Tried and True Freezer Meals for New Moms {Part 2}

Today I'm sharing two more Tried & True Freezer meals: Goulash and Potato Soup. The ingredients for both these meals (not including the disposable tins) was $24.02 and both meals were delicious. First up...Goulash. I had never made or eaten Goulash before, but all the ingredients sounded great. It's basically Chef Boyardee for grown ups. Yum.

Goulash

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 can tomato soup
6 oz. can tomato paste
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
2 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 can corn (15 oz.)
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions:
Brown Ground beef with onion powder and garlic powder. The smell from this is just amazing. Drain.
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain.
In a large bowl mix tomato soup, tomato paste, Italian Seasoning, noodles, corn and ground beef. Stir.

 Transfer to 9x9 disposable tin and top with cheese.
Cover dish with 2 layers of aluminum foil then label the dish with the following information making it easier when you get it out to bake later:
-Goulash
-Date assembled
-Cooking instructions: Thaw and Bake uncovered at 350 for 30-40 minutes

Next up, Potato Soup. The easiest of all the freezer meals I've made and one I will be making frequently both before and after baby comes.

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

30 oz. bag frozen, shredded hashbrowns

32 oz. container of Chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion chopped

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

8 oz cream cheese (this will be added at the time you actually make the meal, but cream cheese lasts a long time so go ahead and buy it now if you want to make sure to have it when you make this meal!)

Instructions:

Double up a large freezer bag then combine all ingredients EXCEPT cream cheese. Label with the following:

-Potato soup

-Thaw soup and place in crock pot

-Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours

-1 hour before serving add in cream cheese, allow to heat through until melted

-Garnish with cheese, bacon, green onions, sour cream

Click here for 2 more tried and true freezer meals!

Tried and True Freezer Meals for New Moms! {Part 1}

My October due date is quickly approaching so being the typical type A gal that I am I want to be as prepared as I can for when Aiden gets here. I knew one way I could help myself out later was by having some meals made that I could simply pull out of the freezer, thaw and bake.

I scoured Pinterest for freezer meals that weren't too complicated or too expensive. I didn't want to waste my time making freezer meals that wouldn't taste good so I went to my other girlfriends for advice. My friend Dori gave me her favorite freezer meal website that she had used when she was pregnant and here are two of the four freezer meals I ended up making. {I will share the other two in another blog post!}

The ingredients for these 2 freezer meals (aluminum foil and tins included) was $38.16, so less than 20 dollars for 2 delicious meals that serve 4-6 people each. I'd say that's a pretty good deal.

If you are going to do freezer meals I say make it fun. Have pregnant friends due around the same time as you? Make it a party! My girlfriend Theresa and I have due dates within a month of each other meaning the shelf life of our meals is perfect for both of us. We met at the grocery store, snatched up some Starbucks and hit the grocery aisles with our lists. We decided to make meals that involved chicken on the same day so we wouldn't have to cook/purchase chicken twice. The two meals I'll be sharing today are both from this website.

I would highly recommend shopping for and making these two meals together. I shopped for all the ingredients and made both meals within 2 hours, but in case you don't want to do that the ingredient lists and instructions are separate below.

Layered Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used 2 chicken breasts that I bought from the butcher)

1 can diced tomatoes, drained (15 oz.)

1 can black beans, drained (15 oz.)

1 tub Sante Fe Blend Philadelphia Cooking Creme (if you can't find this at your grocery store you can substitute a tub of Philadelphia Spicy Jalapeno Cream Cheese)

2 cups Shredded Cheese (I mixed Mexican Cheddar Jack and Cheddar)

Flour Tortillas (you will use approximately 6-8)

Instructions:

Cook and shred chicken (I boiled my chicken for 10 minutes then shredded it in my Kichen Aide mixer)

Mix chicken with tomatoes, beans and cooking creme/cream cheese in a bowl

Place 1/3 of the mixture on the bottom of a 9x9 disposable tin

Top chicken mixture with a flour tortilla

Top tortilla with more of the chicken mixture and cheese

Repeat layers and end with chicken mixture on top and top with remaining cheese

Double wrap with aluminum foil

Label your meal in permanent marker. I put the name of the meal and instructions for when I'm ready to cook it so I wouldn't have to look back at the recipe

This meal is now ready to freeze. When you want to eat it thaw and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. So easy!

Chicken and Wild Rice

Ingredients:
1 box wild rice with seasoning packet (4.3 oz.)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can water (yes can...use an empty soup can and fill it with water)

1 small can mushrooms, drained

4 boneless skinless chicken breast (uncooked)

1 cup slivered almonds

Instructions:

Mix together rice with seasoning packet, both cans of soup, and water. Stir in mushrooms.

Pour into 9x9 disposable tin and top with 4 chicken breasts

Sprinkle slivered almonds overtop chicken breasts

Double wrap with aluminum foil

Label your meal in permanent marker. I put the name of the meal and instructions for when I'm ready to cook it so I wouldn't have to look back at the recipe

This meal is now ready to freeze. When you want to eat it thaw and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. (If your chicken breasts are thick I recommend baking this meal at 400 for an hour and a half instead or if you do cook it at 350 for an hour make sure to check that the chicken is cooked through all the way!)

I tested both meals out to make sure I liked them and both meals are delicious and easy to prepare on any regular night or to freeze and eat later! Do any of you have any other meals that are good to freeze and eat later? Please share!

{See this post for a few more Tried and True Freezer Meals!}