BIG-BATCH BEEF SAUCE

• 4 Lbs. Ground beef
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 5 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cans (28 oz. Each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (6 oz. each) tomato paste
• 2 jars (4.5 oz each) mushrooms, drained, optional
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1Tbsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Dried oregano
• 2 tsp. Dried basil
• 1 tsp. Pepper
• 1/4 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes

YIELD: about 15 cups total

SPEEDY SPAGHETTI

• 2 cups Big-Batch Beef Sauce
• 1 can (8 oz.) Tomato sauce
• 1 jar (4.5 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Hot cooked spaghetti

YIELD: 2-3 Servings

TIME-SAVING TACOS

• 2 cups Big-Batch Beef Sauce
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 to 8 taco shells or flour tortillas
• Toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced ripe olives, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, sour cream, salsa.

YIELD: 3-4 Servings

OVEN-READY LASAGNA

• 2 cups Big-Batch Beef Sauce
• 1 can (6 oz.) Tomato paste
• 2 tsp. Dried basil
• 2 cups (16 oz) small-curd cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 6 no-cook lasagna noodles
• 4 cups (16 oz.) Shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

YIELD: 9-12 Servings

WEEKDAY CHILI

• 2 cups Big-Batch Beef Sauce
• 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp. Chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
• Shredded cheddar cheese

YIELD: 2-3 servings
 

If you have more mushrooms than you can use, you know they tend to dry out quickly. But you can freeze mushrooms to use at a later date.

You want to use fresh mushrooms, this works best on mushrooms that haven't started to dry out. Wipe any dirt of the mushrooms first. Place mushrooms on a cookie sheet and flash freeze. Once frozen, place into a ziploc and seal, or in a freezer container. Mushrooms will keep frozen for three months. Perfect for adding to soups, pasta sauces, etc.

You can also chop mushrooms into quarters before freezing, if you prefer, and is recommended for large mushrooms.

Mushrooms take about an hour to thaw at room temperature, but you can add them to recipes frozen.

Sandwiches generally freeze for 1-3 weeks. Here are some tips to ensure freezer-burn-free sandwiches that taste great even after being frozen!

• Spread butter or margarine right to the edges of the breat
• Do not use fresh veggies
• Do not use mayonnaise
• Cheese will freeze fine for sandwiches
• Wrap individually
• Place in lunchbox directly from freezer, they will defrost in about 3 hours.
• You can pack fresh small packs of mayo or additions like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers each morning, if you want to add to your sandwich

Believe it or not, ham and cheese sandwiches can be frozen, which makes it a perfect freezer lunch meal for even the adults in the family. Placed in a lunch kit in the morning, it will be perfectly thawed by lunchtime.

Loaf of bread
Miracle Whip
Ham (you can choose the style, ie. black forest or honey ham)
Sliced cheese

Spread miracle whip on bread (VERY IMPORTANT - do not use regular mayonaise, only use miracle whip). Add ham and cheese, seal in individual freezer bags or vacuum seal. Freeze.

On lunch day, take it out of the freezer in the morning and it will be thawed in time for lunch.

Freezing Peanut Butter & Jam Sandwiches Recipe

Because rice can take quite a significant amount of time to cook, and not everyone likes the taste of quick 5 minute rice, you will be happy to know that you can freeze rice for later! You just need to follow a few important steps before freezing to ensure the quality is still good when you go to thaw and re-use it in a later dish.

Cook your rice as usual. Allow to cool, then place in refrigerator. After the rice is chilled in the fridge, transfer rice to freezer bags or containers, and freeze as usual. Allowing the rice to chill will avoid the problem of mushy rice when you thaw it.

To use, simply thaw and reheat!

Yes, eggs can be frozen for later use, but don't start putting your eggs-in-the-shell in the freezer right now. In order to freeze eggs, a little prep work is required first.

To freeze whole eggs, crack the egg and beat until just blended, then freeze individually or together. Muffin tins work well to freeze them individually, then pop them out and store in a ziploc bag once frozen.

