Crockpot Butter Ranch Chicken by Jen

Adapted from StockpilingMoms.com

Ingredients: 
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2  packet of ranch mix
1 1/2  stick of butter, cut into slices

Assembly:
Place chicken in a gallon ziploc bag, Sprinkle ranch seasoning on top.  Place butter slices on and freeze until ready to cook.  

Serving Day:
Thaw chicken, Place chicken in bottom of the slow cooker (I used a 4 qt).  Cook on low 8 hours.  Serve and enjoy!

Shortcut Chicken Manicotti by Beth

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/shortcut-chicken-manicotti-recipe-108695.aspx
Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
12-16 oz. frozen broccoli florets
12 manicotti noodles, uncooked
1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips
1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Assembly:
In large saucepan, heat up soup, water, and cheese until cheese is completely melted, stirring frequently.  Pour about 1/3 of the soup mixture on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  Fill the uncooked manicotti noodles with strips of chicken; place in the pan.  Layer broccoli on top of noodles.  Cover completely with the remaining soup mixture.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Cover and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely in the fridge.  Bake, covered, at 400 for 40 min or until pasta is tender and casserole is heated through.  Remove cover and bake an additional 15-20 min, if needed.

Jake's Backyard Burgers by Jackie

Ingredients: 
2 lbs Ground Beef
1 tsp Garlic Salt
1 1/2 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 1/2  tbs Worcestershire sauce
                 
Assembly:
Mix all ingredients in large bowl.  Divide mixture into 8 (1/2 c.) portions. 
Press into 8 burger patties.  Lay flat on a lined baking sheet.  Flash freeze. 
Place frozen patties into Ziploc freezer bag.  Place buns into Ziploc freezer bag. 

This pic is from different burgers I made.  Forgot to take photo of this recipe, so I thought this would suffice for now.  LOL!

Serving Day:
Thaw completely or cook from frozen.  Grill until done to your liking.  Enjoy! 

Grilled Citrus and Herb Chicken by Tiffany

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (thin cut is best)
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
the zest and juice from 1 lemon
the zest and juice from 1 orange
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Optional: lemon wedges for serving

Instructions:
1. Place the olive oil, garlic, lemon and orange zest, lemon and orange juice, basil, oregano and thyme in a resealable plastic bag. Seal and shake to combine.
2. Place the chicken in the bag, seal and shake until chicken is coated with the marinade.

Serving Day:
1. Thaw completely in fridge
2. Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium high heat.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
4. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove from grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve, with lemon wedges if desired.

Recipe by The Recipe Critic at https://therecipecritic.com/2017/07/grilled-citrus-and-herb-chicken/

Re-run: Baked Ziti with Chicken in Queso Sauce by Jen

http://freezerfriendz.blogspot.com/2013/01/baked-ziti-with-chicken-in-queso-sauce.html

Cheeseburger Sliders by Beth

I got this recipe from a Facebook video around Super Bowl time.  It doubles as a good dinner or appetizer!  http://fox8.com/2016/01/29/super-bowl-snacks-heres-an-easy-cheesy-pull-apart-sliders-recipe/

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon paprika
2 cups diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10-oz) can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, drained
12 slices cheddar cheese
12 dinner rolls
Glaze:
½ cup butter
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Assembly:
In large skillet, brown the beef with onion and garlic.  Drain; return to skillet and add seasonings.  Stir in drained tomatoes until combined. Slice dinner rolls in half and place bottom half of rolls in 9x13 baking dish. Top with beef mixture & sliced cheese. Top with the top half of the buns.
Mix all the ingredients for the glaze in a sauce pan over medium heat (or microwave about 40 seconds) and mix until melted, smooth, and combined. Pour evenly over the buns.

Serving Day:
Thaw in fridge.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Swiss Cheese Chicken By Tiffany

http://oneshetwoshe.com/2014/04/swiss-cheese-chicken.html


Ingredients:

2 pounds of chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
6 or more slices Swiss cheese
Box chicken flavored stove top stuffing
1/4 cup butter, melted

Assembly:
Place chicken on bottom of baking dish. Cover with sliced cheese. Mix milk and chicken soup together in a small bowl and spread over chicken and cheese.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely in fridge. Sprinkle stuffing over top of chicken, cheese and soup. Melt butter and drizzle over the top of stuffing. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Sloppy Joes

Recipe from: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/sloppy-joes/

Growing up sloppy joes were a staple in our household so it became a comfort food for me.  I wanted something more than Manwich out of a can so I began looking up recipes which led me to the Pioneer Woman.  This recipe is easy (after the first time making it), makes a lot, and is nice on the wallet.  Make this and you'll NEVER go back to the can again!  ENJOY 

Ingredients: 

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2-1/2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1 cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
• Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)
• Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste)
• Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Assembly: 

Melt the butter in a large skillet, add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat. 
Add onions, green pepper, garlic and cook until vegetables begin to soften. 
Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water; simmer for 15 minutes.  Add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco and/or red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper (if needed). Cook for another 5 minutes. 

