Food For Later

Flour free Chocolate Cake

2011-03-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

I'm making this to share because we have a few things to celebrate!

Ingredients:

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, 4 oz bitter chocolate (or all 12 oz semi-sweet)

8 oz butter

1 cup sugar

6 eggs

Instructions:

Melt chocolate and butter. Let cool for 15 minutes. Add sugar and stir well. Add eggs, but be sure not to beat the eggs.

Pour batter into 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper on bottom and coated with non-stick spray or butter.

Place cake pan into larger pan. Fill the larger pan with water 1/2 way up the cake pan.

Cover and bake at 350 F for 1 hour. Cake will be very puffy when done. Let cool 1 hour and then refrigerate.

Lentil Soup

2011-03-28T23:19:00.000-05:00

This is my vegetarian dish for the month. I hope it's delicious because you are all my guinea pigs.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups brown-green lentils, preferably the small variety
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots

14 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 cups hot water
salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

Rinse the lentils and put them in a large pan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes. Strain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil, add the onion and saute until translucent. Add in the garlic and as soon as it becomes aromatic, add the lentils. Stir the lentils well to coat in the oil. Add carrots, tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano. Stir in the hot water.

Bring to a boil, turn to low, cover the pan and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the lentils feel soft but have not begun to disintegrate. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spaghetti Casserole

2011-02-28T07:57:00.000-06:00

Freezing pasta and making it come back to life is not the easiest thing to pull off. We've had some attempts with the Make Ahead Mamas group I host, and it has been hit or miss. With the addition of a lot of flavor and binder to the pasta in this recipe, though, it works very nicely. I made my casserole with rice linguine, everyone else's with whole wheat spaghetti noodles. I thought it was delicious; unfortunately the husband doesn't like pasta, so we end up cutting it into smaller sizes and freezing it for use at lunch. I started with a recipe from southernfood.about.com and tailored it to my preferences.

Spaghetti Casserole
(also called spaghetti pie, but this, by no stretch of the imagination, forms a real "crust")

Mix together in a large bowl and then line a casserole dish like a crust with:
1 package spaghetti noodles (12-16 oz), cooked according to package and drained
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Meanwhile, brown:
1 pound ground beef, or half ground beef-half Italian sausage. For the recent Make Ahead Mamas meeting I actually slow cooked beef short ribs in a tomato broth then pulled the meat and excess fat off the bones, shredded it and added the sauce and veggies to it and let it slow cook in the roaster oven overnight. For everyday use, I use ground beef. You ladies just got lucky ;)

Add to your ground beef and saute until softened:
1 small onion, chopped
4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 c greens (I used frozen collards), chopped

Add:
1 quart, more or less-use your better judgment-spaghetti sauce to the meat filling, then top your noodles with that.

Top the casserole with more:
Parmesan cheese and shredded cheese to cover. I like using blends, or you can use just Mozzarella. Havarti melts very nicely with a mild flavor, Cheddar has a wonderful flavor. I think I used a blend of all four cheeses mentioned the last time we had it.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the top is nice and browned and bubbly. I baked for the freezer just until the top was thoroughly melted but not browned, then let it cool and covered the pan with foil and put in the freezer. To reheat, let thaw in the fridge then bake at 350 until it browns and is bubbly with melted cheese again.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2011-02-23T21:54:00.002-06:00

I made these a couple of months ago. I added cooked, ground ham in addition to the beef. I prefer all beef meatballs.

Sweet and Sour sauce:
1 C sugar (I know that's a lot. You could probably do 3/4 C or maybe even 1/2 C if you add more honey)
2 Tbsp honey
2/3 C vinegar
1 1/3 C water
1/2 C soy sauce
2 Tbsp ketchup (could use tomato paste too)
2 Tbsp cornstarch (I usually add 1 Tbsp because I mix my sauce with rice. If I were making these for cocktail type meatballs, I would add 2 Tbsp)

Meatballs:
2 lbs ground beef
2 eggs
crackers or breadcrumbs, maybe 2 C or so
1 chopped onion

I was using a pan I had just made bacon in, to both take advantage of the bacon flavor and because I (Abby) was too lazy to wash it first :)

Combine and bake at 400 in the oven for 20 min. Add to sauce and cook on low in crockpot until the smell is so good you have to eat them or about 6 hours.

Indian Hand Pies with Lamb (and beef)

2011-01-25T21:57:00.000-06:00

3 lb lamb stew meat
2 lb beef stew meat
3 Tbsp ground cumin
3 tsp turmeric
3 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 chopped onions
6 Tbsp chopped parsley
4 Tbsp chopped cilantro
3 tsp ground ginger
3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 C peas
salt to taste
1 1/2 peeled and chopped granny smith apples

Brown meat and de-glaze the pan. Pour into oven proof pot. Add spices, herbs, onions, garlic and enough water to cover. Bake at 350 for two to three hours or until the meat is tender and the smell makes you hungry. Add the potatoes and apples and cook on the stove top on low until they are tender. Add the peas. At this point you can do one or two things: make naan and eat as a stew or make dough for the hand pies. It's win-win.

6 C flour
18 Tbsp cold water
2 C lard (I usually use half butter, but there is a dairy allergy in the group)

Roll out a scoopful of dough, spoon on some of the meat mixture and seal the edges with a fork. Bake for 20-25 min or until golden. If you are feeling especially fancy, you can brush on an egg white and water mixture so the tops look glossy. Eat or freeze for later.

Beef Stew

2011-01-14T09:10:00.002-06:00

A shot of Sarah D's beef stew...feel free to just post the recipe on this post when you get a chance, Sarah! It was delicious!

Lamb and Barley Stew

2010-12-16T11:08:00.002-06:00

1 lb lamb stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large onion, diced into largeish pieces
1 large turnip, peeled and diced
2 med carrots, sliced
3 cans beef broth
1 bottle dark beer
2/3 c pearl barley
Ground pepper
Salt
Thyme
Parsley

Toss it all into the crockpot. Cook. Yum.

