Meals Meals and more meals

Shower pictures added to the previous post.. Check em out :)

Today was the big cooking day, and I have had a few requests for the recipies and how we do it. This is just a jumbled mess, but hopefully it makes sense to some of you... alot of these i have been doing for so long, that we just throw them together.

One of the joys in meals for the month is the easy easiness of it. We found greatThrow away aluminum pans round 9 inch ( you can use whatever) with great paper lids at the dollar tree.. 2 for 1. After placing the meals in the pans, add freezer wrap or paper then we added the lids ( kinda like you get from Cafe Rio) , and freezer bags for soups and sauces ( quart size works best)... easy clean up... we label the lid with instructions on baking, thawing or whatever needs to be done to it.

BIG TIME SAVER: everyone cooks their meat before arrival. Shred the chicken at home. this is a timely process and much easier to assemble once its Mealday.

1. Find 2 friends who will love the meals as much as you. Works best if there are about the same amount of people in your family. ( we cooked for 3-4 people ) Any more than 3 people in your group.. the kitchen gets crowded..
Once a list is decided on, a grocery list needs to be made. Everyone buys thier own list, and then once we get together we just start assembling each meal x 3. Each of us takes a meal and works on it.. then moves to the next. There are a few groceries that you might just need a little bit of... ( mayo, celery, freezer wrap, green onions) usually one person will buy it then we split the cost.

everyone brings their own freezer bags and pans unless you want to add it to the group list..

2. start looking for freezer recipies/ ideas.
Some of our favorites:

Taco soup: serve over tortilla chips.
1 lb ground beef ( cooked)
1 can corn ( undrained)
1 can kidney beans ( undrained)
1 can refried beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can green chilis ( small can)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing
throw everything into a pan, and cook for 30 minutes or so. ( this is one of the first recipies we start with.. in a huge pot.. and just let it sit there and cook til the end) divide into freezer bags. make sure you label the bags before placing the soup inside.. freeze.. day of eating.. either unthaw in the microwave, or let sit out for a few hours. Top with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips..


Taco meat: just cook the hamburger, stick it in the freezer ( seasoned or not you choose)

Sloppy joes: add cooked meat to the sauce.. freeze and pull out for easy dinner.

Spagetti Sauce: same as above.. it's nice just to have it done

Chili: any chili will freeze. this is one of my favorites.. ( google Wendy's chili.. and walaa.. its yummy) i tried copying and pasting.. no luck..

Tater tot casserole
1 lb hamburger ( cooked)
2 cans green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package of frozen tater tots
Place hamburger on bottom of pan ( throw away one), mix green beans and soup together in a bowl.. put on top of hamburger.. add tater tots.. when you want to eat it. just thaw from freezer the night before or take it out in the morning. Bake for 30-45 minutes.(350) It just has to warm and cook the tater tots.

Pesto Chicken
2 chicken breasts ( cooked and shredded)
1 jar of alfredo sauce
1 package of pesto ( either refrigerated section or a dry mix that you can mix up with oil)
combine all ingredients and divide two times. Put into a freezer bag.. Thaw and warm on stove. Pour over bowtie noodles.. or rice

Chicken Divan
2 chicken breasts ( cooked)
1 bag frozen broccoli
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup cheese
1 cup mayonaise

Place broccoli on the bottom of pan, mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Add mixture on top of broccoli. Thaw and bake for 30-45 minutes. 350.. you can add ritz crackers on top while baking towards the end.. way yummy! great over rice too

Chicken Cresants
1-2 chicken breasts
1 cube cream cheese
1/2 cup cut up celery
green onion ( not sure how much ) maybe 2
poultry seasoning
eating day: cresants and cream of chicken soup

combine all ingredients in large bowl. Seperate into 2 freezer bags ( labeled)
Eating day: unthaw and place inside cresant rolls 1 package is enough ( uncooked) Bake til the cresants are done. Warm up Cream of chicken soup and pour over top like a gravy.


Potato & Cheese Soup ( needs Large pan or we used a roasting pan like a huge plug in one)
1 bag shredded hash browns
1 onion
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1/2 gallon milk
2 cups cheese
seasonings, salt pepper or whatever you like..

Cook hashbrowns with a bit of oil...or atleast brown them a bit. add remaining ingredients. ( this is another recipie we start with so it has lots of time to cook and make us hungry )

divide into bags and freeze. just let thaw and cook. might need a bit of time to get the onions soft. ours cooked for about 2 hours and still wasnt all the way done..

Chicken Pot Pie
1 bag mixed veggies
2 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1 cup cheese

add all ingredients into a bowl then transfer to pans ( we divided it up so we would have 2)
on eating day, thaw and add whatever topping like canned biscuits or bisquick, or cornbread mix. any of it is great. just cook til warm and top is done.

Lasagna
1 lb hamburger
1 jar spagetti sauce
2 cups of cheese ( we mixed yellow and white)
lasagna noodles

layer starting with a bit of sauce on bottom of pan. then uncooked noodles.. then meat and cheese.. more noodles, sauce.. etc.
thaw and bake .. this one might need a little more time since the noodles are uncooked. 45 minutes.

French bread pizza
1 french bread from bakery
spagetti sauce ( either exra from lasagna or a new jar)
whatever toppings you want ( peperoni, hamburger, onions )
cheese we used both..

cut bread in half. we put peperoni on first so it doesnt get saugy.. then added sauce and toppings. wrap in freezer wrap and foil.

not sure how long to bake this one for. Probably 20- 25 minutes if you are pulling it right out which might be best so it doesnt get saugy ( or however you spell that word)


Ham and Potato Bake
1 cup (?)deli ham diced up
1 frozen mixed veggies
1 can cream of mushroom/chicken soup
1 bag frozen hash browns
1 cup cheese
1 cup sour cream
salt pepper to taste

add all ingredients in large bowl and divide up into atleast 2 pans. This one makes alot. Eating day: just thaw and bake. 35-45 minutes. you can add more cheese to top if you want.

Chicken potato casserole ( this one is new for us.. it looked really good)
2 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
green peppers and onion frozen mix ( 3/4 of bag)
3 1/2 cups of hash browns
1 cup cheese

mix all ingredients and add to pans. ( we split this one too) Thaw and cook til it looks bubbly and yummy!

Marinated Chicken breasts
UNCOOKED
However many chicken breasts you want
Dry marinades that you add oil and water too..
Just place into labeled bags and unthaw the day of. Great for BBQ'n


3. A few things that havent been that great is tortillas for some reason like enchiladas.. the time we made it they were very saugy.. we have stayed away since. if someone has a great trick please share. cause it would be nice to add to the list.

4. Meals for the Month is awesome. Good luck. Im happy to help any of you. Please comment with questions or if you need help. Its very cost effective also. We made 23 meals today ( times 3 so 69) meals in about 3 1/2 hours. We have improved our speed. Coke and chocolate helps..
We usually bring a snack or treat to share just cause all the food looks good..
I probably spent under 100 bucks for 23 meals. Probably closer to 80 bucks.

Let me know if this helps! Happy cooking. What shall we eat tonight is always the question since our house smells so good today!