These make ahead freezer meals are easy to prepare, quick and delicious! Plus, FREE printable freezer labels for easy organizing!
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Make Ahead Freezer Meals
Freezer meals are always a huge life saver on hectic days. That’s why I love to meal prep a couple of them over the weekends to have on hand for busy weeknights. So convenient!
Freezer meals are so nice to have on hand for when you have a busy week ahead! Prep them on a weekend when you don’t have plans and you’ll be set for busy days where dinner seems impossible.
Making a freezer meal is also a great way to serve a new mom or someone in need. I’ve realized sometimes people have a hard time accepting help (me included), so it’s an easy thing to drop by and they can use whenever it’s needed.
Storing Freezer Meals
- Zip top freezer bags
- Aluminum foil
- Aluminum pans with lids
- Glass baking dish with lid
- Pyrex glass containers
- Leakproof glass storage set
- Baggy rack holder
FREE Printable Freezer Meal Labels
I absolutely LOVE these printable freezer meal labels! They are so easy to print out and stick on top of a zip top freezer bag. That way you can easily remember cooking instructions and the date you made the recipe. HERE are the labels that work best.
Italian Pasta Recipes that Freeze Well
Baked Ziti Recipe
This easy baked ziti is a comforting, crowd-pleasing Italian-American dish made with ziti pasta, marinara, cheese and beef then baked until bubbly.
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Baked Spaghetti
This baked spaghetti is a hearty and comforting baked pasta dish! Made with a delicious meat sauce and cheesy, creamy noodles it's then oven-baked until hot and golden.
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Baked Beef Ravioli
This baked beef ravioli is the perfect family friendly dinner any night of the week! Makes a great freezer meal and can be easily made in bulk. So cheesy, beefy and delicious!
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Caprese Pasta Bake
A delicious caprese pasta bake covered in creamy tomato sauce and bubbly mozzarella. This easy 30-minute meal is the perfect way to use up fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Turkey Tetrazzini recipe
This easy turkey tetrazzini is the best way to use leftover holiday turkey! It's a creamy, cheesy flavorful pasta casserole dish that comes together with simple ingredients.
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Lasagna Roll Ups
Tender lasagna noodles filled with a creamy ricotta cheese filling and a flavorful meat sauce. These lasagna roll ups are an easy dinner idea that your family will request again and again.
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
These ricotta stuffed shells are made with three different cheeses and marinara sauce! Stuffed pasta shells are a hearty recipe that is a comforting family favorite for weeknights or holidays!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Best Lasagna Recipe
This easy lasagna recipe is the best with layers of hearty meat sauce, ricotta and plenty of cheese. Homemade lasagna is a classic, feeds a crowd and is so delicious!
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Easy Meatball Recipe
These are the best oven baked meatballs! So easy to make, juicy and flavorful. They’re perfect for appetizers, meatballs subs or on top of spaghetti.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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White Chicken Lasagna
This white chicken lasagna with pesto is layered with a creamy white sauce, chicken, spinach and melty cheese then baked until golden and bubbly. It's the perfect spin on a classic dinner recipe that the whole family will love!
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
This easy homemade spaghetti sauce is a flavorful family favorite that uses pantry staples and is ready in under in an hour.
Total Time: 50 minutes
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Mexican Freezer Meals
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
These green chile chicken enchiladas are creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. This Mexican food recipe is a family favorite for weeknight meals!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Taco Meat Recipe
Make flavorful taco meat in just 15 minutes with this easy 4 ingredient recipe that includes ground beef, onion, homemade taco seasoning and salsa. A ground beef taco is a classic dinner favorite!
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
This easy chicken enchilada casserole is a simple Mexican layered dish that is made with only 5 ingredients! It's perfect for busy weeknights and can be made ahead, too!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Chicken Taquitos
These homemade baked chicken taquitos are easy to make with a creamy, cheesy chicken filling, rolled up in flour tortillas then baked until crispy. They are a family favorite!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Mexican Stuffed Shells
These Mexican stuffed shells are filled with a taco seasoned cheesy beef mixture and topped with enchilada sauce! This hearty meal is packed with flavor and a family favorite.
