Coke-a-Cola Pot Roast (aka-Pepsi Pot Roast) by Wendy

***This recipe was originally submitted by Susan Lape. I used Coke a Cola instead of Pepsi simply due to personal preference. Any regular or diet Coke/Pepsi/or generic Coke/Pepsi-type soda will work just fine.***
Ingredients:
(1) 2-3 lb. pot roast (I used 2.5 pound chuck roasts for each recipe)
(1) pkg. of dry onion soup/dip mix
(2) cans of 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
(16 oz.) of regular or diet Coke/Pepsi/generic cola equivalent

Assembly/Cooking/Freezing Directions:Mix soup/dip mix, both cans of soup, and cola together in a large mixing bowl. Place roast in a slow cooker/crock pot and pour soup mixture over top. Cover and cook on high 6 hours till it is falling apart. Then cool completely and place roast and its gravy into freezer bag, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:Thaw completely and re-heat. Serve with mashed potatoes, veggies, and/or a salad. Or you can easily shred the beef for delicious sandwiches.
Enjoy.

Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Filling by Amy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken (3-4 chicken breasts)

3 teaspoons of cumin

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 bag of frozen corn

1 jar (32 oz) of salsa

Optional Ingredients:

1 bag of shredded cheese

1 bag of tortilla chips

Steps:

1. Make a "rub" with the 4 spices and rub on the chicken breasts - place in a crock pot.

2. Add the other ingredients (except chips and cheese) and mix.

3. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Shred chicken during the last hour of cooking to give the meat more flavor.

If you want to freeze:

1. Cool chicken mixture.

2. Pour into Ziploc freezer bag.

3. Freeze.

*For our group, you will need to thaw ingredients and then start at #3 under "Steps".

Serving day:

1. Thaw overnight.

2. Heat mixture and serve over rice with shredded cheese on top or just eat with tortilla chips.

More ideas for the chicken filling:

1. Mexican pizza topping.

2. Tacos

3. Taco salad

4. Breakfast burrito

Santa Fe Chicken Bake by Jackie

Ingredients:
2 c. cooked shredded chicken
1 tub Philadelphia Santa Fe Cooking Crème
3 c. cooked rotini (= 2 c. uncooked)
2 c. frozen corn
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed, optional (I did not put these in your meals this month.)

Assembly:
Mix all ingredients.  Pour into Ziploc gallon size bag.  Lay flat in freezer. 

Serving Day:
Thaw.  Pour into a 9x13” baking dish.  Cover.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Sausage Rice Casserole by Wendy

Ingredients:
2 packages (7.2 oz. each) rice pilaf
2 pounds turkey sausage
6 celery ribs, chopped
1 (12oz.) bag frozen carrots, sliced
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Assembly:
1.  Prepare rice mixes according to the package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, celery and carrots over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the sausage mixture, rice, soups, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.  Transfer to two greased 11-in x 7-in. baking dishes.

3.  Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.  Bake other casserole shown below:

Day of Cooking:  Cover and bake the second casserole at 350 degrees for 40-45 min. or until vegetables are tender.

To Use Frozen Casserole:  Thaw in refrigerator overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake as directed. 

Yield:  2 casseroles (6-8 servings each).

Butterfly Walk Update/Etc..

Hi Friendz!

Sorry I've been so long in posting an update, but life has picked up speed with the end of the school year quickly approaching!  I just wanted to thank all of you who supported Jessica's Jackpots for the 2011 Butterfly Walk for Cancer Free Kids.  Our team had 114 walkers and surpassed our fundraising goal.  We had great weather and a wonderful time spent for a wonderful cause. 

Tonight, I'd like to ask you for prayer for Jessica.  She is in the hospital with pain in her back.  Her mom is at her side and is exhausted too.  I pray for strength and endurance for both of them and for a cure for Jessica.

On a freezer cooking related note:  I'm getting ready to cook up chicken that I bought on sale so I can freeze it.  If you don't already do that, I highly recommend it.  I have tips on how to do it in the tip section of this blog.  I'm also going to make a yummy freezer recipe for our June swap, using chicken and the new Santa Fe Philadelphia Cooking Creme.  Have you tried any of the cooking cremes in your freezer meals?

