Warning, Warning....

CHICAS-
For my meals I made, I admittedly did not buy enough big chicken breasts. I had 1 and 1/2 big bags and it didn't stretch far enough. So, JUST SO YOU KNOW, and I know if you comment, that it probably won't feed 4 adults necessarily because each one basically has 2 big chicken breasts and 2 little ones. 2 adults, 2 kids, no problemo. Next time I'll over estimate so it feeds 4 adults for sure.

*** I believe though if you cut it into pieces and do it the skillet way it should be enough for 4 adults. So maybe do it that way****

We'll see! I'm a rookie, guys!!!!! :)

Chicken Macaroni Bake

from the Girlfriend on the Go cookbook

2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed

1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, macaroni, cheese, soup, milk and pepper. If freezing put in freezer bag or disposable pan. Otherwise, pour into a greased pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

Lemon Teriyaki Chicken

Hey chicas!! I don't know what else everyone has made in the past, but I thought I would try a marinade due to my spring fever. This has a little punch, but not enough for kids to not like it. Good over rice, and always salad!!! Salad enthusiast here. :) Hope it turns out.

Lemon Teriyaki Chicken
½ Cup lemon juice
½ Cup soy sauce
¼ Cup sugar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
2 garlic cloves chopped
½ teaspoon ginger
4 chicken breasts
Add all ingredients together in ziploc bag except chicken. Blend together. Add chicken and freeze. When ready to cook, pour everything into a casserole dish and bake or add to skillet and cook over medium.

Instructions:
* Thaw. To cook either: pour everything into a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake.
* Or, cut chicken into pieces and cook in skillet over medium.
* Or, Grill.
All options are good over rice (white or brown) with grilled veggies (or you can turn it into a stir fry by adding vegetables when in skillet) or salad. Bon Appetit!

PS-i promise i won't do chicken next time, looks like we've got an abundance! ;)

Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. cooked ground beef
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
15 1/4 oz. can whole kernal corn, undrained
15 1/2 oz. can red kidney beans, undrained
15 oz. can black beans, undrained
1 small onion, chopped
1 env. hidden valley ranch
1 env. taco seasoning

Cooking Directions:
Combine all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Freezing Directions:
Follow cooking directions above, cool the soup, and place soup in freezer bag or freezer container. Seal, label, and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw soup and reheat on the stove top or in a slow cooker. Garnish with cheese and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips.

Please let me know if you'd rather have me cook something else. This is the only soup my husband will actually eat as a meal, so I cook it often because I love soups :)

Kalua Pork & Barbara Bush BBQ sauce

Kalua Pork

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs of pork shoulder
2 tbsp of liquid smoke
6-8 tbsp of kosher salt

Marinate:
* Rub the liquid smoke and kosher salt all over the pork shoulder
* Let it marinate overnight.

Cooking:

Bake:

• Wrap pork well with foil and place it in a baking dishes
• bake at 325 degrees for 4-5 hours or until the pork can shred easily. (Depends on your pork size)

• When you believe the pork is ready and easy to shred, take it out of the oven.
• Shred pork and sprinkle a little more salt if not enough to your taste.

Crockpot:

• Set it on High and cook for 4-8hrs until the pork can shred easily. (Depends on your pork size)
• Turn pork once while cooking.
• When you believe the pork is ready to shred, turn off the crockpot.
• Shred the pork in the crockpot so that any left over flavor will soak back into the pork. Sprinkle more salt if needed.

Side dishes: rice and veggies, macaroni salad, romanine lettuce(eat like a burrito with rice) or eat it like a burger

Barbara Bush BBQ Sauce
(Makes about 6 cups)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups of water
1/4 cup of cider vinegar
3/4 cup of sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup yellow mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 cups ketchup
6-8 tbsp lemon juice
Cayenne or red chili flakes to taste

Cooking Directions:
* Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, butter, mustard, onions, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the onion is tender.
* Add the worcestershire sauce, ketchup, lemon juice, and cayenne or red chili flakes and simmer another 45 minutes.
* Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 wks. Reheat before serving.

Freezer Meal:
* Thaw the pork in the crockpot or baking dish. Keep the plastic wrap on so any thawed liquid smoke will soak back into the pork.
* Remove the plastic wrap and start cooking as directed above.
* I only gave people about 1 cup of the BBQ sauce just in case they wanted to eat the kalua pork with rice. Reheat the BBQ sauce separately from the pork shoulder.

Tomato chicken

6 chicken breasts
1 t seasoned salt
1 t garlic salt
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T flour
1/2 sliced onion (will use dehydrated chopped onion - they are tiny)
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green pepper (am omitting the green pepper and adding extra red)
2 (15 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
2/3 soup can of water
2 t Worcestershire sauce

Crock pot: Thaw. Dump all in the crock pot and bake on high for 4-5 hours, until chicken is baked through.

