Freezing in Haymarket

Stuffed Peppers

2011-06-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is Angie Toler's recipe from a long time ago. I loved it so I thought we would try it again....

Cut green peppers in half length wise. Blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes to make peppers bake faster.
Brown hamburger or turkey burger.
Prepare Spanish rice.
Mix Spanish rice with hamburger ( if it looks dry you can add an additional can of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes--I added 1 large can of diced tomatoes).
Fill Green peppers with meat/rice mixture.
Bake for 30 min on 350.

Making 5 green peppers of 10 halves is a good serving. They do very well frozen.

turkey burgers

2011-06-14T13:32:00.001-07:00

okay so this is your recipe. We totally love them here so I hope I did them justice!

Hawaiian Haystacks

2011-06-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 cup chicken broth

While this mixture is heating up, make rice:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 coconut milk

To make haystacks, put rice down first on plate, then chicken mixture and then pineapple. After that you can add whatever your family would enjoy...cheese, peas, chow mein noodles, celery are just some of the toppings my family likes.

Meatloaf

2011-06-13T11:06:00.001-07:00

Find baking instructions here.

Mexican Casserole

2011-06-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

5-6 flour tortillas, torn

1 can of corn, drained

1 can of refried or black beans

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can cream of chicken

1 pound cooked chicken or ground beef, seasoned with mexican seasoning

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

Layer all ingredients in a pan twice, starting with the tortillas on the bottom. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with sour cream, lettuce and tomato on top.

From Frozen: Thaw completely in refrigerator, cook as above.

Baked Pasta with sausage

2011-06-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni
10 ounces frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 9-oz. bag fresh spinach)
12 ounces precooked smoked chicken (or turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.

Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to pot.

Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9X13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8X8-inch pans). Top with grated mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

*Freezable Meal: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. To bake, increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours. If baking from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.

Bombay Chicken Curry

2011-05-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
2 T curry powder
1 t salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups water
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

In medium saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter. Add flour, curry powder, salt, pepper, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Continue cooking and stirring over medium heat until smooth. Add water and cooked chicken. simmer for 20-30 minutes; stirring occasionally, until sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened. Cool completely. Then freeze.

From freezer. Thaw in fridge. Heat in saucepan until warm.

serve over rice.

Hamburger Stroganoff

2011-05-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

1 lb hamburger
1 medium onion
1 tsp garlic powder
16 oz sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 green onions chopped

Saute hamburger with onion and garlic powder. Add cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. simmer for 10 minutes and then add green onions. Pour over rice or works over noodles too.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2011-05-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (you don’t want the beef to be too high in fat because the fat will all pool at the bottom of the baking dish after baking – big time grody-ness in my book)

3/4 cup quick oats

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 balls, eacha bout 2 inches in diameter. Place in a casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard

1/4 cup barbeque sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat in a small saucepan until combined and sugar is dissolved and pour over meatballs. (This dish is not overly abundant on sauce so if you enjoy things a bit saucier, double the sauce ingredients.)

*Freezable Meal: After covering the meatballs with sauce, cover the pan with two layers of aluminum foil and freeze. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake covered without thawing for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes more, until meatballs are cooked through.

Baked Chicken Bacon Alfredo

2011-05-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Recipe by Our Best Bites

8 oz. penne or bowtie pasta

1 recipe Guiltless Alfredo Sauce (1 16-oz. jar would work in a pinch)

2 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped (about 2 c. chopped chicken)

6 oz. (1/2 package) cooked bacon, chopped

1 14-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 c. chopped green onions (about 1 decent-sized bunch)

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, prepare Guiltless Alfredo sauce. When pasta is done, drain and add to the sauce. Toss with chopped chicken, bacon, artichoke hearts, green onions, and 1/2 c. mozzarella. Season to taste.

Transfer mixture to an 8×8″ baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

If you’re cooking it from the freezer, bake at 400 for about 90 minutes.

Black Bean Sour Cream Enchiladas

2011-05-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (20 Ounce) Enchilada Sauce
2 cups Sour Cream
3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
1 cup Sliced/chopped Green Onions
½ teaspoons Ground Cumin
¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together sour cream, green onions 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar, beans, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Lay tortilla on a plate, then spoon a good two or three tablespoons of the sour cream mixture in the middle. Roll tortilla, then place face down in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sour cream mixture.

Cover the dish with the enchilada sauce and remaining cheese, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly.

Serve immediately. Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving, then sprinkle on sliced green onions.

From Frozen: Thaw in refrigerator and then cook as directed above.

Stromboli

2011-04-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

If you need this recipe see....may 2009 recipes

Just take from freezer and put into oven at 350 for 20 minutes to reheat. Slice up and enjoy dipping in marinara sauce.

Hawaiaan Hamburgers

2011-04-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

1 lb ground beef
chopped onions
Worcester sauce

Hawaiian sweets buns
pineapple slices

mold hamburger into 12 mini hamburger and add onions and Worcester sauce. Cook on stove or grill. While still hot, add pineapple slice and put between buns and enjoy! You can also add barbecue sauce or cheese to make it extra yummy!

Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

2011-04-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

Large size Flour Tortillas
21/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
3/4 cups long grain rice
1 1 oz. pkg. taco seasoning
1 3/4 cups water
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed and heated
chopped cilantro to taste
grated cheese

In a large skillet, place chicken, rice seasonings, water and tomato sauce. Bring mixture to boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked. Stir in cilantro and black beans. Assemble burritos with filling and grated cheese on top. Roll up tortillas. Serve with sour cream, guacamole and salsa.

From frozen: Thaw burritos and heat in 350 degree oven until heated through or heat in microwave.

PW Sour Cream Noodle Bake

2011-04-08T08:49:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

1-¼ pound Ground Chuck (or turkey)
1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
½ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
½ cups Sour Cream
1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Serve with crusty French bread.

From Frozen: Thaw completely for 24-48 hours in fridge. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes.

Garlic Ranch Chicken

2011-04-08T08:49:00.001-07:00

1 FAMILY
4 Breasts of chicken
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing packets
1 c. milk
1 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp dried minced garlic

TO FREEZE
In gallon-sized baggie combine ingredients, except chicken. In separate, small bag, place approx. ½ c. of mixture. Place chicken in remaining mixture in gallon-sized bag and place small bag inside.

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING
Thaw large bag enough to get small bag out and place small bag in fridge, while allowing chicken to continue to thaw. Grill or broil chicken. In last few minutes of grilling chicken, baste chicken breasts with mixture from small bag.

Citrus Pork Loin

2011-03-07T08:36:00.000-08:00

Marinade:

1/3 cup orange juice

1/2 teaspoon each of minced garlic

½ teaspoon grated lemon rind

½ teaspoon basil

½ teaspoon black pepper.

Place pork loin in ziplock and add marinade ingredients. Marinate 12 hours or overnight. Place pork loin on baking dish and discard marinade. Cook at 350 for about 1 hour until meat thermometer reads 160. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

From Frozen: Thaw completely in refrigerator and bake as above.

