I’m excited to have a guest post from Jodie, author of Eatin’ on the Cheap.  Her blog features not only her beautiful photos, but delicious recipes and practical tips for delicious food on a budget.  Today, she’ll share her expertise on batch cooking and freezer meals. Don’t forget to hop on over to her blog and vote for her for Project Food Blog!

Being a mother takes talent, skill, and an uncanny ability to pull dinner out of a hat. We plan, we budget, and we always a have a Plan B for when dinner plans go horribly wrong. No, Plan B is not pizza delivery ( that’s Plan C). Plan B is Freezer Meals

Now to me, Freezer Meals and Batch Cooking are essentially the same thing. They are pre-prepared ingredients or dishes stored in the freezer to make you life easier at the end of a hectic day. Some people like to set aside an entire day for batch cooking, but I prefer to just cook lots extra whenever I am cooking a meal that is freezer-friendly.

For instance, I’ll roast three chickens instead just one, or make a triple batch of spaghetti sauce, or two chicken pot pies or lasagnas. Making large batches doesn’t require much more time than a normal recipe. You’ve already got all the stuff out anyway, so why not do yourself a favor and cook ahead!

Of course, batch cooking and freezer meals require freezer space. So make sure you clean out the freezer burned Veggie burgers and the petrified bag of frozen peas before you start. Also make sure that you have a supply of freezer bags, plastic wrap and plastic or aluminum storage for cooking and storing your meals. I always spring for the high quality freezer bags instead of store brand. They keep freezer burn out much better. Remember to wrap your dishes tightly and remove as much air as possible before freezing.

A few examples of meals that freeze well are: chicken pot pie, most casseroles, BBQ pork or chicken, broth based soups, bread and pizza dough and spaghetti sauce.

Here is my favorite freezer meal. I make a double or triple batch and always keep these on hand for an easy dinner.

Supper on a Loaf

1 1/2lbs ground beef
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup cracker meal, oats, or crushed saltine crackers
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 egg
2 cup grated cheese ( I like Cheddar, but anything will do)
1 Tbsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp Accent (meat tenderizer)
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Baguette

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut bread lengthwise and dig out insides of the bread. Then cut into serving size pieces (usually about 8). In a large bowl mix together the rest of ingredients. Portion out meat mixture and mound the meat on top of each bread boat. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until done.

To freeze: Make sure you wrap each loaf individually before placing in a zip top bag.

What’s your favorite freezer meal?

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