Coconut Macaroons

2010-12-15T11:46:00.000-06:00

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In your stand mixer, or have your hand mixer ready to go, beat 2 egg white and 1/2 vanilla or almond extract on high until soft peaks form. Gradually 2/3 c honey, drizzling in just a little at a time , beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1 1/3 c coconut flakes or shreds.
Drop by teaspoon full onto a baking sheet, either lightly greased, lined with parchment or silicone, or a stone sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to wax paper and let cool.
(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

2010-12-15T10:51:00.000-06:00

(these are supposed to have nuts in them, but I left them out for Heather B and Lydia's nut allergies)
Parchment paper
If using nuts, 2 1/2 c nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)
3 c confectioner's sugar
2/3 c cocoa powder
1/4 t salt
2 eggs
1 t vanilla, almond or cherry extract (I used cherry this time)
1 t ground coriander

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together your dry ingredients, and in a separate bowl mix very well your wet ones. Combine them all, and mix just until moistened. It is a very sticky dough.
Drop by tablespoonful onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake about 20 minutes. I used the convection feature, which helped these along a lot. If you do not have it, I would recommend maybe going 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, but not from the paper. Pull the paper off the sheet and line with new paper for your next batch. Let cool on the paper then peel off and eat!

(adapted from Self Magazine Newsletter)

Barbecued Chicken Wings

2010-12-14T13:49:00.000-06:00

This is Sarah R's recipe from forever ago. I just kept reshuffling it on my desk and never got it up. This is enough for 6 families.

7# chicken wings, pre cooked
12 onions
24 garlic cloves
12 red chili peppers
12 t fennel seed
24 oz brown sugar
42 T dark soy sauce
15 c ketchup

Saute garlic and onion. Add chiles, fennel and sugar. Add soy sauce and ketchup Season to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Coat the wings and bake till heated through and serve.

Garden Tomato Soup

2010-12-14T11:42:00.001-06:00

In a stock pot combine (or you can do this in a crockpot all day, if that is easier):
8 cups roughly chopped or canned diced/crushed tomatoes, with juices
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, thin sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 c summer squash, sliced
6 c meat stock
1/2 t fresh ground pepper
1 T dried basil
salt to taste (it will need some, at least)
Simmer until all your veggies are soft, then blend or puree it to make it smooth. Right before serving add a T or so of heavy cream to the bowl of soup for a creamier version.

I canned this rather than freezing it this month as I think a lot of us are currently low on freezer space since it is the time of year when our bulk meat deliveries happen. To can this, prepare your jars, lids and rings, then fill. Process 25 minutes at 10 pounds pressure for pints and 30 minutes at 10 pounds pressure for quarts.

The croutons are simply grilled cheese sandwiches I cut into crouton size. Toast in the oven when you're ready to eat them, until they crisp up a little.

Ham and Bean Soup

2010-10-29T19:25:00.001-05:00

What I made this month was roughly based on this recipe:

•1 lb dried small white beans, soaked over night
•1 lb smoked ham hocks (from our pig we purchased from the Stamps Family Farm)
•1 chopped onion
•4 fresh thyme sprigs
•8 cups chicken broth
4 carrots, chopped
a bay leaf or 2

Just put everything in a roaster (or pot depending on how much you are making) and cook until the beans are tender and the pork is falling off the bone. I then removed the pork, chopped it up and added it back in. As it cooked I added more dried thyme ( I ran out of thyme from my garden) to taste. Eat right away or cool and freeze in freezer storage zip lock bags.

Waffles

2010-10-29T19:17:00.001-05:00

This is my favorite waffle recipe. It's really good if you use cream in place of some milk. We get our milk and cream at Picket Fence Creamery
I pretty much follow this recipe from Epicurious:

Waffles

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter

2010-10-26T22:42:00.001-05:00

I've never made gnocchi, but I love squash and I love dumplings so I'm hoping this is delicious.

Ingredients:
8 C Roasted and pureed butternut squash
Approx. 5 C all purpose flour (Honestly, I lost count. I added flour until the dough was sticky)

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently and briefly. Cut dough into smaller sections. Roll dough into 1/2 inch thick ropes and cut crosswise into 3/4 inch pieces. Transfer gnocchi to lightly floured baking sheets. Let dry for up to two hours. Freezes for one month.

To cook:
Cook gnocchi in two or three batches in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Stir occasionally, for two to three minutes, or until they float to the surface of the water. Remove gnocchi from pot and set aside while you make the sage butter sauce.

Sage Butter Sauce (enough for one family):
1 stick of butter
2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage

Cook butter over medium heat until just golden, stirring often. Add sage. Add gnocchi and cook until heated through and coated with butter. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 C Parmesan.

Recipes were adapted from Bon appetit and a blog called Hungry Cravings.

*I cooked these by breaking them apart in the freezer bag and dumping them into boiling water. They looked gummy in the water, but it didn't last long.

Beef & Lamb Stew

2010-09-29T20:02:00.002-05:00

This recipe feeds five families (or puts extras in your freezer)

5 packages of stew meat, I used lamb and beef
5 onions, coarsely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
bottle of dry white wine
6 cups of beef stock (plus an additional 3 cups if desired)
10 tbsp unsalted butter
10 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 tbsp mixture of herbs {oregano, parsley, thyme} – roughly chopped
Potatoes, however many you think.

Into a large saute pan heat butter and oil over medium heat. When melted add the onions & garlic and saute until golden brown (approx 5 mins). When onions have finished cooking, add the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the wine and allow to reduce by half. Add in the stock and herbs stir together cover and allow to cook until sauce is reduced by half. At this point, I added additional beef stock (3 more cups).

Add potatoes, allow to cook thoroughly.

Italian Meatballs

2010-08-23T18:58:00.000-05:00

The meatballs I sent out with you ladies for freezer meal were slightly different than this recipe, simply because I used all ground beef. I recommend using the sausage with it, though. It adds a lot of flavor. These were taken to a church ladies gathering and were the favorite among all the other meatballs there (and there were quite a few!).

Abby's Italian Meatballs
2# ground beef
1# Italian sausage
3 eggs
1 roll of crackers (saltines, ritz, whatever), crushed
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
AND if you want more heat, chop up a hot pepper and throw in there; we like Hungarian Hot Wax

Mix all your ingredients together, but do not overmix. It makes for tougher meatballs. Just make sure everything is well dispersed. Form into large meatballs. I have a scoop from a certain home kitchen stuff sales company, "Spoiled Cooks" if you get what I'm sayin' ;), that I like to use-about 1/4 c size. Put in your crockpot with a little water and cook on low 8-10 hours. Check from time to time to drain off any oil as it cooks off, and try to rotate the balls if they are stacked, being careful not to break them up.

