Some of the most common freezer cooking recipes include casseroles and stews, but other meat and poultry dishes can be pre-cooked and frozen for advance use as well. Ground beef or chicken can be marinated for efficient freezer use. In fact, there are many innovative and creative ways to prepare meals in advance that can be frozen and consumed at a later date.
Freezer meals are typically a convenient method for individuals who wish to save time and have everything they need ready for whenever they desire. Meat dishes can be prepared in much the same way as the conventional method. Honey barbecued ribs can be prepared in a crock pot—the cook simply sets the slow cooker on high and cooks for three hours. After this time, the excess liquid should be drained. Next, it is time to season with barbecue sauce, garlic, onion and other spices as desired; another three hours on low should complete the process.
After cooking is complete, the ribs will need to be cooled adequately before being placed in a freezer bag. In preparing freezer meals, a good idea is to always remember to label the food with proper dates. This can be done with a permanent marker or adhesive sticker. When ready to eat, the food needs to be properly thawed and defrosted, then heated in the microwave or oven.
There are variations of freezer cooking recipes for lasagna. To keep it basic, lasagna can be made the typical way from any standard recipe. It can then be labeled and placed in the freezer. When ready to use, it simply needs to be thawed and then baked in the oven for approximately 60 minutes or until bubbly and heated throughout.
Candied carrots as a side dish can be made easily and frozen for later use. All that is needed for this recipe is a large bag of fresh carrots, which have been washed, peeled and sliced, as well as some other ingredients. Other ingredients might include some salt and sugar to taste, one half cup of butter or margarine and one half cup of packed brown sugar. The ingredients will be placed in a casserole pan or baking dish and baked for a short period of time or until as tender as desired. It can be placed in the freezer and will be ready to accompany any main freezer meal entree.
Soups, dressings, salads and rice are other foods that can be made into batch cooking or freezer cooking recipes. These are good choices for possible lunch selections when time is of the essence. With a little imagination, the designated chef of the family can prepare chicken or beef bowls that are a good alternative for lunch ideas or late night snacking options. The reason freezer cooking recipes fall into the category of once-a-month cooking is because the cook can do all of the preparations for up to 30 days in advance and not have to prepare meals for an entire month.
