Taco Soup

I can't take credit for this recipe in any way shape or form.  I know it's been circulating around for years, but it is a go to in our home.  I do something a little different from the original recipe I was given in that I season the meat a little before adding it to the soup because this is a hybrid freezer meal for us.

Taco Soup
1 pound ground beef or turkey, cooked and crumbled
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kindney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
2 Tbs cumin
1 1/2 Tbs chili powder
1 1/2 Tbs minced onion
1 Tbs garlic
1 tsp salt
5 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a large pot.  Heat to boil then reduce heat and simmer approximately 20 minutes. Add or reduce water according to personal preference. Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream.

***1 package of taco seasoning can be substituted for the seasonings.

If you are really ambitious you can make this meal from dried beans.  We've done it successfully a few times.  The biggest problem is remembering to start the beans early enough that they cook properly.  I count on about 3/4 cup of dried beans in place of each can.  Again, they do need to be drained, so when we have cooked it with dried beans I usually cook the beans, then add them to the soup.

Hybrid freezer meal details: We cook all our taco meat for the month at once, and I do season the meat together.  I usually use lean ground turkey in place of ground beef.  Because there is minimal fat, I do throw my seasonings in at the beginning of browning the meat instead of at the end after the fat has been drained.

For every pound of meat we mix together:
1/2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs cumin
1/2 Tbs onion salt
1/2 Tbs garlic

After the meat has cooled it is packaged in quart size freezer bags, approximately one pound per bag for the taco soup and about a pound and a half for taco nights. (Remember, I have five kids)

Mexican Lasagna

I have to be honest.  I took photos of dinner tonight and thought to myself, "I'd never make that looking at the picture."  I promise, however, it is REALLY good.  It's a really easy meal, it's just not a photogenic meal. Also, I know there are some who refuse to cook with freezer meals because "they don't do casseroles."  Well, this is a casserole and it is easy, tasty, and even though the photos don't show it, it does look nice when served...


With that said, this is one that can also be a freezer meal.  You can actually prepare the whole meal in a disposable 9x13, cover and freeze.  To freeze the casserole, I recommend covering once with saran wrap and then again with aluminum foil.  Keep in mind there is no way to keep the air out of a frozen casserole, so you absolutely need to eat it with at least a month or month and a half.

We use the hybrid version of the freezer meal for this one.  We cook the chicken, freeze it, separate the cheese for the recipe, freeze it, and separate the tortillas, freeze them.  At that point, the only items that are not frozen are a can of green chiles and the enchilada sauce.  However, it means I only needed about 1/3 of the space also.

Mexican Lasagna

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 cans green chiles
2 cups shredded cheese (jack, cheddar, or a colby jack mix)
1 can green enchilada sauce
12 corn tortillas whole
6 corn tortillas halved

To prepare the chicken, we cook it in the crockpot with 1 can of green chiles, the cumin and chili powder.  Cook on low 4 - 5 hours and shred.  (If I am cooking this for multiple meals I will cook up to 16 chicken breasts and add 1 cup of water and 1 bouillon cube)  If you are freezing the chicken, you want to separate into labeled quart size ziploc bags.  Make sure there is at least 3 cups of shredded chicken in each bag.

When I prepare the rest of the meal for the freezer, I make sure I have on had the can of green chiles and the can of enchilada sauce.  Then place the cheese in a labeled quart size freezer bag, and the tortillas in a separate labeled quart size freezer bag.  This will ensure you have all the pieces of the meal on hand when you are planning to prepare it.  (Especially with the cheese if you have a family who likes to add cheese to their snacks or meals.)

To prepare the meal:
Remove 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese and set aside.
If you are using the hybrid frozen chicken, you will need to add the second can of green chiles to the chicken as we only used one in the crockpot.
Preheat oven to 375
Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour 3/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan, and spread by tilting the pan.  Arrange four of the whole tortillas, and four of the half tortillas to cover the enchilada sauce.  Pour 3/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on top of the layer of tortillas and spread evenly.  Spread evenly 1/2 of the chicken over the tortillas, and then half of the remaining shredded cheese.
Repeat again starting with the corn tortillas, enchilada sauce, chicken and cheese.
To complete the casserole, layer the remainder of the corn tortillas, pour and spread the remainder of the enchilada sauce, and top with the 1/4 cup of cheese that was separated at the beginning.
Bake in preheated oven 35 - 45 minutes, until cheese is melted and it is heated through.
Allow the casserole to set for about ten minutes before serving.

If you choose to prepare the whole casserole before freezing, on serving day you can cook the casserole at 350 for 2 hours from frozen, or thaw ahead of time and cook at 350 for 45 minutes - 1 hour.