Freezer Meal Swap - September 2012

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Coconut Curry Kebabs
from Once a Month Mom
Print Recipe

2 pounds country style pork ribs (boneless)
14 ounces canned coconut milk
2 Tbsp curry paste, more or less to taste (any color)
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp natural peanut or other nut butter
coarse salt and pepper, to taste

Cut pork into 2 inch cubes and place in a freezer bag. In a food processor combine coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, and peanut butter. Pour half of coconut milk mixture intothe bag with the pork. Refrigerate the other half of the coconut milk mixture for dipping. Marinade for at least one hour. Drain excess marinade. Skewer meat with bamboo skewers and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook over a hot grill 5-7 minutes each side or until pork is cooked through. Serve with remaining coconut mixture and cooked brown rice and grilled vegetables if desired.

To freeze: Prepare meat and marinade as directed above. Store meat and half of coconut mixture in one freezer bag. Freeze remaining coconut mixture in a separate bag (to be used for dipping).

To serve: Thaw and drain excess marinade. Follow grilling directions above.

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Freezer Burritos
from Taste of Home
Print Recipe

1 1/4 lbs lean ground beef (90% lean)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/4 cups salsa
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium taco seasoning
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
12 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in salsa and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside. In a food processor, combine pinto beans and water. Cover and process until almost smooth. Add to beef mixture. Stir in cheese. Spoon 1/2 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Fold ends and sides over filling; roll up. Wrap each burrito in waxed paper and foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.

To serve: Remove foil and waxed paper. Place one burrito on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165°, turning burrito over once. Let stand for 20 seconds. Yield: 12 servings.

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Freezer Meal Swap - July 2012

We ended up grilling the chicken and since I forgot to put directions on my bag it didn't get sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It was delicious and we didn't know the difference since this was our first time eating it. The burgers were also very tasty.

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Lemon Pepper Chicken
from Favorite Family Recipes
Print Recipe

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon pepper
parmesan cheese

Marinate chicken in oil, lemon juice, and pepper. Remove chicken and discard marinade. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and grill or bake in oven for 45 minutes at 350 or grill.

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Ranch Cheddar Burgers
from Once a Month Mom
Print Recipe

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup shredded or cubed cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp Ranch Dressing Mix

Combine beef, ranch dressing mix and shredded cheddar cheese. Gently shape 6 patties of equal size and thickness. With your thumb, or back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of each patty. This helps that patties to cook evenly. Place a small square of wax or parchment paper between each patty and place in gallon size freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.

To serve: Thaw desired number of patties. Grill patties over direct high heat with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to medium doneness – 8-10 minutes, turning once. Or cook in fry pan on stovetop over med- high heat until done. If desired, during the last minute of grilling/frying, place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt. Serve warm on hamburger buns with tomatoes, lettuce and ranch dressing.

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Freezer Meal Swap - June 2012

The burgers have bacon and a grill involved. . .of course they were delicious! The buffalo chicken made great sandwiches especially with the addition of bleu cheese crumbles.

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The Texas Squealer Burger
from Food.com
Print Recipe

1 1/2 lbs 80% lean ground beef
12 slices bacon, uncooked
1 1/2 Tbsp grill seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp minced dried onions
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Begin by chopping the raw bacon finely with a sharp knife. I slice it in half, then in strips, then dice it. The key is to make it small. I do not recommend a food processor because it heats the bacon up too much and can become gummy. Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl and add the bacon. Form into 6-8 patties and put in the freezer.

To serve: Defrost burgers. Grill patties approximately 5 minutes on each side. Allow them to rest 5 minutes before serving. Top with cheese if you wish and any of your favorite toppings.

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Slow Cooked Buffalo Chicken
from Once a Month Mom
Print Recipe

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
12 oz buffalo wing sauce
1 oz dry ranch dressing mix

Place chicken, Buffalo sauce, and Ranch mix in a slow cooker. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours or until meat easily shreds with two forks (time will depend on how many servings you are making.). Shred and serve shredded meat in toasted deli rolls, on nachos, over hot cooked noodles or rice, etc. *You may want to add a touch more Buffalo sauce to the cooked meat when you serve, to taste.

Prepare meat as above and allow to cool after shredding. Portion into freezer bags, seal, label, and freeze. To serve: Reheat in microwave, stovetop, or slow cooker until warm and serve in toasted deli rolls, on nachos, over hot cooked noodles or rice, etc.

Alternative: place chicken, sauce, and dressing mix in freezer bags. Seal, label, and freeze. To prepare: Thaw. Place contents of bag in slow cooker and cook on low 6-7 hours or until meat easily shreds with two forks. Serve as indicated.

