May Menu Planning

Heidi:
Sticky Chicken
Orange Teriyaki Chicken
Asian Chicken Salad

Janet:
Beef Fillets
40 Cloves Garlic-Chicken
Apple Chipotle Pork Chops

Jen:
Cajun Pork Burgers
Pork Enchiladas
Brisket

Misti:
Tangy Flank Steaks with Horseradish Cream
Chicken Stuffed Peppers
Pecan Stuffed Burgers

Kathleen:
Roasted Veggie Pasta
Parmesan chicken
Cheese & Chicken Shells

Feb. 24 Meal Preps

Misti
Italian Mac & Cheese (2 8x8 pans)
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin (1 bag cooked tenderloin, cut in half) Thaw and reheat.
Chili-Maple Chicken (1 bag, 5-6 breasts) Thaw and bake at 350 or grill.

Janet
Baked Monte Cristo (10 pre-baked sandwiches in bag) Reheat in skillet, oven or microwave. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry or strawberry jelly.
Almost White Castle Burgers (24 in bag) Reheat as desired. Suggestions: wrap in paper towel and microwave.
Peking Pork Bites (1 bag cooked meatballs, 1 bag sauce) Thawing not necessary. Put contents of both bags in crockpot and reheat, or reheat in oven.

Jen
Sweet & Sour Kielbasa (1 bag) Thaw and heat in crockpot on low 2 hours, or on stovetop or microwave. Serves with potatoes or rice. Suggestion: add pineapple.
Beef Fajitas (1 bag meat, 1 bag onions/peppers, 12 tortillas) Saute meat and veggies.
Beef Stew (1 container) Thaw and reheat.

Heidi
Rosemary Chicken with Zucchini (2 bags w/3 breasts each or 1 bag w/6) Place in baking dish and thaw. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 min. Stir, flip chicken and bake another 25 min.
Sesame Pork Ribs (1 container+bag sesame seeds and scallions) Fully cooked. Thaw and reheat on stove. Top with seeds and onions and serve over rice or noodles.
Sweet & Sour Chicken (1-2 bags chicken. 1-2 bags sauce) Thaw and reheat in skillet. Serve with rice. Suggestion: add pineapple onion and green pepper in skillet.

Kathleen
Cheesy Manicotti with Meat Sauce (2 9x13 pans, 14 manicotti each) Thaw and bake covered at 350 degrees for 40 min. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until melted.
Chicken Parmesan Bundles (7-8 rolls+bag marinara) Thaw and place, seam-sides down in greased dish. BAKE at 375ºF. 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks. Serve topped with the spaghetti sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
Barbecue Joe Casserole (1 9x13 pan) Thaw and bake at 375 degrees for 45 min. or until bubbly.

Teressa
Mozzarella Meatballs (1 bag) Pour meatballs and sauce into ungreased baking dish. Bake uncoveredat 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. Serve over rice or noodles.
Chicken Broccoli Spaghetti (1 9x13 pan) Thaw, cover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until heated through.
Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce (1 bag, 6 cooked breast pieces) Thaw and reheat.
Blackberry BBQ Chicken (1 bag, 5-6 breasts in marinade) Thaw, pour into baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until juices run clear (about 30 min.)

October Meal Preps

Janet
Stromboli (4 halves) Bake from frozen like a pizza.
Four-Cheese Mac & Cheese (1 bag+bag of parmesan) Thaw and reheat.
Magic Meat (3 bags, 2 cups meat each) You have options--see the recipe link.

Misti
Autumn Bean Soup (1 container) Thaw and reheat. You may want to add additional spice or a can of diced tomatoes.
Spaghetti Pie (1-9x13 or 2-8x8) Bake at 350 until bubbly, about 35-40 minutes from thawed. Add an hour to baking time if you don't thaw.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup (1 container) Thaw and reheat. Stir and may need to add milk. Top with additional cheddar, bacon, green onions and sour cream if desired.
Lemon-Glazed Chicken See recipe. Saute chicken breasts in butter, add sauce and simmer.
Black Bean Burritos (1 pan+1 bag cheese) Top with cheese. Bake at 350 (covered?) until bubbly. Can bake from frozen.

