The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook (9 page)

Freezing Day

With a meat mallet, flatten turkey breast. Season with salt and pepper on each side. In saucepan, over medium-low, heat scallions and orange juice for 5 minutes. In food processor, add orange zest, lemon juice, and butter. Slowly pour in orange juice and scallions and process until smooth. Put turkey breast in freezer bag and add butter mixture. Seal the bag, and squish it with your hands to cover turkey with butter sauce. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost turkey in the refrigerator overnight. Discard marinade. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the turkey approximately 3 minutes on each side until fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 314 | Fat: 24g | Protein: 18g | Sodium: 1497mg | Carbohydrates: 8g | Fiber: 0g

Did you know that studies show rosemary can increase the blood flow to your brain-increasing concentration? Now that is something to think about!

Freezing Day

Sprinkle one side of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Add olive oil to the skillet. Brown the chicken over medium-high heat, rosemary side down first. Brown each side approximately 3 minutes, then remove chicken from skillet.

Add the chicken broth to the empty skillet. Scrape the browned pieces off the bottom of the skillet. Add the pineapple chunks and juice from the can to the skillet. Mix with broth and set aside to cool. Put chicken pieces in a freezer bag, and pour the broth and pineapple chunks over the chicken. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken mixture in refrigerator overnight. Put the mixture into a skillet and cook covered over medium to medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Add sliced apples during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Remove chicken and fruit from the skillet.

In small bowl, mix cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water. Add the cornstarch mixture, milk, and butter to the sauce in the skillet. Stir over medium heat until sauce thickens, 5–10 minutes. Serve sauce spooned over chicken.

PER SERVING

Calories: 193 | Fat: 9g | Protein: 21g | Sodium: 52mg | Carbohydrates: 8g | Fiber: 1g

Getting the Most Flavor During Browning

When browning the chicken breasts, it may be tempting to peek under the chicken to see how it is doing, or scoot it around inside the skillet. Resist the urge to move it at all. You will get a better flavor in the skillet for your sauce if you allow the chicken to stay in one place and brown.

Paprika is a spice most often associated with Hungary, where in Kalocsa you can visit the Paprika Museum or enter the cooking contest at the annual Paprika Days Festival. It is sometimes used as a garnish to add color to a dish, but the flavor is not released until the paprika is heated.

Freezing Day

In bowl, mix together garlic powder, chicken stock, and white wine. Put chicken breasts in bottom of a freezer bag. Pour liquid over the top. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Pour chicken and liquid into a pot. Add the mushrooms. Simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and tender. Stir in salt, paprika, and sour cream. Heat the chicken and sauce for 5–10 minutes. Serve over rice.

PER SERVING

Calories: 177 | Fat: 7g | Protein: 23g | Sodium: 683mg | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fiber: 1g

Homemade Dumplings

Paprika Chicken can be served with dumplings instead of rice. To make dumplings, combine 2½ cups flour, 3 eggs, and 1/3 cup water. Mix well. Start a pot of water boiling. Add 1–2 teaspoons salt to the water. Once boiling, fill a teaspoon with batter and drop into water. Once the dumpling floats to the top, remove it from the water.

Add toppings to these soft tacos such as Monterey jack cheese, diced tomatoes and onions, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and Garden Salsa (Chapter 13).

Freezing Day

In a food processor, combine lime juice, lime zest, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Process until smooth. Put strips of chicken in a freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken in the refrigerator overnight and discard marinade. Sauté chicken in skillet 5–6 minutes over medium-high heat, or until fully cooked. Heat flour tortillas according to package directions. Fill each tortilla with chicken and add your favorite toppings.

PER SERVING

Calories: 327 | Fat: 5g | Protein: 20g | Sodium: 384mg | Carbohydrates: 46g | Fiber: 2.5g

Serve this chicken and sauce over a bed of rice. You can also pair it with a salad containing mandarin oranges and almonds, with a vinaigrette dressing.

Freezing Day

Put chicken in a freezer bag. In a food processor, mix remaining ingredients. Process until smooth. Pour over chicken and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken and sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Put in a 9″ × 13″ baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 1 hour or until chicken is fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 200 | Fat: 3g | Protein: 29g | Sodium: 296mg | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fiber: 0g

Not only can you bake this chicken, but you can grill it or even bread and fry it. It is really easy to prepare and proves to be very elegant.

Freezing Day

In a medium bowl, mix together the mustard, cream, vinegar, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Put chicken into a freezer bag and pour sauce over the top of it. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken in refrigerator overnight and put in a baking dish with the sauce. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until chicken is fully cooked.

PER SERVING

Calories: 385 | Fat: 25g | Protein: 28g | Sodium: 761mg | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fiber: 0g

This recipes calls for a fryer, but you can use the pieces you like best. Try chicken breasts only, or boneless chicken thighs. Suit it to whatever you have on hand!

