Shepherd’s Pie Freezer Meal | Large Family Style

To make five 9×13 pans (or four 9×13 pans and 6 mini loaf pans)
total-
8 lbs ground beef

2 2/3 cup ketchup

3 Tab. Worcestershire sauce

24 cups mashed potatoes (@48 servings)

12 cups frozen mixed vegetables (@48-72 oz.)
12 cups shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Prepare Meat Mixture:

Place the beef in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard any fat. Stir in the ketchup and Worcestershire.

Prepare 24 cups mashed potatoes.

For each 9×13 pan you’ll need the following:

3 cups cooked ground beef mixture (see above)

2 cups frozen mixed veggies

6 cups prepared mashed potatoes

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Layer this mixture in bottom of a casserole dish or baking pan.

Spread frozen mixed veggies over meat.  You can mix them together in the pan or leave as layers.

Spread mashed potatoes over the top of the veggies, all the way to the edge of the pan.

Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Cook one now (see directions below) and freeze the other three.

Allow your meals to cool completely before placing in the freezer.
Wrap each 9×13 pan with two layers of foil. Label the top of each pan with recipe name and date. Wrap each 9×13 pan with a layer of plastic wrap. Set each pan to freeze in the freezer. Do not stack the pans on top of one another until each pan is individually frozen.

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Set the desired pans of Shepherd’s Pie out in the refrigerator the evening before you’d like to serve them.

Preheat your oven to 375 (oven times may vary).
Remove plastic wrap and one layer of foil.
Place in preheated oven for 1 hour or until heated through.
Remove foil the last few minutes to toast the top if desired.

Source: Modified from the recipe by Jamerrill Stewart at Large Family Table

For the Shopping list:
(To make four 9×13 pans total)

8 lbs ground beef

2 2/3 cup ketchup

3 Tab. Worcestershire sauce
24 cups mashed potatoes (@48 servings)

12 cups frozen mixed vegetables (@48-72 oz.)
12 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Stir Fry Fried Rice - Large Family Style

7 Cups Uncooked Rice (or approximately 14 cups of cooked rice) white, brown or a mix
4 lbs Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts (or Chicken Thighs, Pork, Beef, Tofu, Mushrooms .etc)
12 Eggs
2 bags Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables and/or Fresh Veggies (such as carrots, green onion, yellow onion, red/orange/yellow peppers chopped)
2 cups Soy Sauce
2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
1/4 cup Sesame Oil
1 Tab. each Garlic Powder and Onion Powder
2 Tab. Minced Ginger (optional)

First, start your rice cooking. It takes two batches of rice in our rice cooker. As each batch gets done, dump it into a large container (you will need one that holds about 2-1/2 gallons -I use a roaster pan)
Chop the chicken into bite sized chunks and begin cooking in a large cast iron pan. Season with sesame oil, garlic powder, onion powder and ginger. If you are adding fresh vegetables, now is the time to add them. Cook until the chicken is cooked through. When cooked, put in the large container you are using for the rice.
Add the broth and soy sauce to the large pan that the chicken was cooked in. (Note: If you are like me and are making some vegetarian, you will need to wash the pan before adding the vegetables. If you are not making a portion vegetarian, you can just use the pan without washing it in between.) Pour in the bags of frozen Stir Fry vegetables and cook until the vegetables are warm. (Note: For the vegetarian portion, cook the tofu in this pan, too, after the vegetables are done with some sesame oil.)
Meanwhile, begin frying the dozen eggs in another pan, scrambling the eggs in the pan with a spatula.
After the vegetable mixture and scrambled eggs are cooked and all of the rice is cooked, dump them all into the large container to finally meet up with the chicken and rice that is in there. Stir it all together thoroughly. Now it is ready to be served. This should make enough for 2-3 large family meals. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, or If you have enough leftover, oncet rice has cooled a bit, transfer to ziplock baggies in 2 cup portions lay flat to freeze.
To reheat, place bag in microwave for 30 seconds, flip and heat for another 30 senconds. repeat until heated through. If the rice gets dry, after reheating just add a touch of olive oil or margarine.