Michele
Barbecue Beef & Beer Chili (1 container) Thaw and reheat.
Savory Beef & Mushroom Pie (1 pie) Thaw, cover with foil and bake at 375 for 35 min.
Chicken Cakes with Creole Sauce (1 bag+1 bag sauce) Saute cakes in butter until done. To the contents of the sauce bag, add 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup sour cream.

Kathleen
BBQ Pulled Pork (1 container) Thaw and reheat.
Split Pea Soup (1 container+1 small container) Thaw and reheat.
Mango-Cranberry Chicken (2 bags) Thaw, simmer in skillet. Serve over rice or noodles (Asian flavors).

Jen
Hot Ham & Colby Sandwiches (1 bag, 12 sandwiches) Thaw and bake in foil 6-10 min. at 350. From frozen, bake 30 min.
Red Beans & Rice (2 containers) Thaw and reheat. Serve over brown rice.
Big O Beef (1 bag) Thaw and reheat. Serving suggestions: on toasted hoagie with provolone and sauteed onions; over mashed potatoes.

Teressa
Pumpkin Sausage Pasta (1 bag) Thaw and reheat. Cook 1 lb. penne and toss in sauce.
Creamy Garlic Shrimp (1 bag) Thaw and reheat. Cook 1 lb. penne and toss in sauce. Add milk if it separates.
Crockpot Maple Chicken Breasts Thaw and dump in crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes (1 bag, six halves) Bake at 425 until potatoes are heated through and nuts are toasted, 8 min. from thawed.

September Meal Preps

Chicken Breast Supreme (with rice): (9x13 pan) Thaw. Cook covered 1 hour at 350 degrees. Needs salt.

Honey Hoisin Chicken: (1 bag) Thaw and slow cook 4-5 hours. Take chicken out, add cornstarch and turn to high to thicken sauce. Put chicken back in.

Chunky Chicken Chili (Bottlecap Chili): (2 containers) Thaw and reheat. Add chili powder and hot sauce to taste.

Ginger Beef: (1 bag) Don't thaw. Slow cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Shanghai Stir-Fry: (1 bag beef) Thaw. Pour off marinade and reserve. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and stir-fry until well browned, about 10 min. Remove beef from pan and keep warm. Add marinade to skillet, reduce heat and simmer 3 min. Return beef to pan. Stir in a can of mandarin oranges and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Garlic-Studded Pork Loin: (1 bag) Thaw and slow cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Cashew Chicken: (1 bag entree, 1 bag cashews) Thaw and reheat. Serve with rice.

Chicken Gyro Kit:(1 kit: pitas, fully cooked chicken, feta, yogurt sauce) Thaw and reheat. Warm pitas in the oven. Add a chopped cucumber to the sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce for Gyros

Black Bean Burritos: Thaw. Spread with salsa and cover with foil. Bake 30 min. at 350 degrees. Uncover and add cheese. Bake until melted.

Breakfast Burritos: (18 super-yummy, 4 low-cal) Leave plastic wrap on. Cook in microwave 2 min.

Southwestern Goulash: (2 bags, 6 servings each) Thaw and reheat.

Apricot Pork Chops: (1 bag w/7 large chops) Thaw and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Italian Mac & Cheese: (1 bag) Thaw sauce, combine with 1 lb. cooked penne pasta, transfer to baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

Sassy Spinach Quiche: (1 bag) Thaw. Fill 2 pie crusts and bake 40-50 min. at 350 degrees.

Marlboro Man Sandwiches: (1 bag/12 sandwiches) Thaw and gently reheat. Serve on sub rolls with pickle spear. Provolone suggested.

March Exchange

The secretary is back at work :-)

Misti:

Bleu Cheese, Walnut & Mushroom Stuffed Chicken:
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, pour mushroom sauce over chicken and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie:
Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Reuben Casserole:
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until bubbly.

Janet:
Beef Pot Pie- I believe Janet's exact words regarding this dish was "I'm pretty sure you put it in the oven & cook it!" Bake at 350 degrees until toasty on top.

Pizza: 2 pizza, bake in oven at 350 degrees until the cheese melts.

Weeknight Cheeseburger Bake:
350 degrees until bubbly.

Teressa:
Polynesian Honey Pineapple Chicken: 3 breast/bag in marinade.
Thaw and grill.

