Happy New Years!

I want talk about some freezing tips today.   I know I've been giving hints about freezing veggies and fruits for awhile, but its such a great way to save money... I just had to dedicate today's post to it.

So do you every end up throwing away spoiled fruit or vegetables?  Not all fruits and vegetables freeze well.  Lettuce is too high in water content, so it'll turn to mush once its been frozen and thawed.  Bananas are ok to freeze, but they will brown, so I suggest using frozen bananas for baked goods or for making your own baby food (that's a topic I will touch on in a future post).

Any fruit or vegetable you plan on freezing should be process before you freeze it.  What this means is they should be cleaned and sliced or chopped.  It makes it easier to grab the amount you need from instead of having to defrost the whole container.  You can even portion out amounts if you have an idea of what you want to do with them.

What can you do with all this frozen product?  Well, you can do almost anything with it, but keep in mind once its been frozen, it will not go back to the same state they were in before once they thaw.  I like using my frozen veggies for stir fries, quick side dishes, I'll add them into my pasta dishes or eggs as well.  I use the fruits to make sauces and jams, smoothies, and I even use them in place of ice cubes.

Something Sweet and Healthy

Today's recipe is something you can make really fast, and its super easy.  It's a dairy-free fruit smoothie.  You can use frozen fruit that you find in the freezer section of your local grocery store.  I recommend freezing your own fruit.  It saves money, and you can make the exact fruit mix that you like.  You can pre-portion it out into freezer bags, and if you are feeling creative, you can use frozen fruit pieces instead of ice in drinks and punch bowls.

Fruit Smoothies

1 c frozen fruit (whatever fruit you like)
1 banana
1/2 c apple juice

Combine ingrediants listed above in a blender and blend until smooth.

If you want a thinner/thicker smoothie, just add more or less apple juice.

Please note **The banana is important in this recipe as it acts as a binding agent.  You can leave it out, but then your smoothie will be more of a slushy.**

I Hope Everyone Had a Merry Christmas!

I decided to take a break from the blog for the last week so I could spend a little extra time with my husband since he had the whole week off.  Our son got so many things from Santa, but he had a little gift for us too.  He decided he was going to start walking this past week.  To make the week even more awesome, my friend had a baby girl on Sunday.

Anyways, here's today recipe:

Beef Stew

2lbs Stew Meat (if you can't find stew meat at your grocery store, talk to someone in the meat department)
1 small package of baby carrots
4-5 red potatoes, chopped to bite size pieces
1 large white onion, diced
1 rutabaga, chopped to bite size pieces (you don't have to add this if you don't want to or if you can't find it.  a rutabaga is similar to a turnip.   you can find them in the produce department usually by the other root vegetables, like the potatoes, but some stores out west like to keep them with the carrots)
3 beef boulion cubes
about 2 quarts of water
salt and pepper to taste

Variation:  Add one bottle of Guiness Beer and subtract some of the water.  It gives the stew a nice kick and is very flavorful.

In a stock pot or dutch oven, combine indgrediants listed above with the water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat on stove and simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until the potato, carrot, and rutabag are soft). 
If you decided to add the Guiness Beer you may need to skim some foam from the top of the stew.
Taste and taste again to adjust the seasoning.
Reduce heat once again and simmer for another 20-30 minutes in order to allow the flavor to develop.

You can make this in a slow cooker as well.  It will take around 6 hours on the low setting.

To freeze:  Allow soup to cool to room temp, and then portion it into the containers you plan on using to freeze.  The stew should hold in the freeze for 3 months. 

Finals are Done!

Alright everyone. I'm so sorry I didn't post anything for the last couple days, but I am finally done with my final exams.

Quiche

Quiche is really super easy to make.  It freezes well, and its really an affordable dish.  You can add whatever ingredients you want to your quiche.  Use this recipe as a guide, and add whatever meat, cheese, and veg your family likes.  I usually use whatever we have in the house at the time.

8 eggs
1/4 c milk
2 frozen deep dish pie crusts
1 c spinach (if using frozen spinach make sure to thaw and drain it first)
4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
Beat eggs in large mixing bowl.
Add milk, spinach, bacon, and a handful of shredded cheese.  Mix well.
Divide mixture between the 2 pie crusts.
Place pie crusts on a cookie sheet and back for 45 minutes or until centers have set (you can use a toothpick to check...insert in center of quiche and if i comes out without any runny egg stuff on it your good to go).

To freeze- Follow directions above.  Allow quiche to cool to room temp.  Cover with plastic wrap, and then place in a gallon size freezer bag (one quiche per bag).  I usually serve 1 quiche to my family, and freeze the second for another meal.  I suggest using the frozen quiche within a month of making it.

Super Fast...Perfect for Holiday Leftovers!

