I had one of those days not once, but twice last week ... you know what I mean, I’m sure.

My day started at 5:30 a.m., right on schedule with my walk, coffee, newspaper, breakfast, morning chores and shower. Then we hit the road at 8 a.m. for a long day of appointments in southern Maine for my mom.

We limped up the turnpike at 5 p.m. with our sights set on getting home and putting our feet up for a bit. But then there was mail to sort through, hanging pots to water, phone messages to answer, laundry to rescue from the dryer, and then oops, we’re hungry!

I headed straight for the freezer and with very little effort, we were enjoying a homemade dinner in jig time.

This week’s recipes are some ideas of what to keep stashed in your freezer for those long days when you’re just too tired to cook and pizza, fast food or takeout just doesn’t cut the mustard.

Most casseroles (if wrapped tightly) will keep three months in a home freezer and still taste just as good as the day you made them. Freezing and baking instructions are included with each recipe.

Chicken pot pie

Vary the veggies to suit your family.

• 2 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup (2 sticks butter), cubed
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1-3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken (visit the delicatessen!)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 pkgs. (14.1 oz. each) refrigerated pie pastry (or home made)

Cook potatoes and carrots in boiling water until crisp tender; drain. Heat butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour, salt, thyme, pepper; gradually whisk in broth and milk. Bring to a boil and cook 2-3, whisking constantly, or until thickened. Remove pan from heat and stir in chicken, peas, corn and potato mixture.

Fit pastry into each of two 9-inch pie plates; flute edges. Divide chicken mixture between both pie plates. Place remaining pastry over fillings; trim, seal and flute edges. Cut a few slits in top and place pies in a preheated 425 F oven. (Put on baking sheet to catch any spills.) Bake 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 2 pies, 8 servings each.

FREEZE: Wrap unbaked pie tightly with plastic wrap and place in a freezer zippy bag. To bake: Remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Place pie on baking sheet and cover edges loosely with foil. Bake in a preheated 425 F oven 30 minutes. Reduce oven 350 F; bake for about 70 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown and pie is hot and bubbly.

Chicken enchiladas

Burrito sized tortillas are really quite large; I usually use taco size tortillas for a smaller portion and get about 24 using this size.

• 1 box (6.8-oz.) Spanish rice mix
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (15.5-oz.) pinto beans, drained
• 1 can (4.25 oz.) whole chiles, drained and chopped
• 2 blocks (8-oz each) Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, shredded, divided use
• 1 block (8-oz.) Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 16 burrito-size flour tortillas
• 1 can (19-oz.) enchilada sauce

Prepare Spanish rice according to package directions. Remove pan from heat and immediately add onion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, coriander salt and cream cheese; mix well; cover and let stand 5 minutes so cream cheese can melt. Stir until mixture is well combined. Add pinto beans, chiles, 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, Colby-Jack cheese, and chicken. Mix well. Spoon about 1/2 cup filling into center of each tortilla; roll up tortilla tightly. (To freeze, stop at this point and see directions below.)

Place enchiladas, seam side down, in a single layer in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish coated with non-stick spray. Top with enchilada sauce and sprinkle evenly with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Yield: 16 enchiladas

FREEZE: Prepare enchiladas to the point indicated above. Place in a single layer in freezer zippy bags and store in freezer. To use, place enchiladas in a casserole dish coated with non-stick spray, top with enchilada sauce and cheese and bake as directed adding about 10 minutes extra baking time.

Beef taco lasagna

This recipe requires a little planning as it has to thaw in the fridge for 8 hours.

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 2 envelopes (1.25 oz. each) taco seasoning
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 cartons (15 oz. each) part skim ricotta cheese
• 24 no-boil lasagna noodles, soaked in hot tap water for 5 minutes, drained and patted dry
• 8 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 jars (24 oz. each) chunky salsa (mild, medium or hot)

Cook beef in a large skillet set over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy and then add ricotta cheese.

In each of two 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dishes coated with non stick spray, lay­er four noodles, 3/4 cup ricotta mixture, half of the beef mixture and 1-1/3 cups cheddar cheese. Top each with four noodles, 3/4 cup ricotta mixture, 1-1/2 cups salsa and 1-1/3 cups cheese. Repeat.

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Bake the second casserole, uncovered, at 350 F for 35-­40 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 2 casseroles (8 servings each).

FREEZE: Cover casserole tightly with plastic wrap and overwrap with foil. To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator for 8 hours. Remove wrappings and bake as directed.

Lasagna primavera

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for foil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups whole milk
• 2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 package (10 oz.) frozen peas
• 1/2 lb. carrots (4 to 5), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 container (15 oz.) part-skim ricotta (about 2 cups)
• 1 large egg
• 1 package (9 oz.) no-boil lasagna noodles (12 to 16 noodles)
• 1 lb. part-skim mozzarella, shredded
• 1 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium; add flour and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let flour mixture darken); whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach, peas, and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

In the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of vegetable sauce. Layer 1/4 noodles, half the remaining vegetable sauce, another 1/4 noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan; repeat. (To freeze, stop at this point and see directions below.)

Cover dish with lightly oiled aluminum foil, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes, uncover, and bake until bubbling and browned, about 20 minutes more. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

TO FREEZE: Prepare through the point indicated above. Cover lasagna tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil; freeze up to 3 months.

TO BAKE FROM FROZEN: Remove plastic wrap; cover baking dish with lightly oiled aluminum foil, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400 F for 11/2 hours. Remove foil, and bake until bubbling and browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Turkey meat loaf

For the loaf:

• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 5 Tbsp. reduced sodium chicken stock
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. spicy mustard
• 1/3 cup diced roasted red peppers
• 2-1/2 lbs. ground turkey breast
• 3/4 cup unseasoned panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Few drops hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)

To prepare the turkey loaf: Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until tender but not brown. Remove pan from heat; stir in Worcestershire, chicken stock, tomato paste and mustard. Mix well. Add roasted red peppers and stir again. Let cool to room temperature.

Place turkey in a large bowl; add bread crumbs, eggs and cooled onion mixture and mix gently until well combined. Shape into a rectangular loaf on rimmed sheet pan and bake in a preheated 325 F oven for 1 hour. Spoon glaze on top of loaf and return to oven. Bake for 30 minutes longer or until thermometer inserted in center registers 160 F. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Yield: 6-8 servings

To prepare glaze: Combine ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

FREEZE: I double the recipe and put 1/2 of the mixture into a gallon freezer zippy bag. Squeeze the air out and flatten mixture evenly in the bag so that it fills the entire bag in an even layer. Freeze flat. The mixture will thaw in about an hour. Shape and bake as directed above.

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Hobe Sound, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter. Email her at pander@maine.rr.com.