Looking for good (and easy) freeze and re-heat casseroles!

Shardog1201

Any suggestions?

mom2binKC

Pioneer Woman's lasagna is yummy (not healthy, though!) and freezes well:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/the_best_lasagn/

This recipe makes a big lasagna, so I have actually doubled the recipe and split it into THREE foil pans -- one to eat and two to freeze.  I use the no-boil noodles, and leave them raw when you assemble the lasagna, then freeze without baking.

Here's another one:

http://www.marthastewart.com/313371/baked-penne-with-chicken-and-sun-dried-t?center=0&gallery=274277&slide=261741

This recipe makes TWO casseroles -- one for dinner and one for the freezer.

quiltedinky

Macaroni and cheese. I make the cheese sauce with shredded cheese, milk and flour while the pasta boils. Combine and throw in the freezer. I defrost for a few hours, sprinkle more shredded cheese on top then bake on 400 for 30ish minutes.

Chicken potpie should work too. Use the refrigerated pie dough, brush the bottom with an egg wash, put in the filling, add the top then freeze. Defrost then bake.

Tuna noodle casserole. boil noodles ( I use spaghetti broken into thirds, two cups worth.) mix ingredients. Freeze. Defrost then add breadcrumbs to the top and cook.Cook for 30 - 40 minutes on 350 degrees.

Chili is a good one for freezing and reheating. Soup is too. Sometimes I'll cook a few chicken breasts then throw them back in the freezer to use in recipes that call for cooked chicken. 

 

My mom's Mac & cheese recipe: for 4 people + leftovers (this is directly from her recipe she gave me complete with some of her notes. My copy is two pages long and took her a few days to write out for me!)

1 lb. pasta (no ziti)

Shred 10- 12 oz cheese. (I love using cheddar, but I have used jalepeno colby for a little zing.) Keep aside a handful for the topping. 

The sauce is 2 or 3 cups milk (depending on how saucy you want it. Elbows pack together more. Mom likes more sauce when using elbows.) 2 TBS of flour for each cup of milk. Add cheddar cheese to the milk and flour. Over a medium- medium high heat, stir constantly. melt the cheese into the flour and milk. DO NOT LET IT BOIL! When the cheese is melted, turn the heat down to low to keep the sauce warm. (it will be very thick and clumpy if you let it cool and won't mix well with the pasta.)

Spray 3 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. (or divide it into 2 eight inch pans) put pasta in dish, add cheese sauce and mix. Add shredded cheese to the top and let it bake on 400 for half an hour or until the cheese is slightly browned.

Chicken Pot Pie: serves 6

1c. cooked chicken

2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use one of c/o chicken and one c/o mushroom)

16 oz. of frozen mixed veggies. 

Mix it all together and throw in the pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes on 425 degrees.

 

Tuna casserole: serves the same (i guess?) as the mac & cheese

One can of tuna, drained

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/3 - 1/2 c. of milk

2 cups cooked noodles (egg noodles work too. I'm lazy and use spaghetti instead.) 

Mix together and freeze.