Crispy Baked Breakfast Taquitos

2011-03-07T08:32:00.000-08:00

Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
12 large eggs
1/2 C Breakstone’s Sour Cream
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 C grated pepperjack cheese
1/4 C chopped roasted red bell peppers
1/4 C sliced green onions
1/4 C chopped cilantro
1-2 tsp hot sauce

16 6″ flour tortillas
cooking spray or olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Spray with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into large mixing bowl. Whisk in 1/2 C sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. When skillet is hot, add egg mixture to pan. Using a rubber spatula, gently scrape bottom of pan and fold eggs over to scramble. Remove from heat when slightly undercooked. Add cheese, roasted red peppers, green onions, cilantro, and hot sauce to taste. Gently fold to combine.

Warm tortillas in microwave to ease rolling process. Working with a few tortillas at a time, place a scant 1/4 C egg mixture into the center of each one and roll up into a cylinder. Place rolled tortillas on prepared baking sheet, seam-side down, so they are not touching each other. When all tortillas are rolled and filled, lightly spray tops with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crisp.

From Frozen: Place taquitoes on a baking sheet and spray tops with PAM. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes until the tops are toasted. Serve with sour cream and salsa or the following dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:
1 1/2 C Breakstone’s Sour Cream
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

While taquitos are baking, coming 1 1/2 C sour cream, lime juice, chipotle chili powder and kosher salt. Stir to combine and store in fridge. Remove taquitos from oven , let cool for 5 minutes, and then serve with dipping sauce.

Martha Stewart's Sloppy Joes

2011-03-05T12:06:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded deveined, and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, green pepper, celery, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add ground beef, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Taste, and adjust for seasoning.

To cook from frozen: Thaw in fridge over night and heat on the stove.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Sloppy Joes - Martha Stewart Recipes

DUMP CRANBERRY CHICKEN

2011-03-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

2 1b chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Cinnamon

The directions are easy! Just pour the ingredients into a bag with the chicken. Freeze. Thaw overnight in your fridge.

To cook, just throw the chicken onto a hot grill. We enjoyed this dish with some bechamel noodles

Bechamel Sauce:

1/2 cup butter
3 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp basil

Mix together in saucepan and heat until sauce begins to thicken.

Cream Cheese Chicken

2011-03-02T07:55:00.001-08:00

1 .7-ounce envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup butter
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1 10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 8-ounce package cream cheese

Turn slow cooker on High. Place butter in bottom of slow cooker. When the butter has melted, add one envelope Italian dressing dry mix. Stir into butter until well mixed. Cut chicken breasts into 1" strips. Place in slow cooker and stir to coat with butter and dressing mix. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours. Remove chicken to plate to cool. Add cream of chicken soup and cream cheese. Stir to melt and mix well until smooth and creamy. Remove sauce from slow cooker and allow to cool. Place chicken and sauce into a gallon resealable freezer bag. Label. Freeze.

To serve: Thaw. Heat until piping hot and bubbly. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or hot buttered noodles.

Minestroni Soup

2011-02-22T17:07:00.000-08:00

okay this recipe is from Ann Anderson and for the life of me I cannot find my copy since I made it for the freezer swap. My apologies but if you need the recipe..give Ann a call!

Dutch Meatloaf

2011-02-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

1 lb hamburger
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup catchup
1 T chopped green/yellow pepper
1/2 small onion

Mix all ingredients and form loaf. Add extra catchup on top. Bake at 350 for one hour.

Turkey Burgers

2011-02-15T09:24:00.000-08:00

Here is the recipe for the burgers.

Tortilla Soup

2011-02-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

For the chicken:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Ground cumin
Salt and pepper

For the soup:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons tomato paste (eyeball it - I use the tomato paste in a tube)
1 can Rotel
2 (32-ounce) boxes chicken broth or stock
8-10 corn tortillas, sliced into strips and then cut in half
1 cup frozen corn (optional)

Recommended toppings:
grated cheese, avocado chunks, crushed tortilla chips, chopped cilantro, chopped red onion, sour cream

To prepare the chicken:
Place chicken breasts on foil-lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with chili powder, garlic powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Place in 400 degree oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.

To prepare the soup:
In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, add olive oil, onions, bell peppers and seasonings. Drop the heat to medium and saute until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers begin to soften, about 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste and mix into the vegetables. Add the Rotel and broth/stock and bring up to a boil. Meanwhile shred the chicken and add it to the soup. Reduce the heat to simmer and add the corn and sliced tortillas. Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary. Cover and allow simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer soup in batches to blender and puree until smooth.

FROM FROZEN: Let Thaw overnight and then heat in a pot on the stove top until heated through.

Jammin' Dump Chicken

2011-02-14T13:05:00.000-08:00

3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup blackberry, strawberry, peach or Apricot jam
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (4 to 6)

For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1-gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer. To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, making sure the freezer bag is completely sealed. Place the bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer (It works best if the bag is laying flat, although this may not be the best option with a side-by-side refrigerator/freezer).

For baking: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (about 30 to 60 minutes depending upon the chicken pieces used).

For the crock pot: Put chicken in the bottom of the pot. Pour remaining ingredients over the chicken. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours or until done.

Spaghetti Pie

2011-02-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

1 box spaghetti
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 c grated mozarella
marinara sauce

Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain. Add several hot strands of spaghetti to beaten eggs slowly to temper the eggs. (So they won't scramble.) Add remaining noodles, eggs, Parmesan and parsley and mix to combine.

Spray pie plate with no stick spray. Layer half the noodles on the bottom of the pan followed by a cup of mozarella, the rest of the noodles and then the last of the mozarella.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with spaghetti sauce and grated Parmesan and enjoy!

You can cook this from frozen.

Sweet Baby Rays Pork BBQ Sandwiches

2011-01-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

2-3 lbs pork roast
2 cups beef broth
16 oz Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
8 buns

Put pork roast and 2 cups beef broth into crockpot. Cook for 4-6 hours on high. When done, lay out pork roast on cutting board. Use forks to shred pork apart. Put pork in 9x13 pan and pour sauce over meat. Stir until thoroughly covered. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Put on buns and enjoy!

From Frozen: Bake meat for 20 min at 350 to heat through. Put on buns and enjoy!

Pasta Primavera with Sausage

2011-01-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

1 box uncooked pasta
1 bag frozen veggie combo
1 jar Prego Italian Sauce
2 Italian Sweet Sausage

Brown sausage in pan, then add Italian Sauce. Heat through until warm. Now add frozen veggie combo until all veggies are heated through. Cook pasta. Pour mixture over pasta and enjoy!

From Frozen: Defrost sauce in fridge overnight. Cook pasta. Heat up sauce and pour over pasta. Add cheese and enjoy!

Macaroni and Cheese

2011-01-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

1 pound short pasta, such as cavatappi or macaroni
Coarse salt
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups shredded (12 ounces) sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup finely grated (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese
3 cups very coarse fresh breadcrumbs

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and return to pot.
Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons salt; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in cheeses until smooth. Pour over pasta; toss to coat. Divide among baking dishes.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter; toss with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over pasta. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; freeze up to 3 months.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place frozen dishes on a baking sheet; remove plastic. Cover with foil. Bake until bubbling, 60 to 70 minutes for large dishes, 40 to 50 minutes for small. Remove foil; continue baking until golden, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Macaroni and Cheese - Martha Stewart Recipes

*I omitted the breadcrumbs.