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Freezer Meals Swap - May 2012

May was a month of repeats. I prepared Buttermilk Herb Chicken Breasts from this post and Foolproof Burgers from this post. They are both two of my all time favorite meals. I make the burgers many times during the grilling season because they are delicious and easy.

Freezer Meal Group - October 2011

For October I made Taco Spaghetti and Healthy Turkey Burgers. I have made the Healthy Turkey Burgers before. The last time I made them I used dried parsley and breadcrumbs that had been sitting in my pantry (while not expired they were not "fresh"). This time I used fresh parsley and I made my own breadcrumbs. To do this I filled a baking sheet with bread odds and ends from my refrigerator and baked them at 270 until they were dry. (I used some hamburger buns and bread ends no one wanted to eat.) Once dry I tossed them in the blender and blended until there were no large chunks. They were so much better than the breadcrumbs I purchased. Just to not have the stale bread smell was worth it.

The Taco Spaghetti was quite tasty and it was easy to put together even though I had to cook the noodles and meat. I put the lettuce and tomatoes on the table so everyone to could add the amount they wanted. I think the addition of the lettuce and fresh tomato is a must. Those additions made the meal for me.

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Taco Spaghetti
from Food.com
Printable Recipe

10 ounces dried spaghetti (Ronzoni Smart Pasta)
1 lb ground beef (5% Fat)
1 large onions, chopped
3/4 cups water
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelopes taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 cups colby jack cheese or cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup salsa
1 (4 1/2 ounce) cans diced green chili peppers
4 cups lettuce, shredded
1 medium tomatoes, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Meanwhile, cook ground meat and onion until meat is brown, in a dutch oven. Drain off fat. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix. Bring to boiling and reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cooked pasta, corn, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, salsa and chili peppers. Pour contents into lightly greased casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, label and freeze up to 3 months.

To serve. Defrost in refrigerator. Remove aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Recover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 oven for 1 hour or until heated through, stirring once about halfway through baking time. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Top with lettuce and chopped tomato. If desired, pass broken tortilla chips and dairy sour cream as additional toppings.

Servings: 6 • Size: 1/6 • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 346 • Fat: 11.3 g • Carb: 13.2 g • Fiber: 4.6 g • Protein: 29.9 g

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Healthy Turkey Burgers
from Food.com
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 lbs ground chicken or 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup yellow onions, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 to taste salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and shape into patties. Grill, broil or saute about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

For Freezing:
Once burgers are formed, flash freeze on wax paper and a cookie sheet. When patty is firm, place in a gallon freezer bags. To serve, thaw in refrigerator over night. Grill or pan fry to prepare.

Servings: 6 • Size: 1/6 • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 224 • Fat: 8.4 g • Carb: 12.2 g • Fiber: 2.5 g • Protein: 23.1 g

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Freezer Meal Group - December 2011

Now that I have caught up on my WLB posts, I will catch up on Freezer Meal Group posts. First I will get all of my recipes posted and then I will post the recipes from other group members. I won't be posting all the recipes though because I was sort of a slacker face who was extremely disorganized and misplaced some of them. I will post all the ones I have not misplaced.

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Chicken Posole Stew in the Slow Cooker
from Cook at Home
Printable Recipe

4 boneless chicken breasts or the equivalent in tenders
2 cans hominy, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
3 carrots, sliced thin
3 green onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp salt, or to taste
pepper to taste

Put the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the other ingredients on top, stirring to combine. Cook on high 5-6 hours or low 7-8 hours. Remove the chicken and shred with a fork. Return to the pot. Serve with tortilla chips and cheddar cheese, if desired.

To freeze: Combine all ingredients in a zip top freezer bag. Freeze.
To cook: Defrost in refrigerator. Pour contents in to slow cooker and cook as directed above.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 226 • Fat: 4 g • Protein: 24.1 g • Carb: 21.8 g • Fiber: 4.1 g

**The nutrition is figured without the addition of tortilla chips and cheddar cheese.

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Beef and Black Bean Taco Bake from Eat at Home
Printable Recipe

1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar of black bean and corn salsa
6-10 tortillas, corn or flour, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, shredded
extra cheese for the top, if desired

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a 9×13 casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

To freeze: Cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze.
To cook: Defrost in refrigerator. Remove foil and plastic wrap. Replace foil and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until heated through.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th • Old Points: 8 pts • Points+: 10 pts
Calories: 408 • Fat: 9.9 g • Protein: 39.2 g • Carb: 39 g • Fiber: 8.7 g

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Freezer Meal Group - September 2011

Here are the meals I made for September. I have made the Cheddar Butter Burgers before and this time they were even better. I think I had more fresh herbs (I only used basil). The burgers were fantastic as was the Buttermilk Chicken. I LOVED the chicken. It was even good cold and would be excellent on a salad.

