Showing posts with label Freezer Stockpiling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freezer Stockpiling. Show all posts

Red and White Beef Manicotti



My friend Jamie started a food blog a little while ago, and I've loved following her family's eating adventures.  She wrote about dining in Disney land and she's always reviewing local restaurants (giving me great tips on where to eat!), and her recipes are good, hearty, easy, family-friendly comfort food.  She posted this Red and White Beef Manicotti not too long ago and I could hardly wait to try it!

Manicotti is not something I've ever attempted before, but I was actually quite surprised at how easy they were to fill. I imagined the process of stuffing the meat inside the pasta tubes would be difficult, but with a really small spoon, I totally breezed through it.  The combo of the alfredo sauce and the tomato red sauce is awesome, making for a deliciously creamy, filling family supper.  

Thanks Jamie!


Recipe from Jamie @ Our Eating Habits
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Serves 6-8


1 225 g (8 oz) box manicotti noodles 

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 egg

1 650 ml jar (22 oz) red pasta sauce
1 450 ml jar (15 oz) alfredo pasta sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tsp dried oregano


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Add the  garlic and basil. Once browned, remove pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 cup of the red pasta sauce, parmesan cheese and the egg.

Spread 1/2 of the remaining red pasta sauce in a 13×9 inch pan.  Fill the cooked manicotti noodles with the meat mixture and place in prepared pan.  Pour on the alfredo sauce.

Top with remaining red sauce,  


 and mozzarella cheese. 


Sprinkle with oregano.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  At the end, I like to turn my broiler on, and broil the top for 2-3 minutes until the cheese gets golden.  Remove from the oven and serve.


Click here for printable version of Red and White Beef Manicotti

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THE RESULTS?
This was so yummy!  I loved the creaminess of the sauces combined with the garlicky meat and pasta.  It made a HUGE pan, so it could easily be a potluck contribution, feed your friend's family that just had a baby, or serve for company.  It also seems like one of those items you could make in a disposable pan and then freeze for later.  Loved it!

Meal Ideas:
  • Red and White Beef Manicotti + Garlic Bread + Ceasar Salad
  • Red and White Beef Manicotti + Mixed Greens drizzled with Balsamic and Olive Oil


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Raspberry Banana Bread


I've got a week off school and I was looking for a baking project. Something to go well with my morning coffee.  My freezer was stuffed full and bunches of black bananas were threatening to fall out every time I opened the door.  I figured it was time for banana bread.  I was coerced (pretty easily I might add) into making Robin Miller's banana bread with raspberries in it, since it is not a combination I usually hear of. There's walnuts in banana bread, or chocolate chips...I've even seen the internet stuffing their banana bread with peanut butter and topping it with Reese peanut butter cups!  But the idea of sweet-tart pink berries studding my bread was exactly what I wanted.  

I streamlined the recipe slightly by cutting out the step where you mix all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  It works out just fine.  You'll have the batter mixed up and ready to go, even before your oven is preheated.

Recipe from Quick Fix Meals
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Serves 8


4 large overripe bananas
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (not in syrup; don't bother to thaw)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or a bit of cooking oil.

In a large bowl, peel then mash the bananas until mushy.  Add the milk, egg and vanilla and mix until well blended.  

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until just blended.  Fold in the raspberries (don't overstir, or they'll start to break up and turn the batter pink).  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  

Baked until a knife inserted near the center comes out almost clean (little bits clinging to the knife mean the bread's still moist), about one hour (mine needed an extra 10 minutes).  Let cool in the pan, set on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Click here for printable version of Raspberry Banana Bread

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RESULTS?
I have to admit, I didn't think this bread was going to work.  Once I had it all mixed up I realized "she doesn't add any oil!" But I needn't have worried....this bread is SOOOO delicious.  It had a nice outer crust and moist insides.  The raspberries are perfect.  I want to make my banana bread like this always.  

Miller suggests swapping out the raspberries for blueberries or strawberries if you prefer.  She also says the bread freezes well.  Make a double batch and once cool, wrap one loaf in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.  Thaw completely at room temperature before slicing.


