Freezer Meals For The Win!

So as many of you know, I am expecting a baby in 6 weeks! I'm SO excited and my head has been buzzing for months trying to make sure I get everything accomplished for when the baby arrives. If you know me at all, then you probably know that I am a planner and an organizer. I like to think and plan ahead, so that things run more smoothly. So when my sister-in-law told me that she wanted to help me make a bunch of freezer meals for when the baby comes, I was totally on board! She is (in my opinion) an expert on the freezer meal front and wanted to show me the ropes. (Her blog is http://shalahgale.wordpress.com if you want more details!) I was excited to minimize the cooking after our child is born and for the convenience that these freezer meals would provide, but I was also a little overwhelmed at the idea of making so many meals and preparing them for the freezer. Turns out, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought and dare I say it, I may even repeat the freezer meal process again in the near future!

First, I did a lot of research on the different meals I wanted to make. Turns out, you can freeze almost anything! I found some blogs with freezer recipes and I also found this link to be very helpful (http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/08/50-easy-freezer-meals.html). I am a huge fan of any Six Sisters Stuff recipe, so I was excited to see that they had freezer meal options as well.

Then, I compiled a list of 8 different meals and figured out which ingredients I needed. I already had a lot of it on hand which was very helpful! Always check your own fridge before going grocery shopping and you will be amazed how your shopping list dwindles. I chose to print out a list of the ingredients I needed, so that I could keep it all straight. It helped me to have a list in my hand that I could check off during my shopping trip.

Once I had my list of ingredients, I headed to the store. First, I went to Aldi to buy my produce. Then I went to Kroger for the rest of the ingredients. I took my husband with me and that was very helpful. We knocked out the shopping trip fairly quickly and it was nice to have an extra set of hands. I also picked up gallon size zip lock bags and disposable cooking trays to store the meals in. You will need foil, a sharpie and cling wrap if you don't already have that on hand.

The next day, my sister-in-law visited and we started our freezer meal adventure! We divided the recipes up and got to work. Many of the recipes only require assembly before they are ready for the freezer, while others require you to actually cook the meal first and then freeze it. I took on the cooking portion while Shalah began assembling the uncooked meals. With each meal we completed, we labeled the bag or cooking tray with the date, the name of the meal, and the cooking instructions. This system worked really well for us and we ended up knocking out 8 different recipes in about 4 hours total. I would definitely recommend having a partner help you out unless you want to be in the kitchen all day!

The preparation and time that went into making the freezer meals was definitely worth it! I ended up with almost 20 meals (each meal made at least 2 portions) and I only spent $130 total! At the end of the experience, I couldn't help but think I will be doing this again in the future. It's very cost-effective and will be extremely helpful for a new first-time working mommy.

The 8 recipes I ended up making were:

1. Chicken Pot Pie
2. Spaghetti Sauce
3. Slow Cooker Sweet and Tangy Meatballs
4. Meatloaf
5. Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole
6. Slow Cooker Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken
7. Taco Soup
8. Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

If you are interested in any of these recipes, please let me know and I would love to pass them on!

Here are some pictures from our freezer meal day! We had a blast!

Meal Planning 101

So a bunch of you have requested that I write a blog about meal planning. Little do you know that I am far from an expert and am still learning myself, but I will share some tips and tricks that have worked for me along the way.

As ya'll probably know, in January of this year I made the resolution to cook more and cook better. I was a complete newbie in the kitchen and was really starting from scratch. Now that the year is about half way over (I can't believe it!), I can say I have seen major improvements in myself and my cooking abilities. I have been consistent in cooking, trying new recipes and using different ingredients and kitchen tools that I wasn't always familiar with. But, so far cooking for my family has been a success! I contribute a lot of that success to meal planning.

By nature I am a very organized person, but I had never carried that over to my cooking world. It didn't take me long to realize that if I was going to do this cooking thing the right way, I needed create a method to my madness. If I wanted my meals to actually be something I was proud of, then I needed to take the time to invest in cooking instead of just throwing it together last minute. If that works for you, then great! I'm the kind of person who thrives on organization and lists, so this is what works for me.

1. I tend to meal plan by month (keep in mind that I am only cooking for 2, which is much different than cooking for 5 plus). Meal planning each month allows me more free time. I don't have to scramble each night to find a recipe then hope I have everything on hand. When I don't know exactly what to make, I refer back to my monthly list which gives me plenty of ideas.

