Make Ahead Meals - Morgan,UT

www.onceamonthmom.com has some great recipes. Searching I just found www.frugalmom.net too. www.heavenlyhomemakers.com and www.passionatehomemaking.com each have a section, I think. The mom on passionatehomemaking.com is having her third so has been posting a lot about preparing for that, so she may have lots of other ideas for you, too. Congrats!

Some things I did and still do (It's nice to have home made stuff on hand when I don't want to cook)

-Stromboli - will fill ours with meat and cheese. Cook for about 10 minutes to harden up the dough and then let it cool completely. When you want to eat it, let it thaw and then bake until golden

- slice up pizza - we make pizza on our grill. We take the left overs and slice them and then freeze them in baggies. THen we have easy microwaveable lunches

- Soups freeze great - chicken noodle, spinach sausage and chicken corn choweder are some of our faves. I cook them and then put a zip lock bag in a pitcher. Let them cool and then freeze in the bag. That way I don't have to worry about spills. Once it's frozen I remove it from the pitcher and zip it shut.

- Pot pies. I easily make one dozen at a time. I use already made pie crusts, so I simply made the filling, fill the pies and then freeze. You don't have to cook them at all before freezing, just pull out to thaw in the morning you want to eat them (I have cooked them frozen in a pinch, it works, but takes a LOONNG time!)

- Random meats. I had the hubby grill up a bunch of chicken breasts and burger patties. They are definitely better fresh, but great when you are in a rush. I usually bake or microwave these with a little broth to keep them from drying out. I keep Sam's or Costco veggies on hand for side dishes,

- Chicken and rice, red beans and rice, jambalaya, cajum rice and fried rice all freeze well. When I reheat rice, I add a bit of broth or water to help it come back without being too dried out. With fried rice, I don't add seafood until the day of ( I don't want the whole batch to taste like old shrimp)

-Garlic bread, bread bowls and rolls all do well. Cook them half time, cool completely and then freeze.

- Egg rolls and lumpia also freeze great, but I ususally have to wrap them in wax paper so they don't fall apart when I go to use them. I don't precook them, I just do all the assembly.

- I have also been known to freeze beef and chicken taco/nacho fillings.

-Baked ziti,mac and cheese, meatballs and red sauces all do great in the freezer.

- I have had no luck with quiches, They seem to get grainy. Even if the recipe specifically says you can freeze it.

HTH! Good luck!

The BEST thing I had in my freezer was mini meat loaves (your favorite recipe baked in muffin tins) One of those,a microwave baked potato and some green beans or salad was a quick meal that satisfied even new nirsing mom hunger. (I have NEVER been so HUNGRY in my life!)

I like the answers you already have. I like to 1. Cook rice and put in baggies in the freezer. Then that's one less pot to have to wash later when baby's taking your time and energy. 2. Cook meats now and freeze. I will use the crock pot and cook a large pot roast. We'll eat on it that day, maybe the next. I will freeze the rest. Then when baby's here and you need a quick meal, just pull it out from the freezer, put it in a pan with some salsa and voila - you have pot-roast-tacos (yes you have to do the lettuce and cheese and what-not on the side).

Even if you dice veggies (onion, bell pepper, etc) right now, that'll save you tons of work later. I have stopped buying a lot of fresh onion b/c I cry like crazy when I cut it. The frozen bag is already diced and ready for cooking.

Congrats! I did this myself... just had baby #2 in March... so the freezer is nearly empty again :) I am including only the recipes I liked... good luck!

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-and-Easy-Green-Chile-C...
Ingredients
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Garlic salt to taste
• 18 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn in half
• 1 (28 ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) container reduced fat sour cream
Directions
• Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
• Season chicken with garlic salt. Arrange in the prepared baking dish. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Cool, shred, and set aside.
• Tear each tortilla into fourths.
• Pour about 1/2 inch enchilada sauce in the bottom of a medium baking dish, and arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer.
• Top with 1/2 the chicken, 1/3 cheese, 1/2 the sour cream, and 1/3 of the remaining enchilada sauce.
• Repeat.
• Coat remaining tortillas thoroughly with remaining enchilada sauce, and arrange on top of the layers. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top with any remaining enchilada sauce.
• Freeze.
• To serve: thaw thoroughly. Cover and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Cool slightly before serving.

