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cornomama4
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| Posted: June 12 2008 at 6:43pm | IP Logged
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As I said in the last post, we just got a new small chest freezer and I'm anxious to start using it to save us $$ on food, as dh has been laid off as of 6/1 as our local symphony shuts it's doors!  It may return in the Fall, but I'm preparing for the worst. We planning to live on ebay $$!!! 
So, I'm taking a survey of everyone's favorite freezer meals, websites, OAMC books, general advice, etc.! We have 4 kids 8,7,2,1 so it's really like feeding 4.5 people now, but in a few years....let's say the 3 boys are going to make it like feeding 8!
The big dream is to get some land where we can raise some chickens and goats (maybe a pig)..but I digress... For now I'm trying to figure out what to put in that empty freezer.
Any advice would be so helpful, as I feel very out of my element with this for some reason. I love to cook, and I'm a decent cook, but only like 3 days a week kind of cook!  I need to rely on going out or the pizza guy like once a month now. thanks so much!
cm4
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juststartn
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| Posted: June 12 2008 at 8:19pm | IP Logged
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I make a big batch of meatloaves, and serve it with egg noodles (cheap) and a vegetable on the side...
I follow the recipe on the back of the McCormick's meatloaf seasoning packet. But I make three meatloavves at one time (which is about 4 lbs of meat, total--3lbs of grd beef, 1 lb of Jimmy Dean regular sausage). I always throw in a can of crushed/stewed tomatoes (I like the fire roasted ones)....and put a thick layer of ketchup/bbq sauce.
I will put six in the freezer at a time. And it ends up firm, sliceable, and most importantly, the dc love it. They actually get excited when they know we are having meatloaf! WOOHOO! It only took me 11 yrs of marriage to find this recipe, but yeehaw! LOL
I also like to make a Mexican meat mix--in large quantities, bag it up, and freeze it. We use it for taco salad, burritoes, tacos, quesadillas, you name it. And it thaws quickly--good for those last minute meals.
In the past, I've made crock-pot BBQ, with cheap stew meat, cheap BBQ sauce, and a ton of honey/molasses, some chopped onion, some jalapenos and juice, garlic...all things I would have on hand. Just cook the meat down in the sauce, use a potato masher to rip it all up, and serve it up on buns, with homefries, or salad, etc. Whatever is cheapest/in season/not going to heat up the house.
Spaghetti is always a big fave around here, too.
We were blessed to move out to rural OK from NC, after DH's army retirement this spring, and we have our garden going, and the chickens you were discussing (none laying yet, but we'll be putting a bunch into the freezer in another 5 wks or so). We have a ton of layers that we are raising up at this point, and we're planning on selling some of the eggs--won't be a huge amount, but it will be something. We keep them in chicken tractors, and move them daily, so they (along with the geese and ducks and the sole turkey we have) keep the grass down, and fertilized.
He was able to get a job working with the county dispatch office (911, basically), and he's doing that now, in addition to having his military retirement. Its not a living that we are going to get financially rich on, but we'll get by, God willing. I recommend OK if you can move. There's plenty of land for sale out here--some with houses on them, some without. Its not a hugely Catholic state, but you know, all it takes is a few more of us to move here... 
I'm really enjoying it here, and I've never lived here before (I know that this is totally off topic, but for those looking for a nice place to live...). I grew up in NC and GA, to give you an idea...
I'm sorry about your DH's job loss, and I hope that something comes up soon....
Rachel
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Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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juststartn
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| Posted: June 12 2008 at 8:23pm | IP Logged
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Oh, and check out the Upick places near you, for veggies, fruits, etc, that can you all can go pick, and clean and freeze. Or can (I found a TON of jars at yard sales, flea markets, etc). And the dollar stores here (and in NC) sold the lids and rings, so you can get them cheaper than at the grocery store.
HTH! I'm going to go do some upick blackberries next week, to make jam with....better get my canning stuff together and recipes set up for my marathon of jam making, lol. Blueberries will be a few weeks after that, according to the lady who owns the bushes..
Rachel
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Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: June 14 2008 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
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See if your local library has a Frozen Assets cookbook. I got some good ideas from there, especially the mashed potatoes. She also gives you general rules for freezing foods.
About a month before my due date, I did things like cut-up pre-cooked ham, chicken, and hamburger and froze it. It made it easier to make things like quesadillas and some pasta dishes, but just defrosting the meat and throwing it in the recipe. Plus, I could buy some things in bulk and store it.
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 14 2008 at 7:59pm | IP Logged
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I don't so much put prepared meals in the freezer as I make it possible to cook from frozen.. for instance.. I make up hamburger patties or meatballs.. the patties I'll just wrap and lay flat to freeze but the meatballs I'll set out on cookie sheets and when they're frozen I'll toss 'em into a freezer bag. That lets me cook as many or as few as I'd like and I can change their flavor/use by the sauce they're cooked with. I love those meatballs served with some boxed macaroni and cheese (one of the few boxes things we use) for a quick meal. (also serve broccoli with this)
I'll take whatever "chunks" - roasts or such - of cheap beef I have and slice them into strips and freeze the same way as the meatballs.. perfect for stroganoff or stirfry and you just take what you need from the bag.. you don't have to use the whole bag.
seperate out hamburber or ribs or whatever into meal sized portions.. makes them easy to use.. generally I repackage just about everything.. because meats are one of the few things left that buying a larger pack is usually cheaper.
If you have a butcher that will do this.. I'll buy a whole ham and have the butcher cut it in half for me. The shank half and the whole ham price are usually the cheaper.. so I can get both halves of the ham for the cheap price. Also turkeys.. I'll have the butcher cut thos in half for me (they'll cut through the body but not the thingie holding the legs).. and then we can have fresh roasted turkey and some leftovers more often than a whole turkey that you have fresh roasted and a whole lot of leftovers. (get the big turkeys)
I just recently bought the boneless pork loin.. on sale for $1.99/lb a bit more than I like to spend for just everyday meals.. but makes a lovely thing to grill for specially occations.. I've frozen them whole.. but they jump out of my freezer at me and try and smash my feet.. this time I'll be cutting them in half and repackaging.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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jennthmg
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| Posted: June 17 2008 at 12:32pm | IP Logged
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I love having some casseroles in the freezer - I'm taking one to a friend tomorrow night.
Shepherd's Pie
45 minutes @ 350
1 lb. Hamburger, cooked 6 C Mashed Potatoes
1-2 can Green Beans 2 C Shredded Cheddar, or Mozzarella Cheese
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup &n bsp;
Layer, hamb/gr. bns./cr. mush. sp./potatoes, in a casserole dish. Bake 30 minutes at 350 until bubbly. Sprinkle cheese to cover. Bake additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
This is my all-time favorite dish. To freeze, layer everything in disposable foil pan & wrap in foil. Using masking tape, affix ziplock baggie with cheese to top. Thaw during the day and cook as described.
Once we learn to count our blessings they increase. -Stella Terrill Mann
Jenn
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: freezer meals