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Cheddar Butter Burgers
adapted from Once a Month Mom
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 lb ground sirloin, round or chuck
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
6 hamburger buns

Garlic-Herb Butter (will make more than you need, save for later)
6 Tbsp mix of fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, chives, basil, oregano, and/or tarragon)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp pepper
2 sticks butter, salted, room temperature

Place herbs, garlic, pepper and butter in bowl and beat with hand mixer until light and fluffy. Lay a 12-inch-square piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on your work surface and mound the flavored butter in the center. Roll it up into a cylinder, twisting the ends to compact the butter. Chill the butter in the refrigerator or freezer until firm. To use, unwrap the roll and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices (approximately 1 Tablespoon). In a large bowl, hand mix ground beef, cheese, salt, and pepper. Divide into 6 equal balls. Mash into hamburger shapes. Place 1 Tablespoon of Garlic-Herb Butter in the middle of the burger and seal up. Grill or pan fry to prepare.

For Freezing:
Once burgers are formed, flash freeze on wax paper and a cookie sheet. When patty is firm, place in a gallon freezer bags. To serve, thaw in refrigerator over night. Grill or pan fry to prepare.

Servings: 6 • Size: 1 burger • Old Points: 9 pts • Points+: 9 pts
Calories: 347 • Fat: 22.2 g • Carb: .4 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 34.8 g

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Buttermilk Herb Chicken Breasts
from Once a Month Mom
Printable Recipe

1 cup 1% milk
1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp thyme
1 Tbsp rosemary
1 tsp sage
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 lbs. Chicken breasts

Pour vinegar/lemon juice into milk and let sit for five minutes. Combine all ingredients into a freezer bag slightly shake to mix, and let sit in refrigerator for at least one hour or up to overnight. Heat grill or pan to medium heat, discard marinade and cook chicken until done.

For Freezing:
Combine all ingredients into a freezer bag slightly shake to mix, and place into freezer until ready to serve. To Serve: Thaw in refrigerator. Heat grill or pan to medium heat, discard marinade and cook chicken until done.

Servings: 6 • Size: 6 oz. chicken • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 198 • Fat: 4.35 g • Carb: 5.8 g • Fiber: .5 g • Protein: 36.1 g

**Nutrition information based on chicken and 1/6 of marinade.

Freezer Meal Group - Pizza Pasta Casserole

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Pizza Pasta Casserole
from Freezer Meal Swap
Printable Recipe

2 lbs ground beef
1 lg onion, chopped
2 (28 oz) jars spaghetti sauce
1 (16 oz) pkg spiral pasta
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz sliced pepperoni and/or Canadian bacon

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 until ground beef is no longer pink; drain fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and pasta, once noodles are cooked and drained. Spray 2 9x13 baking dishes with non-stick cooking spray, and divide mixture into both casseroles evenly. Sprinkle with cheese and top with pepperoni and/or Canadian bacon. Cool if needed, then cover and freeze.

To cook: Thaw casserole in the refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.

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Freezer Meal Goup - Jose's Lasagna

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Jose’s Lasagna
from Freezer Meal Swap
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 lb. hamburger
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 cups stewed tomatoes
tortillas
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup cheese, grated

Combine hamburger, seasonings, and tomatoes; cook until meat is well done. Line the bottom of a 12” Dutch oven with tortilla shells. Spoon half of meat mixture over shells, then spread 1 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup cheese. Place another layer tortillas over cheeses. Spread the rest of the meat mixture over tortillas. Spread cottage cheese and grated cheese over meat mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350-375. Serve topped with chopped olives, onions, green pepper, and grated cheese.

From frozen: Thaw, then cook for 30 minutes at 375. Top with onions, green pepper, and grated cheese. Sour cream, olives and salsa could also be added.

