FREEZER: Cranberry Chicken

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
8 oz Catalina Dressing
1 pkg dry Onion Soup mix
1 - 1 lb can whole berry cranberry sauce

Mix together dressing, soup mix, and cranberry sauce.  Place chicken and mixture together in a freezer bag.

Serving Day:  Thaw completely.  Place chicken with cranberry sauce in greased baking dish, and bake at 350 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours uncovered.

Buttery Potatoes on the Grill

We LOVE potatoes with our grillins'! :)  Whether we're grilling steak, chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, whatever it is, we LOVE potatoes with it!  This is a SUPER EASY way of the most delicious potatoes!

4-5 red potatoes, washed and sliced (we leave the skins on if red)
1/2 stick butter, divided in about 8 sections

2-3 cloves garlic
salt & pepper, to taste

Put two pieces of foil onto the counter to make a WIDE square/rectangle.  Put sliced potatoes on top.  Disburse butter sections on top, bottom and in the middle.  Salt and pepper everything.  Squeeze garlic right on top evenly.  Wrap the foil TIGHT or butter will seep through and cause the potatoes to burn when the butter hits the fire of the grill.  We usually leave them on our top shelf as shown in the picture.  Time varies depending up on how hot the grill is for the item grilling and placement on grill. Between 35-45 minutes is perfect!

Funnel Cakes

3 eggs
2 c milk
1/4 c white sugar
3 2/3 c flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
powdered sugar, optional
cinnamon sugar, optional

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together until smooth.  Try and get as many lumps out as you can.  I use a whisk on mine.  May not use all of the flour, but batter needs to be thin enough to run through a funnel.  In a small skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees.  Putting your finger at the bottom of the funnel, fill with a generous 1/2 c of batter.  Hold the funnel close to the surface of the oil, and release the batter into the oil while making a circular motion.  We usually then diagonally criss cross it over the top to seal it together.  Fry until golden brown.  Use tongs and turn the cake over carefully.  Fry the second side one minute.  Drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle with desired amount of sifted powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar!

Chicken Salad

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 green onion
1/2 c green or red grapes, quartered
1/4 c sliced almonds, toasted
1 - 1 1/2 c Miracle Whip
6 butter croissants

Boil chicken breasts and chop.  Mix all other ingredients (green onion, grapes, almonds and Miracle Whip) into the chicken until well blended.  Chill.  Serve on croissants.

Blonde Brownies

2/3 c butter, softened
2 c brown sugar
2 T water
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 c chocolate chips

Cream butter, brown sugar and water until well creamed. Add eggs and vanilla and stir until blended. Add to that then the flour, salt and baking powder until blended. Spread evenly in the bottom of a 9x13 greased pan. Top with the chocolate chips. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.

Creamy One Pot Pasta

4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (5 1/4 cups)
1 lb uncooked penne pasta
1 head broccoli (2 cups small florets)
2 medium carrots, peeled
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
Grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil (optional)
Chicken, optional

Thinly slice garlic.  Place garlic and 1 T oil into pan.  Cook garlic over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until garlic is golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Add broth.  Increase heat to high.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Stir in pasta; cover and simmer vigorously 8-20 minutes until pasta is almost cooked but still firm, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets.  Cut carrots.  Cut cream cheese into cubes.  Add vegetables, cream cheese, salt and black pepper to pot.  Stir until cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated.  Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Serve immediately.  If desired, top with grated fresh Parmesan cheese, chicken and snipped fresh basil.

Hamburger Buns

 

2 c warm milk
1/4 c butter, melted
1/4 c warm water
1/4 c honey
2 pkg yeast
2 t salt
6 c all-purpose flour

In a dish, warm and stir together the milk, butter, water and honey. Microwave for 60-90 seconds. Pour into mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Add yeast and stir and let sit for about 5 minutes so the yeast start foaming. Add the salt once it's foaming. Then add all the flour and mix until it forms a soft dough. Divide it into 25 pieces (or 24 for a perfect 2 dozen), and form into balls. Place on baking sheets so they are 2-3 inches apart. Let rise for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly, then cut them in half to fill with your favorite toppings!

