Freezer Cooking

Remember a couple weeks ago when I shared my recipe for really simple burritos… straight from the freezer? If you haven’t tried them yet, you should. They offer the convenience factor of store-bought frozen burritos, but taste a million times better and are WAY cheaper!

Anyway, if you liked those burritos, then you’ll love the recipe I’m sharing today. It’s a very similar concept… just in the form of breakfast.

Yup, we’re making Breakfast Burritos today!

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As with nearly all of my recipes, there is not an exact science so feel free to mix and match ingredients based on what you have in the house or what your family likes.

And if you want to save time, I often make the breakfast burritos right before, or right after, I make the regular burritos. That way, I only get one pan dirty and I only have to clean my kitchen once.

The other day, I made about 40 different burritos so we are set for a while!

INGREDIENTS:

{print recipe}

• 1 lb. ground sausage
• 2 small onions
• extra veggies – like peppers – {optional}
• 9 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 12-15  8″ soft tortillas {I’ve tried many different varieties and the white flour tortillas taste the best}
• 1 c. shredded cheese
• 1 c. salsa {optional}

 

DIRECTIONS:

• Brown sausage, onions, and any other veggies until meat is no longer pink — drain and transfer to a bowl

• Wisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper — cook eggs in the same pan that you cooked the sausage

• Continue cooking and “scrambling” eggs until no longer runny

• Assemble according to directions below

ASSEMBLY:

• Scoop a spoonful of meat onto the tortilla

• Scoop another spoonful of egg on top of the meat

• Sprinkle with shredded cheese

• You can also put 1 T. of salsa in each tortilla or just dip them in salsa when you’re ready to eat

See, I told you these were easy!

• Wrap them in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in the freezer

• To reheat, simply remove wrapping and microwave in high for 1-2 minutes

 

These burritos are so simple and delicious — perfect for a busy morning or a quick snack.

My recipe makes enough filling for 12-15  8″ tortillas, but if you have a larger family, you can easily double or triple my recipe because they’ll keep in the freezer for a few months.

Whip up some breakfast burritos this week, and let your kids “make their own breakfast” this summer!

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Linked to Things I Love Thursdays over at Diaper Diaries

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About a month ago, I got 3 free coupons for packages of frozen burritos. I was excited to try them out and figured they would make quick lunches since they only took 2 minutes in the microwave.

Plus, we LOVE Mexican food, and I LOVE anything that’s free!

However, I was sadly disappointed by their tiny size, their lack of filling, and all the preservatives that were on the nutrition label. So I decided to make and freeze my own burritos…with a lot more filling, a lot less preservatives, a lot more flavor, and a lot less cost.

Thankfully, my experiment worked!

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INGREDIENTS:

{print recipe}

• 2 lbs. ground beef, turkey, or shredded chicken
• 2 small onions
• Two 1.25 oz packages taco seasoning
• 12-16  8″ soft tortillas
• 1 15 oz. can refried beans {I accidentally put two in the picture}
• 1 c. of your favorite salsa
• 1 c. shredded cheese

 

DIRECTIONS:

• Brown meat and onions until meat is no longer pink — drain
• Add taco seasoning and water {cook according to the directions on the taco seasoning}
• Assemble according to directions below

ASSEMBLY:

• Spread about 1 T. of refried beans over the surface of the tortilla {this helps everything “stick”}

• Top with 2 T. of meat, 1 T. salsa, and 1 T. cheese

 

• Fold in the ends and roll up into a burrito shape.

 

 

At this point, you can put them in a 9×13″ pan, top with some type of sauce and cheese, and then bake them in the oven.

OR, you could package them individually and put them in the freezer. I packages half in individual ziploc bags for lunches outside of home, and half in the original tortilla bag for lunches at home.

 

Once they are frozen, it’s SO convenient to simply pack one in your kid’s lunch {or your own lunch}. They are usually defrosted by lunch time, and should only take about 45 seconds to heat up.

If they are still frozen, it will probably take closer to 2 minutes in the microwave.

These are so delicious and can be altered to fit your family’s taste buds — swap out chicken for beef; go meatless and add more beans and cheese; use spicy salsa, mild salsa, or no salsa; add in more veggie, etc. etc.

Either way, it’s a simple, quick lunch or a hearty snack on the go!

What do you think…would your kids go for these frozen burritos?

