Basic Red Sauce: Large Batch

From "Fix, Freeze Feast" by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik

Makes about 40 cups, or 10 quarts, or 2 1/2 gallons

1 (111-ounce) can tomato paste, halved, or 4 (12-ounce) cans
8 cups hot water
1/2 cup dried parsley
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced garlic (about 36 cloves)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 (106-ounce) can tomato sauce, or 4 (28-ounce) cans
1 (102-ounce) can diced tomatoes, or 4 (28-ounce) cans [NOTE: I used crushed tomatoes instead.]
several 1-gallon freezer bags

1. Mix tomato paste and hot water in a large stockpot until smooth. Stir in parsley, onion, garlic, sugar, salt, basil, oregano and thyme.
2. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes; mix well. Do not cook.
3. Measure sauce into appropriate portions for immediate use. Divide remaining sauce evenly among 1-gallon freezer bags for later use.
4. Seal and label each bag with the amount of sauce inside. Freeze.

TO ENJOY
1. Completely thaw one bag in the refrigerator.
2. Use in a recipe calling for tomato sauce, or simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 20 minutes and pour over your favorite pasta.
3. To use in a meat sauce, brown and drain 1 pound lean ground beef for every 8 cups of sauce; add cooked beef to sauce and gently reheat.

Tex-Mex Chicken Fingers

From "Fix, Freeze, Feast" by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik

Makes 3 entrees, 12 fingers each

1 tray (about 6 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken half-breasts
4 eggs, lihtly beaten
6 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3 (1-gallon) freezer bags, labeled

1. Rinse and trim chicken and cut each half-breast lengthwise into three strips. Set aside.
2. Place eggs in a shallow dish.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, cumin, garlic, chili powder, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl.
4. Dip each piece of chicken first into the egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded chicken pieces onto one or more baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid.
5. Once the chicken fingers are frozen, remove from baking sheets and divide evenly among the 1-gallon freezer bags. Seal and return to the freezer.

TO COOK ONE ENTREE
1. Completely thaw one entree in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 350.
3. Bake chicken fingers on a greased baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until chicken pulls apart easily and is no longer pink in the center of the thickest portion.

December Menu Plan (date to be determined)

Janet
Chicken Cheese Soup
Beef and Broccoli Calzone
Chicken Cacciatore

Misti
Pulled Pork Chili
Chicken and Dumplings
Steak Stroganoff Pasta
Waffles, Pecan Sticky Buns (optional)

Kathleen
Chicken Lasagna Alfredo
Tex-Mex Chicken Fingers
Taco Soup

Jen
Meatloaf
Rouladen
Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

Teressa
Chicken Parmigiana
Feta and Spinach Lasagna Rolls
Beef Barley Soup
Basic Red Sauce

Dump Honey Sesame Pork Chops

Dump Honey Sesame Pork Chops

½ cup beer
3 Tablespoons sesame seeds
3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cloves crushed garlic
about 3 pounds pork chops or pork loin

mix all indgredients and put in a freezer bag. Freeze.

dump into the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti
From Diana Rattray, Your Guide to Southern Food. (altered for the freezer)

INGREDIENTS:
4 to 6 chicken breasts, cooked, reserve broth
1 bell pepper. green or combination, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, (with green chiles), I drained the rotel
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 package shredded cheddar cheese, (16 ounces)
1 package spaghetti, (16 ounces) --save for serving day


PREPARATION for freezer:
Place chicken in a crockpot with chicken broth and cook on low for about 6 hours. When chicken is cooked, shred or chop.
In a plastic freezer bag add chicken, onion & green peppers, soups, Ro-Tel, and stewed tomatoes and cheese. I then stirred it with a spoon (in the bag), sealed the bag, and squished it a little more to mix it up.

On serving day: Thaw the sauce. Boil the spaghetti, drain. Mix sauce and spaghetti together and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens and is bubbly.

This method works great if you have to make a number of batches. If you would just like to make one I suggest you check out the original recipe at: About.com

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 :-)

Mexican Meatloaf

Serves 4-6

2 pounds ground beef
2 cups crushed corn or tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup salsa
2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix well.
Shape meat mixture into loaf and place in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 8-10 hours.

Tip: For a glaze, mix together 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon dry mustard. Spread over meatloaf. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 minutes.

Freezer modifications: After cooking cool and freeze. To serve, thaw in refrigerator and reheat for 30 minutes in 350 degree oven. Or, from frozen, reheat in 350 degree oven for 90 minutes.

Source: Rival CrockPot Slow Cooker Recipes

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1/4 cup honey mustard
8 thin slices deli ham
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup crushed pretzels

Cut a horizontal slit in one side of each chicken breast half to within 1/2 in. of the opposite side. Spread honey mustard inside each pocket; stuff with two ham slices.
Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Brush with butter; sprinkle with pretzels. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings.

Freezer modifications: After assembling, flash freeze individually and place in freezer bags. Thaw and bake as directed, or bake from frozen for 90 minutes.

