Freezer-ready food

This week was stressful at work. I tend to eat a lot of crap because it's what I crave, and I simply don't have time to pack a lunch.

Fall is quickly turning into winter, and what better than some yummy soups to warm me up. I wanted some that I could freeze and bring to school this week. I found two recipes that have several overlapping ingredients, as to save a bit of money, but each features a very different taste.



FREEZER-READY BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

2 medium onions chopped
4 carrots chopped
4 celery stocks chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
2.5 lbs. beef chuck
1/2 cup flour
2 14.5 oz. cans beef broth
3 large russet potatoes
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 T. tomato paste
1 bunch parsley
1 sprig thyme
4 T. butter
2 T. red wine

Coat beef chunks in flour, salt and pepper well. Heat 2 T. butter over medium heat, add beef and cook thoroughly.

In separate skillet, heat 2 T. butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until tender. Add mixture to beef. Add beef stock, tomato paste, potatoes and tomatoes.

With kitchen string, bind parsley and thyme. Add to stew. Add wine.

Cook for 1.5 hours. Remove herb bunch.

Let cool overnight in fridge. Skim off fat and divide eight servings into microwave-safe plastic containers.


FREEZER-READY MINESTRONE
(adapted from a recipe by Giada deLaurentiis)

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 celery stocks chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 large russet potato, cubed
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes
2 T. parsley finely chopped
2 14.5 oz. cans of Cannellini beans
1 14.5 oz. can of chickpeas
2 14.5 oz. cans beef broth
1 cup pasta shells

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. In a food processor, mix 1 can of Cannellini beans with 1 can of broth.

Add bean/broth mix to onion mixture. Add second can of broth. Bring to soft boil.

Boil pasta shells just until tender, add to soup. Add potatoes, cook until tender.

Add second can of Cannellini beans, chickpeas and parsley. Cook until beans are heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Let soup cool, divide into six single servings in microwave-safe plastic containers.

Freeze, thaw and eat as needed!