The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook (22 page)
Make a batch of this mix and keep it on hand for use on steaks, chicken, and hamburgers. Just rub over your favorite meat and grill.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 5 TABLESPOONS
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (or less to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Freezing Day
Mix all spices together and freeze in a freezer bag, or plastic container.
Reheating Instructions
Use straight from the freezer as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 19 | Fat: 0g | Protein: 0.5g | Sodium: 3mg | Carbohydrates: 4g | Fiber: 1.5g
This dip tastes great served with tortilla chips, toasted bread, or bagel chips. It also makes a great filling for tacos and burritos!
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1 CUP
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained (reserve liquid)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 (4-ounce) can green chilies, drained
Freezing Day
Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Use reserved liquid from black beans to bring the dip to the desired consistency. Freeze dip in a freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost dip in the refrigerator overnight and serve either hot or cold.
Per tablespoon
Calories: 85 | Fat: .5g | Protein: 5.5g | Sodium: 179mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 4g
If you like your hummus spicy, add cayenne pepper and sliced jalapeño peppers. Serve the hummus with Pita Bread Crackers (Chapter 12).
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Freezing Day
Combine garbanzo beans, lemon juice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, onion, and garlic in food processor. Mix until blended. Add reserve garbanzo bean liquid a tablespoon at a time until the hummus reaches a creamy consistency. Freeze in freezer bag or Tupperware.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and serve at room temperature.
PER SERVING
Calories: 68 | Fat: 3g | Protein: 4g | Sodium: 230mg | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fiber: 3g
This mix makes a large batch of beans and seasoning that is enough for approximately 6 batches of Calico Bean Soup (Chapter 11).
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 6 BATCHES SOUP
2 cups great northern beans
2 cups kidney beans
2 cups lima beans
2 cups pinto beans
1 cup black eyed peas
1 cup navy beans
½ cup split peas
½ cup black beans
2 tablespoons chili powder
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
6 tablespoons dried onion
1 tablespoons oregano
1½ teaspoons black pepper
Freezing Day
Mix all dried beans together and freeze in a freezer bag. Mix the spices together and freeze in a separate smaller freezer bag. Store the seasoning freezer bag inside the bean freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Remove from freezer (no need to defrost!) and use as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 1035 | Fat: 3.5g | Protein: 67g | Sodium: 43mg | Carbohydrates: 190g | Fiber: 62g
Divide Beans into Portions
If you would like to divide this mix into portions for making Calico Bean Soup (Chapter 11) or giving as gifts, separate into batches containing 2 cups beans and 3 tablespoons spices. Freeze the spices in a separate freezer bag, and put that freezer bag inside the freezer bag containing the beans. This will keep them together in your freezer.
Marinades and Sauces
Sweet and Sour Sauce
This versatile sauce will carry you through many meals. Try it with Basic Meatballs (Chapter 15), shredded pork, chicken, or as a dipping sauce.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
1 (15-ounce) can pineapple chunks with juice
½ cup white vinegar
¼ cup ketchup
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot sauce
3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)
¼ cup cold water (optional)
Freezing Day
Pour the pineapple juice into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 1 cup. Save the pineapples to serve with dinner, or for use in another recipe. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Freeze in a freezer bag or in Tupperware. If you prefer your sweet and sour sauce thick, mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼cup cold water. Mix until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and stir continually until the sauce thickens.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in the refrigerator overnight and serve at room temperature.
PER SERVING
Calories: 144 | Fat: 0g | Protein: 0g | Sodium: 150mg | Carbohydrates: 36g | Fiber: 1g
Making hollandaise sauce can sound intimidating, but it is really quite easy. The trick is using a double boiler because it keeps the saucepan the perfect temperature to cook the hollandaise without scrambling the eggs.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1 CUP
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup butter, softened
Freezing Day
In a double boiler over gently boiling water, add egg yolks and lemon juice. Mix together using a whisk. Gradually add butter, spoonful by spoonful, whisking the entire time. Continue to cook, stirring continually about 3–5 minutes, until sauce thickens. Freeze in a Tupperware container or freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost hollandaise sauce in the refrigerator overnight and heat over a low heat for 5–10 minutes, or until desired temperature is reached. If sauce is too thick, add warm water.
Per tabelspoon
Calories: 100 | Fat: 10g | Protein: 2.5g | Sodium: 69mg | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fiber: 0g
Sauce Cubes
Use plastic ice cube trays to freeze your different sauces. Simply spray the tray with a light layer of nonstick cooking spray to keep the flavors from seeping into the plastic, and pour in the sauce. Once cubes are formed, pop them out of the ice cube tray and put in a freezer bag. Defrost as many cubes as needed.
Alfredo sauce is very versatile. You can serve it with grilled chicken and fettuccine noodles, as a topping for vegetables, or with seafood.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
1/3 cup butter
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1½ cups fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
Freezing Day
In saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add garlic and heavy cream. Little by little add the Parmesan cheese. Stir constantly. Stir in parsley, mushrooms, and pepper to taste. Freezer in freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in refrigerator overnight and heat in saucepan over medium heat for 8–12 minutes. If sauce is too thick, thin out by adding milk or more butter.
PER SERVING
Calories: 473 | Fat: 47g | Protein: 12g | Sodium: 516mg | Carbohydrates: 3.5g | Fiber: 0g
This sauce is easy to whip up, tastes fantastic on both beef and chicken, and is a great option to keep on hand in the freezer to prepare for a quick dinner.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1¼ CUPS
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup honey
¾ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon onion, minced
¼ teaspoon fresh ginger
Freezing Day
In a food processor, mix all ingredients. Freeze in a freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in the refrigerator overnight and use as desired.
