Freezer fill

Pre baby I searched Pinterest, cookbooks and my recipe blog for easy meals to fill my freezer with. Now at 3 months post baby I am very thankful...there was still at times fast food runs and trips to the grocery store, but these meals sure helped!!
As I found before, online recipes can be miss leading....not sure if we are picky or just have over critical pallet! But many of the stated "delicious" recipes didn't turn out that way. So with many friends asking advice of what I filled my freezer with. I thought I'd share not only what I made, but what we really liked...enjoy!

Chicken in marinade ( grill, crockpot 4-5 hours low or bake 30 mins)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBs honey
2 TBs olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Minced garlic
4 chopped green onions
-serve with rice or sautéed veggies

Key West Chicken Marinade (grill, crockpot 4-5 hours low, bake 30 mins)
3 Tb soy sauce
2 Tb honey
1 Tb veg oil (I used olive oil)
juice from 1 lime
1 tsp garlic garlic salt or minced garlic
1 tsp or bunch of fresh cilantro
 
Julie's Sloppy joe

1lb meat, browned and drained
1/2 med onion
1/2 cup celery
Olive oil
1 can tomato soup
2 tb welch shire sauce
2 tb vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup or minced fresh tomatoes
2 tb brown sugar

Warm olive oil in lrg skillet. Sauté celery and onion will tender. Add beef, cook till brown and drain. return to pan on med heat and add soup, welch shire sauce, vinegar, ketchup and brown sugar. Simmer for 20 mins till thickened. Cool and add to freezer bags.

Pasta sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, with their juices
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan or deep skillet, warm the olive oil at low heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the basil.

2. Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, bring the sauce to a boil, and then add the Kosher salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 45 to 50 minutes. As the sauce thickens toward the end, stir in the balsamic vinegar. Remove the pan from heat.

*To store: cool the sauce to room temperature before storing. It will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, and it will keep in a covered freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

My meatball recipe:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 cup panko
1 egg beaten
1/4 chopped onion
1/4 cup pasta sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
Put in freezer bags after formed into 1 inch balls.
When ready to pre pare, bake @350 for 30 mins or sauté in med pan with olive oil till cooked.
Used with pasta sauce with noodles and for meatball sandwiches on rolls.

Pizza casserole:

Ingredients: (I made a mini one with only 1/2 the ingredients)
1 bag of Egg Noodles
1 extra large can of any tomato sauce you prefer
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 lbs hamburger meat
1 package pepperonis

Don't forget to preheat the oven @ 350
*Starting layering
-Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom
-Second layer, half of the noodles
-half of the meat
-half of the sauce
-rest of the noodles
-half the cheese
-rest of the meat
-rest of the sauce
-rest of the cheese
-pepperonis

Now cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes
After 30 minutes, remove the foil & bake for another 15 minutes

Beef stew with beer
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 cups celery  chopped
2 cups carrots chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 T parsley
1 cup dark beer
1 cup beef stock
1 can tomatoes
 2 t salt
1 t pepper
*next time I would add fresh mushrooms too
Place all ingredients in large freezer bag except beer and beef stock.  When ready, place stew mixture in crock pot, add beer and beef stock and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Stuffed pepper soup

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large bell pepper, diced

1 can (29 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 (10 oz) can tomato soup (or tomato sauce)

1 (14 0z) can chicken broth (or beef broth)
2 cups cooked rice (IF FREEZING ADD WHEN REHEATING)
1 tbsp brown. sugar
t tsp. garlic powder

salt & pepper, to taste

Dash of Tabasco or hot sauce, optional

shredded cheddar cheese, for topping

Cook beef, onion and peppers till tender. Drain, rinse and return to pot. Add all other ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce temp to low and simmer for 30 mins. Cool and put into freezer bag. Cook rice and add when reheating.

Oatmeal muffins:

• 3 eggs
• 1 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2cup brown sugar 
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 cup fruit of your choice — frozen or fresh blueberries, fresh or dried cranberries, frozen or fresh mango, or chocolate chips 
• 5 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup flax seed, ground
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cup 1% milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, and Stevia until combined.

1. Add brown sugar, banana, and other fruit of your choice. (If using chocolate chips add them last)
2. In another bowl, mix oats, salt, baking powder, flax seed, and cinnamon.
3. Dump dry ingredients into wet ingredients; mix well.
4. Pour in milk and stir until combined.
5. Spray one 12 and one 6 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
6. Scoop mixture evenly into muffin cups.
7. Bake 35-40 minutes or until the center of each muffin is set.
8. Cool and enjoy — or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.

Good luck & Take care- DCW