Whenever we have fruit that doesn't get eaten before it starts to droop we store it in the freezer until we can use it at a later date. Bananas are super easy to freeze right in their own peel and we store strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe and other leftover fruit in plastic freezer bags for use in breads, pancakes, smoothies and these fabulous popsicles. They taste like … [Read more...]
Easy & Budget-Friendly Freezer-Friendly Recipes
Looking to save time, money, and stress at mealtime?!
Our collection of freezer-friendly recipes makes it simple to stock your freezer with delicious, ready-to-cook meals. From make-ahead breakfasts and freezer casseroles to dump-and-go slow cooker meals, these recipes are perfect for busy families who want home-cooked dinners without the daily prep.
Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or filling your freezer for the month, these easy freezer meals will help you eat well on a budget—without the last-minute scramble.
Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw
Right now in SW Ohio, we are entering what my friend Jenny has dubbed "hormonal weather" season. It's the high, low, warm weather tease one day, snow flurries the next. HOT FLASHES. That's what these warm weather teases are y'all. Weather hot flashes. One day there's a dusting of snow on the ground and the next we are swinging at the park in our t-shirts. It's during … [Read more...]
How to Freeze Strawberries
Yesterday at the grocery store, I walked up to the berry section thinking I would just grab one box of strawberries and one box of blueberries. Each were on sale for $2. Woot! But as I looked down, I noticed a bunch of the strawberry boxes with 10/$10 stickers on them. I grabbed 6 boxes and knew that I'd spend some time yesterday afternoon getting some into … [Read more...]
Lightened Up Chicken Parmesan
I never really liked chicken Parmesan. A thick dried out chicken breast smothered in a so-so sauce and topped with too much chewy mozzarella cheese. And loaded with calories to boot! Then I played with a freezer friendly recipe to cut down on excessive calories and boost the favor. Now I am in love. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do! I first cut those massive chicken … [Read more...]
Pulled Pork with Red Onion
This recipe is featured in the 21 Freezer Cooking Recipes from Costco Meal Plan #5. Several weeks ago I purchased a large pork tenderloin. I used part of it to make Spanish Stew, sliced off a few pork chops, and then left the remaining portion whole to cook in the slow cooker. This is quite simple...I placed the roast fat side up in the slow cooker, topped it … [Read more...]
Storing Yeast in Your Freezer
If you bake bread regularly, or you are thinking about starting, here's a little tip for you... Store your yeast in the freezer! It is certainly cheaper to purchase a jar of yeast than to purchase the strips. If you are planning to make more than 3 loaves of bread or 3 batches of dough for rolls, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls or other yeast bread, then … [Read more...]
How to Freeze Pizza Dough
Last weekend, I went on a frenzy in the kitchen. Batch cooking, cooking, bread making...so while I had the bread machine out, I decided to go ahead and run another dough cycle for pizza dough. I would then freeze the unbaked crusts in these little mini-deep dish pie plates...for when we need a quick dinner to the table. Plus, I recently bought some … [Read more...]
Spicy Southern Chili with Bread Bowls
It's been years since I've had chili in a bread bowl. Maybe even a decade worth of years. I'd forgotten how amazingly delicious the bottom of the bread bowl tastes, after it's had time to soak up all the chili juices. A perfect warm your tummy meal! First up. The Chili Bread Bowls Made with, yes, chili powder in the dough! The dough has a lovely orange … [Read more...]
Rolled Pizza Bread
When you can't have pizza on a regular basis, you have to get creative when you get those pizza cravings! I've got some dairy free and soy free mozzarella cheese and I figured there would be no way that I could cover an entire pizza with it, and keep it under $5! I recalled a Sausage bread that I made years ago...it's basically homemade pizza crust dough with sausage and … [Read more...]
Herbed Meatballs Recipe
This recipe is featured in the 21 Freezer Cooking Recipes from Costco Meal Plan #5. This recipe was originally posted in 2011! A few weeks ago, I shared what I like to do when I get ground meat from the grocery store. (See Batch Cooking - The Ground Beef Edition!)Â This is part 2, if you will. Last week, I purchased 2 packages of ground chuck and 2 … [Read more...]