Beef Enchiladas by Susan

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 to 3/4 C Salsa (I used medium)
1 can Refried Beans (We like Old El Paso)
1 can Enchilada Sauce (Old El Paso- mild)
2-3 cups Mexican style Cheese (can use whatever you prefer)
8-10 Burrito Size Flour Tortillas
9x13 pan
Pam or other cooking spray

Assembly:
Brown beef in skillet.
Add salsa, 1/4 to 1/2 of enchilada sauce, and refried beans. Mix over heat until combined well.
Take one Tortilla, scoop meat/bean mixture onto one end, add small handful of cheese, and roll up. If your pan is shorter fold edges "burrito" style. Place Tortillas seam side down in pan.
Pour remaining Enchilada Sauce over the top of the Tortillas and top with remaining cheese. Cover tightly with foil.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook covered for 20-30 minutes until bubbly. Uncover and cook 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is browned.

This is a recipe we got from Chad's Mom and there is no "recipe". I did the best I could to measure, but we do cook this by eyeballing it, a little more/less won't hurt. We each have made changes and this is the way we like it best. I found some other Enchilada freezer recipes and followed their directions for assembly/serving day. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

BBQ Chicken Wings by Katie

Ingredients:
Chicken Wings
a bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce

Assembly:
In a Ziplock bag, toss Chicken Wings in BBQ sauce. Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Pour onto a foil lined baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Enjoy!

Pepperoni Pasta by Katie

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 pk. (3 1/2 oz) sliced pepperoni
8 oz rotini, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz provolone cheese, shredded

Assembly:
In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and pepperoni. In a greased baking dish, layer half of the rotini and beef mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each cheese. Repeat layers.
(I added an extra layer of pepperoni before the last cheese layer.)
*Optional: Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Cover and Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Potato and Ham Soup by Tish

Yields 6 Servings

Ingredients:
6 potatoes, diced (I use the small bagged Yukon Gold kind)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 cup of onion, diced
6 cups of water
4 t. chicken bouillon granules, regular or low sodium variety
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried parsley flakes
black pepper to taste
1 cup of diced ham
3/4 cup of evaporated skim milk
1/4 cup of flour

Assembly:
Place all ingredients, except evaporated milk and flour, in a large stock pot and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook till potatoes are tender. In a separate bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and flour till there are no lumps. Add to the soup and stir in completely. Continue to cook until the soup has thicken slightly.

Freezing Instructions:
Cool soup completely. Then pour into family sized freezer bags or rigid containers and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw soup completely and reheat over low in a saucepan or in the microwave. Add shredded cheese on top if so desired. Serve with a salad and warm bread to round out the meal. Enjoy!

Debbie's Penne Bake

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or sausage
1 jar pasta sauce
1 pound penne pasta
8 ounces Italian cheese

Assembly:
Brown the meat on the stove. Drain off fat. Add the jar of pasta sauce to the meat and bring to a boil. Let simmer. Cook pasta according to package directions. When cooked, drain the pasta and add it to the meat sauce. Toss to coat evenly. To freeze, put in 9x13 dish or freezer bag.

Serving Day:
Let pasta thaw completely. Place in a greased 9x13 dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Top with cheese and let cook another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Farmer's Casserole from Wendy

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (24 oz. bag)
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (3-4 oz.)
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (3-4 oz.)
1 cup diced ham or Canadian style bacon
1-4.5 oz. can mild green chiles (optional)
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
4 beaten eggs (or 1 cup frozen egg product)
1-12 oz. can evaporated milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Assembly:
Grease a 2 qt. square baking dish. Arrange potatoes evenly in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with cheeses, ham, green chiles, and green onions. In medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper and salt. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in dish. (If not freezing, cover and chill several hours or overnight, then follow serving day instructions.) Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until center appears set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If you prefer, extra shredded cheese can be sprinkled on top during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Recipe from Don't Panic-Dinner's in the Freezer by Martinez, Howell & Gracia.

Lipton Gourmet Burgers by Mags

Ingredients (for 8 hamburger patties):

• 2 lbs fresh ground beef
• 1 packet Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
• 1/2 water
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 8 hamburger buns
• Cheese, lettuce, tomato - whatever you like on your own burgers

Assembly:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Use your mixer on low to mix ingredients thoroughly.
3. Lay out four 6"-wide (approximately) pieces of wax paper (or parchment paper).
4. Scoop two mounds of mixture onto each sheet (about 1/2" apart). Use up all of your ground beef mixture making each mound an even amount.
5. Lay out four more 6"-wide sheets of wax paper over the top and press down to form patties.
6. Slide in each wax layer into a Ziploc freezer bag. You can fit all 8 patties in one gallon-size Zip-loc.

Serving Day:

• Thaw patties completely.
• Grill or Broil. To broil, put on greased broiler pan for about 6-7 minutes on each side.

Add cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, or whatever you like on your burger! Enjoy!

:) Mags

Nan's Chicken Spaghetti by Jackie

Ingredients:
4 c. cooked spaghetti
4 c. diced chicken
1 c. chopped onions
½ c. chopped green peppers
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 c. chicken broth
1 ½ tsp.salt
1 tsp. pepper
16 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Assembly:
Mix all ingredients together except 1 1/2c. cheese. Pour into 9x13 in. baking dish. Cover and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Preheat oven to 350. Bake covered for 50 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Enjoy!!!

**I have made this before with ½ the amount of cheese and it tastes fine. Just not quite as tasty as the full amount. I’ve also made it with only 2 c. chicken. That works fine too.

Debbie's Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 30 ounce can of kidney beans
1 30 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tblsp chili powder
1 Tblsp sugar
2 Bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Assembly:
Brown the ground beef and onion until meat is cooked. Drain off the fat. Add the kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about an hour. I serve over spaghetti and top with shredded cheese.

