Posted in - 2013 Swap Recipes, - Meatless, - Pork, - Poultry, - Red Meat, - Seafood/Fish, Meal Swap Recipes

Meal Swap: Friday Group’s Sept. 2013 Menu & Recipes

Sept. 2013

Fish/Seafood:

Fish Tacos – Lindsey M.

20130909-113458.jpg

1 1/2 lbs. tilapia
1 egg, whisked
1 cup panko
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. canola oil
10 tortillas
1 lime
Mango Salsa

Prep Day: Rinse the tilapia fillets and dry them with paper towels. Slice them into 2″ long pieces and place them onto a plate. Pour the whisked egg over the fish and make sure each piece gets covered in the egg wash. In a Ziploc bag, mix panko, paprika, thyme, oregano, pepper, salt and oil. Place your egg-coated fish into the bag, seal and shake. Once the fish is coated in panko, freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw fish pieces, and tortillas. Spread the pieces onto a foil-lined sheet pan. Bake in the oven @ 425 for 12 to 15 minutes until the panko is golden brown. Meanwhile, heat your tortillas on a pan or skillet on med-hi, heating both sides until slightly hardened. Serve with lime and salsa (provided) and any of your other favorite taco ingredients.

Lemon Horseradish Fish Cakes – Gretchen

20130909-113917.jpg

Makes 16 cakes

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds tilapia fillets (about 6)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (from about 2 lemons)
3 tablespoons bottled white horseradish
1 1/2 cups coarse saltine cracker crumbs, store-bought or homemade (see note)
Tartar sauce, for serving (optional)

Prep Day: STEP 1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush each of two rimmed baking sheets with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Place fillets on sheets; season with salt and pepper. Roast until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely; pat dry with paper towels. With a fork, flake fish into small pieces.

STEP 2 In a large bowl, combine eggs, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice, and horseradish. Fold in fish and 1/2 cup cracker crumbs; season with salt and pepper. Place remaining 1 cup crumbs on a plate. Form 16 cakes, using about 1/4 cup fish mixture for each.

Serve Day: Take cakes out of bag and thaw flat. Gently dredge cakes in crumbs, pressing to help adhere. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Place cakes in skillet; cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Serve with tartar sauce, if desired.

Poultry:

Bacon Wrapped Sage Chicken Tenders – Vanessa

20130909-114447.jpg

Fresh sage leaves
Bacon slices
Chicken tenders
Olive oil (you provide)

Prep Day: Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice. Freeze.

(Note to Swappers: sorry…Due to my schedule and not being able to get the chicken tenders in enough time. I wasn’t able wrap the tenders. You will need to do them.)

Serve Day: Thaw. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through, 6 minutes. With tongs, transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain.

Creamy Italian Chicken – Simone

20130909-120520.jpg

Recipe to Come…

Beef:

Beef Stroganoff – Carolyn

20130909-120954.jpg

2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 T. parsley
1 3/4 lb. boneless beef round steak cut into strips
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1/2 evelope dried onion soup mix
Jar of mushroom pieces drained
1/2 cup of sour cream
egg noodles

Prep Day Directions: Combine spices, meat, soup, water and soup mix. Place in freezer bag and freeze. Place mushrooms, sour cream and noodles in seperate bag.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw ingredients and place in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. (Check meat at 6 hour mark.) Stir in mushrooms and sour cream. Cover and cook on high 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Serve with noodles.

Meatless or Your Choice:

Waffles and Breakfast Sausage – Carrie

20130909-121814.jpg

Serve Day Directions:

I would suggest warming them up in either a toaster oven or the oven at 400 for maybe 5 minutes (or obviously until they’re warm). Sausage should be heated in a skillet over medium heat for approx 8 min, flipping half way.

Lasagna Roll Ups – Lindsay L.

20130909-122015.jpg

1 lb. lasagna noodles
15 oz. ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 lg. egg
10 oz. frozen spinach
2½ cups marinara sauce
to taste salt and pepper
as needed non-stick spray

Prep Day: Get a large pot of water boiling with a dash of salt. When it comes to a full boil, add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente (soft but not soggy… about 12-15 minutes). When they are finished cooking, drain in a colander.

