The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook (17 page)

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 788 | Fat: 47g | Protein: 45g | Sodium: 173mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: 1g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Combine the ground beef with the taco seasoning mix, picante sauce, egg, and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Shape into patties and flash freeze. Transfer to a freezer bag once frozen.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 455 | Fat: 27g | Protein: 42g | Sodium: 608mg | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: 0g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Mix ground beef with Ground Beef Seasoning Mix, egg, breadcrumbs, and Worcestershire sauce. Divide the ground beef into 8 parts and shape into patties. In separate bowl combine the mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, and basil. Spread cheese mixture on 4 patties. Top the 4 patties with the 4 plain patties and seal the edges. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag, or wrap each individually in plastic wrap.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 712 | Fat: 41g | Protein: 51g | Sodium: 358mg | Carbohydrates: 9g | Fiber: 0.5g

Get Out of the Bun!

Part of a great hamburger is the bread you serve it on. For something new, try serving your burger on flat bread, pita bread, yeast rolls, an English muffin, onion rolls, Hawaiian bread, or even your own homemade hamburger buns. Toasting the buns or bread can also give the old burger a new presentation.

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Mix ground beef, ground sausage, seasoning mix, egg, breadcrumbs, and chili sauce. Divide the ground beef into 8 parts and shape into patties. In a separate bowl, mix the pepper jack cheese with the cream cheese. Spread cheese mixture on 4 patties. Top the 4 patties with 4 plain patties and seal the edges. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag, or wrap each individually in plastic wrap.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 1004 | Fat: 72g | Protein: 71g | Sodium: 969mg | Carbohydrates: 12g | Fiber: 1g

Build a Better Burger

Love cheese with your chili? Melt a slice of sharp Cheddar cheese over each burger, and top it with a sliced onion. And to make it a little hotter, add sliced jalapeño peppers.

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Combine the ground beef with the Seasoning Mix, egg, breadcrumbs, Sweet and Sour Sauce, and pineapple. Mix well. Shape into patties and flash freeze. Transfer to a freezer bag once frozen.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 475 | Fat: 27g | Protein: 43g | Sodium: 257mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 1g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Combine turkey with Ground Beef Seasoning Mix, Basil and Pine Nut Pesto, onion, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix well. Shape into patties and flash freeze. Transfer to a freezer bag once frozen.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they are fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 217 | Fat: 10g | Protein: 25g | Sodium: 189mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: 0.5g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Mix ground beef with seasoning mix, egg, and breadcrumbs. Divide the ground beef into 8 parts and shape into patties. Spread cheese on 4 patties. Top the 4 patties with 4 plain patties and seal the edges. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag, or wrap each individually in plastic wrap.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 542 | Fat: 33g | Protein: 49g | Sodium: 256mg | Carbohydrates: 8g | Fiber: 0.5g

Reinventing the Reuben

Serve this twist on a Reuben sandwich on toasted rye bread with Thousand Island salad dressing and topped with sauerkraut. And for a truly authentic taste, add a couple of slices of corned beef to your burger.

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Remove seeds from jalapeño peppers, and dice. In bowl, mix diced peppers, ground beef, Ground Beef Seasoning Mix, egg, breadcrumbs, and picante sauce. Shape into patties and flash freeze. Transfer to freezer bag once frozen.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they are fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 461 | Fat: 27g | Protein: 43g | Sodium: 127mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: 0.5g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Mix ground beef with Ground Beef Seasoning Mix, egg, and breadcrumbs. Divide the ground beef into 8 parts and shape into patties. Place the bacon and the cheese on top of 4 patties. Top those 4 patties with the remaining 4 patties and seal the edges, forming pockets. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Cook burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 966 | Fat: 64g | Protein: 81g | Sodium: 919mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 1g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Mix ground beef with Ground Beef Seasoning Mix, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and tomato paste. Divide the ground beef into 8 parts and shape into patties. Put mozzarella cheese and 3 pepperoni slices on 4 of the patties. Top the 4 patties with 4 plain patties and seal the edges. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag, or wrap each individually in plastic wrap.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 800 | Fat: 48g | Protein: 75g | Sodium: 401mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 1.5g

Don't Waste the Paste

If a recipe calls for a small amount of tomato paste, there is no reason to waste an entire can. Use a measuring spoon and make 1 tablespoon scoops of leftover paste. Place the scoops on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, and flash freeze. Transfer the tomato paste to a freezer bag.

