30 Simple Freezer Meals

February 28, 2018Leave a comment

Every other month I prepare close to thirty meals for my freezer. I am a mom to four kids, a wife to a busy pastor, and I need dinner to be thought for and simple.

I am not a culinary wizard. All of these meals are super easy. All these meals are yummy. And my kids will eat most of these meals. My husband is also a happy camper because this way of cooking saves us money. When I have a plan for dinner, we order pizza and eat out less. I also don’t spend extra money of foods we don’t eat. We eat every meal I make over the course of six weeks. If my husband is happy and my kids are eating, I’m a happy mom.

Yesterday I did a facebook live video to show my friends how easy it is to prep these meals, and I was asked to share some of the recipes. Most of these recipes us Wildtree ingredients. Wildtree is a company that sells USDA organic, preservative free sauces and seasonings. I love Wildtree, but I do not sell Wildtree. I have a few friends that do and I’d be happy to point you in their direction.

If you don’t use Wildtree products, don’t let that stop you from making a few freezer meals. Most of these seasonings can be found in the aisles of your local grocery store. I said this in my Facebook Live video yesterday, this is about what do you already have, and what is easy to make. In January I was low on all my favorite Wildtree seasonings and I just worked with what I had in my pantry. In January, I made enough meals to stock my freezer until the end of February.

We buy all our ground beef, steaks, salmon, chicken, and pork at Costco. My husband actually does all the shopping. Realistically he spent $140 on proteins at Costco, $30 on pantry staples, and I just went to a Wildtree party to restock my favorite items, I spent $180. The Wildtree and pantry staples will last me about a year, the $180 Wildtree cost is not an every time Freezer Meal expense. Even if it was, we spent $350 dollars on dinners that will last us six weeks (conservative estimate, sometimes they last eight weeks). According to my math, it will cost us about $55.00 a week to feed my family of six dinner. That sounds pretty good. It costs us $35.00 to eat at Chick-fil-a just one time.

Recipes. I’m going to share them in the order I made them on the Facebook Live video. Here is the link to the facebook video:

Pork Freezer Meals:

One package of pork tenderloins from Costco, contains 4 tenderloins, cost ~$20. Eight meals.

Asian Pulled Pork Sandwiches *feeds my family 2 nights

One tenderloin

1/2 cup frozen chopped onions

1/2 cup Asian Zing Buffalo Wild Wings Sauce

2 Tablespoons of Sesame Oil

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Crock on low from frozen for 6-8 hours. Serve on sandwiches.

Mojo Pork Tacos *feeds my family 2 nights

One Tenderloin

1/2 jar of Wildtree Mojo Sauce

Asian Pork Tenderloin *feeds us two nights, a family favorite

Two tenderloins

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 1/2 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 Tablespoon minced garlic

2 Teaspoon lime juice

2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag, sear defrosted loin in a hot pan, bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Ground beef Freezer Meals:

One package of ground beef from Costco, divided into four gallon ziplock bags. ~$20, for seven meals.

Not So Sloppy Sliders, feeds my family 2 nights

Ground Beef

1/2 cup chopped frozen onion

1 teaspoon mustard

3T Sloppy Joe Blend (Wildtree, can be and sloppy Joe seasoning)

1 6oz jar of tomato paste (I subbed ketchup)

1 teaspoon light brown sugar

Best Burgers Ever *feeds my family 1 night

Ground Beef

1 Tablespoon Chipotle Lime Rub (Wildtree)

1 Teaspoon Ranch Steak Rub (Wildtree)

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag, then pay ground beef to form burgers. Grill.

Hearty Spaghetti Sauce, feeds my family 2 nights

Ground Beef

2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 can diced tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Smoked Tomato Mozzarella Blend (Wildtree)

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag. Brown seasoned ground beef in skillet. Add red spaghetti sauce of choice. Toss with pasta.

Hearty Meatloaf, feeds my family 2 nights

Ground Beef

1 cup of breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp garlic galore seasoning (Wildtree)

1/2 cup onion

4 Tablespoon Smoked Tomato Mozzarella Blend

1/2 cup ketchup

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Shape into a loaf pan. Bake in the oven 400 degrees, 40 minutes.

Salmon Freezer Meals:

purchased at Costco ~$25. Cut into 10 fillets to feed our family three nights

Salmon Scampi

2 Tablespoons Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

2 Tablespoon Wildtree Scampi Blend

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Grill salmon fillets.

Chipotle Ranch Salmon

2 Tablespoons Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

2 Tablespoons Wildtree Chipotle Ranch Seasoning

Wicked Good Salmon, a family favorite

Salmon Fillets

1/2 cup of Wicked Good Sauce

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Bake Salmon on a lined or greased baking sheet. 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Steak Freezer Meals:

We chose Ribeyes from Costco, we get whatever is a good deal. ~30 for two meals

My Favorite Steak Rub

1 Tablespoon Wildtree Garlic Galore

1 Tablespoon Italian Dressing Mix

1 Tablespoon Wildtree Ranch Steak Rub

2-3 Tablespoons Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Grill steaks.

