Freezer Meals 101

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Freezer to Crock Pot

Ground Beef Stroganoff Freezer Meal

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Beef Stroganoff is a comfort food in our family. It’s one of the first meals I learned to make after I got married. My husband and I both had moms who cooked this when we were growing up, but they made it very differently. My original version was a blend of their recipes and from that, I later created this ground beef stroganoff freezer meal recipe. creamy, chunky sauce on egg noodles with green garnish with text that reads "Beef Stroganoff freezer meal recipe"Our family loves this version of beef stroganoff. It’s a quick and easy meal to assemble and has that great hearty comforting taste. Beef stroganoff originates in Russia. We like the flavours of Eastern European comfort food such as our Cabbage Roll Casserole or Borscht.

I find it easiest when making freezer meals that call for ground beef to brown it in large batches ahead of time and then make many recipes all at once. This allows me to use time efficiently and get a lot done at once.

As with most freezer meals, it’s just as quick and easy once you’ve browned the beef and chopped the onions for this to make four of these recipes at once than it is to make one. When you open your freezer and see four meals made, you will feel so accomplished and glad that you quadrupled this recipe!I want to mention something about the mushrooms in this recipe. You can substitute a can of mushrooms for the fresh mushrooms, particularly if you’re making this as a freezer meal, but please don’t. Fresh mushrooms taste so much better in this recipe than canned does. Trust me on this!

What do you serve with Beef Stroganoff?

Beef Stroganoff is usually served over egg noodles. It can also be served on rice, regular pasta, gluten free pasta, or squash noodles. I always set out some extra sour cream when serving beef stroganoff so that those who want to can stir more in as desired. If you’re looking for some side dishes to pair beef stroganoff with, here are a few suggestions:

  • apple slaw
  • coleslaw
  • green salad
  • steamed green beans
  • roasted brussels sprouts

Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, browned
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp. parsley
  • dash pepper

Assembly instructions:

  1. Add the ground beef to a large resealable bag.
  2. Add all the other ingredients to the bag and squish them around to combine.
  3. Remove excess air and seal. Lay flat and freeze.

Skillet cooking instructions:

  1. On the day of cooking, thaw.
  2. Heat the beef stroganoff in a skillet on medium until heated through.
  3. Before serving, stir in another 1/4 cup of sour cream. This adds a bit of zip and freshness and livens the recipe up.
  4. Serve over cooked egg noodles or stir the cooked egg noodles into the skillet when the stroganoff has finished heating.

Crock pot cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Empty the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and cook on low for 2-5 hours.
  3. Before serving, stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream.
  4. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

This Ground Beef Stroganoff recipe is included in our Family Favourites Freezer Meal Plan along with other recipes, printable shopping lists, prep lists, and printable labels.

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Ground Beef Stroganoff Freezer Meal
As with most freezer meals, it's just as quick and easy once you've browned the beef and chopped the onions for this to make four of these recipes at once than it is to make one. When you open your freezer and see four meals made, you will feel so accomplished and glad that you quadrupled this recipe!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef browned
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 cup mushrooms sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp. parsley
  • dash pepper
Instructions
  1. To assemble this meal, add the ground beef to a large resealable bag.
  2. Add all the other ingredients to the bag and squish them around to combine.
  3. Remove excess air and seal.
  4. Lay flat and freeze.
  5. On the day of cooking, thaw and then cook in the slow cooker on low for 2-5 hours. If you prefer, you can instead heat the beef stroganoff in a skillet on medium until heated through.
  6. Before serving, stir in another 1/4 cup of sour cream. This adds a bit of zip and freshness and livens the recipe up.
Recipe Notes

I want to mention something about the mushrooms in this recipe. You can substitute a can of mushrooms for the fresh mushrooms, particularly if you're making this as a freezer meal, but please don't. Fresh mushrooms taste so much better in this recipe than canned does. Trust me on this!

Whenever I make this, I cook up a package of egg noodles and stir the stroganoff through the drained noodles. If I'm heating this in a skillet on the stovetop, I add the noodles into the skillet towards the end of cooking the mixture.

If I'm making this in the Crock Pot, I stir the cooked egg noodles right into the Crock Pot towards the end of the Beef Stroganoff cooking time.

Check out these other make ahead recipes:

Tater Tot Casserole with Beef and Veggies

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Beefy Rice Crock Pot Casserole

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs

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These tender ribs can go from the freezer to the crock pot to create a delicious meal.

Dr. Pepper is a carbonated soft drink, sometimes called “soda” or even “Coke”. Here in my region in Canada, we call it “pop”. The pop helps tenderize the meat, making it melt in your mouth tender. In fact, I use it more for cooking than as a beverage like our Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork and Dr. Pepper Baked Beans.

 

close up of a black slow cooker filled with ribs and red sauce with text that reads "3 ingredients Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs"

Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 rack of ribs
  • 1/4 cup Dr.Pepper
  • 2 cups BBQ sauce
  • salt
  • pepper

Assembly instructions:

  1. Cut the rack of ribs in thirds so that the ribs can lay flat in the crockpot later! Place the three pieces in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  3. Dump in 2 cups of BBQ sauce. Pour in the Dr. Pepper. Squish to combine.
  4. Remove excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Place the ribs in the crockpot.
  3. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
  4. Remove from the slow cooker once the ribs are fully cooked.
  5. If desired, top with some additional BBQ sauce before serving.

