Freezer Cooking Recipes

The following are the recipes that we will be using for our MNO Freezer Cooking event. If you plan on participating please check them out and make your selections. If you are able to participate these are still great recipes to use to stock up your freezer!!

1). Manicotti in Minutes (serves 5)

Ingredients:
Spaghetti sauce	32 oz
Canned diced tomatoes	15 oz
Minced garlic	1 clove
Mozzarella cheese, shredded	2 c
Ricotta cheese	1 c
Grated parmesan	3 T
Egg whites	2
Chopped, fresh parsley	¼ c
Uncooked manicotti shells	1 pkg
Water	1C

Containers: 9x13 foil pans. 

Assembly Directions:  Combine spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, and garlic; set aside.  Combine cheeses, egg whites and parsley.  Stuff UNCOOKED shells using a small spatula or knife.  Fill bottom of a 9x13 pan w/ 2 cups tomato mixture.  Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over the sauce, side by side.  Cover shells w/ remaining tomato sauce.  Pour water over sauce (don’t be concerned about the watery appearance, it will be absorbed during the cooking process).  Cover dish with foil.  Freeze.

Freezing and Cooking Directions:  Freeze.  To serve:   Thaw completely and bake in a pre-heated 450 oven for 50 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes

2). Chicken Parmesan (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 Cup of parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Cup of bread crumbs
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 Teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• Sliced mozzarella cheese
• 1 Jar of Favorite marinara sauce

Directions

Step One - Coat the bottom of the slow cooker with olive oil. In a separate bowl, whisk egg.

Step Two - Mix together bread crumb, seasonings, and parmesan cheese in a separate dish.

Step Three - Dip chicken into egg mixture; then into bread crumb mixture, coating both sides.

Step Four - Place the chicken in slow cooker and top with 2-3 layers of mozzarella cheese.

Step Five - Cover with entire jar of marinara sauce.

Step Six - Cook on low 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Step Seven - Serve over pasta

3). Chicken Tetrazzini (serves 4-6)

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken breast
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1.5 cups nonfat shredded cheddar cheese
• Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze.  To cook , empty bag into slow cooker.  Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on low.  Serve over hot pasta.

4). Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin (serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t garlic powder
• 3 T chipotle Chile powder
• 1 ½ t salt
• 4 T brown sugar
• 2 ( ¾ ) lb pork tenderloins

Place everything but the pork into a gallon sized freezer bag. Place tenderloins in bag and shake, coating meat evenly. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw meat. Lightly oil grill grate and preheat to medium heat. Cook pork for about 20 minutes, turning meat every 5 minutes. Remove from grill and let stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

5). Turkey Meatloaf w/ Feta and Sun-dried Tomatoes (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

• ½ c bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 2 T milk
• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 ½ t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 lb ground turkey

Gently mix together bread crumbs, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, eggs, milk, feta, salt and pepper. Add the turkey and stir gently to combine. Place mixture onto a large sheet of aluminum foil. Shape into a loaf and seal with foil. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw loaf. Remove from foil and place loaf in a greased baking dish or carefully pack meat mixture into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and slice.