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Frozen Lime Pie


As you can probably tell just by scanning the Desserts section in my Recipe Index, I have never been much of a baker or had any sort of sweet tooth.  When I get cravings, I crave salt: salty, crunchy potato chips, nacho's, chicken fingers, hummus and pitas....not sweets.  Desserts just aren't in my repertoire.

But for the last year and a half, we've hosted Community Group in our home every Wednesday.  It's a small group of people from our church to learn with, grow with, and pray for.  It's teaching me a lot about hospitality and opening up my home, like having tea and coffee on the go and a sweet treat to offer up to your guests.  Since I have been working full time, the sweet treats have been harder to come by. 

Then I found this recipe!  Mix it up in 5 minutes and throw it in the freezer.  By the time your guests arrive you can slice it and serve it up.  That's my kind of dessert!

Recipe from Quick Fix Meals
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Serves 6 to 8


1 8 oz tub frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed slightly (like Cool Whip)
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 6 oz prepared graham cracker pie crust

In a medium bowl, combine the whipped topping, condensed milk and lime juice until blended and smooth.  Spoon the mixture into the crust and smooth the surface.  Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.  (You can keep frozen for up to 3 months)

Click here for printable version of Frozen Lime Pie
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RESULTS?
We LOVED this pie.  Not only was it ridiculously fast and simple to make, it tasted wonderful.  If I had more time, I would have maybe grated some lime zest over the top, or topped each piece with a cute half slice of lime, but I wanted to show you how low maintenance this dessert is.  And I had guests waiting!  Nobody needed fussy finishing touches to enjoy it's deliciousness anyway.  
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Creamy Beef Taquitos

Over a year ago, I dove into the debate of flauta versus taquito since they are both made from a tortilla filled with meat, tightly rolled and then deep fried. Ummm...yep I'm still slightly confused, except that maybe I figured out taquitos are smaller than flautas. A reader commented and said that using corn tortillas is more Mexican, while using flour tortillas is Tex-Mex.

In any case, those baked Flautas were such a big hit both with readers and in our family, I wanted a baked taquito using ground beef (since it's so inexpensive). The addition of cream cheese and salsa stirred right into the meat gives these puppies full flavor with a slightly creamy texture.

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites
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Serves 4

1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
1/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup salsa
1 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp green onions, chopped
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or pepperjack)
12 small flour tortillas (can also use corn tortillas)

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and break it up into crumbles as it cooks. Add the taco seasoning and cook the beef about 8 minutes until cooked through.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cilantro and green onions and stir to combine. Once the beef is browned, add the beef and cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Place 2-3 tbsp of beef mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll it up as tight as you can. If your tortillas are cracking or breaking, you can microwave them for 10-20 seconds with a damp paper towel over top. Once rolled, place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with a bit of oil and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip taquitos in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or Chipotle Ranch dressing.


Click here for printable version of Creamy Beef Taquitos
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THE RESULTS?
Oh my these things are good! Loved by the kids and the adults in our family, I made these for dinner one week, then made them the next week for company (who also raved) and made some more a few days later for couple from our church that just had a baby. Both creamy and crispy you'll love these for dinner or for an appetizer.

These also reheat really well for lunch the next day by placing in a 350 degree oven just to warm through and crisp up a bit. You could also freeze them after they have baked and cooled. For a quick meal, pull them from the freezer and place on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven to heat through and crisp up.


Meal Ideas:

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Something from Nothing: Bread Crumbs


If you came over to my house and went to grab a piece of bread from the bread bag, you'd be guaranteed to find the "bread bums" floating around in there. We call those pieces of crusts on the end the "bums" and it's the piece of bread NO ONE wants. Being "out of bread" means that there's only bread bums left, and it used to get tossed in the garbage.

But not anymore!

A couple years ago I started saving the bread bums in a large ziplock bag in the freezer. Every time we go through a loaf of bread and have just the end crusts left, I add it to the ziplock bag. I also add other odds and ends of bread like a hamburger bun or dinner roll that didn't get eaten, or pita's that are a little too dry to eat. Just put it all in the bag and when it's full, it's time to make bread crumbs.


Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Roughly chop the bread and/or buns up into about 1 inch cubes and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet.