Meat Sauce for Spaghetti Noodles by Amy

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground beef, browned and drained

1 small sweet onion

2 jars of Prego sauce

Assembly:
1. Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain beef. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add both jars of sauce to beef and onion mix. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Cool completely and then poor mixture into freezer Ziploc bag. Freeze.

Serving day:

1. Thaw mixture completely.

2. Heat sauce. While sauce is heating, cook spaghetti needs - follow directions on the box.

3. Pour sauce over noodles.

4. Top with Parmesan cheese.

5. Serve with garlic bread.

Jackie’s Beefy Burritos

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 (10 oz.)can of enchilada sauce, divided
1 can refried beans
8-10 large flour or whole wheat tortillas
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Assembly:
Place beef in a bowl.
Mix in just enough enchilada sauce to coat beef.
Spread 1 Tbsp of enchilada sauce on a tortilla.
Spread refried beans (1 med. Pampered chef scoop + 1 sm. Pampered chef scoop for 10 tortillas) and ground beef (1 med. Pampered chef scoop + 1 sm. Pampered chef scoop for 10 tortillas) down center of each tortilla.
Fold tortilla in thirds and place in a greased aluminum foil baking dish seam side down. (I had to use 2 aluminum pans to fit all 10 burritos.)
Cover burritos with remaining enchilada sauce (about 3 Tbsp.) and top with shredded cheese.
Cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Freeze.

Serving Day:Thaw completely. Uncover. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and inside is warmed through.

Tangy Pineapple Chicken by Jen

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups Barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 cup brown sugar

Assembly:
Mix barbecue sauce and brown sugar together. Stir in pineapple chunks. Pour over chicken breasts. Place in 9x13 pan, cover and bake at 350 for 30-40 mins.

Freezer Friendz:
Thaw.  Pour bag of chicken with pineapple chunks in 9x13 pan.   Cover and bake at 350 for 30-40 mins.

Chicken Mostaccioli with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto by Erica

Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked mostaccioli or penne pasta
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small onion
1 package of pesto sauce
1/2 tube of sun-dried tomato paste
1 cup of water
1 medium tomato, seeded, coarsely chopped

Assembly:
Cook chicken in dutch oven until able to pull apart with a fork.
Separate chicken.
Cook chopped onions until soft and clear.
Add pesto mix, sun-dried tomato paste, water and oil. Stir with whisk until boiling, reduce heat.
Add tomato, green beans and chicken. Stir.
Cool and place in gallon size Ziploc bag.  Lay flat in freezer.
Have uncooked pasta on hand.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely.
Cook pasta.
Reheat chicken mixture in a pan.
Combine chicken mixture with pasta or serve chicken over pasta.

Hoping to turn Jessica's rainy days into sunny ones!

I hope the weather where you are was as nice as it was here yesterday!  We had a great family day outside, playing and doing yard work.   We had a delicious meal on the grill (from the freezer, of course) and then took our first trip of the season to get ice cream.  Today is a much different feel - very rainy! 

Our family is excited about many more sunny days ahead.  Speaking of which - did you have a chance to read my post about Jessica?  If you missed it, make sure you pop over to take a look.  http://freezerfriendz.blogspot.com/2011/03/please-consider-helping-jessica.html  We'd love your support! 

Southern Living's Quick Turkey Chili by Amy Sauve

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound of ground turkey

1 Tablespoon of chili powder

2 teaspoons of ground cumin

3 Tablespoons of tomato paste

1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

3 cans of kidney (dark and light) and chili beans - 1 of each - rinsed and drained- except for the chili beans
2 cups of chicken broth
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Assembly:

1. Saute chopped onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 5 minutes; add garlic - 1 minute.
2. Add turkey, chili powder, cumin, salt , and pepper - cook, stirring often, until meat crumbles and is no longer pink.
3. Stir in tomato paste - 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

Freezing day:

1. Let chili completely cool and place in gallon size bags.
2. Freeze flat.

Serving day:
1. Thaw completely.
2. Heat in a pan or in a crock pot - you may need to add more liquid - broth or water.

Saucey Mexican Chicken by Wendy

I had done this one in the past and it tasted very delicious, so I thought we'd have it again!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast halves
1-24 oz. Jar Salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

To Freeze: Place frozen chicken in pan. Add salsa and beans. Cover with foil. Place a 1 cup of cheese in Ziploc bag and freeze everything.

