Freezer meals again!

Back at the grind again!~ This time, I'm being brazen, and making 36 ... yes, THIRTY SIX freezer meals.   I'm tired, so bear with me if there are any typos that I seemed to have missed.  Here's the recipe line up ...

Zesty Chicken Tortellini Soup (2)
Cheeseburger Chowder (2)
Hearty Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (4)
Spaghetti and Meatballs (3)
Zesty Italian Pork Tenderloin
Cajun Chicken Pasta Bake (3)
Dilly Pork Chops (2)
Herbed Pork Medallions (2)
*Green Chili Chicken Lasagna (2)
Chicken Tarragon
*Green Bean Chicken Casserole (3)
Beef Burgandy Soup (2)
*Creamy Tuna and Tarragon Noodles  (3)
Honey Mustard Pork Scallopini
*Rainy Day Chicken (2)
*Mexican Chicken Alfredo (2)
*Caraway Pot Roast

The asterisks indicate the recipe is already here on the blog, and to save me some time and sanity, I will NOT be retyping them.  I'm making duplicates here. Anything that's a big hit with the kids gets repeated a few times, hence the numbers following the dishes.

I'm gonna try to come back and edit this in the evening, with a more accurate grocery list. Bummer, I know.  BUT ... I had a few items already on hand, and I also double (or triple, or quad ... ) pretty much every recipe so my list is WAY larger than yours could be.  The recipes posted will be standard recipes, usually for 4-8 servings. Most average 6 .. but make sure you note it, in case you need to double one for your own personal use. :-) Alright ... lets get this going!  I'm getting hungry just seeing this line up!!!

*****ALSO *****

I cook up all my meats and chickens  and dice and chop all veggies as well, before I actually start assembling them. I spent a few hours grilling, chopping, dicing, slicing, and separating veggies and chicken tonight, and have them ready to go for tomorrow.  They're currently in nice ziplock baggies, and in the morning, I'll be putting everything into big bowls for me to scoop stuff out of. I base chicken off 1 cup = one chicken breast.  1/2 cup = veggie (onion, pepper, 2 celery stalks, etc. etc.) Makes for easier and faster meals. :-) Below every recipe, you'll see my quicker version, and what I do for each of these meals.

Zesty Chicken Tortellini Soup

6 servings

4c chicken broth

4c. beef broth

4 boneless skineless chicken thighs

4 medium carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. poultry seasonion

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 1/2c. frozen cheese tortellini

1. In a Dutch oven, bring chicken broth and beef broth to a boil; reduce heat. Add chicken and poach, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees. Remove chicken; cool slightly.

2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, soup mix, parsley, and seasonings to the browth.. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

3. Cool soup. Meanwhile, chop chicken. Add tortellini and chicken to sup. Transfer to freezer containers; freeze for up to 3 months.

***I've made this a few times.  I add everything to a big 2 gallon ziplock freezer bag straight up and freeze that way. Thats right.  Just measure, scoop, dump and done.  I get as much air out, and set it aside. I don't know about you, but I don't have time to poach chicken for 25-30 minutes, and then wait an additional 15 minutes or so, for veggies to get tender.  ***

Cheeseburger Chowder

4 servings

1/2lb. ground beef

1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 3/4c milk

1c. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies

1 Tbsp taco seasoning

1 Tbsp. dried minced onion

1/2 tsp. chili powder

 *optional*

coarsely crushed corn chips

shredded monterey jack cheese

chopped green onions

In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, milk, potatoes, chilies, onion, and seasonings until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with corn chips, cheese, and green onions if desired.

***This is a new recipe for me, however, I'm browning the ground beef and draining it, and letting it cool overnight (in the fridge, of course!) and will be dumping items into a ziplock bag.  I will be using fresh chopped onions as well.  The green onions and cheese will be in sandwich sized bags and will be taped to the gallon bag, as well, so it will be a quick meal, ready to go once heated through.***

Hearty Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

6 servings

 

1 pkg. fast cooking long grain and wild rice mix.
2 cans (10 3/4oz each) cream of chicken and mushroom soup)
3c. Milk
4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 bags frozen Cali medley veggies
3/4c. spreadable garlic and herb cream cheese

1. Prepare rice mix according to package instructions using a Dutch oven. Stir in the remaining ingredients; heat through.

