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A Quick..Simple, and DE-LISH Mother's Day Gift

2007-04-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Obviously if you are a regular reader of my blog you are looking for quick, simple and easy cooking ideas and recipes. Well, it doesn't get any simpler than buying a delicious treat for someone that you don't even have to prepare!

Check out these Mothers Day chocolate strawberries from the Chocolate Covered Company. Don't they look amazing? I *really* hope my husband reads my blog this week...*hint, hint - honey*.

I love Chocolate Covered Strawberries (okay, chocolate covered...ANYTHING) and this company definitely offers it. They also have chocolate covered black berries, dried fruits, pears and even cherries. I just saw cookie covered strawberries for Oreo lovers too. PINCH ME!

The fruits the company uses are fresh and the designs are delightful. If you are looking for a unique, sweet and pretty gift for your favorite chocolate lover, stop in and drool. =)

Cream Cheese Chicken

2007-04-20T15:22:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 frying chicken - (cut) or three pounds of boneless breasts

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

salt & pepper -- to taste

2 tablespoons dry Italian salad dressing

1 can condensed chicken soup

8 ounces cream cheese -- cut into cubes

1 tablespoon minced onion

INSTRUCTIONS:

Brush chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a crockpot and sprinkle dry mix over all. Cover and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours. When the dish is almost done (about 30 minutes to completion) mix the cream cheese, soup, and onion in a small saucepan. Cook until smooth. Pour over the chicken. Cover and cook another 30 minutes.

To freeze: Cool and place in 1 gallon Ziploc bag. Lay flat to freeze.

This is really yummy when served over rice or noodles.

Home-Made Chicken Nuggets Recipe

2007-03-27T13:16:00.001-07:00

Why should anyone bother to make their own Chicken Nuggets, when they can buy them conveniently ready made? Even ready cooked as a fast food take-away. Well, chicken is usually a meat that most kids will eat and for some reason a coating of breadcrumbs makes it even more appealing. If you are concerned with what goes into processed and ready packaged food in the way of preservatives and additives though, you might like to produce your own chicken nuggets for those occasions when your children demand comfort food. These home-made chicken nuggets taste much nicer than bought ones and you know exactly what’s in them – that there are no unwanted preservatives, that it really is chicken, if you have a source of affordable organic chicken you can use that and they will also be really fresh.

The preparation time isn’t that long, about ten minutes, but the chicken nuggets cook crispier if they have a little drying time in the fridge before frying (yes I did say frying, let’s live dangerously on one dietary front!) so the first stage can be done up to two hours before cooking, when you have ten minutes to spare. After that the cooking time is very quick. The quality of the breadcrumbs does make a difference. Fresh, slightly dry, crumbs are definitely better than those powdery packets of ‘golden’ crumbs that you can buy. On the occasions when I’m being a zealous and organised mother, I whizz up stale (but not mouldy) white bread in the food processor and keep a freezer bag full in the freezer. Hopefully that will last until the next bout of housewifeliness hits me. If you don’t have a ready prepared stash of crumbs, whizz up a white roll from the freezer to make crumbs and spread them on a plate to dry slightly.

Chicken Nuggets Recipe

450g/1lb Chicken breast fillets
30g/1oz plain flour
¼ teaspoon Chicken spice mix (optional or substitute your favourite spice)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
3-4 handfuls of breadcrumbs

These quantities are a rough guide, increase or reduce them according to how much chicken you want to cook.

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Get four bowls or plates. The first for the sieved flour with mixed in a pinch of chicken spice, salt and pepper. The second for the egg, beaten with a pinch of salt and half a tablespoon water or vegetable oil. The third for the breadcrumbs. The last is to put the finished nuggets on.

Dip each piece of chicken, first in the flour mix so it is coated, shake off any excess. Next into the egg and lastly roll it in the breadcrumbs before laying it on the plate to dry. As you work through all the pieces your fingers will get a thick coating on too, resembling chicken nuggets themselves. When all the chicken pieces are coated put the plate uncovered in the fridge to dry and crisp up a bit. This can be for as little as ten minutes but an hour or two is better. To cook, heat up approx 3 tablespoons sunflower / vegetable oil in a wide frying pan. When hot add as many nuggets as will fit without crowding. Turn when golden on one side. When all sides are cooked remove onto kitchen paper to drain off some oil. As soon as they are all cooked serve while hot.