While the noodles are boiling, prepare the filling. Thaw the package of frozen spinach in the microwave and then squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Combine the spinach in a bowl with the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, freshly grated pepper and about ¼ tsp of salt. Mix until well combined.

When the noodles and filling are ready to go, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a glass casserole dish by spraying with non-stick spray.

On a clean surface, lay out a few noodles at a time. Place a few tablespoons of filling on each noodle and spread to cover from edge to edge. The filling does not need to be thick because once the noodle is rolled up, it will be compounded. Make sure to spread it all the way to the edges of the noodles.

Roll the noodles up and place in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat until all of your filling is gone (there may be some noodles left over, these are “back ups” in case any of the others rip during assembly). Pour the marinara sauce over the rolled noodles making sure to cover all surfaces. The sauce will keep the noodles hydrated and soft while baking. freeze.

Serve Day: Cover the dish in foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or divide into individual portions and refrigerate.

Pork:

Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce and Jasmine Rice – Heather T.

20130909-122437.jpg

2 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 4 pieces
1/3 cup prepared teriyaki sauce (use a high quality brand)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 sliced red/colored peppers
¼ cup creamy peanut butter (you provide)
¼ cup dry roasted peanuts
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 pkg. Trader Joe’s rice

Prep Day Directions: Place tenderloin, teriyaki sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic into a gallon size freezer bag. Label and store in freezer until ready to use. Peanut butter, peanuts, and green onions should only be used on cooking day.

Serve Day Directions: Let slow cooker freezer kit thaw 24 hours in the refrigerator. It might still be a little frozen but that is fine. Dump the whole kit into the slow cooker and follow the steps. *I did not include the 1/2 cup of peanut butter needed. (I assumed everyone has this on hand. You will need to add this at step 2 of instructions. Also green onions don’t freeze very week so I gavel those seperately with the peanuts.)

Step 1. Place all ingredients (except peanut butter, peanuts, and green onions) into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. ** Mine was done at around 6 ½ – 7 hours. Pork should be tender but not falling apart (unless that is the consistency you like) The original recipe called for a cooking time of 8-9 hours on low but that would have been way to long for my slow cooker – the pork would have been completely dried out. Know your slow cooker and keep an eye on it around 6 1/2 hours.

Step 2. Remove pork from slow cooker and chop into bite size chunks. Add the peanut butter to the sauce. Stir until it dissolves into the sauce. Step 3. Return the pork to the slow cooker and toss with the sauce. Serve over brown jasmine rice. Sprinkle with peanuts and green onions. To cook Trader Joes rice, microwave 3 minutes, EACH bag seperately.

Posted in - Meatless, - Pork, - Poultry, - Red Meat, - Seafood/Fish, Meal Swap Recipes

Meal Swap: Wednesday’s Sept. 2013 Recipes

Sept. 2013 Menu for Wednesday’s Group

Choice-

Kristine: chicken cordon bleu pie

20130822-163419.jpg

1/2 lb. cubed cooked chicken
1/2 lb. cubed cooked ham
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chive-and-onion sour cream potato topper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 eggs Chopped fresh chives, if desired

Prep Day Directions: Cook and cube chicken. Cube ham. Mix chicken, ham and cheese and pour in a bag. In medium bowl, mix Bisquick, salt, pepper, milk, broth, sour cream, mustard and eggs with whisk or fork until blended and pour in a bag.

Serve Day Directions: Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Layer chicken, ham and cheese in pie plate. Pour Bisquick mixture over cheese in pie plate. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (Can also broil the top to brown more.) Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with additional sour cream and fresh chives.