Helpful hint: If you want, you can whip up a small batch of extra sauce by mixing an additional 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce with 1 additional Tbsp. of Dr. Pepper. Freeze the extra sauce in a medium freezer bag. Staple that bag to the other bag above the seal. You can use this sauce when serving.

Can you cook frozen ribs in the Crock Pot?

It’s not recommended to cook frozen meat in a slow cooker as there is the risk of harmful bacteria contaminating the meat before it has the chance to reach a safe temperature. It is best to thaw the ribs in the refrigerator before adding them to a slow cooker.

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Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs
Course: Main Course
Keyword: ribs
Ingredients
  • 1 rack of ribs
  • 1/4 cup Dr.Pepper
  • 2 cups BBQ sauce
  • salt
  • pepper
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Cut the rack of ribs in thirds so that the ribs can lay flat in the crockpot later! Place the three pieces in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  3. Dump in 2 cups of BBQ sauce. Pour in the Dr. Pepper. Squish to combine.
  4. Remove excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Place the ribs in the crockpot.
  3. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
  4. Remove from the slow cooker once the ribs are fully cooked.

Check out our other Dr. Pepper Freezer Meals:

Dr. Pepper Baked Beans

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot

Freezer to Crock Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe

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This Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole is a really simple recipe that you can go from the freezer to the crock pot. Those are my favourite kind of crock pot meals! You’ll find the end result is cheesy and gooey. It’s sure to become a new family favourite.

The nice thing about making this as a casserole is that you get all the same flavours without the finicky work. Traditional Chicken Cordon Bleu includes a crispy coating on the chicken, so I used boxed stuffing to create that same concept but without all the work of breading the chicken.white oval casserole dish heaped with stuffing and chicken and strings of melted cheese with text that reads "Freezer to Crock Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu"

We love hearty, family friendly meals that can be made ahead and cooked in the Crock Pot like our Beefy Rice Slow Cooker Casserole, Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casserole, or Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 16 oz. deli ham
  • 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 box of instant stuffing
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided

Assembly Instructions:

  1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Place it into a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Melt the butter. In a small bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup with the butter and milk.
  3. Pour half of the soup mixture over the chicken.
  4. Cut the lunchmeat into bite sized pieces. Add half of the ham on top of the chicken.
  5. Top with 1 cup of Swiss cheese.
  6. Add ½ the box of stuffing on top of the cheese.
  7. Layer the remaining ham, cheese and stuffing into the bag.
  8. Pour in the rest of the soup mixture.
  9. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal.
  10. Put the remaining 1 cup of Swiss cheese in a medium freezer bag. Seal the bag and staple it to the large bag above the seal.
  11. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
  2. Dump into the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 4 hours.
  4. Top with remaining Swiss cheese in the last 30 minutes.

Being able to skip the steps of stuffing and breading the chicken saves a lot of time. It allows you to introduce your family to the flavours of chicken cordon bleu in an easier more mom-friendly way.

Additional tips for this recipe:

As with all freezer meals, it takes almost no extra time to make several bags of this at once to stock up your freezer or to keep some and gift some. This makes a wonderful gift for a new mom or someone going through a hard time.

If you prefer not to make this as a freezer meal, simply layer the ingredients directly into the slow cooker and follow the rest of the instructions.

Swiss cheese has a strong flavour. If you absolutely cannot stand it (but I suggest that you try it once in this recipe because it really does blend well with the other flavours), you can substitute provolone or mozzarella.

Print
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Keyword: chicken, chicken cordon bleu
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
  • 16 oz. deli ham
  • 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 box of instant stuffing
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese divided
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:
  1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Place it into a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Melt the butter. In a small bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup with the butter and milk.
  3. Pour half of the soup mixture over the chicken.
  4. Cut the lunchmeat into bite sized pieces. Add half of the ham on top of the chicken.
  5. Top with 1 cup of Swiss cheese.
  6. Add ½ the box of stuffing on top of the cheese.
  7. Layer the remaining ham, cheese and stuffing into the bag.
  8. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal.
  9. Put the remaining 1 cup of Swiss cheese in a medium freezer bag. Seal the bag and staple it to the large bag above the fold.
  10. Freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
  2. Dump into the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 4 hours.
  4. Top with remaining Swiss cheese in the last 30 minutes.

What side dishes go with Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole?

Since this particular casserole includes the stuffing mix, you don’t necessarily need another carb like rice, potatoes, or bread, but you will want to serve this with vegetables or a salad to round this out to be a balanced meal.

Some specific side dish ideas:

Check out these other family friendly freezer to crock pot meals:

Tater Tot Casserole with Beef and Veggies

Rustic Crock Pot Beef Stew

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casserole

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My kids will eat pretty much anything if it involves tater tots. This cheesy tater tot chicken casserole is no exception. And I like that it is an easy make ahead crock pot recipe that is dump and go!mash of food on a white plate next to a fork with text that reads "Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole"Tater tot casseroles are a go-to around here. I’m not sure that our kids could choose a favourite between our Ground Beef and Vegetable Tater Tot Casserole, Pizza Tater Tot Casserole, and Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Sausage.

