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Offline jtyangel

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Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« on: July 05, 2011, 06:37:03 AM »
Well, I'm off today and half day tomorrow and then the weekend will be upon me again. As next week is my hell week for the month, I would like to have some meals prepared ahead of time, but am getting tired of the same old, same old. So what tried and trued(and store well ahead of time) meals do you all have. Crockpot is ok too since I have a functioning(after 10 am) 13 year old who is capable of turning it on(I think) :-)

I'm doing some grocery shopping later today so want to get the goods for some new stuff. Easy to make deserts are welcome too :-* Thx peeps
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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2011, 08:15:22 AM »
I grill extra meat to freeze, like chicken or pork chops.  I grilled two slabs of ribs this weekend, and wrapped one in tin foil, and froze.  The other one I cut off all of the meat, and chopped up, to either make quesadillas out of, or chopped pork sandwiches.  I also do a lot of prep work, chopping up vegetables for salads and stuff like that for the weekends too. 

Spaghetti sauce is always good. 
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Offline jtyangel

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2011, 10:16:48 AM »
Quote from: IassaFTots on July 05, 2011, 08:15:22 AM
I grill extra meat to freeze, like chicken or pork chops.  I grilled two slabs of ribs this weekend, and wrapped one in tin foil, and froze.  The other one I cut off all of the meat, and chopped up, to either make quesadillas out of, or chopped pork sandwiches.  I also do a lot of prep work, chopping up vegetables for salads and stuff like that for the weekends too. 

Spaghetti sauce is always good. 
I have to get better with pre making salads..I'm always bustling around at 10 pm or 5 am the next morning trying to make my salad always saying I need to precut all the 'goodies' that go on it.  :banghead:
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Offline Gina

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2011, 12:12:34 PM »
I am really wondering if I could cook my huge omelets fully then put the cheese and whatever else stuffings in there, fold it over and wrap in saran wrap.  Then freeze and when I want a gooey omelet just pop that sucker in the microwave.  Anyone know?
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Offline Eupher

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2011, 12:29:00 PM »
Quote from: Gina on July 05, 2011, 12:12:34 PM
I am really wondering if I could cook my huge omelets fully then put the cheese and whatever else stuffings in there, fold it over and wrap in saran wrap.  Then freeze and when I want a gooey omelet just pop that sucker in the microwave.  Anyone know?

Eggs freeze okay, but I reaaaaallly don't know how they'd survive a microwave encounter. Assplosions, yunno? Maybe.

I'd rather do it up and serve it out of the pan. But that's just me.
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Offline Gina

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2011, 12:42:42 PM »
Quote from: Eupher on July 05, 2011, 12:29:00 PM
Eggs freeze okay, but I reaaaaallly don't know how they'd survive a microwave encounter. Assplosions, yunno? Maybe.

I'd rather do it up and serve it out of the pan. But that's just me.

well you would only reheat them, like 30-45 seconds
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Offline Eupher

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2011, 02:43:11 PM »
Quote from: Gina on July 05, 2011, 12:42:42 PM
well you would only reheat them, like 30-45 seconds

Yeah, I know, but they get rubbery and yuck. Not my cuppa tea.

Doing the omelet fillings ahead of time and freezing them would work okay, but not the eggs themselves IMHO.
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Offline debk

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2011, 04:59:18 PM »
Shrimp or chicken salad is really easy to make. So is pasta salad with chicken or tuna.

Your daughter could put it all together in the morning and it would be nice and chilled come dinner time.

Most crockpot stuff sounds "too heavy" for summer, to me. But I'm down here in 90+ degree heat with humidity in the 60-70+% humidity.  :bawl:
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Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2011, 08:55:14 AM »
Chili, chicken and dumplings, beef stew all good for reheating.

I LOVE ham and bean soup as well.  Meatloaf and lasagna hold up pretty well too.
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Offline debk

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2011, 09:07:19 AM »
Quote from: NHSparky on July 06, 2011, 08:55:14 AM
Chili, chicken and dumplings, beef stew all good for reheating.

I LOVE ham and bean soup as well.  Meatloaf and lasagna hold up pretty well too.

Whenever I make chili or beef stew, I always make a lot, so that I can freeze several containers. I do the same with meatballs and sauce, chicken soup, sloppy joes, bbq pulled pork or beef.
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Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.

Offline jtyangel

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2011, 10:59:16 AM »
Quote from: debk on July 05, 2011, 04:59:18 PM
Shrimp or chicken salad is really easy to make. So is pasta salad with chicken or tuna.

Your daughter could put it all together in the morning and it would be nice and chilled come dinner time.

Most crockpot stuff sounds "too heavy" for summer, to me. But I'm down here in 90+ degree heat with humidity in the 60-70+% humidity.  :bawl:

yeah, we just want something different...the salads sound good and when my girl is here, she can make herself an easy lunch out of them too. I'm just getting tired of grilled stuff.  :-)
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Offline jtyangel

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2011, 11:00:55 AM »
Quote from: NHSparky on July 06, 2011, 08:55:14 AM
Chili, chicken and dumplings, beef stew all good for reheating.

I LOVE ham and bean soup as well.  Meatloaf and lasagna hold up pretty well too.

