Canadian Living Freezer Friendly Meals 2013

WE HEAR IT EVERY DAY and even say it ourselves: We’re too busy. Between juggling family schedules, careers and social calendars, time is precious. Often, one of the first things to suffer is mealtime, when we rely on quick convenience foods and takeout during hectic weeknights. But no more! With this collection of make-ahead, freezer-friendly meals, we help in your meal planning. Spend some time on a lazy Sunday or free night of the week preparing and packing your freezer with budget-friendly, healthful meals for the busy weeks ahead. With hearty soups, filling stews, warming casseroles and easy sauces, we’ve got you covered. In mere minutes, dinner will be ready to enjoy without more than a thought from you. Plus you’ll want to keep our helpful tips on freezing and storing food…

FREEZER HOW-TOS • To avoid freezer burn, use airtight storage containers or large bags that are designed for the freezer. • Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace for food to expand when frozen. • Let hot cooked dishes cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before freezing. • When applicable (such as for soups or stews), freeze food in small portions, using 1-to 2-cup containers, to ensure that it freezes quickly. Plus, the containers are convenient to pull from the freezer for meal-size portions. • Always thaw items in the refrigerator before you plan to use them. Never thaw foods at room temperature. • Thawed dishes are misleading when it comes to heating, especially hearty pasta dishes, because they usually take much longer than expected. Allow plenty of heating time, double-checking by inserting a knife…

Québécois-Style Pea Soup If you can’t find an unsmoked ham hock, a smoked ham hock will work – just reduce the salt in the recipe to ¼ tsp. 2 tbsp butter 2 each carrots and ribs celery, diced 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1¾ cups dried yellow split peas 2 bay leaves 1 tsp dried savory or thyme ¾ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 1 lb (450 g) unsmoked ham hock, skinned GARLIC TOASTS: 1 demi-baguette (or half baguette) 2 tbsp butter, softened 1 large clove garlic, halved ¼ tsp coarse sea salt In large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; cook carrots, celery, onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in split peas, bay leaves, savory, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 8 cups water and ham hock. Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and…

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken This recipe can easily be left to simmer away for eight hours before adding the chicken. It yields a large quantity of sauce that freezes well if you’re feeding a smaller group. Serve over hot steamed basmati rice. 2 onions, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp butter 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger 2 tbsp packed brown sugar 2 tsp chili powder ¾ tsp each ground coriander and turmeric ½ tsp each cinnamon and ground cumin ½ tsp each salt and pepper 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes 1 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth ¼ cup almond butter or cashew butter 3 lb (1.35 kg) boneless skinless chicken thighs, quartered 1 cup sour cream 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro In slow cooker, combine onions, garlic, butter, ginger, brown sugar, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Whisk broth with almond…

Classic Lasagna Lasagna is the go-to meal that feeds a crowd and leaves everyone asking for seconds. Our Test Kitchen has many different lasagnas in its repertoire, but this one is classic in its simplicity and flavours. 12 lasagna noodles 1 tub (475 g) extra-smooth ricotta cheese 2 eggs Pinch pepper 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese TOMATO MEAT SAUCE: 2 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, diced 1 rib celery, diced 1 carrot, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1½ lb (675 g) lean ground beef 1/3 cup tomato paste 2 cans (28 oz/796 mL each) diced tomatoes 1 cup red wine or white wine 2 bay leaves 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp pepper 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil TOMATO MEAT SAUCE: In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions, celery, carrot and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beef; cook, breaking up with…

Turkey Pot Pie With Cheese Corn Bread Topping Leftovers from a large meal are inevitable, and pot pie is a delicious way to serve them. Apples add sweetness to this not-so-traditional version and complement the easy topping. 3 tbsp butter 1 onion, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 2 sweet-tart apples (such as Idared), cored and chopped ¼ cup all-purpose flour 3 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth or turkey broth ½ cup milk 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked turkey 3 turkey sausages (8 oz/225 g total), cooked and sliced 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley ¼ tsp pepper CHEESE CORN BREAD TOPPING: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup shredded old Cheddar cheese 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 tbsp granulated sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1 cup milk 1 egg 3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled ¼ tsp salt Pinch pepper In Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion and celery, stirring…