Baked Oatmeal with Fruit Compote (EASY, $6/family)

Freezer Club: Be sure to take this out and thaw in refrigerator all day if serving for dinner or all night if serving for breakfast. I'm not sure of the results if it's frozen! The fruit has been roasted, all you have to do is warm that up.



Baked Oatmeal (must be started the night before serving)
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup raisins (if desired, I omitted)
Topping: 2T brown sugar plus 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Beat together oil and sugar.  Mix in eggs, milk, salt, baking powder, oatmeal.  Beat well then stir in raisins.  Pour into lightly greased pie pan.  Sprinkle with topping mix.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Uncover and bake until firm - approximately 25 minutes.  Serve hot with butter and syrup or fruit compote (below)


Baked Fruit Compote

Equal cans of peaches, pears, apricots (I use lowest sugar ones that are out there; for one family use one can; for freezer club I used 3 cans each).

A few cans of bing cherries (1 for one family; 3 for freezer club)

Container of frozen strawberries in syrup (semi-thaw; I used 2 16 oz containers)

Brown sugar (about 1/2 C for individual family; 1 1/2 C for freezer club)

Almond or rum extract (I used about 3 tsp almond)

 

Semi-drain the cans of fruit and leave some liquid to cook the fruit in (about 1/4 of it).  Mix all together with some brown sugar and one of the extracts.   Place the semi-thawed strawberries on top of the fruit in a baking pan for the oven (or an electric roaster).  Cook on slow for a few hours or 350 for an hour. Again, this recipe is to taste so if you like it sweeter, add more sugar.  Rum extract tends to get really strong so be careful if you add too much

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole - Medium- $8 per family

This makes a 9x13 size or 8 servings, so I tripled it.

1 Whole cut up fryer chicken (I used whole chicken breast-- 2 heaping cups when shredded)
1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter
16 oz. of white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth (reserved from chicken or canned)
1-1/2 cup whole milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup (additional) dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole black olives, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
extra cheese, for sprinkling
1 pound thin spaghetti (I used whole grain)

Place chicken in pot of water and boil on medium-low heat to 30-40 minutes. remove chieken from pot and allow to cool slightly. keep broth in pot

Melt 2 Tbs butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup white wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until liquid had totally evaporated (I just did 10 minutes because my liquid never evaporated). Remove mushrooms from skiller. Set aside.

Bring broth to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti peices to boiling broth and cook. Drain when al dente. Remove meat from bones and shred until you have 2-plus cups of shredded chicken.

Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 Tbs butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Let bubble. Pour in milk , additional 1/4 cup wine, salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.

Add mushrooms, chicken, and chopped olives. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir.

Turn into a 9x13 casserole pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees or for 30 minutes or so, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salad and warm crusty bread

Freezer club: Thaw. Bake at 350 degrees or for 30 minutes or so, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salad and warm crusty bread

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas-Easy

1 lb. shredded cooked chicken
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 can chopped green chiles
1 package tortillas*
2 cans (10 oz each) green chile enchilada sauce
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese**

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Spray 13 x 9 inch dish with cooking spray

2. In a skillet, mix cooked chicken, cream cheese, and chiles. Cook and stir over medium heat until blended and cream cheese is melted.

3. Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam sides down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted (if making fresh). If thawed and refrigerated, bake 30 minutes covered. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

12 enchiladas

NOTES:
*flour is easier to roll up. I used white corn this time. You must keep the tortillas warm if using corn or else they will tear.
**I used the Mexican blend and added a little extra on top.
I seasoned the chicken with cumin, salt, & pepper.
This recipe is for a 9 x 13 pan and makes 12. I squeezed 11 into your 8 x 8 pans!

Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro Pesto $8 (exluding salsa)

Moderate, Prep Time 2 hrs.

4 chicken breasts (per family)

For the Cilantro Pesto:
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1 lime
3 green onions (whites included)
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno (remove seeds)
olive oil

Onion/Pepper Mix:
1-2 yellow onions, sliced
1-2 yellow or red peppers, sliced

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Cook on stove top with olive oil until cooked through.  Let chicken cool completely before slicing.  Cut chicken into thin slices.
In a food processor, mince all ingredients except the olive oil.  Slowly drizzle in olive oil until it reaches a thick salad dressing consistency.  Toss the sliced chicken with this pesto. 
This meal can be eaten with or without the pepper/onion mixture.  Saute peppers and onions in olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. 
Blacken tortillas over a gas stove top or steam them in the microwave.  Assemble fajita.  Use cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa to top. 

*I made this meal as a fresh meal since the chicken was already cooked
*I also included homemade salsa

Sloppy Joes $9-10 Easy

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 lb ground beef
2/3 c chopped onion
1 C ketchup
1 C bbq sauce (used KC Masterpiece)
2 T A1 Steak Sauce
1 heaping T sweet pickle relish
salt & pepper to taste (I omitted this)

Directions

Brown beef and onion lightly.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer 20 minutes, covered. Serve on a bun with sweet potatoe fries or tater tots!

Freezer club notes: (Each family received the above amounts). Thaw overnight. Reheat and serve!

Pork Burritos ($12, EASY)

Prep time: 8 hours crock pot (20 minutes hands-on)

Freezer Club instructions: Everything is cooked, shredded and ready to go.Thaw, put in the tortillas provided, and enjoy! Serving suggestions: cilantro-lime rice, salad, fruit, or chips/salsa/guac/queso blanco.I tripled the recipe below to serve 6 families.

Ingredients

1/1/2 lb. Pork Tenderloin

1 (16ounce) jar salsa

1 (15 oz) can black beans

1 (15.25 can Mexicorn, drained

1 cup cooked rice (optional)

1 (3oz) package cream cheese cubed

8 (12 inch) flour tortillas, warmed (separately packaged)

1(8oz) package shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

1. Place the Pork into the bottom of a slow cooker; cover with the salsa.  Discard half of the liquid from the black beans, then pour the beans into the slow cooker along with the mexicorn.

