10 Cozy Recipes to Make This Winter (That Also Freeze Well)

Wintertime for isn’t always marked by snow and cold weather.  As a military family, winter has looked like afternoons at the beach, dreary Seattle weather, light snow mixed covering the desert and a foot of Midwestern snow.

I have to be intentional about marking this season.

In our home, wintertime means a slower pace to our afternoons and evenings.  Fewer out-of-the-home activities, late afternoons gathered around a game or art project.  And cozier meals.  While our days are slower, I find that I have less time in the kitchen most days.  And I don’t know about you but winter recipes are so much more involved than our summer grill recipes! So freezer meals are a must!

Are you new to cooking for the freezer?  Check out my top tools for the freezer.

Tips for Freezer Cooking

1. Don’t be afraid to freeze in glass.  Just make sure your glass is freezer safe.  I use these wide-mouth glass Mason jars.  The pint-sized straight neck ones are the perfect size for a meal-size portion of spaghetti sauce for our family.  I also use them for stock, soups, enchilada sauce, etc. The smaller, 1-cup size are great for individual servings of soup.

2. There’s nothing magical about most freezer recipes.  Do you have a tried-and-true similar to one marketed as a freezer meal?  Check their instructions for freezing and then use your own favorite recipe.

3. Broth-based soups generally freeze well, cream-based ones do not.  If a soup calls for pasta or rice, add it when you are warming the soup to serve, not prior to freezing.

10 Recipes to Make This Winter (and Freeze!)

Better than Chipotle’s Beef Barbacoa from Serious Eats
{Combine ingredients & freeze, thaw overnight & cook.  OR Cook, shred, cool & freeze in meal-size portions.}

Chicken Enchilada Soup from Skinny Taste
{Cook, cool and freeze in meal-size portions.}

Chicken Tinga from Mexico in my Kitchen
{Combine ingredients & freeze, thaw overnight & cook.  OR Cook, shred, cool & freeze in meal-size portions.}

Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin from Thriving Home
{Combine ingredients & freeze, thaw overnight & cook.}

Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce from Skinny Taste
{Cook, cool and freeze in meal-size portions.}

Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini from Allrecipes
{Cook through step 2, cool.  When it’s time to serve, thaw and then add the zucchini & tortellini beginning in step 3.}

Mississippi Roast from New York Times (and your’s truly)
{Combine ingredients & freeze, thaw overnight & cook.  OR Cook, cool & freeze in meal-size portions.}

Sloppy Joes from Allrecipes
{Cook meat, combine ingredients & freeze, thaw overnight & cook.  OR Cook completely, cool & freeze in meal-size portions.} 

Slow-Cooker Texas Pulled Pork from Allrecipes
{Combine ingredients & freeze, thaw overnight & cook.  OR Cook, shred, cool & freeze in meal-size portions.} 

Sweet & Spicy Asian Chicken Bowls from Awe-Filled Homemaker
{Freezer directions are listed in the recipe.}