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

1 - 1 lb box macaroni shells
1/2 stick butter
salt to taste
3 c Cheddar Cheese, shredded
4 c whole milk

Melt butter in 9x13 pan in your microwave. Add UNCOOKED box of pasta to the pan and stir to coat all noodles with butter. Salt reasonably. Spread shredded cheese over the top evenly and just lightly stir. Pour four cups of milk then over the top. It will look like too much milk, but it isn't! :) Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I painted a pottery cookie jar just last weekend at a "paint your own pottery" place in town! HAD A BLAST! These are the memories I want my kids to have! Only hope they don't fight over it when they are older as to who gets the cookie jar from growing up to use with their own kids! :) So that's why there are extra pictures! :)

HAD to make cookies to put in there! :)

WHO stole the cookie from the cookie jar!?!?

Was it Laine!? Ezra? Chavalah!?

1 c butter
1 c shortening
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
3 c chocolate chips
3 c flour
1 sm box instant vanilla pudding

Combine flour, vanilla pudding dry mix, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine soften butter with shortening, sugar and brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Here is filling them.

All filled and just ready for the oven!

Putting remainder cheese sauce on top!

Then of course, CHEESE! :)

Finished dish! Worth every minute of preparation!

Plated and ready for devouring! :)

3 pounds beef chuck roast
1/4 c water
4 c beef broth
3 T red wine vinegar
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 large onion, chopped
1 - 7 oz. can green chile peppers
1 T all-purpose flour
2 c sour cream
3 c shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, divided
1 c oil for frying
20 (6 in) corn tortillas

Place roast, water, beef broth, vinegar, chili powder and cumin in pressure cooker and cook for 45 minutes. Let the pressure release on its' own. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, saute onion and green chilies together. Add flour and stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add sour cream and 2 c. cheese and stir until cheese is melted completely. In another frying pan, heat oil and fry each tortilla for 30 seconds on each side. Not too long though or they will turn into Tostados and won't bend for the pan. Once roast is done, shred apart. Make an assembly line like picture and prepare. It goes fast! Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until cheese (1 c) is melted and bubbly.

OPTIONAL WAY TO PREPARE ROAST:

Place roast in a large saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Pour in water, cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium/high, and brown the roast on all sides. Once the water has boiled away, pour in the beef broth, vinegar, chili powder and 1 T cumin. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beef falls apart when you try to pick it up. Shred the beef, using 2 forks.

Spanish Rice

4 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 T minced garlic
2 c jasmine rice (uncooked)
4 c chicken broth
1 c salsa
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 T chili pepper
1 t cumin
2 t salt

Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil until soft over medium heat. Add the rice DRY and let brown. This can take 15-20 minutes. Once the rice is browned, add chicken broth, can of tomatoes and 1 c salsa. Also add the spices. Stir well and let simmer covered for about 30 minutes or until the moisture is gone. STIR FREQUENTLY or it will burn on the bottom!

FREEZER: Angel Hair & Surprise Meatballs

3 lb hamburger
1 c Italian Breadcrumbs
4 eggs
2 t oregano
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 Parmesan cheese
8 oz mozzarella chunk cheese
2 LARGE jars of Prego Spaghetti Sauce (Costco/Sams)
2 box Angel Hair Pasta

Makes 2 meals.

Mix hamburger, breadcrumbs, eggs, oregano, garlic & Parmesan cheese. Take a handful of meat (or a LARGE Pampered Chef cookie scoop) and put a cube of mozzarella cheese in the middle and form meatball. Brown on all sides in olive oil. Add spaghetti sauce. Put in ziploc bags.

Serving Day: Thaw meatballs and sauce. Boil your pasta. Warm sauce and meatballs in a pan until heated through, about 20 minutes on medium heat. Stir while warming. Serve over prepared Angel Hair pasta!

FREEZER: Raspberry Chicken

6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 c raspberry preserves (fruit only type)
1/2 c frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1/2 c soy sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 c fresh raspberries, mashed

Makes 6 breasts.