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Freezer Meal Group - Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Cornbread Pie

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Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Cornbread Pie
from Freezer Meal Swap
Printable Recipe

Meat Mixture:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 can green chilies, diced
1 can corn, drained
1 onion, chopped

In a large skillet brown ground beef, add onion and cook until hamburger is no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Cornbread Batter:
2 small boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk

Mix all ingredients. In a 13x9 inch pan spread meat mixture evenly across pan. Pour cornbread batter evenly over meat mixture. Bake on 350 for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

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Freezer Meal Group - August 2011

As in the previous months we once again had low numbers which meant we each made two meals. The two meals I chose to make were Foolproof Burgers and Garlic Lime Chicken. I made the Foolproof Burgers in last year for a freezer meal and you can read about it here if you would like. I have made them a couple times in between and every time we love them. They have such a good flavor. I have even started using a 9-grain bread we like in place of the white bread listed in the recipe and they are just as moist. We haven't eaten the Garlic Lime Chicken yet so I can't give feedback on that just yet. Once we eat it I will update the post.

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Foolproof Burgers
adapted from Jenny Mac’s LipSmack
Printable Recipe

1 large slice white or wheat bread, crusts cut off, broken into pieces
2 Tbsp milk
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 medium garlic clove, pressed through garlic press
2 tsp Simple Steak Sauce
3/4 lb 80% ground beef
3/4 lb 90% ground beef

In a large bowl, mix your bread pieces with milk. Mix with fork until it's a pasty slurry. Add your seasonings and Simple Steak Sauce. Mix. Add your ground beef and mix with a fork to keep your warm hands from melting the fat. If you are a 'hands-on' kinda person...go ahead. Form into patties. Keeping in mind that 4 - 1/2 lb burgers can be formed. (Smaller or larger burgers can be formed if desired.) **Important point....when ready to put the burgers on the grill make sure you put a 'dent' or a hole in the center of each patty this will prevent the burgers from swelling in the middle as they shrink in the cooking process.

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Garlic Lime Chicken
from Food.com
Printable Recipe

5 -6 lbs skinless chicken pieces
1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lime, juice of
1 - 2 Tbsp white wine (optional)

Whisk together everything except the chicken in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat thoroughly. Let sit for 15 minutes. Toss again. Grill or broil quickly on medium-high heat until just barely done. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Note -- Cooking time may vary due to the specific parts chosen.

FOR FREEZING:
Freeze it in the marinade and grill when thawed.

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Freezer Meal Group - June 2011

Again this month there were only four individuals in our group for freezer meal swapping so it was decided we would each make two meals and in the end we would have eight different meals for the month. I again really enjoyed making meals this way.

This month my meal options were Asian BBQ Chicken and Bacon & Bleu Burgers. I LOVE marinated chicken recipes. They are so easy to put together and grilled marinated chicken is SO incredibly delicious. I highly recommend following the tip and making the extra marinade for basting or added flavor at the end. We did not do this and While the chicken was good, I think it would have been GREAT had we followed the tip. KLB made the Bacon & Bleu Burgers for a freezer meal swap that she, Jabba, and I did awhile ago. We loved them then and we loved them this time too. If you think you don't like bleu cheese I recommend you try these burgers anyway. PE dislikes bleu cheese but he loves these burgers.

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Asian BBQ Chicken
from Our Best Bites
Prinatable Recipe

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp curry powder
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Place marinade and chicken in a zip-lock bag. Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or longer if you have it (even overnight). Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Optional: garnish with sliced green onions

*Tip: You can make 1 1/2 times the marinade and reserve some of the marinade before adding the chicken and then use it in the last few minutes of grilling, or just brush it on after for extra flavor.

FOR FREEZING: Combine sauce and chicken in zip top bag and freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Grill as directed above.

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Bacon & Bleu Burgers
from Once a Month Mom
Printable Recipe

1 lb ground beef
2/3 cups bacon crumbles (approximately 3 oz)
1/3 cups bleu cheese crumbles
Optional – extra bleu cheese crumbles for melting on top

Cook bacon in 400 degree oven on a cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp. Remove, allow to cool and chop in food processor. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until well incorporated. Make a large ball of the meat and then divide into fourths. Make 4 quarter pound hamburger balls and then mold into patties. Cook on hot grill for 3 minutes on each side or until hamburgers are cooked to desired doneness. Serve on buns with additional toppings if desired.

FOR FREEZING:
You can make up these hamburgers and freeze them using sheets of wax paper to divide them and then place them in freezer bags. To serve: Thaw. Cook on hot grill for 3 minutes on each side or until hamburgers are cooked to desired doneness. Serve on buns with additional toppings if desired.

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Freezer Meal Group - May 2011

This month there were only four individuals in our group for freezer meal swapping so it was decided we would each make two meals and in the end we would have eight different meals for the month. I really like making meals this way.

