Posted in - Poultry, - Red Meat, Meal Planning

Meal Planning Mondays: Recipes to Try the Week of 2/25 – 3/3/13

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Meal Planning Mondays are an experiment to see what works for my family. I like trying new recipes. I have too many pins on Pinterest that are not being utilized. This week I committ to making these recipes…Ranch Chicken Sandwiches and Pot Roast & Veggies. These recipes will continue to be made ahead time and frozen.

Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

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4 Whole Chicken Breasts
1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix (The dry kind)
1 C of Water or Chicken broth
Ciabatta bread or another kind of great roll
Romaine lettuce – optional
Mayo – optional

Preparation Day:Dust the chicken with the ranch dressing – try to get the whole packet to stick. I found this worked a bit better if I didn’t try to do it in the bag, so I did it on a plate and put whatever didnt stick in the bag. Label and freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw and place in your slow cooker with about 1 C of Water or Chicken broth for 3-4 hours on High, or 4-5 Hours on Low. Serve whole or chop up for sandwiches.

Pot Roast & Veggies

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1 3-4 lb Pot Roast, Chuck is best
1 Pkg Brown Gravy Mix
1 Pkg Ranch Dressing
1 Pkg Italian Dressing Mix
3/4 C Chicken or Beef Stock
1 lb very small red potatoes, or larger ones cut in half
1 lb baby carrots or carrots peeled & cut in sections
2 medium onions, quartered

Preparation Day: In a large zip bag add the mixes and the Stock, zip shut and combine well. Add back in the roast and smoosh around to coat, label and freeze. Add the veggies to a second zip bag, label and freeze

Serve Day: Thaw and dump into crock pot with veggies on the bottom. You might need to add 1/2 to 3/4 more liquid to get things going. Cook 7-9 hours on low.

Posted in - Pork, - Poultry, Budget Friendly, Holiday Good Eats

Frugal Fridays: Cajun Jambalaya

In honor of Mardi Gras season enjoy this lovely yummy Smoked Sausage Jambalaya recipe!

Cajun Jambalaya

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Serves 8

4 big yellow onions chopped fine – $1.75
about 8 cups water – free
4 cups rice – $1.99
1 bell pepper, chopped – $1.39
2-3 banana peppers, chopped (optional if you want a hot jambalaya) – $.80
3-5 crushed garlic cloves – $.40
2 bundles green onions, chopped – $1.50
About 1lb. smoked andouille sausage, chopped – $4.99
3 large chicken breasts, cut up – $4.00
salt, pepper, red pepper, onion powder – $.15

Total – $16.97
Per Serving – $2.12

Prep Day: Brown your sausage and chicken and put them on the side. Cook down the yellow onions & garlic constantly stirring (add a little water if necessary so it doesn’t get dry in the bottom of the pot) careful not to burn. Place cooled meat and onion garlic mixture in quart sized freezer bag. Place chopped peppers and green onions in another small freezer bag. Place rice in another freezer bag. Label a gallon freezer bag, place all small freezer bags in it, and freeze. Make a pantry bag of these seasonings salt, pepper, red pepper, onion powder.

Serve Day: Put sautéed meat mix in a stock pot. Then add your water (add enough water to cover everything). Season to taste and cook everything until your meat is good and tender. About 15 minutes before you’re going to add your rice put in the peppers and green onions. Add rice and bring to simmer for 15 around minutes or until the rice looks to be getting cooked. Take a big spoon and turn the rice over once(you only want to bring the bottom to the top). Leave over low heat until your water is all out and the rice is tender. You’ll have your Jambalaya. Serve it with french bread and a salad.

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

Meal Swap: Friday’s February 2013 Menu and Recipes

Friday’s February 2013 Menu

Seafood/Fish:

Lindsay L. – Jambalaya

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1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1 pound frozen cooked shrimp, without tails
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1-2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Prep Day: dump everything but shrimp together and freeze.

Serve Day: In a slow cooker, stir together everything but the shrimp. Cover and cook 7 to 8 hours on low, or 3 to 4 hours on high. Stir in the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Poultry:

Heather G. – Chicken Pot

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Cooked chicken shredded, 2 cups
2 good size Carrots medium, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1-2 stalks of celery, diced
10 ounce bag mixed frozen veggies or Chopped green beans or frozen peas
Chicken or veggie broth
Flour, 1/4-1/2 cup
2-3 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk or 1/2 & 1/2, or cup of each
Sage, thyme, rosemary,parsley, salt and pepper to taste
2 Pie shells

Prep Day Directions: Defrost the filling pour into pie crust, and top with pie crust. Bake per crust instructions. Cook onions, carrots and celery. Deglaze with stock. Make a roux with flour and butter once golden and smooth add to stock stirring. Add shredded chicken,milk, frozen veggies stir together.

Serve Day Directions: Place filling in pie. cover with the second crust, and cook in preheated oven 400 degrees.

Megan – Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken

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3 pounds chicken breasts
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
fresh rosemary
couscous

Prep Day Directions: Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed.

