Spaghetti and Meatballs

Kittencal's Italian Melt-In-Your-Mouth MeatballsMixture of 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork 
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (or use enough to hold the meat together 
1 -2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic 
1 -2 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup milk (can use up to 1/2 cup milk)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional, or to taste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tablespoons dried parsley)
Directions: 1 Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 2 Shape into small meatballs (at this point you can place on a jelly-roll/baking sheet and freeze to use later, or cover with plastic wrap refrigerate up to 24 hours before using). 3 Drop the meatballs into simmering pasta sauce, do not stir for at least 20 minutes or you will risk breaking the meatballs. 4 Continue cooking in the simmering sauce for another 20 minutes (depending on how fast your sauce is simmering 40 minutes total should fully cook the meatballs). 5 After the 40 minutes cooking time continue cooking your sauce with the meatballs in for as long as desired. 6 **note** you may also bake the meatballs at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until cooked through

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/kittencals-italian-melt-in-your-mouth-meatballs-69173?oc=linkback

Chicken and Cheese Chimichangas

2 1/2 c. shredded or chopped cooked chicken
2/3 c. Pace picante sauce
1/2 c. green onions chopped
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
8 flour tortillas
1/4 c. melted butter or margarine
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Combine chicken, picane' sauce, onion, cumin, oregano and salt in a saucepan; simmer 5 minutes or until most liquid has evaporated. Brush one side of the tortillas with butter. Spoon about 1/3 cup meat mixture onto center of unbuttered sides; top with 2 T cheese. Fold 2 sides over filling; fold ends down. Place seam side down in 9x13 baking dish. Bake 475 degrees about 13 minutes or until golden brown. Top wit guacamole, picante' sauce, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes or olives as desired!

June Navajo Tacos

June 2012
Jill
Navajo Tacos

Meat & Bean Mixture:
1 lb ground beef – cooked and crumbled
1 packet taco seasoning (follow instructions on packet and add to the beef)
2 cups pinto beans (you can use 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, or cook raw beans in a crock pot like I did. 1 cup of raw beans will make about 3 cups of cooked beans.)
Stir the beans and hamburger together

Also provided with your meal:
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 container of sour cream
16 frozen Rhodes rolls
¾ cup powdered sugar

You will need vegetable oil for frying rolls
Suggested toppings:
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Chopped onions
Salsa

TO PREPARE: Thaw and heat the beef and beans. Thaw rolls and work into flat circles. Fry each side in vegetable oil at 375° until golden brown. Place desired amount of beef and beans on the scone and top with cheese, sour cream, and other desired toppings. If you have left over scones, you may shake the warm scones in a baggie with powdered sugar for dessert.

Read more at http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2010/04/fabuless-freezer-cooking-navajo-tacos.html#jV7wt5476UfmcDBJ.99

August Turkey Burgers with Rosemary Garlic Mayonnaise

I made the Mayonnaise mixture, separated it into two parts, mixed one part with the ground turkey and set the other half aside. I added all additional ingredients to turkey mixture and froze it. 

 To complete the meal, just divide the ground turkey mixture into 8 patties and finish the recipe as directed.

Ingredients

Mayonnaise:

• 2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/6 cup dried rosemary leaves
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Burgers:

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Buns:

• 8 sandwich rolls or burger buns
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups arugula, divided

Directions

For the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.

For the burgers: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill panover medium-high heat. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.

Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.

To assemble the burgers: Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula and finish with the top half of the bun.

May Chicken Crescent Bundles

May 22
Caley Shannon



Yup, I think the serving sizes were for 6-8 people.

Chicken Crescent Bundles

1pkg. cream cheese (8oz.) (I used 2/3 less fat cheese.)
 4 T. butter
 2 t. Italian seasoning (or 2 T. chives)
 2 T. milk
 1/2 t. salt
 3/4 t. pepper
 4 c. cubed cooked chicken
 1/2 c. crushed seasoned stuffing

Directions:
 1. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 2 T. butter, chives, milk, salt and pepper until smooth. Stir in the chicken. Unroll crescent dough and separate into eight rectangles; press perforations together. Spoon about 1/2 c. chicken mixture onto the center of each rectangle. Bring edges up to the center and pinch to seal. Brush with remaining butter. Sprinkle with crushed croutons, lightly pressing down. Transfer to two ungreased baking sheets. Cover one baking sheet and freeze until firm; transfer squares to a covered container. May be frozen for up to 2 months. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min. or until golden brown. To use frozen ones: Thaw in the fridge and bake as directed.