Source: Lovely Little Snippets

Source: modified slightly from the recipe at Large Family Table.

Total Cost: @$20.92
$12.29+ protein; chicken or pork $19.81, beef  $28.97, Tofu $24.29, Mushroom $22.29
7 Cups Uncooked Rice, $2.73
4 lbs Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts, $7.52 (or Chicken Thighs $7.96, Pork $7.52, Beef $16.68, Tofu $12.00, Mushrooms, $10.00 .etc)
12 Eggs, $1.32
2 bags Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables and/or Fresh Veggies (such as carrots, green onion, yellow onion, red/orange/yellow peppers chopped), $4.09
2 cups Soy Sauce, $1.92
2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth, $1.52
1/4 cup Sesame Oil, $1.32
1 Tab. each Garlic Powder and Onion Powder, .32¢
2 Tab. Minced Ginger (optional) .39¢

Burrito Pie Freezer Meal Recipe - Large Family Style

Five bags of 10 tortillas (50 tortillas total)*
10 lbs of cooked ground beef
2-3 diced green peppers
1 diced onion
1 cup of taco seasoning
Four 16-oz cans of refried beans
Four 7-oz cans of green chilies
12 cups of shredded provolone, cheddar or mixed cheese*
Four 16-oz packs of sliced pepper jack cheese (each pack has 24 slices)*
4 large pans or 8 small or a combination


To Make Meat Mixture
Cook 10 lbs of ground beef along with 2-3 diced green pepper, onion, and taco seasoning. I cook my ground beef in a variety of ways (slow cooker, pressure cooker, roaster oven, conventional oven, or two big pans on the stove).
Once ground beef is fully cooked, crumbled, and drained add in and mix thoroughly four 16-oz cans of refried beans.

To Assemble The Burrito Pie Freezer Meals
Layer the bottom of each deep dish pan with 6 flat tortillas
Add a layer of meat mixture on top of tortillas
On top of meat mixture spread out approximately 15 slices of pepper jack cheese
Top cheese slices with about 1/2 of one 7-oz can of green chilies
Start next layer with 6 flat tortillas
Repeat steps above
End with 6 tortillas topped off with 4 cups of shredded cheese. Use your favorite shredded cheese. In this recipe, I used shredded provolone.

How to Cook and Store
Place one pan in preheated oven at 375 with a tented foil lid for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove foil lid and allow Burrito Pie to cook an additional 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve.

FREEZER MEAL STORAGE DIRECTIONS
For the rest of the pans, wrap each pan with two layers of foil.
Label the top of each pan with recipe name and date.
Wrap each pan with a layer of plastic wrap.
Set each pan to freeze in the freezer. Do not stack the pans on top of one another until each pan is individually frozen.

FREEZER COOKING DIRECTIONS
Set the pan out in the refrigerator the evening before you’d like to serve them.
Preheat your oven to 375 (oven times may vary).
Remove plastic wrap and one layer of foil.
Place in preheated oven for 1 hour or until heated through.

*This recipe can be made gluten and dairy free by using corn tortillas and dairy free cheese

Barbecue Meatloaf for the Crockpot Freezer Meal, Large Family Style

10 lbs ground beef
10 eggs
10 cups old-fashioned oats
2-4 cups of cut of vegetables (bell pepper of any color, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots)

2 TBSP garlic powder

2 TBSP minced garlic

2 TBSP onion powder

2 TBSP parsley

2 TBSP oregano or Italian Seasoning

4 Tab. Worcestershire sauce)
4 cups barbecue sauce, plus more for topping

Mix all ingredients together by hand. Take your time with this and be sure everything is combined well.

Form into loaves.

Place in freezer bags and freeze until the night before you are ready to use them. Thaw in frig overnight.

Place meatloaf in slow cooker and spread barbecue sauce over the top.

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for up to 8 hours.

