40 Days of Freezer Meals?!?!

So I have been infatuated with the idea of 40 meals all ready to go in my freezer at a moments notice!! Wouldn't you be? I saw this on Pinterest.... the new bible for how to do / cook / make anything. And I am dying to get busy and fill my freezer with lots of delicious meals so that I can get more done at night.. spend more time with my kiddos.... or just be lazy and enjoy laying on the couch instead of trying to figure out the answer to a question not yet asked, "What's for dinner?".

I started my quest yesterday afternoon. I made Chicken & Mushroom Manitcotti, Pizzangna, & Mushroom and Caramelized Onion stuffed chicken breasts. It's not 40 by any means, but it's a start. They are all nicely tucked away in my freezer for one of those days when the kitchen and the dishes are not calling my name.

Chicken & Mushroom Manicotti

1 lb Ground Chicken
8 baby portebello mushrooms, diced into small chunks
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Tbsp garlic
1 16 oz tub of ricotta cheese
1 tub of Philadelphia Cooking Creme Italian Herbs Blend
3/4 cup cottage cheese
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 box of Manicotti
salt & pepper (of course)

1. Brown the chicken in a preheated deep frying pan with the olive oil, mushrooms, shallot & garlic over medium high heat. Stirring occasionally but making sure everything is getting a nice caramelized color.
2. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Cook Manicotti for 6 minutes and cool on a sheet of tin foil to prevent them sticking together. You want them tender, but still firm.
4. In a medium bowl mix ricotta cheese, cooking creme, cottage cheese, and 1/2 cup of the Italian cheese blend. Add the chicken mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a gallon size freezer bag Spoon your mixture into the corner. You will want to do about 1/3 at a time. Cut a hole about 3/4 of an inch from the corner.
6. I bought some disposable pans from Family Dollar, so that I could freeze them. Spray with non stick cooking spray OR spoon a little spaghetti sauce into the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. You could do an 8 x 8 and put 7 mannicottis in 2 pans, or put them all into a 11 x 9 baking dish. Depending on how large your family is.
7. Take your cooled Manicotti noodles and fill them with your mixture using the bag. This make it so much easier and less chance of breaking the noodles.
8. Line them into your pan, cover with spaghetti sauce and the rest of the cheese.
9. Wrap with plastic wrap and foil and write instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove Plastic Wrap and Foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

I am not done with my Freezer meal Crusade. I am determined to have a freezer full of healthy delicious home-cooked meals, so that I can watch TV for once! Or... do laundry, scrub bathrooms, organize closets, pay bills, file paperwork, shovel driveways, WORK OUT?! ..........never mind!


P.S. The other 2 recipes are coming shortly... with pictures!