To Freeze:
Let cool and then put in freezer bags. Store flat in freezer. To reheat, thaw completely and reheat on the stove.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake from Wendy

Ingredients:
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. (6oz.) Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

Assembly:
Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.

Layer chicken, basil, 1/2 of the cheese, stuffing mix and the rest of the cheese in 13x9 or 3 qt. baking dish. Cover tightly and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Makes: 6 servings, 1 cup each.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a bagged green salad tossed with your favorite dressing.

Pork/Chicken Potato Bake by Tish

Ladies,

I was lazy this time and made one of the recipes I already posted. If you haven't had it before and would like to try it, it is posted already. You just need to look in the older posts section. I hope you enjoy it. It is one of our family's favorites!

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops from Mags

Ingredients:

• 6 pork chops (bone-in or out - doesn't really matter)
• 6 strips of uncooked bacon
• garlic salt
• pepper or crushed peppercorns

Assembly:

1. Rinse pork chops and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Wrap bacon strip around chop and tie in loose knot (so it will stay) or fasten with toothpick.
3. Sprinkle with garlic salt on each side.
4. Sprinkle with pepper or crushed peppercorns on each side.

Freeze for later in freezer bag or cook today.

Serving Day:

1. Thaw completely.
2. Lay pork out on cookie sheet or broiler pan. Broil 6-7 minutes on one side.
3. Flip them over. Broil 6-7 minutes on the other side.

Enjoy!
:) Mags

Chicago Style Italian Shredded Beef Sandwiches by Jackie

*This is my variation of CHICAGO STYLE ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES from COOKS.COM

Servings: 12

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 (4 lb.) beef bottom round roast
1 tbsp. instant beef bouillon granules
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 c. water
green pepper slices (cooked)(optional)

12 (6" each) crusty Italian or French hoagie buns, split

12 slices provolone cheese

Assembly:
Combine garlic, salt and pepper; rub evenly over roast. Place roast in slow cooker. Combine bouillon granules, Italian seasoning, oregano and red pepper & water in bowl. Pour over meat. Cook on low 10-12 hours until meat is easily shredded with fork. Cool meat. Place half of the meat and juice in each of 2 Ziploc freezer bags. Place 6 buns in each of 2 gallon Ziploc freezer bags. Place 6 slices of cheese in each of 2 pint size Ziploc freezer bags. If desired, place a meat, bun and cheese bag in a 2 gallon Ziploc bag to keep the meal organized.

Serving Day:
Thaw meat, buns & cheese. Heat meat just until warm in microwave. Spread melted butter on rolls. Toast them in oven. Put meat on roll. Add cooked green peppers if desired. Place cheese on top. Place in oven on 350 until cheese is melted.

Italian Chicken by Missy

Ingredients:
Chicken cut into strips
1/2 bottle of Kroger's Zesty Italian Dressing

Assembly:
Mix ingredients in a freezer safe bag and freeze. It doesn't get much easier than that!!

Serving Day:
Thaw and grill, bake, or fry and serve on a salad or as you find most appetizing.

Nacho Mama's Meatloaf by Missy

Ingredients:
2 lbs. hamburger (uncooked)
1 Ortega Hot and Spicy seasoning packet
1 Ortega regular taco seasoning
1 small can diced green chilies
3 eggs
a little milk with the eggs
3/4 sleeve crumbled crackers (saltines)

Assembly:
Mix all ingredients together, place into baking dish, and bake @350 for 2 hours or freeze in Ziploc bag.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Bake @350 for 2 hours.

*I like to serve this with a spoonful of salsa, a dollop of sour cream, and shredded cheese sprinkled on top of the slice of meatloaf. You can keep with a Mexican theme and serve with a side of rice or the typical mashed potatoes. Enjoy!!

"More" Casserole by Wendy

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1 (8 oz.) package noodles, cooked
1 pint frozen peas
1 (12 oz.) can corn
1 (8 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 10 oz. can cream of celery soup.
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed

Assembly:
Brown beef and onions in skillet and drain. Mix noodles, peas, corn, mushrooms and cheese with beef mixture. Place in Ziplock bag. Mix soup, milk, chili powder, salt, pepper and garlic in small bowl and pour over mixture in bag. Freeze flat.

Serving Day:
Thaw bag completely. Place mixture in 9 x 13 baking pan, cover lightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Baked Potato Soup by Wendy

Ingredients:
1-(2lb) bag hash brown potatoes, or 6 left over baked potatoes with skin peeled off and coarsely mashed.
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions or green onions with tops thinly sliced
1 1/2 cans chicken broth (14 1/2 oz. each) or make your own
2 cups milk
1 garlic clove, pressed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1-8 oz. package diced ham

Assembly:
Mix thawed hash brown potatoes with celery, chicken broth, milk, garlic, salt and pepper. Place mixture in a 1 gal. freezer bag, letting all air out of bag. Shred 1 cup cheddar cheese into Sandwich size freezer bag and place in freezer. Have container of sour cream and ham in fridge to go with this recipe.

Serving Day:
Place thawed mixture from gallon freezer bag into 6 qt. pan. Add ham and sour cream and heat till boiling. Tastes great with bread and a salad.

This recipe is adapted from Pampered Chef "Main Dishes" Cookbook.

Smoky BBQ Chicken by Mags

Still testin' out the marinades at the grocery store...! We've tried the Kroger-brand "Traditional" Barbecue sauce, the "Honey" Barbecue sauce, and now the "Smoky" Barbecue sauce! Amazingly enough, they DO taste different!

Ingredients:
4-6 fresh chicken breasts
1-2 bottles of Kroger Smoky Barbecue sauce

Assembly:
Rinse your chicken. Poke holes through your chicken breasts with a fork. Drop in a good quality Zip-loc Freezer Bag. Pour in 1-2 bottles of Smoky Barbecue sauce. Push out the air from the bag and seal shut. Freeze the bag flat on its side.

