I have a love-hate relationship with frozen food.... I will walk up and down the frozen food aisle, marveling at all the choices, all the options, all the convenience. And then I look at the prices: mentally I start muttering, "Who can afford this? More than $4 for a frozen sandwich? Are people crazy?" Just when I get to the end of my litany, someone comes along, nudges me aside (probably thinking I'm the one that's crazy), and grabs the offendingly overpriced item I was just ranting about. While I often buy frozen meatballs (they are cheaper than making them myself) and the occasional frozen pizza, I typically steer clear of that section. Why? Because I see it as a mean black hole taking all my money and leaving me with fatter thighs.

While I adore anything to do with convenience foods, I am finally getting disciplined enough to avoid them, even rotisserie chicken (another major downfall of mine). To that end, I've been batch cooking meats (ground turkey, chicken, roasts, etc.), batch prepping veggies (if I'm going to stand there are cut 1 pkg. of mushrooms or 1 bell pepper, I might as well do all of them), and now I'm finally getting organized enough to make up my own frozen meals (mainly pastas now, but am slowly branching out) which are leaner, healthier, less sodium than their grocery-store counterparts.
With that, I offer a variation on frozen mostaccioli and lasagne:

1 lb. penne rigate pasta
28 oz. (or larger) jar tomato based pasta sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato sauce
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. basil
*1/2 tsp. oregano
2 T. milk
*1/4 lb. ground turkey (or ground beef)
1/2 C. finely sliced mushrooms, onion, or bell pepper
1/8 C. parmesan
1 C. shredded cheese, mozarella or provolone work great

Preheat oven to 375.
Boil pasta as directed on package. While pasta is boiling, combine all remaining ingredients except shredded cheese in a 13x9" baking dish, stirring til well blended. Add pasta and stir until pasta is coated with sauce. Top with cheese and bake 10-15 minutes or til cheese is melted. Serve with salad and garlic bread.
Serves 6.
* optional ingredients

I was never quite sure what went into chicken salad, one of those things, like pasta salad or meatloaf - no two people make it quite the same. Not being a traditional kind of girl, I love fusion food - especially when I'm experimenting.

2 large chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into strips
1 tsp. toasted onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1 C. Fat-Free Miracle Whip
1 palmful sundried tomatoes, chopped fine
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 tsp. parsley

In medium skillet, coat generously with cooking spray and combine chicken breast, garlic, onion, oregano, and basil. Cook on medium high for 8-10 minutes or til juices run clear and chicken begins to lightly brown. Remove from skillet onto cutting board and cool. Once cool, chop into bite sized pieces. Mix with miracle whip, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomato, and parsley. Serve in a sandwich (with shredded lettuce or baby spinach), preferably a panini.
Serves 6-8 sandwiches

This recipe taste like a cross between an orange chicken and a chicken fajita. It's sweet, smoky flavor pairs well with rice, any way you fix it. I can't wait to serve this to a crowd!

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 tsp. each cumin and toasted onion powder
2 tsp. lemon pepper
3/4 C. Asian Sesame marinade
1 lb. white button mushrooms, sliced
2 medium orange bell peppers, finely diced
2 T. corn starch
cooking spray

Coat large covered skillet with cooking spray. Heat on medium high and add chicken and spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turn chicken, add marinade and mushrooms. Cook for 5-8 minutes, add pepper, cooking additional 5-10 minutes. Add corn starch, cook til sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.
Yield = 6 servings

While DH enjoys pasta, he gets tired of the same noodle style quickly. I am a spaghetti girl through and through, but baby: this one's for you!

1 jar Light Alfredo Sauce
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup (reduced sodium)
1/3 C. sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 T. milk
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced thin
6 slices of turkey bacon, cooked til crispy, then crumbled
1 medium to large chicken breast, cut into strips
1/2 tsp. each garlic salt, dry minced onion, and oregano
1 lb. rotini pasta, cooked as directed on the box
1/4 lb. mozarella cheese, shredded
1 tsp. parsley

Preheat oven to 375.

In small non-stick pan, spray with cooking spray and sauteed mushrooms over a medium high til they are tender.

In 13x9" baking dish, combine jar of alfredo sauce, cream of mushroom/chicken, sour cream, and milk. Crumble turkey bacon, add mushrooms and cooked pasta, stir well.

In medium fry pan, spray with cooking spray and add chicken and spices. Coat well. Cook on medium for 6-10 minutes, when juices run clear turn to to a high heat and lightly brown. Cool and rough chop the chicken, add to pasta mixture, top with cheese, then with parsley.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or til cheese is fully melted.
Yield = 4-6 servings

This was a throw together meal, using what I had on hand. To find a good deal on flank steak, check out your local Mexican grocery store - it's usually 20-50% cheaper there - any unbelievably fresh!

