Spend your evenings outdoors this spring, rather than cooped up in the kitchen. Make weeknight dinners a breeze with make-ahead freezer-friendly dinners that you can prep on a rainy day!

Sweet Barbecue Meatballs

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Ingredients:

– 3 lb ground beef or turkey

– 2 C quick-cooking oats

– 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk

– 2 onions, finely diced

– 3 tsp. garlic powder

– 2 tsp. chili powder

– Dash cayenne pepper

– 2 C ketchup

– 1/3 C brown sugar

– 1 tsp. smoked salt

Instructions:

Meatballs

– Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

– Combine oats, evaporated milk, half of the onion, and 2 tsp. garlic powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in large mixing bowl.

– Use clean hands to mix in beef evenly.

– Shape into 1-inch balls

– Place balls in shallow baking pans, preferably on racks sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

– Bake 20 minutes, until cooked through.

Sauce

– In a large saucepan or dutch oven, combine ketchup, brown sugar, remaining onion, garlic powder, and smoked salt.

– Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.

– Reduce to a simmer and continue to stir 3-5 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly.

– Add meatballs to sauce, stirring gently until lightly coated.

 

Tex Mex Mac-N-Cheese

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Ingredients:

– 1 package elbow macaroni, shells, or cellentani pasta

– 1 lb. ground beef or turkey

– 4 T butter

– 2 bell peppers, diced

– 1 onion, diced

– 1 4 oz. can green chiles

– 1 8 oz. package pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed

– 1 10-oz. can cream of chicken soup

– 1/2 C sour cream

– 2 tsp. chili powder

– 1 tsp. ground cumin

– 2 C shredded cheddar cheese

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Instructions:

– Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

– Prepare pasta and set aside.

– Lightly coat 13 x 9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

– Melt butter in large sauce pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.

– Saute onion and bell pepper approximately 3 minutes.

– Add meat and cook through until it becomes crumbles.

– Stir in chiles and cheese product.

– Stir constantly until cheese melts.

– Stir in soup, sour cream, chili powder and cumin.

– Fold in cooked pasta until well-coated.

– Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top.

– Bake for 25 minutes, until bubbly and cheese begins to brown.

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

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Ingredients:

– 1/4 C sliced almonds

– 2 6 oz. boxes fast-cooking long grain and wild rice mix

– 1/4 C butter

– 6 ribs celery, finely chopped

– 2 onions, diced

– 2 lb. cooked chicken, chopped

– 2 10 oz. cans cream of mushroom soup

– 1 8 oz. container sour cream

– 1 C milk

– 1/2 tsp. salt

– 1 tsp. pepper

– 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

– 4 C shredded cheddar cheese

– 1 C breadcrumbs

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Instructions:

– Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

– Lightly coat 13 x 9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

– Spread almonds in single layer in a shallow pan and bake 3 minutes. Stir and toast an additional 3 minutes.

– Prepare rice according to package instructions.

– Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

– Saute celery and onions for 10 minutes or until tender.

– Stir in chicken, soup, sour cream, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, rice and 3 cups of cheese.

– Spoon mixture into baking dish and top with breadcrumbs.

– Bake for 35 minutes.

– Sprinkle with remaining cheese and almonds.

– Bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Southwest Lasagna 

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Ingredients:

– 1 lb ground turkey or lean ground beef

– 1 onion, diced

– 2 large bell peppers, diced

– 1 8-oz. package low fat cream cheese

– 1 tsp. chili powder

– 1 8-oz. can enchilada sauce

– 8 8-inch flour tortillas

– 1 C shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

– Sour cream and salsa for serving

Instructions:

– Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

– Coat 13 x 9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

– Cook meat, onion, and peppers over medium heat until meat is cooked through.

– Stir in cream cheese and chili powder.

– Pour enchilada sauce into wide, shallow bowl or dish.

– Dip tortillas in sauce until coated.

– Layer tortillas, two at a time, then meat mixture, then cheese in baking dish.

– Bake 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

– Allow dish to stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.

– Serve with sour cream and salsa.

 

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