2.  Set the slow cooker on LOW, and cook  6 to 8 hours until the Pork pulls apart easily with a fork.

3.  Shred the meat into bite sized pieces, then stir in the cream cheese cubes until melted.  Stir in rice if desired.  Place a tortilla onto your work surface, then spoon some of the filling halfway between the bottom edge and the center of the tortilla.  Flatten the filling into rectangle shape with the back of a spoon.  Add any additional toppings desired, sprinkle some of the Mexican cheese blend over the filling.  Fold the bottom of the tortilla snugly over the filling, then fold in the left and right edges.  roll the burrito up to the top edge, forming a tight cylinder.(as if you really needed to know how to fold up a burrito!!) Serves 10-12.

Chicken Pot-pie (Medium) $7 per family

1. Take 1 whole chicken breast and cut into chunks
2. Saute it in a pan with 2 Tbs of butter and garlic, salt, and pepper to taste
3. Peel and slice 1 large or 2 medium potatoes and boil until fully cooked. Combine with : 1 cup of each: frozen peas, carrots, and corn
4. take 3 Tbs of butter and melt it in a large sauce pan
5. add 3 Tbs of flour and whisk it until it is bubbly and turns a light brown color
6. add 1 cup of half and half and 3/4 cup of chicken broth
7. let it come to a boil until it gets thick
8. add salt and pepper to taste
9. add the chicken and veggies to the sauce mixture
10. Use the Pillsbury pie crust- take out and let it come to room temperature
11. place crust at bottom of a round casserole dish and pour the sauce mixture into it.
12. Place the remainder crust over the top of pie. Fold the excess crust under and crimp it around the dish. Cut a few slits in the top of pie

Freezer Club directions: Thaw. Brush the top of pie and crust with half and half. I usually put foil around the crust edges or they get too brown. then remove the foil toward the end so it can get crunchy. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or so...

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup (moderate) $13 per family

1-1.5 quarts chicken stock (boxed liquid, not cubes or granules)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 large chicken breasts boiled and shredded
1 Tbls. butter
1 onion - chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
3-5 mushrooms - thinly sliced
1 carrot - peeled and chopped
2-3 hand-fulls fresh spinach
1-2 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
1 24 oz. bag Reams Noodles
salt and pepper to taste


Boil chicken until fork tender and shreds easily.  Shred chicken and set aside. 
In a large soup pot, saute onion and garlic in butter until translucent.  Add chicken stock and cream of mushroom soup.  
Add mushrooms, carrots and spinach.  Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.  Add parmesan cheese and cook another 10 minutes, stirring frequently so cheese doesn't clump.  Add Reams Noodles and cook until tender (approximately 20 minutes.)

*I would only add half the bag of noodles to start.  They double in size so the entire bag may be too much.
*Water or chicken stock can be added (and may need to be) when adding the noodles to this recipe.
*Also, you may notice that the bags are not as full as normal but that is to account for the noodles being left out. 


Freezer Club Prep:  If making this meal for freezer club, leave out Reams Noodles (give a bag of frozen noodles to each person)
To prepare from frozen: Thaw and heat on stovetop.  Add half the bag of Reams noodles and simmer on medium - medium high heat for 20 minutes.  Add water or chicken stock to the soup if necessary.  If more noodles are desired, add and cook an additional 20 minutes. 

Sweet Lasagna ($9-10, medium)

Sauce Ingredients:

5 1/2 lbs. ground beef
salt & pepper to taste
8 TB minced garlic
4 TB Italian seasoning
6 lg. cans tomato sauce
4 lg. cans Italian stewed tomatoes
2/3 cup ketchup
2 1/2 cups brown sugar

Directions:

Brown meat. Add seasonings. Add cans of tomato sauce & stewed tomatoes, ketchup & brown sugar.
Simmer 45 minutes.

Lasagna Ingredients

2 pkg. lasagna noodles (I used no-cook)
8 cups (64 oz) ricotta cheese
4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 cups colby-jack cheese, shredded
4 cups (32 oz) cottage cheese (small curd)

Lasagna directions:

Layer meat sauce, noodles, cheese, spooning in ricotta in small amounts through each layer...same for cottage cheese.
Continue process until casserole is filled to the top. Bake @ 375 for 25-30 min. (bubbling & cheese is melted).

Freezer club baking:
Thaw and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes (bubbling & cheese is melted).
Note: Lasagna may also be baked frozen. Plan to double the baking times.

Cheesy Hot Sandwich Loaf ($12, medium)

$12/family; Medium difficulty; prep time: ~ 1 hour

Freezer club instructions: Your loaf is already baked, so defrost in fridge overnight/during the day. You can eat it cold, or reheated in microwave or oven. My favorite is the oven for toasty goodness! Serve with fruit or soup and salad.

Ingredients:
1 - 16 oz Pillsbury hot roll mix
4 oz. thinly sliced, fully cooked ham, cut into strips
4 oz thinly sliced pepperoni, cut into strips (I use Turkey pepperoni)
1 C. ricotta cheese
1 C. shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
1 C. shredded fontina cheese
1/3 C. thinly sliced green onion
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
Prepare hot roll mix through the kneading step, according to basic recipe on package. Cover and let rest 5 min.

For filling in a large bowl, stir together the ham, pepperoni, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, fontina cheeses, green onion and pepper. Set aside.

Grease large baking sheet. Set aside. On a large floured surface, roll dough into a 12 x 9 rectangle. Spread filling lengthwise down the center of the rectangle in a 4-inch wide strip. Fold long side of dough over filling. Moisten edges with water. Pinch to seal. Place loaf seam side down on prepared baking sheet. With knife cut 1 1/2 inch slits in top for steam to escape. Cover and let rise 10  min.

Brush top with milk. If desired sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 min or until golden. Let stand for 5 min. Slice into serving size pieces. For left-overs, I like to reheat in the oven to get it toasted!

