Freezer Dinners

After talking to my mom on the phone yesterday, I decided it was high time to start making some frozen dinners to help out after the baby's born. So I turned to Pinterest and starting looking for good freezer meals. About a year ago I found a blog with a list of crock-pot freezer meals. You just cut up all the veggies and meat and seal it all in a plastic bag with seasonings/sauce; and then when you want to eat it you just throw everything into the crock-pot and 8 hours late you have dinner. I spent nearly $150 on all the veggies/meat and seasonings I would need to make 6 meals. I was very proud of myself for getting everything chopped up and put into bags. And then a couple weeks later we ate one. And it was the most disgusting concoction I had ever eaten. So then we tried a different one a few days later and found that one to be even more disgusting than the first. And then we decided to give the third (final) combination a try. Tyler thought that was somewhat edible, but I thought it was just as disgusting as the other two. So, needless to say, we ended up throwing away the other 3 bags and I vowed to never make a freezer meal again, unless I knew we would like it in advance. I have since made and frozen enchiladas, lasagna, and other pasta concoctions which have all turned out fairly decent, so I haven't given up on freezer meals entirely, but I am definitely more wary than I used to be.

So, after searching Pinterest and random blogs, I came across a couple recipes I thought would be worth a try. Yesterday night I started with the simplest recipe (although not really a meal) for strawberry freezer jam.

I will say after making this I have come to the realization that just because you make it yourself does NOT mean it is cheaper than buying it prepackaged. And since I'm not at all worried about chemicals/packaging/ or the health content of pre-packaged Smuckers Strawberry Jam, I think I will stick to buying it at Costco as opposed to making it myself. Although it was fun to try out, and I enjoyed eating the strawberries as I made the jam.

Strawberry Freezer Jam
By April at "Enchanted Dandelions"
4 cups mashed strawberries
1.5 cups sugar
1 packet freezer jam pectin 

In a large bowl mash strawberries until only small chunks remain. I recommend using a pastry cutter and then going back through it all with a potato masher.
**Do NOT use a blender - I tried blending the strawberries and ended up with tiny pieces of strawberry and very little juice, you want lots of juice and little bits of strawberry!**
Mix sugar and pectin together with strawberries for about 3 minutes, until thoroughly combined.
Pour or ladle into three pint size jars. Be sure to leave room in the jars for expansion. Put jars in fridge to set for at least 30 minutes and then transfer to freezer for up to 1 year, or store in fridge for up to 3 weeks.

This morning I decided to start on actual meals. I started with a potato soup and ended with chicken pot pie. The potato soup is crock-pot recipe that you freeze after cooking, so at least we'll get to try it tonight before blindly throwing it into a crock-pot in a few weeks and realize it's not as good as I had hoped. (And it smells really good right now, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it tastes as good as it smells.)

Slow Cooker Potato Soup * Edited 8/2/2012

From Tricia at "Once a Month Mom" 

Ingredients:
5lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, diced (peels still on)
1.25 cups onion, diced
10 teaspoons garlic, minced (I think it was WAY too much, I'd use 3-5 in future)
1 Tablespoons Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
8 cups chicken broth
16 oz cream cheese, softened
cheese (optional)
bacon, cooked & crumbled (optional)

Directions:Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours. Stir in the softened cream cheese and allow to melt (approximately 30-60 minutes). Stir every 10-15 minutes until soup is well blended. Garnish with cheese and bacon.
Freezing Directions:
Follow all directions above, including adding the cream cheese. Allow to cool, portion into freezer containers and freeze. To serve: Heat slowly on the stove, slow cooker or microwave until heated through. Stir often. Garnish with cheese and bacon.
Alternative Freezing Directions:
Divide and place all ingredients except cream cheese (and cheese/bacon) into gallon size freezer bags, seal and freeze. To serve: Thaw. Place in slow cooker for 6 hours on high. Stir in the cream cheese and allow to melt. Stir every 10-15 minutes until soup is well blended. It takes an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour. Garnish with cheese and bacon.
Servings: 10-12

Freezer Chicken Pot Pies 

From Jenny at "Freezer Dinner"

4 cups cubed cooked chicken (ham, shredded beef or turkey)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups sliced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1½ cups milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
3 pre-made refrigerated pie crusts or "Crust Option 2" 

Boil potatoes and carrots in a large stockpot. In another pot, boil cubed chicken for 8 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain vegetables and chicken and set aside. 

In a large skillet, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, corn, potatoes, and carrots. Remove from heat. 

Crust option 1: Line two 9-inch pie plates with bottom pastry; trim even with edge of plate. Fill pastry shells with chicken mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pies. Cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and style the edges. If eating today, bake one pot pie at 425ºF for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. 

Crust option 2: Mix together 2 cups biscuit/baking mix, 1¼ cups milk, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoons celery seed. (Mixture will be thin.) Sprinkle over top of chicken pot pie. Bake at 350ºF for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cover and freeze remaining pot pie for up to 4 months. 

To serve frozen pie: Cover edges of frozen piecrust with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425ºF for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350ºF and bake for 70 to 80 minutes longer, or until crust is golden brown.