Combine preserves, juice concentrate, soy sauce, vinegar, chili powder, curry powder, garlic powder and 1/4 c mashed raspberries. Place raspberry mixture together with chicken breasts in a freezer bag and seal bag securely. Freeze.

Serving Day: Thaw chicken mixture completely and place sauce and chicken together in a large baking dish. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer chicken to serving platter and top with pan juices. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

FREEZER: Mismatches

Here is the beef stroganoff ready to throw into the crock pot.

Here is the cous cous all ready to throw into the crock pot.

I wanted to throw this post in real quick as a few of the freezer meals I actually did were recipes I've already previously posted, but I wanted to make sure you understood how you could also freeze for future meals. The two I'm "reposting" are the Beef Stroganoff and the Cous Cous. I've posted the freezer pictures here, but will also add them to the original post as option to freeze for later.

Oatmeal Bread

MOIST and to die for!

1 c quick oats
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1 T salt
2 T butter
2 T yeast
1/2 c warm water
5 c flour

Prepare yeast mixture of warm water and yeast. Set aside. Mix oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt and butter. Add 2 c boiling water. Stir then cool. Add yeast mixture & 5 c white flour. Knead, Raise, Make into 4 mini loaves. Raise. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

NOTE: I've tried this in my bread machine and it doesn't work. Kitchen Aid was second best with the dough hook. Also, this is AMAZING sandwich bread if you choose to make it into 2 large pans instead of 4 mini pans.

FREEZER: Very Best Meatloaf Ever

I have to be honest. Haven't always been a HUGE Meatloaf fan until I tried this recipe and now I can't get enough of it! So even if you don't particularly care for Meatloaf TRY IT once! :)

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 T oil
1 t thyme
1/3 c milk
1 egg
1/2 c ketchup
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 1/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 lb gr beef
1/2 lb gr turkey
1/2 lb pork sausage

Makes 2 loaves

Heat oil and cook onion until soft - about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more. Combine milk, egg and 1/4 c ketchup. Stir in bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Crumble in meats and add onion mixture. Stir until well combined. Meat may be frozen into loaves at this point.

Serving Day:

Thaw loaf. Top with about 1/4 c ketchup & 3 T brown sugar if desired. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Goes GREAT with the Twice Baked Potatoes I posted last!

FREEZER: Twice Baked Potatoes

5 pound bag red potatoes
1 - 8 oz cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch DRY seasoning
3 c shredded Cheddar Cheese

Peel, cube and boil potatoes until cooked all the way. Drain and put into a mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher slightly. With a mixer, finish mashing and mixing together the potatoes, cream cheese, butter and ranch packet until well mashed and well blended. Divide between two pie tin pans, or one 9x13 pan and top with the shredded cheese.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Bake at 350 until center is warm and the cheese is melted. Usually about 30 minutes.

Chicken Nachos

Alright, I have to give credit where credit is due, so here's to some dear friends of ours that got me HOOKED. And I do mean HOOKED! :) Brian used to be a fireman and if I understand correctly, these "birthed" in their kitchen, and Brian truly makes, hands down, THE BEST of these Chicken Nachos that I've ever eaten! Wish he still lived closer! :)

2 bags corn tortillas
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg taco seasoning
few drops of Tabasco
1/4 c water
2 lbs cheese (3-4 cups)

Cut the corn tortillas into 8 pieces, so you have 8 from each tortilla. I usually take about 4 tortillas and cut all at once to make this part faster! :) Then, deep fry these if have a deep fryer, or just in some oil in a saucepan on your stove until they are lightly golden. We have a deep fryer and I usually know they are done when they stop "sizzling." Let them drip on a paper towl and salt them. Once all the chips are fried, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put the chips in a flat layer on the bottom. Meanwhile, be grilling your chicken, either on your outside grill or on your foreman inside. Once it's grilled, food chop it real small and then throw it in a frying pan on the stove. Add the taco seasoning package contents, the water and the few drops of Tabasco and just simmer for a few minutes so the seasoning has time to soak into the chicken. Once that's done, sprinkle that all over the layer of chips. Then, top with the cheese listed above evenly. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, just enough time to melt the cheese because nothing is "cooking." WATCH OUT! You won't be able to stop! :)

