Favorite Time-saving Meals And Tips

Favorite Crockpot Meals: Aunt Jenny’s Slow Cooker Meatballs Beef and Bean Burritos Chicken Cassoulet Cranberry Crockpot Chicken Cranberry-Chipotle Beef Beef Stroganoff (Crockpot) Deb’s Big Batch Chili (in smaller batches – see tip below)

Deb’s Crockpot Beef Stew Greek Beef Stew with Baby Carrots and Onions Greek Style Beef with Eggplant Guiness-Braised Beef Brisket Island Beef Stew Mjaatvedt Family BBQ Moroccan Beef Stew Muchos Frijoles Soup Overnight Oatmeal Pulled Chicken Sandwiches Rioja Chicken Rotisserie Crockpot Chicken Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches Slow Cooker Chicken Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions Swiss Steak Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken Smothered Buttermilk Chicken Split Pea Soup Tasty Italian Beef Tasty Italian Chicken Tuscan Pork with White Beans

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General tips:

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For Deb’s Big Batch Chili, here’s what MEA does: Variation: I cook the meats, peppers, garlic and onion and divide that into 5 portions. Then I’ll freeze the bags. On “chili day”, I’ll pop a bag or two on the bottom of the slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients and cook on Low for 6 – 8 hours.) Soups, pot roast, chili, meatballs in red sauce, anything that can be braised or simmered. Also love the crockpot chicken for either prep of a chicken breast, or popped under the broiler to crisp the skin. I tend to use it more for "parts" of a meal rather than a one-pot dish (like pulled meats).

Favorite Freezer Meals: Baked Pasta with Sausage Tomatoes and Cheese Balsamic Roasted Sausage & Onion (freeze without pitas) Basic Bean Mix Beef Bourguinonne with Egg Noodles Beef Cabbage Soup Beef Lombardi Beef Meatballs Beefy Vegetable Soup Black Bean and Chorizo Chili California Barbecued Beans Cheese-&-Chicken Enchiladas (may get a bit soggy) Chicken & Dumplings (SL Version) Chicken Broccoli Casserole Chicken Enchilada Soup Chicken Sausage and Provolone Penne Bake Chicken Tetrazzini Chock Full Chicken Noodle Soup Chunky Two Bean and Beef Chili Country Lima Beans Creamy Chicken Chili Deb’s Big Batch Chili Deb’s Crockpot Beef Stew (potatoes may get mushy) Diner Meatloaf Muffins Eggplant Parmesan Fideos con Frijoles Four Cheese Vegetable Lasagna Grandma’s Chicken Supper Soup Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Ground Turkey & Wild Rice Casserole Ham, Asparagus & Fontina Bread Puddings Hearty Lasagna Hoisin-Marinated Pork Chops Italian Meatloaf with Fresh Basil & Provolone Italian Wedding Soup Basic Marinara Sauce Jasmine Rice Stuffed Peppers Jillybean’s Taco Pasta Skillet Lindrusso’s Marinara Loaded Baked Potatoes Mini Meat Loaves

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Mjaatvedt Family BBQ Mostaccioli-Spinach Bake Nonnie’s Spaghini Stick to your Ribs Soup Orzo with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Goat Cheese Oven Baked Beef Stew Panera Bread French Onion Soup Pumpkin-Black Bean Soup Rachael’s Buffalo Chicken Chili Shrimp & Orzo w/ Cherry Tomatoes & Romano Cheese

Skinny Turkey Spinach Meatloaf Spaghetti Pie Spaghetti Squash Gratins w/ Chunky Tomato Sauce Spicy Thai Beef Noodle Soup Spinach Squares Split Pea Soup Stuffed Shells Florentine Summer Corn & White Bean Soup Braised Beef with Sun-dried Tomatoes Superfast Salisbury Steaks Tex-Mex Peppers Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine Tomato Lentil Soup with Prosciutto

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General tips:

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In general, you can freeze most any soup without potatoes (potatoes almost always get mushy). Cream soups without thickening agents shouldn’t be frozen. When I make meatloaf and lasagna, I make 2 and one goes right into the freezer. I try to make freezeable sides (like all kinds of baked beans) for the nights we have burgers or (gasp) a hot dog I have chicken thighs and drumsticks and breasts in the freezer in assorted marinades. I pull them out then cook when I can - usually the night before we are going to eat them. This works for pork chops and steaks too, i.e., Oriental Flank Steak and Hoisin-Marinated Pork Chops.

Favorite Stages Meals: Authentic Beef with Broccoli Baked Western Omelet Balsamic Eggplant Parmesan Balsamic Roasted Sausage & Onion Pitas Basil Shrimp with Feta & Orzo Beef and Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Onions Bourbon Molasses Chicken Drumsticks Caramelized Onion Lasagna with Gorgonzola Chicken & Dumplings (SL Version) Chock Full Chicken Noodle Soup Farmer’s Casserole Hearty Lasagna Italian Meat Loaf with Basil and Provolone Mexican Eggplant Seafood Lasagna Oriental Flank Steak Oven Baked Beef Stew Potato Gratin with Haricot Verts & Ham Sriracha-Glazed Chicken and Onions Over Rice

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Staged prep - here is where I like to pull stuff out of the freezer. Frozen chili over TJs tamales. Pulled meat for tacos or sandwiches. Look for sauces that can be made or ingredients measured & mixed ahead of final cooking time. Marinated meats. Chop veggies during the course of the day, then steam (if you haven't you have GOT to try the steamer bags, those things rock my world) at dinner time. Prep lasagna in stages... sauce, filling, prep cheeses, then assemble. You can even stretch out the prep over a couple days.

Favorite Make-Ahead Meals: Asparagus and Ham Casserole Baked Pasta with Sausage, Cheese and Tomatoes Beef Lombardi Chicken Broccoli Casserole Chicken Sausage & Provolone Penne Bake Chicken-Ham Lasagna Fast Fake Baked Ziti Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Ground Turkey & Wild Rice Casserole Ham, Asparagus & Fontina Bread Puddings Hearty Lasagna Hot Chicken & Chips Retro Jasmine Rice-Stuffed Peppers Seafood Lasagna Mini Meat Loaves Orzo with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Goat Cheese Shepherd’s Pie Smoked Cheese Pasta Bake Spaghetti Pie Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

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Most lasagnas and meatloaves can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until baking.