Source: Large Family Table

Stuffed Peppers, Large Family Style

Shopping List
to make a dozen bean filled and a dozen meat filled peppers.

2 dozen bell peppers, any color (green is usually less expensive)
3 lbs. lean ground beef
Rice, enough to make 6 cup cooked, brown or white, but brown is healthier

2-15 oz can chili beans

5-16 oz tomato sauce

2/3 + 6 Tab. cup onion, finely chopped
1 Tab. salt

5 cups shredded cheese, such as Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella cheese -you need this only when you serve the peppers

chili powder, optional


To Make the Stuffed Peppers

Remove tops, membranes and seeds from peppers. Chop tops and set aside.

Cook rice to make 5 cups cooked.

Label one large plastic bags (2-2 1/2 gallon) "Bean Stuffed Peppers and one " Meat Stuffed Peppers."

Now make the peppers:

Bean Stuffed Peppers

2-16 oz tomato sauce

2/3 cup onion, finely chopped

12 bell peppers, any color

2 cup brown rice cooked

2-15 oz can chili beans

3 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Tab. salt

2 cup shredded cheese

chili powder, optional

Put 1 can of tomato sauce in a Crock-Pot or baking dish, along with 1/4 of the chopped pepper parts and the chopped onions.

In a medium bowl stir together rice, garlic, salt and undrained beans; spoon into peppers. Place @6 peppers, filled side up in a Crock-Pot for dinner tonight and the rest in an aluminum baking dish or wrap the remaining peppers individually in plastic wrap. Set aside while you make the meat filled peppers.

Meat Stuffed Peppers

12 large bell peppers (any color)

3 lbs. lean ground beef

6 Tablespoons chopped onion

Any type of rice, enough to make 3 cups cooked

1 Tab. salt

3 clove garlic, finely chopped

3 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce.

In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain, if necessary. Stir in rice, salt, garlic and 3 cups of the tomato sauce; cook until hot. Stuff peppers with beef mixture. Place peppers, filled side up in an aluminum baking dish or wrap peppers individually in plastic wrap. Usually, I make six peppers for the freezer and 6 to eat at dinner.

Or, For Those you Want to Cook Tonight
Pour half the remaining tomato sauce in the Crock-Pot or a baking dish and half in a baggie. Add 1/4 of the chopped pepper tops into the Crock-Pot and 1/4 in the baggie. At lunchtime, place peppers in a crockpot over the sauce and peppers. Four to six fit comfortably in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 6 1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. In the last 15 minutes, sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese per pepper. If desired, sprinkle the meat filled peppers with chili powder.

If you are cooking them in the oven, heat oven to 350° F. Cover baking dish tightly with foil. Bake 10 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese per pepper and bake about 15 minutes longer or until peppers are tender.  If desired, sprinkle the meat filled peppers with chili powder.

To Freeze Them
Put the individually wrapped peppers or baking dish in the labeled plastic bags.

Put the sealed tomato sauce with peppers in with the bags of stuffed peppers.

To Cook Them For Dinner
The night before you want to serve them, take out the amount of peppers you want to eat for dinner and the appropriate amount of tomato sauce mixture and let them defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

At lunchtime, place peppers in a crockpot or a baking dish. Four to six fit comfortably in a crock pot. Pour a bag of the defrosted tomato sauce on top the peppers, one bag for six. 

If you are cooking them in the crockpot, cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 6 1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. In the last 15 minutes, sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese per pepper. If desired, sprinkle the meat filled peppers with chili powder.

If you are cooking them in the oven, heat oven to 350° F. Cover baking dish tightly with foil. Bake 10 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese per pepper and bake about 15 minutes longer or until peppers are tender.  If desired, sprinkle the meat filled peppers with chili powder.

HOMEMADE MEATBALLS -LARGE FAMILY FREEZER MEAL And Meatballs, Gravy and Mashed Potatoes Meal Kit

10 pounds ground beef
7 eggs
9 cups oats (you can pulse this in a blender)
2 TBSP Italian seasoning
2 TBSP garlic powder
4 TBSP onion powder
4 TBSP minced garlic
4 TBSP dried parsley
4 TBSP dried oregano
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. This is going to take you a little while so take your time and do it right. You don’t want all the spices in one place.

