Cheesy Ham and Potatoes (Freezer Meal)

 4 servings
1 (1-lb) bag frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cans cream of celery soup
1 (8-oz) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups cubed ham
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Soften cream cheese and cream together with soup. Stir in onions, ham, Jack cheese and pepper. Break apart hash browns. Gently stir into cheese mixture. Place in gallon freezer bag. Label (on bag: Thaw and place in greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 1 hour.) and freeze.

Freezer Smoothie packs

quart sized baggies                                                                                                 
1 cup kale: 33 calories
1 cup spinach: 7 calories
1 banana: 105 calories
6 strawberries: 23 calories
1/2 cup blueberries: 42 calories
1/2 cup mango: 50 calories
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Add to the blender the morning of:
3 oz. vanilla Greek yogurt: 65 calories
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder: 45 calories
1 cup water: 0 calories
Total calories: 370

Freezer to Crock Pot Stupid Easy Chicken

If you click on the label, "Freezer to Crock Pot" you will have recipes for 15 meals that you can toss in Ziplock Baggies, Freeze, and pop in the Crock Pot when needed.

This one comes from my first best friend, and fellow lover of cooking, Lisa.

Stupid Easy Chicken in Crock Pot

3-4 chicken breasts (cubed if not frozen)
2   14 oz cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 envelope Lipton Savory Herb & Garlic soup mix (note by Stephanie, my husband couldn't find this so we just used the original soup mix)
fresh basil and more Italian spices

Toss all ingredients in bag and freeze. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
Serve over bow tie pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan.

FREEZER to Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken w/ Corn and Black Beans

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. I  my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

Before beginning, clear out some freezer space, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB bags leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.

CP FREEZER Cilantro Lime Chicken w/ Corn and Black Beans (makes 2 bags)
6-8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (I used 2 Costco Pouches per bag)
 4 Tbs Olive Oil
 2+ Limes, juiced (I like a little more lime then the recipe calls for)
 2 Cups Cilantro
 1 large bag of Frozen Corn (or two smaller bags)
 4 minced Garlic Cloves
 1 finely Chopped Red Onion
 2 cans of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
 2 tsp Cumin or Chipotle powder
 Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Take ingredients and split everything into two containers.
2. Mix bag by shaking, seal, label and put in the freezer.
3. Cooking instructions: Cook in Crockpot on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.  Serve with hot tortillas and dress with sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese.

Freezer to Crock Pot Sweet Barbecue Chicken

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. I  my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

Before beginning, clear out some freezer space, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB bags leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.

Crock Pot Sweet Barbecue Chicken
4-6 Chicken Breasts
12 oz bottle of BBQ Sauce
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (I like mine really sweet, so I’ll usually do a little bit more then this)
1/4 Cup Vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder

Once the chicken is cleaned, I like to rub it with the Cayenne Pepper.  But, if you’re in a hurry you can just add the Chicken to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag and then add the rest of the ingredients. 

Once bag is closed, use your hands to mash all the ingredients together!

To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!

Freezer to Crock Pot Green Chili and Cheese Chicken

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. I  my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

Before beginning, clear out some freezer space, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB bags leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.
Crock Pot Green Chili and Cheese Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers, drained
1 tablespoon dry fajita seasoning

Or toss in CP 
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9 inch square baking dish (or similar size) with cooking spray.
2.Make a deep cut into the side of each chicken breast half to form a pocket or 'purse'. Stuff 1/4 cup of cheese and about 1 tablespoon of the chilies onto each one. Close, and secure with a toothpick so that the cheese does not escape while in the oven. Place the stuffed chicken into the baking dish. Season with Fajita seasoning, and then sprinkle the remaining cheese and chilies over the top.
3.Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the chicken juices run clear, and cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Freezer to Crock Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. Please go to her blog for pictures and more freezer to Crock recipes.

 I  my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

Before beginning, clear out some freezer space, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB bags leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.

Crock Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Soup (note from Stephanie-I split into 2 bags)
◾32oz bag frozen shredded hash browns
◾1 lb hamburger, cooked
◾1/2 lb bacon,  cooked and chopped
◾2 lb Velveeta cheese
◾32 oz chicken broth
◾1 tsp pepper
◾2 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
◾1 tsp garlic powder
◾2 tsp worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in 6-quart slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Serve with cheddar cheese and bacon, if desired.

Freezer to Crock Pot Cafe Rio Crock Pot Chicken

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. Please go to her blog for pictures and more freezer to Crock recipes.

 I  my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

Before beginning, clear out some freezer space, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB bags leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.