Serving Day:
Thaw bag completely - I stick it in a large bowl of hot tap water for a few hours to speed up the process.
Put in a greased 9x13" pan and cook at 350F for 40 minutes or until cooked through.

Enjoy!
:) Mags

Easy Pizza Soup by Katie

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
2 cans (26 oz. each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
6 1/2 cups water
1 jar (28 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 tbs. Italian seasoning
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Assembly:
In soup kettle, cook beef over med heat until no longer pink; drain.
Add soup, water, spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add cheese, stir until melted. (Yields 4 quarts/16 servings)
Divide into freezer bags. Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Add additional cheese if desired. Complete meal with grilled cheese sandwiches or breadsticks.

Debbie's Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients
8 oz. angel hair spaghetti
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 cup Velveeta cheese (diced)
2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken (cooked and diced)

Assembly Instructions
Cook spaghetti in salt water. Melt butter and saute onion until tender. Add flour and stir, then add chicken broth and stir until flour lumps disappear. Then add soup, milk, and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add chicken. Pour over spaghetti and mix lightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

After Freezing
Thaw completely. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

French Toast Casserole by Jackie

from the Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet

Ingredients:
1 Italian bread, 1 lb loaf
1 Cream cheese, 8 oz
1/2 c. Sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. Vanilla or almond extract
1/2 c. Pecans (optional), chopped
4 Eggs
2 c. Milk
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tblsp. Butter, melted

Assembly:
Cut bread into one inch cubes (about 14 cups). Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 9x13 inch-baking pan. Place the cream cheese in a microwaveable bowl or measuring cup. Cover the container with plastic wrap and cook on 100% power for 30 seconds. Stir it with a spoon, cover again and cook another 2 minutes. It should be completely melted. Stir half of the sugar and all of the extract into the cream cheese. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the bread cubes (it will not completely cover them). Sprinkle the nuts over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining bread cubes. In a bowl, beat the remaining sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, and melted butter together. The egg and milk mixture will make about 3 cups for each recipe.
Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread cubes. Slide the pan into a labeled two-gallon freezer bag, seal and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw the casserole completely. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until browned. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes or so before cutting. Serve with warm syrup or purchased or homemade fruit toppings.

Creamy Bow-Tie Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli by Katie

Ingredients:
3 cups (8 oz.) farfalle (bow-tie pasta) uncooked
4 cups broccoli florets
3 Tbs. Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato-basil spaghetti sauce
4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz. pkg.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, cubed
1/4 cup Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese

Assembly:
Boil pasta and broccoli about 4 minutes. Drain completely and transfer to freezer bag. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Turn chicken over, continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add pasta sauce and cream cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on medium-low heat 2-3 minutes or until cream cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended and chicken is coated with sauce, stirring occasionally. Transfer chicken to a separate freezer bag. Freeze both.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Throw pasta and broccoli into hot water to heat back up. Reheat sauce and chicken in a non-stick skillet. Remove chicken and keep warm. Add sauce to pasta, mix well. Transfer to bowls. Cut chicken crosswise into thick slices; fan out chicken over pasta mixture in each bowl. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.

This recipe is originally from a Kraft Food Magazine.

Freezer Lessons from Ike by Jackie

OK - I just finished assuring our children that hurricanes do not come this far. They only affect the people who live near the ocean. Well, Ike made a liar out of me!!! We lost power for 34 hours when Ike delivered hurricane strength wind to Ohio Sunday afternoon. I must say that I was not prepared for a power outage that lasted that long. We've never had an outage last more than four hours. I could not remember how long the freezer food would be good for without power. Since we didn't have Internet access, I had no way of looking it up. Luckily, I have a friend who did have power and had lots of space in her freezer. She let us bring all of our food to her house. We are so grateful, considering we just did our freezer exchange on Tuesday of last week and I had many meals in my freezer. Thanks Kristen!!! I haven't spoken to all of our Freezer Friendz yet, but I am hoping everyone has been able to salvage their freezer food!
http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/PowerOutage.pdf
I am going to post links to info about how to handle power outages with your freezer food because I have learned that it's better to know how to handle the situation ahead of time. http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/PowerOutage.pdf
http://ohioline.osu.edu/home/freezer.html

So, what lessons did I learn from Ike?
1. Make sure you have good friends with empty freezers.
2. Learn about freezer food safety during power outages before you actually need to use that knowledge. (Or at least have it on paper somewhere.)
3. We are so blessed to have electricity!

Cheesy Beef Stroganoff from Mags

*From the Kraft Website

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
2 c. water
3 cups egg noodles - UNcooked
3/4 lbs. Velveeta (12 oz)
1 can mushroom soup
1/4 teas. pepper

1 small chopped onion

Assembly:
Brown and drain ground beef.
Boil water with the meet in a skillet.
Add noodles.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer 8 minutes.
Add cheese, soup, onion, and pepper.
Stir until melted.
You can eat immediately.

Freezing:
After cooking, spread out in a 9x13" pan and freeze.
Thaw and Reheat when you are ready to eat it - I baked ours at 350 for 45 minutes.

Chicken and Rice Casserole by Jackie

Ingredients:
4 cups diced, cooked chicken*
4 cups cooked rice
½ c. celery
½ c. diced onions
2 cans cream of chicken soup**
¼ c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Topping:
2 c. crushed cornflakes
3-6 Tbsp. Butter

Assembly:
Sauté onions and celery.
Combine chicken, soup, mayo, and lemon juice. Mix in rice. Add sautéed onion and celery.
Place in 9x13 baking dish.
Top with crushed cornflakes and crumbled butter.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Bake at 400 until heated through (about 45 minutes). If cornflakes start to turn too brown, lay a piece of foil over dish until done.

