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Busy? Tired? Make your own TV dinners ahead of time

Here are four easy recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights
/ Source: TODAY

When you have a doozy of a day, wouldn't it be nice to have a TV dinner at the ready that doesn't feel — you know — like a TV dinner? Here, Lucinda Scala Quinn shows how to prepare and freeze wholesome, nutritious meals for yourself and your kids. Here are her tips and recipes:

The make-ahead plan

  1. Get containers, tape, a pen (for noting date), and pans ready.
  2. Start baking cobbler.
  3. Start sautéing onions for gravy.
  4. While cobbler and onions cook, make potato-and-carrot mash.
  5. Prepare creamed spinach.
  6. Assemble and cook patties, then gravy.
  7. Let cool, then divide among sealable containers (if reheating in oven, place cobbler in separate glass dishes).
  8. Freeze for up to two months. To rewarm, microwave with cover open on high for 9 to 10 minutes or in a 350-degree oven, covered with foil, for 1 hour (cobbler for 45 minutes).

Magic portion

If you plan to reheat the meal in the oven as opposed to the microwave, portion out the cobbler into separate small ovenproof glass containers, and divide the meat, spinach and potatoes equally among larger ones.