Ambrosia on a fork

After tasting your first bite of this concoction, you'll find yourself hiding in the closet, furtively eating the entire pie all by yourself and hoping no one discovers your hiding place. Or you can do what I did- bake two pies so there's enough for everyone. One for me, one for them. 

Seriously though- this dish works beautifully for a healthy and delicious after school snack. Serve with a glass of milk. Or pair it with whole-wheat toast and cut seasonal fruit for an amazing breakfast that will have your kids singing praises. At least mine did.

I love serving treats or desserts that are at least a bit healthy, and with less than one tablespoon of sugar per slice, this pie is definitely a keeper in our home.

You will need:

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups chopped carrots

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice for more flavor)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

Directions-

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Press the pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie pan.

Bake the pie shell for 3-5 minutes, just to firm it up, them remove from the oven and set it aside. Place carrots in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain water and mash carrots until smooth using a potato masher. Or put them in the blender and process until smooth.

In a medium bowl, mix together the carrot puree, sugar, and eggs. Mix in the cinnamon and vanilla. Gradually  stir in milk. Pout the mixture into the partially baked pie shell.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for an additional 40-45 minutes, or until the pie is firm. This carrot pie can be served either as a side with dinner or as a light dessert.

For dessert, try topping slices of pie with freshly whipped cream and some freshly-grated nutmeg. It's heavenly!

A Baking Day with Magic Muffins

Today was cold.

 (Okay, you Northerners will disagree with me on this point- but in Texas, 40 degree weather is COLD!)

I bundled up in thermal underwear, two sweaters, AND my coat.

Here is where I sheepishly whisper: I didn't even go outside! That's what I wore INSIDE my house!

Pathetic, I know. 

My Idahoan and Alaskan relatives mock me. That's fine. They can mock all they want as long as I get to stay  away from icy roads, deep drifts of snow, and frozen fingers.

When I lived in Idaho one year we had a colossal snowstorm that dropped a few feet of snow. The wind whipped those snowflakes into drifts so high fences were all completely covered. Property boundaries were effectively erased. With no visual boundary to obey, a lot of dogs because confused and wandered away. It's pretty funny.....but I don't miss it. 

In an attempt to stay warm without turning on the furnace, I opted for a baking day.

I love hanging out near the hot stove on cold days!

When my children came home today, they were welcomed to the warm smell of muffins and fresh bread. 

I baked seven loaves of yummy wheat bread, and sixty Magic Muffins.

What's so magical about these muffins?

I'll tell you the secret-

They are really healthy. Seriously healthy.

I use 50% white whole-wheat flour and 50% unbleached white flour. (That adds heaps of fiber and protein on our 'Healthy Scale'. Don't use %100 whole wheat flour unless it's white wheat- red wheat is too bitter and heavy. You'll have bricks instead of muffins. Not magical.)

I also substitute most of the oil with mashed white beans (the protein scale just tipped over I think). You can't taste the beans at all and they add so many healthy benefits. If you really don't like beans or want a slightly moister muffin, substitute mashed bananas or applesauce instead of beans. 

These muffins are perfect for snacks or quick breakfasts or even school lunches. I give the children a muffin and a banana when there's no time for breakfast on a busy morning. 

When I told them they were allowed to eat more than one muffin (since they are more healthy than junk), Matthew threw his arms around me and said, "Oh thank you, THANK YOU for making such a fun snack! I love this type of healthy food!"

Do you want the recipe? 

Okee-dokee. 

Here you go:

Renae's Magic Muffins 

1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

1/4 cup mashed white beans, bananas OR applesauce

1/4 cup oil

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cups chopped nuts (we like almonds or pecans)

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup unbleached white flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1. Combine the oats and milk in a bowl and allow to stand for 15 minutes. While the oats hydrate, line a 12-cup muffin tin. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Assemble the other ingredients.

2. Stir egg, mashed beans/banana/applesauce, oil, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup of the nuts into the oat and milk mixture.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the oat mixture, stirring until just combined. Fill each cup of the muffin tin 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with the remaining brown sugar and nuts. 

4. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes.

We make a triple-batch and freeze some for a handy breakfast or after-school snack. 

If you're in a hurry, they reheat really well in the microwave when zapped for 10-15 seconds. 

Enjoy!

What to do with 50 pounds of apricots?

Our supply of homemade jam had dwindled to nothing, forcing us to -gasp!- buy Welch's grape jelly at the store. We haven't purchased commercial jam in several years, preferring our own fruity creations for PBJs.

  Things were truly desperate. 

When I saw apricots on sale for $1/pound, I knew these little beauties had a sweet destiny: lined up as jars of sparkling jams on my shelf.

We bought almost 50 pounds of apricots and began our work.

Sarah had never made jams with me before (other than helping prep the fruit) so we spent an entire afternoon together in the kitchen. She learned how to do each step on her own. 

Sarah carefully measures the sugar for each batch of jam

We made several different kinds of apricot jam so we wouldn't get tired of the same flavor during the year. I've written some of our variations below. 

I made them up, but it is really easy to modify jam recipes, 

so I don't think I deserve any creative credit. 

The secret to modifying jam recipes is to keep the fruit to sugar ratio the same. For example, if a recipe calls for 6 cups of apricots, you can substitute 3 cups of apricots with 3 cups of any other fruit you'd like to add (mango, strawberries, etc.) Viola. 

Your possibilities are endless. The only limit is your imagination.

Sarah purees a batch of apricots

Here is the basic Apricot Jam recipe:

1. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water, rinse with warm water. 

Pour boiling water over the flat lids in a saucepan off the heat.

 Let stand in hot water until ready to use. 

2. Prepare fruit according to your desires

 (some people chop fruit by hand, some people scald the fruit

 to peel off the skins....that's too much work for me. 

I just puree it all.

 That is taboo in the jam-making world and I'd never stand a chance entering this stuff in a fair, but I don't care about immaculate presentation. 

I just care about flavor and ease of preparation.

 Honestly, when I have a dozen batches of jam to make, 

I'm not peeling the fruit by hand!)

3. Measure exact amount of prepared fruit into a large stockpot. 

Stir in lemon juice and any other flavor ingredients (see variations below).

4. Measure exact amount of sugar into a separate bowl.

 (Altering the amount of sugar will result in failed jams that won't set. 

Be careful! 

On a happy note, failed jams make FANTASTIC pancake toppings!)

5. Stir in 1 box pectin into the fruit in the saucepan. 

Add 1/2 tsp butter to reduce foaming, if desired. 

6. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil

 (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred)

on high heat, stirring constantly. 

(Seriously, don't stop stirring...

if you don't stir, it will scorch on the bottom and 

ruin everything.)

7. Stir in sugar quickly.

 Return to a full rolling boil (don't stop stirring!) 

and boil exactly one minute, stirring constantly. 

Remove from heat and skim off any foam. 

(I put the foam on a dish and let the children dip freshly baked bread into it.

 It's yummy!)

8. Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of the tops. 

Wipe jar rims and threads with a clean cloth 

(although, if you use a funnel when you fill the jars, 

there should be no spilled jam on the rims). 

Cover jars with two-piece lids and screw the bands tightly down.

 (Make sure they are tight!

 I can tell you, it makes a big mess if they aren't tight! 

You'll see why in a moment...)

9. Flip the jars upside down so the jam touches the lid. 

Let sit in this inverted position for 5 minutes 

(this is easier than processing the jars in a water bath. 

The hot jam sterilizes the jar and lid. 

This is why it's so important to have the lids tightly screwed on. 

I know from sad experience. 

Trust me. 

Jam is not fun to scrub off the counters, 

especially when an entire quart has spilled.)

10. Return jars to their original position and let cool on the counter overnight.

 Label and store in a dark place for a year. 

(They always say store it only for a year,

 but I've opened jams that were forgotten for 3 years

 and they were just as good.)

Spiced Apricot Jam-

5 cups pureed apricots

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

7 cups sugar

1 box of pectin

1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground allspice

(This is irresistible! It takes like Christmas in a jar!)