Allow the meat mixture to cool before putting it in a big ziplock bag and lying flat to freeze. 


Serving Day:

Thaw the meat mixture and warm in a skillet (adding water if needed).  Once warm, place a scoop on a toasted bun and serve with your favorite fries.  

BBQ Ranch Chicken by Jackie

Want a chicken recipe that is super easy and full of flavor?  Try this! I tasted this chicken a few years ago on a sample day at Sam's Club.  It was SO good that I asked the employee who made it for the recipe.  Meijer has Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce on sale for 88¢ this week, so it seemed like the perfect time to make it for my Freezer Friendz.  🌝

Ingredients:

Photo of the finished product to come soon.

6 chicken breasts, rinsed and trimmed
1 c. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1 c. Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce

Assembly: 
Pour dressing and BBQ sauce into gallon size Ziploc freezer bag.  Mix well.  Place chicken breasts into bag.  Seal bag.  Make sure all chicken is well coated with sauce.  Freeze flat.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely.  Grill until cooked through.

Chicken Tacos with Rice by Alicia

Recipe from: 
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/taco-potion-19-recipe-2115513

I use to buy taco seasoning packets until I learned how much better it tastes to make my own (well, Alton Browns...), how quick and easy it was, not to mention CHEAP too!  I use this taco seasoning recipe for ground beef, chicken, and even shrimp.  It's delicious and I hope you enjoy all the flavor it has too.

Taco Seasoning Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons chili powder1 tablespoon ground cumin2 teaspoons cornstarch2 teaspoons kosher salt1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika1 teaspoon ground coriander1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  

Chicken Tacos:

2lbs Chicken Breasts, cubed or strips

2TBSP Oil 

1 small onion, diced 

3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 1/2c of Chicken Broth (use low sodium) or Water  

1 1/2 portions of the Taco Seasoning 

Assembly: 

Cut chicken breasts to desired size, set aside.  Heat oil in skillet, add onion and garlic and cook until you begin to smell the aroma.  Add the chicken, only cook for about 3 minutes.  Mix the chicken broth or water with the taco seasoning, add this liquid mixture to the skillet.  Place a lid on top and let all the flavor finish cooking into the chicken (about 5-10 minutes, depending on chicken thickness).

Serving Day:

To freeze: cut chicken into desired size, add in chopped garlic and onion.
Thaw and follow the cooking directions above.

Meatball Sliders by Jen

Recipe adapted from: http://www.homemadeinterest.com/easy-meatball-sliders/

Ingredients:

• 12 -15 Slider buns
• 12 -24 Meatballs, cooked
• 2 -3 c Spaghetti Sauce
• 2 -3 c Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
  

Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place the bottom half of the slider buns in a casserole dish.
3. Spoon a little sauce on each bun then place a meatball on each one, and add just a little more sauce over the meatballs.
4. Cover the meatballs in mozzarella cheese.
5. Place the top buns over the meatballs and brush them with a little oil.
6. Combine the Parmesan cheese and the Italian seasoning then sprinkle it over the buns.
7. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
8. Enjoy!

Serving Day:
Thaw, Cover the dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes.

Cheeseburger Unstuffed Shells by Tiffany

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef
steakhouse seasoning
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
15oz tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mustard
1 pound medium shells
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion
couple dashes Worcestershire sauce

 Assembly:
Cook shells in boiling water per package directions, drain and set aside. Brown ground beef with steakhouse seasoning and onion. Remove from pan with slotted spoon. In a large bowl mix together ketchup, relish, mustard and worcestershire sauce, add ground beef and mix well. In the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, add the tomato sauce. Top with noodles and spread in even layer. Top with ground beef mixture and spread in even layer. Top with shredded cheese.

 Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Set oven to 350. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheesy is bubbly and brown.

Slow Cooker Honey Parmesan Pork Roast by Beth

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/12/slow-cooker-parmesan-honey-pork-roast.html

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. boneless pork loin
2/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. honey
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. dried basil
2 T. garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. water

Assembly:
Place roast in gallon freezer bag.  In small bowl, combine the next 7 ingredients (cheese through salt).  Pour sauce in sandwich bag and place inside larger bag with pork.  Freeze.