*I seasoned the chicken with poultry seasoning and baked it.
**I made the cream of chicken soup from scratch using the recipe on this link: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_cream_chicken_soup.

Easy Chicken Manicotti - by Tish

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. UNcooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts/tenders, cut into strips
1t. garlic salt
pepper to taste
1 t. oregano or Italian seasoning
1 (8 oz. box = 14 shells) UNcooked manicotti shells
1 (28-30 oz.) jar or spaghetti sauce
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
optional toppings: olives, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc to your liking

Assembly Directions:
Line counter top or large cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place chicken on waxed paper and sprinkle with garlic salt and seasonings. Insert seasoned chicken into uncooked manicotti shells, stuffing from each end of shell to fill if necessary.

Freezing Directions:
Option 1: Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in ungreased 13X9X2 baking dish. Arrange filled shells on sauce in dish. Top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese (and option toppings, if desired). Wrap unbaked dish tightly with foil, label and freeze.
Option 2: Place filled shells back in plastic forms from box or on cookie sheet and flash freeze. When frozen, put in freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Option 1: Unwrap & bake right from freezer at 350 degrees for 1.5 hours. If already thawed, about 1 hour.
Option 2: Assemble as above, using as much sauce and as many shells as needed. Seven shells fit nicely in an 8X8 pan. Repackage and freeze any remaining sauce for next time.

Comments:
For singles or doubles, Option 2 – flash freezing the filled shells – works great. You can take out as many shells as you need and aren’t faced with a huge amount of leftovers.

Tish's Pocket Burgers

For this recipe I divided the meat into 3 pizza burger patties and 3 BBQ cheddar patties but you can do all of one kind. So to do all of one kind (ie. 6 patties) use 1 1/2 lbs of beef. Otherwise use 3/4 lb to make 3 of each kind.

Pizza Burgers - 3 patties (4 if you make small patties)
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. ground beef (don't use super lean or they get too dry)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp of oregano
small can of tomato sauce/pizza sauce
2-4 oz small pepperoni, cut into small bits (you could use browned Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms, or any pizza topping you like - just don't put too much or it will squish out)
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
3 - 4 hamburger buns

Assembly
Season beef with seasonings. Shape into patty with shallow well in middle of patty for the fillings. Spread small amount of sauce onto patty then add small amt. of toppings. Take a small amount of beef and place over filling and seal edges. Then place into freezer bags and freeze.

Cooking
On day of cooking, thaw patties completely. Then you can grill, pan fry, or broil then to your desired doneness. Just remember not to flatten them with a spatula or the filling will ooze out!

BBQ Cheddar Burgers - 3 patties or 4 if you make them smaller
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. of ground beef (not too lean or they dry out)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
chili powder to taste (I used about 1-2 tbsp of dark chili powder)
BBQ sauce
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (you can use any shredded cheese you like)
3-4 hamburger buns

Assembly
Season beef with seasonings. Shape into patties with shallow well in the middle. Spread small amt. of BBQ sauce onto patty and add cheese. Place small amount of beef over toppings and seal edges. Place into freezer bags and freeze.

Cooking
On day of cooking, thaw completely and grill, pan fry or broil to desired doneness. Remember not to flatten them with spatula or the filling will ooze out.

Yields 6 patties

Chicken Stuffed Shells by Wendy

Ingredients:
1 Box Large Shells (for stuffing)
1 Box Stovetop Stuffing
1 stalk celery chopped
2 cups Chicken-chopped or 1 Lg. can of chicken
1 cup Mayo
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can water
1 cup Parmesan Cheese

Assembly:
Cook Shells according to directions on box. Prepare Stuffing Mix according to directions on box. Add celery, chicken and mayo to prepared stuffing. Mix. Fill shells with the stuffing mix using a Medium Scoop (2 Tblsp). Put stuffed shells into 2 baking pans.

To make soup mix, pour soup and water into bowl and mix with whisk.

To eat that night: Spread soup mix over both pans of stuffed shells and sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese.

To freeze: Divide stuffed shells into 2 Ziploc bags. Divide soup mix into 2 quart size Ziploc bags. Fill 2 Ziploc bags with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese each.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Bake covered 40-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Yields: 12-14 servings

Shepherd's Pie by Wendy

Ingredients:
1 lb. Prepared Ground Beef
1/2 cup onion
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
16 oz. (1 lb) Mixed Vegetables
18 oz. Jar Beef Gravy
6 servings (about 3 cups) hot prepared instant mashed potatoes (plus ingredients to make potatoes)
2/3 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Assembly:
Chop onion. Heat oil in 10" frying pan over med. heat. Add onion and garlic pressed with garlic press. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until tender. Stir in ground beef and seasonings. Add vegetables and gravy to pan. Bring mixture to a boil; spoon into baking pan.

Prepare potatoes according to package microwave directions. Shred cheese in potatoes and mix lightly. Spoon potatoes into pan over meat mixture. Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely and bake covered 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees or until thoroughly heated.

Yield: 6 servings

Cooks Tip: If not using Make-Ahead Ground Beef, prepare recipe with 1 pound ground beef. Omit oil. Cook ground beef with onion and garlic in frying pan 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in seasonings and continue as recipe directs.

This casserole needs only crisp bread sticks and fresh fruit for dessert to complete the menu.

Josiah's Cheeseburger Casserole by Katie

This is a Pokopac family favorite! It use to be just plain Tater Tot Casserole until Josiah decided it would be better with Steak Fries.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 can cream of mushroom soup, condensed
American cheese slices
frozen Steak Fries

Assembly:
Layer ground beef in bottom of casserole dish, spread soup over beef, place single layer of cheese slices over beef and soup, top with a layer of frozen steak fries. Double wrap and freeze.

