Freezer Meal Swap - March 2013

Both of the recipes were easy to throw together. While we really enjoy the Slow Cooker Game Bird Breasts, we have never had the freezer meal version so I hope they turn out just as good as when it is not frozen. The ribs had a great flavor and went very well with the homemade macaroni and cheese I made to go with them.

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Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs
from Freezer Friendz
Print Recipe

4 pounds country-style boneless pork or beef ribs
1 (16 ounce) bottle of barbecue sauce
1 large onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup of honey or to taste
salt and pepper

Place ribs in zip top bag and sprinkle salt and pepper over ribs. Mix barbecue sauce, honey, onions, and garlic in bowl. Pour over ribs. Freeze.

To serve: Thaw in refrigerator. Place contents in slow cooker. Cook for 7-8 hours or until tender. Serve with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or hash browns.

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Slow Cooker Game Bird Breasts
from Sparky via PE
Print Recipe

2-3 lbs game bird breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup or homemade equivalent
2 packets Italian salad dressing mix
1-2 cans lemon-lime soda

Place breasts in zip top bag; add remaining ingredients. Freeze.

To serve: Thaw in refrigerator. Pour into slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on low or until breasts are tender. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.

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Freezer Meal Swap - February 13

This had a great flavor even though the consistency was not optimal. I didn't let it thaw completely before putting it in the slow cooker and I didn't get it in as early as I should have so I turned it on high and it resulted in the cheese not incorporating as well into the liquid. It sort of was like runny soup with cheese lumps instead of a creamy cheesy soup. Again, I have to say it had great flavor so I will make it again.

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Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup
from Once a Month Mom
Print Recipe

3 cups chicken broth
2 lbs frozen 0'brien hashbrowns
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
3 cups milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2/3 cup celery, chopped

Place all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on low 4-6 hours. Garnish with additional cheese and sour cream if desired.

Freezing Directions:
Do not cook before freezing. Place all ingredients into a gallon sized freezer storage bag, placing the potatoes at the bottom of the bag. Label and freeze. To serve, thaw. Place contents into slow cooker and cook on low 4-6 hours.

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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 Meal Group - February 2012

I have previously posted about the recipes for February except I tried a new meatball recipe this time around.
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Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken
I made this for April 2011 Freezer Meals. Click over to read about it. The Printable Recipe has been updated with nutrition information.

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Salsa Meatballs
I received this as a freezer meal last year and have made them several times. I posted the recipe here and the Printable Recipe has been updated with nutrition information.

Previously I used beef meatballs but I wanted to lighten it up a bit by using turkey meatballs. These meatballs were fantastic. They could be used in pasta sauce or in any other recipe that requires meatballs. They had an excellent flavor and were great plain also.

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Turkey Meatballs
fromFood.com
Print Recipe

1 lb lean ground turkey
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

Mix all the ingredients and shape into 30 meatballs approximately 1" across. Spray a nonstick pan lightly with veggie oil. Cook the meatballs for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned on the outside. OR lightly spray a baking sheet and bake them at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 5 meatballs • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 165.7 • Fat: 7.1 g • Protein: 17.3 g • Carb: 7.9 g • Fiber: .6 g

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Freezer Meal Group - January 2012

We have eaten the Honey Pork Chops. We grilled them and they were delicious. We served them with steamed asparagus. I am so excited that we were able to grill and will be able to grill a lot more in the near future.
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Honey Pork Chops
from Eat at Home
Printable Recipe

6 (5 oz) boneless pork loin chops
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
dash black pepper

Put all the ingredients, except the pork chops in a blender and mix well. Put the chops in a zip top freezer bag and pour the marinade over them. Label the bag and freeze. Thaw completely in the fridge. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or grill, or cook them in the slow cooker, cooking 5-6 hours on low.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 • Old Points: 8 pts • Points+: 9 pts**
Calories: 365 • Fat: 9.4 g • Protein: 44.6 g • Carb: 24 g • Fiber: 0 g

**The nutrition information is figured as though 1/6 of the marinade was consumed. If you were eating only a non marinated pork chop it would be 6 Points+. You can add however many points you feel comfortable with to account for the marinade.

