Category: Types of Foods

Jan. ’14 Menu and Recipes Wednesday Swappers

***All recipes serve 6 unless otherwise specified.***

Choice–

Erin: cheese steaks

Adapted from Fix, Freeze, Feast

Makes 3 entrees, 6 servings each

6 lbs. sirloin tip beef or other beef suitable for slow cooking
6 tsp beef bouillon granules
3 cups water
3 large green bell peppers, cut into strips (I used red)
3 large onions, cut into strips
18 slices cheese (I used swiss)
18 bread rolls

Prep Day Directions: Put 2 lbs beef into gallon freezer bag. Into each bag put 2 tsp bouillon and 1 cup water. Divide bell peppers and onions evenly into quart size freezer bags Divide cheese into 6 slice portions, enclose in plastic wrap.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw in the refrigerator or cook straight from freezer. Put beef and broth into slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the beef is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove beef from broth and set aside until cool enough to shred. Reserve broth. Preheat oven to 350 Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and stir-fry until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Slice open rolls. Divide beef and vegetables evenly among the rolls. Place a slice of cheese inside each sandwich; close and wrap in foil. Heat in oven for 10 minutes. Serve with broth for dipping.

Emily: beef stroganoff

2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1T. parsley
1- 3/4 lb. boneless beef round steak cut into strips
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1/2 envelope 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 separate 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.

North American/European –

Jenica: tater tot hot dish

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 (32 ounce) package tater tots
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 package of mixed veggies
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Prep Day: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onions. Drain excess fat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir the soup, the milk, and veggies into the beef until smooth; pour over tater tot layer. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese evenly over the top. You can put the tots on the top or bottom – either depeding on if you want them crispy or not

Serve Day: thaw beef mixture put into 9×9 pan with tots and cover with cheese Bake at 350 for 30-40minutes

Bridget: scalloped potatoes and ham

1.5 lb ham
6 potatoes
2 cups broccoli
I can cream soup
1.5 cup of water
Cheese

Prep Day Directions: Cut ham, wash, slice and blanch potatoes. Add all ingredience but cheese to freezer bag

Serve Day Directions: Put in crock pot mad cook low med for 6 hrs or you can put on stove top. Add cheese at the end and enjoy

Italian/Mediterranean –

Ashley B: pizza hot dish

1.5 lbs ground beef
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt dash pepper
2 (10 oz) cans pizza sauce
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c sliced pepperoni
1 c 2% milk
6 oz (1 inch) noodles

Prep Day Directions: Cook and drain noodles. Brown beef and onions, drain grease. Add seasoning, pizza and tomato sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add cheese, pepperoni, milk and noodles. Mix until cheese is melted and stringy. Top with pepperoni and more grated cheese.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw overnight. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Kirsten: Zuppa Toscana

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 small diced onion
2 (14oz) cans chicken broth
1/4 c real bacon bits
2 large potatoes, halfed and sliced
4 c water
1 c heavy cream
2 c chopped kale

Prep Day Directions: Brown sausage with onion and garlic. Combine water, broth and potatoes. Simmer until potatoes cook. Add bacon, kale and cream then simmer another 10 minutes. Let cool and pour in ziplock. Freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw bag completely in fridge (I would put in large Tupperware in case of leaking) Heat up on stove in saucepan.

Asian/Indian –

Nicole: Thai slow cooker pork

2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips (1/2 bag of frozen tricolor frozen Trader Joes’s peppers)
4 (8 ounce) boneless pork loin chops (can use a more inexpensive cut of meat)
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (you provide)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Toppings:
1/2 cup chopped green onions (you provide)
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1 to 2 limes, cut into wedges

Prep Day Directions: Put slow cooker ingredients into freezer bag. Put in freezer. Put topping ingredients into another bag. Put in fridge.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw bag. Coat a slow cooker with cooking spray. Empty into slow cooler. Cover and cook on low until the pork is very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Can be put on high for 4 hours for faster cooking. If more peanut butter flavor is desired- Once pork is tender, remove the pork from the slow cooker, and whisk in 1/4 cup peanut butter until smooth. Return the pork to the slow cooker, and cook 10 minutes more. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with green onions and peanuts to garnish. Decorate with lime wedges to serve.

Southwestern/Latin American-

Kristine: slow cooker SW lasagna

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb. shredded Colby-Jack cheese
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 jar (24 oz) salsa
1 cup (8 oz) plain yogurt (I also added garlic and onions while browning the beef.)
3/4 cup water

Prep Day Directions: Brown beef. Combine beef, beans, salsa and spices. Bag it. Freeze flat. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt and cheese. Bag it. Freeze flat. Label bags and box of noodles.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw all bags. Put beef mixture into a bowl and stir in 3/4 cup water. Place a small amount of beef mixture in the bottom of a greased slow cooker. Top with three lasagna noodles, breaking if necessary. Continue the layers with cheese, sauce, noodles until you have three layers. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours on high for 3-4 hours. (I did low for 6 hours and it was perfect!) Serve with tortilla chips, corn bread or garlic bread!

Kellie: chicken tamale pie

1-9oz diced cooked chicken (I used 3 rotisserie chickens to make 9 meals)
1-4.5oz chopped green chilies, drained
2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 cup mexican blend cheese (4oz)
1-11oz. whole kernel corn w/ green and red peppers
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup bisquick mix
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

Prep Day Directions: In a medium bowl, mix chicken, chilies, and taco seasoning together and put in a quart sized bag; set aside. In medium bowl, stir together Bisquick mix, cornmeal, milk, egg, and mexicorn until blended and pour in gallon size bag. Put cup of cheese into small baggie. But all 3 baggies together and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw in refrigerator over night. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 9 inch pie plate with non-stick spray. Pour chicken mixture into pie plate and sprinkle with cheese. Pour corn mixture over the chicken and cheese mixture and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Cut into wedges and serve. Optional: Lettuce, Sour Cream & Salsa

Next Swap: Will be at Kirsten’s house on 2/12/14 at 8:30pm. Please submit your finished recipe to the blog on the Monday before swap. Thanks for your cooperation!

March 2014 Rotation:

Your Choice – Nicole and Ashley K.
North American/European – Kristine and Kellie
Italian/Mediterranean – Emily and Erin
Asian/Indian – Bridget and Jenica
Southwestern/Latin American – Kirsten and Ashley B.