Serving Day: Thaw. Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered for approx. 30 minutes. (Until potatoes are crispy and casserole is hot and bubbly.) Serves 4-6

Chicken Dinner Casserole by Missy

Recipe found in HOPE Taste of Mops Cookbook 2007-2008

Ingredients:
14½ oz can green beans (drained)
10¾ oz can cream of chicken soup
2 c. chicken (cooked and cubed)
6 oz box of stuffing mix (and ingredients to prepare)
½ c. – 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
French Fried onions (optional)

Assembly:
Spray 2-quart casserole or deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. Prepare stuffing according to directions. While stuffing is cooking, combine green beans, soup, French fried onions (if desired), and chicken in casserole or pie pan. Combine stuffing and cheese. Place stuffing mixture on top of chicken mixture. Double wrap and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Preheat oven to 350. Bake approximately 30 minutes (until hot and bubbly). Serves 4-6 adults.

Chipotle Pepper Pork Chops by Debbie

Ingredients:
1 - 2 pounds pork chops
Grill Time Chipotle Pepper marinade packet
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water

Assembly:
Combine the marinade packet, water, and oil in a dish. Stir well to combine. Add the meat to the marinade in either a zip lock back or a baking dish. Either place your container in the freezer, or cook immediately.

Serving Day:
Defrost meat completely. Grill, broil, or bake the chops until done. Enjoy!
Place the zip lock bag in the freezer

Chicken Chili Casserole by Mags

(Original recipe from www.momsbudget.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 brick of cream cheese (4 oz)
• 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 3 cups rice
• 1&1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (I just used 1 bag)
• 4oz. diced green chilies (I used 1/2 lg can which was about 3.5 oz) - Use mild (or choose the spicy for an extra kick!)
• 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
• 15 oz. can of black beans (drained)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Preparation:

1. Boil 3-4 chicken breasts and make your Minute Rice. Chop up the chicken into small pieces.
2. Combine sour cream, ricotta, and cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients (including the chicken) except the chips - mix well.
3. Pour into greased 9x13 freezable casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw casserole.
Bake in a 350 oven for 30-45 minutes (depending on how thoroughly it is thawed).
Top with your crushed tortilla chips and serve!

Enjoy!
:) Mags

Debbie's Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 - 2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup oats
1 egg
1 small can of tomato sauce
Salt and pepper

Assembly:
Reserving 1/3 of the can of tomato sauce to use later, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Use your hands to combine. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Place the combined meat in the baking dish, shaping into a loaf. Top with remaining tomato sauce. Bake in a 400 degree oven 50 to 60 minutes.

Freezing Instructions:
Make your meatloaf as instructed above. Do not bake. Instead, place in a freezer-friendly container.

Serving Day:
When ready to use, thaw the meatloaf completely. Place in a baking dish and following baking instructions above. Enjoy!

Hearty Macaroni Casserole by Jackie

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (7 1/4 oz.) macaroni and cheese dinner mix
1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup French Fried Onions

Assembly:
Prepare macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add to prepared macaroni. Stir in tomatoes.

Spoon half of the mixture into greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Top with remaining macaroni mixture. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.  Place French's Fried Onions into a pint size freezer Ziploc bag.  Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover & sprinkle French's Fried Onions (or 1 cup of cheddar cheese) on top. Bake 10 more minutes, or until heated through.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Polls vs. Comments

Hey All -
With our growth to 8 people, we are going to be deleting the polls and having you just post your comments under the posts for each recipe you try. This will get rid of some of the clutter along the side of the blog (and allow us space for some new widgets... check out the Live Feed widget... tells us where everyone is coming from!), AND allow anyone (even visitors!) who have used a recipe off of our blog to leave their comments on it as well. It should keep things better organized and comments are directly emailed to us when they happen. That's a nice feature!

If you'd prefer your comment be "anonymous," you can choose this option when you are posting a comment. :)

Happy Eating!
:) Mags

Poor Man's Chicken by Jen

Ingredients:
6 Chicken Breasts, thawed
1 (8 oz.) Cream cheese onion & Chive OR 1 (8 oz.) Cream Cheese and chop a bunch of green onion
Garlic powder (optional)
6-12 Bacon Strips

Assembly:
Pound the thawed chicken breasts flat.
Stuffed the chicken breast with cream cheese mixture.
Roll the chicken breast, then wrap with bacon strip or two.
Poke with toothpick.

Serving Day:
Bake thawed chicken breasts at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Garlic Herb Chicken by Debbie

Ingredients:
Lowry's Garlic Herb Marinade
6 chicken breasts

Preparation:
Prick the chicken breasts with a fork and place in ziploc gallon freezer bag.
Pour 1 bottle of marinade in the bag.
Seal and freeze.

On cooking day:
Thaw the chicken.
You can grill, bake, stir fry - anything. Enjoy!

Pesto Chicken Tortellini by Mags

Ingredients:

• 1-2 family size packages of Buitini Tortellini (I used 1 package of 3-cheese and 1 package of herb chicken) - usually found in your Pasta Aisle in a refrigerated case. 1 package is plenty for a family of 4.
• 1-2 packets of Knorr (or other brand - I used Kroger's Private Selection) Pesto Sauce - you find this with other gravy/sauce dry packets. 1 package per pack of tortellini.
• 1 bag of shredded Parmesan cheese.
• olive oil
• water
• Optional - precooked chicken breast, cut-up into smaller pieces.

Preparation:
Cook your tortellini according to package directions. Drain. Put in large bowl.
Cook your pesto mix, mixing in olive oil and water, according to packet directions.
Toss with tortellini in the big bowl.
Toss in cooked chicken chunks if you want.

Same-Day Dinner:
Eat right away while everything is still hot - sprinkling on the Parmesan cheese.