You could do the same thing with strips of fish to make your own fish fingers and gain the supermom of the year award! Having said that you do need to have something ready-made as a standby in the freezer for those days when cooking supper is too much and bought fish fingers have that slot in our house.

Kit Heathcock - worked and traveled in Italy for many years, is passionate about food and loves being a full time mother. Co-creator of A Flower Gallery home of original flower pictures, Food and Family and Great Books Reviewed

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kit_Heathcock

Beefy Noodle Supreme

2007-03-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Serves 12
(you can portion this dish into two separate family-sized freezer meals)
2 pounds ground beef
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
4 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 8oz. pkg cream cheese
2 cups sour cream
12 green onions, chopped
2 8 oz pkg. noodles
2cups cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
In a skillet, brown meat in margarine. Add garlic, salt, sugar and tomato sauce; simmer for 10 minutes. Soften cream cheese and blend with sour cream. Add onions and set aside. Boil noodles until tender; drain. In baking dishes, layer noodles, cream cheese mixture, and meat sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.

Boiled Ground Beef

2007-03-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll admit...I gagged a bit when I first heard of this little cooking trick. I love the sizzle of frying burgers, taco meat & meatballs. Undercooked meat scares me. The sizzle means it's safe. (Okay...at least in my simple little world).

I changed my mind. My husband and I ordered a fourth of a cow from a local farm. Within a few days we will have a freezer plump full of meats (mostly ground beef). I was hoping to find some quick and easy ways to prepare items like stroganoff, spaghetti, lasagnas, and other recipes that require ground beef.

I found this article from cheapcooking.com about boiling beef. While I wasn't crazy about the idea at first...I am going to give it a try and will let you know how it turns out.

In the meantime, if you've tried it...drop us a note in the comments section.

Spinach Chicken Enchiladas

2007-03-14T22:32:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 (10 ounce) jar four cheese alfredo sauce
1 (.5 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
2 cups frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and well drained
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup green taco sauce
1/2 cup light cream or evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

PREPARATION:

In heavy skillet, cook onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until crisp tender. Remove from heat and combine in medium bowl with chicken, alfredo sauce, taco seasoning mix, and spinach. Mix well.

Divide chicken mixture among tortillas and roll up.

In medium bowl combine taco sauce and cream and mix well. Place 1/2 cup of the taco sauce mixture in bottom of 13x9" glass baking dish. Arrange filled tortillas on top. Drizzle with remaining taco sauce mixture. Cover with foil and chill in refrigerator for 8-24 hours.

When ready to eat, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the casserole, covered, for 45-55 minutes until hot. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake 5-10 minutes longer until cheese is melted. Serves 4

Spinach Chicken Enchiladas

2007-03-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 (10 ounce) jar four cheese alfredo sauce
1 (.5 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
2 cups frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and well drained
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup green taco sauce
1/2 cup light cream or evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

PREPARATION:

Divide chicken mixture among tortillas and roll up.

The Importance of Meal Planning

2007-02-27T13:06:00.000-08:00

If you have a social life or a family to take care of, let alone a full or even part-time job, consider the ways that meal planning can help improve your life. Meal planning in advance can save you time cooking, time spent in the food market, and the amount of food that was left in the refrigerator after the meal is done. Here are some ways in which meal planning can help improve your life:

Get In All the Vitamins and Minerals You Need Each and Every Day

Planning your meals in advance is a great way to ensure that you get the best meals for yourself as far as nutritious is concerned. You can plan in advance the meals that you are going to cook a week, two weeks, or even a month in advance if you really want to. This way, you can save money buying unnecessary hypothetically needed items at the grocery store and time spent finding these items in the store when you probably have better things to do. Meal planning also ensures that you get a good, sound meal in every day so you will not need to nibble on junk food so frequently throughout the day.

You Spend Less Time in the Grocery Store

With proper meal planning, you can already have a grocery list planned out when you get to the store, because you know in advance the meals that you will be shopping for. After you have planned your meals, take your list to the grocery store and buy only what is on your meal. You will not have to wander the aisles hungry, wondering what you and your family will have for dinner. Spend less time in Aisle 4 and more time doing the things that are important to you.

Map Things Out Ahead of Time

Many people recommend that you lay everything out ahead of time and have things carefully planned out. This saves time looking around in the refrigerator for something that may not even be there.