Serve Day Directions: When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours). Sprinkle with fresh or dried rosemary for serving. Top over prepared couscous and take drippings from crockpot and drizzle over.

Beef:

Heather T. – Crockpot Italian Beef

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3 lbs rump roast, trimmed of visible fat
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
1 (11 1/2 ounce) jar pepperoncini peppers, sliced (reserve 1/2 cup juice)
1 (2/3 ounce) package Italian salad dressing mix
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
6 hoagie rolls or 6 hoagie rolls, split
Shredded mozzarella
arugula, for serving (optional)
1 tomato, sliced, for serving (optional)

Prep Day Directions: Combine beef, sliced onions and garlic in ziplock,
Freeze along with the cheese, hoagie rolls and Italian dressing packet. (Do not freeze peppers. 🙂

Serve Day Directions: Place beef and onion and garlic mixture in a 3 1/2-quart or larger slow-cooker. Add 1/2 cup water and Italian dressing mix. Add 1/2 cup of pepper juice. (You can add the whole jar of peppers if you would like as well, a lot of the reviews said it was really good with them). Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until beef is very tender. Season with salt/pepper to your liking. Thaw bread and mozzarella cheese. Brush cut sides of rolls with some of the cooking liquid. Transfer beef to cutting board; slice thinly or shred. You can sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and either broil them or microwave to melt the cheese. Serve on rolls with arugula, sliced tomatoes and peppers.

Ann – Mini Meat Loaves

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Makes 12 mini-loaves, 2 in a serving

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided — you will supply your own
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Prep Day Directions: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool. Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Cover with foil and freeze in pan.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw in fridge. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve as is or “frost” with mashed potatoes and chives

Your Choice or Meatless:

Lindsey M. – Sausage and Egg McMuffins

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6 English Muffins
6 Eggs Sausage
6 precooked patties
6 slices Cheddar Cheese

Prep Day Directions: Scramble eggs and bake in greased muffin tins at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Cool, flash freeze, and place in freezer zip lock bag. Place sausage patties and cheese in seperate bags and place in freezer bag. Freezer English muffins.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw. Toast english muffins in toaster or in oven on a cookie sheet. Reheat Sausage patties and eggs in microwave or oven. (I usually do the sausages in the oven and eggs in the microwave.) Layer cheese, sausage and egg on english muffin. Enjoy!

Gretchen – Black Bean and Rice Cakes

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2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large scallions, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Prep Day Directions: In a food processor, pulse half the beans with scallions, jalapeno, and cumin until a chunky paste forms. In a large bowl, combine bean puree with rice and remaining beans; season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture into eight 3-inch-wide patties. (To freeze, wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 2 weeks; thaw before cooking.)

Serve Day Directions: Thaw patties. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil; place in oven to heat, 5 minutes. Carefully place patties on hot sheet; bake until bottoms are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let rest on sheet 5 minutes before removing. Serve patties topped with yogurt and cilantro if available.

Pork:

Sarah – Teriyaki Pork Chops

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6 pork chops
16 oz bag of frozen stir fry veggies
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
3 Tablespoons orange marmalade

Prep Day: Place pork chops in freezer bag. Mix teriyaki sauce and marmalade in small bowl and pour into small freezer bag. Have one bag of frozen stir fry vegetables on hand.

Serve Day: Thaw all ingredients. Place pork chops in a 9×13 greased baking dish. Pour frozen veggies on top of chops, and then pour the teriyaki mixture over the veggies. Bake covered in 450 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until pork is cooked through. It took about 45 minutes in my oven, so check the meat at 35 mins. to not overcook. This recipe is great for leftovers.

Vanessa – Sassy Hot Ham and Cheese sliders

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Serves 6 – 2 sandwich serving

1 (12 ct.) pkg. Hawaiian bread rolls
1/2 pound sliced deli Honey baked ham
8 slices Muenster Cheese
4oz. Chive & Onion Cream Cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

Prep Day: Cut all rolls in half. Place roll bottoms in 9×13-inch pan. Place equal amounts of ham on each roll bottom. Top with Muenster cheese. spread cream cheese over cheese. Return the tops to the bottoms making sandwiches. Top with plastic wrap. Put the butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion, brown sugar and Parmesan cheese in sauce pan. stir constantly till melted and thick. Once cooled place in a quart size freezer bag. Put sauce bag on top of sandwiches. Put on foil cover on and freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw all ingredients. Remove all plastic in pan. Pour sauce in small sauce pot and heat until melted. Stir along the way. When done pour over your sandwiches to your liking and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Place sandwiches, covered in foil, in a preheated 350 degrees F oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through. Enjoy!

Note: please don’t forget to give each other feedback in the comments area about this months menu.

Next swap is: Friday March 15th, 2013 @ 11:30am in the First Free Church Gym after MOPS.

Please submit your meal swap finished recipes to the blog and email me your 2 recipes that need to be voted on. I need those the Monday before swap! Thank you for your cooperation.