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Our freezer cooking recipes are sure to take the headache out of evening meal prep.
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Sunday, November 13, 2011

BBQ Meatballs - Wendy's version

This makes a great appetizer dish too.  Make larger meatballs for a meal.  This is great when served with baked potatoes.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. Ground Beef
3/4 cup Milk
1 stack Saltines
3 eggs
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
3/4 teaspoon Paprika
2 teaspoons Salt
1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce (Sweet Baby Rays)

Assembly:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  I used my hands to mix.  I then use my small cookie scoop to make balls in a 8x11 foil cake pan.  This recipe is enough to make 2 pans, so I split it in half for 2 meals.  Cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze.

Pour BBQ sauce in Ziploc bag.  Freeze.

To Serve:
Thaw.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until heated through.

Variation:
For larger meatballs, approximately 3 tablespoons per meatball, bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes after allowing them to thaw.  Bake potatoes can cook with these at the same time. 

Yield:  60 or more small meatballs per 2 meals.

Bistro Ham Twist by Wendy

This is delicious served with a salad of mixed greens.

Ingredients:
2 cup chopped cooked ham
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup snipped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz.) grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 pkgs. (11 oz each) refrigerated French Bread dough
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Assembly:
1.  Chop ham.  Dice bell pepper, snip basil with kitchen shears.  In medium bowl, combine ham, bell pepper, basil, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan Cheese, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise and garlic.
2.  Place bread dough, seam sides up, on a large cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, slice each loaf lengthwise, end to end, cutting halfway through to center of loaf;  spread open flat.  Using a roller, roll dough crosswise to a 4 inch width, creating a well down center of each loaf.
3.  Spoon half of the ham mixture down center of each loaf.  Gather up edges over filling, pinching firmly to seal.  Place loaves, seam side down, in an X pattern on a piece of parchment paper.  Crisscross ends of dough to form a large figure 8.
4.  Combine egg white and Italian seasoning mix;  lightly brush over dough.  Cut a 3" slit in each of the top sections of the twist to reveal filling.  Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over loaf.

To Serve that Day:
Heat oven to 375 degrees and bake 30-32 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Remove from oven;  cool 10 minutes.

To Freeze:
Cover with plastic wrap and wrap sides of parchment paper over plastic wrap.  Finish with foil over entire twist.

To serve after frozen:
Thaw completely.  Bake in a 375 degree oven 30-32 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Remove from oven;  cool 10 minutes.  Slice with serrated knife and serve.

Yield:  8 servings

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Chicken and Stars by Erica

Serves 10

Ingredients:
One whole chicken
2 bags of trio medley frozen veggies corn, celery, onion
1 box of chicken stock
2 tbs oregano
1 1/2 tbs garlic
4 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes.
1 1b of star pasta

Assembly:
Place all ingredients except pasta in a pot to cook. Bring water to a boil and cook until chicken can be removed from the bone with a fork.

Take the chicken out of the pot with tongs and place to the side until cooled. Turn off the burner on the soup.

Remove chicken from bone while boiling water for pasta.

Cook the pasta for 5 minutes, rinse.

Place chicken and pasta into the soup.

To freeze:
Put soup into Ziploc bags and freeze.

Serving day:
Thaw soup completely, place in a pot and warm on stove top, or in the microwave.

Jackie's Angel Chicken

Ingredients:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup butter 
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1 cup chicken broth
10 oz. Philadelphia Italian Cheese & Herb Cooking Cream
1 box angel hair pasta 


Assembly:
Melt butter over low heat, in small saucepan.   Blend in golden mushroom soup and chicken broth. Mix in cooking cream.  Stir until smooth. Heat through, but do not boil.  Place chicken breasts in gallon size Ziploc freezer bag.  Pour sauce on top of chicken. Freeze upright for ease of fitting in crock pot while still frozen.

Serving Day:
Thaw bag enough to pour chicken and sauce into crock pot. Cook on high for 4 ½ hours.  Shred chicken.   Serve chicken and sauce over cooked noodles.

Party Pasta Bowl (repeat from Mel) by Amy

Ingredients:
1 pkg. uncooked ziti
1 c. chopped onion
1 lb. ground beef
2-3 garlic cloves
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 jar (48 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 egg
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 c. fresh parsley (I use dried)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, divided

Assembly:
Cook pasta according to package. Cook onion, beef and garlic over medium heat 8-10 minutes, then drain. Add seasonings, sauce and tomatoes. In small bowl, mix egg, ricotta, 1 c.mozzarella, 1/4 c. Parmesan, parsley and pepper. To assemble, place pasta in 9x13 baking dish (or slightly larger), add 6 cups of meat sauce and mix well. Spread cheese mixture evenly over pasta. Top with remaining sauce.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic and foil. Bake 1 hour. Top with remaining cheeses. Continue baking 10 minutes or until bubbly. (Yields 12 servings)