Method:
Drop garlic through food chute with food processor on, and process until minced. Add cottage cheese; process 2 minutes or until smooth. Add cream cheese, 2 tablespoons Romano, basil, pepper, and egg; process until well-blended.
Spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over the pasta sauce; top with 1 cup cheese mixture, 1/3 cup prosciutto, and 3/4 cup pasta sauce. Repeat the layers two times, ending with noodles. Spread remaining pasta sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Romano and mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes.
Yield: 9 servings CALORIES 272 (19% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 2.8g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 20.8g; CHOLESTEROL 47mg; CALCIUM 213mg; SODIUM 775mg; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 2.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33g

Freezing instructions: After assembling the lasagna, cover and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator; bake as directed.

Tweak: 1) Find Less Salty prosciutto. 2) only two layers, not three

*********************************

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cans (6 ounces each) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
Method:
In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Add crab; mix gently. Shape rounded tablespoonfuls into 2-in. patties. **Freeze Here** I wrap them individually in syran wrap so i can always just pluck out how mnay i need.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook patties in butter and oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. If cooking directly from freezer do 4-6 minutes per side. Makes 9 servings

I like to serve with a little sauce that is just a couple tablespoons of pineapple preserves mixed with horseradish and heated in microwave. Make a sweet & spicy sauce that goes well.

Nutrition:
Cals 139 fat 5g carb 7g protein 17g

*****************************

And just for fun....

Marshmallow Pops

Ingredients:
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
4-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
36 to 40 large marshmallows
18 to 20 wooden sticks
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup ground walnuts or pecans
3/4 cup colored or chocolate sprinkles

Method:
1. Combine chocolate chips and oil in a shallow microwave-safe bowl; heat until melted. Stir until smooth.
2. Thread two marshmallows onto each wooden stick. Roll marshmallows in melted chocolate, turning to coat. Allow excess to drip off. Roll in coconut, walnuts or sprinkles.
3. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm. Yield: 18-20 servings.

 

[disney-akj]

This really isn't a recipe but it is something I do to save time. When I get home from the grocery store. I will brown my hamburger meat and pre cook my chicken (for mexican recipes, italian recipes, soup, etc.). I will then freeze the meat in freezer bags (about a pound per bag) and it makes cooking a lot easier. I can just put the frozen hamburger or chicken right in my spaghetti sauce, soup or whatever and it thaws very quickly. Sometimes I will also double a recipe and have one half for the family dinner that night and freeze the other half for a dinner the following week. These are just ideas that people have given me that really help make cooking a lot easier for a working mom of 3.

 

[TruBlu]

These are great. Thanks!

 

[purplegirl247]

You might also want to do a search for Once a Month Cooking on google or your favorite search engine. There are tons of recipes out there using this method, and most of them should have freezing suggestions.

Here's a good place to start: http://snider.mardox.com/OAMC.htm

Here's a plan for lots of hamburger meat in particular, everything from meatloaf to noodle stroganoff: http://snider.mardox.com/hamburger2.htm

I've heard that some types of dairy don't freeze well. Sour cream, for example, is usually not added until you re-heat. Good luck!

 

[RunningGirl]

Wow, Scottishduffy great ideas! Thanks so much - they will come in handy this busy fall!

 

[dizluvah]

Awesome ideas! Thanks all. I think I might try some of these just for those unexpected days when I don't remember to defrost or I'm just feeling tired and don't want to cook what I planned on making.

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

Hi and congrats!

I did this with both of my kiddos. I froze spaghetti sauce, lasagna sauce, and chili in 1-2 portion containers. Then all you really need to do is make noodles of some sort while the meat defrosts at a simmer in a pan. We would make lasagna, baked ziti, stuffed shells, and traditional spaghetti.

Have you thought about crockpot meals? This soup is really good, freezes nicely, and you can leave out the turkey sausage if you don't want it.

Red, White, and Bean Minestrone
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Italian turkey sausage, in small pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup chopped carrots
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (16 ounce) can chopped canned tomatoes
5 cups chicken stock
1 (15.5 ounce) can BUSH'S® Cannellini Beans, with liquid
1/2 (16 ounce) can BUSH'S® Red Kidney Beans, drained
2 cups zucchini cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cups cooked bowtie pasta
2 tablespoons pre-packaged pesto
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan.
Add sausage; brown well.
Add tomato paste, cook 5 minutes until brown.
Add onions, celery, garlic, carrots and oregano. Cook until garlic is aromatic, approximately 5 minutes.
Pour into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add tomatoes and chicken stock.
Cook on low setting for 6 to 7 hours or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in beans, zucchini, spinach and cooked pasta. Cook on high setting for 8 minutes or until beans and pasta are warmed through and spinach has wilted.

Also, we use our crockpot for chicken tacos, pork roast with red wine, garlic, and veggies, and the traditional pot roast. The tacos are the easiest and make leftovers for tostadas the next day.

Chicken tacos: 2-3 chicken breast, 1 small jar salsa. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Shred the meat once cooked in the crockpot and stir. Add some extra salsa if you like. Serve with your favorite sides.

We also used the spaghetti sauce or meat sauce to make chicken parm with chicken rolled in Italian breadcrumbs. I served this with spaghetti and zucchini, carrots, green peppers as a side.

 

[justjulie]

Subscribing so I don't miss anything!

 

[laurajetter]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far and for taking the time to type out your recipes... these will definitely help me out.

I'm glad I decided to post here on the Community Board because the original post on the cooking board hasn't gotten any responses yet!

Laura

 

[mickeylove2]

This is a great thread!

 

[Chicago526]

Don't forget things like pasta sauces, chili, and stews that you can make up in a batch and then put into individual sized serving containers. Just put them in the nuke box and make up a salad, add some bread or boil up some pasta, and you have a full meal! Great for when just one or two people are hungry.

ETA: And soups! You can do this with soups!

 

[Chicago526]

Oh, also, you can make things like pancakes, waffles, and french toast in advance and freeze that too. You can then have breakfast foods on hand for all times of day and night! I love making them from scratch because I can use organic ingrediants, and there are no processed fats, preservitives, HFCS's, or other man-made "stuff".

Here's a really good buttermilk pancake reciepe from Food Network's Alton Brown. I make up a double batch and freeze them. You'd never know they weren't freshly made, the re-heat in a toaster or toaster oven really well!


Buttermilk Pancakes (double batch)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following dry ingrediants (mix well):
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda (check expiration date first)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F.

Now prepare the wet ingrediants, you'll need:
4 eggs, separated
4 cups buttermilk
8 tablespoons melted butter

Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter.

Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the dry ingredients. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. Don't try to work all the lumps out.

(Note...personally I feel that if sperating the eggs and mixing the wet ingrediants seperately and then combining later is too much trouble, you can do it all in one big bowl with little affect on the final outcome, just make sure your melted butter is cool enough that it won't curdle the eggs.)

Check to see that the griddle is hot by placing a few drops of water onto to the griddle. The griddle is ready if the water dances across the surface.

Lightly butter the griddle. Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel. (No butter should be visible.)

Gently ladle (I find a 1/4 measuring cup works best, makes just the right sized pancake and keeps them all the same) the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit if desired. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set.

Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel. Hold in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes.

If you're looking to freeze, just let the pancakes cool and then place on a baking sheet and put in the freezer (don't stack the pancakes on each other or they'll freeze together and you'll never get them apart!). Once frozen just bag them up in a zip bag or place in an airtight container (tupperware etc.).


Yield: 24 pancakes