***Alright ... I make the box of rice, and once done, I toss it into a ziplock bag, and then add in the remaining ingredients.  Zip, and done.***

Meatballs

yields 16

1 egg

1/4c. dry bread crumbs

1/4c. finely chopped onion

1 Tbsp dried basil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1lb ground beef

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.  Shape into 1 1/2in. balls. In a large skillet, cook meatballs in batches until browned on all sides and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees; drain. 

***These are for my spaghetti. I usually make a big batch of them, lay them on a greased cookie sheet to freeze, and then I transfer them to a ziplock bag for later use.  These will probably be one of the first things I do, so that way they can freeze while I prep everything else.  Once it's time to load freezer up, I'll take them out, and pop into a bag.***

Zesty Italian Pork Tenderloin

4 servings

 

 

1 pork tenderloin (1 pound), cut into 8 slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil 

1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
1/2 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon butter

 

1. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown pork, about 2 minutes on each side; remove from the pan.
2. Add wine to pan, stirring to loosen browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in dressing. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. 

3. Return pork to pan; simmer, covered, for 3-5 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145°. Stir in butter. Let pork rest for 5 minutes before serving

***I slice my tenderloin into about 1/4 inch slices, and lay flat in a ziplock bag.  If I need to overlay, I do.  I sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and then place in the bag. In a seperate bag, I add the white wine or chicken broth and dressing to add to the pan once cooked.***

Cajun Chicken Pasta Bake

two casseroles (6 servings each) 

2 pkgs. (12oz each) bow tie pasta

2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1in. strips.

2 Tbsp  olive oil, divided.

2 bunches reen onoins, choped

2 medium green peppers, chopped

2 medium red peppers, chopped

1 can chicken broth

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4c. milk

2 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasonion

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2c. shredded Colby-Montery Jack cheese

 1. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute chicken in 1 Tbsp oil until juices run clear. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same pan, saute onions and peppers in remaining oil until tender. Add the broth, soups, milk, cajun seasonion, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.

2. Drain pasta. Add pasta and chicken to soup mixture; toss to coat. Divide between two greased 13x9 baking dishes. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake casseroles at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

***I used diced chicken, as it's easier and smaller bites for my kids than the strips.  To assemble this one, I toss in everything but the oil, cheese, and pasta into a gallon ziplock bag and set aside.  When it's time to make, I cook the pasta while I heat the bag contents. Once pasta is done, I drain, and toss in with the sauce.  Bam! Dinner is served. 

Dilly Pork Chops

6 servings

1/4c. butter, melted

1Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 to 1 1/2tsp. dill week

1/8tsp. garlic powder

1tsp. Worcestershire sauce

6 boneless pork loin chops (1/2in thickness and 4oz each)

In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients; spoon over both sides of pork. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 4 mintues on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160.

***I've done this one a LOT when my girls were younger before Charlotte and the Twins came along. I usually doubled or tripled the sauce part, and had it in either a deep casserole dish (8x8 or 9x9 worked great) and I would coat both sides and toss into a skillet and pan fry them. To make this a freezer meal, I'm basically making the sauce for the chops and putting into a sandwich ziplock bag. I'm laying chops into a ziplock bag into a layer or two, and putting sauce bag in with, and freezing that way.  ***

Herbed Pork Medallions

6 servings

1 1/2lbs Pork Tenderloin

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1/2 tsp.dried thyme

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. honey

Cut pork into 1/2 inch slices and poiund to flatten. Combine butter and garlic powder; brush over pork. Combine the seasonings; sprinkle over pork. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 4 mintues on each side. Brush with honey, broil 1 minute loner or until meat juice run clear.

***I do NOT use honey in this recipe.  I will be broiling these, then cooling and placing in a bag, ready cooked, so when I grab them for dinner, all I need to worry about, is the sides.***

Chicken Tarragon

4 servings

4 boneless skineless chicken breast halves

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/3c butter, divided.