Serve with rice and veggies.

If anyone would rather bake in the oven, let me know.

Herb and Cheese-stuffed burgers

1/4 cup shredded chedddar cheese
2 Tbsp. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
3 tsp. Dijon mustard, divided
2 green onions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried sage leaves
1 lb. ground beef

In small bowl, combine cheddar cheese, cream cheese, parsley and 1 tsp. mustard; set aside.

In another bowl, combine the onions, bread crumbs, ketchup, salt, rosemary, sage and remaining mustard. crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into eight thin patties. Spoon cheese mixture onto center of four patties; top with remaining patties an press edges firmly to seal.

Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160 deg. and juices run clear. Serve burgers on rolls with lettuce and tomato if desired.

Pizza

I was thinking about changing to do Pizza this time. I was thinking though of how I would freeze it. Would people be ok with me making the dough and giving you all the topping for you to roll out and put on or do you want me to make the pizza and put the topping on and then freeze it so all you have to do it move it to the oven. It would take up more room in the freezer this way. Just a thought. Let me know in the comments.

Lime Pepper Chicken

6 Chicken breasts
1/2 tsp lime peel
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients in freezer bag. Freeze

Instructions from freezer. Allow to thaw. Pour lime pepper chicken into a casserole dish. preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve. great with rice.

I did this as a bake and cooked it in a pan with all the marinade and it took a long time to cook. About 45 minutes.
If you want to grill it or put it on a cookie sheet and just bake it as chicken it would take 20-30 minutes.

Hawaiian Chicken

Did this meal feed for 4 adults? How did it taste and would you like it repeated?

Side dishes: rice or mashed potatoes or salad

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast or thighs 8 pieces
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp mustard
• ½ cup crushed pineapple
• ½ cup brown sugar

Preparation:

Depending on how you cooking this, will depend on how you prepare this dish.

• Mix all the ingredients except the chicken in a small bowl.
• If grilling or baking: place chicken and frozen veggies (baking only) into a ziplock gallon bag. Pour sauce into the bag and place in the refrigerator for 1-2hrs. For best favor, marinade it overnight. Turn the bag over 1-2 times to make sure all the sauce gets over all the chicken.
• Crock pot: place chicken and frozen veggies in the crock pot. Pour sauce all over the chicken. Use a spoon to mix the sauce around.

Cooking:

• Bake at 350 degrees for about 45mins
• Crockpot: Set at high for 4-6 hrs until chicken is tender. Stir a few times to be sure all the chicken is getting enough flavor.
• Grill until cooked

Freezer meal directions:

• Thaw meal until chicken is soft and add your frozen veggies according to how you are going cook this meal. (See above)
• Cook!

Cajun Braised Skillet Chops

Did this meal feed 4 adults? How did it taste and would you like it again?

(Makes 2 Entrees)

1 Tray Pork Chops (6-8lbs)
1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 tbsp black pepper
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cup chicken broth
1 (15oz) can whole sweet corn, drained
1 (14 1/2oz) can petite cut tomatoes
2/3 cup diced onion
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 one gallon freezer bags
2 one-quart freezer bags

Prepare:
* Lay out two shallow dishes. Put the egg whites in the dish. Mix the Parmesan, pepper, and Cajun seasoning int the other. Dip the chops into the egg, then dredge in the Parmesan coating.
* Place each chop onto a rimmed baking sheet. When all the chops are coated, place in the freezer for 1 hour. Discard remaining egg and Parmesan mixture
* In each 1 quart bag, measure 2/3 cup chicken broth, 2/3 cup tomatoes, 2/3 cup corn, 1/3 cup onion, and 1 tbsp garlic. Seal
* Divide frozen chops evenly among the 1 gallon freezer bags. Place one bag tomatoe mixture into each bag of chops.

Cook:
* Completely thaw one entree in the refrigerator
* Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Fry chops 3 minutes on each side; remove from pan.
* Pour broth and vegetables into pan. Gently scrape browned bits from bottom; reduce heat to medium-low. Return chops to pan. Simmer, cover, 15-20 minutes, turning chops occasionally, or until an instant thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop reads 160 degrees F.

