Friday, May 18, 2012

Frozen Casseroles & the New Man in My Life

I can't show you any new exciting meals I've made recently. I've got nothin'! I'm too busy playing with this little man:


How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!


In the weeks leading up to his birth, I stocked the freezer with as much food as I could. I got some inspiration from one of my Mom's non-vegetarian casserole cookbooks.
Pizza Pasta
(pre-frozen/pre-cooked)

Elbow macaroni with everything I might top a pizza with: garlic stuffed green olives, black olives, tomatoes, bell peppers, chopped soy pepperoni, ground up veggie burgers (Amy's), Italian seasoning, Daiya cheese, and onions. If I would have had shiitakes on hand, I would have added those, as well.

Tater Tot Casserole

First, I made chili using several kinds of beans and carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc. I'm lovin' the Eden brand of tomato products minus BPA.

NEW - Amber Glass Jars of EDENĀ® Organic Tomatoes & Sauces

I topped the chili with Daiya and frozen tater tots. 

It was every bit as delicious as I had hoped for.

Kale Tofu Lasagna
(pre-frozen/pre-cooked)

Apparently nothing says casserole to me better than Daiya.

Enchiladas
(pre-frozen/pre-cooked)

Beans, rice, kale, corn tortillas, homemade enchilada suace (using more of Eden's tomato products), and cheezey sauce. I actually made the cheezey sauce primarily because by this point I was thinking, "I can't put Daiya on every one of them!"

And I also made about 16 garbanzo bean/sweet potato/oat/sesame seed veggie burgers to freeze. And finally - a big pot of lentils divided into different containers were added to my frozen stash. I was lucky to be able to spread my loot out a little bit because my mom was super nice about bringing lots of food over, like quinoa, beans, pasta, etc. One of my sweet friends brought over 3 different kinds of salad one night, and another sweet friend made us some healthy muffins. I'm also fortunate that I have a husband who knows his way around the kitchen and doesn't huff if dinner isn't on the table when he walks into the house.


I'm getting nostalgic thinking back to the time I had all of this food ready to eat in my freezer. 

Those were the days.



40 comments:

  1. That was smart prepping so many meals pre-baby. Everything looks super tasty! I didn't realize that Eden Foods has tomato products in glass jars! I'm going to check that out!

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  2. Hi Jenny! It's so good to see a post from you! I'm glad that everything is well with you and your family. Your new little man is such a handsome boy! Those pictures are so adorable! He has such a great smile, I'm sure he lights up the room!

    All of the casseroles look amazing! I'm sure that it has made things easier for you and they look hearty and tasty! Nice job!

    Thanks for the update! So great to hear from you! Such a precious boy :)

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  3. So nice to see you back! What a sweet little boy. I hope you're still finding the time to eat well despite the growing, happy family.
    Hope all is well with you!

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  4. What a beautiful boy!! Premade meals are great, the tater tot casserole looks like something I could try to make.

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  5. What a precious little babe. He's so cute. I'll bet he's not lacking for attention with three siblings to play with. I love having food stashed in the freezer, and with six to feed in your family, it must have been a real relief to have all those meals already made. I'm impressed with how organized and calm you are. Sometimes I can't even manage to cook for just two!

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  6. You sure know how to make cute kids! He is absolutely adorable! I'm in love from afar.

    All the food looks delicious and satisfying! Way to be prepared!

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  7. what a cutie! i love his sweet little smile!

    you are so organized, stocking your freezer like that. the chili and tater tot casserole sounds so good, i can't wait to try it!

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  8. Woo hoo, what a handsome young man! He looks just like your other little ones. :-) You are so good about freezing food ahead of time. I'm fortunate that my homeschool group is good about providing meals, or else we would have starved!

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  9. He's so cute! Thanks for sharing him with us. I need to get better about freezing some things so I have meals for when I'm just too sick or tired. Great reminder.

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  10. That is an unusually adorable baby. I want to tickle his belly.

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  11. Cadry, thank you! I was very relieved to find the glass jars as I had stopped using tomatoes in cans pretty much.

    vava, thanks for the love! I'm pretty fond of him! I wish I could get motivated to prepare food ahead of time more often.

    Maud, thanks! I've been reading along on everyone's blogs, even when I don't comment. I'm always here in spirit! I am eating for sure but not much that is calling out to be photographed!

    Ingrid, thank you. :) I think you would like it!

    Andrea, attention is definitely something this kid is not lacking. Thank you for your sweet words. And even though I may be a calm person, my household is surely not calm! :) We're really happy, though. I have to cook a lot now, one-handed.

    Rose, awww, thanks! I think he's cute, too. Must be from my husband.

    Sara, :). You should try it. I can't wait to make it again.

    Blessed Mama, he DOES look like them. We think we've decided which one he looks like the most, but it's impossible. Their baby pictures are all pretty similar. I had people offer to make meals...but I'm so picky I have to decline. With one of our last kids someone brought a chicken casserole. I felt horrible that it went to waste. I should have just declined so that she could have had it, I guess. I'm bad with that sort of thing.

    Bitt, thank you very much! It's hard to find time to do everything I want to do in life.

    SV, thank you! He started chuckling a few weeks ago, so that's what he would do.

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  12. OhmyGOSH! He is just the most handsome little baby I've ever SEEN! Gonna be a reeeeeeal lady killer, I can tell...

    Congratulations to you and your family! :D

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  13. Oh he is so adorable!! All of your food always looks so delicious!

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