Mini Pizzas
http://www.recipelink.com/mf/0/60180
Ingredients
• 12 English Muffins
• Cheez Whiz
• 2 lbs. hamburger
• (1 small onion, diced) OMIT
• 1 large jar of spaghetti sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Directions
• Brown hamburger with onion until cooked through. Drain.
• Add spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning and simmer about 15-20 minutes.
• Toast each English Muffin half and spread with Cheez whiz. Place on cookie sheets.
• Spoon hamburger mixture over top. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Place in freezer on cookie sheets. When frozen though, put into freezer bags.
• To serve: Place frozen pizzas on cookie sheet and bake in 375 degree F oven until heated through and cheese is melted.

Ham and Cheese Pie
http://www.recipelink.com/mf/8/7789
Ingredients
• 2 cups ground or diced cooked ham
• 2 cups cheddar cheese
• 8 eggs
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 2 9-inch deep-dish pie shells, unbaked
Directions
• Beat the eggs slightly.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Pour into unbaked pie shells.
• (Even though freezing) Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the "pie" comes out clean.
• Freeze.
• To serve: Thaw thoroughly in refrigerator. Heat pie at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until it is heated through. You can also heat individual slices in the microwave.

Day Before Casserole
http://lotsofinfo.tripod.com/recipe/xCS11daybeforecass.html
Ingredients
• 7 oz. macaroni (uncooked)
• 1 can celery soup
• 1 can mushroom soup
• (1 small jar pimentos) OMIT
• 4 oz. mushroom pieces
• (1 small onion, chopped) OMIT
• 2 c. milk
• 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced
• (1/4 c. green pepper diced) OMIT
• 2 c. ham (or chicken or turkey), cooked and chopped
• 1 can water chestnuts, sliced
Directions
• Combine all ingredients. Place in buttered 3 quart or 9x13 inch pan.
• Refrigerate overnight or freeze.
• To serve: Thaw before baking. Preheat oven to 350. Bake one hour. Serves 8.

Chicken Breast Crescent Rolls
http://community.babycenter.com/post/a3535295/recipes_for...
Ingredients
• Four chicken breasts, cooked
• 1 box cream cheese, softened
• 1 large can mushrooms, drained
• 4 packages crescent rolls
• Butter
• Stuffing crumbs (herbed flavored)
Directions
• Put chunks of chicken in food processor or cut up extremely fine.
• Mix together chicken, cream cheese and mushrooms.
• Put about a tablespoon in each crescent roll. You can use more if you like it meatier.
• Wrap the crescent roll around chicken mixture sealing it in.
• Dip in melted butter and roll in stuffing crumbs.
• Freeze in Ziploc, Reynolds Wrap, or plastic containers.
• To serve: Put in oven preheated to 350. Cook for about 15 minutes or until crescent is done. You can cook as many or as few as you want.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken
http://www.food.com/recipe/bacon-wrapped-chicken-oamc-79944
Ingredients
• 12 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 (8 ounce) cartons chive & onion cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt
• 12 slices bacon
Directions
• Flatten chicken to 1/2" thickness.
• Spread 3 tablespoons cream cheese over each chicken piece.
• Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt; roll up.
• Wrap each with a bacon strip.
• Freeze these uncooked on a cookie sheet in your freezer. When solid, wrap and put in a Ziploc bag in desired quantities.
• To serve: Thaw before cooking. Place, seam side down, in a greased pan.
• Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear.
• Broil 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Spaghetti is always better the next day! Once you make the spaghetti, mix in your sauce and freeze. It is easy to prepare and will taste great!

I had the same strategy when I was pregnant with my son last summer. You can cook up a large quantity of taco meat and package in smaller tupperware for quick tacos or taco salads. You could cook hamburger patties and freeze them in individual freezer bags for quick thawing and reheating. You could freeze sloppy joe meet for sandwiches later. Or how about meatloaf or meat balls or italian beef? You can also freeze things like banana bread, muffins & cookies for thawing later.

Here are a couple of other recipes for casserole type dishes that freeze well:

Green bean chicken casserole:
6 ounces minute rice
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 can french-style green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mushrooms
2/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped green pepper
1 envelope onion soup mix
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cup french fried onions

Combine chicken, beans, soups, mushrooms, rice, onion, green pepper, onion soup mix. Spoon into greased 2 qt baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and freeze. When ready to use - completely thaw casserole in refrigerator. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with french fried onions and bake 5 minutes longer.