Form into meatballs of whatever size you prefer. Flash freeze on parchment-lined cookie sheets or pans. Divide into freezer storage bags into the amounts that you will need for a meal. This should make at least 17 dozen (204) meatballs

To cook meatballs, remove from freezer the day before needed and thaw in refrigerator overnight. Use them in whatever recipe you’d like the next day.

Bake 350F 20-30 minutes.

Source: Large Family Table

Meatballs, Gravy and Mashed Potatoes Meal Kit –Prepare a bulk batch of meatballs, gravy, and mashed potatoes. Store the three components separately in meal-sized portions and freeze.

🌮 Taco Meat in the Slow Cooker -Large Family Style

5 lbs. ground beef
2 (15 oz) cans beans (pinto or black or a mix), drained
4 (15 oz) cans corn with liquid
1 1/4 cups Taco Seasoning Mix*
Optional: Green Chilies, Salsa

Put ground beef in slow cooker.
Cook for 4 hours on high.
(If necessary, drain fat off meat. Return meat to slow cooker.)
Add beans, corn and seasoning.
Turn slow cooker to warm.

To serve:
Serve with hard or soft shells, chips, or on salad.
Top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, hot sauce, or any other toppings you like.

Freeze in freezer bags. Don't forget to mark the bags.

*You can add the following to substitute for the taco seasoning:
3 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP Cumin
2 TBSP Oregano
3 TBSP garlic powder
3 TBSP onion powder
2 TBSP Paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Source: Modified from the recipe at The Family Table

Taco Meal Kit – Individually package cooked taco meat, shredded cheese, and tortillas. Combine in a larger zip-top freezer bag in the freezer.

Chicken and Mushroom Fijitas, Large Family Style

6-8 multicolored bell peppers, seeds removed, ¼-inch thick slices
1-2 large red or yellow onions, thinly sliced
16 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 – 4 lb chicken breasts*, ¼-inch thick slices
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. chili flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
Juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp. Canola oil

For Serving:
12-16 tortillas
Sour Cream
Avocados or Guacamole

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

Spread the peppers and onions evenly across two sheetpans. Place chicken on half of one of the sheet pans, and mushrooms on half of the other sheetpan.

Sprinkle spices over both pans. Sprinkle lime juice and canola oil over both pans. Mix the liquids with the spices with your hands.

Bake for 20 minutes, check to see if the vegetables have seared. If not, switch the oven to the broiler and cook for an additional 3-6 minutes until seared as desired. Meanwhile heat tortillas in microwave or in oven.

*beef strips or 2 lbs shelled shrimp can substitute for the chicken

Source

Fajitas Meal Kits– Package spiced chicken or beef strips, sliced fajita vegetables, and small flour tortillas in individual bags. Place all bags into a larger zip-top freezer bag and stash in the freezer.

Total Cost:
6-8 multicolored bell peppers, $6.98
1-2 large red or yellow onions, $1.00
16 oz. sliced mushrooms, $5.00
2 – 4 lb chicken breasts, $3.76,
or beef strips, $8.34 or 2 lbs shelled shrimp, $14.98
4 tsp. chili powder, .30¢
2 tsp. paprika .30¢
2 tsp. cumin, .30¢
2 tsp. garlic powder, .30¢
1 tsp. kosher sea salt, .30¢
½ tsp. ground black pepper, .30¢
1 tsp. coriander, .30¢
1/4 tsp. chili flakes or cayenne pepper (optional), .30¢
Juice of 2 limes, $1.00
3 tbsp. Canola oil, .30¢

Total Cost: chicken $20.74, beef $25.32, $31.96

Wendy's-style Chili

2 1/4 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
1 large yellow (sweet) onions, chopped
3-4 large green bell peppers, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 heaping tablespoons minced garlic
15 ounce Ranch Style Beans, with liquid
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained (15 ounce cans)
1 can Original Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chili (10 ounce cans)
1 can stewed tomatoes (15 ounce cans)
2 cans plain tomato sauce (15 ounce cans)
1 package McCormick Mild Chili Seasoning (1.25 ounce packages) or 1 1/3 tbsp (1 Tab. +1 tea.) your own spice mix  or tt

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot or in a large crockpot.
Simmer for at least three hours up to all day long.