2. I start by doing a lot of research on different meals and things I want to make. I go to all different websites, Pinterest, cook books, etc. and I create a solid list of meals for the upcoming month. I find a few crockpot meals, a few meals I feel comfortable with and a few meals that make me a little uncomfortable. If I always stuck with my comfort zone when it came to cooking, then it would be cereal all the way, so I force myself to go outside my box. The key is to plan a variety of meals, so that you aren't sick of eating the same type of stuff by the end of the month. The websites that I love to find recipes on are www.sixsistersstuff.com, thefrugalgirls.com, and Pinterest. I also have a few cookbooks that I really like. You have to find what type of recipes work for you. I personally stick to fairly simple recipes with fewer ingredients that can be made in a short amount of time due to my busy schedule which is why those particular cooking websites work best for me. If you dedicate time once a month to researching meals, you won't have to think about finding new meals to make again until the next month. It's a lot better than having to do that research each night or even each week in my opinion.

3. Once you have your list of meals established, you go shopping! I do a weekly shop, so I get what I need for the meals I am planning on cooking that particular week. I don't cook a full dinner every night though, so my shopping cart isn't overflowing. Since there are only 2 of us, I usually make a regular sized meal and easily have left-overs. Although a lot of people don't love leftovers (I used to be one of them), it's an easy way to save money and make sure food isn't going to waste. So each week I go shopping for the meals I will be cooking that week and I am armed with a list. Again, I put a lot of time into staying organized and it keeps me on track and focused at the grocery store. If I need ingredients for 3-4 meals and I don't have an organized list, it will be a disaster. I check everything off my list and I go home with everything I need instead of forgetting half of it and having to go back.

4. The next step is cooking! I have found that when I already have everything on hand and ready to go that cooking is so much easier. I'm not stressed running around the kitchen trying to find out if I even have what I need to pull this meal together. I know what I need and I know I have it. I pull it all out at once and get to cooking. I also buy meat in bulk and freeze it which helps with meal planning. Just make sure to defrost the meat beforehand, so that you can easily pop it in the oven instead of having to get it defrosted. (Again, it takes time to plan to defrost it ahead of time, but it will save you time in the end!)

5. The last step is timing. One of the biggest keys to successfully meal planning is to know your schedule and know what meals work best for your family on different days. My husband and I know our schedules somewhat in advance and I try to plan meals around that. On the weekends, I usually cook crockpot meals because I am at home for longer periods during the day and actually have time to make a 6 hr. crockpot dish whereas during the week I am gone for almost 12 hours each day which would make a crockpot meal hard to manage. On days where I know I have to work late, I usually cook a big meal the night before. That way there are leftovers for when I am working late and I don't have to run home and stress about cooking. On nights where we have nothing going on after work, I have time to cook the meal that takes 30 minutes to prepare and involves a lot of chopping. On nights where we have church almost an hour after I get home from work, I opt for a quick and easy dinner. This is why having a variety of recipes on hand is helpful! Know yourself and figure out what meals work best for you depending on the situation...this will be a lifesaver.

So there you have it, my mini Meal Planning 101 class! Meal Planning is a lot of work, but for me it's been the thing that keeps me sane while preparing and cooking meals for my family. Organization really does make cooking for your family much easier and less stressful. I have started to really enjoy researching meals and it's become fun to challenge myself with new dishes to make. This is just what works for me and my family and is by no means a perfected guide, but hopefully you learned something new and we can all continue on this journey of cooking together. I would love to hear what works for you and if you have any tips for me!

I'm going to include some delicious recipes that I have tried recently if you are looking for new ideas!

 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/07/oven-baked-beef-tacos-recipe.html

 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/03/easy-chicken-and-noodle-casserole.html

 
http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/09/crockpot-buffalo-chicken-recipe.html
 

http://myrecipemagic.com/recipe/recipedetail/poppy-seed-chicken-casserole
 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/07/cornbread-sloppy-joe-casserole-recipe.html

 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/08/sausage-breakfast-casserole-recipe.html


http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/09/crockpot-stove-top-chicken.html

 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/06/grilled-sweet-and-sour-chicken-kabobs-recipe.html

 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/02/buffalo-chicken-quesadillas-recipe.html

 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/04/chili-mac-skillet-recipe.html

 

Pinterest Pumpkin Bread

So I know what you are probably thinking, why in the world is this girl making pumpkin bread during the springtime? Well, first off I have always loved pumpkin bread. I love the spicy and sweet combination it holds. I prefer it year round, not just in the fall.  Secondly, I found an awesome 3 ingredient pumpkin bread recipe on Pinterest and felt challenged to bake my first loaf of bread. I looked at this particular recipe and cooking instructions, then I thought, hey, I can actually do that! This is a very uncomplicated recipe, but it turned out tasting delicious and appeared like I spent a lot more time making it than I actually did. So if you are interested in 3 ingredient pumpkin bread, stay tuned!