10 comments →

Lately I’ve been talking a lot about freezer foods – keeping the freezer stocked, saving time and money by cooking from the freezer, and more. And apparently all of you are very interested in freezer foods because I’ve received all kinds of questions, asking what foods you can and cannot freeze.

While I don’t claim to be a “Freezable Foods Expert”, I have frozen more than my share of foods over the last few years; and I’ve taught classes on freezing, drying, and canning. So with that said…

Here’s my list of freezable foods.

I’ve personally had success freezing everything on the list below. However, I’m always looking for more things to freeze, so if you know of anything I missed, please share your suggestions in the comments below.

1. Baked Goods:

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I’ve been known for baking huge batches of sweets in one day and then freezing them for our enjoyment over the next few months. This save me tons of time — we LOVE our sweets!

Brownies & Cookies: Yup, I do it all the time. Just put them in resealable bags or storage containers with tight-fitting lids and they’ll last as long as you can resist them!

Breads, Buns, Muffins, and Rolls: Just double-bag them to prevent freezer burn and they should be fine for several months

Cupcakes & Cake: Yes, I’ve frozen cupcakes and even full cakes! You can frost cakes before or after freezing them, but if you use store-bought frosting, you’ll want to wait to frost them until after they defrost…trust me, I know!

Granola: We love homemade granola but if I’m going to make it, I only make a huge batch….and then freeze it in mason jars or zip-top bags.

Pies: I don’t usually freeze pies, but if you do, just make sure to freeze them BEFORE you bake them.

2. Baking Supplies:

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I freeze many of my baking supplies in shoe boxes in our freezer! {Shoe boxes stack well and allow for ventilation.}

Chocolate: I store all my baking chocolates in the freezer because I think they keep for much longer this way and taste “fresher”. Plus it frees up more space in my cabinets.

Nuts: I store all our nuts in the freezer to keep their oils from going rancid. I first heard this tip from Rachel Ray and it seems to work — so it must be true!

Flour and Sugar: While it’s not necessary, I often freeze my flour and sugar — especially in the summer when our house is more humid.

3. Dairy:

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I’ve saved a bunch of money by purchasing dairy products in bulk and freezing them. From my experience, most dairy products should keep for at least 6 months.

Butter/Margarine: No trick here, just stick the whole package in the freezer and remove when you’re ready to use.

Block Cheese: I freeze cheese ALL the time, just remember to slice and shred it before you freeze it, otherwise it will crumble.

Cream Cheese: Believe it or not, you can freeze cream cheese. It might be a bit “lumpy” after it defrosts but it still tastes the same.

Milk: I don’t have the need to freeze our milk on a regular basis, but I do it whenever we go on vacation. Just remember to pour about 1 cup of milk out before freezing.

Yogurt: Freeze yogurt for a delicious, healthy treat. I let it defrost a bit before eating so it’s really creamy.

4. Fruits:

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Before freezing fruit, make sure it’s washed, dried, and divided up into smaller portions. This will make it easy to quickly grab what you need without defrosting the entire batch. Fruits should keep for up to a year if properly sealed.

All Fruits: You can pretty much freeze any fruit you plan to use in smoothies because it will get mashed up anyway, however, don’t plan on freezing fruit simply for eating — it will be really soggy.

Berries: I freeze all kinds of berries for pancakes and smoothies. I also keep 2-cup containers of crushed berries to use for making jam, ice-cream toppings or, for berry shortcake.

Bananas: I peel any rotten bananas and put 4 bananas in a bag or freezer container. Then whenever a recipe calls for bananas, I just grab a container to defrost {most recipes call for 3-5 bananas so I figure I’m safe with 4!}

Jams and Jellies: I usually can my jam, but my mom and mother-in-law always freeze it. Freezing jam is quicker and easier…so if you have the freezer space, here are 20 delicious freezer jam recipes to get you started!

5. Herbs & Vegetables:

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Herbs: I freeze fresh herbs in ice-cube trays to use for soups, stews, and casseroles later in the year. Here’s a free Herb Reference Sheet that explains how you can use and preserve different herbs.

All Veggies: To save myself some time — here is a link to my Vegetable Freezing Worksheet. It’s a list of 20 different vegetables and how to freeze them … and you can print it for free!

6. Meals:

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I’m always making double batches of our favorite foods to store in the freezer. Then on busy days, I just defrost one in the morning, and it’s usually ready by dinner time.

Soups, Stews, and Broths: I divide these up into 1 or 2 cup portions so they defrost quicker. Here are some of my favorite soup recipes.

