What We Have Been Eating

I'm still doing freezer meals on a regular basis.  It has basically changed out family's life.  We are eating much better these days and I'm still in love with freezer meals a year later.  Here a recent list of stuff made for this month. I may have to stop declaring myself a terrible cook because some of these have been amazing so far.  Now if I could just learn to love cooking...


FAVORITES & Repeats:


Butternut Squash Pork Roast
Ppork roasts (about 2 to 3 pounds each)
1 whole butternut squashes cut into one inch cubes
1 tablespoons dried thyme 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste

Cook in crockpot on low 6 hrs. 

Pistachio Crusted Chicken

1 cup chopped pistachios 1/2 cup bread crumbs 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons honey salt and pepper to taste 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch strips

Mix together pistachios and bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together Dijon mustard, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper until smooth. Dip chicken into Dijon mixture to coat, then coat with bread crumbs
Bake at 375 degrees until the chicken is no longer pink and the pistachio coating is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
 
BBQ Chicken Salad
BBQ sauce
INGREDIENTS: 1-1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar, packed, 1-1/4 cups Ketchup, 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar, 1/2 cup Water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, 2-1/2 teaspoons Ground Mustard, 2 teaspoons Paprika, 1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Measure and add all ingredients to a large bowl and whisk well until the sugar has dissolved and the spices are thoroughly distributed. Serve immediately or cover and store in fridge or freeze!
Crockpot chicken low for 4-6 hrs, shred chicken.  Serve as a salad with cheese, corn, black beans, tomatoes, tortilla strips, avocado, BBQ ranch, etc....

Cranberry Chicken
4 lb.  Chicken breasts, 1 can  (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce, 1 bottle CATALINA/french Dressing, 1 env.  onion soup mix
Bake at 350 for 50 min or crockpot low 6 hrs or high 4 hrs. Serve over rice

Korean Beef
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (depending on how spicy you like it), salt and pepper, 1 bunch green onions, diced
Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.
 
Chicken Alfredo
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/08/guiltless-alfredo-sauce/

Spaghetti
Spaghetti- Meat, tomato paste, tomato sauce, chopped veggies and onions, spaghetti spice packet.  Thaw and serve over pasta.

Taco Meat

NEW THINGS
Enchiladas
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean) , 1 large onion, chopped or season with Onion powder or minced onion , 2 1/2 cups salsa , 1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained , 1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing , 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning , 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin , 6 flour tortillas (8 inches) , 1 small can of drained corn, or about 1 1/4 cups of frozen corn (optional) , 3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream *Note: I used 1/2 cup , 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend, 1 cup shredded lettuce , 1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Ceaser Chicken Sandwich
2 lbs chicken breasts, 1 bottle of your fav g/f caeser dressing, 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Crockpot chicken low 4 - 6 hrs.
Serve with parmesan cheese and lettuce as a sandwich or wrap

Baked Potato Soup (Never doing this one again, sorry)
Ingredients: 8 baked potatoes (flesh scooped out and the skins reserved for potato skin recipe), 4 baked potatoes, chopped in cubes with skin on, 6 tablespoons butter, 1 onion, finely chopped, 1/2 cup carrots shredded, optional, 4 tablespoons flour, 8 cups chicken stock , 4 cups water, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp. thyme, 1 cup half and half, 1 cup milk, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bake potatoes in microwave or oven. Scoop out interior for the recipe; save potato skins for another use. As potatoes cool prepare soup by melting butter in a large stockpot, and saute onion and carrots. Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux. Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add chopped baked potatoes, cheese, half and half and milk. Bring back to a boil and reduce heat to simmer and simmer for about thirty minutes or longer. Serve with a tablespoon of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and/or chives or green onions

Freezer Burritos
Ingredients: 1 box Mexican/Taco rice, 1 lb Ground beef/turkey, 1 cup salsa, 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, Cheese
Tortillias (I used rudi GF tortillas, they worked great after I heated them up in the microwave 2 at a time between 2 damp paper towels for 20 secs)

Ground the meat and cooked the rice and then added everything together.  Heated the tortillas, put some cheese on the tortilla, scooped mixture on the tortilla, wrapped it up, wrapped it in tin foil and froze.
To warm up take out of tin foil and pop in microwave on high for 2 ½ min turning over once.

Cilantro Lime Chicken
3 pounds large chicken breasts 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese 8 tablespoons garlic, chopped,  1 tablespoons shredded lime zest, 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste 1 teaspoons garlic powder 1 cups fresh cilantro leaves (do not include stems)

Crock pot on low 4 hrs.
 
Annie’s Tostada Meat
2 lbs. ground beef or turkey, 1 can El Pato Tomato sauce, 1 tsp. Cumin, salt and pepper to taste

Creamy season pork
Southwest chicken and white bean soup
Cilantro lime chicken
Taco salad (meat and beans)
Lemon chiken
Smothered enchiladas
Creamy chive chicken
 

Recent Freezer Meal Menu

After a food themed holiday, I realized I had not posted about freezer meals in awhile.  Here is what is for dinner at the Fishy household.