Turkey (or chicken) Stuffing Casserole

*this is a great way to use up leftovers after holiday meals, etc*

Turkey or Chicken (leftover pieces or you can cook and use 1 breast for turkey, 2 for chicken) chopped into bite size pieces
Stuffing (1 box if you don't have any leftover)
1 jar turkey or chicken gravy
Optional--Mash Potatoes and/or Peas, Carrots (or other veggie of choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f
If using mashed potatoes, layer those first.
Combine stuffing, turkey or chicken, and veg.  (layer on top of potatoes if using)
Pour gravy on top of casserole trying to cover as much as the top as possibly
Bake for 20-30 minutes

It's Finals Week for Mommy!

I have finals this week, so posts my be a little late and slightly crazy this week.

Today's recipe is one of my favorite no-bake cookie recipes.  I decided to shake things up a bit and throw in a dessert instead of an actual meal today.  This recipe is super easy to make, but it can be a little messy. 

Best Ever No-Bake Cookies

1 package chocolate chips
1/2 c peanut butter (you can leave this out if you are allergic or don't like it, you can also add more if you really like it)
2 sticks butter
1 12oz package of crunchy chow mein noodles (la choy makes some great noodles, make sure to get the crunchy ones in the bag)
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
wax paper or parchment paper

In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the 2 sticks of butter over med-low heat.
Add package of chocolate chips and melt, stirring occasionally.
Add the peanut butter, melt, and stir.
Add both sugars.  Allow sugar to melt/dissolve into chocolate mixture.  Make sure you stir frequently to keep sugar from burning.  (This may take a few minutes.) Remove from heat.
Stir in crunchy chow mein noodles.

Lay out a couple sheets of parchment or wax paper on counter top or table.
Use a spoon to drop a spoonful of of cookie dough on paper.  Continue until dough is all layed out.
Cookies will usually set in about 2 hours.

To freeze-  You can freeze these cookies after they set and hardened.  The best ways to freeze them are either in a container using wax or parchment paper to separate the cookies if you layer them, or you can freeze in a few gallon size freezer bags, but be sure to only put a few cookies in the bag and do not layer them.  Just pull the container or bag out a few hours before you need the cookies, an they'll be ready to go.

3rd One for Today...(thank you so much Rikas2ndBaby)

Baked ziti

1 lb whole wheat ziti
1 45 oz jar of sauce (or homemade if you're feeling fancy)
2-3 cups shredded chicken
32 oz ricotta cheese
1 package of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Cook the pasta according to the box directions, drain and rinse.
In a large bowl mix, sauce, chicken, ricotta cheese, parm cheese, and half the package of mozzarella. Season to taste. Add pasta and combine.

Put into a lasagna pan and cover with remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil Bake for 45 minutes at 350, remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until completely warmed through.

For freezing- I would buy smaller aluminum disposable pans, and freeze unbaked so that the dish doesn't dry out from baking twice.

Poached Chicken (also from Rikas2ndBaby)

**I've never frozen it so I'm not sure how it would thaw, but my mother assures me it would be just fine is poached chicken.**

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings (I like peppercorns, seasoned salt, italian seasoning, garlic)

Lay the chicken out in a pot and season
Add enough water to cover
Bring to a boil
Reduce to a simmer and 30 minutes later, chicken is ready

This is good in chicken tacos/fajitas, baked ziti, chicken casseroles, chicken salad(mayo kind), chicken salads(lettuce kind), Mac n cheese, ect.

Rikas2ndBaby Has a Couple More Good Recipes to Share!

Italian Wedding Soup- This is a meal that you can leave on the stove all day or in a crock pot

1 yellow or white onion (diced or grated)
4 celery stalks
2 cups baby carrots
2 tbl thyme
7 cups chicken stock/broth (I use stock because it's all they have in my grocery store with no msg)

1/2 lb meatball mix (veal, pork, beef- really you could use whatever ground meat)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tbl milk
salt &pepper 
1/4 cup parm cheese
1 egg
handful of escarole chopped

1 cup uncooked ditalini
1 1/2 heads of escarole, torn


Saute the veggies and thyme in a little bit of butter until they begin to soften, add the chicken broth and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Mix the bread crumbs, parm cheese, milk, egg and salt and pepper together. Then add in escarole and ground meat. Shape into mini meatballs.

Add to the stock after the 30 minutes has passed, also add in the escarole at this point. Simmer for another 30 minutes. For the last 30 - 45 minutes, add in the ditalini. It will look like there's not enough pasta, but the pasta really soaks up broth and at least triples in size. 

This is also best when you have time to just let it simmer in the crock pot or on the stove all day. I top it with shredded asiago or parmesan cheese when serving.  