To Freeze & Eat Later:
Wait until pasta cools. Poor into 1 gallon freezer bag and freeze flat.
On Eating Day - Thaw. Pour into 9"x13" pan, sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through. Uncover and bake until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).

Enjoy!
♥Mags

Allergy Note: Often Pesto sauce contains pine nuts, but the Knorr packets and the Private Selection packets DO NOT so you can serve this safely to peanut-allergy people! :)

Julie C.'s Taco Soup by Jackie

Ingredients:
1lb. ground beef (browned with minced onion and drained)
2 pkg. taco seasoning (I only used one, but my husband thinks it needs 2.)
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans water

Assembly:
Add taco seasoning to browned meat. Mix all ingredients in large pot. Freeze in gallon size ziplock bags.

Serving Day:
Thaw. Place in large pot. Simmer until warm. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

Pork Chop Potato Bake - by Tish

Serves 6

Ingredients:
6 Bone-in (or boneless, your choice) pork chops, or you could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Season salt of your choice (sprinkle over meat prior to bread crumbs)
Seasoned breadcrumbs (enough to coat meat)
Oil (I use olive oil) for browning the meat
1 can cream of celery soup (I use the 98% fat free variety)
1/2 cup of milk (any kind, I use skim)
1/2 cup sour cream (I use fat-free)
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 bag of frozen hash browns (THAWED and drained of as much water as possible)
1 cup of shredded cheese, divided (I use cheddar, co-jack, or Colby)
1 small can of Durkee French Fried onion rings (optional)

Assembly:
Season meat with seasoning salt and lightly bread the pieces. Brown the meat in oil and DRAIN WELL.
In large mixing bowl, combine soup, milk, sour cream, pepper and pinch of salt. Stir in THAWED and DRAINED hash browns, 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 can of onions rings, if using them. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Place browned, DRAINED meat on top of mixture.

To Eat On Assembly Day:
Cover with aluminum foil (pole a few holes in foil first) and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 45-55 min, or till meat is done. Remove from oven and remove foil. Sprinkle rest of cheese and onion rings on top and return to the oven, UNcovered just till cheese melts. This is great warmed up and freezes well (Just don't put the last of the cheese or onion rings on the top. Wait to do that when you actually cook it.)

Serving Day:
Thaw it completely first (if you see any excess water/moisture just blot with paper towel and then cook as above.) Follow directions above for baking. Enjoy!

I've made this dish for LOTS of new moms and generally everyone likes it - even kids.

Stuffed Sausage Peppers by Wendy

Ingredients:
6 large Bell Peppers, tops cut off, seeded
1-16 oz. Turkey Sausage, or 12oz. hot Italian turkey sausage links, removed from casings
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cups instant rice
1 tbsp dried basil
1 cup Shredded Med. Cheddar Cheese, divided

Assembly:
1. Place peppers cut-side down in a large microwave-safe dish. Fill the dish with 1/2 inch of water, cover and microwave on High until the peppers are just softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the water and transfer the peppers to a roasting pan.
2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wood spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes and rice; increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice absorbs the remaining liquid, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir basil and half the cheese into the rice mixture. Divide the filling among the peppers, then top with the remaining cheese. Let cool then place in freezer.

Serving Day:
To eat after making: Broil until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

When frozen: Thaw in fridge before cooking. Bake at 350 degrees 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bake at 350 degrees 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

Mexican Dinner Dip by Mags

Mexican Dinner Dip - by Mags

This works well as a dinner or as an appetizer for a party!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of ground beef
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 1 bag shredded cheddar
• 1 can refried beans
• sour cream
• large bag of your favorite taco chips
• Optional: chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce
• Optional: substitute taco shells for the taco chips

Procedure:

1. You can use a 9x13" pan for a shallow dip or a round Corning Ware dip for a thicker dip - either works fine!
2. Grease your pan.
3. Spread out the refried beans to be the bottom layer.
4. Brown and drain the ground beef. Add in taco seasoning and water according to taco pkg. directions.
5. Spread out the ground beef on top of your refried beans.
6. Spread out whole bag of cheddar cheese on top of beef.

To Bake Immediately: Bake for 20 minutes at 350 until heated through and cheese is melted.

To Freeze for later: cover with a couple layers of foil and freeze. On cooking day, thaw first, then bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until cooked through. You might to keep it covered until the last 10 minutes so your cheese doesn't burn.

Scoup out big spoonfuls as desired add globs of sour cream as you like, and use your taco chips to dip!

You can also add chopped tomatoes, onions, or shredded lettuce to make taco salads. You could scoop up the mixture into taco shells for a fancy taco as well!

This is one of my favorites from growing up - my younger brother was in to cooking in junior high - this was his recipe! Enjoy!

Chicken Stuffed Shells by Jackie

Ingredients:
1 box Stove Top stuffing (chicken flavor)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Parmesan cheese
1 12oz. box jumbo shells

Assembly:
Cook shells as directed on box. Prepare stuffing as directed. Mix stuffing, chicken and mayonnaise well. Stuff mixture into shells. Mix 2 cans soup and 1 can water. Pour a little on bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Place shells in pan. Pour rest of soup on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Wrap well and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw. Bake covered 40 to 60 minutes at 350°. Or bake from frozen for 2 hours.

Chili by Missy

Heat these ingredients in soup pan and let simmer:
1 can Del Monte diced zesty chili tomatoes
2 cans chili beans (do not drain)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 quart tomato juice
1 tbsp chili powder


Combine the following ingredients in your skillet and cook thoroughly:
I used 1/2 lb. of the following meats:

• hamburger
• turkey
• venison

1/2 onion

1 4oz can diced green chilies

1 tbsp chili powder

Extra Notes: My family enjoys chili that's spicy. For this recipe I toned down the use of chili powder so your family can enjoy a more mild meal OR you may heat this in your pan and spice-it-up-a-bit to your liking! I also sent a home canned jar of tomato juice to add when you choose to eat this meal (it wouldn't all fit in the freezer container). I have also stretched this meal by adding cooked elbow macaroni/pasta spirals which the kids really like. Enjoy!!