2 medium zucchini, julienned

3 small carrots, julienned

4 large mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon, or 2 tsp. dried tarragon

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle chicken with paprika. In a skillet, brown chicken in 2 teaspoons of butter. Place the vegetables in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Top with the chicken. Melt the remaining butter; stir in the tarraon, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and vegetables are tender.

*** I will be cooking the chicken breasts as the recipe states, and will toss in a ziplock bag with the veggies, and sauce. Once time to cook, I will throw into a casserole dish, cover and bake as direction. This is a NEW recipe for me, so we'll see how the kids like it.***

Honey Mustard Pork Scallopini

4 servings

4 boneless butterflied pork chops (4oz each)

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard

1/3c crushed butter flavored crackers (about 8 crackers)

1/3c. dry bread crumbs

1 Tbsp veetable oil

1 Tbsp. butter

Flatten pork to 1/8in. thickness. In a small bowl, combine honey and mustard; brush over both sides of pork. In a shallow bowl, combine cracker and breadcrumbs ; add pork and turn to coat. In a large skillet, cook pork over medium heat in oil and butter for 2-3 minutes on each side or until crisp and juices run clear.

***I'm making this one for the first time as well ... and will basically assemble it as a meal "kit" Where it will have all items needed in seperate bags for me to put in bowls and such to toss and coat and bake.***

Freezer meals

Alright … Now that I’m a VERY busy mom of five amazingly fun and crazy children within 5yrs of each other, I’ve picked up on the whole freezer meal thing. Talk about a LIFESAVER!!!! I’ve been doing freezer meals for maybe 6-8 weeks now? I talked it over with a local twin mom who has a large family to feed as well during the Superbowl … and got completely sucked into it…so Tuesday, we made our meal planner for 14 days, Wednesday, we did our shopping, and Thursday, we prepped, cooked and assembled them all.  We were at it ALL DAY LONG.  Since then, I’ve developed a technique to get things done in a less draining, exhausting way. Leave it to me, “Super mom,” to brag on a few boards and facebook pages about my freezer meals.  I’ve been hounded by friends and family members regarding my secrets and tips, as well as recipes. I finally decided to turn my recipe box into a sort of meal prep thing.  Sure, you’ll find recipes on here …. But now, You’ll find a 10-18 day meal planner, complete with grocery lists, and “pantry essentials” that you should have on hand.  Now, bare with me … this is my first attempt at putting together a meal planner, grocery list and recipes. I’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and et better with every post.  Until then, enjoy!!!

Recipe List:

Green Bean Chicken Casserole

Rainy Day Chicken

Caraway Pot Roast

Twelve Boy Curry

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Poppy Beef

Moroccan Chicken

Grilled Chili pepper cheeseburgers

Herbed Chicken

Country Captain

Creamy Key Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Polynesian Pork Loin

London Broil

Jambalaya


SHOPPING LIST:

Meats:
1 London Broil (about 2lbs)
Bacon Bits
1lbs cooked keilbasa or sausage
1lb diced cooked ham
1 1/2lb pork loin
19lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
 4lbs chicken thighs
1 rotisserie chicken
4lbs ground beef
2.5lb pot roast, fat trimmed

Spices: 
 Ginger
Grated lemon zest
Vegetable Oil
Crushed garlic
Salt
Pepper
Light brown sugar
Cajun seasoning
Garlic powder
1 packet taco seasoning.
Coriander
cinnamon
ground red pepper
tumeric
poppy seeds
caraway seeds
curry powder
chicken boullion cubes
beef boullion cubes
mace or nutmeg
white sugar
cornstarch
basil
oregano
dry mustard
paprika

 Produce:
2 bunches Celery
4 green bell peppers
2 bunch of green onions
6 onions
1 bunch chopped cilantro
4 jalepeno peppers
1 bunch parsley
3-6 lemons for lemon zest and juice

Dairy:
Milk
1 container Yoplait Greek 100 Key Lime yogurt
4c. shredded cheddar cheese
2c. Parmesan cheese
 butter
8oz cottage cheese
1.5c. plain low fat yogurt
8oz cream cheese
 6oz Monterrey jack cheese slices
1c. half and half


