The same friend that sent me the link to the 365 crockpot recipes also included the recipes and assembly directions for how to make "10 casseroles in 3 hours". That might be a little deceiving because it's actually only 5 different recipes, but they make double portions. Anyway, I thought I would pass this information on to you all, just in case you might have a free afternoon to make all of these. Apparently they freeze and re-heat very well.

"10 Casseroles in 3 Hours": freezer meals recipes, directions, and shopping list

These casseroles are "nothing special" but if you have several hours and are on a mission to save/freeze some meals, it really works. The canned chicken is the biggest time saver (and most expensive item) here, but you can cook two chickens and chop up the meat if you want to save some money. Even with the canned chicken, it comes out to about $1.25 per serving. The recipes make 8x8-size pan casseroles, or you can combine them to make a large 9x13 pan (but the 8x8 size will feed a family of 4). Four of them are layered casseroles, so you need to put them in a dish, but the others you can freeze and thaw in a bag and then pour them into the dish before baking. I serve veggies on the side with these casseroles, but you can add them into the casseroles if you like.

Tips to get started: have everything you need on the counter, chop all the onions at once and place them in prep bowls, brown the meat in two batches, and taste the mixtures to adjust your seasonings! I recommend working on the two beef casseroles at the same time and finishing them before starting on the chicken casseroles. Also, don't forget to label your casseroles with name of casserole, date you made them and instructions for cooking before you freeze them.

Baked Pasta
Mexican Lasagna
Chicken Noodle Casserole
King Ranch Chicken
Chicken and Rice

Baked Pasta (makes 2 8x8 pans):
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
12 oz. medium shell pasta
1 large jar pasta sauce
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Garlic, oregano, and basil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Mexican Lasagna (makes 2 8x8 pans):
1 1/2 lbs. Ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1/2 packet low sodium taco seasoning
1 Can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can corn
16 Corn tortillas
2 Jars salsa
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

Chicken Noodle Casserole (makes 2 8x8 pans):
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 8 oz. package wide egg noodles (not extra wide)
1 cup onion, chopped (optional)
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. butter
Paprika, salt and pepper to taste
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

King Ranch Chicken Casserole (makes 2 8x8 pans)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
16 corn tortillas, broken into pieces (or you can substitute flour tortillas, use 6-8 large burrito size)
1 onion, chopped
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cans mild Rotel, drained
Garlic powder, cumin, chili powder to taste
2 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Chicken and Rice Casserole (makes 2 8x8 pans)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup chopped onion
1 can condensed Chicken Noodle Soup
1 can chicken broth
2 cups rice (not converted rice)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (or use cream of chicken)
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra butter to taste

Directions for Assembly:
Baked pasta:
Start by cooking the pasta shells in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain.
In a large skillet, brown ground beef and cook with onion. Drain excess fat.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Divide into two large gallon freezer Ziploc bags and label the outside. Cover each with another Ziploc bag.

Mexican lasagna:
In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion (and bell pepper if using). Drain fat. Add taco seasoning and about ½ cup of water. Simmer until the water is absorbed into the sauce. Mix in beans and corn.
In two greased 8x8 pans, layer the bottom with corn tortillas (four in each). Layer on top of that ¼ of meat/bean mixture (in each pan), 2/3 cup of salsa (in each pan), and ½ cup cheese (in each pan). Repeat layers, ending with cheese. Cover tightly with two layers of aluminum foil and label.

Chicken Noodle Casserole:
Cook egg noodles in water. Drain and stir in butter into the noodles.
Microwave chopped onions for 1 minute or until soft.
Mix together in a large bowl chicken, soup, onions, paprika, milk, salt and pepper to taste.
Mix in noodles. Divide mixture into two large Ziploc bags, label them, and double-bag them for the freezer. Don’t use Ritz crackers until you are ready to bake.

King Ranch Casserole:
Cook chopped onion in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute or until soft.
In a large bowl, mix together soup, Rotel, onion, and seasonings. In two 8 x8 pans, layer chicken on the bottom, top with tortilla pieces, then soup mixture, then cheese. Repeat layers. Cover tightly with two layers of aluminum foil and label.

Chicken and Rice Casserole:
In 2-cup measuring cup, drain all the liquid from the Chicken Noodle soup into the cup. Add enough chicken broth to make two cups, pour into pot for cooking rice. Add another two cups of broth/water (and butter to taste) and bring to a boil (You need FOUR total cups of liquid to cook two cups of rice). Add rice , bring to boil, and lower to a simmer to cook rice for twenty minutes at low heat. Don't overcook the rice.
Cook chopped onion in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute or until soft.
In a large bowl, combine soup, milk, seasonings, onion, chicken, and cooked rice. Divide mixture into two large Ziploc bags, label, and double-bag them for the freezer.

Baking directions:
Baked pasta: once fully thawed, pour into your 8x8 pan and bake at 375 covered for 40 minutes or so. Remove cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Mexican lasagna:
Thaw completely, bake covered at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes or longer until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Noodle Casserole:
Thaw completely. Pour into 8x8 pan. Crush ½ sleeve of Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top of mixture. Bake, covered, at 350 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly around edges.

King Ranch Casserole:
Thaw completely. Bake at 325 uncovered for 45-60 minutes.

Chicken and Rice Casserole:
Thaw completely. Pour into 8x8 pan. Bake covered at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

Shopping list:
4 8x8 pans
12 gallon freezer Ziploc bags
3 ½ lb. package ground beef
2 large (50 oz.) cans cooked diced chicken breast
3 large onions
1 green bell pepper, optional
1 16 oz. box pasta shells
1 8 oz. bag egg noodles
Rice
1 large package corn tortillas
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
1 large jar pasta sauce
2 jars salsa
2 cans mild Rotel
4 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed chicken noodle soup
1 can chicken broth
1 can pinto beans
1 small can corn
1 1-lb. bag of shredded Mexican cheese
1 8-oz. bag of shredded cheddar cheese
Ritz crackers
Seasonings, butter, milk