PER RECIPE
Calories: 1771 | Fat: 162g | Protein: 8g | Sodium: 3689mg | Carbohydrates: 80g | Fiber: 0g
This light and tangy sauce tastes delicious over vegetables, fish, or even grilled chicken breasts. If you are a sauce lover, double the recipe to be sure you have enough!
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red onion, minced
3 tablespoons chicken broth
¾ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Freezing Day
Add lemon juice, tarragon, Dijon mustard, onion, and chicken broth to a food processor. Mix well. With the food processor running, pour in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Freeze the sauce in a freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Heat over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes and use as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 363 | Fat: 41g | Protein: 0g | Sodium: 28mg | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fiber: 0g
This sauce is wonderful served with Spicy Beef Kabobs (Chapter 2), or a variety of cut-up vegetables such as red and green bell peppers, carrots, and celery.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
1 medium cucumber
2 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh dill
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced (used on reheating day)
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped (used on reheating day)
Freezing Day
Peel, seed, and chop the cucumber. In mixing bowl, mix cucumber, yogurt, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Freeze in freezer bag or Tupperware.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost dip in the refrigerator overnight. Stir in garlic and red onion, and serve chilled.
PER SERVING
Calories: 45 | Fat: 1.5g | Protein: 3.5g | Sodium: 43mg | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: 0.5g
This sauce can be paired with a variety of dishes such as Basic Meatballs (Chapter 15), or with Eggplant Parmigiana (Chapter 7). Dress up the sauce by adding sautéed bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4–6
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1½ teaspoons basil
1½ teaspoons oregano
1 whole bay leaf
Freezing Day
In a skillet, sauté onion in olive oil for 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional 1–2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1–2 hours. Remove bay leaf. Freeze in Tupperware or freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in refrigerator overnight and use as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 128 | Fat: 5g | Protein: 4g | Sodium: 424mg | Carbohydrates: 20g | Fiber: 4g
Use this marinade on pork or chicken. You can marinate the meat for several hours in the refrigerator, or you can freeze the meat with the marinade to cook at a later time.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1 CUP
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
Freezing Day
In food processor, combine all ingredients. Freeze in freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost marinade in the refrigerator overnight and use as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 56 | Fat: 0.5g | Protein: 4g | Sodium: 1721mg | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fiber: 2g
Cayenne is a hot spice used to flavor dishes. Adjust the cayenne to suit your tastes, and be sure to add extra cayenne slowly — the heat can sneak up on you!
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS ½ CUP
½ cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freezing Day
In food processor, combine all ingredients and mix. Freeze in a freezer bag or plastic container.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost marinade in the refrigerator overnight and use as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 138 | Fat: 0g | Protein: 9g | Sodium: 5477mg | Carbohydrates: 27g | Fiber: 0g
Use this marinade on a steak such as London broil. Score steak on both sides and freeze in a freezer bag with the marinade. Roll the steak around so it is coated in the marinade. The steak will absorb the delicious flavors during the freezing and defrosting time.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1 CUP
2/3 cup red wine
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1¼ teaspoons ginger
1 tablespoon minced onion
Freezing Day
In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Mix well and freeze.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost marinade in the refrigerator overnight and use as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 319 | Fat: 27g | Protein: 11g | Sodium: 4858mg | Carbohydrates: 2.5g | Fiber: 0g
To Marinate Without Freezing
Marinate 6–24 hours to tenderize meat. For most cuts that need tenderizing, marinating for 12–16 hours is enough time to ten-derize without risking making the meat mushy. For safety, always marinate in the refrigerator and never at room temperature.
This is a sauce that kids love. Put a batch of chicken legs in a freezer bag, pour the barbecue sauce over them, and freeze. When you are ready to cook, defrost the chicken and throw the legs on the grill.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 3 CUPS
2 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Freezing Day
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Freeze in a freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in the refrigerator overnight and use as desired.
Per recipe
Calories: 1307 | Fat: 2g | Protein: 10g | Sodium: 5400mg | Carbohydrates: 337g | Fiber: 5g
Dill seeds have a stronger flavor than dill weed and add a crunch to your dip. You can also use ¼ cup fresh dill in place of the dried dill weed.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS ½ CUP
½ cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt to taste
Freezing Day
Combine all ingredients and freeze in freezer bag.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in the refrigerator overnight and serve chilled.
PER SERVING
Calories: 311 | Fat: 4g | Protein: 4g | Sodium: 65mg | Carbohydrates: 90g | Fiber: 0g
Eastern NC BBQ Sauce is a vinegar-based sauce that tastes quite different than traditional barbecue sauce. It is delicious on pork — try it as a condiment with Pulled Pork (Chapter 6).
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 2 CUPS
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1½ tablespoons brown sugar
1½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoons hot sauce (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
Freezing Day
Add all ingredients into a food processor and mix well. Freeze using a freezer bag or Tupperware.
Reheating Instructions
Defrost sauce in the refrigerator overnight and use as desired.
PER SERVING
Calories: 129 | Fat: 0g | Protein: 0g | Sodium: 2414mg | Carbohydrates: 12g | Fiber: 0.5g
Dip homemade Pot Stickers (Chapter 5) in this sauce, or use it as a marinade for chicken, fish, or beef. It also tastes delicious mixed with vegetables and stir-fried.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1 CUP
1/3 cup sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2½ tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes