I get a newsletter/blog where the lady prepares recipes for a slow cooker all but the liquid and freezes it, then when using it puts it in the slower cooker and adds the liquid and when dinner time comes around it is ready. If he has a slow cooker he could start it before he goes to work in the morning and have dinner when he gets home. I get the blog under another screen name so can find it and post it later. I like this idea and plan to try it myself.

This is a great recipe, 1 lb. of meat makes four loaves. I usually double or triple the recipe, freeze the remaining loaves without the sauce. Once frozen, throw them all into a freezer bag. Whe ready to make them, I make the sauce for the top while waiting for my oven to pre-heat:




Busy Day Individual Meatloaves



1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 C cracker crumbs

2/3 C milk

1 beaten egg (medium or large)

3 Tbsp. minced onion (optional)

1/2 tsp. each dried sage and thyme

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed

1/3 C catsup or 3 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. each ginger and garlic salt (optional)

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard



1. Crumble beef into large bowl, add salt. Sprinkle with crumbs and milk. Let stand a few minutes until crumbs are soft. Blend together.

2. Mix in egg and onion (if used), sage, thyme, nutmeg and pepper, mixing well. Shape into 4 loaves. Place on foil lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart.

3. Mix brown sugar, catsup, ginger and garlic salt (if used), soy sauce and mustard. Spread mixture over tops of loaves.

4. Bake at 350° F for 35 minutes



Serves 4



Tips: to freeze, pack into individual bread tins and spread tops with the sauce. Wrap airtight and freeze. To bake, remove from freezer and bake at 350° F for 45 - 55

minutes, until done.

2 servings - half the ingredients, but use 1 small egg

8 servings - double the ingredients

Potatoes don't freeze well but anything else should work fine. I'd cook a big batch of 2-3 different things (maybe BBQ for sandwiches, spaghetti and something with lots of veggies like pot pie), divide them into freezer bags or plastic freezer containers and freeze. That way he can pick one each night. Or better yet, find a few simple recipes and teach him to cook for himself.

I haven't frozen pecan pie (probably my favorite pie) but I freeze nuts all the time. I prefer to buy them in large quantities when they are on sale during the holiday times and then freeze them for use throughout the year.

I make baklava during Christmas which calls for 4 cups of finely chopped walnuts and 3 cups of finely chopped pecans. A few times I have chopped and measured the nuts and frozen them in large ziplocks so when I am ready to make a batch that part of the process is done. This works well.

Last year I froze some baklava after I baked and cut it up. It only stayed in the freezer for about 3 weeks and tasted fine when we ate it. I will try to keep it in the freezer for a longer period of time this year. It would be nice to make it ahead before the holiday rush and still have it on hand for gift giving at Christmas.

Acquire Once a Month Cooking. Has about 60 recipes in it. You can do it her way or break it up into several times. I like most the recipes and they use common ingredients.

Italian Wedding Soup freezes well. It is made with meatballs, rice and chicken stock.

A favorite for my bunch is a beef casserole.
1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef browned
1 onion chopped and sauted
1 green pepper chopped and sauted
l can mushroom soup
l can tomato soup
pasta - cooked
cheese
Sorry I don't go by quanties anymore but if you are a cook you know what you like for taste.
After this is prepared in a skillet I put into a casserole to bake. Sometimes I cook some bacon to brown the onion/green peppers for a deeper flavor. Bake until bubbly.