My Favorite Marinade

1/2 cup Soy Sauce.

2 TBSP olive oil.

1/2 cup brown sugar.

1/2 tsp Season All {or any type of all-purpose seasoning salt}

1/4 tsp ground ginger.

1/4 tsp black pepper.

1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Grill steaks.

Chicken Freezer Meals:

we chose 24 chicken breasts from Costco, ~50 about 12 meals

Sweet Onion Chicken, one meal

3 chicken breasts

1/2 jar of Wildtree Sweet Onion Spread

Ranch Chicken Chili, 2 meals, a family favorite

3 chicken breasts

1 bag frozen corn

1 can diced tomatoes

4 Tablespoons Chick Broth

1 bag of Wildtree Creamy Ranch Mix (Or 2 1/2 Tablespoons of Ranch Dip Mix)

1/2 teaspoon of Wildtree Spicy Carne Asada Seasoning

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Can put this bag in frozen, in the crock pot. In the last 30 minutes of slow cooking, stir in one block of room temperature cream cheese cut into cubes.

Lemon Dijon Chicken, 1 meal

3 chicken Breasts

1 Tablespoon Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

1 Tablespoon Wildtree European Dipping Oil-Balsamic

1 Tablespoon Lemon Pepper

1 Tablespoon Red Bell Pepper and Garlic Seasoning

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Grill Chicken

Honey Balsamic Chicken, one meal, a family favorite

3 Chicken Breasts

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup Wildtree European Dipping Oil, Balsamic

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

Chipotle Pineapple Chicken, one meal

3 Chicken Breasts

1/2 jar of Wildtree Chipotle Pineapple Marinade

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Grill.

Chicken Scampi, 2 meals, a family favorite

3 chicken breasts

3 Tablespoons Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3 Tablespoons Wildtree Scampi Blend

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Bake in a preheat oven. 350 degrees, 30 minutes. Add to pasta and cream sauce.

Zesty Lime Fajitas, 2 meals

3 Chicken Breasts

1/2 cup onion

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 Tablespoons Wing Sauce

2 Tablespoons Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning

1 teaspoon Wildtree Ranch Steak Rub

Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock, smoosh the ingredients around from outside of the bag. Double bag, label with a sharpie. When it comes time to cook. Defrost bag in fridge. Or dump in crock pot from frozen. Defrosted bag can cook for 4 hours on low. Frozen bag, 6-8 hours on low.

Chicken Tacos, a family favorite, 2 meals

3 Chicken Breasts

1 cup chicken broth

3 Tablespoons of Taco Seasoning

Happy Freezer Meal Making!

What Kind of Mother Are You?

February 25, 2018February 25, 20181 Comment

For some reason, when I think of my mother being alongside me during this season of motherhood, I sometimes imagine her shoulder-length red hair, her social boldness, and I imagine her asking me the question, “What kind of mother are you?”

From what I can remember of my mother, this question comes from a story passed down in my family or passed around amongst her friends. These stories mostly about the times the women before me have screwed something up during this season of motherhood, picked themselves back up, and then dusted themselves off to learn from their mistakes. What kind of mother are you, feels more like the punch line in all the ironies of motherhood, much more than deeply rooted criticism.

When my first child was an infant I had dreams of being the perfect mother. Perfection is always the longing of my heart when it comes to most things. However, in God’s goodness, these threads of perfectionism are slowly being unraveled away as I learn to embrace there are no perfect mothers in this world, there are only weak and broken mothers holding fast to the only one who is perfect, Jesus.

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30) I need this verse not just in small doses every day, sometimes I need to be walloped upside the head by this truth.

I do not hold up the world when it comes to my children, or my parenting, it is God, the Maker and Sustainer of the universe using our family as a microscopic part in the greater redemptive story of the whole world.

Cue my scary, humbling, story … it has taken me eight months to get to a place where I felt like I could write about this humbling place in motherhood. As you are reading this, visualize me as the clenched teeth emoji.

Last summer I was walloped upside the head with the truth that He must increase, but I must decrease. I am not called to be a superwoman, but I am called to be a super-dependent woman, upheld by the strength of the gospel.

It was Fourth of July Week and my oldest son was experiencing some severe stomach pains. I was certain he had a kidney stone, or his appendix was about to rupture. My son and I spent two back to back nights in the emergency room, I was a walking zombie by the third day. I had slept less than 2 hours at a time in 60 hours. Normally, when my kids are awake, I am awake. Even the slightest inkling of a movement or the onset of vomiting, I jolt awake. Motherhood has given me ninja-like reflexes, even in my deepest of sleeps.

Once my oldest was on the mend, I was able to experiece my first full night of rest. I was beyond exhausted and when my three year old arose for the day at 6am, I walked her down to the television, turned on Bubble Guppies, gave her and her five year old brother who had joined us by this point their morning warm milk, (warming morning milk for my three a five year old is still a crazy thing I do) and told them I’d be back downstairs at seven-zero-zero. In the age of digital time, this is how I communicate seven o’clock to my young children.