Glazed Baby Carrots: 1 bag with OJ glaze and 1 bag with Pineapple glaze.
Thaw, bring to boil. Cook for 20 minutes covered. Might want to add 1 T cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce: 6 breast pounded flat.
Thaw and reheat covered in the microwave.

Steak Fajita Kits: Everything you need to make fajitas.

Jen:
Cowboy Baked Beans: 1 2 qt bowl.
Thaw and reheat. Serve with cornbread.

Farmer's Casserole:
Thaw and Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly. MUST THAW FIRST!

BBQ Cups: Thaw and Reheat.

BBQ Brisket: Thaw and reheat.

Tina:

Bacon Wrapped Chicken:
Thaw and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Last 5 minutes cook under broiler until bacon is crispy.

Buttermilk Herbed Chicken:
Thaw and grill.

Grandma's Secret:
Add corn. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Honey Pork Chops:
Thaw and pan sear.

Teressa's January Meal Preps

Chicken Cheese Soup--Thaw and reheat. Sprinkle each serving with shredded cheddar.

Apple Butter-Glazed Chicken--Each chick gets 2 breasts and 6 legs in marinade in one bag, and a smaller bag with the reserved marinade for basting. Thaw in fridge. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush off extra sauce from the chicken and discard. Cook chicken, in batches if necessary, turning occasionally, until browned, about 20 minutes. Continue cooking, brushing with reserved marinade, until chicken is cooked through, 15-25 minutes longer.

Cordon Bleu Roll--Thaw and reheat. I tried the Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe from the new Kraft magazine this weekend--and it was delicious! A really good freezer candidate too! Borrowing from that recipe, I recommend this sauce to serve on top: Stir 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard into 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup and pour on your loaf while heating, or heat the sauce it in the microwave in a small bowl if you like your loaf crispy. Use 98% fat-free and lower the calories without compromising taste. I guess you could even throw the Stove Top stuffing on top as directed in the new Kraft recipe. (I'll post it later.)

Tina's January Meal Preps

Chicken-and-Wild Rice Soup

This made a huge batch of soup! You will need to add 1 can of chicken broth, 1 c of whipping cream & 1 c uncooked wild rice. You may precook the wild rice and warm all ingredients on stove top. If you are going crockpot, then you will need to add a total of 2 cans of chicken broth & 1 c uncooked wild rice on LOW for 5-6 hours. Stir in whipping cream at end.

I have never froze portabella's so let's hope they freeze well. I left them in large pieces to help them freeze well. So those may be cut smaller. I really ran out of room in the soup container to add all the ingredients! So if you add more liquid, you may choose to add more chicken if it looks wimpy, but remember those mushrooms really are considered a meat.

Tina's Pork Fritters

Heat 1 in. of oil in deep skillet or pot. When hot, you will know this by the sizzle of placing your fritter in the pan or 360 degrees (if you choose to be sophisticated and use a thermometer, remember this is fritter time!). Turn fritter when edges are golden, cook until grease slows on frying or both sides golden. These may be cooked from frozen or thawed. If frozen, you will need to use caution placing into hot oil and allowing your oil to reheat after each fritter. The frozen fritter will drop your oil temp dramatically.

Krabby Patties

Same as above or you may cook in oven. I haven't made these yet, so I have no expert testimony to give!

Misti's December Meal Preps

Salisbury Steaks with Brown Gravy:
6 "steaks", thaw
In a skillet over medium heat, cook patties, a few at a time, until browned on both sides, spoon off fat. Cover with brown gravy. Serve with....

Freezer Mashed Potatoes: 2 8x8 pans of mashed potatoes.
Dot with butter. Reheat in oven or defrost, remove from pan & reheat in microwave oven.

Cashew Chicken:
Reheat. Add cashews to mixture. Serve with rice.

Beef and Broccoli Calzone: I followed the recipe and didn't cook the calzones. I was going to bake them half way through the cooking process but I didn't want to stay up all night waiting for them to rise, etc. So here is the cooking instructions:
Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Unwrap calzone and place on cookie sheet. Loosely cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Allow to rise, but not double. Cook 20-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven until golden. Slice and serve.