Pineapple Salsa Chicken

2011-01-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

*Note: this recipe is so adaptable. I used a can of black beans and a can of white beans because that is what I had in my pantry, but feel free to substitute the type of beans you like or have on hand.

6 fresh or frozen chicken breasts
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, like Great Northern, rinsed and drained
2 cups mild or medium salsa
Tortillas or tortilla chips and garnishes, like sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.

Place the chicken in the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Using tongs, remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred into bite-size pieces. Mix the chicken back in with the rest of the ingredients. The mixture will be fairly soupy – I like to drain off some of the excess liquid before serving, especially if we are eating it in tortillas, so it doesn’t make everything soggy.
Serve with tortilla chips and garnishes, like tomatoes, cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc.

*Freezable Option: I freeze the leftovers in freezer-safe ziploc bags and either place the frozen portion in my crockpot for a few hours the day I want to serve it or thaw the night before in the refrigerator and reheat on low in a saucepan.

Taken from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Cafe Rio Sweet Beef

2011-01-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

(I substituted Beef for the pork in this recipe)

2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

From Frozen: You can thaw this right on the stove in a pot until the meat is heated through. Serve on taco salad or in tortillas.

Black Bean Soup

2011-01-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

10 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish

Directions

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

From Frozen: Thaw in refrigerator, then heat in a pot on the stove until heated through. Be sure to garnish with sour cream, cheddar, and green onions.

Fantastic Spaghetti

2010-10-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3-4 medium carrots, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBSP olive oil
1 lb ground beef
2 TBSP Italian seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
1 jar plain marinara sauce
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Heat oil over med-low
2. Saute veggies until soft and aromatic (about 5 mins)
3. Add beef and brown
4. Add seasonings, tomatoes and stir to combine.
5. Add sauce to desired consistency
6. Simmer until sauce is hot throughout
7. Mix in cheese and server over prepared pasta
Cooking instructions: thaw, warm completely either on stove or microwave, enjoy!

Pineapple Cream Chicken

2010-10-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1 c. milk
1 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken (diced)
1 20oz can of pineapple chunks, drained
1 green pepper (optional)

Heat butter in skillet and if desired, stir fry peppers for 5 minutes. Remove peppers, but leave remaining melted butter in skillet. Add flour to skillet and stir until mixed. In a separate bowl, combine milk and chicken broth, then slowly add to skillet, stirring well until the sauce is lump free. Heat over medium heat until thick, but smooth. Add cooked green peppers, then add chicken and pineapple. Add salt and pepper as desired.

On cooking day: Thaw, then heat in saucepan. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice or noodles

The Ultimate Beef Stroganoff

2010-10-14T08:09:00.001-07:00

from Tami W.

Put in crock pot:
2-3 pounds stew meat
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1 onion, sliced

Mix in a bowl and pour over meat:
¼ tsp. garlic salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups beef broth or stock (made up from cubes or granules)
1 tablespoon ketchup

Cook in crockpot on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. When cooked make a simple roux by whisking 1/3 cup flour with enough apple juice (about 5-6 tablespoons) to make a thick but still pourable flour mixture. Whisk the roux into the crockpot and add 4 ounces sliced mushrooms.

Cook on high for 15-30 minutes. Then stir in ½ cup sour cream. Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes (pasta is my favorite option!).

*Freezable Meal: The leftovers of the stroganoff can be frozen. I store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and then thaw in the refrigerator (usually takes about a day) and reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

2010-10-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

from Brittany at The Sisters’ Cafe

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (to lighten them up, I have substituted sour cream with good results)

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

*Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

All Seasons Sesame Chicken

2010-09-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

3 lbs boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 T fresh ginger, grated
1 T dry mustard
1 t fresh ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
3 T sesame seeds

Place chicken in a large freezer bag and set inside a bowl. In another bowl combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal freezer bag. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Then Grill and enjoy!

From Freezer: Allow the chicken to defrost in fridge. Then grill and enjoy!

Yummy Pasta Bake

2010-09-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

2 cups bowtie pasta, uncooked
1 lb ground beef
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic salt
3 cups spaghetti sauce
6 oz cream cheese, cubed
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta. Cook beef with onion and garlic. Add spaghetti sauce with garlic salt. In separate bowl, combine cream cheese and milk. Microwave 1-2 minutes on high, stirring once. Stir with whisk until blended. Stir in sour cream, green pepper, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Place cheese mixture casserole dish. Spread cooked pasta on top. Top with beef mixture and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes covered. Then uncover and bake for 5-10 minutes more.

From Frozen: Thaw to a slushy state. Then cook as directed above.

Pizza Pasta Casserole

2010-09-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

1 lb ground beef
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 pkg (16oz) spiral pasta
2 cups(8 oz) shredded mozzerella cheese
4 oz sliced pepperoni

Cook spiral pasta noodles according to package instructions. While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef and onion together. Drain fat. Sirt in spaghetti sauce and pasta once noodles are cooked. Spray 9x13 baking dish and pour mixture into it. Then cover with a layer of pepperoni, and then cheese.

To cook: thaw casserole in fridge overnight. Bake at 350 for 35-40 mintues.
momsbudget.com

Shepherd's Pie

2010-09-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

2 T oil
2 carrots (chopped)
2 small onions
1T flour
1 1/4 c. beef stock
2T Ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1t thyme
salt
pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 c. mashed potatoes
2 T butter
3 T cream
1 egg, slightly beaten (optional)

In medium saucepan, heat oil and fry onions and carrots until soft. Add flour, creating a paste, cooking for one minute. Add ketchup, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper, then bring to a boil. Simmer 2-3 minutes, then add ground beef or turkey, simmering until heated through. Add to foil disposable casserole. In a seperate bowl, combine mashed potatoes with butter and cream, then top meat mixture wtih it. Cool and Freeze.

Thaw: thaw overnight in fridge. Brush top with egg.(optional). Back at 425 for 20-30 mintues.
momsbudget.com

Cream of Vegetable Soup (Green Goblin Soup)

2010-09-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

1 medium onion
2 large carrotts
1 bay leaf
1 carton chicken broth
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 large zucchini, rough chopped
1 bag of frozen broccoli, thawed
handful of baby spinach
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 small carton of half & half or heavy cream
1 cup grated cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in soup pot. Saute onion, carrots and bay leaf until tender. Stir in 1/4 cup flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth.
Add potatoes, zucchini, broccoli, spinach and oregano and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Remove bay leaf and blend while pouring in half & half.
Add cheese and adjust seasonings to your taste.

Serve with a little grated cheese on top and croutons.

To cook from frozen: Thaw and then dump into a pot and simmer until heated through.