To use, simply thaw in refrigerator. If you froze them together, about 2 tablespoons of the slightly blended egg mixture will equal about one large egg.

12 bagels - plain or sundried tomato
Pizza sauce
Assorted pizza toppings
Mozza cheese

Cut bagels in half and place them face up on workspace. Spread tomato sauce in a thin layer, then add toppings. By making a variety of toppings, they won't get boring in lunches. Sprinkle with cheese then broil in oven until cheese melts.

Cool completely and package them individually (half a bagel per bag). Freeze.

Can be put into school lunches frozen, and they will thaw by lunchtime.

These are also great for after-school snacks. You can also switch to whole wheat bagels to make them healthier.

1-1/2 cups dry vegetable rotini
1/2 cup Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing 
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 red pepper chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped

Cook rotini until barely cooked al dente (VERY IMPORTANT, do not overcook)

Freeze in single portion servings in freezer bags or containers. Great for lunches! Put into thelunchbox frozen, and it will be thawed for lunchtime.

Can you freeze mayonnaise?

With so many dishes calling for mayonnaise, it would be handy if this ingredient could freeze, but unfortunately the answer is no. Mayo cannot be frozen because it will separate during the freezing process and will not resemble mayonnaise when done.

This means that any dips or recipes that include mayonnaise cannot be frozen. However, Miracle Whip can be frozen when you are able to substitute Miracle Whip for mayonnaise, such as in ourFreezeable Ham Sandwiches.

If you are so inclined, next time you are at the end of a jar of mayo, pop it into the freezer and you can see exactly why mayonnaise is one ingredient that cannot be frozen.

Cook your noodles according to the instructions. Drain and allow to air dry (noodles can be "wet" but not with water droplets on them). Then pop into the freezer in appropriate serving-sized containers or ziploc bags. You might want to do some of them in family-sized portions while freezing some in single serving sizes.

In the morning, simply pop the container into the refridgerator to thaw. Then reheat in the microwave  to serve with your favorite sauce.

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 10oz can cream of chicken soup
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can water chesnuts
6 oz evaporated milk

Needed on cooking day:
Small package of chow mein noodles

Combine all ingredients (except chow mein noodles) and place in small casserole. Preheat oven to 350F then bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool then freeze.

On cooking day:
Defrost, top with chow mein noodles and bake at 350F for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
 

A hit with the kids, who love anything for breakfast as dinner!

2 lbs frozen hash browns
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 10oz can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 pint sour cream
10 oz cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups crushed corn flakes

In a large bowl combine all ingredients but the corn flakes. Stir well. Add corn flakes to top. Freeze.

On cooking day:
Defrost, and bake in preheated 350F oven for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.
 

1 pound mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup flour 
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

On cooking day:
Oil for frying
1/2 cup marinara/tomato/pizza sauce

On cooking day:
These can be deep fried from frozen, about 3-4 minutes per batch.

Hungarian Goulash Freezer Recipe

4 lbs stew beef, cut in 2" cubes
oil
salt, to taste
paprika, to taste
pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans tomato paste
8 cloves allspice
1 cup water
4 large potatoes, quartered (on serving day)

Brown stew beef in cooking oil in large skillet, then season beef with salt, paprika and pepper. In a small bowl combine garlic, tomato paste, cloves and water, stirring well then add to skillet. Simmer for 2 hours, then cool. Divide into 3 freezer containers.

On cooking day: 
Defrost then cook over medium heat for 15 minutes then add potatoes. Simmer 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and goulash is heated through.

Low Fat Chicken Fettuccine Freezer Recipe
You can easily double or quadruple this pasta sauce to feed your freezer even more!

1 lb ground chicken
1 large onion, chopped
2 - 14oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

On cooking day:
8oz whole wheat or vegetable fettuccine noodles, cooked according to directions
2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese

Spray large skillet with non stick cooking spray and brown ground chicken with onion until no pink remains and onion is softened. Add tomatoes, oregano, sugar and salt to frypan and stir to combine. Pour into freezer container, allow to cool, and freeze.