Chicken Breasts by Tish

Servings:
6

Ingredients:
1C. sour cream – low fat or regular
2T. lemon juice
2t. Worcestershire sauce
1t. celery salt
1t. paprika
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1t. salt
6 chicken breasts - boneless, skinless
1C. bread crumbs
1/2 C.butter or margarine, melted and divided


Assembly Directions:
In a large bowl, combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, paprika, garlic, and salt. Add breasts, coat each piece well. Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or foil and refrigerate 8 hours or over night. (Editor’s note: I dipped each piece of chicken in the sour cream mixture and placed them in a plastic food storage bag. I poured in the excess sauce, removed the excess air, sealed the bag and marinated them in the refrigerator.) The next day, remove the breasts and roll them in the bread crumbs. Arrange the chicken pieces in a shallow pan. Spoon half of the melted butter over the chicken pieces.

To Make And Eat Now:
This recipe can be assembled, then refrigerated for up to 48 hours. Set the chicken out at room temperature for one hour before baking. Bake at 350ºF. for 45 minutes, then spoon the remaining melted butter over the chicken and bake 10-15 minutes longer until tender and brown.

Freezing Directions:
This recipe can be frozen in a serving dish as stated above, or you can open freeze the chicken on a baking sheet then put the frozen pieces in a freezer bag or rigid freezer container. If you like, package the remaining butter in a small plastic bag so that you know you have it on hand with the recipe. The butter packet can be inserted in a freezer bag or rigid container along with the chicken parts.

Serving After Thawing Directions: Thaw coated chicken completely. Bake the chicken at 350ºF for 45 minutes, then spoon the remaining melted butter over the chicken. Bake 10-15 minutes longer until tender and brown.

Cheesy Beef Spirals by Jen

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
2 pounds ground beef
2 small onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Assembly:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the beef, onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and mushrooms; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Place 1/2 cup of meat sauce in a greased shallow 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Drain pasta; place half over sauce. Top with half of the remaining meat sauce; spread with sour cream. Top with American cheese and remaining pasta and meat sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Serving Day:
Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Jumbo Stuffed Shells - by Tish

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package of jumbo shells
1 1/2 pounds of ground Italian sausage (mild or hot) [you can sub. ground beef, turkey, or chicken if desired]
2 egg whites [I also added 1 whole egg to help bring the mixture together better]
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese [I actually used 1/2 cup]
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 T. chopped parsley
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (any variety)

Assembly:
Cook shells according to package directions. Do NOT overcook since you will be re-heating them later after they are filled and will become rubbery. Drain and set aside. Spritz with olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
In a large skillet, cook sausage (or ground meat of you choice) till done. Drain well and combine with eggs, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper (I also added minced garlic). Mix thoroughly.
Fill cooked shells with meat mixture.
Pour 1/3 to 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce in bottom of 2-quart baking dish or foil pan. Place shells on top. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce. Cover with heavy duty freezer foil and Freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw for 24 hours in refrigerator. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes then remove and cover with shredded mozzarella cheese and continue baking 10 minutes longer.

Serves 8

Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups by Jen

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:40 min
Makes:6-9 servings

Ingredients:
6 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Italian Style Chicken Breast Strips or (12oz.) Canned Chicken
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 t. minced garlic (optional)
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Assembly:
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Cook noodles as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain well
MIX chicken, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and seasoning; spread 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each noodle. Roll up tightly; place, seam sides down, in 9-inch square baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over roll-ups; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

BAKE 30 minutes or until heated through.

Honey Teriyaki Pork Chops with Sesame by Mags

Honey Teriyaki Pork Chops with Sesame

I'm thinking "Why RE-invent the wheel?!" - there's an entire aisle in my local Kroger devoted to sauces and marinades so I'm trying them!

Ingredients:
4-9 pork chops (depends on how big they are)
1-2 bottles of KC Masterpiece 30-min. Marinade: Honey Teriyaki with Sesame

Procedure:
Poke holes in your fresh pork chops with a fork.
Drop in a Zip-loc freezer bag.
Pour in your marinade.
Freeze it for later OR bake it after 30-minutes.

If frozen, on Baking Day:
Thaw out baggie.
Spray your glass dish with cooking spray (this stuff is sticky!)
Lay out pork chops and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes - it really depends on how thick your chops are!
For added flavor, baste with additional marinade during cooking.

Alternatives:
You can baste your vegetables as well - so you could drop in cubed potatoes, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc. around your pork chops and bake it all together!

I love rice - so you can also whip a box of Rice-a-Roni to go with it!

Enjoy!
Mags

Barbequed Meatballs by Jackie

This recipe makes tons of meatballs - about 35 to be exact! Kids love them because they are basically meatloaf in a fun shape.

Meatball Ingredients:
1 (13oz.) can evaporated milk
3 lbs. lean ground beef
2 cups one minute oatmeal, uncooked (run it through food processor to make it finer)
2 eggs
1 cup chopped onion
¼ tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt

Meatball Assembly Directions:
Mix together well and shape with an ice cream scoop. Place in a baking dish.

Sauce Ingredients:
2 cups ketchup
1 ½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. Liquid Smoke
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
½ cup chopped onion

Sauce Assembly Directions:
Mix together and pour over meatballs.

If Bake on Assembly Day:
Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes.

To Freeze:
Bake meatballs for 18 minutes on 350. Let them cool and freeze. Can be frozen in the sauce or you can make the sauce separately on serving day.

Serving Day Directions:
Bake from frozen at 350 for 60-70 minutes.