Serve with corn bread or French fries.

Makes enough that you can freeze half for a future meal.

Estimated Cost: $16.02/$1.33 per serving
2 1/4 pounds ground beef, $6.93
1 large yellow (sweet) onions, .74¢
3-4 large green bell peppers, $2.76
2 celery stalks, .20¢
1 heaping tablespoons minced garlic, .08¢
15 ounces Ranch Style Beans, .89¢
1-15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, .89¢
1-10 oz. can Original Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chili, .99¢
1-15 oz. can stewed tomatoes, $1.00
2-15 oz. cans plain tomato sauce $1.00
1 package McCormick Mild Chili Seasoning (1.25 ounce packages) or 1 1/3 tbsp (1 Tab. +1 tea.) your own spice mix  or tt, @.54¢

source: Mama Loves Food!

Beef Stroganoff and Mushroom Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

Makes four 9×13 baking pans.

4 lbs thinly sliced London Broil (ground beef can be substituted), cooked
4 – 26 oz cans cream of mushroom soup (or make 2 batches of this homemade)
6 cups sour cream
8 cups of shredded Mozzarella
12 cups egg noodles (or Mac noodles)
3-4 9×13 aluminum pans
3-4 2-2 1/2 gallon freezer bags

Combine cooked beef, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and cooked noodles in a large container to mix gently.
Fill up to four 9×13 baking pans full of the Beef Stroganoff mixture.
Top each casserole with 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella cheese.

FREEZER MEAL STORAGE DIRECTIONS
Label each of the 3-4 freezer bags you will need with recipe name and date.
Wrap pans in one layer of foil
Slide each wrapped 9×13 pan inside the plastic bag.
Set each pan to freeze in the freezer. Do not stack the pans on top of one another until each pan is individually frozen.

FREEZER COOKING DIRECTIONS
Set the desired pan(s) of Beef Stroganoff out in the refrigerator the evening before you’d like to serve them.
Preheat your oven to 400 F.
Remove plastic bag.
Place Casserole in preheated oven for 1 hour or until heated through and hot and bubbly.

Mushroom Stroganoff

1 pound wide egg noodles
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 1/2 tablespoons flour
3 small sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Salt and black pepper
optional toppings: freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley

Cook egg noodles al dente in boiling, generously-salted water according to package instructions.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, garlic and mushrooms, and stir to combine. Continue sautéing for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and tender.

Add the white wine, and deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer for 3 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock, Worcestershire, thyme and flour. Whisk until smooth (3-5 minutes)

Then, stir in the sour cream evenly into the sauce. Taste, and season with a generous pinch of two of salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately over the egg noodles, garnished with your desired toppings

Source: modified slightly from the recipe at Gimme Some Oven.

4 lbs thinly sliced London Broil (ground beef can be substituted), cooked, $16.68
4 – 26 oz cans cream of mushroom soup (or make 2 batches of this homemade), $1.28 x 4 = $5.12
6 cups sour cream, $4.42
8 cups of shredded Mozzarella, $12.53
12 cups egg noodles + 1 lb. (or Mac noodles), $7.98
3 tablespoons butter, .75¢
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, $4.14
1/2 cup dry white wine, $2.18
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock, $2.27
Total Cost @ $57.00 ÷ $11.40

Freezer Baked Beef Macaroni and Cheese AKA Cheeseburger Casserole and Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Large Family Style

This recipe should make five 9x9 aluminum pans of Baked Macaroni and Cheese and five 9 x 13 pans baking pans of Baked Beef Macaroni and Cheese.