The Kitchn's Ideas for Freezing Food For Later

2010-08-23T18:47:00.000-05:00

I haven't tried the recipes on this link out, yet, but some sound like great ideas! I may be posting a few for future recipes if they get to make their debut in the group :)

Fried Rice

2010-07-28T13:15:00.002-05:00

I vaguely followed this recipe:

(serves 10)

2 lb tofu or tempeh (steamed 10 min. and cooled)
(add additional 1 pound tofu if omitting eggs)
10 cups brown rice
3 tablespoons oil
6 tablespoons sesame seeds, crushed or ground
3 slices fresh ginger (omit, if dried, nit the same)
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 bunch shredded spinach leaves
6 eggs (optional), well beaten
1 cup whole peas or peas and diced carrots
3 tablespoons tamari

If you use eggs, preheat and oil the saute pan and pour the beaten eggs in in a very thin sheet, like a crepe. When eggs are thoroughly cooked, remove egg sheet from pan, cool and stack. When all the egg is used, shred into thin strips with scissors or a sharp knife and set aside. You can do this the day before.

In large heavy skillet or wok brown cracked sesame seeds and ginger in oil. Add tofu or tempeh and brown.

Now stir in onions, celery, and spinach leaves. When cooked through (a few minutes), add rice and peas. Mix with rice and vegetables.

Add egg strips if used and 3 tablespoons tamari, mix. Freeze in zippered plastic freezer bags.

Lamb Skewers

2010-06-24T23:40:00.000-05:00

This month, I made lamb skewers, sans skewer

I got the recipe here: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1868

I used a mix of lamb, hamburger, and pork. I used homemade yogurt from goat's milk (from Ginger). The meat mixture turned out pretty runny and I couldn't get it to form up on the skewers. I'm not sure if it was the different mix of meat, or if it was the yogurt, which was kind of runny. So we ended up making patties and frying them.

They are meant to be served with the yogurt sauce on pita or flatbread. Feel free to also add lettuce, tomato, etc.

We had them for dinner last night and I thought they were pretty yummy, though I think it might have been better with a bit more seasoning and with all lamb instead of a mix of meat. (I couldn't find enough lamb.)

The yogurt sauce should freeze/defrost just fine. Either defrost in the fridge, or under hot running water.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

2010-06-18T14:46:00.001-05:00

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

4 T butter
1 med onion, minced
salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 t cayenne
1/4 c flour
6 c chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
2 lb chicken breasts
1.5 c rice
1 bag frozen pea and carrot mix
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
2 T lemon juice
3 T minced fresh parsley (I left this out)

melt butter over med heat, add onion and salt. Cook until softened, browned. Add garlic and cayenne, cook 30 seconds. Add flour and cook 1 minute. whisk in broth and cream.

Add chicken breasts, partially cover, simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover completely, cook until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken and let cool. Stir rice into pot, cover, cook over low heat until rice has absorbed much of the liquid and is just tender, 20-25 minutes.

Shred chicken.

Remove pot from heat and add shredded chicken, peas and carrots, cheddar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into baking dish and top with bread crumbs.

To serve: defrost completely, bake at 400 for about an hour. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Beef Pot Pies

2010-05-10T17:20:00.000-05:00

The following recipe will make approximately 4 individual pot pies.

Stock:

2 lbs chuck steak

1 tsp sage

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

To start your pot pie, you first need beef stock and beef. I used chuck steak this time, but I've also used stew meat and roast. Put your meat in pot with salt, pepper, sage, bay leaf and enough water to cover the meat. I usually fill the pot until the water is an inch and a half from the top. Cover and cook at 350 for a few hours or until you remember you put something in the oven. Remove meat and shred, being certain to trim any fat. Strain the stock. Set aside.

Filling:

stock

beef

half a bag of frozen peas, fresh would be even better

4-5 carrots, diced

3-4 potatoes, peeled and diced

2-3 chopped celery stalks

salt and pepper to taste

a few tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

Throw everything into a pot and bring to a boil. When potatoes are tender, thicken the filling. You don't want to thicken it too much or your pot pies will be dry.

Pie Crust:

2 3/4 C all purpose flour

2/3 C lard or butter or a little of both

no more than six Tbsp cold water

Mix your flour and lard or butter until they resemble crumbs. The more fat you add, the flakier your crust. This will produce a very flaky crust so if that's not to your liking, don't add as much lard. Once you have a crumbly mixture start adding a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough is just wet and can be formed into a ball.

You will want to roll out eight crusts or at least try to get four and then use scraps to cover the pot pies. Put the pie crusts in the pans, add the filling, top with more crust and bake at 375 for 45 min or until the top and edges are light brown. These freeze very well and make great lunches or dinners when you want some comfort food.

Tortilla Casserola with Bacon and Beans

2010-03-24T08:20:00.000-05:00

When Andrew and I were first married I would make this tortilla casserole that involved a creamy enchilada soup from Campbells and chicken. I can no longer find the recipe, but this casserole is the same basic idea, but waaaay better. No condensed soups (YUCK), and I used pork and ham (bacon works well, too) as the meat. The ham adds an incredible layer of flavor, that really works well with the beans. It is not an ingredient you see in Mexican style cooking (at least Americanized versions) very often, but was wonderful here and fit right in. The chips, save those on the very top, break down into a poleta-like mush that is fabulous. I started this recipe after looking at a version on Cooks Illustrated. I changed quite a bit, but it was a good starting point for ideas. When do I ever keep things the way they are written?

1# pork-I used steaks sliced into thin pieces, but a roast would work well, too. Also, brine these before you cut them up in a 1/2 palmful of sugar, 2 T salt and enough water to cover. At least 30 minutes. It really helps pork in most dishes.
1 T coconut oil
1 t all purpose seasoning
1/4 onion , diced
3-4 slices cottage bacon, ham or regular bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/4 bell pepper, diced
1 cup chicken stock
2 c beans, soaked, rinsed, and simmered until soft
1 pint, or 14 oz can, diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo (if you don't have this, add more cumin to the seasoning, plus a couple shots of hot sauce and some chopped peppers like poblano or jalapeno)
5 cups tortilla chips (a great use for ones that have gone stale, but you just don't want to throw away because you didn't very many of them. That never happens here, cough, cough)
2 cups shredded cheese-cheddar, or colbyjack, or monterey jack, Prairie breeze-all would work well
s&p to taste

Begin by sauteeing your pork in the coconut oil, and seasoning it part of the way through with the teaspoon of all purpose. Add the onions, bacon and garlic once the meat is mostly done. Add next the bell pepper, stock, beans, tomatoes, and chipotles. Let this simmer until the sauce has reduced just a bit, maybe 7 minutes. Taste it to see if it needs more salt or pepper then remove it from the heat.You are going to build this casserole like a lasagne-but the chips are the noodles. So, using a rectangular baking dish (LOVE my stoneware), start with a layer of 1/3 of the chips. If you are not using stoneware, be sure to grease the bottom of the pan first. Follow the chip layer with half of the meat, then half of the cheese. Repeat those three layers, then top with the last third of the chips.