Kellie: Creamy chorizo and chicken empanadas

20130911-161713.jpg

1/4 large yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp. olive oil
10 ounces pork chorizo
7 ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup yellow corn kernels
3 ounces cream cheese
1 1/2 cups Cotija – I substituted parmesan cheese for ours
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 prepared pie crusts

Prep Day Directions: Saute diced onions and chorizo in olive oil for about five minutes on medium heat, to give the chorizo a head start on cooking. Stir in chipotle peppers, chicken, and corn kernals and let cook for another five more minutes. Once you are confident that the chorizo is cooked through (about ten-twelve minutes total), add in the cream cheese, cotija (parm), and red wine vinegar. Stir together until fully incorporated. Remove from heat and add chopped fresh cilantro. For the crust, I cut refrigerated, ready-made pie crust dough into quarters (I used two crusts, for a total of eight empanadas). Add a heaping tablespoon to the middle of each empanada and flatten. *Pull one side of the crust over to the other and seal shut with a fork, crimping along the edges to seal. If sides are not sealing, use an egg wash along edges.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw in fridge. Make an egg wash by whisking together an egg yolk and cream or milk. Brush the wash lightly over the top of each empanada. This will make the empanada crusts golden and shiny. Arrange on a baking sheet (spray first with nonstick) and bake for twelve minutes or until golden brown. Serve nice and warm. Leftovers are great with eggs as a breakfast burrito or with a bit of extra cheese as a quesadilla. These are a bit more spicy than expected just as a heads up.

NA/Euro-

Emily: pull apart beef sandwiches

20130822-163859.jpg

2 1/2 lbs. lean chunk roast
1 large onion sliced
1 envelope onion soup
1 can tomato soup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T Worcester sauce
1 T lemon juice
1 T Dijon mustard

Prep Day: Combine all ingredients and pour over roast. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw completely put in slow cooker. Put on low for 8-10 hours or high for4-5 hours. Before severing pour the juice in a small sauce pan on stove top. Let boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes. Shepard beef and serve with sauce.

Erin: out for Sept

Ital/Med-

Bridget: chicken Italiano

20130822-162925.jpg

16oz frozen spinach
8oz cream cheese
4 boneless chicken breast halved
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 t oregano
4oz Mozzarella
2 fresh tomatoes

Prep Day Directions: Combine spinach and cream cheese put in freezer bag Chicken in bag Breadcrumbs in bag Cheese in bags.

Serve Day Directions: Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs Heat olive oil cook chicken 2 mins Press spinach mix on bottom of 13×9 pan Put chicken on top layer tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese Bake 350 for 30 mins.

Jenica: pesto chicken penne

20130822-164058.jpg

1 package penne – 16oz
6 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 cups (16oz) Italian cheese
3 cups spinach
1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz)
1 jar Alfredo (15 oz)
1 jar pesto (10 oz)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp olive oil

Prep Day: Cook pasta and chicken. In large bowl add chicken, cheese, spinach, tomatoes, Alfredo, pesto and milk. Add pasta – combine and transfer to large 9×13 OR 2-8 in square greased baking dish. In small bowl combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil – sprinkle over casserole cover with tin foil, and freeze for 3 months.

Serve Day: Thaw. bake 350* for 40-45 minutes.

Asian/Ind-

Kirsten: Asian pork tenderloin

20130822-164329.jpg

1/3 c light (low sodium) soy sauce
1/4 c sesame oil
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
3 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 lb pork tenderloin (I used two 1 lb loins)

Prep Day: Mix all ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Place tenderloin in a ziplock bag and pour mixture over. Shake bag to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate over night before freezing.

Serve Day: To grill: Grill on low-medium indirect heat slowly. Then carve into 1/2 inch pieces. To bake: Preheat oven to 325 and place loins in shallow pans lined with foil. Pour remaining sauce over the loins and bake for 1 hour. Carve into 1/2 inch pieces. *since each oven varies, you’ll have to check for doneness. There were mixed reviews about how long and at what temperature but the consensus was longer at lower temp was much tastier and more tender.