The meals I chose for this month are Barbecue Beef and Turkey Burgers. I have posted the Barbecue Beef recipe before. It is a family favorite. It is also a freezer meal favorite because I only had to brown the burger the day of the prep. Not as easy as dumping everything in a bag but pretty close. The Turkey Burgers are a new recipe. They were fantastic. I have to make them again soon. the one change I would make is to use fresh (or at least freshER) breadcrumbs. We like ours served with barbecue sauce for a touch of added flavor. . . not that the burgers need it.

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Barbecue Beef
from Sparky
Printable Recipe

2 lbs hamburger
2 cups ketchup
1 cup tomato juice
1 tsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 onion, diced
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder

Brown hamburger and combine all ingredients in slow cooker on Low for 4 – 5 hours. If you like sweet barbecue add more brown sugar.

FOR FREEZING: Brown hamburger and cool. Combine remaining ingredients in gallon zip top bag. Add hamburger. Freeze flat. TO SERVE: Empty contents of bag (defrosted or frozen) into slow cooker and cook on high for 4 - 5 hours.

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Turkey Burgers
from Blogchef
Printable Recipe

3 lbs ground turkey
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup onion (finely diced)
2 egg whites (lightly beaten)
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
hamburger buns

In a large bowl combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, onion, egg whites, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well and form mixture into 12 patties. Place patties on grill and grill burgers until they have reached an internal temperature of 180 degrees (about 7 minutes per side). These can also be cooked in a skillet. (Makes about 12 burgers)

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Recipe Report - April 11

Turnip Slaw
The coop provided us with turnips awhile ago. Since I can't name another time I have eaten turnips, I had to find a recipe for how to serve these. A lot of the recipes were for au gratin style (cheese, cream, etc.). Not that there is anything wrong with that but I wanted a healthier alternative. I settled on this turnip slaw recipe. It was delicious. This was a great way to start out with turnips. Considering PE and I do not generally like cole slaw it was surprising that we both enjoyed it. My Auntie C. REALLY enjoyed it as well.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake
I don't think I need to mention again how much I love the Pioneer Woman but I will anyway. I LOVE Ree! She makes me laugh and she always provides good recipes. This was a big hit. I made it one weekend for lunch. I added a little garlic powder and garlic salt (we love garlic in our house) but other than that I followed her recipe.

Teriyaki Honey Chicken
Oh my goodness was this delicious! I really loved the flavor of this. We cooked it on the indoor grill and I CANNOT wait to grill them outside. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Oh the deliciousness. We served it with coconut rice. Yummy.

Lentil and Wild Rice Soup
I have heard from several coworkers how delicious lentils are. I had also read about how nutritious they are. So I purchased some then set to work finding recipes. As soon as I saw this one I had to try it. . . .I love wild rice. As it was cooking it smelled so amazing. Even with the fantastic aroma I was a little concerned that PE and Moo might not enjoy it, but they both devoured it.

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Click links below for printable recipes:

Turnip Slaw
Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Teriyaki Honey Chicken
Lentil and Wild Rice Soup

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Recipe Report - March 14

(Not sure why this did not post on Monday. Blogger has been a little weird lately.)

Thick Oven-Baked Chili
Yummy, yummy, yummy! A couple months ago PE and I made our first batch of chili and it was ok. Ever since then I had been craving chili. So, when this recipe appeared in my Reader I couldn't resist. I am so glad I couldn't. It was delicious. Thick, just like the title indicates and it was pretty easy to make. Delicious and easy! Who could ask for more?

Asian Orange Chicken
This was part of our Chinese New Year meal. It was pretty good other than I would have liked a crispier breading on the chicken. I have made other types of breaded chicken so I can remedy that quite easily. I would make it again.

Pork Dumplings and Beefy Chinese Dumplings
These were also part of the Chinese New Year meal. We love dumplings/potstickers and these delicious. I liked the steaming method without the frying that the Pork Dumplings had in the instructions. The frying is delicious but this is just as good and a bit easier. I made two kinds because I ended up not having enough ground pork for the recipe so I found a recipe for beef. One thing I love about dumplings/potstickers is how well they freeze then cook. We spent a bit of time making a bunch of dumplings and put quite a few in the freezer for other meals.

Baked Egg Rolls
This finished off the Chinese New Year menu. Technically the egg rolls started it. After we had all the rolls made we baked a batch and had them for lunch. Yummy, yummy. The one shortfall is I haven't found a worthy sweet and sour sauce. We purchased one at the store and ick. Double ick. I made some and it was better but still not I was looking for. Luckily the rolls were good enough to stand on their own.

Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta
Yet another easy and delicious meal. One thing that made it easier was using canned chicken. I purchased a bottle of the Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning at the local warehouse store and use two tablespoons of that in place of a packet.

