More freezer meals

From Dream Dinners cookbook (reg quantity/x3)

Corn Bread Muffins
1 c. all purpose flour (3c)
1 c. yellow cornmeal (3c)
2 Tbsp sugar (1/4c. + 2 Tbsp)
2 tsp baking powder (2 Tbsp)
1 tsp baking soda (3 tsp)
1/2 c. nonfat egg substitute (1 1/2 c.)
1 c. low-fat buttermilk (3 c)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil (1/2c + 1 Tbsp)

Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Add in egg substitute, buttermilk, and vegetable oil and stir until just blended. *To freeze- pour into prepared muffin pans and cover entire pan with plastic wrap. Freeze in muffin pan until completely frozen, then remove & place in freezer bag. Cook from frozen by returning to muffin pan and baking for 35-45 min at 350* To bake tonight: bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until toothpick in center is clean and muffins are golden brown.


Chicken in Herbed Mustard Sauce
1/3 c lemon juice (1 c)
1/3 c. white wine (1 c)
1/3 c. dijon mustard (1 c)
1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp dried rosemary (3 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp whole black peppercorns (1/4c + 2 tbsp)
1 tsp fennel seeds (1 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (1 1/2 tsp)
1 c. chicken broth (3 c)
1 Tbsp olive oil (3 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp cornstarch (1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp)
6 4-oz boneless skinless chicken breasts (18)

Combine lemon juice, wine, mustard, garlic, rosemary, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes and stir. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine broth, olive oil, and cornstarch and mix until incorporated. Combine wine mixture and cornstarch mixture in freezer bag, add chicken and mix gently. *Freeze* Refrigerate until ready to cook. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and the marinade. Bring the marinade to a boil and cook the chicken for 5 minutes per side, allowing the sauce to thicken.


Chicken Parmesan
1/2 c. nonfat Italian dressing (1 1/2 c.)
6 4-oz boneless skinless chicken breasts (18)
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese (3c)
2/3 c. seasoned bread crumbs (2c)
1 tsp paprika (1 Tbsp)
1 tsp sugar (1 Tbsp)
1 tsp kosher salt (1 Tbsp)
1 tsp black pepper (1 Tbsp)
2 c. store-bought marinara sauce (6 c.)

Marinate chicken in the italian dressing for at least 2 hours. Mix together parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper. Spread marinara sauce in the bottom of sprayed 9x13 pan. Dredge marinated chicken in the crumb mixture. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. *To freeze: cover with plastic wrap and foil then thaw before continuing* Bake at 350, uncovered, for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through (internal temp should be 165)


Chicken Stir-Fry
1/4 c sesame oil (3/4 c)
1/2 c honey (1 1/2 c)
1/2 c lite soy sauce (1 1/2 c)
3 tsp minced garlic (1/2 c + 1 Tbsp)
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (3/8 tsp)
6 scallions, chopped (18)
1 green pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces (3)
1 red pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces (3)
1 large carrot, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces (3)
6 4-oz boneless skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into 1-inch thick slices (18)

Make each batch separately. Combine sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Pour soy sauce mixture into freezer bag and add chicken. *To freeze: place each batch of veggies in a separate freezer bag and place them with the bag containing the chicken into one larger freezer bag then thaw before continuing* Allow chicken to marinate 4-5 hours. Heat large skillet over high heat. Add chicken and marinade and cook for 5 minutes, just until the chicken loses its color. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add teh scallions, bell peppers, and carrot to the hot pan and cook for 1 minute. Return chicken to the pan and cook for 4-5 more minutes, until heated through, and serve.
My plan is just to freeze the chicken in the marinade and use a store bought frozen stir fry vegetable mixture.