Tropical Apricot Jam-

2 1/2 cups pureed apricots

2 1/2 cups pureed mango

1/4 cup lemon juice

7 cups sugar

1 box pectin

(This one is super delicious and really easy. It's one of our favorites.)

Blueberry Apricot Jam-

3 cups pureed apricots

2 cups pureed blueberries

1/2 cups fresh lemon juice

7 cups sugar

1 box pectin

(Another really easy variation! This one is a beautiful purple.)

After storing away dozens of jars of jam, my friends asked me to help them harvest wild grapes this week. Tonight we are grape-picking for Family Home Evening.

Last time we harvested the wild mustang grapes in Texas, our van was filled with huge tubs of fruit. Mustang grapes make wonderful jelly.

Since we'll be making jellies again all week, if any of you local readers want to come learn how to make it, you are welcome to email me and I'll let you know what time to be here. Bring a picnic lunch and we'll let the kids play while we cook.

Ugly Soup

This soup is uglier than anything I've ever made before, but it's SO yummy I can't eat just one bowl. Ha, isn't this a great introduction to this recipe?! Aren't you excited to try it now? (laughing to myself here) If any of you kitchen-savvy cooks have a suggestion on how I can improve the appearance of this one, please let me know. It's definitely a keeper in my book, but I need to make it look more appetizing to the children. Erg.

It's technically called Mushroom with Tortellini soup. Here is the recipe for one batch of soup:

2 slices bacon, diced 

2 cups onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh mushroom, diced (I make these really small so the kids don't know it's mushroom.)

8 cups beef broth (real broth, none of that bullion garbage. Trust me, it's worth it to use real broth here.)

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, minced

1/2 cups fresh parsley, minced (no cutting corners here- don't use dried parsley.)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 9oz. package cheese tortellini

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped 

For serving day: Fresh Parmesan cheese and garlic croutons for garnish.

In a stockpot, saute the bacon. Remove bacon and saute the onion until golden. (Don't try to cook them together. I did this the first time and the onion juices ended up boiling the bacon, so the bacon didn't get crispy  Disgusto.) Add mushroom (you could substitute cooked Italian sausage if you don't like mushrooms), beef broth, basil, parsley, garlic, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate stockpot, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain. Add tortellini and spinach leaves to soup. Simmer until tortellini is heated through (this is what the original recipe says here, but I'm thinking, wouldn't the tortellini still be hot from the boiling water it just came from? I skipped that step, but included it since the book said it.) Remove from heat and cool. Pour soup into a labeled gallon-size freezer bag. Freeze. 

On serving day, cut the plastic off the frozen block of soup. Place soup in a crock pot and set on LOW for 8-10 hours, or until heated through. (You can also thaw the soup and reheat it on the stove if you have an aversion to crock-pots, just be sure not to boil it.) Top with generous amounts of fresh parmesan and croutons. Enjoy.

Okay, okay, I know it takes forever to make this soup. That's precisely why I make a super-huge batch all at once (Think 6 to 10 gallons.....yeah, I have a huge stock pot.) and freeze enough to last for several meals.

My sweet husband set up speakers and his MP3 player in the kitchen so I can listen to audio books or lectures while I work. I detest doing tedious work without something stimulating to occupy my mind (and in my world, chopping 20 pounds of vegies=tedious). Since I was listening to conference talks, it was a beautiful, uplifting day in the kitchen. (Isn't it so rare an occasion that we can say that we loved working in the kitchen?)

Butternut Squash Lasagna recipe

Sarah on a lovely winter afternoon

Nathan and I have very different views on culinary arts. For me, food usually serves the utilitarian purpose of filling hungry tummies.....it's basically a chore to check off my list everyday. For Nathan, it's an art. He's happy to spend hours on a beautiful meal because he enjoys the process. He's a true artist in the kitchen....and his creations nourish not just the body, they feed my soul. You know what I mean? His food is made with so much love and care that it satisfies me in a very deep way. I usually want to get the cooking finished as quickly as possible so I can move onto other activities. I hate cooking.