Cafe Rio Crock Pot Chicken (note by Stephanie-easy to make 2 bags)
4-6 Chicken Breasts
1/2 a small bottle of Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Packet of Dry Ranch Dressing (3 TB)
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 TB of Minced Garlic
1/2 TB Chili Powder
1/2 TB Ground Cumin

Combine all ingredients in a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag.  Once ziplock bag is closed, take your hands and combine all ingredients together well.

To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!

Freezer to Crock Pot French Chicken

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. I  my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

Before beginning, clear out some freezer space, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB bags leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.

Crock Pot French Chicken 
(note by Stephanie, if you buy 2 cans of cranberry sauce, you can actually make 2 meals)

4-6 Chicken Breasts (I use the Costco Pouches and generally 3 to 4 breasts is PLENTY for my family of 4)
1 can of Cranberry Sauce (I like Whole Berry best for this recipe)
8 oz of French Dressing (which is half a bottle)
1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Mix Chicken, Cranberry Sauce, French Dressing and Lipton Onion Soup Mix in a Gallon Freezer Ziplock Bag.  After closing, take your hands and smash all the ingredients to combine.
To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer and hour before starting or run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds.  Dump meal in the a Crockpot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!

Freezer to Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. I  my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

Before beginning, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB bags leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.
Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
 2 chicken breasts, still frozen
 1 can Rotel tomatoes
 1 can corn kernels, do not drain
 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
 1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix (or 3 T if you buy in bulk like me-Stephanie)
 1 T cumin
 1 t chili powder
 1 t onion powder
 1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese

1. Put the chicken in the crock pot.
2. Top with the tomatoes, corn, the drained and rinsed beans, ranch dressing, cumin, onion and chili powders, stir to combine then top with the cream cheese.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring one or twice  to blend in the cheese.  Shred the chicken into large pieces  and serve over rice. Can also serve in tortillas or taco shells. Serves 4

Freezer to Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken

Today I gathered several recipes that are safe for freezing and then throwing in the Crock Pot on a busy day.  They came from this blog: Who Needs A Cape. I I mean my fabulous husband, Stephen, spent 2 1/2 hours at the store buying all the ingredients necessary. What I loved about this process was how few dishes I messed up getting 13 meals prepped and ready to go.

This one should have been done first, because it actually requires blending some ingredients and bringing them to a boil before adding to the chicken in the bag. For more Freezer to Crock Pot recipes, just follow the label in the column on the right.

Before beginning, gather all your gallon sized freezer bags (HEB leaked, sorry friends), and label what is going in. Get your measuring spoons and measuring cups plus your spices and you're pretty much ready to go.

CP Pineapple Chicken   makes 2 meals
1/2 C. White Sugar
1/2  C. Soy sauce
1 C. Pineapple juice
1 C. Ketchup
1/4 C. Red Wine Vinegar
 2 T. Mustard
 6-8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (I used 2 Costco pouches per bag)
 2 – 16 oz. can Crushed Pineapple or Pineapple tidbits or crushed, drained (use drained juice for above)

Clean and trim chicken and split between two Gallon Ziplock bags.
pineapplesauce 10 Freezer Meals in 2 Hours
In a sauce pan, over medium-high heat, combine sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, ketchup, vinegar, and mustard. Bring to a boil and cook until ingredients are well combined, about 3-4 minutes.  Then put in the fridge or freezer to cool some before pouring over the chicken in the Gallon Ziplock.
Once cooeld a bit, divide sauce between two bags. Add the Crushed Pineapple or Pineapple tidbits.   Then seal, label and freeze flat.
Cooking Instructions: Cook in Crockpot on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.  Serve over rice.

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (freezer meal)

Here's another recipe I found on Pinterest. I really liked this one, not just because of the flavor, but because you can make 3 pans: eat 1, freeze 2 for later! The sun-dried tomatoes add a yummy zing to the pasta, you definitely should give this one a try. I will warn you that there are a lot of steps, so if you have small kids, I'd save this one for a Saturday or Sunday when you have more time.

 

     6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pound penne rigate

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups whole milk

10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)  {NOTE: I used 2 1/2 c Italian Cheese Blend instead of provolone and Parmesan.

1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
3. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
4. Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan.
5. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

 

To Freeze: Prepare through step 4; let cool. Cover tightly with foil, and freeze, up to 3 months.

To Bake From Frozen: Preheat oven to 400, and bake (still covered in foil) on a rimmed baking sheet until center is hot, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Peperoncini Sandwiches by Krazy Coupon Lady

Since this is a recipe you can make ahead and freeze, buy double or triple of the first 3 ingredients. Make all at the same time, and freeze until you are ready to cook.

