Hamburger Noodle Bake

This is an easy one I got out of that same magazine from earlier.  It went together quickly.

5 cups uncooked egg noodles
2 lbs ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 cans condensed tomato soup, undiluted
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
3 Tbsp butter, melted

Cook noodles according to pkg directions until almost tender, drain.  Cook beef, onion, and green peper until meat is no longer pink.  Drain.  Stir in the noodles, soup, cheese, water, and chili sauce.  Transfer to 2 greased 8" square baking pans.

Toss bread crumbs with butter.  Sprinkle over casseroles.  Bake one casserole uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.  Cover and freeze the remaining casserole for up to 3 months.

To use frozen casserole:  remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw).  cover and bake 350 for 60 minutes.  Uncover bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Enchilada Casserole

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup water
2 tbsp chili poweder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups salsa, divided
10 flour tortillas cut into 3/4" strips, divided
1 cup sour cream
2 cans whole kernal corn, drained
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in water, chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes.

Place 1/4 cup salsa each in two greased 8" square baking dishes.  Layer each dish with a fourth of the tortillas and 1/4 cup salsa.

Divide the meat mixture, sour cream and corn between the 2 casseroles.  top with remaining tortillas, salsa and cheese.

cover and freeze one casserole for up to a month.  Cover and bake second casserole at 350 for 35 minutes.  Uncover; bake 5 - 10 minutes longer or until heated through.

To use frozen casserole:  That in the fridge for 24 hours.  Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking.  Bake as directed.

Spaghetti Casserole

Another one we are making on our freezer cooking day from the magazine I purchased.

1 pkg (16 oz) angel hair pasta
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
2 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream (8 oz)
2 cups shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Cook pasta according to pkg directions.  Cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, drain.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce.  Remove from heat.

Drain pasta.  Combine soup and sour cream.  In two 8" square baking dishes layer half of the meat sauce, pasta, soup mixture and cheese.  Repeat layers.

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 for 55-65 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To use Frozen Casserole:  Thaw in the fridge overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake as directed.

Southwestern Casserole

Another one of the magazine I purchased that my friend and I will be making.  I used 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 can rotel instead of the 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 can of green chilies.  I also omitted the jalapeno peppers.

1 pkg (7 oz) elbow macaroni
2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic gloves, minced
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16 oz) kindey beans, rinsed and drained
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilis, drained
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped.
Cook macaroni according to pkg directions.  Cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink.  Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer.  Drain.  Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.  Drain macaroni stir into beef mixture.

Transfer to two greased 2 qt baking dishes.  Top with cheese and jalapenos.  Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through.  Serve one casserole.  Cool the second casserole cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

To use frozen casserole:  Thaw in the fridge for 8 hours.  Cover and bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes or until heated through.

Yields 2 casseroles:  6 servings each.

Ground beef sprial bake

I recently purchased a Taste of Homes Freezer Meal Magazine.  A friend and I are getting together to throw a bunch of meals together for the freezer so we can start the school year off with some meals ready to go.  This was one of the ones we decided to make.

1 package (16 oz) spiral pasta
2 lbs ground beef
2/3 chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 jars spaghetti sauce (26 oz each)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to directions; drain.

In Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.  Drain.

Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, basil and oregano.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5-10 minutes.

Stir pasta into meat mixture.  Transfer to 2 greased 13x9 baking dishes.  Sprinkle each with 2 cups of cheese. 

Cover and freeze casserole up to 3 months.

OR

Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

To use frozen casserole:  Thaw in refrigerator overnight.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.