Stuffed Peppers $6/family, Easy, 1.5hrs prep

Ingredients:
1 lb pork sausage
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup shredded celery
1 1/2 cups *cooked* rice
Seasoned to Taste with:
Cracked Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cayenne (very light)
6-8 medium green peppers - seeds and tops removed


Directions:
Fill a large, deep pan with enough water to cover the bottom about an inch deep, add salt, and bring to a boil. Place the seeded peppers upright into the water and cover, reduce heat to simmer and allow to steam for five minutes. Remove peppers and allow to cool by placing them on a sprayed baking sheet.



Brown sausage in large skillet. When sausage is almost fully cooked, add in the onions, peppers, and celery. When vegetables have softened and sausage is fully cooked, mix in the cooked rice. Stuff the prepared peppers with the filling and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


Freezer Club Prep:
Allow the filling to thaw. Parboil seeded peppers (directions above), stuff and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. May top with shredded cheese if desired.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos-Easy, 2 hrs ($9 per family)

Ingredients:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup salsa
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc. would also be good)
10-12 6-inch flour tortillas
Cooking Spray
Kosher salt
(Additional Ingredients such as Black Beans, more salsa, etc can be added)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425' F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Briefly heat the tortillas in the microwave to make them soft enough to roll easily, about 20-30 seconds. Place a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.

Freezer Club: To freeze before baking, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill the assembled taquitos 30-60 minutes. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. To bake from the freezer, simply add a few additional minutes to the original baking time, until the filling is warmed through.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup / $7

Freezer club hints: I tripled the recipe for 6 families.This was "intermediate" level and time-consuming, but a very healthy and hearty soup. Use your largest pot when preparing this, as it barely fit in one of mine, I made three different batches.

Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup 

source: slightly altered from Emeril Lagasse on food network (My friend Hannah Ford shared this with me!)

Ingredients

• 2 medium butternut squash, about 3 to 4 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 cups chicken stock
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup wild rice blend
• 3/4 pound smoked turkey sausage, such as kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 1/2 cups  2% milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool completely. In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 2 cups of the chicken stock. Puree until smooth and set aside.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring 4 cups of the stock and 1/2 cup of the chopped onions to a simmer. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a fork. Remove the rice from the pan and cool. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of onions and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 6 cups of stock and squash puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Stir in the rice and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the half-and-half and reason with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve. Makes 10 servings.

Baked Oatmeal #2

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs beaten
3 cups oatmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk

Fruit compote
1 cup mixed berries (i used frozen)
1 Tbs sugar

Mix (melted) butter and brown sugar. Then add beaten eggs. Add oatmeal, baking powder and salt to mixture. Finally add milk and stir. Bake  350 degrees 30 minutes. Makes for 8x8 pan.

Fruit Compote
Cook fruit and sugar in saucepan till saucy and fruit is soft