To Serve:
Thaw completely.  Place roast in slow cooker.  Gently squeeze sauce bag to remix all the ingredients; pour over roast.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.  Remove to serving plate and keep warm.  Pour sauce in small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Combine water and cornstarch until smooth.  Add to saucepan and bring to second boil.  Cook and stir for 2 min or until sauce thickens.  Serve sauce over sliced roast.

Teriyaki Meatballs by Jackie

 Do you love an easy meal? As a mom of four active children, I sure do!   

My slow cooker saves dinnertime for us on a regular basis, especially now, with the busyness of summer! Freezer Friend, Jen, first made this recipe back in 2011, as a baked dish. I decided to try it in the slow cooker and it worked perfectly!  I hope you enjoy this delicious, colorful dish as much as we do!

Meatball Ingredients:

36 - 1 oz. frozen homestyle meatballs (I used Deluxe Meatballs from GFS.)

1 large can of pineapple chucks and juice

1 jar of Kikoman’s Teriyaki Baste and Glaze (Kroger brand works too.)

2 cups of frozen 3 pepper and onion blend  

Assembly ~ Meatballs:

Pour pineapple chunks and juice, teriyaki glaze, frozen vegetables and frozen meatballs into a gallon size Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze bag standing up, so it can easily be put into slow cooker while still frozen. 

Serving Day ~ Meatballs:

Option 1: Cook from thawed:

Thaw completely. Pour meatball mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.  Bake covered at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Serve over the cooked rice.

 

Option 2: Cook from frozen:

Pour frozen meatball mixture into slow cooker.  Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high setting for 4 to 5 hours, until done.

Serve both options over prepared rice.

Rice Ingredients:

1 bag of  rice

1 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. salt

Assembly ~ Rice:  

Place rice, butter and salt into quart size freezer bag.  Freeze flat.

Serving Day ~ Rice: 

(Note to Freezer Friendz Swap Group: I already added butter and salt into your bags of rice.)

Stove Top Directions:

Add rice and 3 1/3c. water in a saucepan.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to simmer.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. 

Microwave Directions:

Add rice and 3 1/3 c. water to microwave safe container.  Stir and cover.  Cook on High (100%) power for 5 minutes.  Cook on Medium (50%) power for 30 minutes.  Remove from microwave and let stand covered for 5 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Chicken by Jackie

This recipe is one of our family favorites!  You can eat the chicken breasts as is or try one of the many ways we have enjoyed it.  One of our favorites is to serve it over rice with a little sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.  We've also enjoyed it shredded as taco meat wrapped in soft tortillas.  My kids really love it shredded and served with tortilla chips.  However you choose to serve it, I hope you love it as much as we do!

Ingredients:
One 24-ounce jar medium or mild salsa

Juice from one lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
*3/4 tsp. chili powder
*1/4 tsp. garlic powder
*1/4 tsp. onion powder
*1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
*1/4 tsp. oregano
*1/2 tsp. paprika
*1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
*1 tsp. sea salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of fat

                                                   

Assembly:
Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a gallon Ziploc freezer bag.  Add chicken and coat well.  Freeze flat. 

Serving Day:
Thaw completely.  Place in slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6 hours. 

Variations:
1. You can substitute a 16 oz. jar of salsa and 8 oz. can of tomato sauce for 24 oz. salsa.
2. You can substitute one packet of taco seasoning for all spices (marked with *).  I used the spices listed in recipe for swap because it is healthier than prepackaged taco seasoning.

 *Adapted from http://www.pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/2011/11/18/slow-cooker-cilantro-lime-chicken.html

Brown Sugar Meatloaf by Alicia

This recipe is from: http://astepinthejourney.com/2014/03/brown-sugar-meatloaf.html

After having my third child I was blessed with many meals from many friends.  This was one of my favorites and I had to get the recipe from her.  When she made this meatloaf, she made it with turkey and oh man was it delicious!!!  You can use ground beef or ground turkey in this recipe and both are yummy.  We pair this with chunky smashed potatoes and fresh red beets.  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 - 2 lbs of lean ground beef
• 1 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 pkg dry onion soup mix
• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 
  

Assembly:

Line a loaf pan with aluminum foil for easy serving and clean up. 

Combine brown sugar, ketchup, and 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce, 
mix well and set aside.

In a separate bowl combine ground beef, minced garlic, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, milk, 2 eggs, salt and black pepper, dry onion soup mix, and oatmeal. 
Mix well with your hand and then add 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture.

Pour enough of the brown sugar mixture to cover the bottom of the loaf pan.  
Add the meatloaf and top with the remaining brown sugar mixture. 

To bake:

Thaw the night before in the refrigerator.  

Preheat the oven to 350, bake for 1 hour or until the meatloaf reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.