The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook (8 page)

Freezing Day

Cut chicken into bite-sized cubes and stir-fry them in oil with the onion for 4–5 minutes. Add chicken to a large saucepan along with the chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, and chopped jalapeños. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add beans and lime juice and cook an additional 5 minutes. Cool chili and freeze in a Tupperware container or freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost in the refrigerator 24 hours. Heat chili in a saucepan over medium heat for 20–30 minutes until desired temperature is reached. Serve with desired toppings.

PER SERVING

Calories: 490 | Fat: 23g | Protein: 42g | Sodium: 459mg | Carbohydrates: 27g | Fiber: 6g

Frozen Herb Butter

Flavor butter with fresh parsley, basil, or dill. Put 2 tablespoons of one herb in the food processor to purée. Add ½ cup softened butter and blend. Add more butter according to taste. Spoon the butter into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, put cubes into a freezer bag. Use to season vegetables, on bread, or in recipes.

Give each of your dinner guests a small bowl filled with Sweet and Sour Sauce for dipping chicken. Serve with grilled pineapple slices and rice for a meal everyone will love.

Freezing Day

In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, and ginger. Divide sauce into two equal parts. Put chicken into a freezer bag. Pour one half of sauce over the chicken and freeze. Pour the other half of sauce into a quart-sized freezer bag and freeze separately.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost the chicken and the separate marinade bag in the refrigerator for 24 hours. The separate bag of marinade is to baste chicken during grilling. Grill the chicken over medium heat for 30 minutes with bone side down, and 15–20 minutes on the other side, or until the breast reaches 165°F. Baste with reserved marinade during the last 15 minutes of grilling only.

PER SERVING

Calories: 708 | Fat: 48g | Protein: 39g | Sodium: 2000mg | Carbohydrates: 35g | Fiber: 0g

Not only does tarragon taste delicious, but it can help your body as well. It is healthy for your digestive system, eases stomach cramps, and even stimulates your appetite. And, if you have high blood pressure, try substituting tarragon for salt!

Freezing Day

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and coat them in the ¼cup of flour. In large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown 3 minutes on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet to cool. Sauté onions in skillet 5–10 minutes until the onion is translucent. Over high heat, deglaze the skillet with the wine. Add 2 tablespoons flour and mix well. A thick paste should form. Add tarragon and chicken broth, mix well, and immediately remove from heat to cool. Put chicken in a freezer bag and pour the skillet ingredients over the chicken. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken and sauce in refrigerator overnight and put in a large skillet. Cover. Sauté approximately 30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken from skillet. Add the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir 5–7 minutes until sauce is fully heated. Serve chicken with sauce spooned over the top.

PER SERVING

Calories: 276 | Fat: 13g | Protein: 36g | Sodium: 287mg | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fiber: 0g

How to Deglaze

This recipe calls for you to deglaze the skillet.
Deglaze
is a culinary term that means to remove the brown pieces and drippings that stuck to the bottom of the skillet during browning. A liquid such as wine is poured into the skillet and, over high heat, the bottom of the skillet is scraped so the browned pieces can flavor the sauce.

This hearty chicken dish is best served over rice. If you want to add heat to your dish, include chopped jalapeño peppers, or put a bottle of hot sauce on the table and season to taste.

Freezing Day

Brown chicken 2–3 minutes per side, in olive oil, over medium-high heat. Deglaze pan with wine. Refer to sidebar “How to Deglaze” for instructions on how to deglaze the pan. Stir in remaining ingredients and immediately remove from heat. Pour into a freezer bag and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken and sauce in refrigerator overnight. Put into saucepan and bring to a low boil. Cover pan, turn down heat, and simmer for 20–30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 496 | Fat: 13g | Protein: 38g | Sodium: 925mg | Carbohydrates: 61g | Fiber: 11g

With each piece of lemon chicken wrapped in its own foil pouch, whether you are cooking for one or cooking for ten, you'll know exactly how many packets to bake.

Freezing Day

Lay the pieces of aluminum foil on the counter and put a chicken breast in the center. Pierce each chicken breast 3 or 4 times with a fork. Squeeze the juice from ½ of lemon over each breast. Fold up sides of foil to keep juice from running out if needed. Sprinkle each breast with lemon pepper and basil. Fold and secure foil over chicken. Place all chicken packets in a freezer bag and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Keep chicken wrapped and defrost in refrigerator overnight. Place foil packet(s) in a baking dish and bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 161 | Fat: 2g | Protein: 35g | Sodium: 2mg | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: 3g

Frozen Lemon Slices

If you enjoy drinking water, or any other drink with a fresh slice of lemon, try freezing lemon slices! When you freeze the slices, you don't have to worry about using up your entire lemon before it goes bad. Slice lemon into wedges and flash freeze. Once frozen, put lemons in a small freezer bag. Enjoy freshening your drink with a cold slice.