May Chicken Tacos

May 21

Ashley Bracken



4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
 1cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
 1can (15 oz.) black beans, undrained
 1cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Cheddar Cheese
 1 cup rice
 I made one and a half of the recipe for each meal.

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May Pulled Pork

May 21
Charity Blau Moore

I cooked the pork roasts in garlic salt and coke all day, and then shredded them and cooked them in the barbeque sauce recipe I found online on foodnetwork.com:

Ingredients

2 cups ketchup
 1 cup water
 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
 5 tablespoons sugar
 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
 1 tablespoon lemon juice
 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

May Spaghetti and Meatballs Hoagies

May 20
Jaclyn Heugly Becker

spaghetti and meatballs hoagies. 

The spaghetti sauce and meatballs will be in a ziploc bag, you will just have to heat those up in a crock pot or whatever you want, cook the spaghetti and then put the spaghetti on the hoagie, top with warm sauce and meatballs and cheese slices, then put in oven and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted how you want. Or you can just do meatball hoagies, or whatever makes you happy!

May Turkey Meatloaf

May 20
Mindy Langford



I am excited to see you all on Tuesday! Are you all still good with Dino Mine at 8pm?

Here is my Turkey Meatloaf recipe. TAKE IT OUT THE DAY BEFORE YOU WANT TO EAT IT SO THAT IT IS ALL THE WAY THAWED.

2 tablespoons butter
 1/4 cup chopped onion
 1/2 cup chopped celery
 1 apple - peeled, cored and chopped
 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
 1/2 cup shredded cheese
 2 eggs
 1/4 cup milk
 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch loaf pan.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion, celery, and apple until the onion is translucent and the apple is softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Let the mixture cool.

In a bowl, mix the cooked apple mixture with the bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, milk, and poultry seasoning until well combined, and lightly stir in the ground turkey. Do not over mix or the meatloaf will be tough.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, and bake in the preheated oven until the loaf is cooked through to the center, about 45 minutes.

May Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

May 18
Erica Lowry Lewis

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup:

1 onion, chopped
 1 can chili beans
 1 can black beans
 1 can whole kernel corn
 1 can tomato sauce
 1 can chicken broth
 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
 1 package taco seasoning
 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
 shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
 sour cream (optional)
 crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
 Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours.

Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

May Cheesy Sausage Potato Bake

May 16
Jill Edwards Ison

Cheesy Sausage Potato Bake

 2 packages (12 oz each) bulk pork sausage
1 medium bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 eggs

I will assemble the sausage, hashbrowns and cheese to freeze. I will cook the peppers and onions and put them in a seperate bag (for the picky eaters like my husband) to freeze as well. I will give you the dry Bisquick because I don't think it will freeze well after it's cooked. You will mix the milk, eggs, black pepper, and Bisquick and pour it in a pie tin. Then you pour the other ingredients on top and bake it at 400 for 30-35 min.

April Tomato Bacon Pasta

April 13
Joy Turnbow Frandsen

Tomato Bacon Pasta

1 pkg. of bacon
 A sliver of garlic
 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
 1 Tbsp. of olive oil
 1 box of pasta

Cook bacon with garlic, drain most of the grease, add the diced tomatoes and olive oil and simmer.
I was told by several people that this meal didn't freeze well with the noodles in it, so I am bringing the mixture frozen and the box of pasta separate.

April Taco Soup

April 13
Caley Shannon

Hi Ladies! I plan to make a taco soup but am not sure what type of container to freeze it in. I've never frozen soups before. Any suggestions???

Besides these ingredients, it's suggested to serve it with corn chips, cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream on top. Yum!