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Mexican Chicken Casserole
This Mexican chicken casserole is easy to make with a creamy shredded chicken mixture, rice, beans, tortilla chips and gooey cheese. It's perfect for weeknights!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Mexican Lasagna
Easy Mexican lasagna with layers of tortillas, taco seasoned ground beef, beans, melted cheese and corn. This casserole is a family favorite that is full of savory flavor!
Total Time: 50 minutes
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Beef Enchilada Recipe
These beef enchiladas are a crowd-pleasing Mexican dinner favorite. They are loaded with seasoned ground beef and cheese, covered in sauce and on your table in an hour!
Total Time: 1 hour
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Chicken Enchiladas
These creamy chicken enchiladas are easy to make and have a creamy cream cheese and shredded chicken filling! They are a favorite for weeknight dinners.
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Chicken Stuffed Peppers
Chicken stuffed peppers made with 5 simple ingredients in just 30 minutes! A flavorful family-favorite that's perfect for busy weeknights!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Chicken Burritos
Crispy flour tortillas filled with shredded honey lime chicken, cilantro lime rice, pinto beans and melted cheese. Then topped with a creamy salsa verde sauce. This chicken burrito recipe is an easy authentic Mexican dish that you'll reach for again and again.
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Make Ahead Casseroles
Swedish Meatball Recipe
Moist and tender Swedish meatballs covered in a creamy gravy sauce. These flavorful meatballs make a delicious weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
Total Time: 50 minutes
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Chicken Broccoli Casserole Recipe
An easy dinner idea that is the perfect "all in one" meal that's great for busy weeknights. This chicken broccoli casserole is a staple dish at our house!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Shepherd’s Pie
This easy shepherd's pie is a quick twist on the classic recipe that's hearty, comforting and delicious! Makes a great weeknight dish that will become an instant favorite!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
This homemade chicken pot pie is the best comfort food! With a flaky pie crust, tender chicken, savory vegetables and an easy creamy sauce.
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Meatloaf Recipe
This easy meatloaf recipe is tender, juicy and topped with a sweet glaze. Simple to make and ready in less than an hour!
Total Time: 55 minutes
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Turkey Meatball Recipe
These healthy turkey meatballs are moist and packed with flavor from dried herbs and Parmesan cheese! Easy to make then baked until golden brown, they are a family favorite.
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Turkey Pot Pie
This turkey pot pie is made with a classic creamy turkey and veggie filling baked inside a flaky pie crust. It's the best way to use Thanksgiving turkey dinner leftovers!
Total Time: 1 hour
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Meatloaf Muffins
Mini meatloaf muffins are easy to make with juicy, tender results. All the classic flavor of the original but in a bite sized mini meatloaf recipe that's ready in 30 minutes.!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Porcupine Meatballs
These easy porcupine meatballs are made with a delicious mixture of ground beef and rice cooked in a creamy tomato sauce. Tender, moist and super flavorful!
Total Time: 55 minutes
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Soups that Freeze Well
Taco Soup Recipe
This easy taco soup recipe is full of hearty Mexican flavor! It's a one-pot meal made on the stovetop, crockpot or Instant Pot with ground beef, corn, beans and seasonings.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
This hearty vegetable soup is packed with tender beef and veggies simmered in a flavorful broth. It's a simple and nourishing soup recipe ready in an under an hour!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Chicken Pot Pie Soup
This chicken pot pie soup is creamy, hearty and super delicious with simple ingredients. It has all the flavors of chicken pot pie but is easy to make in one pot and no crust!
Total Time: 50 minutes
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Healthy Turkey Chili
This healthy turkey chili recipe is easy, hearty and flavorful made with lean ground turkey, veggies and beans. A cozy meal made on the stovetop or slow cooker.