Getting in them RDAs has Never Been Easier

By planning your meals in advance, you are bound to feel healthier and have more energy. The reason why is because you are bound to get the most from your food by filling you up on all of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs on a daily basis. Meal planning ensures that you get two to three square, nutritious and balanced meals every day.

Meal Planning Software Can Help

There are meal planning software programs that can help make your life and your meal planning needs a whole lot simpler. Programs, such as VitaBot, can actually determine what your family’s individual nutritional needs are. This means that your family will be happier and healthier. You will also have more time for yourself to do the things that you want to do.

J. Lance Curtis is editor and contributor to The Nutrition Guru! Discover how important meal planning is to improve your health by visiting The Nutrition Guru! | Importance of Meal Planning

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Lance_Curtis

Simple Menu Planning for Busy Families

2007-02-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

While nutrition may be a very important aspect of our lives, many people feel that they simply don’t have the time for meal planning. With two income families and extracurricular activities, many people say they’re concerned with their family’s diet, but just don’t know how to begin planning healthy meals that won’t take up a large portion of their already limited time.

There are several key elements involved when it comes to effective meal planning, especially for an entire family. But when you’ve got to work, get the kids to school and their activities on time, deal with housework and all the aspects of running a household, not to mention finding time for yourself, meal planning somehow seems to get pushed to the wayside.

There are many important factors to consider when meal planning for you or your family. Depending on a person’s age, their physical condition, height, weight and activity level, nutritional and caloric needs many vary greatly from one family member to the next. And if you’re like most people today, keeping everything straight requires more time and energy than you seem to have.

Proper meal planning will give you variety as well as healthy, nutritious foods for all of your family’s meals. Perhaps your children are picky eaters or maybe you have a family member that has specific dietary concerns or restrictions such as a low-fat or low-cholesterol diet. With meal planning you can suit everyone’s tastes as well as their individual nutritional needs.

The correct balance of vitamins and essential minerals are a vital part of everyone’s diet, regardless of their age or health status. One way to achieve this is to ensure you prepare meals that are as colorful as possible. Vegetables and fruits that are rich and vibrant in appearance usually offer the best nutritional content per serving. Having a colorful meal is not only more appealing to the eye, but it offers a wide variety of nutrients that your family may have been missing out on.

But how can you make sure you are providing the right balanced diet for your particular family and also worry about variety and appearances at the same time? Luckily, meal planning software eliminates all of the hassle and does most of the work for you, except preparing the meals of course.

Simply input the required information such as your family’s vital statistics and their likes and dislikes, and then follow the recommended grocery list the next time you shop for food. Meal planning software can also help you to manage the amounts of foods you have in your home as well. You’ll be able to avoid running out of essential items as well as helping you to not waste food by buying more perishables than you need.

If you ever find yourself a little overwhelmed and at a loss when it comes to deciding what to cook for your family day in and day out, you should definitely consider the many benefits of meal planning software. See how the various features can simplify your meals leaving you more time for all of the other important things in life as well.

J. Lance Curtis is editor and contributor to The Nutrition Guru! Discover how meal planning can help you reach your nutrition goals by visitingThe Nutrition Guru! | Meal Planning

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Lance_Curtis

Eight Reasons Why Menu Planning Is A Terrible Idea

2007-01-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about meal planning lately? Families are busy and getting busier all the time. As families work on getting organized, many home managers are turning to meal planning as a way to eliminate the evening stress in their homes.

However, meal planning is not for everyone. Here are eight reasons why meal planning just may be a terrible idea for you and your family.

1. You enjoy eating unhealthy fast-food three to five times per week.

2. You love the taste of pre-packaged preservative packed frozen convenience food.

3. Spending $200 and 2 hours at the grocery store, only to come home to discover that there is nothing to cook for dinner is one of your favorite things to do.

4. You enjoy the stress of running around like crazy at dinner time trying to figure out what to cook while your children and husband are hungry and crabby.

5. You like your food rut of spaghetti, hot dogs, pizza, repeat.

6. You have no other way to spend the extra $100 you spend each week eating out.

7. You have nothing better to do at 5 o’clock every day then to go to the grocery store. It’s enjoyable to daily spend extra money on groceries as additional items “fall” into your cart.

8. You have no desire to enjoy a home cooked meal around the dinner table with your family. You feel spending time with your family is a complete waste of time.