**This is a thin soup so I serve it in a mug for the kids to sip along with a grilled cheese sandwich. I call it "Green Goblin Soup" because of the time of year and we talk about all things Halloween while we eat it. It is about the only way I can get my kids to eat all those vegetables without a fuss.

Chicken Enchiladas

2010-09-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or diced)
1 small can diced green chilis
1 can black or red beans
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
tortillas

Combine all the ingredients (excepts tortillas) and mix thoroughly. Place a row of the mixture on one side of a tortilla and roll. Place seam side down in a sprayed 9x13 or 8x8 pan. Continue until all but a little bit of the mixture is left over. Put the remaining filling on top of the enchiladas and then cover with a little extra grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. (Time depends on the size of your pan and how much filling you place in each tortilla.)

To bake from frozen: Thaw in refrigerator and bake as above.

**These are the original directions. I often tweak the ingredients depending on how much I have left of sour cream or if I have any beans, etc. I like a little more Cream of Chicken soup so I usually put more of that in there and sometimes I also add a can of drained diced tomatoes.

Erika's meatloaf

2010-09-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

This is actually Mandi's recipe :)

1 lb hamburger
3/4 C evaporated milk
1 pkg lipton soup mix
1 egg
20 saltine crackers
Sauce:
1/2 C ketchup
6 T brown suger
2 T mustard

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Combine meatloaf ingredients and place in a greased loaf pan, poke a few holes throughout and cover with your sauce. Bake at 350 for an hour and you are set!

From frozen- thaw over night then put in pan, poke some holes for the sauce to seep into it and cover with sauce. Bake as directed.

Erika's Turkey Burgers

2010-09-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers

3/4 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons minced scallion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In large bowl, combine turkey, scallion, soy sauce, ketchup, and garlic, mix well. Add cheese; stir to mix well. Shape turkey mixture into 4 equal patties. Heat grill sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through. Yummy on rolls with tomato, avocado and bacon.

From frozen: You can grill from frozen, just add some minutes to the cooking time.

Rolls: You can thaw these babies on the counter for an hour or so and then pop them in the oven for a few minutes or cut them in half and toast them on the grill.

Honey Dijon Glazed Ham

2010-07-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

1 Center cut ham steak

1T honey
1T Dijon mustard
2 t fresh lemon juice
2 green onions, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 t lukewarm water
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper

Glaze: Whisk honey, mustard, lemon juice, and green onions together in medium mixing bowl. In a steady stream, whisk in olive oil and lukewarm water. Sprinkle ham steak with salt and cayenne pepper and place in freezer bag. Pour glaze over ham and freeze, using freezer bag method.

Serving Day: Place ham steak on grill, basting occasionally with glaze, until steak is marked by grill and well warmed through. Pineapple slices may also be grilled before serving with ham. Ham can also be cut into chunks and threaded alternately on skewers with chunks of pineapple, then grilled. Eat over rice and enjoy!!

Balsamic Roasted Chicken Thighs

2010-07-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

5 chicken thighs
1/2 cut olive oil
3 T Balsamic Vinegar
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 t pepper

Cooking Day: mix ingredients together to make marinade and then pour over chicken in bag. Freeze in bag.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Place chicken , skin side up in a baking pan. Roast uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. You can also grill if you prefer.

Enjoy!

Smoked Beef Brisket

2010-07-12T07:35:00.000-07:00

To heat from frozen: place in simmering water until warmed through (usually 15 minutes). Serve with BBQ sauce or on its own.

Meat and Vegetable Sauce

2010-07-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

1 small zucchini
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 medium carrot
1 lb. mild Italian pork sausage
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can whole tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1-2 T. Italian seasoning
crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

In large frying pan, saute zucchini, onion, garlic and carrot in olive oil until tender.
In large stock pot, brown Italian sausage and then drain.
Return sausage to pot and add all the tomatoes EXCEPT diced tomatoes.
With an immersion blender, blend sausage and tomatoes until desired consistency. (If you like really chunky meat sauce you can skip this step.)
Add diced tomatoes, sauteed vegetables and remainder of ingredients.
Taste for seasoning adjustment.
Simmer for an hour.

To cook from frozen: Thaw package in refrigerator overnight. Pour sauce into sauce pan to heat while you cook your noodles. Cook noodles very al dente and add to sauce to soak up extra liquid.

Asian Pork Loin

2010-07-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 pork loin

1 tsp ginger

1/4 c. ketchup

1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c. soy sauce

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in ziplock bag and freeze. When ready to prepare, put contents into crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Chicken Cacciatore

2010-07-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Chicken Cacciatore
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

1 lb. chicken breasts or chicken breasts and thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 c. white flour

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and either crushed or halved

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

1 c. white wine, white cooking wine, or apple or white grape juice. I'll be honest with y'all, it tastes a whole lot better with wine. Just sayin'.

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using cooking wine; you may shrivel up and die if you add the salt in addition to cooking wine because cooking wine is treated with salt to make it undrinkable)

1 bay leaf

1 c. sliced mushrooms (or more if you love them. Mushrooms are divine in this dish!)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon (this is why you need to keep the onion and garlic pieces big), shake off excess oil (you don't have to go crazy here, a little olive oil never killed anyone!), and transfer to your blender. Increase heat to medium-high.

In a large Ziploc bag, combine flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and shake to coat pieces with flour. Dump the entire bag into the hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Saute until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Turn off the heat under the oil, lest you start a grease fire. I am NOT speaking from ANY kind of firsthand experience here... ;)

While chicken is draining, add wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the chopped green pepper. Cook until mushrooms and pepper are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve over pasta.
Serves 6-8.

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Complete steps through browning the chicken. Instead of placing chicken in your slow cooker, place it in a freezer-safe container and cover with sauce. When ready to eat, place frozen mixture in your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours. You can either cut the mushrooms and peppers ahead of time and freeze them separately from the chicken and sauce or you can just plan to have those in your fridge when you're ready to make this.

Honey Lime Chicken

2010-06-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

(recipe came from 30mealsinoneday.com)

2 lbs chicken tenders
1/2 T garlic salt
1T peanut oil
1 20oz can of pineapple rings or tidbits
1/4 c. honey
3 T lime juice
2 T soy sauce
1 T constarch

1. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt
2. brown chicken in oil
3. drain pineapple and add 1/4 of the pineapple juice to the skillet.
4. cover and simmer 6-8 minutes until chicken in golden
5. remove chicken from skillet
6. add honey, lime juice, soy sauce, cornstarch, and the remainder of the pineapple juice to skillet.
7. bring to a boil
8.. cook and stir until thick and clean, baout 1 minute.
9. Remove from heat andf allow to cool.
10. Place rings over chicken and then pour sauce over the chicken and pinapple rings
(I would suggest eating it with rice, but you can eat it plain as well)

To freeze: Once sauce is cooked, let cool then add chicken, sauce and pinapple rings to a freezer bag and freeze
To thaw: Put in fridge to thaw, once thawed, pour ingredients into a skillet and at medium heat, stir until all ingredients are warm. Then serve.