Ashley B.: Thai beef stir fry

20130822-164510.jpg

Marinade & Sauce –
3 tablespoons fish sauce (a brown liquid that comes in a glass bottle, found in the Asian section of your grocery store or find half an aisle of fish sauces at any Asian supermarket)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1.5 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1.5 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1/3 teaspoon Sriracha (hot Asian chili sauce, add more if desired)– left this out due to request

18 oz. flank or sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1/4 in strips

Stir Fry –
4 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 medium onion, sliced thin
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
3/4 of each: red, yellow and green bell pepper, seeded and sliced in strips- or a bag of frozen stir fry veggies
3/4 cup bamboo shoots (canned, jarred or fresh)
4-5 Thai basil leaves, sliced thin (fresh Italian basil can be used) Garnish
1/2 cup roughly chopped peanuts for garnish
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

Lime wedges for serving
Serve with Jasmine Rice

Prep Day: Mix fish sauce, rice vinegar, water, brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce and srichacha ( if wanted) in a bag and add the beef. Toss and lay flat to freezer until needed. In a separate bag, combine onion, garlic, bell peppers and bamboo shoots. Seal and freeze until needed.

Serve Day: Thaw marinade and beef completely, bringing to room temperature. Allow the beef to marinate for at least 20 minutes to absorb the flavors. Heat 3 tsp of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Remove the beef from the marinade and add to the hot skillet. Reserve the marinade since it will be added to the skillet later. When the beef is browned with dark brown edges, add the frozen vegetables from the vegetable packet and cook, stirring frequently until they begin to soften, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and stir for another minute until the sauce is thickened. Take off the heat and stir in the Thai basil leaves. Serve over steamed rice and top with chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro. Finish with a lime wedge on the side.

SW/LA-

Nicole: southwest chicken skillet

20130822-164723.jpg

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (you provide)
1.5 lb chicken cut into pieces
1 package frozen corn,broccoli and peppers
16 oz 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups of thick and chunky salsa
2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
1.5 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper (you provide)

Prep Day: Put chicken in one bag. Put salsa and vegetable in an another bag. Put cheese in another bag. Put chips in another bag. Put bags in freezer, keep can of beans separate.

Serve Day: Thaw bags. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil, stirring occasionally, until brown. Salt and pepper as desired. Stir in vegetables, beans and salsa; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cover 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and crisp-tender. Sprinkle with tortilla chips and cheese. Cover and cook about 3 minutes until cheese is melted. * Don’t know if I would do broccoli against with this recipe.

Ashley K.: southwest sloppy joe packets

20130822-164848.jpg

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chunky salsa
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 cup cheese
2 tubes crescent rolls

Prep Day Directions: Brown ground beef. Add salsa and taco seasoning. Put beef mixture into freezer bag and freeze. Package cheese in small ziplock and put into bag with crescent roll tubes.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw meat mixture. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine 2 crescent roll triangles by squishing the dough at the seams. Put 1/2 cup meat mixture in center and top with a sprinkling of cheese. Fold crescent roll over meat mixture to create a packet. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Posted in - Meatless, Budget Friendly

Frugal Fridays: Pesto Rosso Grilled Cheese with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

Pesto Rosso Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

20130725-130723.jpg

Serves 6

12 slices good Italian bread – $3.19
6 tablespoons softened butter, divided – $.65
6 tablespoon prepared pesto rosso sauce – $1.02
6 slices provolone cheese – $1.79
6 slices American cheese – $2.45
Box of roasted red pepper tomato soup – $4.49

Total Cost – $13.59
Cost Per Serving – $2.27

Prep Day Directions: Spread one side of a slice of bread with butter Spread the top of the bread slice in the skillet with half the pesto sauce, and place a slice of provolone cheese and the slice of American cheese onto the pesto. Spread remaining pesto sauce on one side of the second slice of bread, and place the bread slice, pesto side down, onto the sandwich. Butter the top side of the sandwich. Place all sandwiches in large two gallon freezer bag and separate by using wax paper.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F Arrange sandwiches on baking sheet Bake in preheated oven on the bottom rack for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and bake for another 6 minutes. They will brown on the bottom so you would have to keep an eye on them using this method. It’s a quick way to have them all cooked at once for you. You can also do whatever is most convenient for you, frying ect. Prepare soup based according to directions on box.