Some people go to restaurants when they don't want to cook. I would rather not, for two reasons.

Reason #1- I hate feeling like we are a circus sideshow with all of our children squeezed into teeny little restaurant tables, all vying for elbow room or whispering urgently that so-and-so took the wrong straw or stole a crayon that is needed RIGHT NOW or bumped a glass and sent ice water sliding across the table. (Okay, it's really not that chaotic in reality, but this control-freak mama FEELS like it's always a madhouse. If it's like this in my brain, it's almost as bad as the real thing.)

Reason #2- I'm frugal with our food budget..... because  honestly I would rather spend money on something that will last longer than one meal. It kills me to pay $40 for a mediocre restaurant meal when I could make several amazing meals at home for the same price. 

So....we almost never eat out, unless we're on a long road trip or it's a birthday.

This is why I love using freezer meals. I can make a bunch of dinners all at once and stash them away for later when I don't want to cook. I like to make several batches of the same recipe all at once, because it's so much easier to do it that way. I line up several lasagna pans on the counter and just go down the line layering the noodles, cheese, sauce, etc. It usually doesn't take much more time than I would have spent making just one lasagna anyway. I like to make between 3 or 6 meals of each recipe. I bring them out once a month for the next several months when I don't want to cook.

If you have a Costco Membership, this is a really great way to do your cooking. All the food comes in such huge quantities, so it's perfect for this culinary approach. (Honestly, who could REALLY eat a 15 pound bag of carrots before they go bad?)

I like to take one day each month and cook all morning so I have a stocked freezer full of meals waiting for me. This week was my cooking day, and I made 12 gallons of Creamy Vegetable Chowder (imagine it topped with bacon and served in crusty bread bowls- YUM!), 6 gallons of Mushroom and Tortellini Soup (Oh my word, I feel like I can't eat enough of it! It's SO delicious!), 10 pounds of orange-glazed carrots (for a side dish), 3 Butternut Squash lasagnas, and 24 marinated Pineapple/Lemon chicken thighs (It's a sticky sweet and sour dish served over rice).

Can I interject here how much I love soup recipes for the freezer? On serving day, all I do is plop the frozen block of soup/stew/whatever into our crock pot and turn it on Low for the day. Done! No mess, no dishes, no work. I love it. (Unfortunately, Nathan's not a soup fan unless it's below 40 degrees outside....in Texas weather this means I don't get to cook soups very often! I have to seize the chance during our cold snaps of winter.)

I've been asked to share some of our favorite recipes for the freezer. Here is my favorite lasagna recipe.

Butternut Squash Lasagna -A delicious vegetarian dish I find myself craving often!-

For one lasagna:

2 lbs butternut squash

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

3 1/2 cups whole milk

1/8 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated is best!)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (In a pinch, use 1/3 cup dried basil instead)

12 lasagna noodles

2 1/2 cups shredded mozerella cheese

1/3 cup grated parmesan (in a pinch use romano cheese, it tastes so similar and costs half as much)

Slice squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seed. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, place squash facedown in 1 inch of water. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until squash is soft enough to scoop out with a spoon. Scoop squash into bowl; mash with fork or potato masher.

For the Bechemal sauce, warm butter and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt and nutmeg and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken. Pout sauce into a blender; add basil, and blend until thoroughly combined. 

Cook lasagna noodles until slightly firm, according to package directions. (or avoid this step by using 'oven-ready' noodles that don't require cooking). Drain noodles. In a 9 x13 pan, layer 3/4 cup bechamel sauce, followed by a layer of noodles, squash, and finally mozerella cheese. Repeat three times. Top with parmesan cheese. Cover pan with plastic wrap, excluding as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Cover with a layer of foil and freeze. 

On serving day, thaw until slushy and remove plastic wrap. Bake, covered with foil, at 350 degrees for one hour, or until bubbly. (I never can remember to bring it out of the freezer early enough to thaw for hours....so I just bake mine at 350 degrees for 90 minutes, or until bubbly) Serve with cheesy breaksticks and green salad.

