Husband Freezer Meals

So what is in there??

Chicken, Black Bean and Green Chili Enchiladas

Chicken, Black Bean and Green Chili Mix for Burritoes

Sloppy Joe Mix

Homemade Chili for Hot Dogs
Meaty Chili (stay tuned)

Trio Meat Lasagna (Italian sausage, ground chicken and ground turkey blend)

Grilled Chicken Breasts

Chicken Teriyaki Meatloaf (add teriyaki glaze to the top instead of the usual sauce)
Sausage, Onion and Peppers

Shepherds Pie (just with hamburger meat instead of bbq pulled pork)
Chicken Salad-Sandwiches
Spaghetti Meat Sauce
Cupcake Pan Sausage Patties

Italian Sausage, Ground Turkey and Ground Chicken Patties

I made a small container of each enough for 2 meals at a minimum for him.  Why would you need meals for just your husband?  I couldn't leave and go to spend time in MS with my mom without preparing meals for him to have.  I felt better to know he had food if he wanted it and I wouldn't have to feel bad when he said "I miss your cooking!"  It took me a day and a half to make all of his food.  I made all of these recipes spicy or added cayenne or crushed red peppers, just how he likes it. The only things he would have to make is noodles or other things that are just better fresh.  I would say if you are going out of town or state and your hubby or significant other is staying home make the recipes to his liking.

Also, I stocked up a few more convenient items for him to have for breakfast, lunch and snacks.
*Granola bars, individual bags of chips, snack cakes, pop-tarts ...etc.

He is up at 3am for work, so easy breakfast!
 I normally make him a sausage and egg sandwich.

In the fridge I left him:
*Boiled eggs
*Potato salad
*Baked beans
*Individually wrapped chicken, black bean and green chili wraps.

Drink wise:
A pitcher of Kool-aid
A pitcher of Black and Pink Tea
A 1/2 gallon of cherry limeade drink in the freezer.

He was all set to not starve to death on nights he gets home late from work or live on fast food!  He wanted to make sure to tell me he didn't need me to do that because he can take care of himself, but oh well is what I said.  He is a really great cook, so when it runs out he can make his own and be fine.  It is just one of those things to be better prepared.

Chicken and Dumpling Pot Pie

You can't get my soul foodie than this!   Chicken and Dumplings and a Pot Pie all mixed in one.

I made a chicken and dumpling meal maybe 2 nights before and for some reason I am always making too much food so then we have left overs.  Not a bad thing, but you don't want to eat the same food more than a day.   Then, I need to come up with something else to make with the leftovers. :)

Chicken and Dumplings

4 Chicken Breasts

Soup Pot

A few sliced celery stalk

Sauteed' onion

Brown Rice

Flour/Water/Garlic powder seasoned dumplings

Chicken Bouillon Cubes

Throw your chicken in a boiling pot of bouillon cubed up water until they are falling apart.  Take them out and let them cool slightly.  Enough to where you can touch them.  Cut your fat and other things off you don't want to eat.  I don't like the fatty part of it so I just cut it off.  Leave it on while you cook it for the extra juices.  Pour chicken water into a larger pot and add a few seasonings.  I normally just add a bit of garlic powder and Nature's Seasoning blend.  Drop in some baby carrots or other veggies. I let it cook for about 2 hours on medium.  

  I opened my steamed rice bag(while frozen still) and dropped it in the pot. Mix up your flour/water/seasoning together where it is a little thick but too thick.  You want it to be able to fall off your spoon easily.  Drop each tablespoon into the boiling surface and once it pops back up you are good to go.  You can drop several at the same time but just not too close to each other.  Once it pops up you can drop another closer by it and not have to worry about it sticking.   You may have your own version of dumplings, but this is just how I was taught to do it.  I have been meaning to try the rolled out flour into the paper thin strips as dumplings, but haven't got around to it.   I let it cook for about another hour and it was ready to eat.  You can refrigerate your Chicken and Dumplings until you are ready to make your pot pies.  

*The creamy color will come from some of the flour mingling with the chicken water. 

Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie

2 Deep Dish Pie Crusts- Let them sit out until thawed.  

Heat up your leftovers and mix in corn, peas and green beans into your chicken and dumpling mix and pour into your pie crust pans.  Put on your top pie crust and pinch together.  Brush with milk, butter or water.  Bake in the oven for a while until nice an golden brown.  I baked it for about 35 minutes.  It didn't take that long to cook, because everything was already heated up.   

I really don't measure much, and I hardly every make the same exact thing the same way more than once.   It actually came out pretty good and who doesn't love a nice pot pie.  

Crockpot Grilled BBQ Steak

What do you do with your left over steak?  Well, if you have any left that is.  These steaks were in the freezer and needed to be cooked.  Every once in a while a pack of meat gets lost in there and in order to save it from the trash we cook it up.  We happened to be grilling that weekend, so I pulled them out so we could grill them.  The next day I put them in crockpot and let the crockpot do all the work.  

 I put them in the pot when I went to bed on low and in the morning they were all done and ready to get shredded and sauced up just in time for my hubby to have some yummy bbq sandwiches for lunch.  

I toasted the buns a little in the toaster oven and Voila, this is what you get!  I wrapped them up and packed them in my husbands lunchbox for work.  He appreciated and loved them so much that is the first thing I heard from him when he got home that night. : )  Score...brownie points for this lady!

1 Meal Turned into 3- Lasagna, Sloppy Joes and Chili

Delicious Lasagna

Dice as much onion as you want & sautee until translucent.

~I was out of bell pepper or else I would have used it too.~

Brown approx. 5 lbs. of hamburger meat & drain.

Add 2 cans of tomato paste & enough water for a nice thick meat sauce.

Let Simmer.

*Take a large serving portion out and set to the side. I used a 5.2 cup container.*

Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder & diced mushrooms to pan.

Boil Oven Ready noodles until 1/2 cooked in garlic seasoned water.

I always cook "Oven Ready" noodles 1/2 way to speed up the process.

Assemble:

V8 Tomato Juice

I only put 3 noodles down for a meatier bottom.

Remember that large portion of hamburger meat that was put to the side?

Add Chili powder & TA DA-- Sloppy Joe mix

 

Have some left, well mix a can of hot dog chili (I used a can of Hungry Man Chili) with it and

TA DA-- Meaty Hot Dog Chili!

I had lots of fun with this meal and saved tons of time by making basically 3 meals in one.

ENJOY!