6 Post Partum/ Grad School Freezer Meals

I go back to grad school soon and am trying to fill my freezer with meals. I buy inexpensive baking dishes at garage sales. I can use them in the freezer or to give to friends when they need dinner. Here is the list of things I am preparing.

Soups

Chicken Corn Chowder

Simple Chili

Cabbage Soup

Casseroles

Tomato basil Chicken

Prepare the chicken but don't bake. Freeze in bag or baking dish.

Ground Beef Casserole

Grammy's Lasagna

Tips for When Daddy Travels

My husband has been traveling recently and being left at home with four kids is not always a cake walk. Each trip has been a week long and he goes every month. I have discovered some tips to make life so much easier.
 

1. Grocery shop before he leaves.

2. Fill the car with gas. and maybe clean it out!

3. Plan meals and make sure you have all ingredients. Keep it simple. Now is not the time to try new things.

4. Get all laundry done ahead of time. And put away, this never happens at my house, but it is a great dream.

5. Set up a time for Face time. If the kids know that they will talk to daddy everyday they will fair better.

6. Stay with normal routines. Just as much for mommy as it is for the kids.

7. Have fun with the kids! It reduces everyone's stress. Take a walk or do something special.

Good Luck!!

Creamy Tomato Pesto Pasta

Creamy Tomato Pesto Pasta

Funny story I signed up to bring something for teacher appreciation week and then forgot.  I got a reminder this week and panicked. I found the recipe below and was able to adapt it to a cold dish. It only took 15 trips around the grocery store and one call to mom.

This recipe was adapted to a cold dish from this recipe  http://www.lifewithmylittles.com/2014/09/cheesy-pesto-and-tomato-pasta.html/#_a5y_p=2593799

12 oz. bowtie pasta

 

1 bunch asparagus, chopped in to bite size pieces

1 tbsp. pesto

1 Tbsp. butter

1 c. whipping cream

⅓ c. shredded mozzarella

1 tomato, diced

1/3 c parmesan cheese

 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside

 

In the same pan you cooked the pasta, melt butter over medium heat. sauté the asparagus for about 5 minutes. Add in the whipping cream and let it get thick, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the pesto and let the sauce thicken more, about 7 more minutes.

Add ⅓ c. mozzarella cheese and stir until melted. Add tomatoes.

 

Toss in the pasta. Top with parmesan cheese

 

Serve! (I served this cold to teachers the next day.)

Weeknight dinner: Fish Tacos

I love fish tacos at restaurants and had to learn an easy way to make them at home. I simplified all three components.

 

 

Simple Fish Tacos

 

 

 

1 lb tilapia

2 lime juiced and zested

2 tbsps. honey

sprinkle of cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sour cream

1/8 taco seasoning

2 cups purple cabbage, shredded

soft or hard tacos

diced tomato (optional)

1. Begin by mixing the marinade for the fish, use zest and juice from one lime, honey and cayenne pepper. Place in a bag with tilapia for 30 minutes.

2. Shred cabbage and mix with juice from the other lime. Set aside.
 

3. Mix sour cream with taco seasoning to make creamy dressing.

 

4. Sauté fish until it flakes with a fork.
 

5. Assemble taco on soft taco, layering fish, dressed cabbage, tomatoes, and creamy dressing.

How to make a white sauce

 

 

How to make a white sauce!

 

What you need:

 

a good skillet

a whisk

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

4 cups milk

4 oz cream cheese, cut in to chunks

 

 

1. Start by melting butter in the skillet.

 

 

2. When all the butter is melted (like below), add the flour

 

 

3. Mix the flour with the melted butter. Let it cook until a golden brown. A little darker than the picture below.

 

 

4. Add the milk to the skillet. Whisk like mad until all the lumps are worked out.

 

5. Add the cream cheese, Whisk until smooth. Add milk to thin sauce if needed. Sere immediately.