Freezer Cooking!

Do you ever feel that when you get home from work, make dinner and clean up that its time for bed? Well, it is getting dark earlier so that doesn't help. I love to make dinner every night and sometimes it takes too long so I've been reading up about Batch Freezer Cooking. A bunch of the food blogs I read talk about this all the time. I have done it a few times, but not in the capacity that they are speaking of. You can spend 1 day and prep/make a bunch of meals for your  freezer. I know what some of you are thinking. "I don't eat leftovers" or "It will go bad in there". Those are both false statements. Life As Mom has GREAT posts about freezer cooking, so start by clicking here.

Let's get started! Click here to read more and download a free freezer cooking planning sheet. Need more information? Here is some more reading for ya.
So, what can you make and freeze? Let me show you a recipe I recently made. I made 1 for me and 1 for a friend who had a baby recently so don't forget to double the recipe).

Baked Chicken-Bacon Alfredo from Our Best Bites-
Ingredients- (You can double the recipe if you want to make more than 1 dish)
8 oz. penne or bowtie pasta

1 jar of sun dried tomato alfredo (or any alfredo you like)

2 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped (about 2 c. chopped chicken) I marinated mine in Italian dressing.

6 oz. (1/2 package) cooked bacon, chopped

1 14-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 c. chopped green onions (about 1 decent-sized bunch)

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

 Here are the cut up grilled chicken and green onions.

 Artichoke and diced up bacon.

Prepare pasta according to package directions.When pasta is done, drain and add to the sauce. Toss with chopped chicken, bacon, artichoke hearts, green onions, and 1/2 c. mozzarella. Season to taste.

Transfer mixture to an 8x8" baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese. I used a glass 9 x 13 because I didn't have the other.

Let it cool to room temperature. When freezing seal with a tight top or aluminum foil. Once you are ready to cook it you can take it out of the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator. Bake it at 350 for 20-25 mins. Now wouldn't you like to come home from work and pop this in the oven and be ready in 20mins with no work?! Here is what else you can cook and freeze: meatballs, shredded/diced chicken, meatloaf, stew meat, pizza dough, baked ziti(which I made last night for our neighbor who just had a baby), lasagna, plus many more!