Casseroles: I’ve frozen everything from lasagna and fajitas, to enchiladas, chicken dishes, and more! Just make sure all the ingredients are fully cooked before you freeze it. When you’re ready to eat it, just defrost and bake as normal.

Pasta Sauce: We usually never go through an entire batch of pasta sauce in one meal so I just pop the leftovers in the freezer for the next time we eat pasta.

Meat: You can freeze cooked meat, raw meat, ground meat, shredded meat, “whole” meat, etc. Just make sure it’s properly sealed to prevent freezer burn. {I once had a whole turkey in the freezer for about 18 months and it was absolutely delicious when we cooked it!}

What did I miss?

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I’m sure there are so many other foods you can freeze, but these are the ones I have personally tried with much success. I’d love to learn about any other freezer foods, so please share them in the comments below!

UPDATE: I’ve answered many of the questions in the comments over here! 

238 comments →

It’s no secret — I LOVE organizing, I LOVE time management, and I LOVE saving money — so when it comes to grocery shopping, cooking, and kitchen storage, I’m all about saving space, time, and money!

I love buying in bulk to save money and planning my meals ahead to save time; but when we moved, I ended up with a much smaller freezer. So I had to get just a bit more creative with my freezer storage! And you know what, I actually ended up saving even more space, even more time, AND even more money in the process!

Here’s what I’ve been doing…

Shredded and Ground Meat:

I often cook big batches of chicken, turkey, ground beef, and ground turkey all at one time because it makes meal planning and cooking ahead SO much easier. Once the meat is cooked, I shred it, divide it up into 2-cup portions, stick it into 1-quart freezer bags, and label it.

The bags lay nice and flat in the freezer and the next time I need shredded or ground meat for a recipe, all I have to do is pull out a bag or two. And since the portions are smaller, the bags usually defrost in 30 minutes or less.

Whole Pieces of Meat:

I often purchase large amounts of meat when it goes on sale as a way to reduce our grocery budget. I might buy several whole chickens, an entire ham, or just a huge “family pack” of meat. However, I don’t like to freeze it all together because then it’s really hard to separate if I only need a few slices of ham or two chicken breasts. Plus, we don’t have room in our freezer for that much meat!

So instead, I divide up the meat into meal-size portions, place it into freezer bags, and stack them in the freezer. I often put two meals in one gallon-size bag — making sure to separate them so everything doesn’t freeze together. {Sometimes I even pour a little marinade in before I freeze them.}

You can leave your bags flat, or you can fold them in half to save even more space. Then when it’s time for dinner, simply remove the pieces of meat you need and stick the rest back into the freezer.

I also use this method for already cooked meat when we have WAY too many leftovers {like on Thanksgiving, Christmas, graduation parties, etc.}

Broth, Soups, and Stews:

At one point, I tried freezing my homemade broth, soups, and stews in freezer bags so they could lay flat; but this method leaked on me too many times, so now I freeze them in small stackable freezer containers {which you can purchase an any grocery store}

I have 2-cup and 4-cup containers. They all use the same lids and they stack wonderfully! I freezer broth in the 2-cup containers and soups and stews in the 4-cup containers.

Cheese:

Yes, you can freeze cheese!

Just like meat, I purchase huge amounts of cheese when it goes on sale. Then I slice it, shred it, crumble it, and store it in smaller portion-size freezer bags. And when we need cheese for a salad, casserole, or for a snack, I can pull out whatever size we need…and I hardly use up any freezer space!

Fruits and Veggies:

I grow and freeze all sorts of fruits and veggies to use in soups, stews, smoothies, breads, etc. all year long — and I store them all in 1-quart freezer bags.

For fruit, I simply wash, dry, and freezer. For vegetables, I often blanch them first. {If you are interested in learning more about freezing and blanching your vegetables, take a look at this free printable I created}.

By stacking bags of fruits and veggies, I save so much freezer space and it’s really easy to see what’s inside!

So that it!

Such as simple way to save a bunch of freezer space, a bunch of time, and a bunch of money!

What are your best freezer tips?

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Today is Day #2 of my 11 in 2011 Challenge — and I’m in the kitchen!

A few months ago I mentioned how I save time in the kitchen by making double batches of meals and by using my monthly menu planners…but there are still so many days when I’m scrambling to quickly “throw something together” for dinner.

I hate that feeling, don’t you?

