Lazy Lasagna (Bulk Recipe)

12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked
5-6 cups spaghetti sauce (try this recipe, or use your favorite)
2 cups ricotta cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8-ounce package cream cheese

1. In three 8 x 8 baking dishes, make layers in the following order: *
   -dry noodles
   -ricotta
   -mozzarella
   -spaghetti sauce
   -sprinkled Parmesan cheese
2. Pinch off nickel-sized pieces of cream cheese and distribute evenly just under the second layer of noodles. Repeat rest of layers. Make sure dry noodles are completely covered by sauce.
3. For the pan(s) you want to bake now, cover in foil and leave in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or overnight to allow the noodles to soften.
   
4. For the pans you want to eat later, wrap completely with foil, label, and freeze.
5. If applicable, thaw 24 hours in refrigerator. Bake tightly covered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until edges are bubbly and center is hot. Remove foil during final 10 minutes of cooking time. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
   

*You can use whatever combination of pans that works best for your family. For example, you might make a 9 x 13, an 8 x 8, and a small loaf pan. DON'T use a big pan if you can't eat it all. Instead, make several small pans and freeze without baking. The disposable tin foil pans work well, but you can even freeze the lasagna in regular metal pans as long as you can spare the pans for awhile.

You will be amazed how wonderful the frozen lasagna tastes. You can freeze it for months, yet it's every bit as good as baking it fresh. This is another great meal to give to new moms or families with sickness, etc. They'll love you forever. --Sarah

Italian Sausage Lasagna Sauce (Bulk Recipe)

2 pounds Italian sausage links, cut out of the casings
2 cups onions, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced (2 to 3 cloves)
12 cups of purchased spaghetti sauce
4 16-ounce cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes, cut up, undrained

1. Brown sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic in a large Dutch oven or stock pot; drain.
2. Add spaghetti sauce and stewed tomatoes. Simmer on low to medium heat for at least one hour (all day if possible). Stir occasionally.
   
3. Allow to cool. Set aside the amount needed for lasagna recipe and freeze the rest in freezer bags to use for quick spaghetti meals.

Makes 36 servings.

This is the best lasagna sauce I've tasted, and it's great for spaghetti, too.--Sarah

Poppy Seed Chicken and Yellow Rice

2 small packages yellow rice (with saffron), cooked as directed*
3 pounds chicken (mixed white and dark), cooked and cut in cubes
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces nonfat plain yogurt (not vanilla)
2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
1 stack Ritz crackers, crumbled
1 stick of butter, melted

1. Spray a 9 X 13 or two 8 X 8 pans with cooking spray and put cooked rice on the bottom.
   
2. Mix the chicken, soups, sour cream, yogurt, and poppy seeds and pour over the rice.
   
3. Sprinkle crackers over top and drizzle butter over all. *
   
4. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes or until bubbly. Remove cover for last 15 minutes of baking.
   

Because this recipe freezes well, I usually make it for all of my friends who are new moms. When I make it for our family, I prepare one small pan to cook and one or two more small tinfoil pans to freeze. An 8 X 8 pan needs about 1/2 or 2/3 a stack of crackers and 1/2 to 2/3 stick of butter.

*If cooking for the freezer, use about half the water and cook only until water is absorbed. Follow only steps 1-2 before freezing. Thaw for 24 hours in refrigerator, add crackers and butter, and bake. Baking time may be a good bit longer for a previously frozen casserole.

Mexi-Chicken

2 cups onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic (or more), minced or pressed
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups water
2 cups quick cooking barley*
2 (16-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes, undrained
2 (16-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 cups chicken broth
2 (16-ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
6 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (good with a mix of breasts and thighs)
2 packages taco seasoning
Optional toppings: grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, taco sauce

1. In a large Dutch oven, cook onion and garlic in oil until tender.
2. Add all ingredients except chicken.
   
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add cooked chicken and continue simmering for another 10 minutes, or until chicken is heated through and barley is tender.
   
5. Cool, spoon into freezer bags, label, and freeze.
   

To serve, thaw and heat in a skillet until hot. Serve over tortilla chips or in tortillas (burrito style) with cheese, sour cream, taco sauce and/or avocados. Makes about five large freezer bags, each enough to feed a family of four.

*If you use regular barley instead of quick barley, cook it ahead of time according to instructions on package.

When I eat this, it reminds me of mass cooking days in my friend Jenny's kitchen. It was fun to work together, but I've never been that exhausted in my life. We made so much of this that I didn't want to look at it after the first four times we had it. It's been several years, though, and when we ate it this week I thought it was wonderful.
--Sarah