I just got the ingredients to do a lasagna..haven't made one since it was cold out and just have a hankering for it. I also have a loaf of garlic bread frozen and ready for a companion :yum:


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Offline Ralph Wiggum

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2011, 11:14:33 AM »
Quote from: jtyangel on July 06, 2011, 11:00:55 AM
I just got the ingredients to do a lasagna..haven't made one since it was cold out and just have a hankering for it. I also have a loaf of garlic bread frozen and ready for a companion :yum:




Yum, when can I come over for dinner? :yum:  :-)
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Offline Ballygrl

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #13 on: July 06, 2011, 11:21:24 AM »
Potatoes don't freeze very well, but if you make the potatoes and add some cream cheese and butter to it instead of using milk then they thaw out good.
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2011, 01:50:28 PM »
 Instant Rice, you don't have to freeze it and it's ready in 5 min.

















 :tongue:
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #15 on: July 06, 2011, 02:01:44 PM »
Quote from: jtyangel on July 06, 2011, 10:59:16 AM
I'm just getting tired of grilled stuff.  :-)



HERETIC!!!!!!!!
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Offline debk

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #16 on: July 06, 2011, 02:48:12 PM »
Quote from: Ballygrl on July 06, 2011, 11:21:24 AM
Potatoes don't freeze very well, but if you make the potatoes and add some cream cheese and butter to it instead of using milk then they thaw out good.

I freeze my potato soup. It turns out ok, as long as I let it thaw on the counter. Thawing in the microwave messes it up.
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Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.

Offline jtyangel

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #17 on: July 08, 2011, 07:48:09 PM »
Quote from: Ralph Wiggum on July 06, 2011, 11:14:33 AM
Yum, when can I come over for dinner? :yum:  :-)

I meant the bread needed a companion ie the lasagna :hammer: :-)
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Offline jtyangel

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #18 on: July 08, 2011, 07:50:23 PM »
Quote from: NHSparky on July 06, 2011, 02:01:44 PM


HERETIC!!!!!!!!

I love that movie! In fact, a fellow 'ginger' and I joke about it. Young guy, 100% ginger as in orange hair/freckles. I call him 'ginger' and he calls me 'daywalker' (ie red haired person who can tan). But I told him ginger calling outs reminded me of that part of Invasion of the Body Snatchers where Donald Sutherland did what he did in that pic.  :-)
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Offline JLO

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #19 on: August 06, 2011, 12:05:24 AM »
Quote from: jtyangel on July 05, 2011, 06:37:03 AM
Well, I'm off today and half day tomorrow and then the weekend will be upon me again. As next week is my hell week for the month, I would like to have some meals prepared ahead of time, but am getting tired of the same old, same old. So what tried and trued(and store well ahead of time) meals do you all have. Crockpot is ok too since I have a functioning(after 10 am) 13 year old who is capable of turning it on(I think) :-)

I'm doing some grocery shopping later today so want to get the goods for some new stuff. Easy to make deserts are welcome too :-* Thx peeps

Well, others have already shared the same ideas as me...but it's hot and muggy out and I want cool food.  I finally found the pita bread tuna salad from the pita bread wrapper that I want to make.  It took some digging to find it online.  I think I'll make this tomorrow.  Ingredients chilling in the fridge already to go.

Ingredients:

Servings:

5

Units: US | Metric

    2 (6 ounce) cans chunk light tuna, drained and flaked
    1 cup chopped canned artichoke heart (or use marinated artichokes)
    1/2 cup chopped ripe olives (black or kalamata is good)
    1/3 cup mayonnaise (to taste)
    2 teaspoons lemon juice
    1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano (1/2 teaspoon dried- or try thyme for a change)
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
    sliced tomato (otpional)
    lettuce leaf (optional)

Directions:

    1
    Combine tuna, artichokes, olives, mayonnaise, lemon juice, oregano and parsley, if using, in a medium bowl. Stir to mix well.
    2
    Place salad in a mound on lettuce leaves along with sliced tomatoes and serve. This also makes a great sandwich on French bread! Enjoy!



I will half the recipe and stuff it into split pita bread, just like the pita bread wrapper's recipe.

I'm thinking of adding onion and celery, just like a normal tuna salad.  Any thoughts?
« Last Edit: August 06, 2011, 12:34:14 AM by JLO »
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Offline JakeStyle

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #20 on: August 06, 2011, 12:21:31 AM »
This may expose me as a pathetic single guy, but I extend my food budget by cooking up several Zatarain's red beans and rice packages to which I include grilled smoked sausage.  I freeze the majority of it and use it as a side for most meals; goes great with steamed veggies, a baked potato, whatever.  I reward myself with a steak once a week and it's even a nice accompaniment to that.  
*Edited to add that I get the low-sodium Zatarain's, the regular is way too salty.  
« Last Edit: August 06, 2011, 12:29:55 AM by JakeStyle »
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Offline JLO

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Re: Good recipes to freeze/make ahead of time
« Reply #21 on: August 06, 2011, 12:45:31 AM »
Quote from: JakeStyle on August 06, 2011, 12:21:31 AM
This may expose me as a pathetic single guy, but I extend my food budget by cooking up several Zatarain's red beans and rice packages to which I include grilled smoked sausage.  I freeze the majority of it and use it as a side for most meals; goes great with steamed veggies, a baked potato, whatever.  I reward myself with a steak once a week and it's even a nice accompaniment to that.  
*Edited to add that I get the low-sodium Zatarain's, the regular is way too salty.  

Zatarain's is good food to me! 

Experimenting is fun with Zatarain's.  Lots of great spices to start your own creation.

I stuffed some green peppers with Zatarain's and leftover shrimp, garlic, sausage and tomato sauce and it was great.  Experimenting is great fun in the kitchen :-)
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