My husband's job keeps him away from home for weeks at a time, so I'm usually cooking for just myself. I love spaghetti, Manwiches, tacos, and homemade hamburgers, but the recipes always assume you are cooking for a family. So, I came up with this method of preparing them, and then freezing them. Now I can have my favorite meals without having so many leftovers that I can't eat before they go bad. Also when my husband is home, I just pull out enough for him at the same time.
For each of these, prepare the meat using your favorite recipes. Then get them ready for the freezer using these tips. You'll need waxed paper, clear plastic wrap, aluminum foil, small sized muffin tins, and 3 oz. disposable cups.
Meatloaf: Shape meatloaves into small balls. Press into lightly greased small muffin tins. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen solid, take out of muffin tins and put into Ziploc bag. Keep in freezer.
To serve from frozen, place one meatloaf into a small oven-proof dish or make a dish using heavy duty aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes, or you can bring out of the freezer several hours early to thaw. Once thawed, cut baking time to 30 minutes.
Hamburgers: Shape meat into burgers using a press. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Lay out burgers on waxed paper. Put two more sheets of waxed paper on top, then another layer of burgers. Use two sheets of waxed paper between each layer of burgers. Freeze until solid then put into Ziploc bag. Keep in freezer.
Sausage Patties: Shape meat into patties using press. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Lay out patties on waxed paper. Put two more sheets of waxed paper on top, then another layer of patties. Use two sheets of waxed paper between each layer of patties. Freeze until solid then put into Ziploc bag. Keep in freezer.
Manwich Mixture: Make Manwich mixture according to directions. Pour into 3 oz. plastic disposable cups. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. One 3 oz. cup equals one Manwich. Once frozen put the cups into a Ziploc bag, and keep in the freezer.
To serve, bring cup out of freezer and set in a bowl of very warm water, just long enough to separate the mix from the cup. Then heat slowly on the stove until hot.
Spaghetti Sauce with Meat: Make sauce mixture according to directions. Pour into 3 oz. plastic disposable cups. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen put the cups into a Ziploc bag, and keep in the freezer. One 3 oz. cup equals enough for one serving of spaghetti sauce with meat.
To serve, bring cup out of freezer and set in a bowl of very warm water, just long enough to separate the mix from the cup. Then heat slowly on the stove until hot.
Taco Meat: Make taco meat mixture according to directions. Pour into 3 oz. plastic disposable cups. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. One 3 oz. cup equals enough for two tacos. Once frozen put the cups into a Ziploc bag and keep in the freezer.
To serve, bring cup out of freezer and set in a bowl of very warm water, just long enough to separate the mix from the cup. Then heat slowly on the stove until hot.
By Cricket
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Don't like the idea of freezing food in disposable plastic cups w/all the bad publicity about our so-called safe plastic. Would think a better idea to freeze in ice cube trays & then transfer to freezer bags. Just a suggestion but might be a healthier way to go.
I wish I could give this one 10 thumbs up. Great ideas. I have been freezing things in larger portions then I have to eat it for days. :) Just never thought of using plastic cups in the right size. Thank you.
Cricket, you have wonderful ideas here and I do many of the things you are suggesting. I agree with not using the little non-standard 3oz plastic cups (have only seen those once in almost a decade) but we can safely use the the standard Dixie cup types that are 90% paper with a wax coating instead. ;-) Thumbs up for sharing!
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Try this for leftover spaghetti. I put one serving size in a zip lock sandwich freezer bags, then place in a gallon size freezer bag. When kids come home, they can empty a bag in a microwave safe plate and microwave for 5-6 minutes. Contents and plate will be hot. I leave in the microwave oven for 3-5 minutes to cool down.
By Ellen from Knoxville, TN