• 1 pound ground beef
 • 1 onion, chopped
 • 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
 • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans with liquid
 • 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
 • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
 • 2 cups water
 • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
 • 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
 • 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

April Sloppy Joes

April 12
Erica Lowry Lewis

Instead of Beef Stew I was thinking Sloppy Joes:

Sloppy Joes
 1 pound lean ground beef
 1/4 cup chopped onion
 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
 3/4 cup ketchup
 3 teaspoons brown sugar
 salt to taste
 ground black pepper to taste

April Easy Italian Sausage Lasagna

April 11
Ashley Bracken

Easy Italian Sausage Lasagna

1/2 pound Sausage
 1/2 pound ground beef
 1 (26 ounce) jar chunky pasta sauce
 1 (15 ounce) can tomato spaghetti sauce
 1 (8 ounce) package lasagna noodles
 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese/ cottage cheese
 1/4 cup basil
 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
 1 clove garlic

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April Crockpot Chicken

April 10
Mindy Langford



Here is my recipe for this exchange:

Italian Crockpot Chicken

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
 1 can cream of chicken soup
 1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
 1 packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

Combine soup, cream cheese, and dressing mix. Pour over chicken in crock pot and cook all day on low heat. Serve over rice or noodles.

April Tatertot Casserole

April 2
Sarah Whitehead Sidwell

For my beef dish...a classic

TaterTot Casserole

1lb ground beef
 1/2 small onion chopped
 1 can cream of mushroom soup
 1/4 cup milk
 1 cup cheddar cheese
 1 bag mixed veggies
 1 pkg TaterTots

I will be making the mixture but bringing the mixture and tots in two separate bags. When ready to make, put mixture on bottom, tots on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 375 for 35-45 min. Enjoy!

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April Ham and Potato Soup

April 15
Jill Edwards Ison

Chef John's Ham and Potato Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
 1 medium onion, diced
 1 medium carrot, diced
 1 rib celery, diced
 8 ounces smoked ham, diced
 3 cloves garlic, sliced
 3 tablespoons butter
 1/4 cup flour
 4 cups chicken broth
 2 cups water
 1/2 cup heavy cream
 salt and pepper to taste
 cayenne pepper (optional)
 chopped fresh chives for garnish (optional)

April Taco Soup

March 29
Jaclyn Heugly Becker

I am doing a taco soup, here is the recipe

To Freeze:
 Place into each gallon bag (Fills TWO gallon ziplock freezer bags):
 1lb browned meat mixture
 ½ packet taco seasoning (approx. 1 Tbsp)
 ½ packet ranch dip (approx. 1 Tbsp)
 1 can corn (undrained)
 2 cans stewed tomatoes (undrained)
 ½ can pinto beans (undrained)
 ½ can kidney beans (undrained).
 Mix with hands well and then seal making sure to get all air out of bag. Place in freezer.

To Cook:
 Thaw in fridge over night or well enough to get out of bag.
 Cook over low heat until warmed through (about 30–40 mins).
 OR you could place in your crockpot on low all day (be sure to stir a few times)

Serving Suggestions:
 - serve with tortilla chips or Doritos and favorite taco fixings (grated Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, sour cream, black olives, cilantro, etc.)

Tip: This recipe can be used several different ways when using up leftovers… the first serving will be soup like, but after that it begins to thicken up a little more every time you re-heat. Eat as soup with sour cream & taco chips, or Cincinnatti style over spaghetti noodles. You can also put it on hamburger buns like sloppy joes or use it to top a green salad with some sour cream and taco chips – like a taco salad.

Italian Chicken (August Meal)

Italian Slow Cooker Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (I used Zesty Italian)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
fresh ground pepper to your liking
*2 potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges to use on cooking day.

Combine all ingredients in Ziploc bag, label and freeze.

Thaw and place content of bag in slow cooker on low for 6 hours.  Add potatoes wedges for last two hours of cooking.  Cooking times can change due to your own slow cooker.

SIDE NOTE, I FORGOT TO GIVE YOU POTATOES, SO I HAVE 10 POUNDS OF POTATOES IF ANYONE NEEDS THEM FOR NEXT MONTH, AND I ALSO HAVE AN EXTRA LARGE BOTTLE OF ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING.  IF ANYONE CAN USE THEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW I FIGURED THEM INTO THE PRICE OF THE MEAL AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE GROUP SO I WOULD PREFER IF THEY COULD BE USED FOR EVERYONE.