Mastering the Back-to-School Madness with One Dish Freezer Ready Recipes!

Quick, Delicious, One & Done!

Ready or not, Back-to-School time is upon us. How is that even possible, didn’t summer just start?

Back in the day, I was deeply immersed in Once a Month Cooking, or OAMC as the cool kids called it. Think back to the ‘Dinner Done’ days, (I actually think there are a few still operating). If you’ve never heard of it, it was/is a meal prep service with a rotating menu that you book a time, choose your meals, show up, prep your meals then take home 8-12 dinners ready for the freezer.

It was fantastic! No fussing over prep work. You'd just show up empty-handed, follow their foolproof instructions moving from station to station assembling your meals, and voila—Dinner Done! Everything was then packaged up with handy labels, so you'd know exactly how to cook them later in the week. And the best part? They took care of cleaning up after you. Genius!

This was such a popular concept that back in 2007-2009, my Mom, sister, and I decided to jump on the meal assembly bandwagon ourselves. We had a bigger goal in mind however—raising money for a 3-day walk we were participating in. We followed their model but on a much smaller scale. My mom owned a warehouse at the time that had a commercial kitchen and already had her food safety permit, so we had the space and know-how. We just needed the people! We came up with 12 meals to choose from and then gathered all the email addresses of friends and family that we knew, and we were up and running.

Friday became our shopping and prep day. We hit the stores, gathering all the ingredients we needed, and spent the day (and well into the night) chopping, dicing, and prepping away. Then, our friends and family joined us to assemble their own meals. The response was incredible—our little endeavor took off.

We called it, ‘The Taste of Change.’

That whole experience was so special, a combination of teamwork, yummy food, and a shared purpose. We kept offering our meal assembly services long after we met our fundraising goal because it was just too good to stop.

You can see the stations behind us with the recipes taped to the wall and a customer’s order hanging around my neck for quick reference. 😊

Goodness. What a long-winded way to share a few assembly meals. My favorite of the recipes we would offer was known as a dump recipe, also known as dump-and-go recipes or dump dinners. Hate the name, but it is what it is, I didn’t come up with it. This type of cooking method involves combining ingredients in a single dish or baggie and then "dumping" them together to create a meal. I still make them to this day. Especially for new moms, or a friend really going through it that needs a little love. Or when we go on vacation. Yes, I even freeze the butter if a recipe calls for it. The whole meal is in that one baggie. Easy Peasy! I have a highlight on this on Instagram, you can click here to see that.

So how does this relate to Back to School? For me, the first week (or 2) back to school was always pure chaos. With only 1 kiddo at home now and her going into her junior year, things aren’t as crazy but I still like to prep those last few weeks of summer. Getting back into routines, bedtimes, school lunches, and knowing I have a few dinners in the freezer already is such a game changer. One. Less. Thing. Packing lunches is my favorite from like, August - January — after that, Godspeed kid.

Let’s get into it!

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Jammin Jerk Chicken

• 8 drumsticks, thighs, or 1-2 lb wings

• 1/2 cup ketchup

• 1/4 cup brown sugar or brown sugar replacement

• 1/4 Apple Cider Vinegar

• 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (Coconut Aminos or Tamari works too)

• 2 Tablespoons Pickapeppa Sauce

• 1 Tablespoon Jerk Seasoning (less for less spice)

**Leave out the Jerk Seasoning and this is a killer BBQ sauce!**

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to a large ziplock bag pouring the mixture over the top. Seal squeezing out as much air as you can. Make sure all the pieces are coated. Let marinate for 4 hours or overnight. Just get all the air out and pop it into the freezer!

2. To cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 400° & cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil or spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

4. Add chicken to pan or dish (grilling is also amazing!) discarding any leftover marinade.

5. Roast or grill chicken until the juices run clear and the internal temp is 165°.

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One-Dish Creole Chicken

Don’t let the name fool you, this isn't a spicy dish.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• ¹⁄₂ chopped onion

• ¹⁄₂ bell pepper, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1(14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with juice

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried basil

• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt

• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon pepper

• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

• 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs chicken pieces (I usually use 5-6 pieces, depending on size)

1. For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1-gallon freezer bag and squeeze out all the air. Lay flat in the freezer.

2. To cook from the freezer: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350º.

4. Carefully add all the baggie ingredients to a prepared casserole dish.

5. Bake until chicken juices run clear - about 45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 25-30 minutes for chicken breasts.

6. For immediate cooking: Preheat oven to 350º.

7. Mix all ingredients but the chicken together.

8. Place chicken into a prepared baking dish, and pour sauce over the top. Bake until chicken juices run clear - about 45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts.

9. Serve over rice for a complete meal!

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French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus

A family favorite. I have one in my freezer at all times.

• 2-3 lb chuck roast

• 1 envelope onion soup mix

• 1 (19 oz) can Progresso French onion soup (not condensed soup)

• 1 can beer (it cooks out)

• 3 beef bouillon cubes

• salt and pepper to taste

• Provolone

• Hoagies - toasted

1. In a large bowl mix together onion soup mix, can soup, beer, bouillon cubes, and pepper. Add the roast to a gallon-sized freezer bag or other freezer-safe container and pour the mixture over. Seal the bag or container, removing as much air as possible, and freeze flat.

2. To cook, thaw overnight in the fridge.

3. Crock Pot: Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours

4. Instant Pot: Cook for 30 minutes at high pressure, then allow 10 minutes for natural release.

5. Remove meat and shred; return to juices and cover until ready to serve.

To serve: open rolls and place a slice of provolone on one side of each; place under broiler until cheese is almost melted. You want the rolls toasted a little to stand up to the juices when dipping. Add mayo if you like it — controversial, yes, but we always do it. Spoon beef on top with a slotted spoon and serve the sandwich with a side cup of ‘au jus’ — the juices it cooks in.

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Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas

• 4-6 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning (store-bought or homemade)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Flour tortillas, for serving

• Toppings for serving: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, etc.

1. In a large bowl, combine the sliced chicken, bell peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, fajita seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat everything evenly. Seal the bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. Freeze flat if possible.

2. When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight.

3. Preheat your oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

4. Spread the chicken and vegetable mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, stirring halfway through.

6. Warm the flour tortillas in a pan stovetop, or in the microwave.

7. Serve the warm chicken and vegetable mixture on the warmed tortillas and garnish with your favorite toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or shredded cheese.

I hope these recipes make the start of the new school year a little less stressful for you. And if all else fails, pizza night is always a great option. 😉