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Honey Hoisin Chicken in the Slow Cooker
from Eat at Home
Print Recipe

6 (5 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Put the chicken in the slow cooker. Mix the other ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

To freeze: Put chicken in a gallon zip top freezer bag. Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Freeze. To cook: Defrost in refrigerator. Pour contents into slow cooker and cook as directed above.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts**
Calories: 242 • Fat: 3.9 g • Protein: 31.1 g • Carb: 17.5 g • Fiber: 0 g

**The nutrition information is figured as though 1/6 of the marinade was consumed. If you were eating only a non marinated pork chop it would be 4 Points+. You can add however many points you feel comfortable with to account for the marinade.

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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 - November 2011

This month I made Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken and Cheesy Salsa Tuna Burgers. I didn't get to make The Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken for my family because when I went shopping I remembered that I had chicken in the freezer so I didn't purchase any. Well. . . .I did have chicken but I didn't have quite enough to make a meal for us. I was 1 chicken breast short. I was just happy I had enough for the other meals.

For the Cheesy Salsa Tuna Burgers instead of providing the sesame seed buns I usually do I provided sandwich thins. I love these things! They are so delicious. They are excellent for hamburgers, turkey burgers, sandwiches, bratwursts, etc.

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Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken
from skinnytaste.com
Printable Recipe

24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the slow cooker. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice.

Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

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Cheesy Salsa Tuna Burgers
adapted from Green Lite Bites
Printable Recipe

2 5 oz cans of tuna packed in water, drained as much as possible
2 egg
4 wedges of The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats, ground up in a blender or food processor
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp dried cilantro
pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
dash of hot sauce to taste (optional)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine with hands. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Form the tuna mixture into 6 patties and place directly on hot skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes a side until warmed through and browned. The nutritional info is only for the patty, not my bun or fixins.

For freezing:
Place formed patties on a silicone mat lined tray and flash freeze. Once solid, place in freezer bags. Do NOT thaw. Place frozen patties directly on non-stick skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook for about 6 minutes per side until warmed through and browned.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 patty • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 215 • Fat: 5 g • Protein: 24 g • Carb: 18 g • Fiber: 3 g

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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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Freezer Meal Group - April 2011

Before going on vacation I had to get freezer meals done. I will be dropping them off to my sister to swap for me later this week. We haven't eaten it yet so I will have to let you know how it is. I love it already because it was one of those super easy no cook the day of preparation recipes.

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Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken
from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
Printable Recipe

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp of minced ginger OR 1 tsp ground ginger
4 cloves of garlic, minced OR 1 tsp dried minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne or red pepper
3 lbs chicken, breast, thighs, legs, etc.
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste

Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp soy sauce , ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat. Place in a slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 hours or until done. When done place chicken in a broiler proof dish. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, water, and tomato paste, and remaining soy sauce. Brush on chicken and cook under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until chicken is slightly crisp. But keep in eye on this while it is cooking under the broiler, things can cook quickly when broiling. (You may be tempted to skip the broiling, but it really does help give this a nice sticky and good texture.)

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Recipe Report - March 7

While I have been keeping up with the Weekly Menu, I have not posted many of the recipes. To help resolve this I am going to start another feature. Each Monday I will post a Recipe Report. In the post I will post the recipes from Weekly Menus. I will post five or so recipes each week. To cut down on the length of the post I will only post my review (I use that term very loosely) of the recipes and a link to the Google Doc for the recipe.

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This week I am posting more than five recipes because I have a lot of recipes to catch up on.

Lazy Chicken
This was an very easy main dish to make and by lining the pan with aluminum foil, clean up was equally easy. The spices made for very flavorful chicken. It did have a kick to it which meant Bob didn't eat it so next time I will cut down on the chili powder and the pepper.

Bacon & Green Onion Frittata with Smoky Gouda
Oh my goodness. This frittata had a wonderful flavor. First we have smoked gouda. . . delicious! Then there is bacon. Need I say more? My only problem with this was I am not good at making frittatas. I brown the egg a little too much. Other than that it was pretty easy to put together and it had such a great flavor. If you have never tried smoked gouda, I highly recommend you try it ASAP!

