I’ve done this for several months now, and I find it quite funny that just as hubby ran out of breakfast pockets, Money Saving Mom is doing another Freezer Cooking Days.
So . . . um . . . obviously I’m doing more breakfast pockets. I made them with ham, eggs and cheese last time, but this time I bought some HOT breakfast sausage to use as the meat. Since hubby is the main one enjoying them, I think he’ll like having the kind of sausage he loves, but has graciously given up as the father of young children. I am also planning to do some with bacon again, like the first time.
And this month, since I have a good amount of already-cooked beef and chicken in the freezer, I’m planning to make some actual assembled meals. I’ve resisted this in the past, mostly pre-cooking individual ingredients, but since baseball season gets into full swing next week, I need some ready-to-go meals in the freezer.
I plan to make two spinach lasagnas:
12 lasagna noodles
1 c. fat-free cottage cheese
3/4 c. grated Parmesan Cheese
1 c. grated part skim Mozzarella
3-4 c. spaghetti sauce
1/2 lb spinach, thawed and drained
2 egg whites
In a medium bowl, combine spinach, cottage cheese, egg, and 1/2 c Parmesan cheese. In another bowl, combine remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Preheat oven to 350.To assemble, spoon 3 tbsp sauce into the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Cover sauce with 4 noodles, breaking them as needed to fit, 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of the mixed cheeses, and 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Repeat to make second layer. Cover with the rest of the noodles, top with remaining sauce and cheeses.
I generally don’t pre-cook the noodles, but I may this time since I’ll be freezing it.
And again with the pockets . . . I’m going to make a dinner version of them – cheeseburger pockets. I’m planning to make them the same way as the breakfast ones, but fill them with ground beef and shredded cheese. We can then dip them in ketchup or mustard. I’m hoping they’ll be good, and they’ll make an ultra quick microwaved dinner that we can take to the ballgames with us if needed!
I can’t say enough how much freezer cooking helps me. Even just doing my minimalist version is an essential survival technique for me as I go through this de–slobification process. When I feel hopelessly unorganized, knowing that I have something in the freezer that’s at least half-done is a huge relief.
Go check out more freezer cooking plans at Money Saving Mom.
I know when you posted before, I printed out the recipe and stuck it in my pile to try sometime. I must be extra hungry today because I'm gnawing my arm off just looking at the screen and wondering if I have all the stuff to make them NOW! :>) I'm thinking about making some without eggs as Hubs can't eat them every day. Since he's spending 14-16 hours a day planting corn right now, I really should send him off with something better than cereal…
How are you going to go about freezing the lasagna? I make a pretty mean one myself, and have thought I should make extras & freeze, but I can't figure out the logistics of freezing them. I don't want to tie up my glass baking dishes & the disposable aluminum ones don't seem sturdy enough.
Lisa in Hixson
I haven't made spinach lasagna in a while! Last couple of time were veggie lasagna and regular meat lasagna! Sounds great!
Lisa, I think that I can spare two pans right now, and still have one more. But if you wanted to use the disposable, you could set it on a cookie sheet just while it's freezing, and then once it's frozen solid, take the cookie sheet back. I do this all the time when I freeze bags of chicken breasts, to make them freeze flatter so they can store more easily and thaw more quickly.
Just pulled my breakfast pockets out of the oven. :>) I did make some egg free for hubs, I added some potatoes to them. Can't wait to try them!
If I may jump in, I have had luck lining my pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, then freezing, then popping it out of the pan and into a zip top freezer bag.
With our smaller family, I prefer 8x8s that fit into gallon bags, but I have read that a 9×13 will fit in a 2 gallon bag (they're on the bottom row in the bag section at my Wal-Mart). The best part is when you do bake them, it's really easy cleanup! I try not to use too much foil, but in places like this, I go for it.
Hi! I just found your blog thru Money Saving Mom, and its like looking in a mirror!!! I'm definitely following as I've just started down a similar journey! Thanks for posting your story and sharing with others like yourself!
Welcome Coley! I'm glad you found me too. It's a crazy journey, but is totally worth it.
I've used the idea to line the glass pans with foil, freeze in the glass pans, lift out the meal using the foil after meal is frozen, wrap well after frozen. When defrosting/baking the meal, slip back into the glass pan. So your freezer is stacked with foil meals, but each is put in the pan/form to bake, so the stability isn't an issue. Don't forget to label your foil meals, or they will all look the same. You should always have a pan available to use while waiting to use the freezer meal too. I've only done this once or twice. It worked, but I'm just begining to use freezer meals again. I'm a mom of three and just starting the busy summer phase of….Mom I'm bored!