Holiday cooking made easy: 26 freezer friendly mains!
How many of you are starting to plan for holiday cooking? I don’t mean to stress anyone out (quite the opposite!) but there are a gazillion and a half holiday meals coming up, so it’s wise to plan ahead. In previous years, I’ve shared some round-ups of freezer-friendly recipes: Starters, Sides & Soups and Desserts. Today, I’m going to complete your menu planning with a whole bunch of really delicious, freezer-friendly mains!
Before we start, let me give you a little insight into my personal menu planning and prep. I usually start with desserts – I like to get them out of the way since almost all of them freeze nicely. Next, I do mains. So many mains can be frozen (see below) so it’s easy to get them out of the way as well. I also do starters, kugels and soups ahead of time. Then, a day or two before the holidays, I do the things that really need to be fresh. Most sides – roasted veggies, roasted potatoes, etc – all salads, dips, and things like that. Planning well is the key here – you really don’t need to stress it!
One last tip: double everything. It’s usually barely more work, and with SO many holiday meals, you can easily serve things twice without worrying about people getting bored of it.
Any great tips to take the stress out of holiday planning? Please comment below so everyone can learn from you!
And now…. Freezer friendly mains! (You can thank me later!)
- Tomato and Red Wine Braised Chicken | This recipe has a built-in side dish – serve it with mashed potatoes or rice for a complete meal.
- Pastrami Wrapped BBQ Chicken Fingers | A real crowd pleaser! | Great as an appetizer or main. | Great for shabbos lunch. | Reheat in a single layer, uncovered.
- Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Capons | Reheat loosely covered prior to serving.
- Braised Chicken with Apples and Sweet Potato | This recipe has a built-in side dish – serve it with mashed potatoes or rice for a complete meal.
- Quick and Easy Grilled Chicken in Mustard Sauce | Freeze raw, in the marinade, and grill just before serving.
- Pastrami Stuffed Chicken Thighs (Capons) | Reheat loosely covered prior to serving. | A real crowd pleaser!
- Maple Mustard Roasted Chicken | Reheat loosely covered prior to serving. | To save time, skip the browning step.
- Chicken in Mushroom Sauce | This recipe has a built-in side dish – serve it with mashed potatoes or rice for a complete meal. | A secretly healthy dish!
- Pretzel Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce | A real crowd pleaser! | Great as an appetizer or main. | Great for shabbos lunch. | Reheat in a single layer, uncovered.
- Zucchini Chicken Pinwheels | Perfect as an appetizer OR a main.
- Homemade Beef Chili | Dress this up after defrosting by serving it on top of a burger or hot dog, or as an appetizer with plenty of chips for dipping. optional.
- Easy Pomegranate Roast | Symbolic for Rosh Hashanah | Super Easy | Crowd Pleaser |
- Tomato Basil Brisket in White Wine Sauce | Crowd pleaser! | Works with other roasts such as French Roast, Minute Roast etc.
- Barbecue Ribs with Homemade Bourbon BBQ Sauce | Use store-bought BBQ Sauce to save time | Serious crowd pleaser!
- Ribs with Homemade Mole Barbecue Sauce | Use store-bought BBQ Sauce to save time | Serious crowd pleaser!
- Pastrami Stuffed Shells with Honey Mustard Onion Sauce | Perfect as an appetizer or a main! | Fan favorite/crowd pleaser! | Save time by using smaller shells and mixing it all together instead of stuffing them.
- Doughless Hush Puppies | Perfect as an appetizer or a main | Super kid friendly!
Recipes From My Blogger Friends:
Note: I have NOT tried the following recipes – refer to the blogs where they are posted for questions and comments.
18. Boeuf Bourguignon from Kosher by Gloria
19. Chuck Eye Roast with Apple and Zucchini from Simply Inspired Kitchen
20. Pomegranate Chicken from Gush Gourmet
21. Texas Style Dry Rub Brisket from Kitchen Tested
22. Spatchcocked Chicken with Cider Braised Vegetables from Kitchen Tested
23. Crispy Baked Sesame Schnitzel from Between Carpools (freeze raw and bake fresh)
24. Chicken with Olives from Peas Love Carrots
25. Beef Paprikash from The Kosher Tomato
26. Stuffed Cabbage from Cook it Kosher
Don’t forget to check out 101 Recipes for Rosh Hashanah and Holiday Meals
Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy, and come back soon! – Miriam
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