1 1/4 lbs. flank steak, julienned
1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 lb. white button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 large red bell pepper, julienned
1/4 medium red onion, sliced thin
1/2 C. Caribbean Jerk style marinade (Lawry's), plus 2 T. marinade
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. dry minced garlic
cilantro (optional)

In medium bowl, marinate flank steak, add cumin and garlic. Allow to marinate 1-2 hours.
In large skillet, liberally coat the bottom with cooking spray. Add mushrooms with 2 T. marinade, cook on medium-high for 6-8 minutes. Add in meat, onion, pepper. Cook on medium high for 10-12 minutes until mushrooms are tender and meat is no longer pink. Serve with tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, cilantro, sour cream, rice, and beans.
Yield = 4-6 servings

I got another amazing recipe from 4 Hats & Frugal, but decided to put a bit of a spin on it. If you get a chance to check out her blog, her peachy chicken (I've done it with pork chops, too) is heaven in your mouth! Thanks for the great recipe!!!

1 can (29 oz.) each tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes
8 oz. each BBQ sauce and salsa (mild)
1 lb. ground turkey, browned with 1/2 lb. ground portabella mushrooms and 2 T. dry minced onion
1 palmful chocolate chips (dark or semisweet)
1 T. cumin
1 tsp. each minced garlic and cajun seasoning
2 T. honey or 1/4 C. sweet n sour sauce
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

Add all ingredients to crockpot, cook on low for 3-5 hours.
Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped red onion, and cilantro.
Serves: 6-8

Some of the best recipes are borne out of necessity, or availability - and this one is no different. I generally serve this with mashed potatoes, but it can be served over rice or noodles, if preferred.

1 1/2 lbs. chicken, diced into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. fresh mushrooms - sliced
1/2 tsp. each basil, onion powder, and garlic salt
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp. black pepper


Spray large skillet with cooking spray, on medium-high heat, add chicken and spices and cook 5-7 minutes or until chicken golden on outside. Add mushrooms and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add soups and black pepper - simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes or til mixture is well-blended and hot. Serve over mashed potatoes.

4-6 lbs. chicken, bone-in works best (dark or white meat)
3-4 cloves garlic
1/4 medium onion

Put chicken, onion, and garlic into crockpot, cover with water and cook until meat starts to fall off the bone. (About 6-8 hours on low).
Drain off water into large bowl (and save to use in place of store bought chicken stock/broth), remove skin and bones. With 2 forks, gently pull the chicken apart.

Meal Ideas:

Add BBQ Sauce and serve as Pulled Chicken (great for sammies).
Add in some tomato sauce, garlic salt, onion powder, and taco seasoning for Chicken Tacos, Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Quesadillas, and Chicken Burritos.
Serve over pasta.
Mix with cooked, diced potatoes as a hash
Use in place of lunchmeat
Add to broth, with noodles and veggies for homemade chicken noodle soup
Add into boxed pastas/rices/potatoes, for an entree on a side-dish budget!
Make mashed potatoes, make packaged gravy mix and add in chicken. Serve chicken in gravy over potatoes.
Makes a great pizza topping.

This freezes very well, and helps out in a pinch when you didn't plan dinner or forgot to thaw something. Instead of buying pricey cans of chicken breast meat, this is a great, cheap substitution.

This recipe is great if you're on a tight budget, and want the taste of lasagne, but not too heavy of a meal. Feel free to scale back the portions - I make this once or twice a year (several pans at a time) and freeze it. It's a healthier take on frozen food - much more nutritious, too!

2 boxes lasagne noodles, cooked and drained, then rinsed in cold water
32 oz. container low-fat cottage cheese
1 C. bread crumbs
8 oz. can parmesan
6-8 quarts spaghetti sauce or 4-5 jars sauce
2 lbs. ground turkey, seasoned with garlic and onion, and browned, drained, added to sauce
1 lb. fresh mushrooms - chopped/sliced, sauteed with ground turkey
*optional 1 medium red bell pepper added to meat mixture, very finely chopped
3-5 bags 8 oz. mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, shredded
Basil

Mix cottage cheese with bread crumbs, 1/2 C. parmesan, and 1 T. basil.
In crockpot, add spaghetti sauce, browned ground turkey, mushrooms, red bell pepper. Add garlic and basil to taste. Cook on high for 2 hours or til bubbly.

In 13x9" baking dish, layer noodles, sauce, mozzarella, cottage cheese mixture, repeat this once, and top with mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
To freeze - once cooled, cover tightly and place levelly in freezer. Partially thaw before cooking - reheat will take 1 hour 20 minutes on 375 in oven.

1.5 lbs. ground turkey, browned with 1 T. each garlic and onion, 1 tsp. cumin
8 oz. shredded cheese (I use cheddar, Mexican blend, or whatever's in the fridge)
1-2 cans (8-10 oz.) enchilada sauce (or 16 oz can tomato sauce with 1/2 tsp. chili powder, dash of cayenne, 1/4 tsp. onion salt, and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
15-20 corn tortillas

Warm tortillas in microwave or on griddle pan until soft. Preheat oven to 375.
Dip each tortilla (both sides) in enchilada sauce. Place one heaping spoonful of ground turkey in tortilla, roll up and place seam side down on greased, 13x9" baking dish. Repeat until you run out of ingredients or someone whines, "I'm hungry." (Typically this is me whining.)
Bake 10-12 minutes or til cheese is melted.
Serve with beans, Mexican rice, shredded lettuce, and sour cream.

To make the meat stretch, you can add favorite veggies (finely diced) while browning the meat. I have used mushrooms, red bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, celery, and onion. You can also make this ahead of time and pop in oven for a reheat when you're running short on time. This can also be frozen - make in an aluminum pan, cover tightly. You can store this up to 1 month (if someone doesn't eat it first.)

3 cans (14.5 oz.) diced Italian style tomatoes
2 cans (6 oz). tomato paste
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz.)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms
8 oz. light sour cream
1/2 small red pepper - finely chopped
2 T. basil
1/4 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1 1/2 T. dry minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

Add all ingredients to crockpot. Heat on high for 1 1/2 hours. Turn heat down to low, cook additional 2-3 hours. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. (Sauce will thicken upon standing.)
Serve over pasta, over meatballs (for sandwich), or use as pizza sauce.
Servings = 10-12

I never would have believed this was a lowfat recipe if I was told that, but I found this recipe in a cookbook called Low-fat and loving it, but I have modified this from it's original form. If you like onions, feel free to add more than I have listed, I like the flavor of the onion, but dislike large hunks of it, so I have triple the mushrooms and omitted much of the onion called for in the original recipe. I typically serve this with corn on the cob and a simple salad. A warning though: I have never had leftovers from this recipe.

Beef & Potatoes in a Creamy Mushroom Gravy

2-2.5 lb.s boneless beef round steak, cubed (salt & peppered)
1-1.5 lbs. fresh mushrooms, sliced thin
1-2 packets of onion soup mix
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped, or 3 T. dry minced onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.75 oz.)
Water
1/4 C. corn starch dissolved into 1 1.4 C. water
1 tsp. garlic (optional)
prepared mashed potatoes, any flavor except cheese

In crockpot, layer ingredients in the following order: beef, mushrooms, soup mix, onion til all ingredients have been used. Top with cream of mushroom soup and 2-3 C. water. Cook on low 6 hours. Remove 2 C. liquid from the crockpot and on stove heat liquid to boiling (about 1-2 minutes - it happens fast!). Pour in corn starch mixture and stir til mixture reaches desired consistency. Add in garlic, if desired. Pour gravy into crockpot to cover meat mixture or serve it on the side. Serve with mashed potatoes. Enjoy.

A simple, classic Italian soup, made from whatever favorite veggies you have on hand.
1-2 cans diced or crushed Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
4 C. water
2 cans beef broth - optional
3 T. corn starch, dissolved in water
1 red bell pepper, roasted and finely chopped
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
1 can butter beans, drained
1 lb. cooked carrots
1 large zucchini, finely chopped
3 medium potatoes, cooked and diced into small pieces
1 T. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 box rotini or small shell pasta, uncooked

Add all ingredients to crockpot except pasta. Cook on low for 8-12 hours. Let sit overnight for 8-10 hours. Cook on low for 4 hours or til hot, add noodles, cook an additional hour. The longer you let it cook, the more the veggies will thicken into a hearty rich broth. If you need helping thickening the broth, add additional corn starch or instant mashed potatoes.

Serve with Italian bread and sliced/cubed cheese.

Meal In One

1/2 lb. browned ground beef or turkey
1 can each (10-11 oz.) veg beef soup and cream of mushroom soup
1 can each (10-14 oz.) green beans, carrots
Salt & pepper to taste
2 C. prepared mashed potatoes
8 slices American cheese

Mix well meat, canned ingredients, and salt and pepper. Top with prepared mashed potatoes and layer cheese over top. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or til cheese is melted or cook on high in microwave for 10-15 minutes til cheese is completely melted.