To Cook from Frozen: Thaw completely. Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes or until chicken is done (165 degrees). Top with cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered or until cheese is melted.

To Cook on day of assembly: Thaw chicken, place in pan with salsa and beans and bake uncovered 40 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered or until cheese is melted.

Stove top assembly: Cook chicken in nonstick skillet on med-high heat 4 min. on each side or until browned on both sides. Add salsa and beans. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on med.-low heat 5 minutes or until chicken is done (165 degrees). Top with cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Tastes great served over rice! Makes 6 servings.

Steak Fajitas by Erica

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds of tip sirloin sliced into strips
1 bell pepper sliced into strips
1 onion sliced into strips
1 packet of fajita seasoning
1 cup of water.
1 pack of tortillas
1 bag of cheese

Assembly: Place all ingredients except tortillas and cheese in gallon size Ziploc freezer bag.

Serving Day: Put 1-2 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Preheat skillet. Pour all ingredients into skillet. Cook until veggies are soft and meat is to your liking. Scoop into tortillas, add cheese if desired.

Ravioli Bake by Jen

Ingredients:
1 jar (16 oz.) spaghetti sauce, you may need more sauce depending on your taste.
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 lb. ground beef, browned
2 pkg. (9 oz. each) refrigerated or frozen cheese-filled ravioli
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Assembly: Brown ground beef. Combine first 4 ingredients in 13x9-inch baking dish. Add ravioli; toss to coat. Cover with one layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil.

To Eat On Assembly Day: Heat oven to 375°F. Brown ground beef then combine first 4 ingredients in 13x9-inch baking dish. Add ravioli; toss to coat. Cover. Bake 50 min. or until ravioli is tender. Top with cheese; let stand 5 min. or until melted.

Special Extra: You can also use frozen ravioli - no need to thaw. For a delicious flavor twist, stir 1 Tbsp. pesto or 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil into the hot baked ravioli before topping with cheese.

Freezer Friendz: Thaw, bake covered 50 mins. Top with cheese and let stand 5 mins. or until cheese is melted.

Freezer Friendz has a space on Facebook!

Hey Chefs!
It's Mags - your background Tech Support! I may not be cooking with the group anymore, but I'm still snagging the recipes!
Just letting you all know that we've got our Facebook Page for Freezer Friendz all set up! You can LIKE us on Facebook and view the recipes there too! We hope you'll tell your friends about us - we appreciate the publicity!
Happy Cooking! :) Mags

Marinated Pork Chops by Jackie

*This recipe is adapted from The Freezer Cooking Manual from the 30 Day Gourmet

Ingredients:
8 pork chops (I buy center cut half boneless pork loin and ask the butcher to cut it into chops)
2 c. pineapple juice (takes 2-46oz. cans to make 6 meals)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/3 c. Italian dressing (takes 1-16oz. bottle to make 6 meals)

Assembly Day: Place all ingredients, except pork chops, in gallon size Ziploc freezer bag. Mix well. Place pork chops in bag. Seal and lay flat on cookie sheet to freeze.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Grill pork chops until no longer pink inside. Discard marinade.

Please Consider Helping Jessica

Today I’d like to share with you about a family friend who needs our help. Her name is Jessica Elam (pictured on the left with my daughter). Jessica was diagnosed with Ependymoma (a form of childhood cancer) in 2001. Jessica is 16 years old and has been battling cancer of the brain and spine since she was 6 years old. She is currently in her 6th relapse, yet she still fights hard and is a voice of hope for kids with cancer. Jessica is truly is an inspiration to all who know her. She is strong in her faith in God and continues to seek out ways to encourage others even when times are tough for her. Two days ago she began a new round of chemotherapy. Jessica will receive chemo for the next 40 days. She is experiencing pain in her spine. We are praying for strength, endurance, pain relief and a cure for Jessica. I would be thankful if you would join our family in prayer for her.