If you agree with the above statements please do not ever try meal planning – it is probably a terrible idea. On the other hand, if you possibly disagree with at least one of the above statements perhaps it is time to give menu planning a try.

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – A Family Friendly Weekly Menu Planner. She Helps Families Eliminate The Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour! For A Free Sample Menu Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/offer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Steendahl

3 Tips for Easy Meal Planning

2007-01-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

Where has the family dinner hour gone? There once was a time when we would all come home from a long day and sit down with our family for a nice home-cooked meal. In today’s fast paced world, we need more bonding time with the family. One might say that in today’s day where people pile way too much on the plate of life, that it is impossible to have a family dinner everyday. I disagree. Wouldn’t you like to get back to the way it used to be?

One way to make family dinners easier to prepare is by planning ahead. Often times I find myself going to the grocery store every other day to pick up needed items, and this is how family time gets lost. Spend a little time planning out dinner ideas for the coming week. Pick meals that are quick and easy for your dinners during the week and save the more time consuming recipes for the weekend. Did you know that software has been developed that makes meal planning a breeze? With a click of the mouse you can organize your recipe collection into daily meal plans complete with nutrition facts and shopping lists. With the computer generated shopping list you won’t have to worry about forgetting a needed item when you go grocery shopping.

Another great way to ensure that your family eats together most nights of the week is to share the responsibility of preparing dinner. It can be difficult for one family member to be responsible for cooking everyday. Each member of the family can take turns cooking each night. This is also a good way to add some new flavors to your meals since each member may have a different cooking technique. For those family members who don’t cook often, this can prove to be a great learning experience. Review each family member’s weekly schedule and delegate the meal preparation tasks such as grocery shopping, cooking, and clean up. Working as a team is a great way to build strength as a family.

“Not meatloaf again!” I’m sure everyone has heard the complaints from that same meal being served week after week. Keep your family dinners exciting by trying different variations of your favorite recipes. An even better idea would be to test out some new recipes. Surprise your family with a delicious new dinner tonight and they will be sure to come back to the dinner table tomorrow. Nothing is more important than your family. It’s worth the effort to make sure that your family eats together daily. Besides the needed nutrition, this time spent together will help open the lines of communication and make your family bond stronger.

I recently discovered an online service that saves time and money while providing you with new dinner ideas daily. Get access to powerful recipe management software, daily meal plans, money saving coupons and more at SendMeRecipes.

Did you find this article useful? Do you enjoy cooking and trying new recipes? You can learn more about how SendMeRecipes can help you save both time and money in the kitchen: http://www.sendmerecipes.com/1ndex.html Try the 7 Day free trial: http://www.sendmerecipes.com/1ndex.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Andrew

5 Ways to Simplify Dinner Cooking

2006-12-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

Making dinner got you down? Do you find yourself letting out a big sigh around five or six o’clock when you realize you have yet another meal to cook? Follow these five tips below to simply the dinner meal making.

1. Have pre-cut seasoning vegetables such as onions, carrots, and celery already cut and bagged in the freezer. When you come home from the grocery store. After taking a moment to take a breath. Get out your cutting board, knife and/or food processor and go to town.

2. If you don’t have the energy or inclination for once a month cooking try once a week cooking. Take a day that you have the least amount of pressing issues and make up a couply of meatloves, casseroles or soups and have them ready to go in the freezer.

3. As you’re cooking have the sink full of soapy hot water to soak the dishes you are using. My mother always said to clean as you go and isn’t it much nicer to be done cooking and realize the kitchen is clean as well?

4. Keep a list handy of the things you have in your pantry. Tape or tack it to the inside of the door. That way you won’t run out of important staples when it’s time to cook.

5. Make leftover night one of your dinners. I do this on a day when we are really busy. You can make your leftovers into an entirely new meal or do as I do and just stuff it all in the oven or various pots on the stove. Clean is a bit more when I do this but I’m not overtired from a bunch of cooking.

Of course there are many more things you can do to make dinner easier on you but these are just a few tips that might give you a jump start.

O Quinn is a stay at home mom who loves to cook from scratch. Visit her at http://www.homemakingorganized.com and http://www.quick-easy-cooking.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=O_Quinn

Peanut Butter Chicken

2006-12-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter Chicken
1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces
12 oz. Apricot jam
¼ c. creamy peanut butter
1/3 c. orange juice
1/3 c. apple juice
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Curry powder
½ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Cardamom
½ tsp. Ground cumin

To FREEZE: Combine all ingredients except chicken in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add chicken and mix. Pour into 1 gallon freezer bag and lay flat to freeze.

