Berry Breakfast Season

Every time I go to the store lately, the berries have been screaming my name. Seriously....SCREAMING.....Not wanting to offend the juicy blessed bits, I oblige and bring home numerous cartons. So tonight, breakfast night, we had this....

Triple Berry Syrup on Whole Wheat Waffles

So simple, but it was so good. Here's how I make the syrup.

Throw whatever berries make you happy in a saucepan. We used 1 small carton of blackberries, 1/2 carton of raspberries, and a cup or so of strawberries.
Add sugar to taste -- start with about 1/4 cup, you can always add more - I hate it too sweet.
Add about 1/4 cup water

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a boil. Then simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. If your in a rush, you can use a hand submersion blender to break things into bits and then you can get away with simmering for 5 minutes. Either way, when the berries are really soft and a lot of juice has been released, hit it with the hand blender or a potato masher to get the desired consistency -- smooth vs. chunky. Add more sugar if desired.

If you want to be fancy, poor through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. We don't. I'm not usually that fancy and, hey, seeds = fiber, right?

If you want to thicken more, you can use a cornstarch slurry (a little cold water and cornstarch mixed together.) Poor it in a little at a time while simmering. A little goes a long way---be careful.

Yum, Yum.......I'll post the waffles later---great recipe, too.

Some Favorite Marinades

here are some of my favorite marinades right now:

Rosemary Ranch Chicken (from Kathy M.)

1/2 C. olive oil
1/2 C. ranch dressing
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. minced fresh rosemary or 1 t. dried
2 t. salt
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. white vinegar
1/4 t. ground black pepper, or to taste
5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

In a large ziplock bag, mix together all of the ingredients, except the chicken, and let stand for 5 minutes. Add chicken. Let marinate for several hours or freeze chicken in the marinade. Grill.

These are great as a main dish or I'll do one or two chicken breasts and dice up to top dinner salads or slice to put in chicken bakes.


Smokey Rasberry Chipotle

1 C. Rasberry Chipotle sauce

1-2 t. liquid smoke

I've done this marinade over pork loin, allow to marinate and then broil.

Garlic and Miso

1 C. Angelo Pietro's Sesame and Miso Salad dressing
2 t. chopped garlic (at least!)

I usually do this over pork chops or last time I sliced up some pork loin. Marinate a couple of hours or freeze. Pan fry with salt and pepper.

I used to have my mom send me this salad dressing from Hawaii but I've found it in Austin at the chinese market off of Lamar just south of Braker. Surprisingly, they make it here in TX but only sell it there. Definitely worth the special trip - stock up! The orange top is yummy too - not as spicey as this one.

Hot, Fresh Tortillas

A few months ago I learned how to make tortillas at home, and I haven't bought tortillas at the store since.  After my youngest made them by herself tonight, I realized how truly easy they are to make.

Buy tortilla flour mix and add water.  (There are instructions right on the package.)
Add water, mix, then knead for a few minutes.
Divide into little balls, roll them out.
Cook them on a hot skillet or griddle.
When it bubbles up a little, flip and cook for a few more seconds.  Done!

The house smells fantastic, and the family starts wandering into the kitchen to see what's for dinner.  I probably used the "White Wings" brand, but since it's in a canister now, I can't be sure. I just clip the measurement ratio chart off the bag and tuck it into the canister. If an 8 year old can make them, anyone can!

rhodes rolls pizza

thaw rolls out (3-5 hours)
flatten rolls to resemble mini pizza crusts
grill crusts until golden brown (about 5 minutes) we accidentally cooked these a little longer than i would have preferred,but the charred pieces ended up being excellent!
while crust are being grilled, saute red onion slices, garlic and mushrooms in butter.
take off the grill and then top cooked side with desired toppings.
[i used kam's recipe below: bbq sauce, rotisserie chicken, sauteed red onion slices, garlic and mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, and cilantro]
lower heat and return pizzas to grill to finish cooking crust and melt cheese

delicious quick summer meal! this will definitely be a staple this summer. :)

French Bread Pizza

So, I admit, this is pretty basic, but it occured to me to do this a couple of weeks ago. I was really craving pizza, was NOT craving grease, and just returned from a Farmers Market with cartons of yummy grape tomatoes. Yummy!!! This method has become an almost weekly event now and is great for re-inventing leftovers or using small bits of veggies and such. In fact, it's on the menu tonight.

