Okay, so I officially have 10 weeks left. I would be thrilled to have less than that but I have 10 weeks left. My friend said I have started nesting. If so, then Yahoo! there are plenty of things I need to get taken care of in my house over the next 10 weeks. I am sure that Keith would be thrilled to see the stacks on the sewing dresser or the random get to it later stuff taken care of. I have prints to frame, I have bows to make, I have Christmas stuff to sew. If I am nesting bring it on!!!
Yesterday, I began to fill my freezer. I know that after I give birth, whether it is a “normal” delivery or another c~section, I know that my family will still want to eat. I will still have to plan the meals, and organize the dinner time. Oh, I can send the big kid to Publix for groceries, with a detailed list, he is fine. Sure, the princess of the kitchen can cook anything she sets her mind to. I can order pizza, but we are not fans of pizza too often. I still have to do the planning, lets be honest here, some days the planning is even more than I have energy for. My solution is to fill my freezer now. The more frozen dinners we have in there the easier it will be for me in those first few weeks when my energy comes in small bursts.
I love to make freezer meals during our busy season, I usually double each meal as we have dinner, serving one meal while freezing the other. Not so this time, last time either, which was so exhausting but the reward was worth the exhaustion. This weekend when I went to Sam’s club and bought 12 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts I had a plan. I had meals to make and meals to freeze. Because I am often asked for freezer meal ideas I decided this was easier than posting them over and over on Facebook. If you are not remotely interested in freezer meals, then skip this post and each following post which would be obvious by the title.
The whole fill the freezer process can get quite messy so if you are a little concerned than stick to one recipe a day, yesterday I knocked out 3 recipes for a total of 9 meals {we did eat one of the chicken enchiladas meals for dinner it was yummy} I knocked out those meals, but my floor is sticky and my counter could use a scrubbing again. I cooked 9 lbs of chicken on Sunday, let it cool and refrigerated it over night. So in all the recipes assume that the chicken is PRE COOKED. NO RAW MEAT is used in these recipes. Watch the SODIUM, too many times we add salt to foods already filled with sodium, pre made meals or canned goods, or processed foods add sodium to meals they are often are packed with sodium. Check it out you will feel less bloated when you start to watch the sodium. I tell the kids, taste first salt later. Remember there are a lot of people in my family but I have a few who don’t eat more than 3 or 4 bites at a meal so you will have to be the judge as to how many this will feed for your family.
White Chicken Chili
{2 meals for the freezer}
2lbs chicken breast {cubed}
4 cans reduced sodium garbanzo beans drained not rinsed
2 cans navy beans drained not rinsed
2 cans white beans drained not rinsed
2 small cans of chopped green chilies
1 box of Carroll Shelby’s no sodium white chili seasoning
{If the other beans can be low sodium go for it, the meal can be quite salty if you are not careful}
1 in a large bowl combine the chicken and the seasoning mix
2 in large freezer baggies divide the seasoned chicken into 2 baggies
3 add into each baggie 2 cans garbanzo beans, 1 can of navy, 1 can of white beans and 1 can of chopped chilies
Seal and freeze.
To Cook
remove from freezer put into crock pot add 1-2 boxes of reduced sodium all natural chicken broth (note that said BOXES not cans) turn on the crock pot on high and let it go. You want the broth to be higher than the chili when you get started and adding only 1 box at a time,lets you add more to make it how you like it. I usually cook mine all day.
Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, onions and rolls with butter.
**I used to freeze the broth in the baggie and discovered that while freezing there would be some spillage and I would end up with chicken broth on the inside of my freezer or on top of other foods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alfredo Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms
{3 freezer meals}
3 lbs of chicken breast cubed
2 boxes of Ziti style pasta {whole wheat}
4 jars of Newman’s own Alfredo Sauce {I used 2 regular and 2 roasted garlic}
3 large handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
8 to 16 oz of fresh mushroom caps sliced
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cook pasta until 1 minute shy of Al’Dente
2 in a large pot combine chicken, cooked pasta sliced mushrooms and 4 cans of sauce
3 divide the chicken/pasta/mushroom into 3 baking dishes, as you layer it in sprinkle the spinach leaves on top, add layers until all the mixture is used up.
4 top with the shredded mozzarella cheese
Cover and Freeze
To Cook
Place frozen dish into 350 degree oven, and bake for at least 1 hour
** If you use whole wheat pasta and cook 1 minute short of the recommended Al’Dente than the pasta remains firm when baking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chicken Enchiladas
{4 Freezer meals}
4 lbs chicken breast cubed
2 small cans of chopped green chilis
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 cans of refried vegetarian style beans
18 oz of canned tomato sauce
16 oz shredded cheese
7 cans of enchilada sauce
1 Combine Chicken/beans/chilis/tomato sauce in a LARGE bowl
2 pour 1 can of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish (use about half reserve the rest for the next pan)
3 scoop 1/2 cup of the chicken mix into soft shells, add shredded cheese and wrap (It is full I kind of folded/wrapped it)
I can stuff about 14 stuffed shells into a pan, it takes a lot of squeezing to do it
4 start to line the baking dish with rows of stuffed shells
5 top with 1 can of enchilada sauce
6 cover with more shredded cheese
Cover and Freeze
To Cook
bake at 350 for 1 hour 30 minutes
Serve with sour cream
There you have it 3 different meals that freeze up nicely. I know, it was a boring post but I keep giving out these recipes. You will notice there are no pictures of the food, I find pictures of food so yucky to look at unless you are a food photographer. You can use your imagination and there is no expectations as to how yours is supposed to look. Off to cook some more today, if I can get all of yesterday’s dirty dishes washed. The meals did not actually make that big of a mess, but I did not get it all cleaned up, feet and ankles were too swollen. Or maybe I’ll get something accomplished in the house. Fingers crossed that I actually am “nesting” how nice to get some things done around here!
I’ll soon have pictures to post of the bassinet bedding I am making for Ellen’s baby, Keep praying for baby girl, the birth mom, and for us as we wait on God’s timing.
Even more exciting, I will soon have pictures of O’s bedroom. The transformation has been amazing, from a termite problem attic to a full bedroom. It is almost complete, the carpet is in, now we are just waiting on me to go get the light bulbs, and curtains. It is great!
We also have a birthday this week! Big sister A is having a party! A family party!
Go hug your kids they need some love. Don’t forget to share what you are thankful for. Have you had success on freezer meals? What is your go-to meal at your house?
jen
I am so very thankful for my family both immediate and extended family. I am thankful for the heritage of Christ loving, family who wants to love and influence my children. I am thankful for their school, and our church. I am thankful for friends who pray for me, laugh with me, and change me. I am thankful for Keith who is still the man of my dreams. I am thankful for the free gift of salvation the gift of God sending his only son to shed his blood to cover my sins so I can one day go to heaven.
overholt8 