Freezer Meals

Remember all those meals I made throughout the month of June?  Well, we've eaten almost all of them! Some were excellent, others just okay.  I thought I'd share some of my faves.  These work very well for making ahead of time and freezing.  Or, of course, you can make them the day of, too!

Chicken and Wild Rice

1 box wild rice with seasoning packet

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can water

1 can mushrooms, drained

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, uncooked

1 cup slivered almonds

Mix together rice with seasoning packet, both cans of soup, and water.  Stir in mushrooms.  Pour in to 8X8 freezer dish.  Top with 6 chicken pieces and sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Cooking Instructions: Thaw and bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour until chicken juices run clear and rice is tender. 

These next two recipes are ones my mom made often, as I was growing up.

Chicken Pot Pie

2 cans cream of potato soup

1 16oz bag frozen mixed veggies

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken*

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp pepper

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 pie crust, double (Hy-Vee or Pilsbury refrigerated)

Combine first six ingredients.  Spoon into pie crust.  Cover with top crust.  Crimp edges to seal.  Slit top crust, brush with egg.

Cooking Instructions: Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Enchiladas

1 pound hamburger

Shredded Mexican cheese

Velveeta

Chopped onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can tomato soup

1 can enchilada sauce

Tortilla shells

Cook hamburger.  Add onion and Velveeta.  Combine soups and enchilada sauce.  Place heaping spoonful of meat on shell, wrap, and place seam-side down in 9x13 pan.  Spoon soup mixture over top.  Top with cheese.

Cooking Instructions: Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Top with lettuce, tomato, black olives, sour cream, cheese, and other favorite toppings if you wish! 

This last one I got from the Queso Blanco Velveeta box.

White Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cooked and shredded*

2 (12 oz) cans green enchilada sauce

6 oz Queso Blanco Velveeta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

12 tortillas

Combine chicken, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, and half the Velveeta.  Pour 1/2 cup of remaining sauce on bottom of greased 9x13 baking dish.  Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla.  Roll and place seam-side down in baking dish.  Top with remaining sauce and Velveeta.

Cooking Instructions: Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until enchiladas are heated through and Velveeta is melted.

*The best way {I've found} to shred chicken is to cook it on the stove, in boiling water, for about an hour.  Remove from water and refrigerate; shred once it's cool enough to handle.