BBQ Pot Roast- Gluten free BBQ sauce and a beef roast

Chipotle Chicken
Freeze 1 lb. Small red potatoes cut, Chicken, 1 chipotle pepper finely minced and 2 tbs. of the sace, 1 tbs. lime juice, ¼ cup heavy cream together.  Put in crock pot on low for 6-8 hrs.  
Add ½ cup sour cream, 12 oz. spinach leaves for 10 minutes or until wilted.  Serve.

Shredded Pork-
Cover pork roast in coarse salt and score it with a knife.  Keep the fat on.  Wrap tightly in tin foil and put in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours with a bottle of liquid smoke.  Shred and put back in juice.  Serve.
 
Ginger Chicken-
½ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 ½ tbs. grated fresh ginger, 4 cloves garlic minced, 1 tbs. fresh cilantro.  Cook on low for 2-3 hours

Black Bean Soup-
1 lb. black beans soaked overnight and drained, 2 tbs. vegetable oil, 1 large yellow onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic minced, 2 tbs. fresh cilantro or italian parsley minced, 2 quarts chicken broth.  Cook in crock pot on low 8-10 hours and serve with feta cheese in the bowl.

Chicken cous cous-
3 medium sliced carrots, chicken, 1 tsp. kosher salt, ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1 lemon thinly sliced, ½ cup water, 1 cup pre-cooked cous cous pasta, Cook on low 4-6 hours and add cous cous last ten minutes.

Taco Meat- Shredded Chicken and taco seasonings

Ranch house pork chops
Chili
Sweet and sour Chicken
Ranch Chicken
Creamy Basil and Balsamic Chicken
Cranberry Chicken
 
Red Stew- 
 Stew meat, 2 potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can tomato soup, ½ pkg onion soup mix, 1 can of water- cube beef into bite sized pieces. Place in crockpot. Peel and cube potatoes and carrots. Place veggies on top of meat. Add soup and water. Cook 8hrs on high. Stir and serve.

Taquitos-  cream cheese, green salsa, lime, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cilantro, green onions, chicken, pepperjack cheese, corn tortillas, kosher salt  

Lemon Garlic Chicken- salt, pepper, garlic powder, a lemon, chicken

Applesauce pork chops- sage, applesauce, simply apple juice, garlic salt, pepper. 

 Garlic Pork Roast- Garlic cloves, pepper, garlic salt and roast. It's heavenly. We like it plain or we make taquitos with a white cheese (mozzarella) avocado, lime, tomato or fresh salsa.

A couple more things I can't think of.  My favorites from last month were the Red Stew, Applesauce pork chops, salsa chicken rollups, lasagna rollups, taco soup, and chicken parmesean.  Last month was an especially good month.  

What's For Dinner This Month?

This month I chose too many complicated meals with too many ingredients.   I really should have taken a picture of the results of the day.  It was impressive. I was an extra long cooking day and I was exhausted. (It has been a long month anyway so that's nothing new.)  The major upside is that the meals will probably be better and I will be happier with them all month.  Never make too many different packs of chicken in just a sauce.  It makes for a long month.  I'm still in love with freezer meals.  My family (especially Two Fish) are as well because it means a month of happy dinners.  This month I ended up with 23 meals.  Yay.

The repeats that are loved-
Taquitos-  cream cheese, green salsa, lime, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cilantro, green onions, chicken, pepperjack cheese, corn tortillas, kosher salt

Baked Chicken Alfredo - This pasta (Lee Lee's was made with Quinoa pasta to make it gluten free) -http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/02/baked-chicken-penne-freezer-meal/ With this alfredo sauce http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/08/guiltless-alfredo-sauce/
 
Taco Soup- 1 lb ground beef, 1 medium onion, 1 Pk Taco Seasoning, 1 16 oz can corn, 1 16 oz can black beans (drained), 1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes, 1 14oz can diced green chilis, 1 8 oz can tomato sauce/paste- Bown meat and onion, drain - stir in taco seasoing, corn, black bean, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilis.
Add tortilla chips and other taco topping (cheese, sour cream, avacado)

BBQ Chicken Salad- BBQ Sauce INGREDIENTS: 1-1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar, packed, 1-1/4 cups Ketchup, 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar, 1/2 cup Water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, 2-1/2 teaspoons Ground Mustard, 2 teaspoons Paprika, 1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, DIRECTIONS: Measure and add all ingredients to a large bowl and whisk well until the sugar has dissolved and the spices are thoroughly distributed. Add to chicken.  Freeze.  Cook chicken in crockpot in crock pot on low for 4-6 hours. Shred. For BBQ chicken salad:lettuce, corn, avocado, mozzarella cheese, tortilla strips, diced tomatoes, black beans and add a little of BBQ sauce to ranch for the dressing!

