I wanted to share one tip that works really well for me. It is casseroles. I love a good casserole, I am so picky however, it takes me a long time to find a good one. And even then, I often cut out or substitute ingredients.
I ran across the recipe below, when I was looking for a chicken recipe, to make something new. The first time I made it, I made it in one large dish, we ate it, and put the left-overs in the fridge. The second time I made it, I thought ahead enough to dump it into two smaller casserole dishes, cook one, and freeze the other. I can tell you, there is nothing quite like coming home, popping something frozen into the oven and forgetting about it for an hour, only to have a delish hot meal in an hour or so.
Score.
Chicken Boudine
h/t: inspired by Paula's Home Cooking Show
2 cups cooked egg noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 cups grated sharp cheese, your choice, divided
1 (2 1/4-ounce) package slivered almonds, toasted
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, soup, broth, and sherry. Add the chicken, 2 cups of the cheese, the almonds, mushrooms, and salt and pepper, to taste, and toss gently to combine. Transfer the (whole) mixture to a greased 13 by 9 by 2-inch casserole and top with the remaining cup of cheese. (if you split the recipe, obviously use smaller dishes)
Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
If you choose to freeze a casserole, here are those cooking directions:
Bake covered at 350 degrees F. for approximately 30 minutes. Then bake an additional 45 minutes, uncovered, at 425 degrees F.
Let me know if you make it!