If you have pitas, just break them into pieces and place them on a cookie sheet.


Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Toss the bread around and turn over and bake another 5 minutes or so. You want the bread to really dry out and become lightly golden. Dump into a food processor and whiz up for a minute or two until you have nice fine bread crumbs. Pour the bread crumbs back onto the cookie sheet and let them cool and dry for about 10 minutes or so until you put them in a sealed container. Pour them into a resealable container and store in the pantry.

From there you can also turn them into Italian breadcrumbs:

1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil

Mix these all together, label and store in a separate container in the pantry.


It's so handy to have homemade bread crumbs in the cupboard, since they can be used in a ton of recipes:

If you missed other ideas in the Something from Nothing series, check them out:
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Something from Nothing: Freezer Chicken Stock

My grocery bill has been SKYROCKETING lately. What is the deal? I meal plan every week, shop the sales, go in with a plan and yet my receipts added up to astronomical amounts last month. In an effort to wrangle the budget back in control, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite ways to make Something from Nothing.

One of my favorite children's books is by Phoebe Gilman titled Something From Nothing. It's all about being creative with what you've got. Each time the little boy's blanket, jacket, tie, etc gets worn and wrecked he exclaims "Grandpa can fix it!" and sure enough, Grandpa always finds a way to construct something new out of it. The last thing Grandpa makes is a button and it gets lost. The mother of the boy tries to console him and says "even Grandpa can't make something from nothing...." but crafty Grandpa creates a story for the boy to remember. So we CAN make something from nothing!

My first "Something" to share with you is a freezer chicken stock made out of the bones we normally throw in the garbage. Not just boiling a carcass after you've eaten a roasted chicken, but bones and pieces you've collected over time. Here in Canada boneless skinless chicken breasts cost a whopping $7-8 per pound! Even when there's a really good sale on the price only drops to about $4 a pound. We can can the big frozen boxes of chicken breasts for about $2.50 a pound but it's really not my favorite, as the breasts are usually flacid and pumped full of water. My trick is to buy bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and debone them myself.

It's one of the simplest things to do. The skin comes right off with a swift pull, and you need only slide a small sharp pairing knife down the breast bone and it's detached from the breast. Quick and easy. Maybe 30 extra seconds per breast is added to your prep time. And the price is much better....I'm looking at maybe $2 a pound for nice fresh, not frozen, not pumped full of water, chicken breasts. For an even better price, I'll buy bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Deboning these take a bit longer and is a bit trickier, but still worth it for the price and flavor for me.

Okay, so now you've got a pile of chicken skins which can go in the garbage, a pile of meat to use however you'd like, and a pile of chicken bones. Take them bones and put them in a large Ziplock bag. Write on the bag "Bones for Chicken Stock" and the date you started the bag. Throw it in the freezer. Each time you have some more chicken bones, pop them into the freezer bag. I'll even throw in bones from cooked chicken thighs or legs that we've stripped the meat off of. When it's full, you'll be able to make a big pot of homemade chicken stock which will equal about 8 cups.

And my biggest tip for making a super rich and flavorful homemade chicken stock? Roast the chicken bones first. It gives it a full-bodied taste with a nice dark color. I've never had homemade chicken stock be so tasty until I started roasting my bones.


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Makes 8 cups

1 large ziplock bag full of chicken bones, defrosted
Oil
Water

Optional:
10 peppercorns
1-2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-2 stalks celery, chopped


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pull the chicken bones out of the freezer and into the fridge the day before you want to make the stock so they aren't frozen. Put them in a roasting pan and drizzle with a little bit of canola or olive oil. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the bones and any bits of meat left clinging to them are lightly browned.

Remove the pan from the oven and dump all the bones as well as any juices into a large pot. Fill the pot with water, covering the bones completely (about 8-10 cups). Bring the water up to a boil, and then turn down to low and let simmer for 1-2 hours. You could also add the peppercorns, onion, and celery to this and let simmer with the bones.