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake
I had some ricotta in the refrigerator from a recipe earlier in the month so when I went looking for a spinach recipe to use up some fresh spinach from the co-op I was drawn to this recipe. I am sure glad I was. It was fantastic. I think in place of ricotta (if you happen to have an aversion to it) you could use whipping cream. Or if you like it really spicy you could use the salsa verde straight.

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Click the links below to get the printable recipes.
Thick Oven-Baked Chili
Asian Orange Chicken
Pork Dumplings
Beefy Chinese Dumplings
Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta
Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake

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Freezer Meal Group - January 2011

For the January meal I found another meal to use up some of the elk meat. We cooked up some roasts and prepared them for the freezer as direct below. We haven't eaten the chimichangas yet since I had other items planned for dinner so I can't speak to the taste. We did taste the meat and it had pretty good flavor and that was without the cumin and brown sugar.

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Chimichangas
adapted from FreezerMeals.com
Print Recipe

3-4 lb elk, beef, or pork roast
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

cumin
brown sugar

Trim the fat from the roast and place it in your slow cooker with water, soy sauce, and red wine vinegar. Cook on low overnight. In the morning shred it with two forks. Do not drain the liquid, it will help marinade the meat while it is in the freezer. Once the meat is shredded place in several quart freezer bags, add some juice, and cumin and brown sugar to taste.

From frozen: Defrost meat, tortillas, and shredded cheese overnight in refrigerator. Place desired amount of meat in each flour tortilla, then sprinkle with cheese. Tuck sides of tortilla in first, then roll up and seal the seam with a toothpick. Then cook using one of the methods below.
METHOD 1: Heat 1-2 cups canola or vegetable oil in a hot skillet on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place 3 or 4 rolled tortillas in hot oil, seam side down. Turn tortillas when golden brown on bottom. Brown the other side of the Chimichangas and then place on a paper towel.
METHOD 2: Preheat oven to 425. Place seam side down in 9 x 13 baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
To serve: Pull out toothpicks and place chimichangas on a bed of lettuce and top with salsa and sour cream. Serve warm. Freeze leftover chimichangas. Bake frozen at 425°F for 11 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and heated through.

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Freezer Meal Group - November 2010

I have a gruntload of elk from all of PE's hunting this year so I have been trying to find beef recipes that I think will work well with the elk. I don't really have any method for this other than reading over the recipe and thinking, "hmm. . .that sounds like it would allow for the meat to tenderize and those flavors should help counteract the gaminess." Such a technical way to do it, right?

While I married the Hunting Whore that does not mean I have completely opened myself to all that comes with it. I will eat the meat so long as it tastes more like beef. If I make something or if PE makes something and I don't like the taste of it. . . I won't eat it. Thankfully PE understands my tastes and he tries to help me when planning recipes and he tries to make things so I will enjoy them. (Don't worry, the kids are in our thoughts too but I tend to be a bit pickier than they are so if I like it they most likely will too.)

This recipe was a great way to cook it and I was pleased to have the other swappers excited for the elk meat when I told them that is what I used. For a little change I made spaetzle in place of potatoes, rice, or noodles. It was fantastic. I am going to add spaetzle to chicken soup in place of noodles next time.

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Ultimate Stroganoff
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe
Print Recipe

2 lbs stew meat (I used elk)
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 onion, sliced
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp ketchup

1/3 cup flour
6 Tbsp apple juice
4 oz sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup sour cream

Place meat, salt, pepper, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, ketchup, and onion in gallon size freezer bag. In a bowl mix flour and apple juice (thickening agent). Pour into quart size freezer bag and add 4 oz of mushrooms. Attache to top of gallon freezer bag. Freeze all ingredients.

To serve: Defrost in refrigerator overnight. Place in crock pot on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours (high for 7-8 if fully frozen). Leave quart bag to defrost. When cooked add contents of quart bag to crock pot. Cook on high for 15-30 min. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream and serve over pasta, rice or potatoes.

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Spaetzle
from The Tasty Kitchen
Print Recipe

2 whole eggs beaten
3/4 cups water
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp alt
1 cube bouillon
butter, to taste
parsley, to taste
salt to taste

Combine eggs, water, flour and salt, beating until smooth. Add bouillon cube to 6 cups boiling water. Put batter into the spaetzle maker/potato ricer and place over the pot of boiling water. Slide the basket back and forth letting tiny dumplings fall into the water. When done, they will rise to the surface. Do not put too much batter into water at a time or it will not cook properly. Use a slotted spoon to strain them and place in a colander. Gently shake off excess water and place into a large covered bowl. Repeat the process until all of the dough is used. Lightly toss with butter, parsley, and salt to taste and serve in place of noodles, rice, or potatoes.

