this weekend michael's dad came to visit. he lives with his elderly mother and has to do all of the cooking because she no longer can. each time we see him i try and make a bunch of different meals that can be frozen and then simply heated in the oven. they aren't gormet meals by any means, but they are easy to make and taste great. i have featured a few of these on my blog in the past. the ones that haven't been posted yet, i will leave their recipes.
after a trip to the grocery store i was ready to get started.
on the menu was:
chicken spaghetti
chicken tortilla soup
{this time on grandma nita's soup i used canned carrots and potatoes to save on prep time...still turned out great!}
above is everything that was made:
2 chicken pot pies
2 quiche loraines
3 chicken spaghetties
2 soups
1 breakfast casserole
not bad for an hour and a half of cooking! here are a few freezing tips:
1. for the breakfast casserole, i cooked the sausage and then mixed the remaining ingredients together. i did not bake it before freezing. when he pops it in the oven, it will cook the rest of way.
2. i mixed all ingredients together for the chicken tortilla soup in a big bowl and did not cook it. i used canned chicken, so i didn't have to worry about any raw meat. after mixing i simply poured it into a large freezer zip lock back and then placed that bag into another freezer zip lock bag.
3. i did cook grandma nita's soup prior to bagging b/c it called for cooked ground beef. once it cooled, i poured it into the freezer zip lock bags.
4. i did not bake the chicken spaghetti before freezing, just mixed everything together and sealed it up for freezing.
5. make sure everything is packaged securely with foil, plastic wrap or lids. you don't want freezer burn!
this is a great way to get a bunch of meals done at one time. they are all really easy and fast recipes that make for easy week night cooking, pull the frozen meal out of the freezer in the morning, or the night before and put in the refrigerator. when you get home from work, just pop it into the oven until it gets warm all the way through. here are the two recipes that i have not posted previously.
c h i c k e n s p a g h e t t i
1 1/4 cup cooked spaghetti
1 can white meat chicken {the best canned chicken is from sam's!}
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup cheese {any kind}
1 can cream of chicken soup {i use the fat free kind}
2 tablespoons picante sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
cook spaghetti, drain and set aside. mix chicken, onion, cream of chicken soup, green peppers, picante sauce and spaghetti together. pour into a 9x13 baking pan. top with cheese. cook at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until warm through and melted cheese. you can start the baking in a cold oven...don't have to wait for it to heat.
c h i c k e n t o r t i l l a s o u p
1 envelope chicken noodle soup mix
3 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 1/2 cups water
1 can chopped green chilis
1 can of chicken {or 1 cup grilled chicken breast or rotisserie chicken}
tortilla chips
grated cheese
in medium sauce pan, combine envelope of chicken noodle soup mix with 3 cups chicken broth. add remianing ingredients except tortilla chips and cheese. bring to a boil. simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. spoon into bowls and top with cheese and crumbled tortilla chips.
hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!
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