Okay- here's the deal with this recipe. It looks really bland. How can this be tasty without at least garlic added to it? And who cooks anything without onion? That's exactly what I thought the first time I read this recipe. I decided I'd make it as written ONE TIME so we could at least see what the original authors intended, then we'd modify it with a bunch of flavors to make it savory and flavorful. I was shocked with how much I adored the flavors in the original recipe. The nuttiness of the squash combined with the aromatic nutmeg and salty/savory cheese in an unexpectedly appealing way. I couldn't get enough of it. I actually had visions in my head of hiding the leftovers so I could eat them all alone without sharing with anyone (Okay, I didn't really do this, but I thought about it for a couple seconds).

Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Magic!

Okay, here's my all-time favorite freezer recipe. It's my favorite because it's so easy to put together in large batches, it's healthy and full of beans, and it's so delicious. It's a huge bonus that it can be served up in a dozen different ways so the family doesn't get tired of having it. It's so filling and it's relatively frugal to make. You can add whatever seasonings you'd like to modify it. I like to add extra black beans since we love beans so much. On a night when we're short on time/energy, I just heat it up and pour it into a large bowl. We sit around it with a bag of corn chips and eat it like dip. Minimal prep work and almost no cleanup! It's great! Enjoy!

Disclaimer- this recipe and the pictures are taken from this website:
http://stolenmomentscooking.com/mexican-chicken-black-bean-filling

Mexican Chicken & Black Bean Filling

This is one of my very favorite recipes. I make it monthly and have a few bags in the freezer at all times.

I love it because it is so versatile, so frugal, so easy, and so just plain good.

Chicken & Black Bean Taco Filling

• 2 T. Extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 1/2 lb. chicken (boneless or not, whatever you have on hand)

• 1 t. cumin

• 1/2 t. salt

• 1/4 t. pepper

• 1/2 lb. fully cooked black beans

• 1 bag frozen corn

• 1 large jars salsa (or 2 regular sized jars)

• 1/2 c. water

• 2 t. cumin

• 1 t. chili powder

• 1 t. salt

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with 1 t. cumin, 1/2 t. salt & 1/4 t. pepper. Add chicken to skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes, flip, cover skillet and continue cooking until chicken is fully cooked.
2. Remove chicken from skillet. Shred meat and return to pan. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

*This should make enough for 3 meals, depending on how much you use. It freezes perfectly in a freezer bag and thaws overnight in the refrigerator.

This is great as a taco filling, but there are so many other ways to use it too.

Here are a few of our favorites ways to serve it

Chicken & Black Bean Nachos

Quesadillas

Mexican Lasagna

And…

• Served over rice with shredded cheese on top

• Mexican pizza topping

• Mexican French bread pizzas (So good!!)

• With scrambled eggs for breakfast burritos

• Taco salad

• Thinned with 1 can tomato sauce and 1 1/2 c. chicken stock, plus some extra spices and tortilla strips for a chicken tortilla soup

Oh yeah, we are definitely Hooked On this stuff!

Freezer meal recipes- our favorites

Due to demand in emails and in person, here are our favorite tried-and-true freezer dinner recipes. I prefer to make a huge batch of the same meal (enough for 5-7 dinners) and freeze them all. It's an easy enough project to do once or maybe twice each week, and I get lots of dinners in return. After a couple weeks of making two batches of meals each week, you should have 4-6 fantastic dinners to choose from.

I prefer to freeze mine in gallon ziploc freezer bags. Label the bags with the cooking instructions and date BEFORE you fill the bag, and fine-tip permanent markers work best for labeling things. Liquid foods like soups I double-bag. The easy way to fill the bags is to line up several tall containers that you can slide the bag over. When the meal is prepared (and COOLED!) all I do is go down the line filling each bag, removing air, and sealing them shut. You can also do the disposable foil pans for the lasagna, enchiladas, casseroles, etc. I prefer the plastic bags because I can lay them flat and freeze them, then stack them in tight rows when they are solidly frozen.

