Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Works for me Wednesday :: Backwards Edition

Well, how perfect is it for me that this week's Works for me Wednesday is asking for help. I made a post a couple of days ago asking for help. So I am going to copy and paste the text and use it for my WFMW post. Thanks in advance!!

In preparation of me starting school, I am looking for some make-ahead meals that I can tuck into the freezer or good slowcooker recipes. This is where you come in. I already have a couple, but I need more - as many as you can think of!! In between being home all day, then going off to work at my grandparents' business for a few hours between work and school and then heading off to school until 10:00 at night, I need things that I can pop in the oven for my husband and the kids to make they always have something ready for dinner when I'm not there. It will probably only be 2 or 3 days a week that I will need to use these meals, but I want to get ready.So, if you have some tasty make-ahead freezer or slowcooker meals, please share them with me (and anyone else that may be interested)

Don't forget to leave the following:

**For make-ahead freezer stored meals - the recipe, how to store it, how long and what temp to cook it at, if it needs to thaw before placing in the oven and if it should be cooked covered or uncovered.

**For slowcooker meals - the recipe, how long and how high to cook it.Thanks for the help! I appreciate it!

And just so you all know - My husband CAN cook! I just thought I would make things a little easier on him then to have to try and cook dinner, clean up and then get the kids in the tub before bed time. I know it's tricky for even me to get all of that done with only one parent home so I can only imagine how it might be for him. It's not like he has daddy-only duty during the evening very often and when he does, it's usually after dinner and baths and just before or just after bedtime.
If you want to help out some other people seeking advice - head on over to We Are That Family.

5 comments:

Clean and Classic Interiors said...

Just for the record - I am not the best cook but this is an easy and great recipe that my husband and I both love. All you need is frozen chicken breasts(2), a jar of green chili (enchiladas chili not chilis). Put the breasts, frozen and 3/4 of the sauce in the crock pot on low for 8 hours. 30 minutes before you want to eat add some black beans, (or not) and the rest of the green chili. The chicken will have shredded itself. Serve on flour tortilla with cheese, sour cream, etc. Enjoy! I'll be checking back for more ideas - I need all the help I can get too!

Corrie said...

I can't wait to try out all the recipes I found at this site.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Crock pot cooking will greatly help as we welcome our new little one soon!

humble servant said...

I have been using http://www.recipezaar.com for years and you can put in your preparation (crockpot, etc.) and what ingredients you have on hand....

Lots of great recipes there.

Larissa Smith said...

I love make-ahead cooking! Some of my favorites are chili or soups (which taste better the next day anyway) and are very freezer-friendly. One super easy soup is taco soup - 1 can each of creamstyle corn, pinto beans, chicken (think large tuna can), chicken & rice soup, and RoTel tomatoes, plus 1/4 lb of Velveeta. Heat it until the velveeta melts - can be in the crockpot, or only takes about 15 minutes on the stove. Freeze in a good tupperware and thaw in the fridge or on the stovetop.

Any casserole can be frozen - the trick is to line the pan with heavy duty foil, then assemble, cover with foil and freeze. Once it is frozen, you can remove the foil/food part and store it in a large Ziploc. Then, when it's time to thaw or cook it, just put it back into the pan when you take it out of the freezer and it's still solid. If you need to add an ingredient (like lining the pan with tortillas or chips), then before assembling, line the pan with foil, then plastic wrap, then put the food in. The plastic wrap will come off of the frozen food easily when it is time to cook.

'Becca said...

Honey Baked Lentils! Mix them up in 5 minutes (from inexpensive, shelf-stable ingredients) and then put them in the oven an hour and a half before dinnertime. I love this recipe! Click on my name.