So, my “goal” for this year is to eat at least one meal a week from the freezer; which means I’ll have to keep our freezer stocked with delicious meals, baked goods, and snacks that can be ready at a moment’s notice. I feel like once-a-week is a very reasonable goal and I already met this goal last week with these awesome Chicken Enchiladas from the freezer!

Goal #2: Keep the Freezer Stocked

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Photo Credit: 1900 Farmhouse

If you’re looking to start saving time and money by stocking your freezer, keep reading… these amazing recipes might just revolutionize the way you cook!!

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Fresh, Frozen, Fed – For Less

By: Lauren Reinhardt from It Can Be Done!

Every time I wander the frozen food aisles, I’m always amazed at the offerings. Burritos, pot pies, lasagna and other meals-in-a-bag. Then there is nearly every fruit and vegetable you can imagine…but at a price.

Oh, the cost of convenience!

But there’s a better way to utilize frozen foods — make your own!

Successfully freezing food and then using it to feed my family makes me happy, among other things. My freezing journey started after having my first child and freezing breastmilk. I didn’t realize it could be frozen, and it really got me thinking about other foods.

So now I freeze lots of regular foods, as well as entire meals in the freezer!

If you are like me, there are days when you just can’t see straight and you’re running around with your head very loosely attached to your body. And then you’re supposed to cook dinner? Ha, sometimes it seems like a cruel joke. But what a relief to pull a complete meal from the freezer as opposed to the pitiful, naked chicken breast aching for some creative recipe?

And I don’t even have to tell you that tasting fresh summer corn in the middle of January is an out-of-body experience!

The protein component in meals is almost always the most expensive, but my husband doesn’t think we’re really eating if there isn’t some kind of animal cooked up and served on his plate. That means I have to buy it when it’s on sale. When the ever-simple, boneless chicken breasts are on sale, buy them. If you like split chicken breasts, you can get them for a steal when they are on sale. Lean cuts of beef like London broil or other roasts are a huge value when stocked up on at a sale price! But then what do you do with all that meat?

Grind it, chop it, or keep it whole, depending on what the recipe calls for. The freezer is an awesome marinating assistant. Sometimes I’ll do batches of cooking, putting several of the same meal together and freeze it—uncooked. Sure, we store leftovers in the freezer, too, but I think food tastes better when it is frozen before being cooked, rather than defrosted to cook a second time.

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes for easy (almost effortless) freezer to table meals.

Sausage Balls

{Print This Recipe}

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. lean sausage
• 2 cups grated sharp cheese (at room temperature)
• 3 cups biscuit mix (like Bisquick)

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix all ingredients together
• Roll into 1-inch diameter balls
• Set on tray and freeze until firm
• Put desired number into freezer bags, label, and date.

TO COOK:

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Put frozen or thawed balls on baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper
• Bake thawed balls for 10-15 minutes and frozen balls for 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven.

Make this easier on yourself by using a stand mixer if you have one. I do all the mixing in my KitchenAid. I have done it all with my hands (ew!) and a spoon (ow!), so it was a great relief when I realized my stand mixer could do it all—and much better.

We eat these delicious sausage balls for breakfast, and they are a standing request at all football tailgates.

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Rotel Chicken Fajitas

{Print This Recipe}

In a 1 quart freezer bag combine and mix well:

• 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
• 1 can rotel brand tomatoes
• Seal the bag and squeeze as much air out as you can without making a mess!

In a 1 quart freezer bag combine:

• 1/3 cup Mexi-blend cheese (shredded)
• 2/3 cup cilantro (chopped/optional)

In a 1 quart freezer bag combine:

• 1 cup sliced bell pepper
• ½  cup sliced onions
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

Note, you can vary the veggies to suit your fajita preference. I almost always have onions on hand, so I usually skip them.

Insert all 3 bags into a gallon sized plastic freezer bag, and add 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas.

Then,  label or write the recipe title and date on the bag using a Sharpie marker (it’s the only brand that doesn’t run in the freezer!)

Place the bag in the freezer.

Day of Cooking Directions:

• Remove pre-assembled rotel chicken from the freezer and defrost.
• In a large nonstick skillet, cook chicken/tomato mixture over medium heat for until no longer pink, stirring occasionally.
• In another skillet, heat some olive oil and saute onions, mushrooms, and peppers until just softened.

To Serve:

• Spoon chicken mixture in center of each tortilla.
• Add veg mixture and top with cheese and cilantro.
• You can serve with a salad, or whatever suits your fancy.