French Bread -- also works great with Ciabatta or Foccacia
Olive Oil
Mozzarella Cheese (I prefer something pretty fresh and yummy--not the plastic-y cheap stuff)
Veggies of your choice
Meat of your choice
Herbs of your choice -- We love fresh basil

Slice bread about 1/2 in think on the diagonal, drizzle with olive oil and sit under the broiler for a minute or two to just slightly toast. Slice up your veggies and saute' or cook briefly as needed. Now layer the veggies, the fresh but herbs, and a slice of mozzarella on the top and sit under the broiler for another minute to just melt the chesse. Voila! Dinner is served.

Here are some favorite combinations:
Grape tomatoes --slice in half, drizzle with olive oil & sea salt, broil for 3-5 minutes.
Fresh Basil, coarsely chopped
Mozzarella


Thinly sliced sausage - cooked (we used leftover chicken basil sausage from Sprout's)
Red and Yellow Bell Peppers, sauted in olive oil to soften
Fresh Basil (for the kids) or Cilantro (for the adults)
Mozzarella or Queso Fresco
(Yea, Mexican-flared pizza--Trust me, it was good and re-invented Fajita night leftovers)

Artichoke Hearts
Frozen Spinach (get as much of the liquid out as you can)
Thinly sliced Roma Tomatoes
Fresh Basil and Oregano
Mozzarella or Fontina

The kids think it's a huge treat -- pizza!!! But I can make it really healthy and dinner can be ready in about 10 minutes! Yum!!!

Fried Chicken

I don't frying things on a regular basis, but when I do, here is how I like to fry my chicken. I'll apologize before hand for not having exact amounts!

Chicken
salt
pepper
egg
equal parts of flour and cornstarch

Usually I do drumsticks and wings for however many people I want to feed. I salt and pepper the chicken first. Then break an egg over the chicken. From there I add equal parts of flour and cornstarch (maybe about 2-3 T) just so that I can mix it up with my hand and it forms a bit of a batter around the chicken. If it looks too dry, add another egg. If it looks like it could use a bit more batter, add another T of flour and cornstarch. The batter isn't drenching the chicken, just coating it. (when it's wet it won't look like it'll cover the whole thing, but once you fry it, it will be fine.)

From there, fry the chicken about 10 minutes or until there is not longer blood on the bone. You can fry the chicken twice to make it a little more crispy.

Quiche

I don't know why people think quiche is so hard to make. It's one of my quick, go to, use up leftovers - recipes. It does take a while to bake but actual work time putting it together is super quick, especially if you've gathered all the ingredients into a freezer meal. We use it mostly for dinners with either salad or some fruit but it's also great for brunch or a special breakfast. There are many versions out there, some fancier than others but here's a good basic recipe:

1 pre-made frozen deep dish pie crust
1 1/2 C. half and half ( I usually just use whatever milk I have in the fridge. I still have little ones drinking whole milk and us grown up folks drinking skim so I use whatever needs to get used!)
4 eggs
1/8 t. salt
dash of pepper

Mix all ingredients (except pie crust) well.

From here you can add what ever fillings you want. Some of my favorite combos:

- 1 C. each: diced ham, broccoli, shredded cheddar cheese (measurements are subjective - I like to load up the veggies. Frozen also works great. Just thaw and squeeze out the extra water.)
- cooked shrimp, sauteed mushrooms, sliced green onion, cheese. Add a little mustard and garlic to the egg mixture. Yum.
- crumbled cooked bacon and swiss or mozzarella cheese, with or without veggies like spinach or broccoli.