Side note: I reworked this recipe from a food network site I found with 50 easy soups - they have a lot of good ideas 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/50-easy-soups-1--10/index.html

Quick Lasagna!

Lasagna

By using jar pasta sauce and no boil noodles, you can save yourself some valuable time.  You can use homemade sauce and regular lasagna noodles if you want.  

1lb ground beef

1 16 oz jar of pasta sauce

1/2 package of no boil lasagna noodles

1 15oz container of ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup of parmesan cheese

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Optional- whatever veggies you want to add for example, onions, peppers, garlic, mushrooms

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

In a skillet, brown ground beef (and sauté veggies if using….together), drain excess fat away.

Return meat to pan, add pasta sauce, stir and let simmer on low heat for about 10-15 minutes (or however long it takes to complete the next step.

Combine beaten egg, ricotta, and ¼ c of parmesan cheese, set aside.

Spread 1-2 ladles of sauce on the bottom of you baking dish (more or less depending on the size, I recommend a 13x9 baking dish).

Begin to layer the no boil noodles.  

Spread filling on noodles, followed by a 1-2 ladles of sauce.

Continue this until the lasagna is built almost to top of pan.  Add final layer of sauce and top with as much Mozzarella cheese as you would like. 

Bake for 35-45 minutes.

To Freeze:  Do not bake.  Instead, prepare as above, cover, and freeze.  To bake after freezing, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees f for 1 hr 30 minutes.  Remove foil cover for the last 15 minutes of baking.  

Double Post Today Since I Missed Yesterday

Ground Beef
 This Post is All Tips

Whether you are just trying to get prepared for the upcoming arrival of your new little one, or you are just one busy momma, this is a great idea to follow.  Buy 10lbs of ground beef the next time you are out grocery shopping in addition to whatever you normally buy.  Why buy so much?  Well, you can turn that 10lbs into 5-10 (depending on family size) quick and easy meals.

Tips:
1.  Buying ground beef in bulk is usually cheaper than buying it pre-packaged in smaller portions.  When you get home from the grocery store divide your meat into 1lb or 2lb portions (I eye ball it, but if you have a food scale you can measure it out).  Then freeze it if you don't need it right away.  The next time you need meat, just pull out what you need and defrost.

2.  If you have a little more free time, then try to cook off your ground beef before freezing and portioning.  Then you can just thaw it and add your ground beef to some pasta sauce or even throw it into some hamburger helper.  You can also make up sloppy joes or even add taco seasoning to your ground meat and freeze.  All you need to do is microwave, and you have dinner in under 10 minutes.

I did this when I was pregnant with my first, and it helped a lot.  Honestly those first few weeks were so chaotic, and cooking was the last thing on my mind.  You'd be surprised how much money you will end up spending on fast food and take out, especially if you don't have some frozen meals on hand.

Mommy's Sneaky Meatloaf

Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
1 c bread crumbs (or crushed crackers)
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp Italian seasonings
1/4 c onions and 1/4 c peppers (minced in food processor or minced by hand...you want to mince these in order to have the onions and pepper blend into the meat mixture so picky eaters won't be able to identify any veggies...you can also substitute spinach and onions or pretty much any other veg in this step)

1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c bbq sauce (I prefer sweet baby rays, but you can use whatever you like)
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp mustard powder

Combine combine all dry ingredients first (bread crumbs or crackers, salt and pepper, Italian seasonings) in a large bowl.
Add ground beef and beaten eggs, and mix using your hands (its the easiest and fastest way to make sure everything is well mixed).  Wash hands thoroughly.
Add onion and pepper mixture (or the veggie mixture of your choice), stir until well combine (at this point you can use a rubber spatula or any other utensil to stir the mixture).
Place mixture into a bread pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.

While meatloaf is baking, combine ketchup, bbq sauce, brown sugar and mustard powder to make a sauce and set aside.
After meatloaf is done baking, remove from oven.  Use a spoon to remove excess fat from the top.
Spread sauce across top of meatloaf, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.


Freezing:  If you are planning on freezing this, then you do not need to add the sauce to the meatloaf now.  You can skip this part until you decide to re-heat.  To re-heat, cover meatloaf with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees f for 1hr 30 minutes.
Make sauce following the steps above and cover meatloaf.  Bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered.

Kid Friendly Casserole

Pizza Casserole

1 box pasta shells (any type)
1 jar of marinara sauce (you can use homemade if you have some on hand, or substitute your favorite pasta sauce)
Mix-Ins:
(You can use any combination of meat and veggies that your family likes.)
Pepperoni
Sausage
Veggies (onions, peppers, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, etc)
Mozzarella Cheese

Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the box.  Drain and return to the pot you originally used.
Combine sauce, meat, and veggies with pasta.
Grease a 13x9 pan.  Pour pasta mixture into pan and sprinkle with as much mozzarella cheese as you like.
Bake at 350 degrees f for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

To freeze, cool to room temp, about 1-2 hrs.
To re-heat from freezer, bake at 350 degrees f for 1-1 1/2 hrs.  Make sure to cover with foil prior to baking to prevent the cheese from over browning.