Freezing Day

Put chicken pieces in the bottom of a freezer bag. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. In a saucepan add brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes. Stir in the cornstarch and water. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring constantly for 3–5 minutes. Once mixture thickens, remove from heat and let cool. Pour half the sauce over chicken in freezer bag and freeze. Pour the other half of sauce in a separate freezer bag and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken in refrigerator for at least 24 hours and discard marinade. Defrost bag of extra sauce — this is used for basting during cooking. Bake chicken in a greased casserole dish for 1 hour (or until chicken is fully cooked) at 400°F, turning halfway through cooking time. Baste chicken with extra sauce every 15 minutes. Add pineapple rings to the top of chicken during the last 10 minutes of baking.

PER SERVING

Calories: 616 | Fat: 23g | Protein: 51g | Sodium: 568mg | Carbohydrates: 45g | Fiber: 1g

This is a great choice for serving to guests for dinner. The chicken is moist, full of flavor, and the Muenster cheese is the perfect topping.

Freezing Day

In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk. Set aside. In a shallow plate, mix together flour, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Set aside. In a separate shallow plate, mix together breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Dip chicken pieces in flour mixture to coat. Next dip in egg mixture to coat. Lastly dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Top each piece of chicken with half of a slice of Muenster cheese. Flash freeze the chicken, then transfer to a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chicken in refrigerator overnight. Lay chicken pieces in a 9″ × 13″ inch baking dish. Pour 1–2 cups of chicken broth over the chicken. Use enough broth so it comes halfway up the sides of the chicken breasts. Broth should not cover chicken. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes until cheese melts.

PER SERVING

Calories: 310 | Fat: 9g | Protein: 29g | Sodium: 417mg | Carbohydrates: 26g | Fiber: 29g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

Salt and pepper pork chops to taste. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown pork chops in oil, 3–4 minutes per side, then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Gradually stir in flour and milk and mix with a whisk to remove all lumps. Add the egg and mix well. Cook 5–10 minutes, stirring often, until mixture turns shiny. Stir in onion and cheese. Spread the mixture over the top of each pork chop. Flash freeze the pork chops then transfer to a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Fully defrost chops in refrigerator for approximately 24 hours. Bake pork chops at 350°F for 30–45 minutes or until pork chops are fully cooked. To cook pork chops straight from the freezer, bake at 350°F for 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes or until pork chops are fully cooked. Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the pork chops.

PER SERVING

Calories: 426 | Fat: 27g | Protein: 39g | Sodium: 270mg | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fiber: 1g

Portion-Control Pork Chops

With pork chops it's easy to control portion size. Instead of freezing them all together in a casserole dish, flash freeze the pork chops then transfer them to a freezer bag. You may remove as many chops as needed from the bag on reheating night.

Bacon drippings add instant flavor to your dishes. After cooking bacon, pour the grease into a jar, secure the lid, and store in the refrigerator. Now you'll have bacon drippings available anytime you need them.

Freezing Day

In bacon drippings, sauté onion and bell pepper for 8–10 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, mix, and immediately remove from heat. Pour into a freezer bag and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost in refrigerator 12–24 hours and put into saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

PER SERVING

Calories: 241 | Fat: 9g | Protein: 25g | Sodium: 687mg | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fiber: 2.5g

When you purchase red snapper, make sure you ask for fillets with the skin. The skin helps to hold in the flavor of the fish, and also holds the fillet together so it doesn't fall apart during cooking.

Freezing Day

In food processor, mix teriyaki sauce, olive oil, and lime juice. Place snapper in a freezer bag. Pour in marinade and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost fish in refrigerator overnight and discard marinade. Place snapper skin side down on broiler pan. Broil 6 inches from heat 8–10 minutes until the fish is done cooking, or starts to flake.

PER SERVING

Calories: 309 | Fat: 15g | Protein: 41g | Sodium: 496mg | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fiber: 0g

Ragout
(pronounced ra-GOO) is a French term that refers to a stew that is slowly cooked over a low heat. It can contain a wide variety of meat and vegetables that are often heavily seasoned.

Freezing Day

In stockpot or Dutch oven, heat oil. Sauté onions 5–10 minutes until tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 more minute, then remove from heat. Salt and pepper the pork then dredge it in flour. Brown the pork for 5–10 minutes in the stockpot where onions were cooked. Add more olive oil if necessary. Return onions to stockpot and add all remaining ingredients. Put into a freezer bag and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost in a pan in the refrigerator 12–24 hours and cook on medium-low heat for 45 minutes–1 hour.

PER SERVING

Calories: 306 | Fat: 16g | Protein: 24g | Sodium: 257mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 4g

Creole jambalaya is tomato based and originated in New Orleans. There is also a Cajun-style jambalaya which is darker in color and does not contain tomatoes.

Freezing Day

In large skillet (or stockpot), brown sausage over medium-high heat. Remove sausage and drain if needed. Melt butter in skillet, and sauté onion and pepper 5–10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 more minute. Add cooked sausage, parsley, thyme, and cayenne and sauté an additional 5 minutes.

