Tuna Cakes Freezer Meal – Large Family Style

120 ozs Tuna*
4 cups old-fashioned oats
2 dozen eggs
1/3 cup Old Bay
2 Tab finely chopped green pepper and/or 2 Tab. Parsley Flakes

Drain tuna thoroughly. Mix all ingredients together.

Shape into patties using a 1/3 cup measure.

Flash freeze on baking sheets using freezer paper or parchment paper.

Store in freezer bags. Makes @5 dozen.

*120 ounces of tuna is 30 regular cans or you can get Member's Mark Solid White Albacore Tuna In Water in 66.5 oz. cans at Sam's Club. You can use one of them and 13 regular cans or two 66.5 oz. cans and a bit more oatmeal. You add additional oatmeal until the mixture makes a cake that is not too sticky and doesn't fall apart.) 

Freezer Meal Baking Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking pan and fill with frozen tuna cake patties. Bake up to 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Pull baking sheet out of the oven and flip tuna cake patties. Put back in oven another 10-15 minutes.

Freezer Meal Skillet Cooking: You can also heat up a stove top skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Cook frozen patties several minutes on each side until they reach your desired crispiness.

Modified from the recipe byJamerrill Stewart at Large Family Table

For the Shopping List:
For @5 dozen.

120 ozs Tuna, 30 regular cans $28.44 or two 66.5 oz. cans = $21.98
4+ cups old-fashioned oats, $2.48
2 dozen eggs, $2.86
1/3 cup Old Bay, $2.32
1/2 green pepper and/or 2 Tab. Parsley Flakes, .60¢
Total Cost: @$30.24/@$7.56 per meal

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¢

4-Ingrediebt Tilapia

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes, with liquid
4 fresh tilapia filets
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Optional garnishes: green olives and fresh parsley

Add olive oil to a large skillet, then heat to medium-high heat. Add tilapia and season with the salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and liquid.
Cover the skillet and allow the fish to cook for 7 to 10 minutes.
Top with the optional garnishes if you desire.

Source: Stashing Coins

Freezer Salmon Cakes

74 oz Canned Salmon (this is about 3 cans)
3 cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal
1 Dozen Eggs
2 cups chopped peppers and/or other vegetables
1 tsp Old Bay, Italian Seasoning or Rosemary
salt/pepper to taste

Add drained Salmon in a large mixing bowl. Add in Old Fashioned Oatmeal and 1 dozen eggs. Add 2 cups of chopped colored peppers (and/or any other veggies you’d like to throw in).  Sprinkle in seasoning of your choice and salt/pepper to taste.
Mix all ingredients well.
Form patties of the Salmon cake mixture.  This recipe makes about 2 dozen patties.

Fry the amount of Salmon cakes you want to serve for dinner on medium heat, flipping as needed. (About half for our family.) Flash freeze the rest on baking sheets using freezer paper or parchment paper. Store in a freezer bag.

Source: Large Family Tabke 

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE FREEZER MEAL

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE FREEZER MEAL

• 4-16 oz packages egg noodles
• 4 cans (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup or homemade cream soup
• 2-16 oz Velveeta Cheese
• 48 oz. cans tuna - (8-6 ounces each - drained) 
• 2 cups milk
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• 6 cups potato chips, crushed

Boil noodles in salted water according to the package directions or about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Set out 4 to 5-9×13 baking pans.
Spray  with cooking spray.

Melt the cheese in are large mixing bowl the microwave. Meanwhile, in a large stock pot or huge mixing bowl gently stir together tuna, cream soup and milk. Add the melted cheese. Stir well.

At this point, the noodles should be cooked. Drain and add to the tuna-cheese mixture. Stir well.

Divide evenly into into the 4 to 5-9×13 baking pans.. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each pan and then top with about 1 1/2 cup crushed potato chips.

FREEZER MEAL DIRECTIONS
Allow your meals to cool completely before placing in the freezer.
Label each 2-2 1/2 gallon freezer bags with recipe name and date.
Slid each pan in a 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.

THAWED COOKING DIRECTIONS
Set the desired pans of Tuna Noodle out in the refrigerator the evening before you’d like to serve.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and potato chips are brown.
Allow your hot Tuna Noodle Casserole to slightly cool on counter for 5-10 minutes before serving.

FROZEN COOKING DIRECTIONS
If cooking your Tuna Noodle from completely frozen (this happens in real life), remove plastic bag and cover pan with a layer of foil and place frozen Tuna Noodle in preheated oven at 375F. Cook for up to 1 to 2 1/2 hours or until hot and bubbly.

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

🦐 Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

4 lbs defrosted  Shrimp, shells and the removed
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese or Feta cheese
1 cup butter
2 tbs minced garlic
2 tbs parsley
1 tbs onion powder
salt/pepper tt
32 ounces of Pasta

Cook the pasta.

Add butter and shrimp to dutch oven or large pot on medium heat. Cover with lid and let simmer for 3-5 minutes
Stir well and add in remaining ingredients listed above.

Cover again with lid and let simmer an additional 5-7 minutes until sauce is thicker and Shrimp Alfredo is hot and bubbly.

Put half the noodles in a 13x9 aluminium freezer pan. Top with half of Shrimp Alfredo. When cooled, slip pan in 2 1/2 gallon freezer bag. Place in freezer.

Put the other half of the noodles in a large serving bowl. Top with the rest of the Shrimp Alfredo.

When you want to serve the  the freezer meal, set the pan of Shrimp Alfredo in the refrigerator the evening before you’d like to serve it.
Preheat your oven to 300F
Remove plastic bag and place in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Total Cost: $34.29 ÷2= $17.15
4 lbs defrosted  Shrimp, $24.00
2 cups heavy cream, $1.99
2 cups grated parmesan cheese, $3.38
1/2 cup cream cheese or Feta cheese, .54¢
1 cup butter, $1.50
2 tbs minced garlic, .32¢
2 tbs parsley, .22
1 tbs onion powder, .24¢
salt/pepper tt @12¢
32 ounces of Pasta, $2.30