Tortilla Soup

One can– 16 oz Refried Beans
One can– 15 oz Black Beans
One can– 14 oz Chicken Broth
1 ½ Cup frozen Corn
¾ Cup Chunky Salsa
1 ½ Cup Cooked Chicken
½ Cup Water

Simmer 30 Minutes

Crunch Tortilla chips into bottom of bowl, add Soup and
Top with Shredded Cheese and Sour Cream

Stuffed Green Peppers

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1/3 cup minced onions
½ tsp. salt
3 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
¾ cup water
½ cup uncooked long grain rice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 medium green peppers with tops off and seeds cleaned out

Mix all ingredients except cheese and green peppers together. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in cheese. Spoon mixture into green peppers. Place in muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

If freezing: after spooning the mixture into the peppers, wrap peppers in foil and place in a freezer bag to freeze. You can also freeze the meat and the peppers separately.

Note: the meat mixture is also great just in the muffin tins without the green peppers for small ones who may not like the peppers.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Makes 4 side dishes, 6 servings each

10 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tbls minced garlic
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, cut into quarters
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup chicken broth

Four 8 inch sq baking dishes
Plastic wrap
Aluminum foil

1. Put potatoes in a large stockpot with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook potatoes until they break apart easily with a fork, 9 to 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

3. Drain potatoes and return them to the pot. Add garlic with oil, cream cheese, salt and pepper: mash potatoes. Stir in chicken broth. Divide potatoes evenly among the baking dishes. Wrap each dish entirely in plastic wrap and cover with foil.

4. Label and freeze.

To cook one side dish
1. Thaw one side dish in the refrigerator or bake straight from the freezer.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Remove plastic wrap and foil from baking dish and replace foil. Bake for 1 hour if frozen, 30 minutes if thawed, or until potatoes are hot all the way through.

French Bread

3 Tlbs Yeast
3 ½ Cups Water
¾ Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Butter or Oil
4 tsp Salt
6 to 10 Cups Flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, butter, and salt. Add flour 2 cups at a time until you have a soft elastic dough. Let rise until double. Divide into 9-12 parts; roll them out and braid into loaves. Put on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise then bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. After removing from the oven, brush the top of the loaves with butter.

Variations: Brush with egg or mild and sprinkle with sesame seed or poppy seeds before baking. Make into individual French rolls: small braided rolls or just round rolls.

Baked Potato Chowder

10 lbs russet potatoes,

Baked and cooled

1 C (2 sticks) butter

2 C chopped onion (bout 2 med.)

¼ C dried parsley

2 Tbls beef bouillon granules

1 Tbls minced garlic (bout 9 cloves)

1 Tbls dried basil

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

2 C flout

12 C water

4 C half-and-half (or light cream)

1 lb sharp Cheddar cheese,

Cut into large chucks

4 one-gallon freezer bags

1. Cut potatoes in half; scoop out flesh. Set potato aside and discard skins, or save for another use.

2. Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 mins. Add parsley, bouillon, garlic, basil, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 mins. Add flour; cook, stirring, 2 mins longer. Mixture will be like a paste. Gradually add water, half-and-half, and potato; cook, stirring frequently, until soup has thickened, about 30 mins. Add cheese; cook, stirring until melted. Cool.

3. Divide cooled soup evenly among the freezer bags. Seal and freeze.

To Cook one Entrée

1. Completely thaw one entrée in the refrigerator.
2. Bring the soup to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil.

Teriyaki Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
10 oz. bottle teriyaki sauce
1 T vinegar
2-3 cloves freshly pressed garlic
1/2 finely chopped onion

Place chicken and all ingredients into freezer bag, coat chicken well. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Chicken will marinate as it defrost in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove chicken from bag and place in baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (30 for tenderloins). Serve with rice and vegetables.

King Ranch Chicken

King Ranch Chicken

Season 2 pounds chicken with onion, garlic, and celery,
Simmer until done; save stock.  If this is a whole chicken,
debone.  Cut into bite-size pieces.

1 doz. corn tortillas   1/2 c. chopped bell pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup  1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 c. sour cream    1 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 small can sliced black olives  1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes

Line bottom of 9X13 inch pan with one layer of corn tortillas (3 to 4).
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of stock over this.
Combine in bowl: Soup, sour cream, pepper, half of the olives, and Tabasco.
Layer half of the chicken, then half of the combined sauces, and half of the cheese (like Lasagna).
Repeat the tortillas, stock, chicken, sauce, and half the cheese.
Top with the entire can of Ro-Tel tomatoes and the remaining olives.
Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.

Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf

2 lbs. ground beef
1 c. cracker crumbs
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. oregano
1 egg
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. grated cheese
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce

Mix all ingredients except cheese.  Flatten out on wax paper; sprinkle with cheese and roll up.  Place in loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  After 45 minutes spread on sauce and continue cooking.

Sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1 1/2 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Citrus Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic pepper seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic sea salt
• 6 boneless pork chops

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in a large Ziploc freezer bag.
2. Remove as much air as possible.
3. Label and freeze.
4. Defrost overnight in the fridge; pork will marinate as it defrosts.
5. To serve, remove chops from bag and place in a non-stick skillet; reserve marinade.
6. Cook for 5 minutes, or until brown, repeat for other side.
7. Add marinade, and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 7 minutes, or until chops are no longer pink in the middle. Transfer pork to a plate and cover. Turn heat to high and whisk for 3-5 minutes until sauce is thick. Spoon over pork.
8. OR cook on heated grill until done, baste with marinade while cooking

November meals

I don't know about the rest of you but we have had several of our meals by now and I have loved every one!! I think I like it best when they are put in plastic bags because then I can do a quick defrost by running them under hot water and they are ready to eat quickly, since I usually don't plan ahead enough to always take things out of the freezer the night before. So, thanks so much for all of your hard work ladies. You're all amazing cooks!

Blogs are new to me!

I am somewhat still computer illeterate. But I am always up for trying something new. So far not to hard, just dont ask me to upload any pictures.
I finally decided what I wanted to cook for the next exchange.
Baked Potato Chowder, I am making a batch today to try it and test how well it will freeze and taste. It sounds good and warm now that the days are turning colder.
Maybe once the leaves start falling we should put together a leaf raking group. I hate raking leaves by myself week after week.lol
Hope you are all having a great week and enjoying your meals.
Kathryn

Dinner Co-op

Hey Girls!
At the last freezer meal exchange the idea of a dinner swap co-op came up. I have done some research and some thinking....and would really like to do this. I am looking for 2 or 3 other people to do it with. If you are at all interested making one meal a week, then having 2 or 3 hot meals brought to your door please contact me or leave a comment on this post and I will contact you. I would love to be able to start maybe next week so let me know soon.
p.s. It wouldn't have to be long term. We could check it out for a week or two and see if we like it, then we could also take time off during the holidays if needed. Just some "food for thought".

Stacy

Tortilla Soup

I found this recipe and thought it looked good!

Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
3 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
4 cup half & half
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup salsa
1 can creamed corn
1 can corn - DRAINED
2 lbs. chicken breasts, cooked, shredded
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 pkt. fajita seasoning
16 oz. tortilla chips
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions:1. In large saucepan, saute garlic and onion in butter for 5 min. Add flour and stir well, cooking for 1 min.2. Add the broth and half and half. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.3. Add soup, corn, chicken, salsa, cumin, and fajita seasoning. Stir and continue to heat for 15 min.4. Cool. Pour into gallon size ziploc bag and freeze. 5. To reheat, allow soup to thaw and reheat in saucepan or microwave. Crumble tortilla chips into bowls, add12 oz cheese to bowl. Ladle in soup. Top each bowl with more chips and cheese. Garnish with cilantro.

Thanks Stacy, for doing this. I just started getting into the blogging world about two weeks ago. So far I have enjoyed it. We did eat one of our meals yesterday. Actually Kay's meal and my daughter Aspen just loved it. She had three plates full and for her that is really great. I very excited to try another recipe and I can't wait for future dishes.

I love this idea!!

Thanks for putting this together Stacy! I LOVE blogs!! Anyway, I was wondering how many people ate 'freezer meals' tonight. I didn't...I took the kids to Subway for dinner...good choice huh!?! Oh well! Anyway, I hope to do one tomorrow because it should be a hectic day. I'll let you know how it goes. Oh yeah, Stacy did you get my meal? I just missed you at the meeting...

Ladies Start Your Ovens!!!

Today was the first day that we swapped food for our freezer co-op. So, tonight for dinner I decided to try out one of the meals. It was kind of like when you get a new outfit, and even though you have a million other things that you like in the closet, you wear it the next day because you are just so excited that you got it...I had a million different things that we could have had for dinner - I had all the time in the world (no real need for a freezer meal) but I was just so excited to eat something that someone else cooked and to actually USE the freezer meal that I just had to do it today. Anyway, I was sitting at dinner eating it and I just though....oh my! This is so good. I want to go tell everyone that they need to eat the meatballs because they are really good! So I decided that I would start a freezer meal blog. We can post about the meals we've eaten, ideas for next meals, recipes, ways that having the freezer meals "saved us" from our crazy day.... anything really. We can use it to post when the next meetings are and all sorts of usefull stuff. It might work great....or end up going unused but I thought that I might as well give it a try!