Meal Swap Recipes – Page 47

Ziploc Perfect Portions Bags are one of the latest innovation from the Ziploc Brand. They’re used for storing and freezing bulk foods and individual portions of poultry, meat, fish, and more. These are great if you shop the sales and stock up on items like ground meat, chicken breasts, and fish. They’re also much easier and cheaper to use than a food vacuum sealer.

Here’s how I use them when fish is on sale. We love salmon especially, because it’s tasty and full of healthy omega-3s! Buying a whole fish is almost always cheaper per pound than buying it in already cut up into steaks? Pleas tell the butcher behind the fish counter that you want buy the whole fish. They should be able to cut the fish into steaks for you, if you ask. You should get the whole fish per pound price, but do not for get to ask first.

When you get your fish home, open the package of fish, grab a Perfect Portions Bag and slip your hand inside the bag. Then grab the salmon steak through the bag, pull the bag over the fish while holding on to it. Let go of the salmon steak, push the air out of the bag, twist it and then place it into a Ziploc brand freezer bag. Your hands never touches the raw fish, so you don’t need to worry about clean up or contamination. Plus, using the double bag system also help protect against freezer burn.

You can always try marinating your fish or meat before placing it in the Perfect Portions Bag. Then all you have to do is defrost and grill it!

A friend of mine uses Perfect Portions Bags that makes taco night easy. She likes buying ground beef in bulk during the stock up sales. She browns it and drains any fat by placing the cooked meat in a colander in the sink. A simple tip is where you can rinse cooked ground meat under the faucet to get rid of more fat. Then lay the meat on a paper towel to absorb any water or fat.) She then freezes it to use in later in her favorite recipes.

You can do the same thing with lean ground beef, turkey or chicken. Then weigh out a pound portion of already cooked meat to use in tacos, chili or taco soup. Just place the cooked ground lean meat in a Perfect Portions Bags and freeze for later use. For many recipes there’s no need to thaw out the meat. Just add it to your recipe while you’re cooking!

If you have taco night at your house, take it a step further and combine the browned meat with your favorite taco seasonings and cook it like you normally do. You can always make a double, triple or quadruple sized batch. Let it cool, then divide into a portion your family would normally eat. A pound or two depending on your family’s size and if you like leftovers is the best. Add the already cooked up taco meat to a Ziploc Perfect Portions Bag and freeze. Then all you have to do is thaw out a bag in the refrigerator the night or morning before.

If you forget to thaw it out, just heat it up in the microwave. Ziploc Perfect Portion Bags can be used in the microwave on the defrost setting only. Place bag on a microwave safe dish and cook until warm. One word of caution, do not overheat contents as the bag may melt. Instead, you may want to remove it from the bag. Then heat it up to the desired temperature and serve with refried beans, veggies, homemade guacamole, fresh salsa, cilantro and corn tortillas.

Ziploc Brand products are available in grocery, mass merchandise and drug stores nationwide at suggested retail prices ranging from $1.09 to $4.59.

Friday AM Meal Swap Menu and Recipes

Our all our recipes are to serve 6.

Seafood/Fish:

Vanessa – Caesar Flounder

Caesar Flounder

Modified Let’s Dish Recipe

Serves 6-8

9-10 Flounder filets (3lb. Bag at Sam’s Club/18-20 fillets in each bag)
3⁄4 cup (6oz.) Philadelphia Cooking Cream
3 oz. Caesar dressing
10oz. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
1 oz. Grated parmesan cheese

You Provide: aluminum foil for grilling

Prep Day: Place fish in 2 gallon freezer bag, Set aside. Place cooking cream and Caesar dressing mixture in a quart freezer bag, Set aside. Place bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a new quart freezer bag and seal. Place fish, cream and bread crumbs bags in a 2 gallon sized freezer bag, seal, label and then freeze.

Serving Day:

For Oven: Thaw in fridge overnight or more. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Place filets into pan. Brush the filets with the cream mixture and coat with the breadcrumbs cheese mixture on both sides of the filets. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until internal temp reaches 140°F.

For Grill: Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Place one piece of fish in each piece of foil. Brush the filets with the cream mixture and coat with the breadcrumbs cheese mixture. Crimp edges of foil over and seal packets well. Place on grill and cook for 10 minutes, turn, and cook for a remaining ten. When fish no longer appears opaque remove from heat. Allow packets to stand for 5 minutes before opening.

Sarah – Honey Soy Marinated Tilapia

6 Tilapia Fillets
9 T Honey
9 T Soy Sauce
9T Balsamic Vinegar
3 Clove Garlic minced

Prep Day: Mix last four ingredients in a shallow dish, put in freezer bags and add fillets. Freeze.

Serve Day: Fully Thaw. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place entire content in casserole dish and Bake for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes

Poultry:

Ann – Savory Crescent Chicken

Serves 4

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 tablespoons milk
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
4 tablespoons bread crumbs

Prep Day: Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter; beat until smooth. Add chicken and milk; mix well. Separate or cut dough into 4 rectangles. If using crescent dough, firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle. Pull 4 corners of dough to center of chicken mixture; twist firmly. Pinch edges to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with crushed croutons. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

To Freeze: Allow squares to cool and freeze in freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Serve Day: Thaw squares in fridge overnight. Re-heat in oven or microwave. (Oven works better.)