2 lb Chuck Roast- don't buy the cheap meat, it does make a difference
16 oz jar peperoncinis
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Seasoning (dressing)

Swiss or Provolone Cheese
Hoagie Rolls

1. Add all 3 ingredients into a Gallon Size Freezer Bag and put in freezer. When you are ready to cook this, put first 3 ingredients in Crock Pot and let it cook for 8 hours on low.
2. Shred meat and serve on rolls or hoagies with Swiss or Provolone cheese. Yum!

In my opinion: This was sooo good. I think I could eat it weekly. We will definitely need a bigger roast next time.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

from a friend who cooked this and stocked my freezer when I was going through a major transition

1 lb chicken cooked and shredded
1 c chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can green chile enchilada sauce
10 corn tortillas, quartered
1 c Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
2 T sliced jalapenos, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine chicken, broth, soup, and 1/2 of the jalapenos and mix until smooth.
2. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking pan (or 2 8x8)with nonstick spray.
3. Layer the bottom of the baking dish with 1/2 of the tortillas. Spread half of the chicken soup mixture on top of the tortillas and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.
4. Repeat layers. Top with enchilada sauce and the rest of the cheese and jalapenos.
5. Freeze or bake uncovered 30 minutes or until bubbly.

In my opinion: I loved this and am excited to have another freezer meal.

Fake Lasagna Make ahead and Freeze

Plan on buying twice the ingredients and a few 8x8 foil freezer dishes if you want to stock your freezer.

1 lb frozen cheese ravioli
1 lb ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1 c mozzarella

1. Brown meat and drain.
2. Pour frozen ravioli into 9x13 baking dish.
3. Top with meat then pour sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with parmesan and then mozzarella.
4. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or write baking instructions on top and freeze.
5. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

In my opinion: This dish was made for me by friends and I loved it. I think your kids will, too.

Make ahead and Freeze Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole

This is another dish my friends made to fill my freezer when I was going through some tough times at home. It is fabulous!


1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded
2 c chicken stock
1 3/4 c uncooked rice
3 1/2 c water
2 10 oz pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli
3/4 c onions, chopped
3/4 c green pepper, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
4 T margarine
8 oz Velveeta
1 can cream chicken soup
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 3oz can chopped mushrooms, opt.

1. Cook chicken, rice, and broccoli as directed on packages.
2. Saute onions, bell peppers, and celery in margarine.
3. Drain broccoil and combine with chicken, cheese, sauteed vegetables, undiluted soups, and mushrooms.
4. Fold in cooked rice and turn into a 4 qt casserole dish (or 3-4 small freezer dishes and cover with foil label foil with baking instructions).
5. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.

Beef Enchilada Casserole (Make ahead and Freeze)

I was going through a hard time a few months ago and some precious friends from church called and said they were going to stock my freezer. And they did! This is one of the many wonderful meals they blessed me with.

2 lbs ground beef
10 corn tortillas, quartered
1 sm can evaporated milk
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chiken
1 lb Velveeta, cubed

1. Brown meat in a deep skillet and drain excess grease.
2. Add canned ingredients and cheese cubes and allow to melt.
3. In a 4 qt casserole dish (or many small freezeable pans), layer the ingredients starting with the 1/3 of the sauce then 1/2 of the tortillas. Repeat layers ending with sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly...or cover with foil and label the top with the directions:

thaw completely
uncover
bake 30 minutes or until bubbly at 350

In my opinion: This was a great dish, I will be making it soon to restock my freezer for nights I'm too busy running kids to dance and soccer practice to cook.

SOUTHWESTERN MONTEREY JACK & SHELLS by Land O'Lakes

Preparation time: 20 min Baking time: 30 min
Yield: 6 (1-cup) servings

Casserole Ingredients:
7 ounces (3 cups) uncooked dried pasta shells
1 pint (2 cups) LAND O LAKES® Half & Half*
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 cups) LAND O LAKES® Jalapeño Jack Cheese, shredded

Topping Ingredients:
1/3 cup crushed nacho-flavored tortilla chips

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) baking dish with no-stick cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain.

3. Heat half & half in 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until half & half just comes to a boil (3 to 4 minutes). Add cream cheese, stirring until mixture is smooth and thickened (2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in green chiles and salt. Add cooked pasta; toss to coat.

4. Spread half of pasta mixture evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish; top with half jalapeño jack cheese. Repeat layer once with remaining ingredients.

5. Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over top of casserole. If freezing, skip this step until time to put in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

*Substitute 2 cups milk.