Drain diced tomatoes into a measuring cup, reserving liquid. Add enough water to the liquid from the tomatoes to make 2½ cups of liquid. Pour liquid into the skillet. Add tomatoes, bouillon cube, salt, bay leaf, and rice. Cover and lightly boil for 35 minutes. Add the shrimp, cover, and cook an additional 20–25 minutes until rice is tender. Cool, then freeze in a freezer bag or plastic container.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours and heat over low heat for 20–30 minutes or until heated through.

PER SERVING

Calories: 324 | Fat: 16 g | Protein: 21g | Sodium: 737mg | Carbohydrates: 24g | Fiber: 2g

How Jambalaya Got Its Name

As folklore has it, the name
jambalaya
came about when a traveler stopped at an inn for dinner. There was nothing prepared so Jean, the cook, was told to
balayez
, which in French Creole means to “throw something together.” The new dish was named
Jean balayez
which evolved to
jambalaya
.

Shrimp can be grilled individually, or you can put them on skewers. Threading the shrimp on skewers makes them easier to turn and control on the grill.

Freezing Day

Put shrimp in a freezer bag. In skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat and sauté the green onions for 5–10 minutes until tender. Add the salt, curry powder, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir the flour into the skillet mixing it well with onions and spices. Pour in the half and half. Stir 5–10 minutes until mixture thickens. Pour curry sauce over shrimp and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost shrimp in refrigerator overnight. Thread shrimp onto skewers. Lightly oil the grill. Over high heat, grill the shrimp for 2–3 minutes per side.

PER SERVING

Calories: 219 | Fat: 11g | Protein: 24g | Sodium: 417mg | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: 0g

How to Devein Shrimp

To devein a shrimp, remove the outer shell and legs from the shrimp. Next, make a long cut along the back of the shrimp to expose the vein. Flare out the shrimp on each side, further exposing the vein. Drag your finger along the vein, removing it completely, and rinse the shrimp with water.

Keep a supply of these sandwiches in your freezer for those mornings when you don't have time for breakfast. They are quick to heat up and make for a great morning breakfast on the run.

Freezing Day

Cook biscuits according to package directions. Split down middle to separate the tops from the bottoms. In skillet, cook sausage patties. Drain pan, then scramble the eggs. Put sausage, egg, and a slice of cheese on each of the biscuits. Wrap individually in plastic wrap, or in quart-sized freezer bags, and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Wrap frozen sandwich in a paper towel and microwave at 30% for 1 minute 15 seconds, then microwave on high for 1 minute or until desired temperature.

PER SERVING

Calories: 373 | Fat: 22g | Protein: 21g | Sodium: 933mg | Carbohydrates: 22g | Fiber: 0g

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

In a bowl, mix honey, mustard, and tarragon. Brush mixture on both sides of pork chops and flash freeze on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Transfer to freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

To cook defrosted pork chops, bake 45 minutes–1 hour at 350°F or until pork chops reach an internal temperature of 170°F. Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the pork chops. Turn halfway through cooking time.

To cook frozen pork chops, bake 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes at 350°F or until pork chops reach an internal temperature of 170°F. Turn halfway through cooking time.

PER SERVING

Calories: 194 | Fat: 9g | Protein: 17g | Sodium: 45mg | Carbohydrates: 9g | Fiber: 0g

Pan Fry Your Pork Chops

If you like a nice sear on the outside of your pork chops, use a combination of skillet and oven. Heat a cast-iron skillet to medium-high with 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry seasoned chops 5 minutes on one side (do not move them!) then 5 minutes on the other side. Put skillet in oven preheated to 400°F for 5 minutes, or until pork reaches 170°F.

Most Italian chefs consider putting Parmesan cheese on seafood pastas a faux pas. But you have permission to do so, because it is delicious over this Shrimp Pesto! You may also substitute chicken for the shrimp if you have a shellfish allergy.

Freezing Day

Start water boiling for pasta. Cut shrimp into pieces. In a skillet, sauté the onion in olive oil for 5–10 minutes until onions are translucent. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp and sauté 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp turns pink. Cook pasta al dente; be careful not to overcook. Drain pasta and put in large mixing bowl. Add the shrimp, onion, garlic, and tomatoes to the pasta. Add enough pesto to lightly cover the pasta. Toss together and freeze in a freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost pasta in refrigerator overnight and heat in saucepan on medium-low until it is heated through, approximately 15–20 minutes or until desired temperature is reached. If desired, add more pesto or butter to the dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to taste.

PER SERVING

Calories: 451 | Fat: 31g | Protein: 17g | Sodium: 449mg | Carbohydrates: 30g | Fiber: 3g

The juices made from deglazing the pan with the sherry and cola after searing the pork are absolutely delicious. Serve with any leftover juices for pouring on meat.