Pizza Bread

2010-06-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

2 c. warm water
2 TBSP yeast
6 oz. pepperoni (or whatever meat you desire)
4 cups of mozzerella, shredded
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. oil
1 egg
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour

1. Combine water, yeast, sugar
2. add oil, egg, salt, flour
3. mix until sticky
4. while kneading add flour until dough is soft but not stiff
5. let rise (keep an eye on it, it will keep rising until it bursts....that is bad)
6. divide into 12 balls
7. roll out balls until flat
8. add cheese and meat to your liking
9. roll up and seal
10.place on greased cookie cheet
11. let rise
12. backe at 350 for 25-30 minutes
13. remove and brush butter on top

To freeze: Bake pizza bread until dough is set, but not browning, about 10 minutes. Then take it out of the oven. Let cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
To thaw: Let thaw in fridge and then bake at 350 until golden brown and delicious

Chicken Spaghetti

2010-06-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the complete recipe from The Pioneer Woman:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/
I omitted the cayenne pepper.

To heat from frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Cover with foil if cheese starts to get too cooked.

Jambalaya

2010-06-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

You can get the recipe from "Our Best Bites" blog:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/jambalaya.html

To heat from frozen: I've frozen it in vacuum sealed bags. Simmer the package in water until it is heated through. (I don't have an exact time because I haven't frozen it in this quantity before.) I would guess maybe 20 minutes.

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

2010-06-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

6 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil

Mix together cheese, garlic and dressing mix. Dip chicken breasts in olive oil, then coat with cheese mixture. Wrap each coated chicken breast individually.

From frozen: Thaw completely. Unwrap desired number of chicken breasts and place on greased baking dish. Bake at 400 for 45-60 minutes until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Enjoy!

Stromboli

2010-06-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

If frozen Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes (keep a eye on it). If slightly thawed, warm at 350 for 15 minutes on a baking sheet. Slice and serve with warm marinara sauce.

RECIPE:

Grease two cookie sheets and put a frozen bread dough log on each cookie sheet. Cover with saran wrap. Let defrost and rise all day (usually from 8am-5pm).

Then flatten dough on each cookie sheet and spread out to the length of the cookie sheet. (The dough will not cover the whole cookie sheet).

Start right at top center of the dough and put three pepperoni across, all the way down the middle of the dough.

Then sprinkle Italian seasoning.

Then sprinkle about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Then sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups cooked sausage.

Then sprinkle with 1 cup shredded ham.

Then sprinkle with more Italian seasoning.

Now it's time to seal up the stromboli. First take sides, put them together and seal. Then take the top, fold it over and seal it. Do the same with the bottom. It should look like a nice little present now. Then flip it over so the seals are on the bottom of the greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with butter and Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then slice up and dip in marinara sauce. Yum Yum

Cheesy Chicken Bake

2010-06-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

6 chicken breasts

6 slices swiss cheese

1 can cream of chicken

3/4 c. chicken broth

1 cup Stove Top Stuffing mix

1/4 c. melted butter

Spray dish with Pam. Place chicken breasts in bottom of pan. Top with cheese slices. Mix together cream of chicken soup and broth. Spoon over top of chicken. Sprinkle Stove Top on top and drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until bubbly.

From Frozen: Thaw in refrigerator. Melt 3 T butter and drizzle over top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Enchiladas

2010-06-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

1 lb. ground beef
1 (19 oz.) or 2 (10 oz.) cans Enchilada Sauce
6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) shredded cheese
6 Flour Tortillas for Soft Tacos

Heat oven to 400°F. Brown ground beef over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in 3/4 cup enchilada sauce and 1 cup cheese. Spoon enchilada filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam-side down in lightly greased 13X9X2" baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes.

From Frozen: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Marinated Lime Chicken

2010-05-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

6 chicken breast portions (about 8 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 limes
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
9 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons basil

Preparation: Squeeze limes into a medium sized bowl. Stir in vinegar, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Place chicken breast portions into labeled freezer bags. Pour lime sauce over top; seal and freeze.

To Serve: Thaw completely. Pour marinade into small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Place chicken pieces into shallow oven-proof dish. Pour boiled marinade over chicken. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 – 40 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh basil sprigs if available.

Franks and Cornberad

2010-05-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 cans (16 ounces each) pork and beans
1 package (12 ounces) hot dogs, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the pork and beans, hot dogs, brown sugar, Worcestershire and mustard. Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking dish.
Prepare corn bread batter according to package directions; stir in cheese. Drop by spoonfuls onto bean mixture. bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

From Frozen: Preheat oven to 350. Bake for about 45 minutes until heated through and bubbly. Check to make sure the cornbread isn't browning too much, if so, top with foil.

Poppy Seed Ham and Cheese Melts

2010-05-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced deli ham
1 lb cheddar cheese, sliced
1/2 cup butter
2 T prepared mustard
3 T poppy seeds
1 t Worcestershire sauce
8 hamburger buns

Cooking Day: Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in mustard, poppy seeds, and Worcestershire sauce. To assemble sandwiches, layer ham, cheese and 1 T of sauce on bun. Wrap sandwiches in foil, then place in a freezer bag and freeze.

Serving Day: Remove desired number of sandwiches from freezer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil wrapped sandwiches directly on oven rack and warm in oven until cheese is melted and sandwiches are warm, about 20 minutes.

Steak Soft Tacos

2010-05-09T18:16:00.001-07:00

1 1/2 lbs. flank steak
3T olive oil
1 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
2 t pepper
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried oregano

Tortillas, and any taco toppings you want.

Cooking Day: Mix ingredients together to form a paste. Coat both sides of steak. Then wrap in plastic and place in freezer bag.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Let sit in room temp for 20-30 min before grilling. Grill over direct medium heat until steak is done. Assemble tacos using warmed tortillas and desired toppings.

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

2010-04-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

45 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (That’s about one and one half 12-oz boxes)
2 c chopped cooked chicken (I just boil 2 large chicken breasts with 1 tsp. salt)
2 c fresh or frozen chopped spinach
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) container part-skim ricotta cheese
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened (I use the low fat neufchatel cheese)
1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 c.)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tb dried parsley flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (any variety)

Cook shells according to package directions (be sure to stir every once in awhile so they don't stick to each other or the bottom of the pan and tear apart); drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 2 13x9x2inch baking dishes.

**This is a great meal to put in the freezer. If you don't want to cook both pans at the same time, see below for freezing directions.

In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. (I use my pampered chef cookie scoop for this part and it made it so much easier than using a spoon.) Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings.

**To freeze: Place filled shells in an empty 9x13 pan. Freeze. To prepare, thaw shells and then top with sauce and cheese after you take it our of the freezer. Bake for 40 minutes at 350.

Marinated Beef Roast

2010-04-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

3 lb lean beef pot roast

Marinade:

1 cup tomato juice
3 Tbs favorite brand mustard
4 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over roast in a shallow bowl.

Cover and refrigerate overnight or for 24 hours. Or Freeze.

Place in cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW 8-10 hours and then serve with accumulated gravy.

From Frozen: Either put straight from freezer into crockpot and cook longer or thaw in refrigerator and cook as above.