Strain the bones and let cool. If you want to get rid of any fat, put the pot of broth in the fridge. When completely cooled you'll be able to take off the top layer of fat. Broth can be frozen or stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Or alternatively, strain the bones and return the broth to the heat. Chop up and add your choice of vegetables, spices, and/or noodles for a great homemade chicken soup.

Click here for printable version of Freezer Chicken Stock.
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THE RESULTS?
You can find a bag of chicken bones in my freezer year round. I love how I'm already saving money by buying chicken on the bone and then saving more money by turning those bones into broth. And the method of roasting the bones? It's totally revolutionized my homemade broths! I would simmer and simmer and simmer my bones for hours, waiting to get a really concentrated rich chicken broth, only to be disappointed with watery bone water. Roasting the bones first gives my broth that rich flavor I'm looking for.

Obviously, this same method could be used for other meats, like beef bones. Just make sure to label your bags and keep chicken and beef bones separately. Sadly, this doesn't work so well for vegetables. I tried. I was always saving my onion skins and ends of carrots and celery or other veggies and throwing them in a bag in the freezer. I found the broth was too bitter, so now I just stick with chicken or beef broth.

You'll want to use up your bones and make broth at least every 3-4 months. Any longer than that and you'll risk a freezer burnt flavor to your broth.
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Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyoza (pronounced "gee-oh-za") are Japanese potstickers filled with ground pork and shredded cabbage and flavored with garlic, ginger and sesame oil. The combination is lethal; death by dumpling overload. Every time my husband and I go out for Japanese we order these puppies, only to be left wanting more and more. $5.95 for 6 dumplings split between two people doesn't cut it for me. I found dumpling wrappers at our Asian Supermarket and then I researched and experimented with filling recipes for the last six months so that I could make these at home. The results make my waistline want to scream because I could eat two dozen of these to myself.

Gyoza are prepared by first pan frying to crisp up the bottom and then steamed to finish the cooking. You get both the pillowy softness from being steamed and a nice little crispy edge as well. If you enjoy these at restaurants, you will be surprised how simple they are to make at home. You can find most ingredients in your regular supermarket, but a few you may need to venture to an Asian market to get. Make sure the wrappers are marked specifically "gyoza wrappers" or "dumpling wrappers". It is definitely not the same to substitute these with spring roll, egg roll or won ton wrappers.

Get ready to gorge yourselves my friends.

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Makes 72 dumplings



1 lb ground pork
1 lb bag of coleslaw (or 1 lb cabbage finely shredded)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil

1 package of gyoza skins (also called Shanghai dumpling wrappers)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch


Before you start making the gyoza, prepare your workspace. Get out a large baking sheet and moisten a clean kitchen towel or paper towel until just damp. In a small bowl mix together the water and cornstarch.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the pork, cabbage, ginger, garlic, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil until well combined.

To begin filling your gyoza, hold a dumpling wrapper in one hand. Dip your finger in the cornstarch water and moisten all around the outside edge of the wrapper.

Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper.

Fold the gyoza wrapper in half and pinch in the middle.

To make a pleat, you'll need to make a small fold to the left of the middle.

Pinch that together.

Make another fold to the left of the pleat you just made and pinch together.

It will look like this.

Make the same pleats pinching them together on the other side until the dumpling is completely sealed.

Your cute little pot sticker is now folded and ready to stand up....

In the palm of your hand or on a hard surface, stand the gyoza up and tap to make a flat bottom.

I've looked at pictures in dumpling cookbooks and they have many more pleats than I do but this works for me, takes less time and this is what ours look like at our local Japanese restaurant. You can get fancy and add more pleats if you like.

When you are all done folding and making the potstickers, you could at this point place your whole baking sheet in the freezer. The gyoza will freeze in about an hour or two and can then be placed in a ziplock bag. This prevents them from freezing into a big potsticker ball. When you are ready to use them, just pull them out of the freezer and add an extra minute or two for cooking time.

