Lasdt Group of Freeze Ahead Recipes!

FREEZE AHEAD BAKED ZITI

Ingredients:

1 pound of uncooked ziti, rigatoni or penne rigata
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium zucchini, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes in purée
2 tsp Italian seasoning plus 1 tsp
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 egg whites
One 15-oz container part-skim Ricotta cheese
2/3 cup of part-skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, warm the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, zucchini and garlic. Cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes, making sure not to brown the garlic. Add in the tomatoes, 2 tsp Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional five minutes. Add the pasta to the mixture and combine well.
Blend together the egg whites, 1 tsp Italian seasoning and Ricotta cheese until smooth. Add the Ricotta cheese to the pasta/sauce mixture in dollops and mix in slightly. (You don't want the Ricotta to disappear, but you do want it to be blended in.)

Line a 3-quart casserole dish with tin foil. Add in the pasta mixture and completely cover the pasta with foil. Allow to cool, label and freeze.

When frozen through, you can remove the foil wrapped pasta from the casserole dish and either wrap in plastic wrap or put in a ziploc bag to free up your dish for us.

Freeze for up to two months.

Last Minute Preparation:

Remove pasta from the freezer. Unwrap, place into original casserole dish, cover and allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 325. Cook for 30 minutes. Top with the Parmesan and Mozzerella and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and pasta is heated through.

BBQ BEEF STEW
Ingredients:

2 lbs lean stew beef, in 1" cubes
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 cans beef broth or stock (approx. 21 oz)
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" slices
1 large celery stalk cut into 1/2" slices
3/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce (suggest Kraft original)
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup flour (or more if needed)
salt & pepper
Vegetable oil

Make Ahead Preparation:

In a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom.
Mix flour with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Dredge beef cubes in the flour mixture and add to heated oil being sure not to crowd the pot. Cook beef until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Crockpot Method:

Layer beef and vegetables in crockpot in this order: beef, carrots, celery, potatoes, onions. Mix barbecue sauce with beef broth or stock and add to crockpot. Add just enough hot water to cover beef and veggies. Cover and simmer for up to 10 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.

About 1/2 hour before serving, check for taste and add more barbecue sauce, salt and/or pepper as needed.

Rinse frozen peas in colander under cold running water. Drain. Increase heat to high and add peas to stew mixture.

Combine 2-3 tbs flour with 1/3 cup warm water. Stir into stew, a little at a time, and continue to cook and stir until desired consistency.

Stovetop Method:

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions slices on top of the beef. Combine beef broth or stock with barbecue sauce and add to beef mixture. If needed, add just enough hot water to cover the beef. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender.

Add carrots, celery and potatoes. Cover and simmer for another hour. Check for taste and add more barbecue sauce, salt and/or pepper as needed.

Rinse frozen peas in colander under cold running water. Drain. Increase heat to medium and add peas to stew mixture.

Combine 2-3 tbs flour with 1/3 cup warm water. Stir into stew, a little at a time, until desired consistency.

Stew can be refrigerated for several days or frozen in airtight containers for several weeks.

Last Minute Assembly:

Defrost stew if frozen. Heat on stovetop or in microwave. Serve over hot buttered egg noodles.

  Beef & Black Bean Burritos (1/2 order)

1 t. chili powder
1/4 t. hot sauce
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/2 c. minced onion
3/4 c. black beans
1/4 c. salsa
1/4 c. cheddar cheese
4 10" tortillas

Combine and put in tortillas and then wrap in tin foil individually and freeze in a ziplock.  From frozen, you can nuke them for 3 min. or you can make them a meal, put them in a 9X13 and cover with cheddar cheese and top with sour cream/salsa and bake them about 30 min for thawed and 45 or so for frozen.  They rock!!

[TrudieC]

These are much lower in fat.  Thank you!