The next thing I know, it is eight-thirty and my husband is waking me. God has knitted me together to be an early riser, my husband NEVER has to wake me. As he wakes me he says something like, “Well, the police just rang the doorbell. They asked me if I knew where my children were.”

To my (at the moment) extreme surprise, shock, anger, and shame I discovered my children, while I was sleeping, had opened the front door at seven-zero-zero in the morning, my less than one year old puppy ran out the front door of our home, and my three and five year old chased after our dog to find themselves in a completely different neighborhood. My babies were lost in this big world.

And crying.

My three-year old still in her soaked and droopy to her knees overnight diaper.

A sweet hero woman, called 911 when she found them.

What kind of mother am I? It is so easy to see this question through the damaging lens of shame in this moment. That I am a very bad mother.

Then it is easy to self-justify.

You all. I am a good member of our community. My husband is a good pastor of a Bible believing church. I am a good school teacher. I serve in our local schools as a decent substitute teacher. I lead a very good women’s ministry team at our church. I bring meals to people when they are in need. My resume is neat and tidy.

But none of these good things mattered in this moment. In this moment, the only thing that mattered was: What kind of mother I am. A mother, doing the best she can, one day at a time, firmly clinging to Jesus. When shame creeps in, I need not to think about what I am, but what I believe in.

I believe in a good God, redeeming me and my family, even when the police are at the front door of my very good and clean home because I don’t know where my children are.

He must increase, but I must decrease. This is a small thread in the unraveling of my unbelief.

What kind of mother am I?

Shame says, you are a very bad mother. What kind of mother loses her children? Don’t ever share this memory, keep it in the dark. Let it fester, and cluster to all the other lies you believe.

The gospel says, when you are weak I am strong.

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-11)

He must increase, but I must decrease.

Can you imagine all of the horrible things that could have happened to my precious three year old daughter and five year old son? Believe me, I have imagined them all.

Can you see how God protected them? How He sustained them? How He brought them back home to me when I was weak? How He used His community of neighbors, police officers, and grace to display His strength and goodness to my family?

If my mom was still here, alongside me in this season of motherhood and this question came up between us… What kind of mother am I? I would answer, I’m an okay mother with a very Good God.

It is only by His grace. As perfection unravels, and I decrease, He increases. His power is perfectly displayed.

What kind of mother are you?

Valentine’s Day Coma

February 14, 2018February 14, 20182 Comments

My third year of teaching was the year I watched a completely sweet, wonderful, kind first grader rip open the end of a pixie stick and chug it down. Minutes later, my sweet student, she snapped. The sugar high in full force. Talking a mile a minute, I couldn’t keep up and I couldn’t help but giggle. I can only imagine the Valentine’s Day coma she experienced after her bus ride home.

Currently, I am ten years from that moment with my own four children home from Valentine’s Day parties. My kitchen table covered in tiny notes, lollipop wrappers, tiny treasures, and Fun Dips. Ninety-two if I don’t add teacher Valentines into my classmate count to be exact.

Fun Dips (side note) the equivalent, or possibly worse than, a pixie stick.

I never thought I’d be the mom to let them pile their treasures on the kitchen table, currently my four year old has four lollipop sticks hanging out of her mouth. My heart isn’t fretting the sugar high, followed by the Valentine’s Day sugar coma. In my nine years of mothering four, I’d much rather rip the band aid of V-Day candy off quickly, rather than experience the slow burn of hoarding heart shaped candy until Easter… okay, maybe until Halloween… some years.

As I survey the ninety-two Valentines on my kitchen table, it’s my own coma I am concerned about.

I’m the mother who purchased the ninety-two Fun Dips. My children’s names are signed on each of them. A Valentine easy on the allergies, and a candy pretty easy for primary aged children to write their names on.

Unfortunately, I have a wandering heart. My heart so prone to wander over to the places where I am more concerned about what others think about the kind of mother I am instead of finding true satisfaction in the fact that I’m the kind of mom just trying to hold this whole motherhood thing together with a little faith and ninety-two Fun Dips.

As I surveyed the creative Valentines on my kitchen table, the personalized Pinterest Crafts, the beautifully put together goodie bags, my heart compared my pixie stick like Fun Dips to what I saw before me. So easily I saw myself as worse. In my mind I saw myself as judged as the Fun Dip mom.

What is the most important medicine for me and my heart prone to wander is that I am not judged by the kind of Valentines I send to school. I think I am judged, but what I think is simply not true.

I have to be intentional to balm my mind in these moments with the truth of scripture. As I survey my kitchen table and consider my own comparison Valentine’s Day coma, I have to remember it is comparison that steals my joy as a mother.

Scripture is so clear when I battle myself in these moments, ” I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)

In my own Fun Dip coma, my truth is, I don’t even judge myself it is the Lord who judges me.

This is the balm I need for my own mind as I battle comparison over the ninety-two Valentines on my table.

I am the Fun Dip mom. I am seen, I am known, and I am deeply loved by God.’

This is the truth I preach to myself as comparison may seep through the cracks. This is the truth I need in my own personal Valentine’s Day coma. Comparison is the thief of joy.

The Fun Dip mom is who I am. And that is simply okay.