On cooking day, take the meal out of the freezer first thing in the morning so it can begin to thaw. Use safe methods for thawing (don't thaw on the countertop all day!). Check your label directions so you know that you have all the additional ingrediants on hand (cheese for toppings, rice to cook for the sweet and sour chicken, etc)

Let me know if you have questions, I can explain things in more detail if you would like to know more.

Here are a few of our favorite recipes. As a disclaimer, I didn't create most of these recipes, these are all available online in various places.

Chicken Pot Pie

I stole this recipe from the back of a Bisquick box and changed it to my liking....

1 cup of chicken (about the size of one large chicken breast)

1 can of veggies (I used mixed or whatever you want)

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 9 inch Frozen pie shell (1-2 depending on the depth of the shell, i

use the deep dish)

1 top crust, one for each pie (I buy the Pillsbury, it's by the cookie dough at the store)

Lay frozen pie shell on the counter to thaw. If you are making pies to freeze you can skip this.

Boil the chicken with salt and pepper balls in the water (the pepper balls is the key, without them it makes a big difference. Once chicken is fully cooked let it cool a little then shred or cube it.

Mix veggies, chicken, and soup together.Salt and pepper to taste

Pour in pie shell(s).

Put top crust on, cut away excess. Then pinch the dough together all the way around. Cut four vents in the top crust.

Put in a 400 degree preheated oven for 20- 30 min or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cover with foil loosely to prevent burning.

****************************************************

To cook a frozen pie lower the temp to 375 degrees and cook for 55-75 min depending on your oven.

To freeze a pie:

assemble the pie, cover with plastic wrap then foil and place in freezer. Do not cook the pie if you are freezing it.

****************************************************

Just so you know, I usually make two pies at a time because the frozen pie shell and top crust come in twos. It's easier that way.


Simply Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 T dried chopped parsley
2 T Parmesan cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
3 - 4 cups Spaghetti sauce or Marinara sauce

Do not cook the lasagna noodles. Combine the cottage cheese, slightly beaten egg, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Grease foil baking pan(s). Cover bottom with thin layer of sauce. Layer noodles (do not cook them, break them to fit), sauce, half the Mozzarella and half the Jack cheeses. Top with another layer of noodles, then the cottage cheese mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, then the rest of the Mozzarella and Jack cheeses and cover with a thick layer of spaghetti sauce. Cover with extra heavy foil. Label and freeze. Makes 1 9x13 or 2 8x8 pans.

To serve: Thaw. Bake covered for 45 to 60 minutes at 375°. Uncover, top with more Mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Bowls

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
3 Tbl canola oil
1/2 cup onion, chunked
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chunked
1 1/3 cups cold water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce

Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Brown chicken in hot oil until cooked through. Add onion and green bell pepper. Cook and stir for about 1 minute. In a saucepan, combine water and cornstarch. Stir in sugar, brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling. Cook and stir until thick and glossy. Pour sauce over chicken and stir to coat. Allow to cool completely. Place chicken and sauce in freezer bag or container. For individual servings, place cooked rice in single serving-sized freezer containers. Top with chicken and sauce. Cover, label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw and heat. Serve in bowls over rice.

It's chili by George! (You can really just do your favorite chili recipe and freeze it- they all work well for freezing. I also like to make cornbread in a triple-batch and freeze some for later- it's VERY good!)

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
• 1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chili powder

In medium pan brown the beef over medium heat until cooked. In a large pot over high heat combine the ground beef, tomato juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, ground black pepper, salt, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. (Note: If using a slow cooker, set on low, add ingredients, and cook for 8 to 10 hours.) Let cool and freeze. On cooking day, thaw and reheat, or put in crockpot in the morning over low heat for 4-6 hours.

Amazing Chicken (serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
-2 lbs. chicken (boneless, skinless breasts or cubes)
-1 pkg. onion soup mix
-1 tsp. paprika
-1/4 cup cider vinegar
-1/2 cup ketchup
-1/4 cup honey (or other natural sweetner)
-1 tbsp. lemon juice
-1/4 cup oil
-1/4 cup onion (minced)
-1/2 cup apricot jam
-large ziploc bag
Directions:
-Place chicken equally into ziploc bags.
-Combine remaining ingredients and pour an even amount into each bag of chicken. Remove excess air, seal bags and freeze.
Oven: Bake covered at 350F for 1 hr.
Slow Cooker: High for 4-6 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.