Stuffed BBQ Chicken

$9 per family, Easy, Prep Time: 2 hours, Ingredients are per family

Ingredients:
4-5 large chicken breasts
3 slices Provolone Cheese
3 slices PepperJack Cheese
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
Kosher Salt
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cracked Pepper
Directions:
Spray pans with non-stick spray and trim fat from chicken breasts before slicing part-way into the breast to make a "pocket" or "butterfly" shape. Season both sides of chicken with spices. Place a half slice each of pepperjack and provolone on top of each breast and brush BBQ sauce over the cheese slices. Roll chicken breasts, place seam-side down into greased pan and brush all tops with remaining BBQ sauce.

Bake Thawed: 350 for 30 minutes or until juices run clear
Bake from Frozen: 350 for 45-50 minutes or until juices run clear

Spicy Black Bean Burritos (Easy, < $5 family)

Instructions for freezer club: Reheat bean filling in oven or microwave, serve in tortillas for burrito-style or on chips for nachos with your choice of toppings: sour cream, avocados, lettuce, salsa, cheese, tomatoes, etc!

 

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients:
For the bean filling:
2 tsp. canola or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. minced chipotle in adobo sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1/3 cup water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 tbsp. fresh salsa

For serving:
6 (9- or 10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
Shredded cheese
Diced tomatoes
Shredded romaine lettuce
Chopped green onions
Low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions:
To make the bean filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, salt and cayenne; stir, cooking just until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.  Add the beans and the water or broth to the pan.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the salsa and mash the mixture with a spoon or fork.

Spoon about a third of a cup of the bean mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Top each serving with a pinch of shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions and sour cream.  Roll the tortilla up tightly, burrito style, and serve immediately.

Taco Rubbed Flank Steak (Easy, $10.00 a family)

Taco Rubbed Flank Steak

(can be used for Tacos or serve also with bean and rice)

2TB Chili Powder

2t Ground Cumin

1t Dried Oregano

1/2-1 t Cayenne

1/2 t Salt

1/2 t Brown Sugar

1 lime

1 1/2 lb flank steak

combine spices in bowl for rub

squeeze lime over meat and rub in

Rub spices onto meat completely coating meat

Grill or Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat

about 5 min for med rare and 15 for well done.

Buffalo Chicken Calzones-Medium $6-7

*Dough can be made ahead of time and chilled or made the same day.
**Chicken requires overnight marinating – figure this into your recipe plans.

Calzone Ingredients:
(This makes 2 giant calzones, so I tripled the recipe for freezer club)

1/2 batch pizza dough* (see note)
2C cubed chicken breast
1/2C+ Buffalo sauce, divided (I used Frank’s Red Hot buffalo wing sauce)
1C mozzarella cheese, shredded
1C mild cheddar cheese, shredded

If prepping dough a day ahead, do so following the directions. Keep in a greased and covered bowl after the full rise time. Toss in the fridge until ready to use. Pull out of the fridge 45-60 minutes before making your calzones.

Prepare chicken by trimming any fat and cutting into bite size cubes. Toss cubed chicken into a bowl or food safe storage container. Top off with 3 tbsp buffalo sauce. Stir to coat. Cover container with plastic wrap or lid. Store in the fridge to marinate overnight.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Cook chicken and additional 2 tbsp buffalo sauce. Stir well, cooking chicken for 5-10 minutes or until fully cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl. Add an additional 1/4C buffalo sauce to chicken. Stir to coat. Set aside. (For freezer club, I bake the chicken in a roasting pan at 350 for 35-40 minutes--less hands on time)

Prepare a baking sheet with one of the following: silpat, parchment, olive oil or cornmeal. Choose which works best for you. Divide dough into as many portions as you’d like. I made two (out of the half a batch of dough*). Stretch dough into a large circle or rectangle. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Let gravity help as well as pushing on the dough gently while resting on your prepared baking sheet. Flip and continue process until you are satisfied with the size.

Option:(Coat one half of the dough with chunky blue cheese dressing – almost to the edge but not quite. This is optional if your family likes blue cheese. I omitted for freezer club)

Top off with cooked buffalo chicken. Sprinkle with a mixture of both cheeses – roughly a handful will do. If making two or more calzones, keep this in mind as you grab and sprinkle the cheese… make sure you’re leaving plenty for the other(s).

Fold over the dough. Roll and pinch the edges to seal. Repeat process with remaining dough and ingredients on a second baking sheet.

Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut with a serrated knife into as many slices as desired.

Serve warm and enjoy. May dip in blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.

*Pizza Dough (Again I tripled for freezer club):

Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
1 pkg instant yeast
1 1/2 cups water, room temp
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

In a bowl or multi-cup measuring cup dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until the yeast puffs up, about 5 minutes or so. Add in second batch of water and oil, stir to combine.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix dry ingredients. Add in your liquid mixture slowly. You want this to form a fairly nice mass. Remove from your bowl and knead by hand for 5-10 minutes. Form your dough into a ball and tranfer to a large greased bowl. Flip the dough after tossing it in so both sides are now greased a bit. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, but not hot, location. Let your dough rise until it almost doubles in size, 2 hours or a bit more.

Divide dough into two equal parts. On a lightly floured work area, shape each part into a small ball knead and add more flour if necessary. If it sticks to your hands, add some flour, but just a small bit at a time. Cover with a damp towel. Let rise for 10-20 minutes more.

Preheat your oven to 450. Take one of the balls and roll out or stretch with your hands, to fit your pan.

Chicken Spinach Pasta Easy 8 per family

3 cups cooked shredded chicken
8-10 oz. rigattoni noodles
1 C. chopped onions
10 oz. frozen spincah ( you can use fresh)
2 can italian diced tomatoes
8 oz. sour cream or 8 oz. chive and onion cream cheese--- i just use the amount that i think it looks creamy
salt &pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Combine everything except chicken, noodles, cheese

add chicken and noodles

cover with cheese--i put in some cheese in the mixture

bake 30 min covered 15 min uncovered

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Easy; prep 10 min. cost $9-10 a family. The recipe below makes 8 servings. Instructions for freezer club: defrost meat and dipping sauce, it's ready to go! *Be sure to get your rolls and any other toppings you like: Provolone cheese, onion, mushrooms, peppers. etc.