Bake at 450 degrees until the cheese has melted and the chips have started to brown.
So stinkin' good :)

Midwestern Pork Enchis

2010-03-05T10:53:00.000-06:00

After Diana's post on how authentic enchiladas are made with only corn tortillas, I felt compelled to qualify mine as a Midwestern contruct :) That being said, these are the enchiladas we always eat around here, though we'll be working in some of those Spanish numbers, as well.

Midwestern Pork Enchis
Start with a 1-2 # pork roast (you can easily make a full size roast, about 4 pound size. I used the cheapest roast at Fareway the day I bought them as I had no roasts from my pig purchase. Just double everything else and freeze the enchiladas to bake later. I do not bake them before I freeze them.) I brined it in a large dish with about a 1/2 c salt, 1/2 c honey or sugar, 1/8 cup peppercorns and enough water to dissolve everything in and cover the meat. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight, if you have time, otherwise for at least a couple hours. Pork tastes so much better brined.

Seasonings for the meat: salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin. I mix about equal parts together and cover the roast-thick cover the roast.
Place the roast in the crockpot and douse with seasonings. Place on low and roast until the meat is falling apart all over the place. Pull it like you would for sandwiches, removing any bones or large pieces of fat. Stir the meat into the juices and seasonings.

You can assemble at this point or place in the fridge to assemble later.
To assemble you will need:
1 recipe of salsa roja (I make this ahead of time, and in big batches. They freeze well on their own, as well as keep in the fridge for quite some time so you can pull it out as you need it. I use it in chili and posole as well).
shredded cheese- I used a blend of colby jack this time, but any will work that melts well.
flour tortillas
1 recipe of homemade salsa
casserole dish and oil

Place the tortilla flat and open, and spread in about a palmful of meat in the center. Add a half palmful or so of cheese, and about a 1/4 c of sauce and 1/4 c salsa. start to roll, folding in the sides as you go to secure everything in the tortilla. Place in the greased casserole pan, and continue until you run out of meat or tortillas. Top with any remaining sauce, salsa and then on the very top cheese. I keep these to the middle of the enchiladas as we bake ours until the edges of each enchi is getting crispy and browned. Once that is happening and the cheese is melting, they are ready to eat! I will try to get more pics and more exact measurements the next time we eat them. This is another one I've been making so long I don't pay attention.

Burek

2010-02-28T14:41:00.000-06:00

Burek is a Middle Eastern meat pastry.

Ingredients:
1 # Hamburger
2 cloves garlic
1/4 onion, finely chopped
Salt, pepper and paprika-just taste as you go, but a good starting point is around 1 t salt, 1 t fresh ground pepper and 1 1/2 t a nice smokey paprika-not a hot one, though if you like spicy foods, you could easily use one here
Butter, melted
Phyllo dough

Brown and season hamburger to taste. I used garlic, onion, and paprika.

Let meat cool.
Melt butter.
Lay out one sheet of phyllo, coat with butter. Layer on another sheet, coat with butter.
Spread a few spoonfuls of meat along the long edge of the dough sheet-be careful not to overfill or rolling and turning will be difficult.

Roll the dough over the meat into a shake shape.

Then, curl the snake into a coil (like a snail).
I usually top with extra melted butter.
Bake 375 for 15 minutes.

Phyllo dough is not hard to use, but it requires care. Mainly, you do not want it to dry out. Keep the sheets you're not using covered with plastic wrap and a wet towel at all times. Work quickly with the sheets you are using.

This can be frozen just fine. I recommend using a hard-sided container, rather than the ziplock bags I used for Freezer Meal Group.

I budgeted one pound of hamburger per family, miscounted families, and brought only 4 pounds of hamburger. That did make enough for 4 servings per family except my own, but each family could have gotten more if I'd brought more meat. Burek is meant to be eaten with a side of vegetables of some sort, but we usually eat it alone.

Enchiladas Roja

2010-02-18T14:59:00.001-06:00

Hey ladies, here it is finally! Still playing catch up! I did use beef in our last meet up, however, I much prefer them with chicken, (just me ;)

Enchilada's Roja

Ingredients:

1lb shredded chicken meat
4 green onions thinly sliced
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 recipe salsa roja para enchiladas
12 corn tortillas
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup shredded cheese to sprinkle on top

*Tip - You can find great corn tortillas called El Milagro at your Mexican Grocer. They have no preservatives and their only ingredients are Corn, Lime, and Water! The best thing, a package of 12 costs 32 CENTS!

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken, green onions, cilantro, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
After you've mixed your meat mixture, it's time to get everything mise en place.

Back left burner, keep your enchilada sauce warm over low heat
Back right, the meat mixture placed on the range. (It's not on)
Front left, extra virgin olive oil over low heat.
Front right, casserole dish to roll and place enchiladas

Using tongs, dip one tortilla at a time into the warm oil to soften the tortilla. Immediately dip the tortilla into the enchilada sauce and place in your casserole dish. Fill the center of the tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of meat mixture and roll it up. One thing to remember is that if you leave the tortilla in the oil for too long, it will get extremely soft and break on you. Quite literally, you'll only keep it a few seconds on each side in the oil and about the same amount of time in the enchilada sauce. Practice makes perfect!

Once all of the enchiladas are rolled, top with the remaining enchilada sauce (you may have some left over) and top with shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Buen Provecho!!

Salsa Roja Para Enchiladas - Red Enchilada Sauce

2010-02-04T23:17:00.001-06:00

Sorry so late with this post! When I made my enchilada sauce at Abby's, I did not use chicken stock as I was out. I also forgot to take pork lard. I would highly recommend using both as it really does give the sauce an extra umph!! As soon as I'm done with making the enchilada's I'll post that as well.

Salsa Roja Para Enchiladas - Red Enchilada Sauce
Makes enough sauce for 12 enchilada's

Ingredients:

3 whole tomatoes (preserved) diced, or 1 can of diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
5 garlic cloves, pressed or smashed
2 dried guajillo chile's, stem and seeds removed
1 large dried ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
1/2 tbls dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 tbls farm fresh pork lard
Celtic Sea Salt to taste

Method:

In a large stock pot or dutch oven add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the chile's have reconstituted.
Blend all ingredients in a blender.