From bestsimplerecipes.com

Mexican Manicotti

Serves/Makes: 6 | Difficulty Level: 3 | Ready In: > 5 hrs

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 package manicotti shells 8 oz
2 1/2 cups water
1 jar (16 oz) picante sauce
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican style cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
sliced ripe olives (optional)

In a bowl combine the UNCOOKED beef, beans, chili powder, & oregano. Spoon into UNCOOKED manicotti shells, arrange in a greased 13"X9"X2" baking dish. Combine water & picante sauce, pour over shells. cover & refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover & bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover, spoon sour cream over the top, sprinkle with cheese, onion & olives if desired. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Modify for freezer: After assembling, freeze. Thaw completely in refrigerator before baking.

From http://www.cdkitchen.com

Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

Serves 4

1/2 roast or rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded
6 scallions, thinly sliced
Coarse salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeno chile, quartered (removed ribs an seeds for less heat, if desired)
1 t chili powder
8 corn tortillas (6 inch)
1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and scallions. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a blender, puree the pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 1/2 cups water, 2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth (hold the top firmly as the blender will be quite full). Pour 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.

Lay the tortillas on a work surface; mound the chicken mixture on half of each tortilla, dividing evenly. Roll up each tortilla into a tight log; place seam side down over the sauce in the baking dish.

Pour the remaining sauce on top; sprinkle with the cheese.

Freeze.

Thaw. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese in golden and the sauce is bubbling. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Everyday Food's Great Food Fast. From the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living.

Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple

Serves 4

4 slices (each 1/2 inch thick) fresh pineapple
3 T dark hoisin sauce
2 t grated peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t Dijon mustard
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
Coarse salt
Fresh ground pepper
Quick Ginger Sauce (below)

Heat the broiler. Place the pineapple slices on a foil-lined baking sheet.

In a small bow, combine the hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic and mustard.

Place the pork on a broiler pan fitted with a rack. Brush with the hoisin mixture; season with salt and pepper.

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.

Quick Ginger Sauce:

2 T dark hoisin sauce
2 T pineapple juice
2 t grated peeled fresh ginger
1 t soy sauce
fresh ground pepper

In a small bow, stir together the hoisin sauce, pineapple juice, ginger, and soy sauce; season with pepper.

Source: Everyday Food's Great Food Fast. From the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living.

Cashew Chicken

½ cup catsup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 whole chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces or 1 package chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup cooking oil
2 tablespoons fresh gingerroot, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 can bamboo shoots, drained and sliced
1 ½ cups cashews
2 cups cooked white rice

Combine Catsup, soy sauce, salt,Worcestershire Sauce, sugar, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, and chicken broth and set aside.

In a bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt.

Toss the chicken with cornstarch mixture.

Heat a wok or frying pan to a high heat and add cooking oil.

When oil is hot add chicken.

Add gingeroot, garlic and onion.

Stir fry mixture until chicken is cooked through and opaque.

Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.

Add catsup/soysauce mixture to chicken and vegetables and cook until it comes to a boil.

Cool, bag and freeze.

Save cashews for serving.

Thaw bag in fridge overnight. Reheat over medium heat until just boiling. Add cashews. Serve over rice.

Simple Sailsbury Steak

1 can of mushroom soup
1 pound of ground beef
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

In a bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of the soup, beef, bread crumbs, egg, and onion. Shape firmly into 6 patties. (If you are using raw meat, you can freeze it now and brown the mushrooms and freeze them too, or you can freeze everything after cooking)

In a skillet over medium heat, cook patties, a few at a time, until browned on both sides, spoon off fat, set aside.

Stir in remaining soup and mushrooms, return the patties to the skillet, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until done, turning patties occasionally.

Allow to cool and place patties and sauce into freezer bag. Lay flat to freeze.

To COOK: Allow to thaw. Reheat and eat!

SOURCE: www.christysclipart.com

Magnificent Casserole Recipe

Ingredients
2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
8 ounces Cream Cheese
1 tablespoon Green Pepper -- minced
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Swiss Cheese -- grated
8 ounces Egg Noodles -- (package)
1 pound Cottage Cheese
1/3 cup Green Onion -- chopped
2 cups Tomato Sauce

Directions
1.In a large pan, cook noodles in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain & set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream. Add onion and peppers. Set aside.
3. Brown ground beef & drain any fat. Add tomato sauce to ground beef.
4. Grease 9 x 13 inch cake pan or casserole dish, and arrange the following layers: Noodles, cheese mixture, meat mixture - then repeat. Top with grated Swiss cheese.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Note: If you will be freezing this casserole for later use, you may want to reduce or omit the amount of green pepper and onion which are used, as they have a tendency to get stronger over a long period of time.

Recipe from Group Recipes.

December Meals

Misti:
Beef & Broccoli Calzones (10)
Simple Salisbury Steak with Brown Gravy (6 steaks)
Freezer Mashed Potatoes
Cashew Chicken

Janet:
Tator Tot Casserole (1 9x13 pan)
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Honey Sesame Pork Chops

Jennifer:
Bruschetta Chicken Bake (1 9x13 pan)
Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple
Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

Tina:
Magnificent Casserole
Parsley Parmesan Chicken (8)
Chili

Teressa:
Mexican Meatloaf
Pretzel Crusted Chicken
Mexican Manicotti

Many of the recipes are already posted. We will post the others shortly!