You can really get creative here and like I said, it's a great way to use up leftovers because it only takes a cup of meat and you have a meal for the whole family where that would probably have only fed one or two people by itself. Just two or three ingredients that go well with each other and you have quiche!

Place crust on foil lined baking sheet. Layer filling ingredients in crust. Pour eggs slowly over the top. Don't over fill - it will just make a mess.

Bake in a hot oven (about 400 degrees) for about 40-60 minutes. So I know this is kind of flaky instructions but I've forgotten the specific details. Honestly, ovens cook differently and the best way to tell if it's done is to check - it should be browned on top and not jiggly when you shake it a little. If it's browning too quickly, just cover the top with a piece of foil.

Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before slicing.

To prepare for the freezer:

Keep pre-made pie crusts handy in freezer. Don't take out until you are ready to fill and cook.

Combine milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a quart sized freezer bag. Egg beaters work really well here because you have to really whip those eggs to combine when you're freezing them. If you're making several batches it is so easy to just pour the amount of egg beaters you need. It also makes it really easy to make an even healthier version by using just egg whites or mostly egg whites.

Place filling ingredients in seperate bags. Place all bags into a gallon sized bag so they stay together in the freezer.

To cook:

Allow ingredients (except the crust) to thaw in fridge overnight.

Pre-heat oven.

Place crust on foil lined baking sheet. Layer filling ingredients in crust. Pour eggs slowly over the top. Don't over fill - it will just make a mess.

Bake.

Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Chicken Taco Filling

Here's one from Kerilyn:

1 can chicken broth
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken

Put everything in the crock pot for 6 hours at least. Then shred the chicken and use in Tacos, tostadas, or burritos.

One batch is plenty for our family of 3 for two meals. I freeze the leftover with the juice to use later. We all love this because we can use this for anything

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

2 T. butter
1 lb. chicken, cubed
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. grated parmensan cheese
1/4 t. pepper

6 oz. uncooked fettuccine (or 8 oz. spaghetti)
1-2 C. fresh or frozen broccoli

1. Prepare pasta according to package. Add broccoli the last 4 minutes of cooking time (last 2 minutes if using frozen) and then drain.

2. In skillet, heat butter. Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often.

3. Add soup, milk, cheese, pepper and fettuccine mixture. Cook through, stirring often. Salt to taste.


To prepare for a freezer meal:

Combine first 6 ingredients in big ziplock bag, using cooked chicken (pre-cook yourself like step #2 above or use shredded rotissere chicken). Have frozen broccoli on hand. If you would like all the ingredients in one spot, bag broccoli and place that and the bag of the sauce ingredients in another gallon ziplock and freeze. Keep pasta on hand in the pantry.

To cook:

1. Allow sauce ingredients to thaw in fridge the night before.

2. Prepare pasta according to package. Add broccoli the last 2-4 minutes and then drain.

3. Dump sauce ingredients into large skillet and cook until bubbly, stirring often. Add pasta and combine well. Salt to taste. Serve.

kams menu plan (week of May 3)

this week i was out of town on a super fun cruise with my sisters. the kids were still in school and my husband was working from home so i wanted dinner time to be as easy and smooth as possible for them. so i stocked the freezer with some meals and wrote out a detailed schedule for my husband to follow, including what to take out the night before and when to start dinner the day of so they could eat at 6pm and still get to the many evening activities we have going on and get the little ones to bed on time so they weren't horribly worn out by the end of the week.

Monday: Meatloaf, rice, steamed veggies.

Tuesday: Chicken and broccoli alfredo, bread

Wednesday: Chicken pot pie, cut cantalope

Thursday: Pasta bake, veggies, bread (they actually ended up eating leftovers this night instead).

Friday: Pizza, breadstick, ceasar salad

Saturday: We were out running errands and grabbed some Taco Bell.