Peppery Lemon Brown Sugar Salmon
As with the Lazy Chicken the ease of preparation and clean up of this dish was a big plus. PE also made this so that made it even easier for me. The taste was pretty good. We prefer to cook our fish on the grill but seeing as it isn't grilling season and we don't have a covered deck that wasn't an option. No grill is the main reason I chose a recipe that cooked the fish in the oven. When cooking any fish in the oven I highly recommend using aluminum foil to make the clean up that much easier. I would also recommend tossing it in the outside garbage as soon as you are finished with dinner to help cut down on the fishy smell.

Slow Cooker Chicken in Wine
We have cooked whole chicken in the slow cooker before and it always turns out great. We have found it to be the best method for cooking skinned chickens (what we end up with most often because that is much easier than plucking a chicken). Since the chicken is skinned it loses/doesn't retain the moisture like a chicken with skin so the slow cooking with a little liquid helps it stay moist. I haven't cooked with tarragon before and I have to say it is quite delicious and I will try to find more ways to use it. Next time I will add more salt prior to slow cooking as the addition of it afterward really amped up the flavor.

Poor Man's Lobster
We discovered this recipe several years ago after PE went fishing in Alaska. We had a freezer full of halibut to eat and wanted a little variety. We loved using Spade L Ranch Fish and Seafood Seasoning and grilling the fish but for a little bit of a change we tried this recipe. Moo loved it and had been asking for it ever since. We ate all of that halibut but this past year my brother-in-law and nephew went fishing in Alaska and shared some of their fish with us (Thank you!). Since we had some halibut and again it is not grilling season, I put this on the menu. Moo was thrilled. Even Bob enjoyed it. Of course I think he mainly like dunking it in the butter.

Glazed Peanut Butter, Banana, and Blackberry Muffins
I received some blackberries from the co-op and decided to find a new recipe for using them. (Our favorite has been Quick Blackberry Cobbler served with whipped cream or ice cream.) I also had bananas, some homemade granola, and PE loves peanut butter so it was a no brainer when I found this in my bookmarked recipes. (Have you ever visited Jenny over at Picky Pallet? If not you should. Her recipes are amazing and very creative.) My muffins did not turn out as cute as her muffins but boy were they delicious. The combination of everything was quite fabulous.

Lemon Bars with White Chocolate Chips
I love lemon bars. I love white chocolate. I had a fresh batch of lemons from the co-op and some white chocolate chips in the freezer. It was just meant to be delicious. Boy was it ever. I did add extra lemon juice and zest after tasting the filling and I think that made all the difference. With out the extra tartness I think they would have been too sweet (especially for PE).

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Click the links below to get the printable recipes.
Lazy Chicken
Bacon & Green Onion Frittata with Smoky Gouda
Peppery Lemon Brown Sugar Salmon
Slow Cooker Chicken in Wine
Poor Man's Lobster
Glazed Peanut Butter, Banana, and Blackberry Muffins
Lemon Bars with White Chocolate Chips

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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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Crisscross Applesauce

I made applesauce today. PE's coworker was so kind to share a box full of apples from his apple tree. I made one batch of Crock Pot Applesauce, three batches of unsweetened applesauce, and one batch of cinnamon sugar applesauce (mainly because the kids let all the water boil out and some of the apples were a bit brown).For lunch Moo made Corn Dog Muffins and then for dinner we had another freezer swap meal. We ate the Hash Brown Quiche and it is basic enough I can share my best guess at the recipe.

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Corn Dog Muffins
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
5 hot dogs

Preheat oven to 400. Place muffin papers in muffin pan(s) makes 15 or so. Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, oil, and egg in small bowl; mix well. Ad milk mixture to flour mixture, stir just until blended. Add hot dogs and stir until combined. Scoop mixture into muffin papers; filling 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

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Crock Pot Applesauce
from A Year of Slow Cooking
Print Recipe

12 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters
juice from 3 lemons or 3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup water

Skin, core, and cut your apples into quarters. Plop the pieces into your slow cooker. Add the juice from the lemon (or lemon juice), and the water. Pour in the vanilla, and add the cinnamon and brown sugar. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or large fork.

++I put mine in the blender and made it very smooth. It is tasty; however, I prefer plain unsweetened applesauce.

