recipes for bulk freezing?
 

I'm after some inspirational kid friendly recipes that I can freeze in bulk and just reheat and maybe throw some fresh vegies or salad on with it if needed. Things like soups, rissoles, etc, etc. I'm covered for lasagna and pumpkin soup as these two are already well practiced favourites here :) but would love some others. I found out tonight that my husband is being posted overseas with the defence force some time in the next two weeks and would like to stock the freezer for the nights when getting home form work and then cooking a proper meal from scratch is just too much :) My kids will pretty much eat anything as long as it's not outrageously spicy so give me all you best!

We do something very simple. Just cut tomatoes in half or quarters (we use pomodoro or plumb tomatoes) and lay them on a baking tray with chopped onion and drissled with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with fresh ground black pepper. They are then baked until soft, then frozen. You can also put herbs with them.

It hardly seems like a recipe but is so tasty with pasta. The balsamic vinegar is what just gives an extra zing to the flavor. We freeze in portions the right size for the two of us and just stick it in a pan to heat up while the pasta cooks. Great for nights when we are short of time.

We also used to do a version that was plumb tomatoes pealed and chopped in a big pan (we used the base of the pressure cooker without the lid) with onions, fresh basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper. Cooked until soft then frozen in portions. This recipe allows far more to be made at once than the baking them one, we probably used 36 tomatoes and a couple of large onions in each batch and made 6-7 two people portions.

We also used to make home made meat balls to freeze and put with that one, but often used to eat it just with pasta. The meat balls are a more complicated recipe that I can't remember now. If you are interested I will see if my hubby remembers it. They were frozen on trays then bagged up into portions the next day so that we could then just defrost and fry them up quickly when using.

Both of these are very simple but very tasty. I sometimes work from home and started running out of ideas for lunch when I only have a short break so started 'pinching' the tomato mixes out of the freezer so hubby doesn't get them as much as he would like now. Really we intended them for the days I'm getting home late and we don't want to cook.

Home made chili (con carne) freezes well.

I got the basics of this recipe from a friend of mine and thought it was a great idea since these little nests can be made ahead, which I love! They are delicious, easy to make and can be customized to your own tastes! I not only use the recipe as a delicious grab and go breakfast but serve it to guests nestled into some lovely cheese grits, alongside fresh fruits and french toast made on a panini press! Oh! And don't forget the Mimosa's!


Ingredients
1 30 oz. bag of shredded hash browns
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 1/2 tbs oil (I use olive oil)
2/3 cup shredded cheddar
Bacon bits or 8=10 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled- I also use Chicken Asiago sausage
Eggs
Extra shredded cheddar
Muffin tins (2- for 24 total)


Directions
1. 1. Take your bag of hash browns and mix in the salt, pepper, oil and 2/3 cup shredded cheese.
2. 2. Divide amongst the cups in your muffin tin, making sure to grease tin beforehand. Make into nests.
3. 3. Bake hash browns at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until toasty.
4. 4. Once they're finished, take them out and lower the temp of the oven to 350 degrees.
5. 5. Crack eggs (I use 12 for 2 large tins) into large bowl. Add a few Tbsp. water. Add salt/pepper to taste and Whisk. Pour a portion into each nest.
6. 6. Top with bacon and a sprinkle of extra cheese
7. 7. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-16 minutes (or until the eggs are as firm as you like them).
8. 8. Slide a knife along the edges to remove from pan when cooled.

Footnotes
• You can also experiment with ham, sausage, and veggies to make them your own! Excellent quick breakfast for the weekdays! Very nutritious for toddlers who enjoy finger foods. I partially freeze 2 nests, slip them inside a small foodsaver bag and seal them. When I get to work, I just pop them in the microwave!