My goal was to make six different batches of freezer meals (two a day), and I'm happy to report that as of Sunday morning, batch No. 5 is simmering away.
On Friday, after researching what meals to make, getting my list of ingredients together and spending $170 in food, I came home and made a pot of Maple Bacon Butternut Squash Soup that my friend Lauren had recently sent my way.
(As robust as this list looks, I had to go to the store again on Saturday. And I had four packs of chicken breasts in the freezer, which I bought on sale a few weeks ago that helped to keep the cost down. I'd say that overall, these freezer meals would have totaled about $200.)
I had one bowl of the butternut squash soup for lunch, and froze the rest. It was quite tasty, making me wish I had doubled the recipe.
After tackling this first easy soup, I moved on to creating my own version of beef stew. I thought it was quite good--like pot roast but more flavorful. I'm pretty sure James agreed, as he managed to eat both portions I had saved for our lunch on Saturday.
Beef Stew
Ingredients:
- 3 cups celery
- 3 cups yellow onion
- 6 carrots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 to 3 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 2 lbs beef stew meat
- 4 bacon strips
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 8 oz. can of no salt added tomato sauce
- 2 cans no salt added diced tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cans beef broth
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
2. Sauté stew meat and chopped bacon in skillet until slightly browned.
3. Add beef and remaining ingredients to sautéed veggies in pot.
4. Simmer for roughly 2 hours, until sauce thickens, sweet potatoes are soft and meat falls apart.
So simple, yet so tasty!
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