Freezer Meals #14

I found some recipes I wanted to try for freezer meals this time around that I made minor changes to - using up some of what I already had on hand and substituting where I couldn't find certain things.  I cleaned out the freezer, made my list, and got to shopping!  An hour of assembly later and I had about 9 meals. Not bad! They're not diet meals, for sure, but highly adaptable if I don't load up my plate with the the potatoes, rice, and sauce.  But I will make those to go along with some of them because I have skinny people to feed here!

 The containers above are for thawing and cooking on the stovetop.

Pesto Chicken
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts with pesto sauce slathered over.  I will pop it into the skillet from frozen and gently cook til the chicken is tender, then serve with some pasta

BBQ Meatballs
I mixed up half a jar of Raspberry Chipotle Marinade with some ketchup and poured it over store bought meatballs.  I will gently simmer til meatballs are heated through and servce with a salad, and some mashed potatoes for the boys. (This is just another version of the old grape jelly/chili sauce combo everyone and God knows about)

Autumn Harvest Chicken
Same as the chicken above, but with Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest sauce and some chopped garlic.

Beef Barley Stew
Each gallon zip loc bag has:
1 1/2 pounds bonelss chuck roast, cut into cubes
4 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cubes beef bouillon
1 bay leaf
1 t each dried thyme and rosemary
1/2 barley*
(7 cups water, added at time of cooking on low in crock pot for about 8 hours).

 I searched all over HEB for barley, and finally gave up and bought this.  I think it will work just fine!

 

Fiesta Chicken
I added 2 large chopped chicken breasts to the  big zip loc bag, then added:
McCormick's Fiesta Chicken Seasoning
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
half an onion, chopped
1/2 a large seeded jalapeno
a can of black beans
and some fresh chopped garlic
I'll probably add a little chicken broth and cook on the stove top til the chicken is tender, then make some rice to go with. But I could just as easily plop this into the crock pot.

Lime Shredded Pork from New Leaf Wellness
I used 2 pounds bonelss pork ribs, country style, well-trimmed of fat
the juice of two limes
1 T honey
1/2 t. smoked paprika
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
Added all of it and poured over the meat in a gallon zip loc bag.
I will cook this in the crock from frozen for  6-8 hours.

Sweet Garlic Chicken
2 lb. chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 package Stir Fry Seasoning powder
2/3 c. pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. water
1 T cornstarch
I added all the ingredients to a big zip loc and will cook, from frozen 8 hours, in the crock pot.

The best for last!  We had this beef recipe a week ago, and Hubby could not stop talking about it.  Possibly his diet makes him think anything with gravy is from heaven.  I know the feeling...

Slow Cooker Roast and Gravy
2 lb. chuck roast
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/4 c. water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 a carton of mushrooms, each cut into fourths
Place all in large zip loc and cook from frozen 8 hours.  Cut the roast into chucks and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

******

Self control means there will be little sauce and no rice or mashed potatoes for me or Hubby...but we can still enjoy a delicious meal!