Sunday: They made me a special Mother's Day dinner: chicken kabobs, somen salad, and cake. Yum!

Chicken Meatballs

1/2 lb ground chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, minced
1/2 C bread crumbs
1 t pepper
1 egg

Mix the above ingredients and form balls. Drizzle some olive oil in a sauce pan and drop balls into pan to cook for about 5 min. or until brown. Turn balls around so other sides can brown for another 5 min. Remove meatballs from the pan.

Sauce
2 T butter
1/2 chicken bouillion cube
2 T flour
1 C milk or cream
1 t salt

In same pan that you cooked the meatballs, melt butter and bouillion cube. Add flour and stir in to form a ball. Slowly whisk in milk/cream and salt (you can add additional liquid -milk or water - depending on how thick/creamy you want the sauce to be). Return the meatballs to the pan and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice or pasta.

Additional ideas for the sauce, you could add mushrooms, an herb or cheese depending on what sauce you'd like it to be.

Italian Crock Pot Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 packet dry Italian dressing
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 can cream of chicken
• milk to get desired texture

put first three ingredients in crock pot on low until cooked (2-3 hours)
shred chicken
add last three ingredients and warm.

serve with rice or noodles

Cilantro Lime Rice

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• zest from one lime
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Add the oil to a sauce pan and heat on low. Add the garlic and rice to the oil and saute for 2 minutes on medium heat stirring frequently.
Add the chicken broth, salt, lime juice and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes or according to rice package directions.
When the rice is done, add lime zest and chopped cilantro and stir to mix in. Serve immediately.

Best SALSA ever

• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained (highly recommended: San Marzano)
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 Serrano chile
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Throw everything in a food proc and pulse. EASY.

recipe courtesy tyler florence, food network

Baked Ziti

this is kind of granola but we are getting old and so we are trying to eat healthier. we try to do a vegetarian dish a week. this is our try for the week sans the meat (from the original recipe). it's still hearty and would probably be good for a freezer meal, even though i haven't tried to freeze it yet.

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound ziti
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 6 ounces pesto
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 (9-ounce) package washed spinach
• Butter, for baking dish
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
  

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add ziti and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and garlic. Add the can of diced tomatoes and pesto and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan and mozzarella to a large bowl, and stir to combine.

Butter a 4-quart baking dish, add the cooked pasta, then tomato mixture and cheese mixture. Top with a sprinkling of mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake until completely heated through and golden and crisp on top, about 20 minutes.

recipe courtesy the neelys, food network

Easy Marinara

1 (104-106 oz) costco/sams club can tomato sauce (about $2.50)
1 (104-106 oz) costco/sams club can diced tomatoes (about $2.50)
whatever spice you have on hand (italian seasoning blend, basil, oregano, thyme, whatever is growing in the garden!)

Combine in big pot and simmer on low heat for a couple of hours. Allow to cool. Freeze in 2-3 cup portions, depending on what your family needs. Done!

total cost: $5-7, depending on if you have to buy spices also. yeild: about 18 cups.

compare to buying 18 cups of bottled sauce - $15.

some things i use this for:

spaghetti (of course): i'll brown a package of turkey sausage and throw the meat and sauce in the crockpot for the afternoon or i'll just put some frozen meat balls in the crockpot and cover with sauce and let it cook on low the afternoon. it seems to give it a richer, fuller flavor than just heating the two up together right before dinner. plus, it's a meal i can have ready for my tween or husband to finish up if i have to be gone.

pasta bakes: my latest one consisted of about 8 oz. penne pasta, cooked and mixed with some marinara sauce. layer the pasta, then some shredded rotissere chicken, pasta, then cheese. so easy. made enough for a meal with just me and the kids when dad was out of town and a meal with the whole family. you could do this with any kind of pasta, any kind of meat, maybe even some caramalized onions, mushrooms, etc. add a layer of ricotta cheese and get that lasagna feel without the lasagna work.

