Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Freezer Club!!!

For those of you that have been anxiously awaiting this post, here it is! A couple months ago my friend Kara and I started looking into the idea of freezer meals. We got together one day and made Lasagna, Enchiladas, and Meatballs/Mashed Potatoes.

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We were done by noon and each had 7 meals for our freezers. We decided that if we got 2 more people that were interested we could have a nice variety of meals. So, here’s how it works.

The “club” has 4 members, Kara, Myself, Jill, and Jodi. None of us really all “ran in the same group” but were acquainted through hockey. We wanted to pick people that had similar size families, and liked a variety of food. The exchange happens the first Monday of the month. At the previous month’s exchange a menu is made out so people can start on the next months meals at their own pace. This is what March’s menu looked like.

Kara- Sloppy Joes, Tater Tot Hot Dish

Jill- Steak Fajitas, Egg Casserole

Jodi- Meatballs/Mashed Potatoes, Chicken Breasts in White Sauce

Micah- Cheeseburger Soup, Chicken Tetrazzini

Each person made four batches of each recipe. The ones that could went into freezer bags (sloppy joes, steak fajitas, meatballs/potatoes, chicken, soup). The more “casserole” type dishes were put in disposable aluminum pans. Instructions on how to prepare each item was written on the package before it was frozen.

The ladies and the food. Left to right, Jill, Kara, Jodi, myself.

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Close up of some of the food.

Everything here is precooked except the egg casserole and the fajitas. The fajitas were put in a bag with the marinade and brought with a package of tortilla shells so all that needs to be done is fry the meat.

Its such a great feeling having 8 home-made meals in the freezer ready to go!! Once summer comes we’ll tailor the menu for more grilling/marinade type items.

5 comments:

  1. A great way to save time, eat home cooked meals and be ready for busy evenings! What fun! :)
    My new thing is to make everything double and freeze one. I sure got a stock-pile in my freezer fast and am enjoying the "busy night" pre-cooked meal.

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  2. i'm tired just reading about all you do :)

    you are pretty amazing

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  3. That's great!

    I do what Tandis mentioned- making double meals. I went out and bought a few more glass 9x9 pans to freeze in.

    Have you ever googled freezer meals? Tons of recipes and info on it, was amazed. I was trying to find something I'd read once where she popped the meal out of a pan and froze it flat in bags. Stacked really well in freeze and that way wasn't using up so many pans- but I can't find it. :)

    Here's my fav ladies site on Freezer Cooking though, some free printoff there.

    http://moneysavingmom.com/downloads/freezer-cooking-planners
    PS- I AM stopping by next time up... as I know you are so well stocked at all times- I might dropped in around supper time! k?!

    Happy cooking!!

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  4. OH- here it is!

    Check this out- those disposable pans add up, I know.

    http://grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/2009/04/wfmw-how-to-freeze-meals.html

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  5. This is such a fantastic idea - I might even do some for my freezer too until I can find a group to share with. I was gonna ask for some recipes, but since Jill posted some links, I'll just follow those!! You girls are awesome!!

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