Chicken Manicotti

I changed the recipe a little bit because after going to 3 stores I couldn't find manicotti shells. So I boiled the chicken and shredded it. Stuffed it with Spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning. I filled the shells and put in disposable tins. The freezer recipe said to do uncooked shells. I am wondering if this turned out well or not. I though next time I should cook them a little bit. When I cooked them the shells were a little harder than I would have liked.
Here's the recipe written from the Girlfriends cookbook:
2Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
10 uncooked manicotti shells
1 Jar of spaghetti sauce
1 can of mushrooms
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup water

cut chicken in 1 inch strips and brown in olive oil and garlic powder. spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce in pan. stuff chicken into uncooked manicotti shells and place on top of spaghetti sauce. top shells with mushrooms and pour remaining sauce over top. sprinkle with cheese. pour water aroudn the edges of dish. cover and bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes.

if freezing cover with plastic wrap and then foil. Remove plastic wrap and recover with foil before baking.

Pauline's style of beef and broccoli

Did this meal feed 4 adults? How did it taste and would you like this repeated?

Ingredients:
½ lb. of beef flank ¾ lb broccoli (or however much you want
½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup water
½ tsp sugar

Marinade the beef:
½ tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce:
½ cup water
1 tbsp oyster sauce
½ tbsp sesame oil
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch

Cooking Directions
Cut the beef into thin, bit-size pieces and mix in the marinade. Marinade the beef for at least ½ hour for good favor. Separate and cut off broccoli flowerets from stem. Steam the broccoli or boil in water with a dash of salt. Broccoli should be a little soft inside. Remove immediately and drain. Either place the broccoli into a serving dish or wait to mix into the beef sauce mixture. Stir fry the beef until beef is cooked medium rare. Add in the sauce; stir and mix well for 30 sec. Add in the broccoli or pour the sauce mixture on top of the broccoli. For a little kick, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.


Cook Freezer Meal directions:
First thaw out the meat. Thaw broccoli half hour before cooking.(Depends on how frozen the broccoli looks.) Keep sauce mixture in freezer until ready to be mix in. Stir fry the beef until beef is cooked medium rare. Because broccoli was in the freezer, I recommend you stir in the broccoli with the beef. Once you think the broccoli is warm enough, add the sauce mixture. Ready to eat!

10 Rules and informations about doing Freezer meals.

1. If you don't think or can not follow through with doing the freezer meal exchange, please don't commit to the group. Everyone in the group expect a certain number of freezer meals for what they did in exchange. (We hope everyone can understand that)
2. Depending on how many people are in the group will depend on how many meals to make. A
3. Prepare a meal to feed 4 adults. Use freezer gallon ziplock bags or disposable 9 x9 pans. If you have resusable 9x9 pans you can ask people to give them back to you after they are done with your meal.
4. Make sure you know what people dislike in their meals. Have this hanging or handy when creating these meals. Here are the list so far:

*Juliann's family: void whole or half mushrooms & olives

* Eileen's family: void onions but powder onion is ok. Also family is allergic to ALL NUTS

* Kristi's family: void mushrooms

* Tiffany's family: don't like any peppers or onions, but she will still cook with all those things since her hubby Justin likes them. So cut them extremely small or cut them large enough to pick out.

5. Let everyone know as soon as possible what you will be cooking.
6. Put names on each container or freezer bag for who the meals goes to.
7. Directions of cooking the meal. Make sure to tell people if it would be best to thaw the meal out before baking. Post your recipes on blog if it is not already on the blog
8. Juliann has freezer space to help storage some meals but it is limited. So let her know in advance.
9. Have your meals already frozen for the day of drop off and pick. It usually takes 1-2 days to freeze depending on your meal.
10. Please make comments about all the freezer meals so that we can always improve.

Chicken Pot pie

What it enough to feed 4 adults? How did it taste?

Recipe:

Ingredients:
* 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and diced
* 1 (16oz) bag of frozen mixed vegetables
* 1 can cream of chicken soup
* 3/4 cup milk or cream
* 1 (double) ready to bake pie-crust
* Seasoning to taste

Mix together soup and milk until smooth. Stir in veggies. Add chicken and then mix again. Pour into pie crust. Cover the top crust. Cut 3-6 slits in the crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 mins. Top crust should be golden brown. Cool for 15 mins. before serving.

Freezer meal directions:
* Thaw a few hours before baking, otherwise you would have to bake longer.

Cheesy Funeral Potatoes with Ham

Did this meal feed 4 adults? How did it taste and would you like this repeated?

Ingredients:
1 (2 lbs.) bag frozen, cubed; or shredded hash browns
1 family size can of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1 cup fat free plain yogurt or sour cream
2 tbsp. parsley
2 tbsp. dried onions
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
chopped ham

Mix all ingredients together. Place in a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Freezer meal: Thaw before baking otherwise it would take longer to bake.

Jammin Apricot Chicken

Did this meal feed 4 adults? How did it taste and would you like this repeated?

Meatloaf

Did it feed 4 adults? How did it taste and would you like this repeated?