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Mix ground beef with egg, breadcrumbs, Ground Beef Seasoning Mix, and spinach. Divide the ground beef into 8 parts and shape into patties. In a small bowl, mix the mozzarella cheese with the cream cheese. Put the cheese mixture on top of 4 patties. Top the 4 patties with 4 plain patties and seal the edges. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag, or wrap each individually in plastic wrap.

Reheating Instructions

Cook frozen or defrosted burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they reach desired level of doneness.

PER SERVING

Calories: 957 | Fat: 61g | Protein: 79g | Sodium: 557mg | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fiber: 2g

For More Pizzazz

You can sauté onion, garlic, sliced mushrooms, and fresh spinach in butter to jazz up these burgers even more. Top the burger with this delicious sauté mix.

This rice is lightly flavored with onion and garlic. It is delicious enough to stand on its own as a side dish, yet mild enough to go with a sauce or gravy.

Freezing Day

In large saucepan, sauté onion in the olive oil 5–10 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes until garlic is golden brown. Add rice and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 20 minutes. Let stand additional 5 minutes off the heat, with lid still on tight. Freeze in a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Heat rice in the microwave for 1–5 minutes (depending upon portion size), and serve.

PER SERVING

Calories: 135 | Fat: 2g | Protein: 2.5g | Sodium: 1mg | Carbohydrates: 25g | Fiber: 1g

Portion Control

You can freeze rice by the serving. Fill a large ice cream scoop with rice, and place it onto a wax-covered baking sheet. Flash freeze the scoop of rice, then transfer to a freezer bag. When you are ready to reheat the rice, simply choose the number of scoops you will need and heat it!

This stuffing is a real crowd pleaser! You can make this side dish into a main dish by adding cubed cooked chicken into the stuffing.

Freezing Day

Bake cornbread according to package directions and cool. Crumble into pieces. In large skillet, melt butter. Sauté chopped onion and celery over medium heat 5–10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove skillet from heat and add the soups, broth, and crumbled cornbread. Add sage, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well and freeze in freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost mixture in the refrigerator overnight and pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until firm.

PER SERVING

Calories: 408 | Fat: 25g | Protein: 8.5g | Sodium: 1309mg | Carbohydrates: 37g | Fiber: 3g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Lay potatoes directly on oven rack and bake at 350°F for 1 hour. Do not wrap potatoes in foil when baking. Let cool 10 minutes, and then slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potatoes from each half, leaving about ¼″ of potato next to the skin. Put the scooped out potato filling in a large mixing bowl. In the mixing bowl add remaining ingredients to potatoes and mash. Spoon mashed potatoes back into the skins and flash freeze. Transfer to freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Put frozen potatoes on a baking sheet. Heat potatoes in the oven at 350°F until potatoes are heated through, approximately 45 minutes–1 hour. Potatoes can also be heated in the microwave for approximately 3 minutes per potato. Cooking times will vary depending on potato sizes.

PER SERVING

Calories: 323 | Fat: 14g | Protein: 8g | Sodium: 157mg | Carbohydrates: 42g | Fiber: 4g

Beautiful Double Baked Potatoes

When filling double baked potatoes, use a wide tipped pastry bag to create swirls and patterns on the top of the potato for an artistic touch. For a creamier potato filling, overcook the potato the first time in order to render it much softer and easier to mix.

A roux is a mixture of flour and fat that is used to thicken sauces. The ratio is 1:1; one part fat to one part flour. Be careful not to cook your roux too long; you need to start over if it burns or has black specks in it.

Freezing Day

Boil potatoes until a fork easily pierces them. Drain and cool immediately in cold water, changing water as needed until it stays cool. Drain and peel potatoes. Cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet pickle juice, water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Set aside. Cook bacon until almost crisp, then add onion. Cook onion until translucent 8–10 minutes. You should have at least 4–5 tablespoons grease in skillet. If you don't, add olive oil until amount is achieved. Whisk in an equal amount of flour to make roux. It should have a slightly glossy look. Cook roux for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the pickle juice mixture until a thin sauce is formed. Pour over potatoes, stir. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost potato salad in refrigerator for 24 hours. It may be served warm or cold.