In my opinion: We love this cheesy dish. I have been looking for the recipe all summer. I thought I must have left it in my classroom, but after searching there, I went through my cookbooks and found that I never copied it to a card. I can't wait to make it again.

Creamy Chicken and Biscuits

by my friend Terri
9 points if you use low fat everything

This recipe can easily be doubled and divided into 4 8x8 pans.

1/3 c chopped green pepper
1/3 c chopped onion
3 T butter  or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter *
1/4 c flour
1 1/2 c milk (2% for WW points)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (lowfat for WW points)
2 c cooked cubed chicken (I always cook tons of chicken, chop it, and divide it into baggies to have on-hand in the freezer. You can get enough for 4-6 meals and clean the pan once.
1 c frozen peas
2 tubes regrigerated biscuits (or keep the frozen biscuits on hand) low fat
3/4 c shredded Cheddar cheese 2%
**I might add 4 oz sliced mushrooms if I have them on hand'

Preheat oven to 425.
1. In a large saucepan, saute green pepper and onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended.
2. Gradually add milk and soup; whisk until blended. **Add mushrooms if you are going to.
3. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in chicken and peas. Transfer to a greased 13x9 (or 4 8x8s if recipe is doubled).
5. Separate biscuits and arrange over the top. Note-sometimes I buy one tube and split the biscuits in half horizontally.
6. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 425 for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Directions for freezing: Follow steps 1-4. Let cool completely and cover with foil. Write cooking directions on the foil and then freeze. To cook, just thaw TO ROOM TEMP (or the biscuits will not cook thoroughly) and bake at 425 until mixture is warm, about 10-12 minutes. Add biscuits & cheese (steps 5&6), and bake until biscuits are done.

In my opinion: We love this recipe. We have it really often and never get tired of it.

Feta and Spinach Lasagna Rolls

This is a "cook in bulk and freeze" meal. I got the recipe from my friend, Julia, when I heard that she and some other friends were doing this together, and I anticipated how busy my nights were going to be once Stephen had to go back to working 12-9. As if our work schedule wasn't enough to make you tired, Lauren has dance on Mondays and Girl Scouts every other Thursday, and I've signed Caleb up for soccer. I still have no idea how I am going to shuttle all 4 kids to these places, and on those nights when we'll be getting home just in time for dinner, I am going to turn to my good ol' friend, Crock Pot. But on the other nights, I'll be pulling pre-made meals from my freezer and so I tried this recipe.

3 1/2 (16 oz) boxes lasagna noodles **** see note below
24 oz crumbled feta cheese (5 c)
32 oz low-fat cottage cheese
32 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
1 c shredded Asiago cheese (4 oz)
1 c shredded Parmesan cheese
2 t black pepper
15 oz frozen chopped spinach, water squeezed out and leaves broken apart

Tools:
8 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
Large bowl (5 quarts)
Stockpot for boiling noodles
strainer?
baking sheet
****pastry bag(s)

What you need for preparing the meal:
2 c marinara or pasta sauce (or more to taste)
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese (or more to taste)

1. Working in batches, boil noodles until flexible enough to roll, but not completely cooked.
2. Meanwhile, mix all other ingredients, except spinach, in large bowl. Stir in spinach leaves last.
3. Place partially cooked noodles on a clean work surface in a single layer (do not overlap). I used a piece of foil. Measure how long 4 lasagna noodles would be if lined up end-to-end.
4. Spread about 3 T filling down the length of each noodle. I cut the noodle in half vertically first. Roll noodle and place seam side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Place rolls in the freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Divide frozen rolls evenly among the freezer bags. Seal and refreeze.

*******This procedure was taking a super long time, and the noodles seemed too narrow to me. My hands were covered in filling from trying to roll the noodles. As I was nearing the end of 3 hours of boiling noodles, arranging the filling "just so", and rolling them, it dawned on me that 1) I could use a pastry bag to fill the noodles, and 2)instead of the time spent on rolling hte lasagna noodles and partially freezing them, I could have used canolli/manicotti noodles! This epiphany came from working with Nancy and Charlie at their family Italian restaurant. It would have saved SO much time.

When preparing:
Use a 9x13 when preparing 10 rolls.
1. Place lasagna rolls in a greased baking dish. Cover with foil; completely thaw in refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Pour 2 c marinara over rolls and top with mozzarella; replace foil.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until center is hot and cheese is melted.

In my opinion: These were really, really good! I think I'll use more pasta sauce next time, but I like my pasta smothered in sauce. I don't think I'll get tired of eating all 7 bags that are left in the freezer.