Bombay Chicken (serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
-2 lbs. chicken (boneless, skinless breasts)
-1 tbsp. oil (for cooking)
-1/4 cup mustard (prepared)
-1/4 cup honey (melted)
-2 tsp. seasoned salt
-1/2 tbsp. chili sauce
-1/2 tsp. onion powder
-1/2 tsp. curry powder (or tandori spice)
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-large ziploc bags
Directions:
-Place chicken equally into ziploc bags.
-Combine remaining ingredients and pour an even amount into each bag of chicken. Remove excess air, seal bags and freeze.
Oven: 375F covered for 1 hour.

Quebecois Chicken (serves 4-6):
Ingredients:
-2 lbs. chicken pieces
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-3 tbsp. cider vinegar
-2 garlic cloves (minced)
-3 tbsp. soy sauce
-1 tbsp. ground ginger
-1 tsp. black pepper
-large ziploc bags
Directions:
-Place chicken equally into ziploc bags.
-Combine remainder of ingredients and pour an even amount of sauce into each bag of chicken. Toss to coat. Remove excess air, seal bags and freeze.
Oven: 350F covered for 1 hour, uncover last 15 mins.
Slow Cooker: 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

These recipes are great because you don’t need to pre-cook your meat. You just need to ziploc them in their sauce to marinate in the freezer, and then thaw, and cook when needed. Most go well with typical side dishes like cooked vegetables, and rice or potatoes.

Shepard's Pie

(This one is our own recipe, I don't mess with other recipes because this version is Nathan's 'comfort food'. It's very simple and easy)

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (or rehydrate a 1/2 cup of the church dehydrated onions-it's super fast and easy.)
1 cup cooked beans (we prefer black or small red--pull a pre-cooked bag of beans from your freezer for this!)
2 cups frozen corn (or 2 cans of corn)
2 cans green beans
1 can Campbells tomato soup(don't mess with this one, no generics for this!)

In medium pan brown the beef and cook the onions until the onions are translucent. In a large mixing bowl (or straight in the casserole dish) combine the cooked beef, onion, beans, corn, green beans, and soup. You may add another can of soup if you prefer more of the tomato flavor. I usually do a can and a half- not a problem if you're making a double batch and freezing them. stir until well combined, pour into labeled bags and freeze. Place shredded cheese for cooking day in another freezer bag (quart size) and staple the tops of the bags together.

On cooking day- thaw the casserole filling. Pour into large casserole pan. Make mashed potatoes (I usally do the church potato flakes- it takes 5 minutes) and place potatoes on top of soup mix. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Some of our other favorite recipes won't copy and paste from online so here's the website to go to:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2886927/30-day-cooking-freezer-meal-recipes

Most of their recipes are very good, it's my favorite source for new freezer recipes, but I haven't had time to test them all personally. We've liked all of them so far.

Scroll through the recipes and check out the following:
Santa Fe Chicken Tortilla wraps- super easy!
Roasted Red Pepper BBQ Beef sandwiches
Porcupine Meatballs with Cranberry sauce

For another freezer dinner resource:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze/dont_freeze_foods.html

Things that do NOT freeze well- pastas, rice, POTATOES, milk-based sauces

I cook those things on the day we'll eat the meal. It doesn't really add much time, especially since the majority of the dinenr work has already been done! Just boil up some pasta or rice and viola! Your dinner is complete! I hope you enjoy these recipes, I'll add some of our other favorite after I can hunt them done. I didn't bookmark the pages for most of the recipes I found online, so I need to do some detective work to find our very favorite one. It's the recipe that can be used for breakfast burritos, enchiladas, nachos, Mexican pizza, lasagna, and taco soup. It's REALLY good and SUPER fast to throw together in large batches. I'll post it as soon as I find it.