December Exchange Preparations

Janet:



Tator Tot Casserole-1 9x13 pan-Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Honey Sesame Pork Chops-1 bag-add sesame seeds (if desired). Cook in crockpot on high for 4 hours or bake at 350 degrees until juices run clear.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti-2 bags-Thaw. Cook spaghetti/pasta. Add sauce to spaghetti. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.



Tina:

Larry's Big Fart Chili-Reheat on stove, microwave or crockpot.

Magnificent Casserole-1 9x13 pan-Bake at 375 covered. Uncover last 5 minutes. Bake until bubbly.

Parsley Parmesan Chicken-1 bag with 7 breast each-Bake at 350 degrees until juices run clear. Add Parmesan cheese, if desired.



Teressa:



Mexican Meatloaf-2 meatloaves each-Thaw and reheat in oven or microwave.

Mexican Manicotti-Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, covered. Uncover add sour cream, cheese, onions and olives, if desired. Bake 5-10 minutes more until cheese is melted.

Pretzel Crusted Chicken-1 bag of 6 breast-Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.



Jen:



Pork loin with Pineapple-1 bag with 2 pork loins (total 3 lbs) & 1 bag of ginger sauce-pork already has glaze on it. Directions for pork:
Place pineapple on baking pan. Place the pork in the broiler, about 4 inches from the heat; place the pineapple in the oven. Broil the pork until it registers 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the broiler (let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing; the temperature will rise to 160 degrees as the pork sits.) Turn the pineapple slices; cook until browned in spots, about 10 minutes more. Halve the pineapple slices; arrange on a platter with the sliced pork. Drizzle the pork with the pan juices; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the quick ginger sauce.

Pork Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce: 1 9x13 pan with 12-13 enchiladas. Thaw and Bake.

Chicken Bruschetta: 1 9x13 pan-Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

Misti: will post directions after I prepare your meals :-)

November Exchange Meal Preps

Sorry for posting this late..

Janet:
Calzones w pepperoni & sausage-2 packs of 5. Thaw & reheat.
15 Bean Soup-1 container. Add water if needed. Thaw & reheat.
Raspberry Chicken-6 breast. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Jen:
Cajun Pork Burger:Each received 3 mild and 6 spicy (Misti-2 mild & 7 spicy) Cook until no longer pink. Plus each receive a bag of special sauce for burgers. Add 1/4 c mayo.
Crockpot Beef Tips-Thaw. Crockpot on low for 6-10 hours or high for 4 hours. Add bag one & two to crockpot. Stir in bag 3 during the last hour.
Baked Chicken with Butter & Cream-Bake for 30 minutes uncovered at 350 degrees. Add butter-re butter at cream time-add powdered milk with 1 1/2 cup water pour over after 30 mins. Pour around the chicken.

Teressa:
Green Chili Pork Stew: 1 container. Thaw and reheat.
Hot Colby Ham Sandwiches: Thaw. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minute/until cheese is melted.
Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes-1 9x13 pan. Thaw and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Mist:
Fabulous Freezer Chicken: 10 drumstick. Thaw. Crockpot. Or make coating-recipe on website.
Steak with Blue Cheese: 1 bag of steak and ziplock bag of blue cheese butter. Thaw and grill. Top with blue cheese butter.
Fall Harvest Pasta-Thaw. Serve with pasta.
Blue Cheese Pasta-Thaw. Serve with pasta.

Tina:
Grandma's Secret- 1 9x13 pan. Bake 350 degree. Bake for 30 minutes if thawed or 1 1/2 hours if frozen.
Weeknight Enchiladas-1 9x13 pan. Thaw and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Cheesy Chicken & Noodles-Thaw. Place in pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Maple-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons maple syrup
6 sprigs fresh thyme

Heat oven to 400° F. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Arrange the chicken, onion, and sweet potatoes in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and vegetables and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle with the maple syrup and top with the sprigs of thyme. Roast, stirring the vegetables once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4 servings

To use frozen casserole: thaw in refrigerator and finish cooking at 400° F. It may be helpful to baste the potatoes with the juice in the bottom of the pan.

Tip: The maple glaze can also be used with a whole chicken or Cornish game hens.