the original recipe came from a friend who made it with homemade ravioli: fill wonton skin wrappers with what ever you want. she did some frozen spinach, ricotta, mozzarella and some spices. boil them in salted water until they float to the top - 2-3 minutes each. super fast. serve with some of this marinara sauce over the top. the kids loved it.

this is the sauce i use for meatball sandwiches, pizza/calzone sauce, breadstick dip, etc. it is a little runny though so i might experiment in the future by doing a 2 to 1 ratio of diced tomatoes to tomato sauce. maybe someone else has a good idea already?

littlefield menu plan [week of 10 May]

sometimes we sit down and make a menu plan for the week. it's helpful to do and maybe this blog will help encourage that. here's our "plan" for this week. sometimes we skip a day depending on how many leftovers we have but at least it gives us a jump off point with our crazy schedules.

monday: baked ziti | salad | french bread

tuesday: taco tuesday | salsa | lime cilantro rice
del taco has 3|$1 tacos. not the best quality, but it's cheap and convenient since steve has baseball that night.

wednesday: italian crock pot chicken | rice | steamed broccoli

thursday: red fish | rice | salad

we leave friday and saturday open and either go out to eat or eat leftovers.

Rolls and Crusts

In a recent Relief Society meeting, they gave this great recipe for 60 minute rolls. They talked about how more cost effective it was than frozen Rhodes rolls or rolls from the bakery. There's no preservative or unknown extras. With all the low carb hype, they even mentioned something about it being healthy to eat all the bread you want, as long as you make it yourself. If you put in the effort and make it with good ingredients, moderation is more likely and you can enjoy what you eat. So here are some of my go to recipes.


60 Minute Rolls:


In a large bowl (I use my kitchen aid with the whisk attachment) thoroughly mix:

1 1/2 C. flour
3 T. sugar
1 t. salt
5 1/2 t. yeast

Combine in sauce pan:

1 C. milk
1/2 C. water
1/4 C. butter

Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm (120-130 degrees) but not boiling. Butter does not need to melt.

Gradually add liquids to yeast mixture and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed (you could also use an electric mixer), scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Add 1/2 C. flour.

Beat at high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough (ending up having used 3 1/2-4 1/2 C in all). At this point I switch to the dough hook attachment and mix until dough forms ball and comes away from sides. By hand, you would turn out onto floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. When you push a finger softly into the dough it should come away clean.

Place in a greased bowl. Place the bowl in a pan or pot of hot water (about 98 degrees), similar to a double boiler. Cover and let rise 15 minutes until double.

Divide dough, shape into rolls, and place on baking sheet or pan. Cover. Let rise in a warm place, free from draft for about 15 minutes until double again.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 12 minutes or until browned and done.

Notes: So it does make more mess in the kitchen than store bought rolls but again, I do it one day and make extra batches to freeze so I clean up less - not every day we want to eat rolls.

I usually substitue at least 1 cup of whole wheat flour for white flour. I'm trying to ween my family onto greater amounts of whole wheat. Since I don't go through that much whole wheat flour, I keep it in a ziplock in the freezer. Allow the amount you're going to use to come to room temp before mixing into recipe for better results.

I have found the best freezing results are when I cook them normally all the way through, cool, then freeze. I try to catch them when they are just barely browned but I don't always and even if they are nicely browned they still freeze ok. I always layer in a single row on cookie sheets and place in freezer. When hard, I transfer to gallon freezer ziplock bags to store. To eat later, warm in oven for 5 minutes or just microwave for those kids who can't wait. Use within 6 months.

You could shape this into anything - bread loaves, bread sticks, etc.


Easy pizza dough:

3 1/2 C. flour
2 pcks dry active yeast
1 t. salt
1/2 t. sugar
1 1/2 C. lukewarm water
1/2 t. olive oil

Mix flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Gradually add water while kneading with dough hook or by hand. Knead until firm and smooth (about 10 minutes). Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat top also. Let rise until doubled (about 1-2 hours).