2 cup butter (or margarine)
2 cup flour
16 cups milk (one gallon)
2 tsp salt/pepper to taste
16 cups shredded cheese (for cheese sauce)
6 cups of shredded cheese (for topping)
96 oz cooked and drained elbow macaroni
5 lbs of ground beef.

In a separate large stockpot melt butter in the pot. Stir continuously so the butter doesn't burn.
Pour flour into melted butter and stir together until flour is thoroughly moist. This happens quickly so stir, stir, stir!
Whisk in milk. Stir constantly for several minutes until boiling.
Using a metal or wooden spoon, stir in 16 cups of cheese until completely melted. This takes about 2-3 minutes of additional stirring. Remove from heat when thoroughly melted.
Spray five 9x9 aluminum pans and five 9 x 13 pans baking pans with non-stick spray.
Pour in 96 oz of cooked and drained elbow macaroni.
Using 9 x 9 large deep dish pans, fill the five pans about 3/4 of the way full with mac and cheese mixture.
*Note: for a variation, you can add to these five pans:
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup freshly grated Mozzarella, Fontina or other similar, melty cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2-14oz. cans artichoke hearts

salt, pepper to taste

Pour  the precooked drained, and crumbled ground beef into your large stock pot of homemade cheese. Stir gently, so you don’t mash your noodles.
Fill each of the five 9 x 13 pans baking pans 3/4 of the way full with Baked Beef Mac and Cheese mixture. Top all ten dishes with about one to two additional cups of shredded cheese.

FREEZER MEAL STORAGE DIRECTIONS

Allow your meals to cool completely before placing in the freezer.
Wrap each pan with a  layer of aluminum foil. Label the top of five 1-gallon bags with Baked Macaroni and cheese. Label the top of five 2 or 2 1/2-gallon bags with Baked Beef Macaroni and cheese.
Set each pan to freeze in the freezer. Do not stack the pans on top of one another until each pan is individually frozen.

FREEZER COOKING DIRECTIONS

Set the desired pans in the refrigerator 24 hours before you’d like to serve them.
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Remove pan from the plastic bag. Leave a tented foil layer on top of your pan.
Place the pans on the middle oven rack in preheated oven. The smaller pans should only take an hour, but the large pans may take up to 2 hours. Remove the foil tented layer about 30-minutes before cooking time is complete.

Source: Large Family Table

🥦 Beef and Broccoli

Shopping List:
8-10 lbs of beef steak cut thin
2 cups Soy Sauce
2 cup Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
4 cans beef broth
16+ cups frozen broccoli  (@4-25+ oz.bags)
8 Tab. Corn Starch

Each Gallon Freezer Bag Bag Will Include:

2-2 1/2 lbs of beef steak, cut thin
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tab Sesame Oil
1 can beef broth

To Use About 30-minutes or so before your meal is done:
*4+ cups frozen broccoli (Place frozen broccoli in a separate freezer bag or buy 25+ oz.bags.)
2 Tab corn starch

How to Use the Frozen Meals:
The night before you need your freezer slow cooker meal just set one gallon freezer bag in the refrigerator to defrost. The following morning just dump the entire bag contents into your slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-hours or one low for up to 8-hours.
*About 30-minutes or so before your meal is done pull out around a cup of the Broccoli and Beef broth. Whisk the broth and 2 tablespoons of corn starch in separate small bowl then pour back in slow cooker. This will thicken the sauce for your meal. This is also the time where you add the 4 cups of frozen broccoli.

Source: Large Family Table

Taco Bake Freezer Meal

This recipe yields up to four 13x9 inch pans of Meat Cheesy Taco Bake, four 9-inch square pans of Vegetarian cheesy Taco Bake and four 9-inch square pans of GFCF CheesyTaco Bake.