NOTE: If you want, you can top these nachos with really anything you like, green onions, salsa, sour cream, pico de gallo, etc. Whatever makes you happy! :) We like ours plain most of the time because it's SOO MUCH FLAVOR alone! :)

Creamy Cocoa

We won't ever go back to packet cocoa after trying this out! :)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Combine the cocoa & sugar and stir until blended in a saucepan. Whisk in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature. Top with Whipped Cream, or Marshmallow Cream.

FREEZER: Italian Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 chicken breasts
thyme
marjoram
12 pieces oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
6 oz mozzarella cheese sticks
6 thin slices prosciutto ham
3-4 T butter

Flatten chicken breasts. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, thyme and marjoram. Wrap each mozzarella stick with a slice of prosciutto. Place two sun-dried tomatoes and wrapped mozzarella in center of each chicken breast. Roll chicken breasts around filling. At this point, wrap each chicken breast individually in saran wrap and then in Ziploc.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Place chicken breasts close together in a baking dish and baste with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, basting every 15-20 minutes. Do not over bake. Chicken will become tough. Bake just until chicken is white and juices run clear. While chicken is baking, reheat Tomato Cream Sauce in sauce pan. Serve over baked chicken breasts.

Tomato Cream Sauce:

4 T butter
4 T flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t basil
2 c heavy whipping cream
2 T Tomato paste

Melt butter. Stir in flour until thick. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until well blended and heated. Let cool, then put in freezer bags.

FREEZER: Lasagna

2 lb gr beef or 2 lb sausage
2 jars Prego (I get these from Costco, they are BIG.)
1 large container Ricotta Cheese
3 lb Mozzarella Cheese
2 c Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
2 boxes Barilla Lasagna noodles - NO BOIL

Makes 2 - 9x13 pans lasagna or 4 smaller square lasagnas.

Brown meat. Add spaghetti sauce. Mix eggs, Ricotta, Parmesan and 2 lb Mozzarella cheese together in a bowl. Layer meat, noodles, cheese mixture, meat, noodles, cheese mixture, then top with other 1 lb Mozzarella.

Serving Day: Unthaw completely. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

FREEZER: Orange Terriyaki Chicken

1/4 c soy sauce
3 T chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 T olive or canola oil
1/2 t ginger
1 - 6 oz can oj concentrate
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a freezer bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Freeze, using freezer bag.

Serving Day: GRILL 4-6 inches from the heat source for 35-40 minutes.

FREEZER: Monster Cookies

This is how I freeze them! Directions on the label!

So, many have requested this recipe be posted.

6 eggs
2 1/2 c brown sugar
2 c white sugar
1 c butter flavored Crisco (key ingredient)
6 t water
2 1/4 c peanut butter
9 c quick oats
4 t baking soda
1 T corn syrup
2 T vanilla
6 oz chocolate chips
8 oz M&M's

Cream eggs, sugars, butter Crisco & peanut butter. Stir in oats, soda, corn syrup & vanilla. Part of this may have to be done by hand. Once everything is well mixed, dump in the chocolate chips and M&M's and stir again until all mixed in. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-13 minutes until they are golden on top.

FREEZER METHOD: If I'm freezing these (which 9 times out of 10 I am), I freeze the DOUGH, not the baked COOKIE. They are fresher this way. So after mixing all the dough up, I just do the cookie scoops onto a cookie sheet, then cover them and put them in my freezer overnight. The following morning, you can break them apart and put them in a regular Ziploc bag and only bake as many as you want! Unthaw however many you want to bake and bake as directed above. If you want to bake them straight from the freezer you can, but this will take a few more minutes of baking, so be sure to watch them.

I use the Pampered Chef Jumbo Cookie Scoop to get the cookies the size you see pictured.