Perfect as an appetizer for a party: Form smaller 1-inch balls. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until browned. Place in slow cooker in sauce for 4 hours on low.

Meatloaf Cakes by Wendy

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground turkey
3 eggs
2/3 of a package saltine crackers, crumbled
1/2 onion, chopped1/4 c. milk

Assembly Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. It is easier with hands. Using large scoop, scoop into cupcake liners in muffin pan. Freeze or bake in pans. You do not have to use muffin tins to bake it in. 3-4 cakes for adults and 1-2 cakes for children.

Serving Day Directions:
Thaw cakes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes. You may also bake in microwave if you need them faster.

One-Pan Chicken & Potatoes by Wendy

Ingredients
· 6 bone-in chicken pieces (1-1/2 lb.)
· 6 large potatoes, cut into wedges
· 1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
· 1/2 cup 100% Parmesan Grated Cheese
Directions
1. PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Place chicken and potatoes in 13x9-inch baking dish.
2. POUR dressing over chicken and potatoes; sprinkle with cheese.
3. BAKE 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through (180°F).
4. Cool, Freeze in Ziploc bags.
5. To thaw and reheat your casserole...
6. Remove the wrapping and place the frozen casserole back into the dish in which it was baked in; cover and defrost the casserole in refrigerator overnight.
7. When reheating, cover and reheat the casserole in a 350 degree oven. Remove the casserole when hot throughout.
Portions : 4

Tater Tot Casserole by Tish

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. (about 3 cups) ground beef and/or turkey; browned & drained
1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
salt, pepper or seasoning salt to taste (I use Old Bay Seasoning)
1 14oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables (I like Freshlike "Family Blend")
2 10 3/4 oz. cans of cream of chicken, celery and/or mushroom soup (I use 98% Fat Free and use a combination of the soups)
1 bag of tater tots
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Assembly Directions:
Lightly spray a 9x13" casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, season the meat & onions. Cook until brown. Drain well and place into bottom of the prepared dish. In a large mixing bowl, combine soups & veggies (I add a little salt and pepper here too.) Spoon soup mixture on top of meat mixture. Top with tater tots. Bake approximately 30 minutes until hot & tater tots are brown. Remove & sprinkle with cheese & return to oven just long enough to melt cheese.

Mexican Pork Chops by Jackie

from 30 Day Gourmet Freezer Cooking Manual
http://www.30daygourmet.com/Members/Tools/Recipes/1444.aspx
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
6 pork chops
2 T. vegetable oil
1-1/2 c. water
3/4 c. uncooked long grain rice
8 oz. tomato sauce
2 T. taco seasoning mix (I used 3T. to give it more flavor.)
1 med. green pepper, chopped
1 C. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Assembly Directions:
To Pre-Bake on Cooking Day: Brown the pork chops in a large skillet with the oil. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper (optional). In a sprayed 9x13 baking dish, combine the water, rice, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning; mix well. Arrange the browned chops over the rice and top with green pepper. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

To Bake on Serving Day: Brown FRESH pork chops in the oil. Cool and place in freezer container or bag. In a separate freezer bag or container, place rice water, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir well in container and seal. Seal cheese and pepper in separate bags. Label all bags and freeze.

Freezing Directions:
Pre-Baked Casserole: Remove from oven and cool. Wrap dish in freezer paper, or foil, or place dish in 2-gallon freezer bag. Put shredded cheese in a small freezer bag and attach to the casserole dish. Seal, label, and freeze.

Non-Baked Meal: Tape all freezer bags together or put all in 2-gallon freezer bag.

Serving Directions:
Pre-Baked Casserole: Thaw casserole. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese and return to oven uncovered for 15 minutes.

Non-Baked Meal: Thaw all bags. Pour contents of rice bag in sprayed 9x13 casserole. Arrange chops over rice. Sprinkle pepper over chops. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Top with cheese and bake uncovered an additional 15 minutes.

Mustard Marinated Chicken Breasts by Jackie

Ingredients:
1/4 c. Dijon Mustard
1/4 c. Soy Sauce (lower sodium)
1/4 c. Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp. Thyme
3/4 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Parsley
1/8 tsp. Sage
6 Chicken Breasts

Assembly:
Mix mustard, soy sauce & lemon juice and pour over chicken.
Sprinkle spices over meat. Freeze in Ziploc freezer bag or let marinade for several hours in fridge.

Serving Day:
Thaw. Grill or bake @ 350 for 25 minutes or until chicken is done.

**Also great for marinating beef.

EASY BBQ Chicken Recipe by Mags

You are going to laugh when you see how easy this is...! :)

Ingredients/Materials:
4-6 fresh chicken breasts
2 regular bottles of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Kroger Brand Honey BBQ).
1 high-quality freezer bag


Procedure:
Pull off any fat from your chicken breasts.
Poke holes all over your chicken breasts with a fork.
Drop your chicken breasts into your Zip-loc freezer bag.
Pour in the two bottles of BBQ sauce.
Seal, label, and freeze!

This is called "Flash Marinating" - the sauce will infuse through your meat as it thaws when you are ready to use it. You can do it with any marinade or sauce! Easy! Easy!

On Cooking Day:
Thaw Chicken (still in baggie).
Pour thawed chicken and sauce into a greased 13"x9" pan.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Variations:
Put frozen meat in crock pot for 8-9 hours. Shred with two forks and make BBQ sandwiches.

Enjoy!
:) Mags

Welcome To Freezer Friendz!

Our little group of 4 are trading freezer meals once a month - on our blog, you can find the recipes we use as well as polls for how well it was enjoyed by our families. You find links to some great sites, quick tips, and other information.

Comments are welcome - we hope you enjoy our Blog!

Sincerely,
Jackie, Wendy, Tish, & Mags