This all in one meal is family friendly and tasty. This is exactly the kind of dinner busy families need for those crazy weeknights juggling homework, soccer or piano practise, and trying to get supper on the table.

Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless*
  • 32 oz. bag of frozen tater tots
  • 1 small bag of bacon bits or 3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 12 oz. can evaporated milk
  • salt and pepper

*You can cube the chicken breasts or leave them whole.

Assembly Instructions:

  1. Place the chicken in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Add the tater tots, bacon bits or crumbled cooked bacon, shredded cheese, evaporated milk, and seasonings.
  3. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Spray your crock pot with nonstick spray or use a crock pot liner (these are a major mess saver!).
  3. Dump the bag contents into the slow cooker.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Variations on this recipe:

  • Use tex mex or nacho blends of shredded cheese in place of the cheddar to kick it up a notch.
  • If you want things to be even cheesier, add additional cheese to the top in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
  • Substitute turkey bacon for the bacon.
  • Use imitation bacon bits instead of bacon or omit it altogether.
Print
Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts boneless and skinless*
  • 32 oz. bag of frozen tater tots
  • 1 small bag of bacon bits or 3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • 12 oz. can evaporated milk
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:
  1. Place the chicken in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Add the tater tots, bacon bits or crumbled cooked bacon, shredded cheese, evaporated milk, and seasonings.
  3. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Spray your crock pot with nonstick spray or use a crock pot liner (these are a major mess saver!).
  3. Dump the bag contents into the slow cooker.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
Recipe Notes

*You can cube the chicken breasts or leave them whole.

 

You might also be interested in these recipes:

Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Beef and Veggies

Pizza Tater Tot Casserole

Beefy Rice Crock Pot Casserole

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore {freezer meal}

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You won’t believe how easy this crock pot Chicken Cacciatore is! It has only 5 ingredients but it tastes so fresh and delicious. You can make it ahead as a freezer meal. Combining a freezer meal with the crock pot is a match made in heaven. Save time and money. Win-win!

Our family likes Italian flavours. I often make a different version of chicken cacciatore when I’m making my freezer meals, but that one is a bit more involved. It requires cubing the chicken and has more ingredients. When I’m in a hurry or wanting to make as many meals as possible as quickly as possible, I opt for this easy crock pot chicken cacciatore recipe instead.

large spoon scooping out a red sauce covered chicken breast from a slow cooker with text that reads "Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore" Chicken Cacciatore is traditionally served over pasta, but it can also be served over rice or polenta if you prefer or if you are on a keto or low carb diet.

Why is it called Chicken Cacciatore?

I have to admit that it is a unique name for a dish. The word “cacciatore” means hunter in Italian and apparently, it was hunters who first made this. It was likely made not with chicken in those early years, but with rabbit or other wild game they caught. This was back in the Renaissance so other meat would have been more commonly available.

Chicken cacciatore is sometimes mixed up with chicken parmesan. The easiest way to be able to tell the difference is that cheese is involved where chicken parmesan is referenced, whereas with cacciatore, there is no cheese.

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

Assembly instructions:

  1. Place the chicken breasts in a large, resealable freezer bag.
  2. Dump the other ingredients in the bag.
  3. Remove excess air from the bag and seal. Freeze flat.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump bag contents into the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Ensure that chicken is cooked through before serving.
  4. Serve over your choice of pasta noodles. We usually use penne or rotini, but a long noodle is fine too.

You can throw this together so quickly that you might as well make more than one at a time. Just prop the bags open by folding the top over and setting them open on the counter. Line the bags up and then add the chicken to each one before dumping in the rest of the ingredients. This chicken dump recipe couldn’t be easier!

There is a lot of versatility with this recipe because you can use your choice of pasta sauce, swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs, and serve it on your favourite type of pasta.

This is such a family friendly dish. Between being able to make it ahead and just pull it out of the freezer and the fact that it cooks in the crock pot, it’s truly a stress free dinner. When we’re in a rush, we just keep this in the slow cooker and have the kids load a bit of pasta on their plate and then scoop the cacciatore right from the crock pot. You can can use whatever variety of pasta sauce you prefer. Experiment and see which you like best. We usually just go for a simple basil, but it’s also good with a pasta sauce with mushrooms or the spicy or chunky vegetables. Give a few of them a try and let me know which you liked best.

Print
Easy Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Prep Time
5 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chicken, chicken cacciatore
Ingredients
  • 3-5 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
  • 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 zucchini coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup onion chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Place the chicken breasts in a large, resealable freezer bag.
  2. Dump the other ingredients in the bag.
  3. Remove excess air from the bag and seal. Freeze flat.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump bag contents into the slow cooker.

  3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Ensure that chicken is cooked through before serving.

  4. Serve over your choice of pasta noodles.

You might also like these easy freezer meals:

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake

Easy Chicken Marsala