Now that school is in full swing, your family’s schedule probably is too. That means dinner probably falls to the bottom of the priority list – until, of course, 5 p.m. rolls around. Avoid the whole dinnertime dilemma by making your meals beforehand. You can freeze a week, or two, or a whole month of dinners, and thaw them to eat whenever you need them. Make a double batch of darn good chili and pack portions in bags. Or what about freeze-ahead lasagna primevera? It’s full of veggies and it’s perfect for leftovers. Choose from pork and beef bolognese or chicken spaghetti casserole when you need dinner in a hurry.
Darn Good Chili
Break out the beans! Mix together cooked ground beef, two types of beans (your choice), diced tomatoes and green chiles, along with chopped onion and seasonings. Place the mixture in a freezer-safe plastic baggie. When you’re ready to cook, allow the mixture to thaw until you’re able to pour it into a Crock-Pot – cook until heated through. That’s it to make this darn good chili from Happy Money Saver.
Freeze-Ahead Lasagna Primavera
This freeze-ahead lasagna primavera recipe from Martha Stewart is packed with vegetables. First, create a rich, white sauce and then add in spinach, peas and carrots. Layer sauce with pasta sheets and ricotta cheese in a casserole dish. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover and freeze until you’re ready to bake and serve.
Pork and Beef Bolognese
Saute ground beef and pork together until crisped slightly on the outside. Add in chopped garlic, onions, carrot and celery – heat until all of the vegetables are soft. Add in tomatoes and seasoning. Freeze sauce until you’re ready to use and pour over cooked pasta to make this pork and beef bolognese from Cooking Light.
Homemade Ham and Cheese Pockets
Start making these homemade ham and cheese pockets from Sally’s Baking Addiction with either from-scratch pizza dough or buy some from either the grocery store or your favorite local pizza place. Divide the dough into eight pieces. Roll out each piece, place ham and cheese inside and fold over. Bake, cool and freeze for quick dinners and lunches.
Stuffed Taco Shells
Cook pasta shells and then fill with browned ground beef, diced green chiles, black been salsa, shredded cheese and taco seasoning. Freeze these stuffed taco shells from Shugary Sweets and then bake topped with a bit of extra cheese. Serve with refried beans or taco shells.
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Saute together diced bell peppers, onions and mushrooms. Next, add in cream of mushroom soup, milk and shredded cheddar cheese. Heat the sauce and then stir in cooked spaghetti and cooked chicken pieces. Pour into a casserole dish and sprinkled with Monterey Jack cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and freeze. You can even double this chicken spaghetti casserole from Recipe Girl.