Total Time: 1 hour
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Easy One-Pot Minestrone Soup
A hearty minestrone soup made in one pot and packed full of fresh veggies. This Italian inspired soup is ready in just 30 minutes making it perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Hamburger Soup
Hearty and satisfying this easy hamburger soup is made with ground beef, vegetables, potatoes and diced tomatoes in a savory flavorful broth! It's perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Ham and Bean Soup
Easy ham and bean soup recipe with canned beans is made with pantry staples in 30 minutes on the stovetop with white beans, leftover holiday ham, carrots and onions.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Chicken Taco Soup
Easy chicken taco soup made with chicken, tomatoes, corn and beans and ready in only 30 minutes. This is our favorite hearty soup recipe full of southwest flavors!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Best Homemade Chili Recipe
This is the best homemade chili recipe filled with hearty beef, beans and lots of chili seasoning! This classic chili is made in one pot in under an hour, making dinner a breeze.
Total Time: 1 hour
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Crockpot Cabbage Soup
This crockpot cabbage soup is not only delicious and flavorful but chock full of vegetables with lots of fiber and is very satisfying. All you need to do is dump everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you!
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
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Chicken Vegetable Soup
This chicken vegetable soup is a simple yet hearty recipe that is easy to make in the slow cooker! Made with chicken breasts, vegetables, a flavorful broth and seasonings, it's comfort food in a bowl.
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Instant Pot and Crockpot Freezer Meals
Instant Pot Kalua Pork
Perfectly tender and juicy instant pot kalua pork with the best smoky Hawaiian flavor. So easy to make with only 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep!
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is one of my favorite crockpot chicken recipes that's quick, flavorful and absolutely delicious. It comes out perfectly tender every time!
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
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Crockpot Shredded Chicken Recipe
Easy shredded chicken made in the crockpot or instant pot. One of the most simple, versatile and tasty recipes out there. Perfect to put on salads, tacos, nachos…you name it!
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Shredded Beef Tacos
These shredded beef tacos are flavor-packed and easy to make with a roast and a few Mexican pantry staples. Slow cook until tender, then just shred and pile into a tortilla!
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
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BBQ Pulled Chicken
This crockpot BBQ chicken is only 3 ingredients and 5 minutes prep! Tender, flavorful and juicy shredded BBQ chicken that's perfect for sandwiches, salads, tacos, pizza and more.
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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Ranch Chicken Tacos
These ranch chicken tacos are made with slow cooked shredded chicken and an irresistible combination of taco seasoning and ranch seasoning!
Total Time: 6 hours
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Salsa Chicken Recipe
Dinner is easy with this crockpot salsa chicken that is made with only 2 ingredients! Chicken is slow cooked in salsa until tender and perfect to use in tacos, burritos or bowls.
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe
The easiest salsa verde chicken made in the crockpot or Instant Pot. Use the flavorful, tender and juicy meat in tacos, tostadas, enchiladas or bowls!
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
Easy instant pot buffalo chicken made in 30 quick minutes! Perfectly tender, juicy and packs a punch of tangy buffalo flavor. Use it to make salads, wraps, pizza, tacos and more.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
This Instant Pot teriyaki chicken is made with tender chicken coated in a thick, sweet, and sour sticky sauce. My family loves this easy pressure cooker dinner served over rice!
Total Time: 27 minutes
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Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
This easy crock pot teriyaki chicken is a family favorite with only 5 minutes prep. A homemade teriyaki sauce slow cooks with chicken breasts for a flavorful weeknight meal.
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
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Pulled Pork Recipe
This easy BBQ pulled pork takes just 5 minutes to prep with 5 simple ingredients. It's perfectly juicy and tender, with delicious BBQ flavor. Make it in the crockpot OR instant pot!
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Breakfast Freezer Meals
Breakfast Burrito
These breakfast burritos are easy to make with eggs, cheese, bacon and potatoes in a tortilla. They are the best make-ahead breakfast or enjoy anytime of the day!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Breakfast Cookies
No-bake and easy to make in one bowl, these breakfast cookies are naturally sweetened, gluten-free and delicious! The perfect healthy on-the-go breakfast or snack.