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Unsweetened Applesauce
from Sparky
Print Recipe

2 cups water
6 lb apples quartered, unpeeled, uncored
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Pour the water in a large heavy pot that has a lid. Add the apples. Add the lemon juice. Cook covered apples on a high until the apples are soft. Remove lid and let some water cook away. Using a food mill, or a colander, press the cooked apples through to separate the puree from the skins and seeds. (I used an old school cone sieve to make the applesauce. If you would like to see what one looks like click here.)

++The peels and cores supply pectin to give the cold sauce a good consistency.

++As I said, I made one batch of cinnamon sugar applesauce. After putting the apples through the sieve I put it in a sauce pan, added about 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and heated it for about five minutes.

++I froze two batches of applesauce for later.

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Hash Brown Quiche
from Freezer Meal Swap
Print Recipe

3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 425. Press hash browns onto the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie dish. Drizzle or brush with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Remove from oven and layer ham and cheese into the crust. Whisk together eggs, milk, and seasoned salt. Pour egg mixture over ham and cheese. Reduce oven temperature to 350. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden brown.

To freeze: Once hash browns are pressed into pie plate and brushed with butter, place in a plastic bag and freeze with ham and cheese measured into separate freezer bags. Defrost overnight then bake as directed above.

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There you have it. . . a day of applesauce and some yummy meals AND I was able to work on the recipe cards for awhile. Boy we sure know how to live it up in our house.

Homegrown Chicken . . . Tasty

Since PE killed the bird last weekend we needed to get it cooked. So, Thursday night PE did the prep for Garlic Lovers' Chicken in the Slow Cooker (recipe below) and Friday morning he just had to put the crock in the slow cooker and turn it on. On Fridays I work half day so when I got home around 12:00 the house smelled SO good. Yummy, yummy, gonna have garlic in my tummy.

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Garlic Lovers' Chicken in the Slow Cooker
from Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Print Recipe

1 whole chicken, about 6 - 7 pounds
1 onion, sliced
30 cloves of garlic, peeled OR
15 cloves and 5-6 Tbsp refrigerated minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
1/4 cup flour dissolved in 1/2 cup chicken stock

Place chicken, onion, and garlic in slow cooker. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, and thyme over the chicken. Add wine and chicken stock mixture to the slow cooker. Cook on low for about 6 hours. The internal temperature of the chicken should register about 165 degrees when it is done.

++We strained the remaining juices and made gravy. To make the gravy put the remaining juices in a pot. Add cornstarch dissolved in water. PE did this and I don't know how much of each he used.

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We served the gravy over PE's delicious mashed potatoes. To make the mashed potatoes, dice 10-12 pealed russet potatoes and boil in water until tender. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Start to mash and add some butter, salt and pepper, and cream cheese, oh and for good fattening measure, add whipping cream too. (Seriously!? Yes. They are so tasty. Just don't eat too many.) You can truthfully add any combination and amounts of the cream cheese, butter, and whipping cream. You can also add any of the following in the place of or in addition to those ingredients: milk, plain homemade yogurt, sour cream, or half and half.

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We had a bit of a sweet tooth after dinner so I made No Bake Cookies. PE loves them because of the chocolate and peanut butter combination.

No Bake Cookies
from PE's Family Cookbook
Print Recipe

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa
pinch of salt
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup flour

Line a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with waxed paper. In a small saucepan combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt. Place in saucepan on burner with medium heat. Stir with a wooden or silicone spoon. Bring mixture to a boil and let it boil for one minute. (Begin timing when the first bubble rises from the bottom of pan.) Remove pan from heat and place on heat-resistant surface. Add peanut butter, vanilla, quick oats, and flour. Stir until well mixed. (Mixture should be moist and shiny. If mixture is dry and crumbly, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time until mixture is moist and shiny.) Using two small eating spoons (or one of these), scoop a small portion onto your jellyroll pan that has been lined with waxed paper. Allow mixture to cool in refrigerator before eating. (They set up as they cool.) Yield: about 24 cookies.

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That was our evening with Bob (Moo and Bug were at football games). Bob is such a good kid when he isn't arguing with Moo or bugging Moo/Bug.