Pantry essentials:
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
3 14.5oz can beef broth
Soy Sauce
16oz spiral noodles
2 15oz jars alfredo sauce
ketchup
 1c. salsa
1c. jarred roasted red peppers
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 14.5oz can strewed tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
minced garlicpimento stuffed green olives
2 couscous
2 4.5oz cans diced chilies

1 10oz can GREEN enchilada sauce
corn tortillas
1 box long grain and wild rice mix (ricearoni)
3 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of broccoli soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 4oz can mushroom stems and pieces
onion soup mix
French fried onions
French dressing
1 15oz can tomato sauce
8oz Linguine or spaghetti noodles
1 16oz can sauerkraut
8oz egg noodles
currants or raisins
slivered almonds
white rice


RECIPES

Green Bean Chicken Casserole

12 servings

1 pkg long rain and wild rice mix

4c. cubed cooked chicken

1 3/4c frozen French style green beans

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of broccoli soup

1 can (4oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained.

2/3c chopped onion

2/3c chopped green pepper

1 envelope onion soup mix

3/4c shredded cheese

1 1/3c French fried onions

Prepare rice according to package directions

Stir in the chicken, beans, soups, mushrooms, onion, green pepper and soup mix. Pour into zip lock bag, label and freeze.

To prepare: Completely thaw in fridge.  Pour into a baking dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes, or until heated through.  Uncover and sprinkle with French fried onions and bake another 5-10 minutes.

Rainy Day Chicken with Rice

8 servings

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4c butter, melted.

1/4c French dressing

1/4c milk

2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed.

Mix together all the ingredients and pour into a freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To prepare, Thaw bag and pour into a 13x9 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2hrs.  Top with Parmesan cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Serve over rice.

Caraway Pot Roast
5-6 servings

1 large onion, chopped
1tsp. crushed garlic
2 1/2lb pot roast, fat trimmed
1 1lb can sauerkraut, drained
1tsp caraway seeds
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
1c. water
8oz wide egg noodles

Place all ingredients except water and noodles in a ba and seal well. Freeze.  Thaw and put into a crockpot. Add water, cover, and turn on low for 6-8hrs. Shred the meat in the sauce to serve. Serve on cooked noodles.

Twelve-Boy Curry
serves 6-8

6 boneless skineless chicken breasts, cut into strips
6Tbsp sweet butter, divided.
1c. finely chopped onions
1c. chopped celery
2-3tsp crushed garlic
1-2tsp curry powder
1tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1tsp paprika
1 1/2c beef broth
1c half-and-half
3tbsp ketchup


Cut chicken breasts into strips. In a large skillet, saute chicken strips in 3 Tbsp butter until just cooked, but not dry. Remove and melt another 3Tbsp butter in skillet. Add onion, celery and garlic and saute on medium heat until limp but not brown. Combine Dry inredients and add to vegetable mixture. Stir until blended. Add remaining ingredients and cook slightly, stirrin until well blended. Add cooked chicken and stir. Cool and freeze.
When thawed, heat through but do not overcook. Serve on rice. Good with condiments such as shredded sweetened coconut, raisins, chopped green onions, slivered almonds, and mandarin oranges.


Mexican Chicken Alfredo
8 servings

1 pkg (16oz) spiral pasta
2lbs boneless, skineless chicken breasts, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2c green bell pepper, chopped.
1/4tsp pepper
1tbsp canola oil
2 (15oz jars) alfredo sauce
2c. shredded cheddar cheese
1c. parmesan cheese
1c. salsa
1/4c milk
1 envelope taco seasoning

Cook pasta according to package directions
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken, onion,green pepper, and pepper in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Stir in alfredo sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in 1 1/2c cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, salsa, milk and taco seasonin.
Drain pasta, toss with chicken mixture. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish, cover and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2c cheese.

Poppy Beef

8 Servings

2lbs ground beef

1/2c chopped green pepper

1/2tsp. Salt

1/2c chopped onion

1 15oz can tomato sauce

8oz cottage cheese

1 TBSP poppy seeds

1c. low fat plain yogurt

8oz cream cheese

1/4tsp pepper

8oz linguine

1/4c grated Parmesan cheese.