      Ingredients

• 3-½ pounds Beef Chuck Roast
• 10-½ ounces, weight Campbell's Beef Consomme Or Broth
• 12 ounces, fluid Beer (1 Bottle)
• 2 cubes Beef Bouillon
• 1-¼ ounce, weight Package Of Onion Soup Mix

  Preparation Instructions

  Season the chuck roast. I used salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
  Place the chuck roast in a crock pot.
  Mix onion soup mix in the beef consomme and pour over the chuck roast.
  Pour a bottle of beer over the meat. I find that the darker and richer the beer is, the better the au jus turns out.
  Place the bouillon cubes on opposite sides of the meat.
  Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
  Take out the meat, slice or shred (it will be falling apart) and place back into the juice until ready to serve. Serves 8
  I suggest using toasted French bread or po-boy loaves. We love this with provolone cheese melted on the toasted bread, and sometimes with caramelized onions and spicy or creole mustard. However you serve this, you MUST dip in the au jus!
  

Veggie Enchiladas Easy $8-9

Veggie Enchiladas

Yield: 12 enchiladas
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1 tsp. canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. sugar
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
½-¾ cup water
Salt and pepper

For the filling:
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1 (8 oz.) zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups enchilada sauce (above), divided
1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup drained chopped canned green chiles
Salt and pepper

For assembly:
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas (i used flour because i thought they would freeze better)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:
To make the enchilada sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (This makes more sauce than you will need for the enchiladas. The extra can be frozen for later use or passed with the enchiladas for serving.)

Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Transfer half of the black beans to a bowl and mash with a fork until almost completely smooth. Set aside. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until slightly softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook just until tender, 3-5 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mashed beans and remaining whole beans and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the veggie mixture to a large bowl and stir in ½ cup of the enchilada sauce, the queso fresco, cilantro and green chiles. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, briefly microwave the tortillas until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds. Place 1/3 cup of the filling mixture down the center of a tortilla. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the top of the sauce. Cover with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes more. Sprinkle with additional queso fresco and cilantro for garnish, if desired. Serve warm with lime wedges.

Freezer Club: Thaw and cook in the oven with foil until heated through.

Pork Tenderloin (Easy, $10 per family)

pork tenderloin 2 lbs. per family
soy sauce
lemon juice
oil   (I used vegetable)
garlic powder
parsley flakes

Wash and trim fat from pork.  Marinate in a gallon sized Ziplock  for an hour.  Use equal parts soy sauce, lemon juice and oil.  I used 1/3 cup of each.  After marinating, set pork on a cutting board and sprinkle generously with garlic powder and parsley flakes (1-2 Tblsp. of each).  Cook on the grill 30-35 minutes turning as it browns.

Side Note:  I didn't freeze the pork as it was purchased fresh.  The purchase by date is August 11 so I figured you can decide if you'd like to freeze it yourselves or use it as a fresh meal sometime in the coming week to two.  The marinade should last at least that long as well (keep it refrigerated). 

Freezer Club Instructions: Wash and trim fat from pork.  Place in gallon sized Ziplock.  Shake marinade as the oil probably separated from the lemon juice/soy sauce and pour over the pork.  Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.  After marinating, place pork on a cutting board and sprinkle with the garlic/parsley mixture.  Grill for 30-35 minutes turning as it browns.  

Sausage Egg Strata, Easy $5-6

Sausage Egg Strata (serves 12, see note below on freezer club portions)

attention raw egg, thaw in fridge.

1/2 pd Turkey Breakfast Sausage ( I mixed 2 parts Turkey, 1 part Maple)

1 medium onion

1 med red bell pepper

12 Lg Eggs

4 cups 1% milk

1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

6 cups cubed whole wheat bread (about 7 slices)

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 cups Grated Cheese

Cook sausage into small crumbles (take out and drain)

Dice Onion and Peppers, put onion and red peppers in pan with sausage grease and stir until soft, In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper whisk until blended.

Spray bottom of pan with Pam. Spread bread in the dish. Scatter onion, pepper and sausage mixture over bread, brush with mustard, sprinkle with cheese, pour egg mixture over top. Let sit over night in fridge then freeze.

To Thaw: attention, raw egg. Thaw in fridge

Preheat to 350

Bake uncovered until puffed and lightly brown, about an hour.

Side Note: I made 7 servings, I used 4 dozen eggs, 3 lbs of Sausage, 4 large red peppers, and 5 onions, 2 loaves of bread, 16 cups of milk (almost a gallon).

Motherhood Is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)

Ran across this blog post and wanted to share!

Motherhood Is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)

Chicken BLT Salad (Fresh Meal)

$6-7/family; Easy, 1 hour prep. Ingredients below are for a family of four.
Instructions for freezer club: all ingredients are prepped separately, so your meal should last 3-4 days or as long as your fresh veggies last! Chicken has been grilled, chopped and frozen.

6 cups bite-sized pieces salad greens (I use romaine)
2 C cup-up cooked chicken breast
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 hard-boiled egg

BBQ salad dressing:
1/2 C light or fat-free mayo
1/4 C barbecue sauce
1 T instant minced onion
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all together, serve on salad!

Runza Sandwiches

$8 per familly, Medium, Prep Time: 3 hours, Ingredients are for 6 sandwiches.

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cabbage
1 lb of ground beef
12 frozen bread rolls (I use Rhoades)
1/4 onion, chopped
6 slices of provolone cheese
2 TBS butter
1/4 tsp garlic salt
3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 TBS fresh cracked pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning

Directions:
Allow bread rolls to thaw on greased baking sheet for about 2-3 hours.