Curry Chicken and Rice Bake

2010-03-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 cup water
¾ cup uncooked regular white rice
1/2 tsp curry powder
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix first five ingredients and then add cheese.

To freeze: Dump all ingredients into freezer casserole dish.

To cook: Thaw in refrigerator. Cover. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until chicken and rice are done and cheese is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Egg Rolls

2010-03-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

Sai Mao makes the best food! These are a couple of the things that she usually has for us when we go over. The chicken is actually marinated in a packet of oriental mix that she gets from Global Foods. So- there is no recipe for that. Just thaw it in the fridge over night and then bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Here is the egg roll recipe:

Egg Rolls

½ C chopped onion
1 C chopped cabbage
1 lb ground turkey (as lean as possible)
½ t black pepper
1 egg
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 t salt
1 T sugar
1 roll clear noodles, soak till soft (abt 20-25 min) and chop small

In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Roll starting in a corner in the Spring Home spring roll pastry 8 in. square.

Thaw the egg rolls along with the chicken the night before and then just fry them right before you are ready to eat. I have used my electric frying pan or even my fondue pot. Fry them until they look golden. Serve with the egg roll sauce.

Baked Chicken Pasta

2010-03-07T16:33:00.000-08:00

Here is the link to the recipe I made from "Our Best Bites":
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/02/baked-chicken-penne-freezer-meal.html
I used rigatoni instead of penne. I used shredded rotisserie chicken instead of pan cooking chicken breasts.

Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

2010-03-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Meatballs:

2 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/4 cups water
2 eggs
Heat oven to 400ºF.
LINE 2 (15x10x1-inch) pans with foil; spray with cooking spray. Mix ingredients until blended; shape into 32 (1-1/2-inch) balls. Bake 16 to 18 min. or until done (160ºF).
Sauce:
1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes
1 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced
8 whole Fresh Basil Leaves, Chiffonade (optional)
2 pounds Spaghetti, Cooked To Al Dente

Heat a large saucepan and add 1 T. olive oil. Saute onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and parsley. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

From Frozen: Cook frozen sauce with meatballs in a saucepan on the stove until meatballs are heated through (about 20 minutes).

Chili Mac

2010-02-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Cook at 350 degrees until heated through.
Add cooked macaroni (al dente) to chili and some extra cheese if you like it super cheesy. (I do!)

Monica's Sweet Baby Ray's Ribs

2010-02-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

Pork Baby Back Ribs
1 Jar of Sweet Baby Ray's sauce

Marinate overnight in bag. When you are ready to cook them, lay out ribs on a foil covered cookie sheet. Poor extra sauce over ribs and then close up the foil. Cook at 325 for 2 1/2 hours. Goes great with potatoes!

From freezer:

Thaw overnight in fridge or lay out on counter that morning. Then follow directions above. Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

2010-02-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

12 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cartons (8 oz each) whipped cream cheese with onion and chives2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
12 bacon strips

Flatten chicken to ½ inch thickness. Spread 3 tablespoons cream cheese over each. Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt; roll up. Wrap each with a bacon strip. Place, seam side down, in a greased pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

From Frozen: Thaw and bake as above, or cook from frozen at 375 for about an hour. Broil until bacon is crisp.

Kristen's Country Style Ribs

2010-02-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

l pkg country style ribs, pork or beef (from 1-5 lbs)
24 oz ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot and cook on low all day (8 hours makes it best). Ribs should fall apart as you pull it from the pot. Serve over rice.

FREEZER: Pull from freezer in the morning and put into crock-pot. Cook on high for 3 hours and low for the rest or until meat is tender and falls apart. Serve over rice.

Indian Casserole by Angie Toler

2010-02-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small bag of frozen sweet corn (or 1 can, drained)

1 large can tomatoes, crushed or diced with juice

1/3 cup ketchup

1 lb. ground beef

1 chopped onion

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

1/2 lb. (8 oz) Velveeta Pasteurized prepared Cheese product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

In a large pan, brown the hamburger and cook onion until translucent; drain. Cook the macaroni and drain. Add all the ingredients and macaroni to the ground beef/onion pan and gently stir to mix. Place in casserole dish and bake at preheated 350 degrees for 45 minutes. (If desired, about 15 minutes before the casserole is done sprinkle cheese on top to melt.)

Thaw overnight. Put in casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. (If you want, about 15 minutes before casserole is done sprinkle cheese on top to melt.)

Serves 5 to 7

FYI

2010-01-17T10:12:00.000-08:00

I just made some smoked chicken for lunch and it took about 25 minutes for all the meat to be heated through...not 15 minutes that I originally posted.

Lion House Clam Chowder

2010-01-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

1 c onion finely chopped
1 c celery finely chopped
2 c potatoes finely chopped
2 cans 6 ½ oz. each, minced clams with juices
¾ c butter (can use only ½ cup)
¾ c flour
1 qrt half and half
(I have used the fat free half and half, and really is ok, but nothing replaces the real stuff!)
1 ½ tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
Drain clam juice and pour over veggies in pot. Add enough water to barely cover and simmer over medium heat until tender. In the meantime, melt butter, add flour. Blend. Cook, stirring constantly. Add cream, cook and stir with wire whip until smooth & thick. Very important it gets thick. Add undrained veggies and clams. Heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

From Frozen: Thaw in fridge (it takes a while- I did mine overnight) then re-heat on stove. You may have to add a little more milk or 1/2 and 1/2 before you serve it to thin it out a bit. I added just a little.

***also, just a sidenote. When I make this for myself I don't add all the clams. I don't like the texture of them. I actually buy the bottles of just clam juice and only add one can of the actual clams and then just a little jar of the juice. Just make it as clammy as you want it. :)

Mexican Dinner

2010-01-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

1 lb ground beef
1 med onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 c rice, cooked
Grated cheddar cheese

Brown beef and onion. Drain and add taco seasoning and water according to package directions. Simmer 5 min. Add corn, black beans, and tomatoes and stir till heated through. Add rice and mix. Top with cheese. Can eat by itself, with tortilla chips or be made into tacos.

Sweet Sausage Pot Pie

2010-01-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

2 pie shells
3 sweet sausage links
1 medium onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1 T Salmon seasoning

Slice up sausage links and onion and saute until brown. Add chopped carrots until soft. Then stir in soup,milk and peas and seasoning until heated through. Pour into 1st pie shell. Then top with 2nd pie shell. Use knife to slit the top of the pie for breathing purposes and push together pie edges and cover edges with foil. Cook at 400 for 45 minutes or until brown. Remove foil and cook for 5 more minutes.

From Freezer: Thaw over night in fridge or put out on counter in the morning. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes with foil on edges. Remove and cook for 5 more minutes.

Smoked Chicken w/Carmelized Onion Sauce

2010-01-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

I promise this is the last smoked thing I'll do for a long time! Jay smoked some chicken this weekend so I figured this would be a good time to do it for our freezer swap while it is fresh.

The carmelized onion sauce is very rich and it is a strong flavor....a little goes a long way. Kids would like it if they are adventurous eaters. There are several ways to go about this dish:

1. Serve the chicken over rice with or without the sauce.
2. My favorite way: Make an open faced sandwich with the chicken and top with melted cheese (under the broiler)
3. Reserve the sauce for another time and serve it over pork chops or cooked chicken breast.
4. Eat the chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce.