Sauté the beef with the green pepper, onion, salt and pepper until beef is no longer pink. Add tomato sauce and set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, except linguine and Parmesan cheese.  Freeze each of the two mixtures in separate bags, taped together.

When preparing, thaw the bags. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook 8oz linguine according to package and drain. While pasta is hot, mix it into the cheese mixture in a medium bowl.  Spread on the bottom of a greased casserole dish.  Top with meat mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Morrocan Chicken
4 servings

1c. Jarred roasted red peppers
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, drained and divided
1/2c chicken broth
Spice rub, divided (recipe follows)
1Tbsp veetable oil
4lbs bone in skinless chicken thighs
1 onion, finely chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
 1c pimento stuffed green olives
 1 (6oz) pkg plain pearled couscous, cooked to package instructions

In the work bowl of a food processor, combine roasted peppers, half of the tomatoes, broth, and half of spice rub. Pulse until pureed. Rub chicken thighs with remaining spice rub.  Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.  Working in batches, brown chicken on all sides. Remove chicken from pan and add onion and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in pureed pepper mixture, remaining tomatoes, olives, and lemon juice. Nestle chicken into sauce mixture. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender. Serve chicken and sauce over couscous.

Spice Rub
1tsp. ground coriander
1tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4tsp round red pepper
1/4tsp tumeric
In a small bowl, mix all ingredients.


Grilled Chili Pepper Cheeseburers
6-8 servings


1/3c finely chopped green onion
3Tbsp nonfat plainyogurt
1-4 jalepeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/2tsp black pepper
1/2tsp salt.
2lbs ground beef
6-8 slices monterey jack cheese slices

In a medium bowl combine green onions, yogurt, peppers, salt and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Shape mixture into 8 patties about 3/4inch thick. Freeze in a freezer bag with wax paper placed between each patty.  Grill the burgers until no pink remains in the center. Turn once. Top each patty with cheese the last two minutes of grilling time.

Herbed Chicken
6 servings

2lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1tsp. grated melon zest
1 1/2Tbsp lemon juice
1/2tsp salt
1tsp basil
1tsp oreano

Place chicken in a gallon freezer bag. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken and freeze.
To prepare for serving,  Thaw chicken mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place mixture in 13x9 baking dish, treated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake covered, for 1hr 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

Country Captain
6 servings

1 14.5oz can strewed tomatoes, undrained
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1/4c currants or raisins
1Tbsp curry powder
1 chicken boullion cube
1/2tsp ground mace or nutmeg
1/4tsp sugar
1tsp salt
2lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1Tbsp cornstarch
1Tbsp cold water

In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, parsley, currants or raisins, curry powder, boullion cube, mace or nutmeg, sugar and salt. Pour over chicken in freezer bag and freeze.
To prepare for serving, place thawed chicken and sauce in large skillet. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Skim fat from mixture in skillet. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water; add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Serve over hot rice or couscous. Sprinkle with slivered almonds, if desired.



Creamy Key Lime Chicken Enchiladas
6 servings

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (bones and skin removed)
1 onion, chopped
1 4.5oz can diced green chilies
1 container (5.3oz) Yoplait Greek 100 Key Lime yourt
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 medium lime
1 can (10oz) green enchilada sauce
12 soft corn tortillas
1/2c shredded cheese.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 in glass baking dish with cookin spray.
In a nonstick skillet,cook chicken, onion and chilies over medium high heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. until chicken is warm and onion begins to soften. Remove from heat, stir in yogurt, half cilantro, and lime juice. Stir in half of the enchilada sauce. Spoon 1/4c of chicken mixture down center of each corn tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in baking dish. Spread remaining enchilada sauce over filed enchiladas, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

FOR FREEZER MEAL:  I combine all ingredients except cheese and tortillas in a gallon ziplock bag and freeze. I fully thaw the enchilada mixture, and spoon 1/4c into each corn tortilla and prepare as explained above.  SOOO good ... and I used full amount of cilantro in mixture, not half.  My kids LOVED these and always ask for seconds and thirds!!!

