freezer friendly fundamentals

as a college student, i know how hard a good meal can be to come by. even for those lucky enough to have a kitchen at their disposal, sometimes whipping up a great meal is too expensive or time consuming. while i have stocked my kitchen to the best of my abilities, there's always a few ingredients i don't have, and even a simple grocery trip for one dinner can cost over $20. multiply that by 4-5 nights a week, & it's safe to say i come to conclusion to eat out or have a peanut butter sandwich quite often. i'm guilty of having panera more than twice a week sometimes simply out of laziness, which is why having something delicious already made in the freezer is a much better idea.

my mother, the wonderful woman i inherited my domestic tendencies from (although my mom transcends domesticity & has fancied herself into a working, domestic x 1000 juggling-it-all superwoman), suggested we whip up a few freezer friendly entrees that could be easily consumed on my busiest of weeks. having already made meals in the freezer (no, not lean cuisines) is a lot healthier than eating out constantly & saves on time. i took a trip to my parent's place this past weekend, & my mom & i came up with these dishes on saturday night:

• spaghetti sauce - this one is simple. any variant of your favorite homemade sauce can be frozen and thawed to add to a batch of pasta at any time.
• lamb meatballs - throw these in with the spaghetti sauce & you've got a full meal.
  
• southwestern chicken & corn chowder - i've made this recipe a handful of times, & it's amazing! it freezes incredibly well & is awesome for when it's a little chilly out.
• chicken poppyseed casserole - best casserole ever, hands down. freezes great!
  

other great ideas for freezer meals are chicken enchiladas, nearly all of your favorite homemade soups & pasta dishes like baked ziti! if you enjoy making bread, most doughs & starters can be frozen for months at a time, in addition to cookies, baked bread & muffins. i froze my amish friendship bread starter for over 2 months, let it thaw in the fridge & it was definitely still good to go. if you're a sometimes lazy but mostly busy student, like me, or hate spending money eating out, hopefully these ideas are helpful.