To SERVE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour thawed chicken mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish, and bake, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

2006-11-03T22:56:00.001-08:00

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
1 medium Onion -- chopped
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Prepared Mustard
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoons Catsup

PREPARATION
Brown ground beef & onion in a large skillet and drain. Add other ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve on buns or over broken bread.

Serves 12

Sicilian Casserole

2006-11-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
2 cups elbow macaroni
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef and onion in heavy saucepan, stirring to break up ground beef. Add green bell pepper when beef is almost cooked; continue to simmer until beef is done. Drain well.

Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, and dried Italian seasoning and stir well to blend. Let simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni as directed on package. While macaroni is cooking, combine cream cheese and milk in medium bowl. Cook in microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove from microwave and stir with wire whisk until sauce thickens and blends to form a smooth sauce. Drain noodles and add to cream cheese sauce along with sour cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; stir to combine.

In 2 quart casserole dish, place all of cream cheese mixture. Top with all of the ground beef mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until casserole is bubbly.

To freeze, add 1 Tbsp. cornstarch to the cream cheese sauce. Prepare casserole as directed, except instead of baking, chill in refrigerator. Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator. Bake, covered, for 25-35 minutes 5 minutes longer until bubbly. 8 servings

Burrito Pie

2006-10-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
(serves 16)
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
9 ounces shredded Colby cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes with green chile peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Vegetarian Lasagna

2006-10-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
(serves 8)
2 cups peeled and diced pumpkin
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
5 tomatoes
1 pint ricotta cheese
9 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup pesto
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
fresh pasta sheets
1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast in oven until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grill eggplant on a charcoal grill or fry in a skillet, turning once, until charred and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Halve tomatoes and place on baking sheet in oven for last 15 minutes of pumpkin time; cook until tender and wrinkly.
In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, feta, pesto, eggs, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold roasted pumpkin into ricotta mixture.
Spoon half of the tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Lay two pasta sheets over the sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over pasta and top with half the ricotta mixture. Cover with two more pasta sheets. Arrange the roasted tomatoes evenly over the sheets and spoon the remaining half the ricotta mixture over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Top with remaining two sheets of pasta. Pour remaining tomato sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Homemade Italian Sauce & Meatballs

2006-10-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
(Serves 10)
48 ounces tomato paste
12 cups water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt
5 pork chops
1 onion, diced
1 (8 ounce) package mushrooms, sliced
1 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1/4 pound ground veal
1 cup grated Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 cups dry bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 eggs

PREPARATIONS
In a large pot combine tomato paste, water, garlic, bay leaves, basil, and salt. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and simmer.
In a skillet, brown pork chops in olive oil then place in sauce mixture. Saute onions and mushrooms in same pan that you browned the pork chops. Add these to sauce as well. Simmer sauce a minimum of 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
To make the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine beef, pork, veal, Romano cheese, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and eggs; mix well. Shape into balls. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake meatballs for 20 minutes. Place meatballs in a serving bowl when baking is complete and place in refrigerator. About 2 hours prior to dinnertime pop the meatballs into the sauce.

Breakfast Mini Pizzas

2006-10-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter, softened
5 oz. jar sharp Cheddar cheese processed spread
1/2 lb. spicy pork sausage
1 onion, chopped
12 English muffins, split

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine the butter and cheese spread and blend well. Crumble the sausage into a large skillet and cook over medium heat together with the onion until sausage is cooked and onion is tender.

Drain well on paper towels. Mix the cooked sausage mixture with the cheese mixture. Spread mixture generously on split side of muffin halves. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Cool the ones you want to freeze and freeze individually on trays. Wrap well and place in heavy duty ziplock freezer bags.

To prepare, microwave each pizza for one to two minutes on high power until pizzas are hot and the cheese is melted. 24 pizzas

Noodle Stroganoff

2006-09-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS

1 lb cooked ground beef seasoned with onion and garlic
1 large can (8 oz) canned mushrooms (if you use fresh sauté them some)
1 can beef broth
3 Tblsp Lemon Juice
3 Tblsp red wine

(Add everything to zip-lock freezer bag & freeze...don't forget instructions!)

