I am in full nesting mode. I spent the last two weeks preparing freezer meals to have for after the baby comes. I have just made double batches of everything I make for dinner and freeze half of it. It is so easy. Why have I not been doing this all along?! So far I have a whole shelf full of freezer meals. I have a side by side fridge and freezer so the shelves are small, but hey it makes me feel good to have something ready. Someday my freezer will look like this…

Here are a few of the recipes I used to freeze:

Picky Palate’s Baked Ziti
Pumpkin Soup
Simply Lasagna
Beef Stroganoff (from Betty Crocker Red Cookbook, sorry could not find a link and was too lazy to type the recipe in)

Taco Soup
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can black or kidney beans
1 package taco seasoning
1/4 chopped onion
1 lb. ground beef

Brown ground beef with onion. Do not drain the cans. Add all ingredients to large pan. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

I put the soups in freezer bags and laid flat to freeze so I could store them like files and the ziti and lasagna in to those disposable foil baking dishes.

I was also contacted by Plentiful Pantry to review some of their items. Their products are great because you can store them on a shelf and grab them when you need something quick. You just have to add a few ingredients to each.

First, we tried the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. Is that not the cutest packaging ever?! I could not bear to throw it away! These were so easy, just add hot water, cream cheese and butter and chill. We added caramel sauce and whipped cream the first night and it made them really sweet! We actually liked them better the second day after they had set up more and the flavors had more time to mingle. The box says it makes 16 bars, but I would say more like 12. We like dessert. 😉

Next, we tried the Chicken and Dumplings. I was totally skeptical about this one because I did not request it and I do not like anything soggy. Also, it called for canned chicken which I am not a huge fan of. I have to tell you though, I am converted. I broke the chicken up and it was just like shredded chicken and the dumplings were like little biscuits, completely cooked and non-gooey inside. I was amazed. I thought for sure bread cooked in soup would be a ball of yuck, but it wasn’t at all.

Next, we tried the Apple Bread. It’s just like making a cake mix add oil, eggs and water. The smell alone was worth the minimal effort. I wanted to bottle that divine scent. Again love the cute box and how beautiful is that loaf?! I even forgot to use the high altitude directions and it turned out wonderfully. I was expecting it to be sweet when I bit in to it, but it is a bread not a cake. It tastes really yummy, just not super sweet. Don’t let the streusel on top fool you.

We still need to try the Pumpkin Cobbler and the Artichoke Dip, but if they are anything like the first three I’m sure they will not disappoint.

Now, Plentiful Pantry wants to give you the chance to try them out and see for yourself. They are giving away a Pumpkin Cobbler to one lucky reader!

To enter: Visit Plentiful Pantry and let us know in a comment on this post what product you would like to try.

Giveaway closes Thurs, Nov 4th.

And don’t worry, if you don’t win you can still try out Plentiful Pantry on a discount! They are offering 25% off their entire product line for Tipsy readers until November 15th!
Just use code: ALTIP25

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