That's really it! If you have any leftover sauce save it and use over eggs for huevos rancheros or to incorporate into homemade posole as Abby did :D

Next up - Enchilada's Roja!

Buen Provecho!

Sugar Creek Beef and Noodles

2010-01-19T15:57:00.001-06:00

I am going to the best I can here-I am not very good about remembering to measure on recipes I have been making since I was little.

Beef Stew Portion
1# stew meat or a small roasts sliced into small pieces
1 c flour, seasoned with a nice multipurpose like grill seasoning

oil for sauteing the meat (at least a couple tablespoons)

1/4 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, thin sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 pint diced tomatoes, with juice
2 t diced chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c wine
water to cover
herbs, chopped (during the winter I use dried herbs, which are often dried and ground, but basil, oregano, marjoram and parsley are nice. Sage, too. I would add about 1/4 to 1/2 t of each).
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste-you will need this. Don't skimp, and taste as you go.

Start by dredging your cut up beef through the flour, until it is coated. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot, and then saute your beef over med high heat, browning it a bit.

Add the onion and soften it a bit. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Add the water and the rest of the ingredients, save the salt and pepper.
Simmer the stew for a couple hours, until the meat is nice and tender. Taste and add the salt and pepper and any additional herbs as necessary.

Once your stew is nearly done, make your egg noodles:

Egg Noodles
1 c flour
1 egg
1 t salt
2 T milk

Mix everything together, and add flour or milk as necessary to make the dough hold together well in a ball. Flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll the noodles out-as thin as you can. Use a pizza cutter and cut the noodles into thin strips-about 1/8-1/4 inch wide.

Bring the stew up to a boil and add the noodles a few at time. If there doesn't seem to be enough room, add some hot water. Boil the noodles until they are white and firmed up. Taste one last time for seasoning and serve over mashed potatoes.

Meal Repeats...

2010-01-18T11:52:00.000-06:00

...are totally fine. Just because someone made chicken and noodles or enchiladas last month, does not mean you cannot make it this month, as well. It is fun to have new and exciting meals, but our family has favorites, and eating them frequently is no problem. The same for making the same thing every time you end up with a certain category, especially if it gets rave reviews here. That reminds me, make to sure to comment back if your family was fond of something or if it just didn't fly, and be sure not to take things personally if someone doesn't like something. Different people-different tastes, a fact of food. Feedback is a major way recipes can be improved or new ideas experimented with.

February 2010 Lineup

2010-01-11T18:04:00.000-06:00

First, the second Friday is the twelfth-is meeting that day going to interfere with anyone's Valentine's Day plans? If so, just let us know, otherwise, let's shoot for then. Noon at Abby's.

For February these are the categories:

Birds-Diana
Lamb/goat-Shanen
Veg/seafood-Danelle
Beef-Sarah R
Pork-Abby
Wildcard-Sarah D

Comment if you need help or have concerns!

Senate Bean Soup

2010-01-09T21:26:00.000-06:00

1/2 pound dry beans, picked over, rinsed, soaked and drained and rinsed again
1 c stock-any will do
1 bay leaf
1/4 of an onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 T dried parsley
1 ham hock

In a large heavy pot (or a crockpot, if you start early in the day) combine beans, ham hock, bay leaf, stock, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil (if not using crock pot, otherwise, set on high and add everything else), and cook until beans are tender, about an hour if they are a year old or less. Once tender, stir in the other vegetables and garlic. Simmer another hour or so, until the veggies are tender and the soup has thickened-to your personal preference. Strip the meat off the hock (it should just shred right off) and remove excess fat and the bone from the pot (you can reboil these for stock or give them to pets). Taste and season one last time to check for salt or pepper need. Serve hot.

January Lineup

2010-01-08T19:34:00.000-06:00

In January we went home with the following meals:
Birds-Shanen made Chicken Noodle Soup
Beef-Abby made Beef and Noodles
Pork-Sarah D sent Senate Bean Soup
(Do you see a theme here? It breaks away soon...:) )
Venison-Mama P made Eggplant Venison Moussaka
Vegetarian-Sarah R made Falafel with pitas
Wildcard-Diana made Beef Enchiladas

Falafel

2010-01-07T17:35:00.001-06:00

1 cup dried chickpeas
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and Pepper
Oil for frying

Preparation:
Soak beans overnight. Drain, put in pan covered with water, bring to a boil.

Boil for 5 minutes, simmer about an hour. Drain and cool.

Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl.

Add flour. Mash everything together. Use food processor if you want. End result: paste.

Form small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball.

Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until brown.

Serve hot.

We typically eat these in a pita with lettuce, tomato, and hummus or tahini or yogurt sauce if we have any. Randy is also having me send along some zatar, because he loves it.

I'm obviously not providing the lettuce and tomato or hummus/tahini, because none of them freeze well. Use what you have on hand. There's also nothing wrong with eating them plain on pitas.

(If you're making them at home from scratch, You can also form this into a patty and serve like hamburger, but you won't fool anyone.)

Slight Category Change/Improvement

2010-01-05T12:46:00.000-06:00

In the category of lamb/goat, you may also use deer meat, if you have access to it. Just be sure to give a little bit a taste test first, to make sure it isn't too gamey.
In the category of beef, you may also use elk, bison, and buffalo, if you access to it. Once the farmer's market is up and rolling again, this may be something someone would like to use.
In the category of birds, do not limit yourself to just chicken. If you have available turkey, duck, goose, or any wild game birds like guinea fowl, pheasant, quail, or some large bird options like emu or ostrich (available at the farmer's market) feel free to use them as well!
In the pork category, we are going to throw in the option of rabbit, as well. There wasn't a great place to put them, and that opens up options in the piggy place.
If there is something I missed, let me know! Hopefully we all get chances to use some of these meat markets/wild caught chances as they become more and more available in the greater metro area and some of us start raising them.