Chop cabbage and place in a large skillet with butter and garlic salt, allow to soften over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to sit for about 7 more minutes or until cabbage is soft and brown. Shut off skillet heat and cover cabbage with a lid and allow to steam until it is completely wilted and soft (could take an additional 25-30 minutes)

While cabbage is steaming, press 2 thawed bread rolls together and roll on floured board until they are very thin and shaped in a circle.
Set flattened rolls aside on a greased baking sheet  and place a slice of provolone cheese in the center of each round.


Brown the beef and onions and all remaining seasonings together until beef is fully cooked. Drain. Add the cooked cabbage to the pan of seasoned beef and stir until combined.

Spoon the Beef and Cabbage mixture over the cheese and bread rolls. Tuck the bread around the mixture and flip over on baking sheet so that the seam is down.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Freezer Club:
To prepare for the freezer, spray a small piece of foil with cooking spray to place each dough circle on instead of a baking sheet. Also spray the top of the runza before folding inside the foil to avoid sticking while baking. Wrap each sandwich in foil individually.

Bake From Freezer:
Place frozen sandwiches (still in foil, seam side up) on a greased baking sheet and bake at 415 for 20 minutes, undo foil from the top and bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool and Enjoy! These are delicious served with a fruit salad and fresh veggie or sweet potato fries. You can also change up the flavor by adding sauteed mushrooms or try dipping them in BBQ sauce, ketchup, or mustard and serve with pickles!

Honey Chicken Griller $7 per family, Easy but time consuming

Honey Chicken Griller

(serves 4)

2 tomatoes, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

4 small red potatoes, cut into wedges

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 tsp margarine

4 tsp honey

To Assemble:

1)cut foil into 20 inch pieces. Divided and layer tomatoes, onions, peppers, and potatoes on each foil piece. Place chicken breast on each vegetable nest.

2)Mix Worcestershire sauce and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon over each chicken breast. Top with 1 tsp margarine and 1 teaspoon honey.

3)To seal packets, bring 2 opposite sides of foil together and fold over several times. Fold over the other 2 ends of foil tightly.

To Prepare

Pierce top of foil twice with a sharp knife to vent.

To Bake:

Preheat Oven to 450

Arrange packets on baking sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes.

To Grill:

Cut cooking time by more than half by grilling. Place packets, seam-side up, on a grill 4 to 6 inches from heat source. Cook for about 15 minutes.

White Stuffed Shells $9-10 per family (time consuming-medium difficulty)

This is the recipe for a 9x13 size. I 5x the ingredients but probably only needed to 4x it.

1 pkg jumbo shells (boiled al dente)
2 lg chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
1 pkg muchrooms (sliced and sauteed with 1 clove chopped garlis and 1 Tbs butter of Olive Oil)
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 -1/2 of a small box chopped spinach (defrosted and drained really well)-- use as much or as little as you like
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 jar alfredo sauce (thinned with 1/4 cup milk)
Additional Mozzerella and parmesan to garnish

Mix cheeses, egg, chicken, spinach, mushrooms and spices. Spoon into shells

Freezer club directions:
Thaw
Thin alfredo sauce with 1/4 cup milk
Pour a little alfredo sauce in the bottom of a grease 9x13 baking pan
Place shells into pan.
Pour as much alfredo sauce as you want over the shells
Sprinkle with additional mozzerella and parmesan to taste
Bake at 350 degrees for around 35 minutes or until warmed through
Enjoy!

Cracker and Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

Around $10 per family Medium Difficulty

1 cup oyster crackers

1/3 cup Ritz crackers (generous handful)

¾ cup parmesan cheese

1/3 cup flat leaf parsley leaves

3T chopped fresh chives

2T fresh thyme leaves

1T Old Bay seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Flour, for coating

2 large eggs, beaten

Splash of heavy cream or half and half

EVOO, for frying

1.5 lbs sole or tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry

salt and pepper

lemon wedges for serving

Using a food processor, grind the oyster crackers, Ritz crackers, parmesan, parsley, chives, thyme, Old Bay seasoning, and garlic powder (if using). Transfer to a shallow bowl. Place flour in another shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, beat the eggs and cream.

Fill a large skillet with enough EVOO to reach a depth of ¼ inch and heat over med.-high heat. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper. Coat the fish with the flour, shaking off any excess; coat with the egg mixture, then with the cracker crumbs. Working with 2 fillets at a time, fry the fish in the skillet, turning once, until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer each batch to the oven to keep warm. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Freezer Club...let the fish thaw and then fry the fish in the skillet.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Approx cost: $10/family of 4. (I didn't keep my receipts, I will calculate better next time or update next time I make this!).  Easy;  Prep. time 1.5 hours

Both recipes are prepared through the cooking stage. Cook pasta 9-11 min. or until tender. Reheat sauce with meatballs in saucepan until heated through. May thaw first or place in medium saucepan on stove. Serve with a salad and garlic toast, if desired.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 1/2 cup white wine

Directions

1. In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
3. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 8.

Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®), or to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place the beef into a mixing bowl, and season with salt, onion, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, and place onto a baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Salisbury Steak

$7-$8 per family, Easy, Prep Time: 1.5 hours, Ingredients are per family

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1 pkg.  Chicken Stove Top

1-1/4 cups water

3/4 cup  chopped onions

1 can Beef Gravy 

 

Directions:  Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix together meat, stuffing mix, 1-1/4 cups water and onions until well blended. Shape into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) oval patties. Place in 15x10x1-inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until done. Heat gravy and add desired seasonings. I usually saute mushrooms with butter and seasonings before adding the gravy to simmer together. Serve steaks with gravy poured over top. 

Side Suggestions: This is a yummy meal to serve with fresh baby potatoes and your family's favorite vegetable.

Thawing Directions: Allow meat to thaw completely, line a cooking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Don't cook these in the supplied pan. Bake as directed above.

Banana Brownie Waffles

From: www.mealmakeovermoms.com
Makes: 18 small waffles

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup wheat germ (may also use mix of ground flaxseed and wheat germ)
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
4 tablespoons granulated sugar (I used raw sugar)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups 1% milk
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, bananas, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

4. Coat the hot waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter onto the hot waffle iron (about 2 cups or according to your waffle iron) and cook on medium-high setting. Repeat with the remaining batter.