I came to know Jessica through our church, when she selflessly took time out of her summer to babysit my daughter while I volunteered at our church VBS. She and my daughter Abby (then 11mos. Old) had an instant connection. Toward the end of the week, Jessica's doctor told her that she should stay home and rest, but Jessica told them that Abby needed her at VBS. She was trying to teach her to walk. The doctor agreed to let her come because he knew it would be good for her spirit. Ever since that week, Jessica has been an important part of our family. She has helped Abby through every transition at church and visits her every Sunday in her Sunday school class. Abby just loves her and so do we!

On May 7th, our family will be participating in The 5th Annual Butterfly Walk for CancerFree KIDS. We will be walking on the team, Jessica’s Jackpots, to support Jessica in her battle against this disease. I am hopeful that our team will raise over the $6,147 that we raised last year to help fund pediatric cancer research. All of the money raised for the walk goes directly to cancer research in our home town at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the #3 hospital in the country for childhood cancer research.

Has Freezer Friendz been a blessing to you and your family? We have been so excited over the last three years about being able to provide you with lots of freezer tips and recipes at no cost to you. If you have been blessed by Freezer Friendz, would you consider paying it forward by being a blessing to Jessica by supporting her team for the 2011 Cancer Free Kids Butterfly Walk?

If you would like support us in the Butterfly Walk you can do so in 4 ways:

• Pray for the success of the walk.

• Join us in person! Register to walk with us on the team Jessica’s Jackpots in the 5th Annual Butterfly Walk and Fun Festival for CancerFree KIDS. Bring your whole family. What a great way to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend!

• Join us in spirit! Want to be a part of our team but can’t join us in person? Register as a virtual walker for our team – Jessica’s Jackpots.

• Support our team! Consider making a personal donation online at: http://www.active.com/donate/2011butterflywalk/AElam5 (note that you are a Freezer Friendz reader (ex. Your name/Freezer Friendz) All donations are tax deductible. Just print off your email confirmation for your donation for your tax records.

or

by mail: you can make a check payable to CancerFree KIDS and mail it to: CancerFree KIDS, Attn. Butterfly Walk, P.O. Box 575, Loveland, OH 45140. Please indicate on the memo line our team name Jessica’s Jackpots.

We hope you will share Jessica’s story with others and help raise awareness for CancerFree KIDS. Together we can change lives!

For more information on our walk visit http://www.butterflywalk.com/

For more information on CancerFree KIDS visit http://www.cancerfreekids.org/

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this note. We appreciate anything you can do to help raise awareness and support for CancerFree KIDS.

Your Freezer Friend,

Jackie

Happy 3rd Birthday Freezer Friendz!

I couldn't let this month pass without acknowledging our 3rd birthday! I can't believe it's already been that long!

This has been a fun year. We have gone up and down in the number of gals in our group, due to sports, etc., but we continue to swap meals monthly and love it!

This year we had the opportunity to share about freezer cooking with the MOPS group I used to be involved with and we had a great time doing that. We would love to share with more groups, so let us know if you are interested.

We continue to be amazed at the number of readers we have and at the fact that we have readers all over the world. It's funny since, when we started the blog, it was just to share our recipes and comments with each other. We LOVE being able to help other families have a more peaceful mealtime. :)

We love to hear from our readers, so please comment if you'd like.

Happy Birthday Freezer Friendz and Happy Freezer Filling to the rest of you!

Chicken Tortillini Soup by Jen

This is a rerun. You can find original recipe and leave comments at the following link:
http://freezerfriendz.blogspot.com/2010/04/chicken-tortelllini-soup-by-jen.html

Hamburger Macaroni Casserole by Wendy

Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1/3 cup minced onion
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup macaroni
1 cup diced potatoes, frozen
1/2 cup diced carrots, frozen
1/2 cup diced peas, frozen
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cu grated cheese

To Serve Day of Making: Cook macaroni in pot and drain. Saute hamburger, onion and green pepper in skillet and drain. Cook potatoes, carrots and peas until almost tender. Combine all ingredients in a 2 Qt. greased casserole dish except cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

To Freeze: Cook macaroni in pot and drain. Saute hamburger, onion and green pepper in skillet and drain. Mix everything but the cheese in a bowl. Pour mixture in a gallon size plastic resealable bag. Freeze.

To serve from frozen: Thaw completely and warm up on stove top. Add a 1/2 cup water if needed. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Serves 6 - 8 servings.