Thoughts on Enhancing the Experience

2010-01-04T10:36:00.000-06:00

When Shanen and I talked about starting the group, part of it was actually spending time cooking together, to learn from each other. I want to be sure we try to make a good portion of the meals we give each other together. There are some things that are easier to make ahead and bring, but the main flavor portions would be nice to do together. For example...last time I made the mashed potatoes and pie crust ahead of time for the pierogies, but saved the other veggies and adding of seasonings and cheeses for while we were cooking. It gives us all a chance to see how some people do certain things. I know Sarah and Mama P got to see my stress relieving technique of prepping garlic (take large knife and clove of garlic, place garlic on counter, using flat side of knife, smack garlic with all that pent up aggression, garlic mashed, no need to peel or use press. Chop to get minced. Fun had by all but the poor garlic.)

Just thoughts! See you all Friday!

Not Just Food For Later, Its SO much more!

2009-12-30T09:31:00.000-06:00

This group is wonderful in SOO many ways! My family learned last night that it isn’t just “Food In the Freezer” Not that any of us ladies thought it was. It is a great time for Momma’s to get together, and converse in the kitchen with other like-minded women, and still provide some meals for those rushed nights.

We discovered another great benefit last night. I cooked out of my normal comfort zone. As you all know, I’m NOT adventurous in the kitchen. I make basic beef & potatoes meals. Quite literally!

Last night I made Salmon Patties (Myself, because my family loved the freezer meal). They all were really excited and proud that I could (and would) make something so different!! I even kept the Green Peppers in. I don’t like peppers (do I?? I think I might!?!). I think this group is wonderful, and just wanted to say THANK YOU for expanding my thoughts in the kitchen!!

WE ALL really enjoy the simple, homemade meals!!! And, I do LOVE knowing that I can grab something out of the freezer on a busy day. Great, healthy, “FAST FOOD”. I will no longer resort to the Stoffer’s Meals that my mother buys & puts in our freezer!!! YEAH, REAL FOOD!!!
THANKS LADIES!!!

Toasted Chocolate Coconut Brittle

2009-12-29T13:43:00.001-06:00

1 c toasted shredded coconut (to toast, spread on a cookie sheet and stick in the oven at 350 degrees until it is browned a bit and getting fragrant)
1 c sugar
1/2 c syrup (like corn syrup, maple syrup or fruit sweet)
dash salt
1 t butter
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda

Put the coconut, sugar, syrup and salt in a microwave proof bowl (I know, I rarely use the microwave, but I haven't taken the time to convert this to stovetop. I will one of these days and will update the post when I do). Microwave on high (on newer, higher powered microwaves this ends up being at 70% strength or you will ruin the brittle) for 4 minutes. Take it out and stir and do another 4.
Take out and add the butter and vanilla. Stir them in and cook another 2 minutes.
Take out and add the soda. Stir in completely and very quickly as this sets up FAST, pour and spread evenly on a greased or silicone lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle on chocolate chips, which should melt into the brittle. Wait for the brittle to cool completely, then break into pieces. Not recommended for those who wear dentures :)

Shanen's Goody Tray: Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Layer Bars, Reindeer Poo

2009-12-29T13:35:00.001-06:00

New Member!

2009-12-29T12:32:00.000-06:00

Another awesome mama showed interest in the group, so after deliberation and the conclusion that we could, in fact, handle a sixth family, we welcome Diana B from A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa to our group. She takes over a new category this month, the wildcard, which will now be in permanent rotation. Whoever gets this spot gets to make whatever they choose, so long as it's a meal for the freezer. Looking forward to this month's selections!

For January 2010

2009-12-28T16:27:00.000-06:00

Planning on either the second or fourth Friday, and the lineup is as follows:

Shanen: Birds
Mama P: Lamb/goat
Sarah R: Veg/Seafood
Abby: Beef
Sarah D: Pork
Diana: Wildcard

December's Lineup

2009-12-28T16:17:00.000-06:00

This was the collection of items from December's group...
Birds: Mama P brought Chicken Gumbo and will deliver pecan pies sometime in the future, ;)
Pork: Shanen brought Breakfast Sausage Patties and Pancake mix, and an assortment of goodies
Beef: Sarah D sent Chili and mini loaves of Chocolate Banana Bread and Applesauce bread
Veg/Seafood: Abby made Pierogies and Toasted Chocolate Coconut Brittle
Lamb/Goat: Sarah R made Shepherd's Pie and an assortment of muffins

Basic chili

2009-12-28T11:22:00.000-06:00

Sarah D's Basic Chili

1 lb. ground beef
3 T. Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 T ground cumin
1/2 t ground chipotle pepper
3 T chili powder
3-16 oz. cans chopped tomatoes in juice (or fresh tomatoes adding sauce as needed)
2-16 oz. cans pinto beans drained (or dried beans, prepared)
1-2 t. salt

My recipe varies greatly but is similar to this. I simply brown the meat, onions and garlic in EVOO, season and put in the crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for several hours on low in the crock pot. If it's too thick add extra water or sauce as needed.

If I am taking my chili from the freezer I just put it frozen in the crockpot and let simmer all afternoon.

Applesauce coffee cake

2009-12-28T11:09:00.000-06:00

APPLESAUCE COFFEE CAKE

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. chopped nuts ( I left out the nuts due to Lydia's nut allergy)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 beaten eggs
1 c. applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. raisins (optional)

Oven at 375 degrees. In a bowl combine 3/4 cup flour and the sugar; cut in butter. For topping remove 1/2 cup crumb mixture, stir in nuts and cinnamon. Set aside. To remaining crumb mixture add remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, add eggs, applesauce and vanilla; beat until well blended. If desired, stir in raisins. Pour into a greased 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Sprinkle topping on batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm.

Lemon Dill Salmon Patties

2009-12-28T10:52:00.000-06:00

Since I was assigned to make fish the first time we met yet couldn't attend I decided to bring an extra meal to the January meeting.

Lemon Dill Salmon Patties
4 (14 3/4 ounce) cans salmon, drained
4 eggs
1 cup cracker crumb or dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 teaspoons dill weed or 2 tablespoon minced fresh dill
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup mayo (I use Lemonaise)
1 TB of Dijon mustard
1 TB Seafood seasoning- I love the one Frontier makes
1/2-1 cup milk
salt and pepper
olive oil or butter, to grease pan

Mash the salmon with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the olive oil or butter, and mix well. Let rest 5 minutes. Add additional crumbs or milk if necessary to make a moist patty that holds together well.Heat a little olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat and cook patties until the first side is nicely browned. Turn and cook other side to a nice brown.

Tip -- do not turn too soon or the patty may fall apart. Plan to turn only once. I did not cook the ones I froze- I simply thaw them slightly in the fridge and brown in skillet.

I like to make a dipping sauce using Lemonaise and dill. So yummy!