CALORIES 625.18 (49% from fat); FAT 34.5g (sat 8.64g); PROTEIN 56.66mg; CHOLESTEROL 222.91mg; CALCIUM 59.39mg; SODIUM 457.81mg; FIBER 1.41g; CARBOHYDRATE 19g; IRON 3.98mg

From Real Simple, DECEMBER 2005

Green Chili Pork Stew

2 pounds lean boneless pork, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth, divided
3 cans (11 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained
2 celery ribs, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
3 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt, optional
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cornbread or warmed flour tortillas, optional

In a 5-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown pork in oil. Add 3-1/2 cups broth, corn, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, chilies, cumin, oregano and salt if desired; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat and vegetables are tender. Combine flour and remaining broth; stir into stew. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Serve with corn bread or tortillas if desired.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: One serving (prepared with reduced-sodium chicken broth and without added salt, and served without corn bread or tortillas) equals 306 calories, 12 g fat (0 saturated fat), 60 mg cholesterol, 466 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 23 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 meat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 fat.

From www.bestsimplerecipes.com

Hot Colby Ham Sandwiches

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 to 3 teaspoons sugar
15 dinner rolls (about 3-inch diameter), sliced
15 slices Colby cheese
15 thin slices deli ham (about 1 pound)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

In a small bowl, combine the butter, mustard, onion, poppy seeds and sugar. Place roll bottoms, cut side up, in an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Top each with Colby cheese, ham and mozzarella. Drizzle with half of the butter mixture. Replace roll tops. Drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 15 servings.

Here are instructions from another recipe that calls for similar sandwiches to be wrapped individually in foil.... Bake at 350° for 6-10 minutes or until cheese is melted, or freeze for up to 2 months.To use frozen sandwiches: Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 8 servings.

From www.rd.com

Ziplock Chicken

Someone requested the recipe. I got it from http://www.30daygourmet.com/. This is a great site for freezer recipes and information.

Ziplock Chicken

I used drumsticks, honey bbq sauce, and beer for our recipe!

--janet

July Exchange

Here is what was exchanged for our July meeting:

1. 2- 9x13 pans of Tuna Tortellini Gratin:

To prepare:

Thaw at room temperature before cooking.

Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Cover the dish with aluminum foil & bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until bubbly. Remove the foil and slide the dish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.


2. 2- Honey-Pecan Chicken-you have 2 bags with 6 pieces of chicken in an olive oil & herb marinade, 2 bags of honey glaze & 2 bags of pecans.

To prepare:

You need 1/4 cup flour and olive oil.

Thaw chicken breast and cream sauce. Mix chopped pecans and flour together. Dredge chicken breast in flour mixture. Heat a small amount of olive oil in large skillet. Pan fry chicken breasts until golden brown & cooked through. Heat sauce over low heat until warm; do not boil.

To serve, place chicken on individual serving dishes and pour cream sauce over chicken breasts.

3. 2- bags of Inside-out Burgers.

To prepare:

Thaw & grill. Top with cheese, if desired.

4. 2- 8x8 pans of Brushetta Chicken

To prepare:

Thaw and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

5. 2- 9x13 pans of Farmer's Casserole

To prepare:

Thaw and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.

6. 2- bags of brisket

To prepare:

Thaw and warm to desired temperature.

7. 4 bags- 1 pound and 1 bag of 2 pounds of Where's the Beef Sauce or Magic Meat

To prepare:

Can be used for lasagna, sloppy joes or tacos. Will post complete recipe.

8. 2- bags of Tina's BBQ Jerk Chicken. You have 6 pieces of chicken in each bag.

To prepare:

Can be prepare as kabobs or as a Caribbean Jerk Style. Will post complete recipe.

9. 2 bags of Sweet & Sour Kielbasa

To prepare:

Thaw and serve over rice or eat by itself.

10. 2 bags of Sausage Calzones. 8 per bag.

To prepare:

Thaw and reheat in OVEN. Dip in pizza or spaghetti sauce.

11. 2 bags of Ziplock BBQ Chicken

To prepare:

Thaw. Grill or slow cook in crockpot.

12. 2 bags of Italian Mac & Cheese.

To prepare:

Thaw. Add 1/2 or 1 pound of pasta. Top with mozzarella cheese.

-misti