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Mini Egg Frittatas
These mini egg frittatas are made in a muffin tin for a delicious make-ahead breakfast. Full of protein and veggies, they can be customized, too!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Buttermilk Pancake Recipe
These are the absolute BEST buttermilk pancakes! Perfectly soft, fluffy and moist. Taste amazing topped with butter, syrup and fresh berries!
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Breakfast Yogurt Popsicle Recipe
Popsicles for breakfast! Yes, you heard right. These easy breakfast yogurt popsicles are not only delicious but are also packed with summer fruits and topped with a crunchy granola.
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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Baked Oatmeal Recipe
This blueberry baked oatmeal is a healthy and delicious make-ahead breakfast made with oats, blueberries and sweetened with brown sugar. Cozy, customizable and filling!
Total Time: 25 minutes
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Easy Muffin Recipe
Made with only a few ingredients and use just one bowl and spoon! Once you make this easy muffin recipe, it'll become your new favorite easy breakfast!
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Overnight Breakfast Casserole
This overnight breakfast casserole with sausage, eggs, potatoes and cheese is easy to assemble the night before and bake in the morning! Perfect for a holiday breakfast.
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Belgian Waffles
Perfectly crispy, soft, light and fluffy Belgian waffles. Made with common pantry staples and ready in just 20 minutes!
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Egg White Muffins Recipe
Easy egg white muffins recipe that make the perfect healthy on-the-go breakfast. They're high in protein, low in fat, and freezer friendly!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Make Ahead Snacks
Almond Joy Energy Bites
These almond joy no-bake energy bites are the perfect pre-workout fuel, afternoon snack or late night treat. Much healthier than an almond joy and SO tasty!
Total Time: 25 minutes
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Banana Bread Muffins
These easy banana bread muffins are the best for breakfast or an afternoon snack! Made in one bowl in 30 minutes they will be your go-to recipe for soft and moist muffins.
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Lemon Coconut Energy Balls
Lemon coconut energy balls are a healthy, guilt-free, no bake snack with dates, nuts, coconut, chia seeds and lemon juice. No refined sugar plus paleo and Whole30 approved!
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Yogurt Bites
These frozen berry yogurt bites are easy to make with only two ingredients, yogurt and fruit! A simple frozen kid-friendly snack that is healthy and refreshing.
Total Time: 5 minutes
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Energy Balls Recipe
This 5 ingredient energy balls recipe is the perfect no bake breakfast or portable snack loaded with good for you ingredients. Made in one bowl in only 5 minutes!
Total Time: 10 minutes
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Homemade Granola Bars
These homemade granola bars are soft, chewy and easy to make with only 5 ingredients! A simple no-bake healthy snack that is so much better than store-bought.
Total Time: 50 minutes
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
These chocolate peanut butter protein balls taste like no bake cookies but healthier! These make the perfect pre-work out snack, breakfast or dessert!
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Kodiak Cakes Protein Balls
These easy Kodiak Cakes protein balls take just 6 ingredients and 10 minutes to make. Packed full of protein, fiber and healthy fats. The perfect grab-and-go snack idea that will keep you fuller for longer!
Total Time: 10 minutes
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More Recipes to Try
Categorized as: Crockpot, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Freezer-Friendly, Recipe Roundup
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Where are the printable labels? I only see a link to buy the labels.
Here’s the link to the download: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cookie-mix-printable.jpg
Love everyone of this freezer ideas. I need to pre make more meals and freeze.
I love having all these laid out!! Freezer meals are the best!! Thanks for sharing!
These are so great! It’s always good to have a couple of meals on hand as we get busy with school and activities starting.
So many great freezer meals! Definitely pinning this so I can use it all year long.
Thanks you for so many wonderful recipes!! and I LOVE the labels too!!