Mac n Cheese....by Rikas2ndBaby

A special thank you for our fellow WTE mommy Rikas2ndBaby for contributing this recipe!!!

Mac n Cheese

4 tbl butter
4 tbl flour
4 cups of milk
4 cups of shredded cheese (your choice, I'm picky so I use all sharp cheddar)
1 box of pasta (I use raditore because it's easy for DS to eat)
Bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese to top

I like to make this a one pot meal so I make my pasta, and then just rinse out the pot to make the sauce, but I've also made the sauce while the pasta cooks.

Melt the butter over med-high heat, and then stir in the flour. Keep stirring and try to get all the lumps out for 2 minutes.
Whisk in the 4 cups of milk and stir frequently for 5 minutes. 

Slowly (like 1 cup increments) stir in the cheese, add more when the cheese melts into the sauce. 

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss. Add to a greased casserole dish and top with bread crumbs and parm cheese. 

  You could just freeze it unbaked, and add it to a greased casserole dish and bake at 425 for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Or you could bake it at 400 in the greased dish, have some ahead of time, and freeze the leftovers.

HTH!

Is it a Soup or a Meal?

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

This is a crock pot recipe.  I suggest cooking this on low heat for a minimum of 4 hrs no longer than 8hrs.  You can also cook this on the stove if you are in a hurry, but I still recommend a simmer time of at least an hour in order to develop the flavors.

1lb ground beef or ground pork (you can do a combination of the two)
2 green peppers, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 c cooked white rice (it needs to be cooked)
1 15oz diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 c brown sugar (feel free to add more 1tbs at a time if needed)
1 bottle of tomato juice (around 64 oz...give or take depending on the size of your crock pot.  You can substitute V8)
2 beef bullion cubes (or 2 tsp beef bullion granules)
2 tbs of soy sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste (I usually end up using 2 tbs of salt, 1 tbs of pepper, but add as much or as little as you like)

Brown ground beef (or pork or combination of meat) with peppers and onions.  Drain excess fat.  Place into slow cooker.
Add rice, tomatoes, tomato juice, brown sugar, beef bullion, and soy sauce.  Stir.
Add salt and pepper.  Taste.  Adjust your seasonings.  Taste again (its important to keep tasting at this stage in order to adjust the seasoning to your liking).
Set your crock pot to low and walk away.  Stir occasionally if you want (you don't have to, you can leave it and forget it). 

When serving, throw a couple croutons on top and sprinkle with a little cheddar cheese.  Its super yummy.

For freezing allow the soup to cool to room temp. Portion out the soup into the containers you wish to use.  This soup can be microwave or thawed and reheated on the stove.

Freezing tip-  Cook extra rice and chop extra veggies and freeze them.  These can be used to throw together a quick "leftover" casserole or used for a fast and easy stir fry. 

Let's Share Our Recipes!!!

Alright ladies, here it is.  I want to try keeping this blog going for a while, so I'm going to start by putting up at least one (probably more) recipe per day.  I figure by the time our little ones arrive, we should have quite the collection. Here's the first recipe:

Chicken Enchiladas
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake at 350 degrees around around an hour.

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1/2 cup peppers and onions (add as many veggies or as little veggies as you want)
1 tbs oil
1 8oz package of cream cheese (i usually use fat free)
1 4oz can of diced green chilies, drained and divided
1/2 jar of taco sauce (about 4oz)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
12 7in flour tortillas
1 10 1/4oz can of cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1 cup milk
2 green onions, chopped

Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese

In a skillet saute the veggies in the oil.  Add chicken, cream cheese, 1 tbs green chilies and taco sauce.  Stir until cream cheese is melted down and everything is well combine.
In a bowl mix cumin, the remaining green chilies, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and milk.  Set aside.
Spoon cream cheese mixture (about 2-3tbs per tortilla) into tortillas.  Place filling at edge of tortilla and roll tightly.  Pack tortillas into a 13x9 pan.
Pour and spread milk mixture on top of tortillas, making sure to cover all the tortillas.  Sprinkle green onions on top.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil, sprinkle with cheese, bake for another 5-10 minutes.
Allow enchiladas to cool for at least 1 hour.  Cover with with clear wrap and then foil prior to place in freezer.  To reheat, remove foil and clear wrap.  Re-cover with foil and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees f. 

Freezing Tip:  When cooking chicken breasts, cook a few extra and throw them in the freezer.  Its great when looking for a quick protein and perfect in using for salads.