Chicken lasagna:
8 oz package lasagna noodles, cooked
16 oz small curd cottage cheese
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken
3 cups shredded cheddar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Sauce:
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup milk

Saute onion & green pepper in butter. Stir in soup and milk. Spread enough sauce to lightly cover bottom of 9x13 pan. Layer 1/3 of noodles, cottage cheese, cream cheese, chicken, sauce & cheddar in that order. Repeat twice more. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese. Freeze - when read for use, thaw. Then bake 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cheeseburger pie:
Crust: Mix 1 1/3 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1/2 cup of shortening with a pastry blender until mixture looks like tiny peas. Sprinkle in 3 to 4 Tbsp of cold water, 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring with a fork after each addition. Mix lightly until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water if necessary).

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry, pat in bottom and up sides of pan (8x2 or round 8x1 1/2). Bake 15 minutes.

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 to 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup dill pickle liquid
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
2 cups cheddar cheese

Cook & stir beef, onion & garlic until brown, drain. Sprinkle with salt & flour. Stir in pickle liquid, milk, pickles and 1 cup cheese. Spoon into crust. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Bake until crust is golden - about 5 minutes.

Southwest Chicken Casserole:
8 oz uncooked pasta
1 1/3 cup french fried onions
2 cups cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar

Combine soup, salsa & sour cream. Combine chicken, cheese, pasta & soup mixture. Pour into greased 2 qt dish. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees, sprinkle with french fried onions, bake 5 more minutes.

Hope this helps!

You've gotten some great answers already - I think I'll have to try making rice and freezing it for sure! Anyway, I used recipes from the book "Fix, Freeze, Feast" - you prep the meals the same way you do at one of those make ahead places. It is great for bulk shopping and for making large meals ahead of time. Some of my favs are the burritos and the flank steak recipes. Congrats!

freeze pork chops or chicken legs in marinade - easy to defrost overnight in fridge and pop into oven to cook. I also slice meats and freeze in stir-fry seasonings (soy sauce, powdered ginger and garlic, cornstarch, cooking wine) - again defrost in fridge and then stir fry with frozen stir fry veggies.

I went to one of those make-and-freeze meal places once as a baby shower activity for a friend and it gave me ideas of things I can do at home.

I make this a lot - (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/catherines-spicy-chicken-sou....
I also add extra veg like peppers, broccoli. It always turns out so now I'm really lazy. I just thrown chicken breasts on the bottom of the crockpot, cover with chicken stock (instead of cube + water). Thrown in all the beans, corn, tomatoes, raw veg etc then cook for 4hrs on high (or 6hrs low whatever setting you have). Then add grated Mexican four cheese and the sour cream last. Freezes well (without sour cream). Can also change e.g add cumin or cinnamon, or omit a can of chili beans etc. So easy, makes a tonne. Can have salad and or bread or rice to stretch it further. Very high fiber, high protein and with added veg very nutritious post partum food.
try this too - freeze in slices : http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/blueberry-zucchini-bread/det...
see apple sauce ans wholewheat changes. Very moist and tasty.
Search Mamapedia for other recipe/freeze well related posts.
Congratulations ! and don't forget that a good breakfast cereal can still be a nutritious dinner so can cheese on toast ;-)
Keep taking your pre-natals and drink more water then you think you need.

Please go to
www.themuffinlady.com

The books are all at a significant discount and the SHARING MTN RECIPES has many many of the type of recipes you are looking for, especially in THE SIMMERS OF LOVE chapter.

I bought a book called Dream Dinners off of Amazon.com. I'm about to give it a try. There are lots of meals & they have ingredients that freeze well up to 3 months.

Good Luck!

Congrats! I brown about 5/6 pounds of hamburger with onions at once and then put in quart size freezer zip baggies. Then I use a needed for pastas, tacos, enchiladas, salads, soups, sandwiches, etc. Same thing for putting a bunch of boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crock pot with some taco seasoning and cooking on low all day. then I chop it up and put in baggies in the freezer and use for the same things. I also chop lettuce, cabbage and carrots and keep in the fridge at all times. I'm lucky I have big salad eaters. Also google easy crock pot recipes since you can throw everything in there in the morning and its done for dinner. Good luck!!

I clicked on your question because I wanted the answers too. :) Best thing I've done is cooking lots of rice ahead of time and freezing it. Then you can do different sauces in different bags and choose which topping you want to fit your mood.