Chocolate banana bread

2009-12-28T10:49:00.000-06:00

These are my favorite! I like to make them into muffins and freeze them for quick breakfasts. Sadly, they don't usually last that long.
4 very ripe bananas(about 2 cups mashed)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly coat four mini-loaf (2-cup) pans with cooking spray. Place bananas and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat for 2–3 minutes. Add butter, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing well. Scrape down bowl sides and add flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nuts, if using. Mix to combine.
Fill pans about half full with batter. Bake until firm in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out with a bit of crumb on it, 35–40 minutes. (Or use 16 muffin tins and bake 15–18 minutes, or a full-size loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.) Cool completely. To freeze, wrap in plastic and then in foil; freeze up to one month.

Pork Sausage Breakfast

2009-12-20T14:39:00.000-06:00

Sometimes its great to have breakfast for supper, or just a prepared breakfast for Saturday Morning.
I made pork patty sausages. Not seasoned. Just pork sausage. In our family some like them plain (me) and some like them sweet with Maple Sausage. These were just thawed sausage formed into patties & seared on both sides then baked to cook the centers.

The panckake mix is wonderful. I keep it in a jar on the counter. Then I don't have to use the store mixes. Using Whole Wheat Flour makes the pancakes sweeter so I get to use less or no sugar.

2 cups Flour (I use Pauls Grains Whole Wheat)
2tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
6 Tbsp Sugar (haven't found any Iowa Sugar, so I use Raw sugar for my storage container)
1/2 tsp salt (I usually forget to add it, and they still taste great)
4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil (I use whatever variety I can find locally)

2 C Milk
2 Eggs

I keep all the dry ingredients in a jar, so when I'm ready to make my Pancakes, I just throw 2+ cups in a bowl, and add the wet ingredients.

This tastes great with the whole wheat flour, and even better when I use Local Honey. To top our Pancakes we use REAL Maple Syrup (anyone know of Iowa Maple Syrup?) or Honey.

I hope you enjoy!

Shephard's Pie

2009-12-16T18:59:00.001-06:00

Makes 6 servings
You will need:
3 large poraroes, cut into chunks
1 t olive oil
1 large finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 # lean ground beef (though you could use all lamb if you wish and it would taste just as good)
1/2 # lean ground lamb
1-14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup more or less of a good red wine (I have been using Red Truck-very good flavor)
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
kosher or sea salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
around a t m/l dried oregano (unless of course, you have fresh, then chop and double)
around 4 sprigs fresh thyme, strip and use the leaves
1/2 c plain non fat yogurt (soy or goat will work just as well as cow here)
1 T butter
1/4 c grated parmesan
1/2 c shredded cheese -we like a blend of parmesan and cheddar here
Paprika and parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Basically make mashed potatoes with the potatoes, yogurt, butter, parmesan and salt and pepper. Leave the skins on the potatoes when you make then so long as they aren't russets.
While your potatoes are boiling, heat a large skillet. Add the oil, and once it heats up some saute the onion and garlic until soft-not too long or the garlic will get bitter. Add the meats and brown, breaking the meat up as finely as possible as you go, until cooked through. Stir in the tomatoes, peas, wine, oregano, thyme and heat a bit, then taste and add salt and pepper until it is nicely seasoned. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer around 10 minutes.
Spread the meat mixture along the bottom of a cassarole dish, then top with the mashed potatoes. Top all of that with the cheese blend, then with ground pepper, parsley and paprika.
Bake until the potatoes are nice and golden and filling is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Tastes great as left overs as well.

This could be made in a crock pot. I have not tried it, though. Throw the meat filling ingredients in the crockpot on high-you will still have the make the mashed potatoes separately. Once the meat is cooked a bit, top with the potatoes and cheese topping, then turn the knob to low and cook until nicely browned and bubbly-do not stir!

Muffins

2009-12-16T14:57:00.001-06:00

Assuming I remember to get these from my freezer, I'm bringing a muffin assortment Friday.

Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat flour (actually, half WW and half white)
Cocoa powder
baking soda and baking powder
Fruit Sweet
Almond Milk
Walnuts (or pecans?)

I left the walnuts out of one batch, thinking about nut allergies, and didn't realize until I was typing this out that the almond milk negates that thought, lol.

Mixed Berry Muffins
Ingredients
Flour (half and half)
Baking soda and powder
Salt
Almond Milk
Fruit Sweet
Oat bran
frozen mixed berries

Banana Muffins
Flour
Oat Bran
Baking Soda
Cinnamon
Salt
Ginger
Fruit Sweet
Bananas
Almond Milk
Egg
Canola Oil

Recipes from Sweet and Natural Baking.

Pierogies!

2009-12-11T19:46:00.001-06:00

Pastry:
1 1/2 c unbleached allpurpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
5 T ice water

Filling:
2 sliced potatoes (boil and mash them) or about 2 c leftover mashed potatoes
3T butter
2 c finely shredded/chopped cabbage
1/4 c onion, finely chopped
1 c cottage cheese
1 1/2 c grated cheese, like sharp cheddar or a nice mix
1 egg
1/2 t salt
2 t dried parsley
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
Or use nice seasoning blend. The flavors aren't too strong here.
You can also totally add a nice chopped kielbasa to this-it would be great. Or try different meats. But my goal was that of the veg/seafood dish, so I left meat out.

Wash: (OPTIONAL)
1 egg, with 1 T water
poppy or sesame seeds

Dippin' sauce-sour cream, ranch dip, sweet chili dressing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook your potatoes and mash them, if you aren't using leftovers. While they are cooking, make the pastry dough by mixing the flour and salt with the butter, cutting the butter in, until you have cornmeal like texture. Add the water slowly, and make into a ball, being careful not to overwork the dough. Cover and chill while you work on the filling.
Saute the cabbage and onion in butter over medium high heat. Once it is softened remove and mix with the potatoes, cheese and seasonings.
Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and make into balls. Roll out into a circle, about 6 inches in diameter. Place about 1/2 filling into one half of the circle, and fold over into a crescent shape. Crimp the edges and place onto a greased or silicone lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Mix up the egg wash and brush on each pastry. Sprinkle with seeds and bake in the oven until the tops are browned a bit.

Chicken Salsa

2009-12-09T15:26:00.000-06:00

Meant to do this like a month ago.

Chicken
Vegetables

Put in crock pot. Eat.