5. Freeze or Serve!!!

There are so many fun ways to top these waffles. Try them with sliced bananas or raspberries and strawberries on top and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Use Agave nectar in lieu of syrup. Spread peanut butter or almond butter on top, or for a real treat, NUTELLA!!

Sweet and Sour Chicken (Easy- $5/family)

Ingredients:

Single serving with (freezer club portions)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (6 lbs)
3 Tbl canola oil (9 T)
1/2 cup onion, chunked (1 1/2 large onions)
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chunked (12 assorted peppers)
1 1/3 cups cold water (4 cups)
1/4 cup cornstarch (3/4 c)
1/2 cup sugar (1 1/2 c)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (1 1/2 c)
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar (2 c)
1/4 cup soy sauce (3/4 c)

Directions:

Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Brown chicken in hot oil until cooked through. Add onion and bell peppers. Cook and stir for about 1 minute. In a saucepan, combine water and cornstarch. Stir in sugar, brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling. Cook and stir until thick and glossy. Pour sauce over chicken and stir to coat. Allow to cool completely. Place chicken and sauce in freezer bag or container.

For individual servings, place cooked rice in single serving-sized freezer containers. Top with chicken and sauce. Cover, label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw and heat. Serve in bowls over rice. Might want to toss in fresh or canned chunks of pineapple when serving.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beef Carnitas

$7-8 per family. Super Easy

It called for 5-6 lbs. of meat but I used 7 and still thought it should be more. For freezer club I think 10 lbs of meat would be a good amount.

Combine in a bowl:

2 - 7oz. Cans of Chopped Green Chilies
2 1/2 Tbs.Chili Powder
3/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Kosher salt

Spread mixture on top surface of the roast. Wrap in foil and seal securely. Place in ovenproof dish and bake for 4 hrs. at 300-degrees. Cook longer if necessary. (The meat should be so tender that it falls apart.)

For each serving spoon meat into a hot tortilla. Serve with any (or all) of the following: lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or cheese.

Roasted vegetables and chicken- $8 per family (easy)

1 lb red potatoes (cut in 1/4ths)
2 carrots (cut into sticks)
2 zucchinis (cut into sticks)
4 chicken breasts

Marinade:
2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs whole grain mustard
1 Tbs rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix vegetables chicken and marinade together.

Directions for cooking:
Preheat oven to 400
Place frozen veggies and chicken on 9x13 baking pan
sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken
roast 25 minutes then toss veggies and turn chicken
roast another 25 minutes
** some of the chicken breast were really big so you may want to cut them into smaller filets so they are the same size as the others and cook at the same speed.

Spaghetti Casserole $10 per family

Ingredients: 8-10 oz. cooked spaghetti
1 lb. hot sausage (Rice's)
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbls. soy sauce
2 Tbls. worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
10 oz. grated colby jack cheese

Cook sausage and hamburger together with onion.  Drain grease.  Add tomato sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and worchestershire sauce.  Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.  Add oregano and basil.
Spray casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Add spaghetti followed by the cheese.  Top with the meat mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Freezer Club Thawing and
Baking instructions:  Thaw meat mixture.  Cook the spaghetti.  You will need a 9x13 pan for this meal.  Put spaghetti in the sprayed pan.  Cover with cheese.  Top with meat mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake, Easy $8-9 per family

Sour Cream Noodle Bake (Multiply by 6 for freezer club portions)

1 1/4 pound Ground Chuck

1 can 15 oz. Tomato Sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

8 oz. Egg Noodles

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese

1/2 cup sliced green onion

1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preheat Oven 350 Degrees.

To Prepare:

Brown Ground Chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook eggs noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and ricotta cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir, Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. or until all cheese is melted.

For freezer club, thaw in fridge overnight and bake at 35o for 20 minutes or until all cheese is melted.

Porcupine Meatballs $6 per family (easy)

Meatballs:

1/2 cup long grain rice

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

1 lb. ground beef

Mix together and form into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Sauce:

2 cans tomato sauce (15 0z cans)

2 cups water

5 tsp worcestershire sauce

2 TBS lemon juice

Directions --- Thaw

Brown meatballs in 2 TBS oil.

Remove meatballs and drain oil from pan.

Pour red sauce into hot empty meatball pan.

Scrape bits off bottom of skillet.

Whisk in 4TBS of brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Add meatballs and simmer covered for 1 hour stirring gently occaionally.

Serve with rice or noodles

Angel-Hair Pasta With Roasted Red Peppers, Feta, and Herb Dressing

9 per family Level Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 package (16 oz.) angel-hair pasta or spaghettini
• 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in cold water for 20 minutes
• 1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives

Directions

1. Place oil, herbs, juice, salt, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons water in a jar. Close lid and shake until blended.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add dressing to warm pasta and toss to combine. Drain onion and pat dry; add to pasta with remaining ingredients and gently toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken & Pepper Jack Taquitos $5 per family

 Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 c chopped, drained roasted red peppers (from jar)
1 tsp liquid smoke (I substituted smoked paprika)
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 1/3 c shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. *Place chicken in roast pan and season (salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder). Bake for 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Shred chicken and toss with drained, jarred red peppers. Lay out tortillas on cookie sheet and warm before rolling. This will prevent the tortillas from tearing. Top each tortilla with chicken mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Roll into taquito and place on greased freezer container/baking sheet.

Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Spray with cooking spray and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

*Note: If cooking for one family, saute chicken over medium heat in olive oil. Then add red peppers and liquid smoke and cook 1 minute to heat through.

Freezer Club Portions

6 lbs chicken
2 16 oz jars of chopped roasted red peppers
2 packages of 30 corn tortillas
1 24 oz block of Pepper Jack cheese
liquid smoke or smoked paprika

Honey Nut Chicken $5 per family

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/honey-nut-chicken-recipe/index.html

Multiplying everything by 6 proved to be too much so I was able to make 7 meals out of this.  If this meal is made again, I would multiply by 5.