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli- Ingredients, 1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips, 1 cup beef broth, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked, Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)- Directions 1. Place beef in a crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine. 4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine. 5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken). 6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Beef & Broccoli Calzone- (We made two batches of this.) 1 lb. cooked ground beef, Frozen bread dough, 10 oz. frozen broccoli, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, onion, 3.4 cup sour cream, 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp. salt.  Wrap in bread dough.  Thaw and bake.

Lemon Garlic Chicken- salt, pepper, garlic powder, a lemon, chicken

White Bean Chilli-(2 dinners worth for my family)  1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 medium onion, diced 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, (32 oz) chicken broth, 2 cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed.  Salt (to taste), 1 can corn, drained, Pepper (to taste), 1 can (4 oz) green chilies, 1 lime, juice

Fajitas- Leave chicken raw for freezing, McCormick Fajita Packet, sliced bell peppers and onion.  Thaw and cook in pan and put in tortillas.

Hawaiian Haystacks-  2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1 cup broth, 12 oz. evaporated milk, 10-12 Chicken tenders chunked.  Crock pot for 6-8 hours on low.  Serve over rice with the following topping options:  onion, celery, carrots, olives, pineapples, cheese, almonds, tomatoes, chow mein noodles, cheese, coconut, green peppers.
 
 New Things we are trying this month-
Tin Foil Dinners- 2-4 hamburger patties, White or red online, Carrots, Potatoes, Salt and pepper

Southwestern Chicken Roll-Ups- 6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, 6 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, 6 tablespoons picante sauce, 6 cilantro sprigs, 6 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, pound each chicken breast half to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Top each breast half with 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 tablespoon picante sauce, and 1 cilantro sprig. Roll up chicken beginning at narrow end.  Roll chicken in breadcrumbs. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Chicken Parmesan- 4 chicken breasts, ½ C dried breadcrumbs, 1 C shredded parmesan cheese, I Tbl oregano, 1 egg, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 2 tbl olive oil, ¾ C shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ C marinara sauce- In one bowl combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and oregano. In another bowl, lightly beat egg and salt. Brush both side of chicken with egg then lightly coat with crumb mixture. Cook chicken in skillet - 3 min each side. Add marinara sauce.

Honey Garlic Pork Chops - Ingredients: 1/8 cup honey, 1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tsp  minced garlic, 2 pork loin chops, boneless, trimmed of excess fat- In a shallow dish, whisk together honey, soy sauce and garlic. Coat chops in mixture. Reserve left over honey mixture for basting. Place chops on greased grill over med high heat, close lid and cook.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin- Ingredients: 1 (2 pound) boneless pork tenderloin (or regular pork loin), 1 teaspoon ground sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup water, Glaze- 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce- Directions: Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Lasagna Roll Ups- Lasagna noodles (6 per family), Spaghetti sauce, 1 (15 oz) container Ricotta Cheese, 1 large egg, 1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley (aka Italian Parsley, its about 1 small handful), chopped, 2 1/4 cups freshly grated Mozzarella Cheese, divided, 3/4 cup freshly, finely grated Parmesan Cheese, divided, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper- Once noodles are cooked, drain and immediately line noodles in a single layer on waxed paper or cookie sheets.  Prepare cheese mixture (I do this while pasta is cooking) by stirring together Ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper with a fork in a large mixing bowl until well combine.  Stir in chopped fresh parsley.  Add in 1 3/4 cups grated Mozzarella Cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese and 1/3 cup Romano Cheese, stir mixture until well combine. Stir meat sauce and spread 1/3 cup evenly into a 13x9 inch baking dish by tilting pan back and forth.  Spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto each cooked lasagna noodle, then spread 1 heaping tablespoon meat sauce along the top of cheese covered noodle.  Roll noodles up jellyroll style and arrange seam side down in baking dish Place rolled noodles in baking dish and cover with remaining meat sauce (about a heaping 1/8 cup over each) then sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese evenly over roll ups.  Tent lasagna roll ups with foil (don't allow foil to rest on cheese or it will stick you just want to loosely tent to prevent the cheese from browning) and bake in preheated oven. 30 min if thaw and 60 min if frozen.

Red Stew- Stew meat,2 potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can tomato soup, ½ pkg onion soup mix, 1 can of water- cube beef into bite sized pieces. Place in crockpot. Peel and cube potatoes and carrots. Place veggies on top of meat. Add soup and water. Cook 8hrs on high. Stir and serve.

Breakfast Burritos- Eggs, Sausage, Cheese, Salsa, Tortillas 

Boneless crockpot ribs- onion, ketchup, brown sugar, water, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce. 

Applesauce pork chops- sage, applesauce, simply apple juice, garlic salt, pepper. 

 Garlic Pork Roast- Garlic cloves, pepper, garlic salt and roast. It's heavenly. We like it plain or we make taquitos with a white cheese (mozzarella) avocado, lime, tomato or fresh salsa.