PREPARATION

Add 3 cups noodles *** I like egg-noodles

Cook until noodles are tender then stir in 1c. sour cream

Warm and Serve!

Mexican Chicken Casserole

2006-09-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 6-8)

1 package corn tortillas
2 cups chicken -- cooked and cubed
12 ounces cheddar cheese -- grated
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can tomatoes with green chilies -- (Ro-Tel)
1 1/4 cups milk
1 onion -- chopped
1 freezer bag -- jumbo

PREPARATION
Chop cooled, cooked chicken meat into largish chunks. Tear tortillas into 1-inch wide strips.

In a large baking dish, alternate layers of tortillas, chicken meat and cheese (reserve 1/2 cup of cheese for topping) until all the chicken is used. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the layered mixture. Top with reserved cheese.

Cover with plastic wrap, then seal with aluminum foil.

To freeze: flash freeze casserole, then place frozen, covered dish into jumbo freezer bag.

To prepare: thaw casserole before baking. Remove plastic wrap, then replace foil. Bake covered casserole at 350-degrees until hot and bubbly. You may remove aluminum foil 10 minutes before taking the casserole out of the oven to melt cheese.

Allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes, then cut with spatula and serve.

Roast Sticky Chicken

2006-09-30T16:52:00.001-07:00


INGREDIENTS

4 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 large roasting chicken 1 cup onion -- chopped
PREPARATION
In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in zipper food storage bag, seal and refrigerate overnight or freeze. When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onions, and place in a shallow baking pan. Roast uncovered at 250 degrees for 5 hours. After the first hour, baste chicken every 30 minutes with pan juices. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of the pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.

Peppery Breaded Pork Chops

2006-09-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup butter -- melted
1 teaspoon fresh garlic -- minced
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
4 large pork chops

PREPARATION

Melt butter with garlic. Mix other ingredients together in shallow dish. Dip chops in the
butter-garlic mix and coat with bread crumb mixture.
If freezing:
Flash freeze until hard then store in air tight container/zip lock bag. Thaw before
cooking.

Bake in 375F oven for 20-30 minutes until done.

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf

2006-09-30T16:46:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces bacon -- diced
4 medium white mushrooms -- chopped
1 small onion -- finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup evaporated milk or half & half
6 ounces shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp but not burned.
Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and
cool. Remove all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat from the
skillet and saute the mushrooms and onions until tender.
Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix the beef, egg, and milk. Add the
mushroom/onion mixture, all but a few spoonfuls of the
swiss cheese and all but one tablespoons of the bacon
bits. Add the corn flake crumbs and mix well until blended.
Shape into a loaf and place in a large loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for about an hour, or until cooked through.
Drain fat from the pan and sprinkle the reserved cheese
and bacon on top. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until
cheese is bubbly.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Yield: 4 to 6
servings.

Corned Beef and Potato Casserole

2006-09-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

(serves 6-8)

8 oz. egg noodles
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
5 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups cooked corned beef, cubed
1 cup beef broth
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. pepper

PREPARATION:

Cook noodles as directed on package and drain. Toss with oil and set aside.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook potatoes and onion in butter until potatoes are browned, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cabbage, corned beef, broth and thyme; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes. Add noodles; mix well, and serve.

Bacon & Hash Brown Roll-Ups

2006-09-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
serves 16

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices Canadian bacon, cut into small pieces
2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed and drained
8 eggs
1/2 cup salsa
16 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded monterey jack pepper cheese

PREPARATIONS

In large skillet, heat olive oil and brown bacon and hash browns.
In large mixing bowl, combine eggs and salsa; beat well until combined.
Pour into skillet with bacon and potatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set.
Spoon egg mixture into flour tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and roll up.
Place roll-ups in freezer bags and freeze.
When ready to serve, place burrito in microwave, covered with a microwave-safe paper towel, and heat for about 1-2 minutes on high power for each burrito.
You may have to adjust heating time for your microwave.