Thawing instructions:  Thaw until no longer frozen (however you choose).  The breasts have already been floured, egged and breaded.  You will need to fry them before putting in the oven.  See recipe for directions.

Italian Topped Chicken $8 per family

Italian Topped Chicken - Easy, $8/family, 1.5 hrs prep

Ingredients: (Freezer Club)

30 chicken breasts (approx 5 lg breasts per family)
2 Red Peppers
2 Green Peppers
9 stalks of Green Onions
6 Roma Tomatos
1 Large can and 1 small can of French’s Fried Onions
3 cups shredded mozz cheese

Seasonings: Seasoning salt, Ground Pepper, Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning, Onion Powder and Basil

Directions:
Spray baking dish with olive oil spray. Place chicken breasts into dish and generously season the tops only with Seasonings listed above. Top seasoned breasts with diced peppers, onion, and tomato, ending with French’s. Top it all with shredded cheese and bake uncovered at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until juices run clear.

Thawing Instructions: Allow to thaw overnight in refrigerator or for a few hours on the countertop, then follow baking directions above.

Steak Soup $8-$9 per family

Ingredients:
1 lb. steak or ground beef
1 cup butter
1 cup flour 
1/2 gallon of water
1/4 Tbls pepper
1 carrot chopped
1 onion chopped 
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 16oz bag frozen mixed vegetables
16oz can of stewed tomatoes
5 cubes of beef bouillon (add more to taste)

Directions:
Make a roux out of the butter and flour and then add 2 cups of water to roux and whisk until roux dissolves completely.  Add remaining water, veggies (raw and frozen), tomatoes, pepper and bouillon. 
If using steak, saute in butter and cube for soup.  If using ground beef, cook beef, drain grease and add meat to the soup.  Simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours.  

Thawing/Cooking Instructions:  Thaw on counter or over night in fridge.  Heat on stovetop. 

Italian Stuffed Meat Loaf, $8-$9 per family

Italian Stuffed Meatloaf - Easy

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup italian style bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cups (9-10 oz) pasta sauce
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb italian sausage
2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
2 cups (8 oz) shredded italian cheese blend


Directions

1. Line baking pans with foil. In large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup pasta sauce. Add onions, beef, and sausage and stir until well combined.

2. On foil, pat half of the mixture into the baking pan. Top evenly with spinach and shredded cheese to within 1/2 inch of edges. Cover with remaining meat mixture and tuck in the spinach leaves, pressing the edges to seal.

3. To Freeze: cover tightly with foil and place lid on container.

To Thaw: Remove from foil and place in loaf pan. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours.

To Cook: Spread remaining pasta sauce over top. Bake at 350 F for 50 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center reaches 160 F. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Freezer Club Portions (6 families)
6 lbs ground beef
3 lbs italian sausage
3 onions
3 cups whole wheat italian seasoned breadcrumbs
3 cups Parmesan cheese
1 dozen eggs
18 garlic cloves, minced or 6 T jarred minced garlic
3 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
54-60 oz pasta sauce
36 oz shredded italian cheese blend (could sub. plain mozzarella)
10-12 cups organic baby spinach leaves

Beefy Ravioli, $7-$8 per family

Beefy Ravioli - Easy
Directions are per family, with Freezer Club directions following.

1/2 lb ground beef (can substitute sausage for a different flavor)
1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can  beef broth

1/4 cup Italian Dressing

1 pkg (20 oz) frozen cheese-filled ravioli 

1 cup  mozzerella cheese (shredded)

Brown beef in a skillet, adding desired seasonings while cooking (kosher salt, cracked pepper, italian, garlic, onion powder). Combine beef, spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, beef broth, and italian dressing into a greased 11x13 baking pan. Follow directions for boiling the frozen ravioli, then toss into the prepared baking pan and stir together. Top with cheese and bake at 375 for 50 minutes. Makes 7 large servings

Freezer Club Prep: Because this dish makes 7 servings, I made about 4 batches (I did use 3 lbs of beef) and divided it up between the dishes. Also, I think that if you do *not* boil the pasta before putting into the baking pans, it will cut down on the pasta being mushy when baked. To make from frozen: allow to thaw on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed above. If you keep it in the black pan, place foil on your oven rack to avoid spills.

Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese, $10 per family

Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese (easy)
(approx 5 hours prep including all the baking and shredding of chicken, which I spread out over several days prior to assembly)

( if for freezer club, see separate instruction and notes below)

1 Chopped Onion

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. each of chili powder, garlic powder and ground cumin

16 oz of cream cheese

6 cups shredded, cooked chicken
2 can rotel tomatoes

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

18 medium flour tortillas

**1 can (14oz) of enchilada sauce (per family)

Heat oven to 350. Have 2 11x7 inch baking dishes ready, spray with cooking spray or lightly oil. In large sauce pan cook onion in oil for 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in chili powder, garlic, and cumin. Add cream cheese and cook, over low heat, breaking cheese apart until melted. Add chicken and salsa, stir over medium heat 2/3 minutes until hot. Remove from heat.

Wrap tortillas in stacks of 8, in foil. Heat in oven 8 to 10 minutes until warm and pliable. Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over bottom of pan. Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in pan. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes.

Freezer club preparation, I assembled enchiladas but saved the part of putting them in and over sauce for the home preparation. 

This recipe above makes 18 medium enchiladas, for freezer club I made 6 enchiladas per family so this recipe was doubled to make meals for 6 families and the ingredients came out exactly right.

To enjoy from Frozen:

Thaw in fridge or counter

Take out of "freezer" container and place in sprayed or lightly oiled 9x13 pan. Put a small amount of enchilada sauce on bottom then place enchiladas in sauce seam side down. Put the rest of the sauce over top sprinkle with cheese.