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Unstuffed Cabbage

I had a cabbage from the co-op to use so I went searching through my bookmarked recipes to see what I could find. (I only had three or four recipes so it wasn't that difficult.) I settled on Unstuffed Cabbage as I had all of the ingredients and it would enable me to use more items received from the co-op. The Unstuffed Cabbage used garlic, onion, tomatoes, and cabbage--all from the co-op. I made mashed potatoes to go with it. The Yukon gold potatoes and sweet potatoes I used for this were from the co-op as well. The original recipe called for stewed tomatoes; however, I didn't have any and I had a bunch of fresh tomatoes from the co-op so it all worked out well. My mother came over to eat and we got to hear about the health benefits of fresh tomatoes versus canned tomatoes--they are better at fighting cancer when fresh. Great information, although I do have to say sometimes I worry about her watching so much Dr. Oz and The Doctors. Good thing Dr. Oz goes by "Dr. Oz" or she would be on a first name basis with him like she is "Martha" Stewart.

Anyway, as I was preparing the Unstuffed Cabbage I went through a range of opinions about it. I was more or less indifferent as I browned the burger. After adding the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper I moved onto thinking it smelled amazing. Then after adding the cabbage I had some doubt--the smell wasn't quite as good any longer. After the cabbage simmering for about 60 of the 90-120 minutes directed in the recipe, I was back on board with amazing as far as smell but a little iffy on the looks. My opinion ended on amazing though. The Unstuffed Cabbage would be delicious as a stand alone meal; however, the addition of the mashed potatoes amped it up a notch, I think. Moo, PE, and my mother all raved about it as well. We had quite a bit leftover and those leftovers reheated wonderfully.

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Unstuffed Cabbage
adapted from Key Ingredient
Print Recipe

2 lbs ground beef
1 medium sized onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 tomatoes, seeded and diced*
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 head cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)

Heat a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add beef and cook for 6 minutes until no longer pink. Stir occasionally. Drain fat. Stir in onion and cook 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and paste. Stir in 1 1/4 cups water, parsley, salt, oregano, sugar, and black pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Add half the cabbage and cook covered 5 minutes. Add the remaining cabbage and simmer, covered, 90 minutes to 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Serve with mashed potatoes.

*For detailed directions on seeding a tomato click HERE.

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Freezer Meal Group - August

This month for the freezer swap a lot of people were taking a break for the month/summer so there were only four of us who swapped. Since there were only four of us, the group leader had the brilliant idea to see if we each wanted to make two different meals. Everyone was willing so when we went to exchange we each received six different meals. This month we received some great sounding meals (Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Saucy Spare Ribs, and Beef Enchiladas to name a few). If I received a recipe with the meal, I will share the recipes as we eat them. Well. . .that is my intention anyway. Sometimes the recipes get misplaced if I don't get to them before a helper does.

For my meals I made Cheddar Butter Burgers and Grilled Chicken Legs/Thighs. I have not eaten either of them but the ingredients were pretty simple so I figured they were good choices. Not to mention they are both for the grill and I have not eaten one thing off the grill all season that wasn't delicious. That is proof positive PE has some serious grilling skills. I have been trying to eat the meals I prepare before I post the recipes; however, I accidentally grabbed my unmarked meal in place of the one with directions when I left to go swap so I need to get the recipes posted in case my fellow swapper has any questions.

As noted in the Cheddar Butter Burgers recipe, the Garlic-Herb Butter makes extra. I will say it makes A LOT extra. I made one batch of the butter and it was enough for 24 burgers with a bit left over but since I had burger fingers as I was grabbing the butter slices I chose not to save the extra--I tossed it. Had I saved the extras I would have had PE put it on some steak as he was removing it from the grill--yummy! Since I had that idea I am going to make a much smaller batch of it next time we grill steaks just for that purpose.

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Cheddar Butter Burgers
adapted from Once a Month Mom
Print Recipe

1 1/2 lb ground sirloin, round or chuck
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
6 hamburger buns

Garlic-Herb Butter (will make more than you need, save for later)
6 Tbsp mix of fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, chives, basil, oregano, and/or tarragon)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp pepper
2 sticks butter, salted, room temperature

Place herbs, garlic, pepper and butter in bowl and beat with hand mixer until light and fluffy.
Lay a 12-inch-square piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on your work surface and mound the flavored butter in the center. Roll it up into a cylinder, twisting the ends to compact the butter. Chill the butter in the refrigerator or freezer until firm. To use, unwrap the roll and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices (approximately 1 Tablespoon). In a large bowl, hand mix ground beef, cheese, salt, and pepper. Divide into 6 equal balls. Mash into hamburger shapes. Place 1 Tablespoon of Garlic-Herb Butter in the middle of the burger and seal up. Grill or pan fry to prepare.