Note, you can do this with almost any marinade and veggie combo. You can even pre-cook rice and stick it in a baggie to go with the marinated chicken.

Another simple way to get dinners in the freezer is to make extra as you’re preparing whatever meal you already had planned. Just double the recipe; make half tonight and freeze the other half (without cooking it) for later. I do this with meatloaf, lasagna, etc.

What are YOUR favorite freezer recipes?

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Lauren Reinhardt is a wife, mom, freelance writer, marketing/BD professional, and lover of learning.

Follow her on her blog: It Can Be Done!

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Have you ever had one of those days when you can’t decide what to have for dinner, you don’t feel like cooking, and nothing sounds good?

Oh, you have those days often?

Me too!

So I’ve gotten really good at planning ahead and stock-piling my freezer so when one of those days comes along, I am armed and ready!

Some of my favorite freezer foods are soups, stews, casseroles, and… Chicken Enchiladas!

And if you love {or even like} Mexican food, I’m certain you will add this super simple meal to your recipe collection!

One of the reasons I love this recipe is because it has such simple ingredients {plus it tastes really good}.

Another reason I love this recipe is because I can make 3 or 4 meals in about an hour {and did I mention it’s delicious?}

INGREDIENTS:

Makes enough for 20 enchiladas

{Print this Recipe}

Meat Mixture:

• 3 T. cooking oil
• 3 small onions — chopped
• 2 4oz. cans chopped green chilies
• 5 c. cooked & shredded chicken or turkey
• 3 pkg. taco seasoning mix
• 2 c. water

Cottage Cheese Mixture:

• 3 c. cottage cheese
• 1 c. sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Other Ingredients:

• 20 8″ tortillas
• 3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese – divided
• 4  10 oz. cans red enchilada sauce (or you can make your own)

DIRECTIONS:

I make ALL the enchiladas up at one time.

For the Meat:

• In a large skillet, heat oil; saute onions and chilies until onions are cooked. {about 5 minutes}
• Add chicken, taco seasoning, and water; simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Set aside.

For the Cheese:

• In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper.
• Set aside.
• Measure out 2 c. of the shredded cheese {you’ll use the other 1 c. for a topping}

Assembly:

• Heat tortillas until soft {I just wrap them in a damp paper towel and nuke them in the microwave for a few seconds}
• Spoon about 4 T. of the meat onto each tortilla.
• Spoon about 3 T. of the cottage cheese mixture onto the meat mixture.
• Top with 1 heaping Tablespoon of shredded cheese.
• Roll up the tortilla and place in a covered baking dish.

That’s it…you’re finished {for now}!

Simply cover your baking dishes, label them, and put them in the freezer.

I like using glass baking dishes with tight-fitting lids so my food doesn’t get freezer-burn or spill. I also like preparing several different size dishes so I can easily adapt our meal for large or small groups. {I often use these meals when I bring food to people from our church, new moms, or someone who is unable to cook — so it’s nice to have different sizes}

Directions for Baking Day:

Now comes the easy part!

• Pull out a pan of enchiladas in the morning {it doesn’t matter if they are completely defrosted}
• Preheat your oven to 350 F.
• Pour a can of enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
• Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheese over the sauce.
• Bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes {depending on how frozen they still are}
• Enjoy!

See, I told you these were easy!

And doesn’t the thought of already-made meals in your freezer sounds like a great way to start out the New Year? If so, make sure you check back here next week Tuesday…I have a guest blogger sharing two more great freezer recipes!!

What are your favorite meals to make ahead and freeze?

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Linked to Things I Love Thursdays

Top photo credit: Gimme Some Oven

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I freeze a lot of food — especially this time of year when we have so many fresh fruits and veggies around. We do have an extra freezer in the garage, but it still seems like I need more space {or maybe just less stuff}

Either way, I make the most of my freezer space by storing food in resealable plastic bags {with labels; of course}. I pre-measure fruits, veggies, broth, soups, sauces, etc. and freeze them laying down so they are nice and flat.

Then I stack them in shoe boxes or plastic bins with the labels facing out.

This method saves tons of space in our freezer.

And since they are pre-measured, I know exactly how many “bags” I need for each recipe {which save me time}.

I don’t know about you, but space and time are at a premium around our house, so I’ll be using this method for a while!

NOTE: it’s a good idea to defrost them in a shallow dish; just in case they leak

What are your best Space-Saving Freezer Tips?

Linked to DiaperDiaries

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