If you were to cook in quantity and freeze your meals as you go, you will be stocking your freezer with dinners that are either completely prepared or need only finishing touches. I try and choose entrees that my family will like and that can be prepared in quantity. Tonight’s dinner is made from the whole chicken I’ve had cooking in the slow cooker while I was at work.

Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock, plus 2 cups to cook noodles
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup water
2 cups shredded chicken
2 cups noodles, cooked
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Remove the chicken from slow cooker and place on cutting board or plate to cool a little. While the chicken is cooling down, in a medium stock pot, use 2 cups stock plus 1 cup water. Bring the broth to a boil and add noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until barely tender.

While the noodles cook, in another pan, melt butter and add onion and mushrooms. Cook until onions are translucent. Add flour and stir until incorporated. Add sour cream, Italian seasoning along with chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

Remove the chicken from the bones, leaving it in large chuncks. When the noodles are just tender, drain and add noodles along with the chicken to sauce. Stir together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

4-6 servings

Cook’s Note: Cream of Mushroom soup can be substituted in this dish. A vegetable such as frozen peas or carrots could also be added to this dish.

Freezer Cooking

Freeze any leftovers for another night in the month or as leftovers for lunch. I never have to worry about having half a package, half a cup, or a few pieces of anything leftover. If it is perishable, I just simply figure out a different way to use it within the next day or so, or I freeze it in a zip-loc freezer bag. Sometimes the extra portion left over from dinner makes an excellent lunch later on in the week.