Preheat oven to 500 degrees (I usually do 450).

Using hands or rolling pin, work 1/2 dough into desired shape. Top and bake 10-12 minutes.

Freezer meals:

Option 1 - Assemble pizza in foil pan. Cover and freeze. Allow to thaw in fridge the night before. Bake as above.

Option 2 - After dough has risen, punch down then place in oiled freezer ziplock. Freeze. Allow dough to defrost/rise on kitchen counter 8-12 hours. Assemble, top, bake.

Notes: So I've done this recipe and used half the night I made the dough for pizza and frozen the other half. With the other half, I made a chicken bake thing by rolling the dough out into a rectangle on a cookie sheet that I had sprinkled with cornmeal. Then I layered some fresh, clean, dry spinach leaves down the middle. Top with sliced cooked chicken (I'll share the Rosemary Ranch marinade later), thinly sliced onions, cheese, whatever else you want (maybe mushrooms, roast red peppers, etc.). Fold sides of dough over top and pinch to seal all edges. Brush some ceaser dressing over top and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Bake like the pizza recipe. Allow to cool a few minutes before slicing.

Meatloaf Recipe

Since this recipe takes a lot of prep, I usually multiply the recipe - then I don't have to do it again for a long time. I'll chop everything and then put it together in batches in my kitchen aid. I don't do it all at once because my kitchen aid can only fit one batch at a time.


Group 1:
2 t. butter
3/4 C onion, chopped
3/4 C scallions, sliced (sometimes I just do more onion if that's what I have)
1/2 C red pepper, diced (this usually comes out to about half a pepper)
2 t. minced garlic

Group 2:
2 eggs
1/2 C. ketchup
1/2 C. milk
1 T. plus 1 t. worchestershire sauce
1/2 t. salt

Group 3:
2 lb. ground beef or turkey
12 oz. pork sausage (not italian sausage) or turkey sausage
3/4 c. dried bread crumbs

1. Melt butter in skillet. Add the rest of group 1. Cook until soft.
2. Beat eggs in big bowl. Add the rest of group 2.
3. Combine all groups well.

At this point, I usually use my muffin scoop and drop meatloaf balls on a cookie sheet covered with foil and freeze. After they're hard, I pop them into a gallon ziplock. To cook, take out as many balls as you want, place in a pan, top with some ketchup and bake at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, less time if you let them thaw in fridge overnight - you'd want to thaw in the pan you will bake them in, not the bag. My family is good with about 12 per dinner.

You could also portion into tradition meatloaves in foil bread pans and freeze - definitely let this version thaw in fridge over night. Regular meatloaf sized portion calls for baking 1 hour, 15 minutes or until center is 155 degrees. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

So we'll have this as a dinner with rice or potatoes and veggies. Another option is meatloaf sandwiches (Butter bread with ketchup, layer meatloaf and then provolone cheese. Bake, microwave, or broil until cheese is melted.) Another version is meat ball sandwiches with some marinara sauce and cheese on hoagie rolls. To keep it on the healthier side, I always use ground turkey and sausage and it's still very yummy and lower fat than beef.

Rotisserie Chicken Recipes

For my freezer meals, I usually buy a couple rotissere chickens from Sam's or Walmart, shred the meat and use some in various dishes. For how much time it saves, I don't think it's that much more expensive than buying and cooking yourself. Maybe some of you know...

Some things I use the chicken in: pot pies, tacos or taco salads, bbq chicken pizza, maybe chicken soup in the winter, etc. It goes a long way. Throw the bones in a big pot and cover with water. Boil 30 minutes (with or with out some veggies like carrot, onion, celery), then skim out the bones and you have chicken stock for soups, sauce, etc. No need to buy the convenient cartons! It freezes fine in ziplock bags...

So here's some of the recipes-

Chicken Pot Pie:

OK - not super healthy but I figure if eaten in small doses and supplemented by other healthy stuff it's ok. It's one of our go to meals becuase Tui loves chicken pot pie. Believe me, this is the healthier version than what I made before! Baby steps...