Easy Chicken Divan

2006-09-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
Serves 8

2 cups diced cooked boneless chicken breasts
2 (8 ounce) bags frozen broccoli, pieces cooked
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
4 slices bread, toasted, and torn into small pieces
butter

PREPARATIONS

Place chicken in bottom in bottom of lightly greased casserole dish.
Layer broccoli on top of chicken.
Comnine cream of chicken soup, mayo, and lemon juice, stir mixing well. Salt & pepper to taste.
Spread cream of chicken mixture over broccoli and chicken.
Top with grated cheddar, then bread crumbs.
Place small pieces of butter on top of casserole.
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Soy Sauce Chicken

2006-09-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
serves 6-8

8 lbs chicken thighs
1/4 cup black soy sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash Accent seasoning

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients together except chicken thighs making sure sugar is dissolved.
Pour marinade over chicken and let marinade for at least 5 hours or overnight is better.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes and then baste with drippings and then do this 2 more times until done, about 1 hour depending on your oven.
Let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

2006-09-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 15 Min. Cook Time: 40 Min.

INGREDIENTS

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup Pace Picante Sauce
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey 12 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Directions

PREPARATION
1. Mix soup, Picante sauce, sour cream, chili powder, tomatoes and chicken.

2. In 2-quart shallow baking dish arrange half the tortilla pieces. Top with half the chicken mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake at 350°F. for 40 minutes or until hot. Serve with additional Picante sauce and sour cream. Serves 8.

To freeze: freeze this uncooked. defrost and bake for 40 min.

Scalloped Ham & Potatoes

2006-09-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

(Serving Size : 8)

INGREDIENTS:

1/4-inch thick 2 pounds coarsely sliced baked ham
2 cups grated Swiss cheese Salt and pepper -- to taste
2 cups heavy cream
4 large potatoes (peeled and sliced)

PREPARATION:

1. Place the potatoes in a heavy pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350'F. Butter a 9xl3-inch shallow baking dish.
3. Layer half of the potatoes and half of the ham in the baking dish. Cover with half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour half of the cream over the potatoes. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
4. Place dish on a cookie sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour. The top should be golden and bubbly. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Serves 6 to 8.

Veggie Pasta Shells

2006-09-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
10 oz. can vegetable broth
1 carrot, minced
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

PREPARATION:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse, drain, and let cool.
In a large saucepan, heat broth to boiling. Stir in carrots, potatoes and onions and cook 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Drain vegetables well. Combine with ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Stir in Italian seasoning. Fill each cooked and cooled shell with this cheese mixture.
Pour 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer on the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

To freeze, refrigerate at this point until cold. Then wrap, label, and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw whole casserole overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed below, adding 15-20 minutes to baking time. To thaw and reheat individual shells, microwave on 40% power for 2-4 minutes until thawed. Then microwave on 60% power for 1-3 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serves 8-10

http://busycooks.about.com/od/pastacasserolerecipes/r/vegepastashells.htm

Chicken Potato Casserole

2006-09-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
10 oz. can condensed reduced fat and sodium cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3-1/2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1-1/2 cups frozen peppers and onions, thawed
1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups crushed potato chips

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine soup, sour cream, milk, chicken and 1-1/4 cups cheese. Spread three-quarters of this mixture in a greased 2-quart baking dish.
Sprinkle hash browns and peppers and onions over the top of the casserole and press down lightly, then top vegetables with remaining soup mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and potato chips. Bake casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. 8 servings

To freeze, assemble casserole as directed, except do not thaw potatoes, peppers, or onions and do not sprinkle with potato chips. Wrap casserole in freezer wrap or heavy duty foil and freeze. Reserve potato chips in pantry. To thaw and bake, let thaw overnight in refrigerator. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes until bubbly. Then top with crushed potato chips and bake 5-10 minutes longer.

Freezer Chili

2006-09-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground beef
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes, undrained
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water

PREPARATION:
Cook ground beef with onions and garlic in heavy skillet until ground beef is brown and vegetables are tender; drain. Mix all ingredients except cornstarch and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes.

If you want a thicker chili, mix cornstarch and water in small bowl until smooth and add to chili, stirring well. Uncover and cook for about 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. 8 servings

To freeze, do not add cornstarch and water. Cool quickly in refrigerator, then place in plastic freezer containers and freeze until solid. To reheat, place chili in saucepan with 1/4 cup water and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reheated. At this point you can add the cornstarch and water mixture if you'd like a thicker chili.

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INGREDIENTS:

PREPARATION:

Bacon & Hash Brown Roll-Ups

Easy Chicken Divan

Soy Sauce Chicken

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Scalloped Ham & Potatoes

Veggie Pasta Shells

Chicken Potato Casserole

Freezer Chili