This dish uses only five ingredients and is simple to put together. Vary the cooking method by cooking in a covered skillet over medium heat.

Freezing Day

In saucepan, combine all ingredients except chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool. Put chicken breasts in a freezer bag and pour sauce over chicken. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken in refrigerator overnight. Put chicken and sauce into a baking dish. Bake chicken at 350°F, covered, for 30–40 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 373 | Fat: 2g | Protein: 30g | Sodium: 1252mg | Carbohydrates: 61g | Fiber: 1g

These mini meatballs taste wonderful on rolls with red sauce and mozzarella cheese, or with Alfredo Sauce (Chapter 14) and served over noodles.

Freezing Day

In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except olive oil. Mix well and form into small meatballs. Place meatballs in pan and bake at 350°F for 20–30 minutes, or until they are fully cooked. Flash freeze and transfer to freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost meatballs in refrigerator for 24 hours. Put meatballs in a saucepan with your favorite sauce and heat over medium heat for 30 minutes.

PER SERVING

Calories: 196 | Fat: 6g | Protein: 30g | Sodium: 272mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 1 g

The honey mustard sauce in this recipe tastes delicious on hamburgers, and you can use it with pork chops or sliced ham.

Freezing Day

Place the chicken breast in a freezer bag. In food processor, mix honey, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth consistency is reached. Put 1/3 of honey mustard sauce in small freezer bag or plastic container. Pour remaining 2/3 of sauce over chicken and seal the bag. With your hands on the outside of the bag, move chicken around so it is coated with sauce. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken and separate container of sauce in refrigerator overnight. Over high heat, grill chicken 2 minutes per side. Decrease grill temperature to medium-low and cook an additional 5–10 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Use separate container of sauce to baste chicken during last few minutes of cooking.

PER SERVING

Calories: 349 | Fat: 2g | Protein: 35g | Sodium: 79mg | Carbohydrates: 48g | Fiber: 0g

Use Tongs When Grilling

When you are grilling chicken or steak and it is time to turn the meat, use a pair of tongs instead of a fork that will pierce the meat. The delicious juices inside the meat can escape through the fork puncture and cause the meat to be dry and chewy.

Made from the meat of the coconut, coconut milk is created through a multistep process of steeping grated coconut in hot water, straining out the pulp, and repeating this process up to three times. Thankfully, canned coconut milk is readily available in grocery stores.

Freezing Day

Remove cooked chicken from bone and set aside. Over medium-high heat, sauté onions in butter 5–10 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in flour and curry powder. Slowly pour in coconut milk, stirring until mixture thickens. Add hot sauce and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken to the sauce, mix, and immediately remove from heat to cool. Freeze in a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken mixture in the refrigerator overnight, in the microwave, or in cold water. Heat in a saucepan over medium heat for 15–20 minutes or until desired temperature is reached. Serve over rice.

PER SERVING

Calories: 445 | Fat: 32g | Protein: 32g | Sodium: 216mg | Carbohydrates: 4g | Fiber: 0g

Offer your guests fresh ground pepper with this meal. To add variety, stir in broccoli florets or peas.

Freezing Day

Season the cubed chicken with poultry seasoning. In hot skillet with the olive oil, cook chicken 4–5 minutes until no longer pink. Add mushrooms and sauté 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat. Prepare Alfredo Sauce and mix with chicken and mushrooms. Freeze in a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost Chicken and Mushroom Alfredo in the refrigerator overnight. Heat in a saucepan over medium heat for 15–20 minutes or until it reaches desired temperature. Prepare fettuccine according to package directions. Serve fettuccine on a plate with sauce and chicken spooned over the top.

PER SERVING

Calories: 289 | Fat: 7g | Protein: 17g | Sodium: 20mg | Carbohydrates: 42g | Fiber: 2g

Vacuum Sealer for Freezing

A vacuum sealer is a great way to seal food before freezing, but be careful how you use it. Some of the softer foods like pasta, sauces, some fruits, or rice will need to be flash frozen before being vacuum sealed. When you flash freeze first, you prevent the vacuum sealer from squishing the soft food.

Make a second batch of the buttery citrus sauce to serve with the turkey on reheating day, and pour over the cutlets before serving.