To serve, thaw chicken fettuccine sauce overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350F while cooking the fettuccine noodles according to instructions on package. Place fettuccine in the baking dish, pour thawed sauce over top and bake, uncovered, 45 minutes (you can reduce cooking time to 30 minutes if you heat the sauce on the stove top while you are cooking the noodles). Sprinkle cheese on top of dish then cook for 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts and is bubbly.

Seafood Pasta Casserole Freezer Recipe

8 oz uncooked spiral pasta (such as rigatoni or fuselli)
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup butter
2 pkg (8 oz each) imitation crabmeat, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsps salt
1-1/2 tsp dried basil
1-1/2 cup (6 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: 
Cook spiral pasta noodles according to package directions. While pasta cooks, heat a small amount of butter in a skillet and saute onions, mushrooms, green pepper and garlic until onions are translucent and peppers are tender crisp. Remove skillet from the heat. Drain spiral pasta noodles, then add noodles to vegetable mixture. Then stir in the crab, sour cream, salt and basil.

Divide evenly in two 8" square baking dishes (foil containers work well, too). Sprinkle cheese on each. Cover and freeze both.

On cooking day: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you want to bake it. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until heated throughout.

Low Fat Broccoli Chicken Freezer Recipe

2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless & skinless (about 8 pieces)
1 14oz can cream of broccoli soup (condensed)
1 cups white button mushrooms, sliced chunky
1 cup broccoli florettes, cut small (or really small if you have kids!)
1/2 cup white wine
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

In a foil freezer container, place chicken breasts with smooth side up. In a small bowl combine soup, broccoli, mushrooms, wine, pepper and paprika, stirring well. Pour sauce over top of chicken. Cover with foil and freeze. (The small amount of wine does not affect freezing). Store for no longer than one month.

To serve, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake in 350F oven in covered foil container (or top glass casserole dish with tin foil on top) for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear and the broccoli is tender. Serve and enjoy.

Low Fat Swiss Steak & Gravy Freezer Recipe

Swiss steak, with gravy, and is low fat for those moms watching their weight while freezer cooking!

2 lbs round steak, lean, fat removed, cut into serving sized pieces (about 8)
1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 14oz can tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
3-4 carrots, sliced thinly
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Spray non-stick cooking spray on frypan and brown steak on both sides. Place in freezer dish but do not clean frying pan! In a small bowl add flour then slowly add water while constantly stirring, so no lumps form. Add to frying pan and bring to a boil, using a spoon or spatula to lift any browned its of leftover steak from the frypan to create a sauce. When sauce thickens slightly, add remaining ingredients and stir. Pour sauce over chicken, allow to cool, cover, label and freeze.

To serve, thaw overnight in refrigerator. If not already in a baking dish, pour into one. Cover baking dish. Bake in 350F oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until cooked through and tender. Serve. This is great over noodles.

4 double-rib pork chops
1/2 cup Mexican-style whole kernel corn
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
3 tbsp chopped onions
3 tsp salt
1/8 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sage
1/2 cup hot water

Cut pork chops from fat edge nearly to the bone edge, to create a pocket. Put a dash or two of salt in each pocket. In a small bowl combine corn, bread crumbs, onion, salt and thyme, mixing well. Divide into four and stuff pork chop pockets with mixture. Close with butcher string or toothpicks. Flash freeze on cookie sheet, then put in plastic ziploc bag or container and return to freezer.

On cooking day, cook from frozen. Place chops on preheated skillet, sprinkling top with sage. Heat pork chops for 40 minutes or until thawed and chops are browned on both sides. Add hot water, cover skillet and simmer on low for 40 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Check periodically and add water as needed. Remove butcher's string and/or toothpicks and serve!

Mandarin Orange Chicken Freezer Recipe