Whether cooking these fresh or frozen, get out a large non-stick skillet that has a tight fitting lid. Place a couple teaspoons of oil in the pan and turn the heat up to high. Get a 1/2 cup of water ready and place on the counter beside you. Place the gyoza in the pan on the flat side with their pleats sticking up. Depending on the size of your pan you should be able to fit about 12 or so into the pan (if I'm serving this as a meal for 4, I have two frying pans going at once). After about a minute or two the bottoms of the gyoza will be browned and crispy. Grab the lid to the frying pan in one hand and the 1/2 cup of water in the other. Quickly pour the water into the pan and put the lid on. Turn the heat down to low and set a timer for 10 minutes. The dumplings will finish cooking in the pan by steaming.

After 10 minutes remove the lid of the pan. If not all the water is gone let them sit another minute or two to let the water evaporate and let the bottoms of the gyoza get crispy again. Remove to a serving dish. In the Japanese restaurant, they serve them with crispy side up.

If you want to impress your company they look really pretty pleat side up. You choose.

Serve the gyoza with your choice of dipping sauce:

#1 Soy Sesame Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Mix ingredients together in small bowl and serve with gyoza.


#2 Tangy Chili Dipping Sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chili oil (Layu chili oil)
Dash of chili pepper (Ichimi togarashi)

Mix ingredients together in small bowl and serve with gyoza.


Sauce #1 is made with easily accessibly ingredients that most people already have in their pantry. Sauce #2 is the same as the one served in our Japanese restaurant and I found the chili oil and chili pepper at our little Asian market. Both are great dipping sauces. I serve both to give my guests choice. My personal favorite is the two sauces mixed together.


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THE RESULTS?

The recipe sounds long and complicated but I assure you it is not. Mayyyyyybe slightly time consuming, but it's the kind of thing that you can make on a Saturday afternoon, throw in the freezer and have a restaurant-worthy meal in 15 minutes on a weeknight. If I could inject this stuff into my veins I would. I can never seem to make a big enough batch. My husband and I inhale them.
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Bistro Burgers with Bacon & Creamy Honey-Dijon Sauce


Burgers are a family favorite around this house. Oh who am I kidding, they are probably a family favorite around most people's homes. Or the favorite of a tired wife/mother who can plop a plate of burger patties into her husband's hand and tell him to "run along" as he grills up the little puppies on the BBQ...leaving you nothing to do but slice a few buns and wash a couple pieces of lettuce. ALL the taste, and NONE of the hassle.

We mom's definitely have this meal time song and dance figured out.

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Serves 4

Patties:
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 heaping tsp grill seasoning
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup bread crumbs (I just throw in whatever I have, which sometimes includes crushed up crackers or oatmeal)
1 egg

4 whole-grain buns
8 slices of bacon
1 tomato, sliced
Lettuce
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard or grainy mustard (even regular mustard works fine)
1 tbsp honey

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all burger patty ingredients except ground beef. Once they are well mixed, add the ground beef and mix until just combined. Mixing the other ingredients first will prevent you from over-working and over-mixing your beef...which would make your burgers tough. Divide your beef mixture into 4 and shape into patties. At this point you could begin to cook patties, or freeze them. To freeze, lay out a small piece of wax paper and add the first patty on top. Put another piece of wax paper and then another patty. Continue until all patties are stacked and then wrap well in aluminum foil and place in freezer.

Cook burgers over medium-heat, either on the grill or in a frying pan. Cook about 5 minutes on each side or until burgers are cooked all the way through. Whatever you do, don't DON'T SQUISH YOUR BURGERS WITH THE SPATULA. All that juicy goodness should end up in your mouth and not on the inside of your BBQ. While cooking the burgers, also fry bacon. Slice buns open and grill until toasty or place under the broiler.

To assemble, smear a healthy dollop of honey-dijon sauce on both sides of the bun, topping with the burger patty, bacon, lettuce and tomato. I also like a bit of salt and pepper on the tomato slice.

Click here for printable version of Bistro Burgers with Bacon & Creamy Honey-Dijon Sauce
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THE RESULTS?

The sweetness of the honey mustard works well to compliment the richness of the beef and saltiness of the bacon. A seriously good burger to make at home. You will feel like you ordered it from a restaurant. And if you made your hubs cook the burgers, it will almost be like you are at a restaurant...hopefully service comes with a smile.