I used tomatoes from Abby's farm, organic peppers, imported jalapenos, and I forget what else. The chicken was organic, but not local. For a lazy day, you can throw in chicken pieces with a jar of commercial salsa, as well. This is one of our family's favorite meals.

Freezer Meatballs

2009-11-29T21:25:00.000-06:00

I have used various forms of this meatball recipe for several years, but I will say that my recipe rarely stays the same from time to time.

This is the original recipe from Cooks.com
1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
1 beaten Egg
3/4 C Bread Crumbs (I used Cracker Crumbs)
1/4 tsp Onion Powder (I use about a teaspoon)
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (I use about a tablespoon, more is always better with garlic)

Combine Powders to Bread Crumbs and mix. Then Add the egg and mix into beef. Combine and shape into meatballs. Bake at 350 Degrees for 20 Min. If your beef has fat, drain on towel for 15 min. Freeze for up to 6 months.

When you are ready to use them, just warm them through. We usually throw these meatballs in some red sauce and pasta. However, we do eat them by themselves too.

Enjoy!

Salmon Cakes

2009-11-20T22:20:00.000-06:00

1-can skinless, boneless wild salmon
1/4 c fine chopped onion
1/4 c mayo
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 t garlic powder
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 c chopped red bell pepper
1 med egg, beaten
1 c crushed cracker crumbs --*Edited to add: For the carb conscious, I have changed the recipe a bit. I figured out that nut meal (fine ground nuts) works great here instead of cracker crumbs. I have used hazelnut and almond meals and really liked them both. You have to be patient while the patties are cooking, as they are bit more delicate. I use a cookie scoop to put them on the griddle, and don't flatten them until after I have turned them once. Then let the brown on the second side and turn them one last time to brown the first side the rest of the way.
1/4 t seasoned salt

Mix it all up, form into 1/4 c. sized patties, and fry in a greased pan over medium high heat, until browned on both sides. Great served with a sour cream dipping sauce.

Green Bean Sichuan

2009-11-20T22:13:00.000-06:00

8 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoon dry sherry
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dry mustard
8 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed, cut into one inch pieces
1 pound ground pork
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 T minced fresh ginger
jasmine rice

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, sherry, sugar, cornstartch, white pepper, pepper flakes, mustard, and water until sugar dissolves; set aside.
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat just until smoking. Add beans and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp tender and skins are shriveled and blackened in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer beans a large plate.
Reduce heat to medium high heat and add the pork. Cook, breaking pork into small pieces, until no pink remains, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 15-20 seconds. Stir sauce to recombine and return beans to pan with sauce. Toss and cook until sauce is thickened, 5-10 seconds. Serve.

Lamb Torta

2009-11-20T22:03:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe in an Italian Farmhouse cookbook. I can already say, as we ate ours tonight, that I think it needs more of a sauce to it, and possibly a thicker crust, but overall, the flavor was good.

Lamb Torta
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put 2 T coconut oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Brown 1 to 1 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Remove the meat and add 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and cook till softened. Add one large potato that has been diced, and 1/3 c. of a hearty red wine and cook until the potatoes begin to get tender, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the mix with 1 T all purpose flour. Stir, then cover and cook until everything is close to tender and the liquid has thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Mix, in a separate dish, 1/4 c dried parsley, and 1 T rosemary.
Roll out a little more than a softball sized chunk of five minute a day bread dough, in a manner large enough to cover the bottom of your dish of choice ( a pie plate worked well), plus overlapping the top a bit in order to make a bit of a tart. Put in your onion mix, a handful of crumbled feta, the lamb, and the seasoning, then fold the sides of the dough over to the top, leaving a gap in the center for steam release.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top begins to brown just a bit.

November 2009

2009-11-20T17:46:00.000-06:00

Our first meeting of freezer meal mamas was this afternoon. Though we had only four of five families here due to illness, we still went home with five meals a piece. The recipes and pictures will follow, but this month's selection included:
Beef: Shanen made Freezer Meatballs
Pork: Danelle made Green Bean Sichuan
Birds: Sarah R made Crockpot Salsa Chicken
Lamb/Chevon: Abby made Lamb Torta
Vegetarian/Seafood: In Sarah D's place, we made Fiesta Salmon Patties

For next month, the group will rotate, so Sarah D will take beef, Shanen will take pork, Danelle will take birds, Sarah R will take lamb/chevon, and Abby will take veg/seafood.

We are meeting the second Friday at Sugar Creek again, and will also each be bringing five copies (already made) of a dessert or cookies for the freezer as well, to help with the holiday madness.

Everything was so fun/went so well!

Chicken & Noodles

2009-01-25T13:31:00.000-06:00

When I make Chicken & Noodles it is usually a "clean out the fridge, throw whatever you have in the pot" meal. This time I actually planned and prepared the chicken & noodles for our group.

1 Whole Chicken
5 Stalks Celery
2 c Chopped Carrots
1/2 Diced Onion
Granulated Garlic (to taste)

Sautee the vegetables in a skillet & add to the bottom of your Crock Pot. Cook the Chicken for 6-8 hours in the crock pot or oven with plenty of water (I usually put the frozen chicken in the crockpot before I go to bed. Pull the chicken from the carcass & strain the broth to make sure there aren't any bones left in the broth (just veggies).

I like to use several layers of cheesecloth to place all of the bones in & wrap it tightly to form a bag. This allows me to continue to simmer & make a great bone broth without the worry of small bones in the broth. I like to shred the chicken into large bite sized pieces & place it back into the broth. Increasing the water level & letting it simmer for a day to make a great broth.

NOODLES

The wonderful home-made type are very personal, yet easy to make!
I like to make my Grandma's egg noodles, with a twist. She always says that "Chicken & Noodles tasted better when she made it on the farm". She thinks that it was the "REAL" chickens. She means, free ranged, open air, eat all the scraps, REAL chickens. The fat is so much better. I also think it is the "REAL" eggs.

5 cups flour (Whole Wheat)
6 Eggs (REAL Farm Eggs)
1/4 C Oil (Olive Oil)
Salt

I make them in a bowl, but Grandma Makes them on the countertop. Just mix everything together & form a ball. Use more or less flour/oil as the dough-ball forms. Roll into a 1/4 layer (I like them thick). Cut as you desire (I like wide noodles, some like them thin). Leave them on the counter or table to dry for a couple of hours (to freeze) or use them fresh (more like dumplings).

When you are ready to eat the soup, heat to boiling & add the noodles (with some of the table flour to thicken the soup).

Enjoy!!