To heat the chicken: place it in a pot of simmering water for 15 minutes.

To heat the sauce: place it in a sauce pan on medium until it is melted and then heated through. If it is too thick you can thin it with chicken stock.

Carmelized Onion Sauce

Chop 4 medium onions into half circles
Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large saute pan
Sweat the onions on medium heat for 10 minutes then season with a pinch of salt and about 1tsp. sugar
Carmelize the onions by cooking on medium heat for about 30 minutes or until browned
Remove onions and add 2 T flour to drippings in the pan to make a roux. (If there are no drippings add 2 T butter.)
Add 2 cups of chicken broth and half a can of evaporated milk and bring to a simmer to thicken.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

2010-01-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

Robyn posted a bunch of Cafe Rio recipes on this blog and having had Cafe Rio's pork, I knew I had to try it. Well I did and it is pretty close to the real deal, so yummy!!! You can serve this in a tortilla with other burrito toppings, or by itself over rice. My kids ate this like candy (something to do with the brown sugar and coke?)

2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers (again)

2009-11-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

10-ozs. ground turkey
2 tablespoons minced scallion
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2-ozs. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 strips turkey bacon
4 hamburger rolls (2-ozs. each), split and toasted
1 medium tomato, cut into 4 slices

In large bowl, combine turkey, scallion, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic powder and pepper; mix well. Add cheese; stir to mix well. Shape turkey mixture into 4 equal patties.

Heat indoor ridged grill sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; add bacon. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer to plate; set aside.

Wipe grill clean; arrange burgers on grill; cook 6-8 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

To serve, layer rolls with burgers, bacon and tomato slices.

From Frozen: Grill until cooked through. I like to eat mine with bacon and sliced avocado, yum!

Mandi's Lasagna

2009-11-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

I don't know that there is much point to posting this cause lasagna is kind of lasagna, you know. Anyway- here are the things that are in mine:

mozzarella cheese
ricotta cheese
chive and onion cream cheese
asiago cheese
tomato sauce
ground beef
noodles

Yep- that about does it for mine. I think we all probably know how to layer it all up. Cook it for about an hour with the foil on until the last 10 minutes. Enjoy with garlic bread!

Pork Chops and Apples over Rice

2009-11-10T08:14:00.000-08:00

5 pork chops cooked or grilled
3 unpeeled apples sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons margarine or butter

Heat oven to 350. Grease 13x9 baking dish. Place sliced apples in baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon. Dot with margarine. Top with pork chops. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes or until apples are tender.

Serve over rice.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2009-11-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

There really isn't a recipe I can give you. It is a process to make good Southern pulled pork! In a nutshell....the pork is brined in a molasses brine for about 24 hours. The meat then gets a homemade rub of about 10-12 spices. Then the meat is smoked for about 12-16 hours in a smoker with hickory wood. It also gets an occasional "sop" of spices and marinade during the smoking process.

All you need to do is put the frozen packet of meat in a pan of boiling water for about 15 minutes to warm in through. (I wouldn't microwave it.) Take the meat out of the packet, fluff with a fork and eat with or without a bun. Some people like to put BBQ sauce on it and some don't! Your choice, it is good either way.

Tortellini Soup

2009-11-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

1 lb italian sausage, browned
6 c beef broth
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 c chopped zucchini
1 c carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c chopped green pepper
1 c chopped mushrooms
2 tsp sugar
1/4 c parsley
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 garlic clove
2 c frozen tortellini

Put everything in crockpot and cook 3-4 hours, or until carrots are tender. Add tortellinis 30 min before done, or cook tortellinis separately and add to soup.

From frozen: Thaw in fridge or pot on stove. Cook tortellinis according to package directions in separate pot. Combine warm soup and cooked tortellinis and ENJOY!

2009-10-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hey freezing ladies-just a little FYI--my freezer is full!! I'm pulling out of the freezer swap for a few months. I'd like to join again maybe in the spring. Thanks for the many meals we have to enjoy in the cold months ahead!

Angie

Way Easy Pizza Thingers

2009-10-04T17:36:00.001-07:00

Way Easy Pizza Thingers, aka Pizza Rolls

2 Tbs yeast dissolved in 1/2 c warm water and 1 tsp sugar
1/2 c potato flakes dissolved in 1 c boiling water

After yeast is done rising and potatoes are cooled, mix with
1 c evaporated milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 Tbs salt
3/4 c sugar
4 eggs

Mix well. Add 4 cups flour, mixing until smooth. Add 3-4 c more flour (until dough isn't too sticky to work with). Roll out into large rectangle. Spread with pizza sauce, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and pepperoni. Roll up jelly-roll style and cut with floss or string. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise 30 min. Bake 350 for 20-30 min. Serve immediately or freeze. Makes about 35.

From freezer: Pull from fridge and thaw in fridge or pop in microwave to heat up.

Angie's Chicken L'Orange with Pecan Apple Dressing

2009-10-04T15:13:00.001-07:00

Chicken L'Orange with Pecan Apple Dressing

(Alice LaBarbera's recipe-Angie's Mom)

Ingredients:

1 Chicken

1 Orange

1/2 apple

1/2 c chopped pecans

1 box Stove Top Stuffing

Seasonings:

1 T Montreal Chicken seasoning

1/2 t poultry seasoning

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 t paprika

1 T maple syrup

1 T Olive Oil

1/4 t pepper

For Stuffing: Follow box recipe for stuffing but put the diced apple in the water before you bring it to a boil (softens the apple).

For chicken: Take out the insides of the chicken. Rinse and pat dry (like a baby's butt)! Cut the orange into quarters. Squeeze one quarter into the cavity of the chicken. Then keep the rind inside. Then squeeze another quarter of orange over the chicken. Drizzle maple syrup over the chicken. Massage it in. Sprinkle on the seasonings (mix them all together in small bowl first, then sprinkle them all on together).

Put the stuffing around the chicken toward the corners of the pan. Squeeze the last quarter over the chicken and the stuffing and slice in half and put on top of chicken for decoration. Take the pecans and sprinkle over the stuffing and little on top of chicken if you want.

(Spray pan with pam before placing stuffing and chicken inside). Cover with foil/seal edges to the pan tightly and roast at 375 for 2 hrs or until internal temperature registers 180F in thigh muscle. Uncover the last 30 minutes of roasting to brown chicken skin.

Marilee's Black Beans and Yellow Rice

2009-10-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

3 cans drained and rinsed black beans
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 can Cajun style stewed tomatoes (plain variety will work fine)
1 1/2 cups water
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 Tblspn red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp salt.

Rinse and drain black beans. In a large soup pot, saute onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add black beans and remainder of ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve black beans over yellow rice. We like to eat it with a dollop of sour cream on top.

To make from frozen: Thaw in refrigerator. While you make the yellow rice, heat up black beans in microwaveable safe bowl or in a stock pot on the stove.