 

 

 

So the ingredients are very simple and easy to find. The price of everything including the loaf pan (Like I said, I've never baked bread before) was only $12 at Wal-Mart. To make the pumpkin bread you will need: 

 

~1 box of Spice Cake mix

~1 can of pumpkin (around 15 oz.)

~2 tbsp. of Pumpkin Pie Spice

~Loaf Pan

~Cooking Spray

~Mixing Bowl

 

**Before getting started, you will need to preheat your over to 350 degrees.

After gathering your ingredients, you will need to combine the spice cake mix, can of pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice into a large mixing bowl. I used my electric hand mixer to thoroughly blend all ingredients into a cohesive (very thick) batter.

 

 

The next step is to grease your loaf pan with cooking spray and then pour the pumpkin batter into the pan. The oven should be preheated to 350 by now, so go ahead and stick the pan in.

 

The instructions I used said to cook the bread at 350 degrees for 28 minutes, but I found that it took more like 43-45 minutes for my bread to be completely cooked.

 

Side note: I have a weird obsession of watching food cook while it is in the oven. I am that person that opens the oven 10 times while things are cooking just to see what's going on. I guess it's fun for me to watch the food progress from raw to a delicious dish right before my eyes. So here is my pumpkin bread...baking!

Here is the finished product: 3 ingredient pumpkin bread! I would recommend this recipe to anyone who is pressed for time, doesn't want to use 15 ingredients, and wants the pumpkin bread to taste like a well put together recipe without all the hassle. This bread is very moist and fluffy. I really liked it and so did my husband (that's a win in my book)! It makes a lot of bread (a full loaf) and it's going to take us a while to eat it all. Another plus to this recipe! I have also attached the link to the recipe I used below. Happy baking!

http://blog.aroundcampus.com/3-ingredient-pumpkin-bread/

My Week In Pictures

Good afternoon and happy Monday! Sadly, it is no longer the weekend and we are entering into a brand new week. Last week had its ups and downs, but overall, I survived! I wanted to share parts of my week with not only words, but also pictures. We all know that many times pictures capture certain emotions that words lack.

Iron Infusion

The week started off a little scary because I had an iron infusion scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. I had recently been told I had exceptionally low iron levels and that I was also anemic. They suggested I get an iron infusion right away. I worked half a day that day trying to pretend like what was to come wasn't a big deal. For those of you who don't know, I am TERRIFIED of needles. Because I have had hypothyroidism for 14 years, I have had my blood drawn triple the amount of times as most of you, yet I still just hate needles. That fear coupled with the fact that I had been informed of all sorts of reactions I could possibly have during the procedure made me very anxious of this whole iron infusion process. I was blown away by the amount of phone calls, texts, messages, prayers, love, and encouragement I got that day. I also had 3 visitors during my 5 hours at the hospital. The nurses told me I was popular :) I was so appreciative of everyone's support and I truly believe the prayers made a difference because the procedure was flawless. Other than the fact that it took a while for it to get started, there were absolutely no complications during the procedure. I had no negative reactions and felt completely normal when I left. I consider myself lucky being that one of the side effects is anaphylactic shock. All that to say, everything went just fine and I'm very thankful! 

 

 (My husband had class all day and a paper to turn in, so I wasn't expecting him to be able to make it to my iron infusion. He surprised me and showed up despite of all his obligations. I was a happy camper when I saw his face!)

 

Relaxing Saturday
Saturday was very relaxing and we actually got to sleep in! Those who have a 9-5 type job know the joy of not setting your alarm clock on Saturday morning. Nothing quite captures the extent of relaxation that was going on in the Gale house like this photo below. We also had lunch with my mom, did our taxes, went to see the movie Noah with our youth group, finished A LOT of laundry and watched Tangled on Saturday. It was a good day. Truth be told, Saturdays just might be my favorite day of the week.

