The Frugal Alchemist: Frozen Dinner

There are many nights when I just don't want to cook.  I feel like I cook constantly, so sometimes it's nice to take a break every once in a while.  However, we still need to eat.  I know this is a constant dilemma for people everywhere, whether you're single or have a family to feed.  There are just those days when cooking dinner is the last thing you want to do.  I can guiltily admit that I've gone out to dinner one to many times on those nights.  It is so easy to have someone cook for you.  But going out to eat, or even buying a frozen pizza can be really expensive, especially if you're focused on quality ingredients.  Most frozen dinners are cheap, but they have little nutritional value and on the other hand, frozen dinners that are high quality will wreck your wallet.  
A couple of months ago, when my job conflicted with me making dinner, I thought about buying some frozen burritos for my husband on those nights when I would be gone.  But I thought, "why buy frozen burritos when I can make them?  And I can make more for cheaper!"  So, I set about making a freezer full of frozen burritos from scratch.  I slow poached chicken and beef, simmered dry beans, and sauteed a bunch of bell peppers, onion, and garlic.  I also made my own salsa.  This process took all day, but my freezer was stocked, and we had easy dinner for weeks.
Although this was worth it, I realized that it would be much easier to just buy all the components, put them together, and then freeze them.  Although the burritos wouldn't be from scratch, they would still be cheap and delicious.  But I really wanted food that I made...from scratch, with my hands.  I'm big into nutrition, so I like being in control of what I eat everyday.  
I found there is a better, easier way of saving homemade food for later: double it!  When you're making lasagna, make two, freeze one, then you'll have dinner for when you need it.  In my house, we eat a lot of beans and rice.  So, when I make a pot of beans, I make a BIG pot of beans, or a BIG pot of rice, then freeze whatever is left over.  When I made stock the other day, I poached the entire chicken, then cooled it and divided up the meat.  Most of the dark meat went into a coconut chicken soup.  I froze the rest of the chicken and used it in my chicken tortilla soup pictured below.
The great thing about having all this frozen food available, is that you can just throw it in a pot with a few other ingredients and BOOM! you have dinner!

Frozen Dinner Night:
Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 pound cooked chicken, frozen
3-4 cups beans, cooked and frozen
1-2 cups rice, cooked and frozen
1 quart stock, previously made and frozen
1 28oz can tomatoes, pureed
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1tsp cumin seeds (ground cumin is fine too!)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
3-4 TB cilantro, rough chop
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Saute garlic and jalapenos in 1-2 TB olive oil for 1 minute until fragrant.  Add in spices.  Saute 1 minute.  Add in tomatoes, rice, beans, chicken, stock, and cilantro.  BTAB, RTAS.  Take chicken out and dice (if it is not diced already).  Simmer about 10 mins, then dinner is ready!

Yes, I added all my frozen ingredients in at once.  Why not after all?

NOTE: If you are going to cook, then freeze food, make sure you cool it down FAST (see previous post about food safety).  Or if you are making something like lasagna, freeze the uncooked lasagna, then it is ready at any time to bake!

Voila!  Soup in minuets!  This took very little time and effort because of previous planning.  And I didn't have to compromise my health or wallet!

Enjoy!