Erika's Meal- Creamy White Chili

2009-10-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 pound cubed chicken
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 garlic powder
1 T oil
2 cans great northern beans
1 can chicken broth
2 cans green chilis
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In pan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilis and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and cream.

From Frozen:
Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Put it all in a big pot on the stove and heat until heated through. Add sour cream and whipping cream if you have it. You can also use more sour cream or even milk instead.

Mandi's Monster's Foot Meatloaf

2009-10-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

OK- you have to use a little imagination for mine this month. It is meatloaf but with a halloween twist. Check my blog if you want to see a picure. Here is the recipe:

1 lb hamburger
3/4 C evaporated milk (I used about a 1/3 cup for the foot so it would be a bit more firm for shaping.)
1 pkg lipton soup mix
1 egg
20 saltine crackers
Sauce:
1/2 C ketchup
6 T brown suger
2 T mustard

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Shape the meatloaf into a foot. Add toes- I used green olives stuffed with almonds that I bought in a jar at harris teeter. Put the foot in a loaf pan, poke a few holes throughout and cover with your sauce. Bake at 350 for an hour and you are set!

From frozen- thaw over night then put in pan, poke some holes for the sauce to seep into it and cover with sauce. Bake as directed.

Monica's Cheesy Sausage Bake

2009-10-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

1 lb. smoked sausage, halved and cut into 1/2" slices
1 tsp. Lawry's season salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can milk
2 eggs
1-1 lb. bag frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 c. diced onions (optional)
1 1/2 c. - 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

To freeze: Combine all ingredients and dump into 1 gallon freezer bag. Lay flat to freeze.

To serve: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Pour contents into a bowl and mix with cooked macaroni or other pasta.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until bubbly.

Teriyaki Pork Loin

2009-09-24T11:36:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh, I totally forgot to post my recipe. Sorry!

1 pork loin
favorite teriyaki sauce

Take from freezer and let thaw in fridge. Grill for 20 minutes or bake for 40 at 375.

Monica's Cincinnati Chili and Sweet Sausage & Pepper Stir Fry

2009-09-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

Cincinnati Chili

1 pound ground beef, cooked
1 can undrained kidney beans
1 large can tomato sauce (can use canned tomatoes too if you like)
1 pack of chili seasoning

Throw it all together and simmer for 10 minutes. At the same time cook up your spaghetti noodles. On your plate, put down noodles, then chili and then top with cheese, sour cream etc. yummy goodness!!

Sweet Sausage and Peppers Stir Fry

5 large sweet sausage links
Cut up sweet orange, yellow and red peppers
1 medium onion
a pinch of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Cook up your rice. While that is cooking, fry up you top five ingregients and then put it over the rice. So tastey!

Erika's Recipes, Asian Lettuce Wraps and Baked Ziti

2009-09-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Asian Lettuce Wraps

2 t vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground chicken (about 2 boneless, skinless breasts)
3/4 C minced mushrooms (I use cremini/Italian Brown/Baby Portabello)
1/2 t kosher salt
4 C minced cabbage (about 1/2 a head)
1 8oz can water chestnuts, minced
1/2 C minced green onions
1/4 C soy sauce
2 t sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and then juiced.
1 t hot sauce
1/3 C chopped cilantro
1 head iceberg lettuce
*Dipping Sauce recipe to follow

Heat up a large skillet. Really, a large one, this makes a lot. Put in vegetable oil and when it's hot add minced garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute just until it's fragrant and then add in the ground chicken, minced mushrooms, and salt. Cook until chicken is cooked through.

Then add in the cabbage, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook for a few minutes until cabbage starts to wilt. Add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, juice and zest from the lemon, and hot sauce. When everything is cooked through, remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

To serve, carefully separate the whole leaves from the lettuce. Wash and dry them and keep them in the fridge so they're nice and cold. Spoon chicken filling onto the lettuce leaf and then roll it up and serve with dipping sauce below- or any other favorite Asian dipping sauce.

dipping sauce
¼ C Soy Sauce
¼ C Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 T Fresh minced ginger
2 T chopped green onions

You'll get about 6 cups total of filling.

From Frozen: Thaw mixture slightly, then pour into a skillet and cook until heated through. Let dipping sauce thaw at room temperature.

Baked Ziti
1 pound ziti, cooked
1 onion
1 pound ground beef
1 pound sausage
26 oz spaghetti sauce
6 oz provolone cheese
1 1/2 c sour cream
6 oz mozarella
2 T parmesan

Cook beef, sausage and onion until browned. Drain. Add sauce and simmer 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 X 13 pan. Layer 1/2 the ziti, provolone, sour cream, 1/2 the sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozarella, remaining sauce and then top with parmesan. Bake 30 minutes.

From Frozen: Thaw in refrigerator the day before and then bake at 350 for 40 minutes, until bubbly.

Mandi- Honey Barbecue Chili

2009-09-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

1/2 lb hamburger
1 chopped onion
4 minced garlic cloves
Brown the meat with the onion and garlic. Drain then add the following:

1/2 - 1 C BBQ sauce (just depends how barbecue-ish you like it)
2 cans chili beans
1/3 C honey
3 cans diced tomatoes
dash of basil
1 T chili powder
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 T cocoa
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T dijon mustard
1 1/2 t cumin
2 cans kidney beans

Bring all that to a boil then let it simmer about an hour or till ready to eat.

From frozen: unthaw in fridge over night then re-heat on stove or crock pot. Serve with sour cream and cheese. (and corn bread! :)

Angie's Burrito Casserole

2009-09-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

1 pkg (2.5 lbs) of frozen bean and cheese burritos like El Monterey

1 c milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sliced olives

cilantro leaves

Add burritos to bottom of 13X9 baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together m ilk, soup, 1 c of cheese and the olives. Pour mixture evenly over the burritos. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 50 min or until heated and bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

Angie's Sausage and Bean Casserole

2009-09-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

1pkg sausages

3 cans pork and beans

1/3 c bottled BBQ sauce

2 T brown sugar

1 pkg Jiffy cornbread

1/3 c milk

1 egg

Cook sausage until browned and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix together sausages bean, BBQ sauce and brown sugar. Spoon into 13x9 coated baking dish. Prepare the cornbread and spread evenly over the top of the casserole.

Bake at 350 for 45 min, until bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Taco Potatoes by Monica

2009-08-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

Wash potatoes and bake them 350 for 1 hour

While the potatoes are baking, heat up taco meat and let cheese defrost.

Top potatoes with taco meat, cheese, and any other ingredients you like...the more the better! Enjoy!

Angie's Stuffed Bell Peppers

2009-08-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my sis-in-law Jodi. Tasty!!

Cut green peppers in half length wise. Blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes to make peppers bake faster.

Brown hamburger or turkey burger.

Prepare Spanish rice.

Mix Spanish rice with hamburger ( if it looks dry you can add an additional can of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes--I added 1 large can of diced tomatoes).

Fill Green peppers with meat/rice mixture.

Bake for 30 min on 350.

Making 5 green peppers of 10 halves is a good serving. They do very well frozen.

Voila!