Freezing Instructions
Once burgers are formed, flash freeze on wax paper and a cookie sheet. When patty is firm, place in a gallon freezer bags. To serve, thaw in refrigerator over night. Grill or pan fry to prepare.

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Grilled Chicken Legs/Thighs
adapted from Food.com
Print Recipe

3 tsp sugar
3 tsp seasoning salt
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp pepper
3 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 chicken legs/thighs

Mix all marinade ingredients in a zip top bag add chicken. Chill and marinade for at least 4 hours. Grill chicken on a well oiled grill until well browned on all sides, turning once, 30 to 40 minutes (meat near thigh bones should no longer be pink when tested with the tip of a knife).

Freezer Instructions
Once marinade and chicken is combined in freezer bag, place in freezer. To prepare, defrost in refrigerator over night then grill as directed above.

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Freezer Meal Group - July

Again, I stayed with another no-cooking-during-preparation recipe for my freezer meal this month. It is also a meal that is for the grill. Even with central air, the house can really heat up when the oven is used. I chose to make Foolproof Burgers. When I first saw these on Jenny Mac's LipSmack I knew I had to try them. The recipe alone sounded great but the added fact the recipe came from Cook's Illustrated, a source I have come to trust for pretty much foolproof recipes, upped the have-to-try factor. I have never been disappointed with any recipe I have tried from Cook's Illustrated or America's Test Kitchen. These burgers are now added to the list. Yummy!

I was not totally sold on the 80% beef listed in the ingredients so I compromised with half 80% beef and 90% beef. I didn't go all out with the 90% beef because I figured since it came from Cook's Illustrated then they must have had a reason for using it. Even with that I still couldn't stick to only 80% beef. 90% beef is usually the lowest beef to fat ratio I will purchase so really it was a stretch for me. Then on top of that I had to touch it all. Since I was making so many I wanted the quickest/easiest way to get the two kinds of beef and the sauce/seasoning mixture incorporated so I did not use the fork method as recommended in the recipe. The recipe also called for A-1 but that is not a steak sauce that I have ever purchased nor do I really like it. I did happen to have some Simple Steak Sauce I had made a week (or so) ago and I used that in place of the A-1.

I made all of the burgers on Saturday. The easiest way for me was to have six sets of bowls. One bowl for the seasonings/sauce and one for each type of burger. So, yes that was 18 bowls total but I just couldn't imagine trying to mix and divide 13.5 pounds of burger all at once.

Once mixed I divided the burgers by weighing them since me and the eyeballing technique don't work very well together. I placed them on baking sheets lined with a silicone mat and placed wax paper between each burger. I put the baking sheets in the freezer overnight then divided the burgers in freezer bags once they were solid. I also have buns and cheese divided up to go with the burgers.

We grilled our burgers on Saturday and boy were they great. I reheated the leftovers in a pan with some water to sort of steam them and they were equally good the second time around. PE couldn't believe the simplicity of the ingredients when he asked me what I put in them (he was snoozing in his chair while I made them on Saturday). I will be making these again, possibly for another freezer meal swap before the grills are put away for the season.

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Foolproof Burgers
adapted from Jenny Mac’s LipSmack
Print Recipe

1 large slice white bread, crusts cut off, broken into pieces
2 Tbsp milk
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 medium garlic clove, pressed through garlic press
2 tsp Simple Steak Sauce (recipe below)
3/4 lb 80% ground beef
3/4 lb 90% ground beef

In a large bowl, mix your bread pieces with milk. Mix with fork until it's a pasty slurry. Add your seasonings and Simple Steak Sauce. Mix. Add your ground beef and mix with a fork to keep your warms hands from melting the fat. If you are a 'hands-on' kinda person...go ahead. Form into patties. Keeping in mind that 4- 1/2 lb burgers can be formed. (Smaller or larger burgers can be formed if desired.) **Important point....when ready to put the burgers on the grill make sure you put a 'dent' or a hole in the center of each patty this will prevent the burgers from swelling in the middle as they shrink in the cooking process.

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Simple Steak Sauce
adapted from Recipezaar
Print Recipe

3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp vinegar (any kind)
3 dashes chipotle hot sauce
dash liquid smoke

Stir all ingredients and serve.

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