This recipe is being submitted to this month's BISTRO edition of "Waiter, there's something in my..." created by Cook Sister! and hosted this month by The Passionate Cook.
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Swedish Meatballs in Sour Cream Dill Sauce


When I was growing up my step-dad used to make what he called his "Famous Swedish Meatballs". He bragged about how everyone loved his meatballs. He always cooked them in massive batches in a big roaster so that he wouldn't run out. I liked them since they were a nice comfort food. I wondered what made them "Swedish" meatballs and figured it must be the sauce...until one day I watched my step-dad make the meatballs and the sauce was nothing more than some cans of cream of mushroom soup. Ha! Must be Swedish mushroom soup.

Although it seemed his recipe couldn't be any farther from Swedish meatballs, I've found that they can be in either a brown gravy made from the pan drippings from frying the meatballs or a cream sauce. I went with a cream sauce for the familiarity of my step-dad's recipe, but with a slightly more sophisticated twist. With a plate of mashed potatoes this definitely a comfort meal.

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Serves 4

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp dried dill (or a couple tbsp of fresh dill)
1/2 -1 tsp Dijon
Salt and pepper
2 green onions, chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Roll into 1 1/2 inch size balls and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked all the way through. (After they have cooked you can let them cool down and place them in a freezer bag in the freezer for a quick meal later on.)

In a large saute pan on medium heat, add flour and butter and cook for a couple minutes to make a roux. Add the beef broth and cook down for about 5 minutes until it creates a nice brown sauce. Turn down the heat and stir in the sour cream, dill, Dijon and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce is heated through. Taste and adjust the seasonings. When the meatballs are done baking, add them to the sour cream dill sauce.

Serve with mashed potatoes, scooping extra sauce over the potatoes and sprinkle with green onions.

Click here for printable version of Swedish Meatballs in Dill Sour Cream Sauce.
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THE RESULTS?
This was warm and comforting and totally a throwback to my childhood. I love eating this with the sauce smothered all over the mashed potatoes and some nice sweet corn. I made this meal with meatballs my Dad made for us when I first had Isabella. They were precooked and frozen so all I had to do was pop them in the oven to heat them through and make the sauce. A super easy comfort meal.


This is a really inexpensive meal to make. For more inexpensive meal ideas visit $5 Dinners.
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Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole


My Mom used to make a tater tot casserole when I was growing up and I remember being very excited to eat the tasty little dish. Since she passed away and my step-father wouldn't give me her personal collection of recipes I haven't eaten it in 15 years. As I was preparing for the birth of my daughter and doing a little freezer cooking, I decided to try and recreate it myself. It was satisfying and very much reminded me of Mom.

Mom's home cookin'...sure to be a kid pleaser.

Recipe by Meal Planning 101
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Serves 4-6

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/2-3/4 bag tater tots
1 cup grated cheddar

In a large frying pan, brown ground beef along with chopped onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, chili powder, cumin, peas and corn. Simmer for about 5 minutes and then remove from the heat.

Place beef mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish (if planning on freezing, cool mixture first). Arrange the tater tots on top of the beef mixture. If you are freezing, wrap in aluminum foil, label and place in freezer.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes. If casserole came from the freezer, thaw and bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. To get the tops of the tater tots a little crispier broil for 2-3 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove casserole from oven, sprinkle with grated cheese and put back in oven until cheese is melted.

Click here for printable version of Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole
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THE RESULTS?
I really appreciated the sentiment attached to such a simple dish...and it helped that it was really tasty too. It was a family pleasing meal; just like when I was a kid.  This dish freezes wonderfully as well.

Meal Ideas:

  • Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole + Side Salad
  • Sweet BBQ Tater Tot Casserole + Sauteed Green Beans
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Hamburger Soup

This recipe is totally reminiscent of my childhood. I used to love when my Mom made a big ol' pot of this for us. When I was around 8 or 9 my parents went away for the week so my Grandparents came and looked after us. The only thing I remember about the week away from my Mom & Dad was that Grandma made this soup....and I was comforted.

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Serves about 6-8

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 28 oz. can of tomatoes
4 cups beef broth
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into half moons
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme (I usually use dried, but I have also used fresh)
1/2 cup barley
Salt & pepper to taste

In a big soup pot, brown the ground beef and onions over medium high heat. Drain off the fat. Then add all other ingredients and simmer covered for at least an hour, but longer is better.

