daisymommy
07-19-2011, 12:01 PM
I just posted this in the pregnancy forum, where someone was asking for make-ahead meal ideas to prep before her baby was born. I figured it only made sense to cross-post the info. over here for those of you who aren't preggo and still want ideas :)
I really dislike heating up the oven and thus the whole house during the Summer. So my idea of Summer cooking is anything that can be put on the grill, or in the Crockpot, or maybe briefly reheated on the stove-top. These freezer meals meet those criteria.
SUMMER FREEZER MEAL COOKING
Crockpot BBQ
Freeze your meat and sauce ingredients all together in a gallon freezer Ziplock bag. Then on cooking day, simply dump it all into your Crockpot (note: thaw out meat for 24 hrs. in your fridge before cooking).
-Ribs:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-co...bs/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-barbecue-ribs/detail.aspx)
-Pork Roast:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-co...rk/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-pulled-pork/detail.aspx)
-Beef Roast:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-co...ue/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-barbeque/detail.aspx)
-Saucy BBQ Chicken:
3-4 lbs. chicken pieces of your choice + 1c. bbq sauce + 1/3 c. peach or apricot preserves + 2tsp. yellow mustard
Freeze meats in marinade for grilling:
-Chicken breasts (Teriyaki, Chipotle, Italian, Lemon Pepper, etc.)
-Chicken breasts in fajita marinade [see below] (use a grill basket for the peppers and onions)
-Flank or skirt steak in fajita marinade [see below] (use a grill basket for the peppers and onions)
Freeze all ingredients together in a freezer ziplock bag. Thaw & dump into your Crockpot on cooking day.
Salsa Chicken
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008...en-recipe.html (http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/06/crockpot-salsa-chicken-recipe.html)
Taco Chicken (4 breasts, 1 can chicken broth, 1 pkg. taco seasons). Shred and serve as a taco filling.
Chicken Fajitas
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/08...kpot-from.html (http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/08/chicken-fajitas-in-crockpot-from.html)
Shredded BBQ Chicken sandwiches:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-s...ue/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-slow-cooker-chicken-barbecue/detail.aspx)
Burgers
Form Hamburger and Turkey Burger patties and freeze between freezer-paper. Grill for dinner.
Brown ground beef (or turkey) for the following recipes (all of which can be made ahead and frozen or just have the meat in your freezer ahead of time for cooking day as a time-saver).
-Tacos
-Taco Soup
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/p...ipe/index.html (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/taco-soup-recipe/index.html)
Beef Enchiladas
http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe...as/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/62834888/cheesy-chili-beef-enchiladas/detail.aspx)
-Lasagna (can be frozen or made in crockpot on meal day)
Crockpot: http://www.plantoeat.com/recipes/111509
Oven: http://www.food.com/recipe/barilla-n...-lasagna-80435 (http://www.food.com/recipe/barilla-no-boil-lasagna-80435)
-Spaghetti sauce (which can be frozen in portions as well)
http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2...tti-sauce.html (http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/08/crockpot-spaghetti-sauce.html)
-Chili
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Debdooz...li/Detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Debdoozies-Blue-Ribbon-Chili/Detail.aspx)
-Sloppy Joes
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1931
Roast 2 whole chickens and dice/shred the meat for:
-Chicken Tortilla Soup
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-co...up/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/detail.aspx)
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/chicken...-i/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/chicken-tortilla-soup-i/detail.aspx)
-Chicken Enchiladas
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...b-f4c3a1b77316 (http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chile-chicken-enchiladas/3b02f8a2-e89d-46f6-a85b-f4c3a1b77316)
-Chicken Salad sandwiches
*As long as the oven is already on: Bake 2 b.s. chicken breasts for BBQ Chicken Pizza
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...chicken-pizza/ (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/cpks-bbq-chicken-pizza/)
Tequila Lime Chicken Fajita Marinade
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup gold tequila
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 or 4 grinds fresh black pepper
Fajita Marinade #2 (*makes 2 cups)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup chopped cilantro
I really dislike heating up the oven and thus the whole house during the Summer. So my idea of Summer cooking is anything that can be put on the grill, or in the Crockpot, or maybe briefly reheated on the stove-top. These freezer meals meet those criteria.
SUMMER FREEZER MEAL COOKING
Crockpot BBQ
Freeze your meat and sauce ingredients all together in a gallon freezer Ziplock bag. Then on cooking day, simply dump it all into your Crockpot (note: thaw out meat for 24 hrs. in your fridge before cooking).
-Ribs:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-co...bs/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-barbecue-ribs/detail.aspx)
-Pork Roast:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-co...rk/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-pulled-pork/detail.aspx)
-Beef Roast:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-co...ue/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-barbeque/detail.aspx)
-Saucy BBQ Chicken:
3-4 lbs. chicken pieces of your choice + 1c. bbq sauce + 1/3 c. peach or apricot preserves + 2tsp. yellow mustard
Freeze meats in marinade for grilling:
-Chicken breasts (Teriyaki, Chipotle, Italian, Lemon Pepper, etc.)
-Chicken breasts in fajita marinade [see below] (use a grill basket for the peppers and onions)
-Flank or skirt steak in fajita marinade [see below] (use a grill basket for the peppers and onions)
Freeze all ingredients together in a freezer ziplock bag. Thaw & dump into your Crockpot on cooking day.
Salsa Chicken
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008...en-recipe.html (http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/06/crockpot-salsa-chicken-recipe.html)
Taco Chicken (4 breasts, 1 can chicken broth, 1 pkg. taco seasons). Shred and serve as a taco filling.
Chicken Fajitas
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/08...kpot-from.html (http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/08/chicken-fajitas-in-crockpot-from.html)
Shredded BBQ Chicken sandwiches:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-s...ue/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-slow-cooker-chicken-barbecue/detail.aspx)
Burgers
Form Hamburger and Turkey Burger patties and freeze between freezer-paper. Grill for dinner.
Brown ground beef (or turkey) for the following recipes (all of which can be made ahead and frozen or just have the meat in your freezer ahead of time for cooking day as a time-saver).
-Tacos
-Taco Soup
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/p...ipe/index.html (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/taco-soup-recipe/index.html)
Beef Enchiladas
http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe...as/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/62834888/cheesy-chili-beef-enchiladas/detail.aspx)
-Lasagna (can be frozen or made in crockpot on meal day)
Crockpot: http://www.plantoeat.com/recipes/111509
Oven: http://www.food.com/recipe/barilla-n...-lasagna-80435 (http://www.food.com/recipe/barilla-no-boil-lasagna-80435)
-Spaghetti sauce (which can be frozen in portions as well)
http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2...tti-sauce.html (http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/08/crockpot-spaghetti-sauce.html)
-Chili
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Debdooz...li/Detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Debdoozies-Blue-Ribbon-Chili/Detail.aspx)
-Sloppy Joes
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1931
Roast 2 whole chickens and dice/shred the meat for:
-Chicken Tortilla Soup
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-co...up/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/detail.aspx)
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/chicken...-i/detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/chicken-tortilla-soup-i/detail.aspx)
-Chicken Enchiladas
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...b-f4c3a1b77316 (http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chile-chicken-enchiladas/3b02f8a2-e89d-46f6-a85b-f4c3a1b77316)
-Chicken Salad sandwiches
*As long as the oven is already on: Bake 2 b.s. chicken breasts for BBQ Chicken Pizza
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...chicken-pizza/ (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/cpks-bbq-chicken-pizza/)
Tequila Lime Chicken Fajita Marinade
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup gold tequila
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 or 4 grinds fresh black pepper
Fajita Marinade #2 (*makes 2 cups)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup chopped cilantro