Chicken and Artichoke Casserole
1 1/2 c uncooked white rice (4 1/2 c)
1 c marinated artichoke hearts, drained (3 c)
3 scallions, chopped (9)
2 c. cooked chicken, in 1-inch pieces (6 c)
1 10-oz can cream of chicken soup (3)
1/2 c. nonfat mayonnaise (1 1/2 c.)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (3 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp curry powder (1 1/2 tsp)
2 c. seasoned croutons (6 c.)
1 c. low-fat shredded cheese blend aka colby/jack preferrably (3 c)
1 Tbsp dried parsley (3 Tbsp)

Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place rice on bottom of dish. Layer with artichokes, scallions, and chicken (divide equally among the 3 dishes if you're making a triple batch). Set aside. In a bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice, pepper, and curry powder and stir until incorporated. Spread the soup mixture over the chicken. Top with croutons, cheese, and parsley. *To freeze: cover with plastic wrap and foil and thaw before continuing* Preheat oven to 375. Bake for 1 hour or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

from Donic Panic! Dinner's in the Freezer cookbook- additional multiplications available

Buttermilk Herb Chicken Breasts (reg/x2)
1 c. buttermilk (2c)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (2Tbsp)
1 Tbsp honey (2Tbsp)
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (2Tbsp)
1/2 tsp dried thyme (1 tsp)
1/2 tsp dried sage (1tsp)
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (1 tsp)
1/2 tsp pepper (1tsp)
1 tsp salt (2 tsp)
8 boneless split chicken breasts (16)

Mix buttermilk with mustard, honey and seasonings. Place chicken breasts in freezer bag and pour marinade over top. *freeze* Discard marinade. Grill over medium heat until chicken is tender and juices run clear. Option for kids: after grilling, cut into strips and serve with ranch dressing for dipping


Cheesy Chicken Bundles (reg/x3)
1 c. bread crumbs (3c)
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese (1 1/2c)
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese (1 1/2 c)
1 tsp salt (1 Tbsp)
1/4 tsp pepper (3/4tsp)
6 boneless chicken breasts (18)
1/2 c. butter, melted
* on serving day: 2 Tbsp butter, melted and 1/4 c parmesan cheese

Mix together bread crumbs, cheeses, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into melted butter then cheese mixture. Tuck sides of chicken breast under to form individual bundles. *To freeze, wrap each bundle in plastic wrap then place in freezer bag then thaw before continuing* Place chicken bundles in large, shallow baking dish. Melt remaining butter and pour over bundles. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 1 hour, until chicken is crispy.


Hawaiian Chicken (reg/x3)
6 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (18lbs)
2- 16 oz cans pineapple slices, drained (6)
1- 15 oz cans mandarin oranges, drained (6)
1/4 c. cornstarch (3/4c)
1/2 c. brown sugar (1 1/2 c)
1/4 c. soy sauce (3/4 c)
1/4 c. lemon juice (1/2 c)
1 tsp salt (1 Tbsp)
1 tsp ground ginger (1 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (1 1/2 tsp)

Place chicken in freezer bag. Mix together fruit, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, ginger, and ground red pepper. Pour over the chicken in a bag. *Freeze then thaw before continuing* Place in crockpot and cook on low 4-5 hours or high 2-3 hours. Add optional green pepper chunks 1 hour before serving. To serve, spoon over steamed rice and top with toasted almonds.

Baked Beans with Pineapple

We BBQed tonight and I tried this new recipe as a side. The original recipe was for 25 servings! So, I scaled it down a bit, and in the process, some of the proportions are a little different. Also, I modified it slightly to make it just a little healthier.

It was very, very yummy and pretty simple to make. I'll definitely be keeping this recipe handy for BBQs and potlucks. :)

You can find the original recipe here. But, this is what I did...

Baked Beans with Pineapple

5 or 6 strips of turkey bacon, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
28oz can baked beans (I used Van Camp’s Homestyle baked beans – 99% fat free and cholesterol free)
8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup

In a skillet, cook turkey bacon over medium heat until almost crisp. Add onion and saute until tender.

In a bowl, combine the beans, pineapple, bacon and onion. Combine brown sugar and ketchup; stir into the bean mixture.