Quesadilla Casserole

Serves 8

1 lb ground beef
1/2c. chopped onion
15oz can tomato sauce
15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (4.5oz) chopped green chilis, undrained
6 flour tortillas (8in size)
2c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)


1. Brown beef and onion in a large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and chilis. Mix well. Stir in all the spices except red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Add red pepper to taste, if desired.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish sprayedwith non-stick cooking spray. Top with three tortillas, overlapping aif needed. Layer with half of the remaining beef mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef mixture and cheese.
3. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

This is a VERY quick and easy meal .. SO delicious too.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Slow-cooker Pot Roast

Serves 8

1/2c. A1 original steak sauce
1/2c water
1 pkg/envelope onion/mushroom soup mix (I just use onion soup mix)
1 boneless beef chuck eye roast (2-2 1/2lbs)
1lb baby red potatoes
1lb baby carrots
1 onion, diced (I put two to three quartered onions in, cause we LOVE our onions lol)

Mix the first THREE ingredients.
Place roast in the slow cooker.
Top with vegetables and sauce; cover
Cook on LOW for 8-9 hours, or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.

This is GREAT for when you're super busy.  I stock up on boneless beef pot roasts when they go on sale (buy one get one free) at the local grocery stores so we can have this pretty routinely.   And, if you know Bryan and I ... we LOVE us some A1 sauce. Grown up ketchup, as Bryan likes to call it. ;-)

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops & Fried Rice

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops & Fried Rice

Serves 4-6

• 2-3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1c frozen peas and carrots
• 4-6 pork chops
• 4c. cooked rice
• 1Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1/4c water
• 3Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. ketchup
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, wedged
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a wok or large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add eggs and cook about 1 minute, or until nearly set.  Add rice using a spatula to stir-fry and incorporate the eggs into the rice. Spread rice out and let cook 4 minutes. Stir in peas and carrots and 1 Tbsp. soy sauce.  Transfer rice mixture into an ungreased 13x9 baking dish.  Season pork shops on all sides with salt and pepper.  Wipe wok or skillet clean. Add oil and cook pork chops for 4 minutes over medium high heat until golden brown on both sides.  Arrange chops on top of rice mixture.  In a small bowl, combine water, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, 2 tsp. soy sauce and set aside.  Using remaining oil in wok or skillet, stir-fry onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes; stir-fry one minute more. Add sauce and stir-fry one minute longer, until  heated through. Pour sauce over pork chops. Bake, covered for 20-25 minutes.

You can change this up by doing chicken breasts instead of the pork chops, and even cutting the pork or chicken into bite-size pieces.  We personally don't like the tomatoes, so we take them out of the recipe, but you can leave them in if you wish.

Tater-Topped Chicken Casserole

Tater-Topped Chicken Casserole

Serves 6

• 2 (18oz) bags California Medley vegetables
• 2 cans cheddar cheese sauce
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 32oz) bag tater tots
• 3c. diced cooked chicken
• 1/2c shredded cheddar cheese
  
  Heat oven to 375 degrees. Thaw Cali medley vegetables in microwave for 3-5 minutes. Place into an ungreased 13x9 baking dish. Add cheese sauce and mix well. Stir in chicken and onions. Top with frozen tater tots. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and tater tots are golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese, Bake 5-10 minutes more, or until cheese is melted.

Creamy Tuna and Tarragon Noodles

Creamy Tuna and Tarragon Noodles

Serves 4-6

• 1lb pasta of choice (rotini, egg noodles, bow tie, etc.)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2c chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp dijion mustard
• 2 (6oz) cans tuna, drained
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 c half n' half or whole milk
• 1 Tbsp tarragon
• 1c. peas and carrots
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• EVOO

Cook pasta to al dente. Set aside. Saute onion in oil for 3-4 minutes. Add butter. Once butter is melted, add flour. Let cook 1 minute. Whisk in broth. Let liquid cook up until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add milk and mustard. Bring to a low bubble. Add tarragon and tuna. Stir in peas and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with noodles and serve.