Gourmet Mom on-the-Go: Cheap and Fabulous Freezer Dinners

Is anyone else feeling the pinch of the economy these days? Well, I've teamed up with Sams Club to bring you some ideas for inexpensive and yummy family cooking! Sams Club is my #1 favorite place to shop, especially for meats and cheeses. Buying in bulk can cut your grocery bill by almost half--so, here are some tips for cooking with those bulk items. Also, Sams Club is giving one Gourmet-Mom-on-the-Go reader a new Samsung SC-DX103 Digital DVD Camera for sharing your favorite freezer meal recipe!

Below are three of our family's favorite recipes. Do you have 5 minutes to make dinner? You can prepare the Cranberry Chicken in under 5 minutes! The Kalua Pork also preps in under 5 minutes and bakes overnight. I buy the Pork Loin (around 8 lbs.) at Sams Club all the time and the Crab-Stuffed Pork Loin is a huge hit at our house. The best part? All of these recipes are under $1 per serving! I either freeze them for later use or else swap with friends so we have different meals to try.

Now, here's the fun part: I want to hear your favorite Freezer Meal Recipe (anything that can be prepared and frozen for later use). It doesn't have to be your original recipe, just something that is sure to please the family!

What's in it for you? We're sending the winner a brand new Samsung SC-DX103 Digital DVD Camera so you can record all your culinary adventures! :)

I'm sure all your recipes are great (hey, we don't judge grandma's casserole recipe), so we'll pick one winner randomly on April 24th.

This giveaway is now closed. We have a winner!
JohnsonFamily who said...
"This isn't really recipe, but whenever I got to Sam's I buy their rotisserie chicken. Usually I will pick up a few. I will debone them and then freeze it for a quick grab to toss in salads soups, enchildas...etc."
Good tip, we'll take it! Send me an email within 2 days with your mailing address to get your prize. If there's no response, we'll pick another winner.

Cranberry Apricot Chicken
(great dish for guests!)
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken (raw, any kind)
1 can whole cranberry sauce (not just for Thanksgiving!:))
1/2 apricot preserves
1 C. french or catalina dressing
1 pkg. onion soup mix
Gallon Ziploc Freezer Bag

Directions:
Put all ingredients except chicken in ziploc freezer bag and squash and mash to mix (this the the kids' favorite part!). Add chicken and mix well. Pour into 9 x 13 greased pan at 350 for 35-40 minutes and serve over rice. If are preparing this for later use, simply put ziploc bag with the sauce and chicken directly in the freezer, defrost when ready to use and bake as directed above.

Video Tutorial and tips:

Kalua Pork
(yes, I know it's traditionally made w/ a pork shoulder, but we really like it this way:))
Ingredients:
Large Pork Loin (around 8 lbs., about $1.58 per lb. at Sams)
coarse Kosher Salt
liquid smoke (in the spice aisle)
Sandwich rolls, any kind
Plastic Wrap
Aluminum Foil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Cut pork loin in half. Lay out two large sheets of aluminum foil. Lay two large sheets of plastic wrap on top of foil. Place half of pork loin on the plastic wrap (this keeps the moisture in! It's an amazing slow-roasting secret!:)). Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and liquid smoke, rub all over pork loin. Wrap up plastic wrap tightly around pork loin and then wrap with aluminum foil. Place in large roasting pan. Repeat with other loin half. Bake at 225 degrees 7-10 hrs. until done. Serve with soft rolls, cheese, bbq sauce, whatever your family likes. YUM!

Video Tutorial and tips:

Crab-Stuffed Pork Loin

Ingredients:
Large Pork Loin (around 8 lbs., about $1.58 per lb. at Sams), cut into just under 1" slices--the butcher at Sams Club can do this for you. You'll get about 18 slices.
1 lb. lump imitation crab meat
1 1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup french dressing

Marinade Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. garlic
dash red pepper flakes
dash black pepper
3 Tbsp. tomato sauce (or ketchup if you're in a pinch)

Directions:
Place all marinade ingredients in a gallon Ziploc Freezer bag and mix well. Slide through side of pork loin to make a pocket (see video tutorial). Mix crab meat, bread crumbs, crushed pineapple, and french dressing in a medium bowl. Stuff about 2-3 heaping tablespoons crab mixture into pork loin pocket and place in marinade bag. Repeat with all pork loin pieces (you can fit about 6 in a bag). Place directly in freezer. When ready to cook, defrost and grill 7-10 minutes on each side.