Lindsay L. – Wahoo Chicken Lasagna

1 Lb. chicken breasts,boneless and cubed
2t. oil
2T. Wahoo! Chili Powder
1T. Garlic Garlic
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese,shredded
4 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese,shredded
9(6″) corn tortillas
10 oz. can mild enchilada sauce
1/2 jar corn and black bean salsa
sour cream
green onions,sliced

Note: Garlic Garlic and Wahoo Chili seasonings are from Tastefully Simple but you could use a chili seasoning and a mix of dried garlic and dried onions in a pinch.

Prep Day: Saute chicken in oil. Add Wahoo chili seasoning and garlic garlic. Set aside. Toss cheeses together. Place 3 tortillas(cut to fit) in the bottom of a greased 8×8 pan. Layer with 1/2 chicken mixture,1/3 cheese mixture and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce. 2nd layer: 3 more tortillas cut to fit,then salsa and 1/3 of the cheese mixture Last layer: final 3 tortillas,1/2 of the enchilada sauce,1/2 of the chicken and rest of cheese. Cover with foil and freeze.

Serve Day: Bake with foil on for 35-40 minutes at 350. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes Serve with sides of sour cream and sliced green onions

Jen – Summer Marinated Chicken

6 boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil ( I use Olive oil)
2 teaspoon and 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1 TSP and 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon and 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vineagar
1 tablespoon LEMON JUICE
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon SALT
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon finely minced fresh parsley

Prep Day: In a medium bowl, mix together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in dry mustard, salt, pepper, and parsley. Put chicken breasts into a large freezer bag and pour in mixture. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw. Place in shallow casserole dish, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes, let sit for 5 minutes while juices absorb.

Beef:

Heather G. – Meatballs and Garlic Bread

24 italian meatballs, cooked
2 cups (16 oz.) spaghetti sauce
3 slices provolone cheese, halved
3 hoagie rolls, cut to remove middles
3 tbsp. oil
3 tsp. garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Prep Day: Put meatballs and sauce in large freezer bag. Cut cheese in half and small freezer bag. Split rolls in half. Brush each roll with oil and minced garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put back together, wrap in foil and place in large freezer bag. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw everything. Simmer meatballs and sauce to heat through. Split rolls and place, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Scoop 4 meatballs on each hoagie roll half. Top with two slices of halved cheese. Place under broiler for one minute or until cheese is melted.

Megan – Beef Bourguignonne with Egg Noodles

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 pounds beef stew meat
3 bacon slices, chopped and divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups sliced carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry red wine
2 1/4 cups less-sodium beef broth
16oz mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
7 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (one package)

Prep Day: Combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add beef; seal and shake to coat.

Cook half of bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add half of beef mixture to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining bacon and beef mixture. Remove beef from pan; cover and keep warm.

Add chopped onion, sliced carrot, and minced garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in red wine and broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add bacon, beef, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mushrooms, tomato paste, chopped thyme, bay leaves, and pearl onions; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw in fridge overnight. Cook Uncovered (simmer) 1 hour or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaves. Serve beef mixture over noodles.

Meatless or Your Choice:

Heather T. – Vegetable Enchiladas

Serves 8

Note: For meal swap I modified this to serve 6, and also used half flour, half corn tortillas. 2 enchiladas/person=12 total

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Prep Day: Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, spinach, corn, scallion whites, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper.

Lightly oil baking dishes; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute. Or stack and wrap in aluminum foil, and heat in oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Top each tortilla with a heaping 1/3 cup of filling; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes. Freeze. Freeze the sauce separately. Freeze the remaining cheese separately.

Serve Day: To bake from frozen: Thaw sauce in refrigerator overnight (or microwave on high 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove foil from only the top of enchiladas and place directly in pan. (you can just trim the edges so you won’t have to clean the pan) Sprinkle the cheese over the pan. Pour sauce over enchiladas; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove foil, and bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Cool 5 minutes before eating.

Pork:

Lindsey M. – Pork Chops and Cream Corn

6 chops
6 potatoes
2 cans of corn

Prep Day: Brown pork chops on each side. Cool. Place in freezer zip lock bag with cream corn.

Serve Day: Pour thawed pork chops and corn in baking dish. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Wrap potatoes in foil. Prick with fork. Bake along side pork chops for 1 hour.

Gretchen – Sweet and Sour Pork

2 lb cooked pork, cut into strips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp cornstach
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1/2 tsp cloves
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup frozen sour cherries or canned, pitted cherries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cupb butter/margarine

Prep Day: Place pork strips into casserole. In a saucepan combine brown sugar, cornstarch and broth, stirring until smooth without any lumps. Add cloves and bay leaf. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring until thickened. Add sour cherries, lemon juice and butter/margarine then bring to a boil. Pour mixture over pork in casserle, then bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes. Cool and freeze into serving size container(s).

Serve Day: Defrost and reheat in saucepan. Serve over rice.

Category: Meal Swap Recipes

Product Reviews: Ziploc Perfect Portions Bags

Protected: Meal Swap: Friday October 2012 Menu Vote

Friday’s Meal Swap Sept. 2012 Recipes

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