PER SERVING

Calories: 358 | Fat: 15g | Protein: 13g | Sodium: 584mg | Carbohydrates: 43g | Fiber: 3g

This corn casserole is an easy side dish. Serve it with Blue Cheese Burgers (Chapter 10), Sweet Ginger Sloppy Joes (Chapter 3), or Avocado Chicken Burgers (Chapter 10).

Freezing Day

In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Freeze in a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost corn casserole in the refrigerator overnight and heat at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until fully heated.

PER SERVING

Calories: 412 | Fat: 35g | Protein: 13g | Sodium: 602mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 2g

This thick hearty beef and vegetable soup is great to have on hand. Serve it with crusty French bread for a delicious meal.

Freezing Day

Brown the ground beef and drain. Add beef to a stockpot with all remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered for 1 hour, 30 minutes. Stir often. Cool and freeze in a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost soup in the refrigerator overnight and heat in a stockpot over medium heat for 15–20 minutes or until desired temperature is reached.

PER SERVING

Calories: 268 | Fat: 10g | Protein: 20g | Sodium: 768mg | Carbohydrates: 25g | Fiber: 4g

Goes great with the Open-Faced Italian Sandwiches found in Chapter 9, or served with a side of toasted sliced Italian bread topped with melted mozzarella or Swiss cheese.

Freezing Day

In skillet, melt butter and sauté leeks until tender. In large saucepan, add potatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and cool. Pour into blender and mix until smooth. Pour back into saucepan and add leeks with butter and half and half. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sherry. Cool and freeze in a freezer bag or plastic container.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost soup in refrigerator for 24 hours. Warm in saucepan over medium-low heat for 25–30 minutes or until desired temperature is reached.

PER SERVING

Calories: 314 | Fat: 18g | Protein: 7g | Sodium: 991mg | Carbohydrates: 35g | Fiber: 3g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

In a mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. In a separate mixing bowl combine onion, corn, and eggs. Combine together. If the batter is too runny, add more cornmeal until it can hold its shape. Heat 2 inches of oil to 365°F. Drop batter into the oil by the spoonful and cook on both sides until browned. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Cool. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Place frozen hush puppies on baking sheet and cook at 425°F for 14–16 minutes. Turn once after 7 minutes.

PER SERVING

Calories: 78 | Fat: 1g | Protein: 2.5g | Sodium: 245mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 1g

What's in a Name?

There are a lot of stories about how hush puppies got their name. One interesting story tells of Confederate soldiers sitting around a campfire at night cooking their dinner. They tossed their dogs hush puppies to stop them from barking when Yankee soldiers were approaching.

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Boil in water until a fork inserts easily into the potatoes. Drain and whip potatoes in large mixing bowl. Prepare a casserole dish for freezing or use an aluminum pan. To potatoes add ½ cup butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light cream, and bourbon. Mix well and add to casserole dish. In separate bowl prepare topping: Mix the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Mix in chopped pecans. Add topping to the casserole dish, wrap tightly, and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

For defrosted casserole, bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. For frozen casserole, add 45 minutes to an hour to defrosted casserole baking time.

PER SERVING

Calories: 453 | Fat: 32g | Protein: 4g | Sodium: 232mg | Carbohydrates: 41g | Fiber: 4g

Teetotaler Version

Bourbon adds a delicious vanilla and caramel flavor to the dish. If you want to avoid adding alcohol to the sweet potatoes, substitute 1½–2 teaspoons vanilla extract for the bourbon.

Try adding 1 bulb of Roasted Garlic (Chapter 15) to mashed potatoes. Serve mashed potatoes with Homestyle Beef Stew (Chapter 6), or Steak and Tomatoes (Chapter 3).

Freezing Day

Cut potatoes into large chunks, put in large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat 15–20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Drain. Mash potatoes. Add half and half, butter, and egg to the potatoes and mix well. Freeze in a freezer bag, casserole dish, or Tupperware container.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost potatoes in the refrigerator for 24 hours and heat at 350°F until potatoes are heated through, 30–45 minutes. Microwaving is not recommended for heating.

PER SERVING

Calories: 253 | Fat: 11g | Protein: 4.5g | Sodium: 91mg | Carbohydrates: 35g | Fiber: 1.5g

Portion Control

Rather than freezing 5 pounds of mashed potatoes, divide them into smaller portions. To make single-serving portions, freeze potatoes in muffin tins. Once potatoes have frozen, remove them from the muffin tins and put them into a freezer bag. Heat frozen potatoes in the oven according to the reheating instructions in this recipe.