Shopping List:
Tortilla chips, tortillas or use broken taco shells $3.00 (.25¢ per pan)
4 lbs cooked ground beef $2.74 x 4 = $10.96 ($1.37 for each of 8 pans)
1 large onion .42¢ (.04¢ per pan)
1 bell pepper, diced .69¢ (.06¢ per pan)
4 – 15 oz  cans refried beans $5.96 (.50¢ per pan)
6 – 15 oz cans of corn $2.99 (.25¢ per pan)
6 – 15 oz cans black beans $4.86 (.41¢ per pan)
6.– 15 oz  cans diced tomatoes $4.50 (.38¢ per pan)
2 cans back olives $1.25 (.10¢ per pan)
15 cups cooked rice $3.98 (.33¢ per pan)
6 lbs sour cream $8.84 ($1.11 for each of 8 pans)
4 cartons dairy free sour cream or yogurt $13.16 ($3.29 for each of 4 pans)
5 lbs shredded cheese $12.88 ($1.61 for each of 8 pans)
2 bags Gfcf shredded cheddar cheese $9.98 ($2.50 for each of 4 pans)
2 packets of pre-made taco seasoning (or 3 Tbs chili powder, 3 Tbs onion powder, 3 Tab cumin) $1.34 (.11¢ per pan)
8 9-inch square aluminum freezer pans
4 13x9 inch pans


FREEZER MEAL RECIPE DIRECTIONS

Preparation
Taco Meat Mixture: Cook ground beef with onion and green pepper. Drain ground beef as necessary after fully cooked.  Add half the taco seasoning and mix into the cooked ground beef.

Mexican Vegetable Mix: In another bowl, mix canned corn, diced tomatoes, Black olives, black beans and
cooked rice. Add rest of taco seasoning.

Assemble
For the Meat Cheesy Taco Bake
Line each 9×13 pan with:
Broken taco shells
Layer of taco meat mixture
Layer of Mexican Vegetable Mix
Layer of sour cream
Layer of shredded cheese
Layer of broken shells or tortillas
And repeat...
You should be able to repeat layers three times in each pan but this may vary with the depth of your pan. Just continue until  you near the top of your 9×13 baking pan.

For the Vegetarian Cheesy Taco Bake 
Line four 9-inch square pans
with:
Broken taco shells
Layer of Refried Beans
Layer of Mexican Vegetable Mix
Layer of sour cream
Layer of shredded cheese
Layer of broken shells or tortillas
And repeat...
You should be able to repeat layers three times in each pan but this may vary with the depth of your pan. Just continue until  you near the top of your 9_inch squate baking pan.

For the GFCF Cheesy Taco Bake
Line four 9-inch square pans with:
Broken taco shells
Layer of taco meat mixture
Layer of Mexican Vegetable Mix
Layer of dairy-free sour cream or plain yogurt
Layer of Gfcf cheese shredded cheese
Layer of broken shells or tortillas
And repeat...
You should be able to repeat layers three times in each pan but this may vary with the depth of your pan. Just continue until  you near the top of your 9×13 baking pan.



FREEZER MEAL STORAGE DIRECTIONS
Allow your meals to cool completely before placing in the freezer.
Label the top of each 2-2 1/2 gallon freezer bag with recipe name and date.
Wrap each 9×13 pan with a layer of foil.
Slide each 9×13 pan in the labeled plastic bag.
Set each pan to freeze in the freezer. Do not stack the pans on top of one another until each pan is individually frozen.


FREEZER COOKING DIRECTIONS
Set the desired pans of Taco Bake out in the refrigerator the evening before you’d like to serve them.
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Remove plastic bag. Feel free to add additional cheese.
Add a layer of fresh broken chips to top your Taco Bake.
Place in preheated oven for 1 hour or until heated through and hot and bubbly.

Total Cost: $84.81 ÷ 12 = $12.06 per pan or $21.20 per meal

Meat Taco Bake: $26.08 ÷ 4 = $6.52 per pan
Vegetarian Taco Bake: $20.56 ÷ 4 = $5.14 per pan
Gfcf Taco Bake $38.36 ÷ 4 = $9.59 per pan