2 C. cooked chicken
1 large can (32 oz?) mixed veggies
2 regular cans (15oz) or one big can cream of chicken soup
pepper to taste
2 frozen deep dish pie crusts
1 box premade, rolled pie crust (2 crusts)

Allow rolled pie crusts to come to room temperature, according to box. Combine chicken, veggies, soup and pepper. Pour into frozen deep dish pie crusts, dividing between the two. Top each pie with a rolled crust, crimping edges to seal. Cut four slits in top. Wrap tightly in plastic, top with foil. Freeze. Makes two pies.

Cooking instructions:

-Allow pie to thaw in fridge overnight.
-Remove plastic, replace foil. Place on cookie sheet
-Bake in 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until crust is cooked through (another 15-20 minutes). You can vary cooking time by adjust oven temp.

My family usually eats one pie per meal. We'll have fruit or a salad with it.



Tacos, Nachos, Taco Salad (what ever variation you like, it's basically the same ingredients)

shredded chicken (can cook with some taco seasoning, some spices like garlic, cumen, thyme, or just plain)
shredded lettuce
diced tomato
cheese
corn salsa (frozen corn that's thawed but still cold, cilantro, lime juice - yum!)
guacamole or fresh chopped avacado
tortillas (we make our own baked chips for nachos: slice tortillas into 8 pie sections, spray cookie sheet with cooking spray, layer a single layer of tortilla slices on pan, spray top side of tortillas with cooking spray, lightly salt, bake under broiler until brown and crisp, flipping in between if needed.)
creamy cilantro salad dressing or ranch


BBQ chicken pizza:

shredded chicken
sliced red onion
cheese
cilantro, if you have it
bbq sauce
pizza crust (I'll post a recipe later that can be frozen and used for this. I've read that you can also prepare the whole pizza and freeze at the point just before baking. I haven't tried it but I'm sure it works!)


Chicken soup:

Use your homemade chicken stock, add veggies and simmer until soft. Add shredded chicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

Freezer Meals

So this year, we've been trying to cut our food budget. I've found that one thing that has really helped is for me to make freezer meals, instead of buying pre-made frozen meals like bertolli's, etc. We were in the habit of using those a few times per week because they were so quick and convenient and everyone here loves pasta. It's also cut down on the eating out because there's already something for dinner so we don't run out and get something or go out to eat. I have to thank my friend Shelly for introducing me to the wonderful world of freezing. Thanks Shelly G.!

Yes, it takes more planning on my part. Yes, it takes more work on my part. Yes, it saves us money - like hundreds. First of all, none of it goes to waste because there's very little left overs (I'm not a big left over fan. If you are, just make more food). I portion things out into what we will really eat. Sometimes it's a whole recipe, sometimes it's half, sometimes it's 2/3 of a recipe for when the whole family is home and 1/3 for when Tui's out of town. Second, I make multiple meals with the big ticket item (the meat!), instead of eating it all for one meal. Third, you could shop sales and save even more, making meals according to what's on sale (I'm not there yet but it's a good idea).

Please keep in mind good freezing procedures. It's a waste if the food goes bad before you can use it because of bad packaging or sanitation. Lots of good info on the web. Maybe I'll post about it later or one of you are welcome to!

So, about twice a month, I figure out which meals I want to make, do a big shopping, cook a bunch of meals and freeze them. It's a lot of work but only 2-3 times a month. Every other day is great! I pull out a dinner the night before and there's almost no prep for dinner.

If I'm really good, I plan the week ahead by seeing what I have in the freezer and picking sides and veggies to go with. Then, I just have to buy fresh produce, milk and snacks that week.

So a lot of the recipes I post will be freezer friendly and include those instructions. If you don't want to prepare as a freezer meal, they don't have to be. They're good fresh too! But you might want to try it - you'll like it. :)