Bake @ 350 20-40 minutes (or until warm in center)

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Spiced Pecans and Peach Butter

Serves: 5 servings
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (half whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 cups buttermilk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large sweet potato, roasted and cooled
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Spiced Pecans, recipe follows
Peach Butter, recipe follows

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter, and then add this to the dry mixture. Peel and mash the sweet potato, place it in a bowl, and then add the honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix it well. Add this mixture into the pancake batter. Let the batter stand for 1 hour (or make it a day ahead of time).
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add batter by the ladleful and cook the pancakes, in batches, until golden brown on each side. Serve immediately with Spiced Pecans and Peach Butter.

Spiced Pecans

Yield: about 1 cup
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon tupelo honey
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Add all ingredients and cook until pecans are lightly brown and caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and store in an airtight container.

Peach Butter

Yields: 6 containers (approx. 3/4 C each)
Freezer Club Quantities:
2 (ish) cups peaches, peeled and diced (I overfilled my measuring cups)
1 lb butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
Pinch sea salt

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Durango Chicken - $25-$30

Ingredients:
4 large chicken breasts
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup butter - melted
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 Tblsp. paprika
1 Tblsp. oregano

Directions:
Mix all above ingredients and pour over chicken.  Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken is done.  To thaw:  Put in fridge overnight
Serve with green bean/onion mixture and wild rice.  Spoon sauce over all.

Asian Lettuce Wraps, $8-$9 per family

Asian Lettuce Wraps (medium to hard)

Servings: 8 Appetizer; 4 main dish servings

INGREDIENTS

16 Boston Bibb or Butter Letttuce Leaves

1 lb lean ground chicken, turkey, or beef

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 lg yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 tbsp soy sauce (or more to taste)

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

2 tsp freshly grated ginger (or pickled ginger is fine)

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Asian chile pepper sauce or any hot sauce (to taste)

1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots (or more , if desired)

1 cup shredded cabbage (or more, if desired)

4 tsp Asian (dark) sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.

In a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground chicken in 1 tbsp of oil, stirring often. Drain, and set aside to cool. Saute the yellow onion in the same pan over medium heart until tender, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice wine vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, stir, and let simmer 1-2 minutes. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, browned meat and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions, carrots, and cabbage just begin to wilt about 3-4 minutes.

Salsa beef skillet

Josh and I made the Salsa Beef Skillet last night and I wanted to tell you guys...
If it is too dry add water or more salsa to it as you warm it up. Also I think It goes alot further if you make burritos with the rice, sour cream, and cheese-- for the bigger families in our group :)

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
30-40 Red or Yukon Gold Potatoes (based on the size. May also use Russet)
4 lbs bacon
1 (10 oz) package shredded carrots (or 2-3 carrots, shredded)
1 pkg celery
1 yellow onion
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper
14 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup flour
sage
shredded cheddar cheese
green onions


Directions:
1. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap each potato in foil. Bake in oven just until tender-about 1 hour for red/Yukon, 1 1/2 for Russet. Cool and cube potatoes.
2. Brown bacon over medium heat until done. Drain fat, reserving 1/4 cup of grease. (You can cook one lb now and cook the rest later. The cleanest way to cook bacon is on a foil lined pan in the oven for 20-25 min at 375 degrees. ) Crumble and store bacon.
3. While bacon is cooking, chop celery and onion.
4. Saute' veggies in large stockpot with bacon grease until tender and onion is translucent. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add cubed poatoes, and toss to coat. Saute; for 3 to 4 minutes. Add enough chicken broth (about 2-3 cups) to just cover the potatoes.
6. Cover and bring to a simmer, cooking potatoes until tender and broth is beginning to be absorbed. Add carrots. Turn temperature to low. Mash the potatoes and veggies roughly with a potato masher.
8. In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk. This will create your roux.
9. Add the roux to the potato mixture. Add more milk and chicken broth until your desired consistency is reached. ( 12 C is approximate) Adjust seasonings to taste.

Hint for freezer club: place gallon freezer bag in a tall container or large measuring cup. Open the bag up and over the edges of the container. Ladle soup in the bag and seal. Virtually mess-free!

To serve:
Bring to a simmer and serve immediately.
Garnish with bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream, salt and pepper
For added flavor, garnish with chopped fresh sage or cilantro if desired.

Chicken Chimichangas

(honestly... I have pregnancy mind and I have totally forgot how much of everything I used to make this. I have been sitting here trying to remember and I think it is lost somewhere in there :).... This is my best guess. SORRY)

Makes 24 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 (240z) jar of salsa
12 boneless, skinless chicken breasts--shredded
3 tsp ground cumin
2 1/4tsp dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
24 (10 inches) flour tortillas
6 cups shredded mexican cheese
Toppings: guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato

Preparation:
cook chicken in boiling water. Then shredd it. In a large pan combing salsa and next 4 ingredients; cook over medium low heat. stirring often 25 minutes till luquid evaporates. Spoon (I think I used 1/3 cup) of mixture in center of each torilla; top with (I think 1/4 cup) cheese.

Fold in sides of tortillas to enclose filling. makes a diamond/square shape. Place, folded side down, on baking dish. Brush generously with melted butter. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes

Made-Rite Sandwiches

1lb Ground Beef
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Onion Powder
¾ tsp Ground Pepper
¾ tsp Kosher Salt
¾ tsp Minced Garlic
1 Can Beef Broth

Add seasonings to raw meat as it browns in skillet over medium heat. Be careful to watch it continually and chop it with a fork to keep the meat very fine and in small pieces. When beef is fully cooked, add 1 can of beef broth and allow it to simmer for at least 20 minutes until all liquid is completely absorbed. Stir frequently. (*if you are going to freeze meat, leave some broth un-absorbed to make it easier to re-heat later*)

Serve on hamburger buns with ketchup, mustard, and American cheese.
Side Ideas: Baked Beans, Carrot and Celery sticks with ranch, Baked potato chips, Tator Tots.

If Frozen: Allow dish to thaw on counter for approx. 4-5 hours, then heat in skillet until all liquid is absorbed.