Transfer to a greased baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 25-35 minutes longer or until bubbly and beans reach desired thickness.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops and Apple Spice Rice

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops (I used pork loin chops... and I made 6 since that's how many were in the package.)
salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, sliced
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Granny Smith)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Arrange pork chops in a 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a skillet, melt butter and saute onions. Add brown sugar mixture and sliced apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and place them on top of the pork chops. Continue cooking the sauce, uncovered, until thickened slightly. Pour over chops and apples. Bake about an hour or until the pork is cooked through.


Apple Spice Rice

2 Tbsp butter
2 cups rice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced
3 1/2 cups chicken broth

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in rice, onion, garlic, and apple. Saute 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth adn bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Pasta Salad

Scrapbook Pasta Salad

From the kitchen of: Janan De Silva

1 pk Spiral pasta (colored)
1 pk bow tie pasta
4 cups chicken breast
1 can whole cashews
1 can pineapple T-bits
1 bottle Kraft Colesaw dressing
1 cup REAL MAYONAISE
Grapes

Cook the spiral and bowtie pasta as directed on box. Cook chicken, cut into cubes. In a bowl add pastas, chicken, cashews, pineapple, grapes. Then, add dressing and mayonnaise. Toss until everything is well covered. Place in fridge to chill.

Yams & Apples

Kathy Mitchell's recipe (from my mom's recipe collection). If memory serves, this is my brother Jimmy's very most favorite version of yams. I'm personally not a fan but I actually think these aren't half bad (probably because Kathy makes them)


6 to 8 cans yams
6 to 8 apples, peeled and sliced
Combine:
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
Add:
2 cups water
1/2 cup margarine
1 Tablespoon sugar (plus a little)


1. Cook until thickened.
2. Pour over top of yams and apples in baking dish.
3. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes

Best Macaroni

Okay, so I have never contributed to this blog but my friend made this recipe that I thought was so good. Since she just emailed it to me I thought it would be great to copy and paste it onto here finally contributing something for everyone else to enjoy.


14 oz Elbow Macaroni
1/2 cup Butter
16 oz Soft Cream Cheese
4 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (cubed 1/2 inch)
6 Tbs Flour
4 cups Milk
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook Macaroni according to package and drain. In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened. Stir together macaroni, sauce, and cheddar cheese. Pour into casserole dish and bake 15-20 minutes. Cheddar cheese will melt in the oven.

Lemon Zest Cheese Spread/Whipped Topping/Fruit Dip

This is a versatile recipe that can be used as a spread for rolls, scones and bread. OR you can add the optional whipped topping and have it be a frosting for a cake or a fruit dip. I always use it as a fruit dip. This is from my cookbook Sensational Splenda Recipes by Marlene Koch

1/2 c. low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 c. light cream cheese
3 Tbsp Splenda
Zest of 1 lemon
1-2 drops lemon extract (optional)
1 c. light whipped topping (Cool Whip) (for the frosting/dip version)

1. In a food processor, blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth.
2. Add teh cream cheese, Splenda, lemon zest, and lemon extract. Pulse lightly until just blended.
3. Move to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until time to serve.
*** For the topping/dip: Fold in the whipped topping at the end

Nutrition info: Per Serving (2 Tbsp)
Calories 45, Fat 2g (1.5 sat), Carbs 2g, Fiber 1g, Protein 4g, Sodium 105mg
diabetic exchange = 1/2 fat
WW point comparison = 1 point

Charred Asparagus tips

asparagus
Olive oil
salt
pepper


Preheat oven to 500. Trim asparagus and spread on ungreased cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil across them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (kosher salt is better). Bake for 5-6 minutes.

Italian Strawberries

1 lb strawberries
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper (fresh ground preferred), or to taste

Place strawberries in bowl, cutting larger ones in half. Drizzle vinegar over top. Sprinkle sugar over the top. Cover and let sit out (NOT in refrigerator) for 1-4 hours (not more). Put pepper on just before serving. For a sugar free version you can use stevia packets or splenda and just do it to taste.

*this might sound like a very strange recipe but it is delectable.