Homeowners
Last week was also filled with the new homeowner joy of getting things organized, spring cleaning if you will.  I was very motivated when we first moved in, but during the busyness of life, I lost track of all the things I needed to get done around the house. Josh and I spent about 2 hours last week just cleaning, hanging things up, putting up our new bird feeders outside, decorating and like I said, just getting things organized. We had music playing throughout the house and it was actually kind of fun. I tackled a ridiculous amount of dirty laundry over the weekend and felt like Superwoman by the time I had washed, folded, and put everything away! The accomplishment will be short lived, but I'll enjoy the "clean" feeling while it lasts. I also bought a really cute Easter wreath from Kroger, of all places. I'm trying to get my house in the Spring (cleaning) and Easter spirit! :)

 

Chef Brittany

Not sure if any of you remember, but my goal for 2014 was to learn to cook. I am proud to report that after 3 months, I have definitely improved! I am continually making new things and actually cooking as opposed to microwaving all my meals. I have one happy husband, that's for sure! This week I made a few different things including Hobo's, gluten-free brownies and crockpot buffalo chicken. They were all a success and I figured I would include the recipe for crockpot buffalo chicken since it turned out so well.

 

http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/09/crockpot-buffalo-chicken-recipe.html

 

 

I think that about wraps it up for this week! Although life has its challenges, I find that when I review my week the good outweighs the bad (every time). I feel like I'm in a really good place right now in my life and I'm just so thankful for all the awesome support I have around me. Until next time!

 

The Cooking Diaries: Cooking with Brittany

I have recently embarked on the adventure that is cooking. For some, this might be an exciting time, but for me it was definitely intimidating. I've never been one to cook. I'm that person who is content having cereal for dinner and usually brings something store bought to any type of event. I haven't ever really dabbled in cooking because I had no clue where to even start.

When I got married, I felt the desire to try to cook for my husband. I got off to a good start, but slowly began to fall away from it as life got in the way. We also lacked a full kitchen in our basement apartment which played a big part in not being able to put together a basic hot meal. I felt overwhelmed with trying to come up with ideas, so I just gave up. It was always hard for me to go to different events where people brought all homemade dishes and I showed up with my store bought cookies that paled in comparison. My friends always knew to count on me to bring the rolls to a meal. I felt embarrassed and somewhat like less of a women because not only did I not know how to cook, I truly had little desire to even learn. When we moved into our new home, with a full kitchen, I decided that this was my chance to start fresh. I was going to learn to cook whether I liked it or not, but I was also hoping to gain an appreciation for it. I wanted to actually enjoy cooking not just do it out of obligation.

It's only just begun, but I can say that it's already been a much better experience than I was expecting. Thanks to things like Pinterest and Facebook, I was able to make a list of simple recipes that I was willing to try. It was also beneficial for me to just ask people I knew for a few meals that their families loved. I started meal planning and making a list of the collection of recipes I had gathered along with the ingredients I would need when I went grocery shopping. For me, planning has been key. As long as I buy the right ingredients and have everything on hand that I need to make a certain dish, all I have to do is assemble the meal. I don't have to worry about scrambling last minute. It's crazy how much less complex it became when I just put a little effort into the meals I was making. Taking the few extra minutes to research, swap recipes with friends, and make the proper grocery list has really helped make this process much more pleasant and not as overwhelming for me.

I'm letting myself off more easily by not expecting perfection. I am obviously a beginner, so I have to accept that I will screw up. I had to learn when something is cooked, overcooked, and undercooked...which I have on occasion had to find out the hard way. I've learned that you boil water on the "big" burner on the stove or else you will end up waiting a very long time for your water to boil. I'm realizing that there is almost an art involved in having each part of the meal ready around the same time. If you don't time it perfectly, then your potatoes may be ready 20 minutes before the chicken and a lot of things will end up being reheated. I've found out that if flour goes unused for a long period of time, it can get little bugs in it even if it is in a sealed container and if you are boiling noodles and drop the one you are trying to taste test on your bare skin that it will burn the crud out of you and leave a nice pink burn mark for a while. It's been a journey full of mistakes, but I am gaining more knowledge of how to cook in the best way.

I am venturing out into uncharted territory, but I have had a few success stories. I will share with you a few of the dishes that I have made that have turned out well! I have tried a variety of things from chicken to beef, from casseroles to crockpots. I am trying to not be intimidated by recipes that have more than 4 ingredients (which I used to always skip over). Some of the dishes I have successfully made are:

Green Bean Casserole
Corn Casserole
Pigs in a Blanket
Chicken with Broccoli & Rice Casserole
Apple Pie Oatmeal
Taco Soup
Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole

Well, that's it for this addition of The Cooking Diaries. I may keep documenting my cooking journey and sharing different recipes and things I have learned along the way. If you happen to be interested in any of these recipes, let me know! Happy Cooking!