Meow Recipes: September 2026

Guys! Welcome to our September Mini Freezer Stash!

I absolutely love how my life feels when I have stuff ready to go. Like a crockpot meal set for our busy ballet night, or wholesome homemade muffins to tuck in a lunchbox. Makes me feel like I’m just crushing it at life.

I really wanted this set to feel NOT overwhelming and actually useful.

This Mini Freezer Stash:

Takes less than one hour
Uses whole food ingredients
Has recipes that we *actually* want to eat.

The format couldn’t be easier – you basically assemble stuff in bags and freeze it!

And the recipes this month are some of the top-rated fall faves!

Pumpkin Muffins
Butter Chicken
Tortilla Soup
Ricotta Meatballs

If you want, you can get the cute little recipe cards sent to you (free) via email – the form is right here below. I like to print the cards out and attach them to the bags!

I hope you find this as helpful as it’s been for me!

1 Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffin held in hand with bite taken out.

Makes 16-18 muffins

Blend:

14-oz. can pumpkin puree
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Bake: 375° // 15-17 minutes

Freeze: Store muffins in an airtight container or bag in the freezer (or fridge). To reheat from frozen, microwave 45-60 seconds.

Things to Know:

I bake these in a muffin tin lined with avocado oil.

2 Butter Chicken

Serves 4

(the picture above shows meatballs – you can make this with meatballs or just chicken thighs as directed below!)

Freeze Together:

1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 tsp. garlic paste
2 tsp. ginger paste
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth

Cook With:

1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs

Crockpot: Low // 8 hours
Instant Pot: High // 16 minutes
Stovetop: Simmer // 30 minutes

Final Step: Remove chicken from the sauce and shred into large chunks. Puree the sauce (I use an immersion blender). Add ½ cup heavy cream and 2 tbsp. butter to the sauce. Add chicken back in. Serve with rice, naan, and cilantro.

Things to Know:

The chicken is listed separately to make it safe for crockpot cooking. You add the frozen portion above, plus a package of chicken thighs, to the crockpot (or whatever method you’re using).
Chicken breasts also work.
I thaw this by running the bag under warm water for a few minutes and breaking the mixture into chunks.

3 Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves 6

Freeze Together:

1 red onion, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
2 tsp. garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. salt
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

Cook With:

1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 cups chicken broth

Crockpot: Low // 8 hours
Instant Pot: High // 16 minutes
Stovetop: Simmer // 30 minutes

Final Step: Shred chicken. Add a 14-oz. can drained and rinsed pinto beans. Serve with tortilla strips, lime wedges, and sour cream!

Things To Know:

Chicken is listed separately to make it safe for crockpot cooking. You add the frozen portion above, plus a package of chicken thighs and the broth, to the crockpot (or whatever method you’re using).
Chicken breasts will also work.
I thaw this by running the bag under warm water for a few minutes and breaking the mixture into chunks.

4 Ricotta Meatballs

Serves 4-5

Mix, Roll, and Freeze:

Freeze on parchment-lined pan; divide into two bags

2 lb. ground turkey
1 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup panko
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Instructions for one bag:

Bake: 400° // 30 minutes

Final Step: After baking, add 32-oz. of marinara sauce like Rao’s. Bake for 10 mins to warm. Mix 1/4 cup panko, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 2 tsp. olive oil, and parsley, sprinkle on meatballs, and broil until golden and crispy. Serve with pasta or garlic bread and a salad!

Things to Know:

Freeze the meatballs on a parchment lined pan so they won’t stick together. Once frozen, transfer to a bag (or two).
I bake these in a shallow Dutch oven or cast iron pan with a bit of oil. Then I can add the sauce directly to that same pan.
The crispies on top are optional but make it more fun to eat!

If you love this mini freezer stash and want even more freezer meal life-savers, you can get a full packet of 22 dinner recipes right here!

The post Mini Freezer Stash #1 appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

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Peanut chicken on a plate with rice and slaw.

This Is Exactly What I Want To Be Eating, ALl The Time.

I made this for dinner when my brother came to visit, and by the end of his visit three days later, I had already made it again because we all loved it so much.

Can this just be dinner for the next three weeks? the next month? the next year? Peanut chicken, coconut rice, and ginger slaw is truly a match made in heaven.

In the bowl:

thin strips of chicken, coated generously in the Trader Joe’s peanut satay sauce
rich, steamy coconut rice
a punchy ginger slaw with purple cabbage and thinly sliced shallot
cilantro and crispy shallots to top it off

The ginger slaw in particular – MORE OF THAT PLEASE. I could eat that on / with / around everything. It’s bright and zingy with a sassy little gingery bite.

And the freshness of the vibrant slaw against the richness of the peanut chicken and coconut rice – ugh. I love it so much.

Peanut chicken with rice and slaw on a plate.

I use the Trader Joe’s peanut satay sauce for this (same stuff I used on this recipe)! But if you don’t have access to Trader Joe’s, a homemade peanut satay sauce like this one will work! I think they’ve recently changed the sauce just slightly – it used to be pretty thick, but my last few batches have been smooth and drizzle-able right out of the jar!

Hope you guys love this combo as much as I do.

How To Make This Peanut Chicken with Ginger Slaw (In Pictures!)

1 Slice and Sauce the Chicken.

The marinating time is minimal; I just let it sit in the sauce for a bit while I prep everything else.

2 Shred the shallots and cabbage.

I use a mandoline for this! You could skip the shallots and use a store-bought purple slaw – I do love the thinly sliced shallots in there, though!

3 Toss the Slaw.

I often use my hands – it’ll be juicy and so fragrant, crunchy-tender, and just so yummy.

4 Cook the Chicken.

Use a good nonstick skillet for this, with a bit of avocado oil! Air frying also works. The chicken cooks fast!

5 You’re Done! Yum!

The coconut rice and chicken on the bottom, and a scoop of the slaw on top. YUM.

If you’re short on time and looking to make even easier:

Use frozen precooked rice instead of making the coconut rice.
Use pre-shredded purple cabbage and skip the shallot for the slaw.

Peanut Chicken with Ginger Slaw

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Author: Lindsay
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Description

Coconut rice, bright ginger slaw, and a quick peanut chicken using Trader Joe’s peanut satay sauce!

Ingredients

Units

Peanut Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Trader Joe’s Peanut Satay Sauce (more for serving)
1 clove garlic, grated (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon avocado oil

Ginger Slaw

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
4–5 cups shredded purple cabbage, very thinly sliced on a mandoline (about half of a head of cabbage)
1 shallot, very thinly sliced on a mandoline (optional, but I like it in there!)

Coconut Rice

2 cups jasmine rice
1 14–ounce can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prep Chicken: Mix the chicken with peanut sauce, garlic, and salt. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
Coconut Rice: Rinse the rice under cold running water. Add to a saucepan with water, coconut milk, and salt; bring to a low simmer. Cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove lid; fluff rice with a fork.
Ginger Slaw: Stir the vinegar, sugar, ginger, and salt together in a large bowl. Add shredded cabbage and shallots; massage with your hands for a few minutes to tenderize the cabbage.
Cook Chicken: Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and stir fry, moving around in the pan to prevent burning, for a few minutes until fully cooked.
Serve: Place the coconut rice in a bowl, top with peanut chicken, and pile that slaw on top. Spoon extra peanut sauce over the chicken. Add cilantro, crispy shallots, and/or chili crisp to finish it off!