Click here for printable version of Hamburger Soup
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THE RESULTS?

I love when a recipe is easy, simple and uncomplicated, yet the flavors say otherwise. This is a really satisfying and delicious soup. My toddler loves it as well. I planned to freeze half of it for a meal later on in the month when I've had the baby, but it's so good I'm pretty sure we are going to polish off the big pot before I get a chance.


For more inexpensive meal ideas, visit $5 Dinners.
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Baking Spree

I'm not normally much of a baker. In the past I strayed from baking except to maybe make a batch of cheese biscuits to go with a pot of soup or Cornbread Muffins for chili. That's it. I like the creativity behind cooking and it's loose measurements...pour a little of this, taste it, pour a little of that see if it needs more. Baking is all about chemistry and proper measurements and I can be such a klutz that I would forget something, drop something, or forget halfway through that I was decreasing the recipe by half and I just added the full amount of something (happened a million times). But lately I've been conquering my baking absence and stepping out of my comfort zone. A couple months ago I baked a batch of Carrot Muffins and the whole family loved eating them on the go for breakfast, savoring them with a cup of coffee or a quick snack for my toddler. I started to realize maybe I was on to something with this baking thing.

Last week I discovered Money Saving Mom and one of the first posts I read was about her Baking Day. She got so much accomplished and stored in her freezer in one day that I thought "I could do that." My husband needs healthy, filling snacks at work since he is a dry waller. He goes through 2 High Fiber Fruit and Nut granola bars a day...in other words: Expensive. A box of 15 lasts a week and a half and costs $6. I realized that this whole baking thing had it's purpose here as well: If I baked a bunch of muffins he could take those to work and cut down on this granola bar expense - about 12 muffins would cost approx. $0.50-$1...much better. So I had my own little Baking Spree on Sunday.


I baked 4 dozen muffins, froze 2 cups of plain yogurt in an ice cube tray for smoothies, and chopped up banana's and froze them for smoothies as well.



It took two and a half hours, and I was exhausted but I came away with some delicious goodies for my family:


It felt good to accomplish so much. My freezer is full, and so is a container on my cupboard full of a dozen assorted fresh muffins. And so are our tummies :)
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Carla's Not Calorie Conscious But Delicious Mashed Potatoes


Ok you would never make these for everyday cooking…but the next time you host Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter supper (or go somewhere for a potluck) give them a try. Not easy on the thighs, but absolutely-frickin' delicious! Some of the best mashed potatoes I have ever had. No gravy required on these babies.

Recipe by Carla Ens
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Serves 8-10

5 lbs potatoes
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup butter
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1/3 cup milk (or more)
1/3 package of Knorr Leak Soup Mix (I know…weird ingredient, but it makes them so flavorful)
3-4 green onions, chopped

Peel and boil the potatoes until they are nice and soft when you stick a fork in them (I never peel my potatoes. It's time consuming and I'm lazy, and there are a ton of nutrients in the skin. I don't mind a few potato skins in my mashed potatoes though) Drain the potatoes and add the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, onion powder, salt, pepper, milk, soup mix and most of the green onions, reserving a handful as a garnish. Mash everything together....I like to use my electric beaters to whip them and make them extra creamy. They turn out REALLY thick, so it’s up to you if you want to add more milk to thin them out. Place in a casserole dish and bake at 350⁰ for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved handful of green onions over the top.


*Tip: These can be made up until they are put in the oven to bake, and instead cooled and put in the freezer. Because of the cream cheese and sour cream, these freeze really well. To reheat, just pull out of the freezer, allow to thaw and bake at 350 degrees until warmed all the way through (probably 30-45 minutes).

Click here for printable version of Carla's Not Calorie Conscious but Delicious Mashed Potatoes
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THE RESULTS?
I always LOVE these potatoes. They are a hit with my family, and I like that they can be prepared in advance. For a hectic holiday meal you can prepare them in the morning or the night before, store them in the casserole dish and then bake just before serving.
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