Healthy Homemade Hummus

I love the idea of hummus. It is mostly considered a snack. Snacks in general are wonderful especially when the snack is healthy. So here I have a completely homemade, healthy snack and I don't LOVE it. I am hoping that tomorrow after the flavors get to sit and merry together overnight I will love it more. I mean what is not to love? Garbanzo beans/chickpeas - yum. Roasted garlic - delicious. Tahini - smells fabulous. Mix it all together and there SHOULD be love. Currently we are only at a mid to high level of like. But again, I am holding out high hopes for tomorrow and future adventures with hummus. Truth be told I would make this exact recipe again so that is why I am sharing it.

**UPDATE: We have LOVE! The marriage succeeded and everything is wonderful now. While my opinion is the only one that needed to proclaim goodness for the love to abound, I also received compliments from many of my wonderful coworkers.**

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Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas in Slow Cooker
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Rinse beans and pick out any broken or odd looking beans.
Place 4 to 5 cups of beans in Crock-Pot.
Cover the beans with cold water and place in refrigerator over night.
Drain beans and return to Crock-Pot and cover with water to two inches below rim of crock.
Cook on high for one hour then turn to low for five to six hours.
When beans are done place the crock in the refrigerator over night.
Scoop 2 cups of beans into freezer bags or containers.
Use as you would canned beans.

++You can skip placing the beans in the refrigerator after cooking them if you don't mind working with the hot beans or if you are going to cook with them.

++This process works for any type of beans. The only change is the cooking time. I test the beans to make sure they are to my liking.

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Roasted Garlic
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut off the top of the garlic heads--enough to expose all the cloves. (Large heads are best.)
Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish.
Place the garlic heads in the baking dish. (I roasted two large heads of garlic in a 1 quart baking dish.)
Drizzle the garlic heads with olive oil. (This helps so the cloves don't dry out.)
Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Place in oven for 40-45 minutes--until the cloves are a lovely golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool.
Squeeze the cloves out of the skins by pinching form the bottom.

The fresh roasted garlic can be spread on crusty bread, blended into hummus, stored in the refrigerator in olive oil, or search the internet for other options. For the best directions with step-by-step pictures visit The Pioneer Woman.

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Tahini
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Heat a heavy sauce pan on medium heat.
Pour 1 cup of sesame seeds into pan.
Stir constantly until the seeds are lightly toasted--not browned.
Let sesame seeds cool.
Pour sesame seeds into blender
Add 1/4 cup olive, peanut, or canola oil.
Blend until smooth, adding more oil if necessary.

Homemade tahini is not as smooth as store purchased; however, the cost difference is SO worth the difference (at least to me).

Want the math? Here it is. Store purchased tahini - $6 to $10 for 16 oz. I paid $2 for 1 lb. of sesame seeds. I used not quite half of the bag of sesame seeds. I don't remember how much I paid for the oil but I do know it was nowhere near $5 to $9 for the 1/3 cup I used. SCORE!

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Hummus (I know, finally.)
from Sparky
Print Recipe

5 cups garbanzo beans/chickpeas
1/3 cup tahini
3-6 cloves roasted garlic
3-6 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp cumin
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Combine garbanzo beans/chickpeas, tahini, garlic, water, lemon juice, cumin, and salt in blender. Blend until smooth. Add olive oil and more salt and/or cumin for desired taste and pulse a few times to combine. Serve with crackers or pita chips.

I still want to perfect this recipe to the point where I LOVE it. I will be sure to update you of any discoveries. Again, for great step-by-step with photos visit The Pioneer Woman.

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Rice Pilaf aka Rice-a-Roni from Scratch
Print Recipe

3/4 cup angel hair pasta, broken into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup rice
2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
3 cups hot water
3 tsp chicken bouillon
garlic powder
onion powder
white pepper
season all

Brown pasta in butter/olive oil. Add rice and stir to coat with butter/olive oil and brown pasta a bit more. Slowly add water, bouillon, and seasonings. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed (about 20 minutes). Serve with grated cheese if you want to be a little naughty.

The entire family loves this. It is also Bob approved "delicious in ketchup."

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As always, if you have any questions let me know.