Hash Brown, Sausage, and Egg Cups

1 bag frozen hash browns, thawed (or grate your own)

1 16+ oz. package Italian sausage

12 eggs

1 small zucchini, grated (optional, but I like to sneak veggies in whenever I can!)

1 c. Shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese, plus grated parmesan cheese (opt.)

Rosemary, Salt, and Pepper

Spray all cups of a muffin tin liberally with cooking spray.   In a bowl, combine hash browns, ¼ c. olive oil, salt, and pepper and stir until evenly coated.  Place a heaping tablespoon of hash browns in each cup, lining bottom and sides. Bake for 22 minutes at 375 F or until golden brown.   Meanwhile, brown sausage and drain fat. Add zucchini (could also add mushrooms and red peppers too!).  Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Fill each baked hash brown cup equally with sausage/veggie mixture.   In small bowl combine eggs, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and ½ cup water (makes the eggs go further) and mix well. Pour eggs over sausage mixture filling each muffin cup equally. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cup comes out clean.  Makes 24 cups.

Notes from mini freezer meal class

Kimm’s Tips for Freezer Meals:

1.  Make things you really like.  If you don’t really like the food, you won’t want to eat it later!

2.  Use as many matching containers as possible.  That way, they stack easily and don’t take up as much space.

3.  Rotate your meals.  Put newer ones in back and older ones in front so they get used and not freezer-burned.

4.  Keep up your freezer meals by making a little extra when cooking and then freeze several servings.

5.  Choose one day a month to prepare 1-3 meals solely for freezing, depending upon use and freezer space.

6.  If you do decide to cook several meals on the same day, make it easier for yourself.  Plan on making something in a crockpot, in the oven, and on the stove.  That way, you can prepare the crock pot and the oven meals first, and focus on the stove meal while they are cooking.

7.  Almost anything you make yourself is cheaper and healthier than eating out.  But you can only reap the benefits if you actually EAT your freezer meals!  Take them with you for lunch – it’s a grab ‘n go meal that takes zero preparation in the morning before work or school.

8.  Consider cutting up veggies and storing in Ziploc bags as soon as you buy them.  A freezer meal, a bag of celery with a container of peanut butter, and an apple makes a FAST, easy, healthy lunch.

Resources:

www.favoritefreezerfoods.com

www.fabulesslyfrugal.com/freezer-meal-recipes-master-list

www.moneysavingmom.com/downloads/freezer-cooking-planners

Pineapple Pepper Chicken

I have NOT tried this recipe yet, but it looks delish!  I found it on the fabulessly frugal website here.  I'll update this once I've made it.  I'd serve it over rice...

FOR ONE FAMILY
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbls soy sauce
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
4 chicken breasts
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained
1 medium green pepper, julienned (optional)

TO PREPARE FOR FREEZING:
In a gallon size freezer bag combine the first 10 ingredients, then add chicken. Seal and freeze. Set aside pineapple for pantry and freeze sliced pepper in a separate bag.

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING: Thaw ingredients enough to place in crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. 30 minute before it is finished add pineapple and green pepper, cook an additional 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

OR: Place chicken in a 13x 9 pan. Heat sauce on stove until it starts to thicken. Pour sauce over chicken. DO NOT over fill the pan. There will be extra sauce. Pour sauce in a container and freeze so you can make this dish again later! Place pan in oven at 350° and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven place peppers and pineapple on top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Ideas for Freezer Meals

Here are some websites that will give some useful tips on freezer meal preparation, plus a TON of recipes to try out.  I would suggest perhaps making a halved or even quartered recipe to see if you like it.  Because if you don't really like the meal, or if it is just so-so, I guarantee you will not want to eat it later.  If you are choosing between fast food and something in the freezer, the only way to make sure you'll choose the freezer meal is if it is something you really WANT to eat!  So make sure your recipes are yummy!!

1.  Fabulessly Frugal - this blog gives information on menu planning, shopping, how to make a freezer meal cooking group, and then lots of recipes that work well for freezing.

2.  Favorite Freezer Foods - this blog also has some tips on how to preserve your food from frostbite.  Quite a few recipes too.

3.  Allrecipes.com Article - this article has some excellent tips on how to freeze - let food cool slightly before you stick it in the freezer, as well as a chart for how long items in the freezer are usually good for...that is, if they last that long!  ;)

More sites to come!

White Chili

4 cans great northern beans

1/2 jar 24 oz Pace Picante sauce (mild or medium, depending on desired heat)

1 can green enchilada sauce (or about 2 cups)

1 can corn

2 c. chopped frozen spinach

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

2 T. lime juice

2 t. chili powder

1/2 lb. grated monterey jack or pepper jack cheese

3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced or shredded

Drain one of the cans of beans. Add Beans and Picante sauce to a large soup pan or crock pot. Cook on medium or so until hot (Cook the chicken while the beans warm). Add the grated cheese and stir well until melted. Add chicken and stir again. 

If you want more of a soup than a chili don't drain the one can of beans.

Steak Fajitas

1 med steak, sliced thin
1 yellow onion, sliced
2-3 bell peppers (red, yellow, green)
Fajita spice packet
Oil (2-3 tablespoons)
Sour cream
8 whole wheat flour tortillas
Limes, cut in wedges
Cilantro, chopped
Queso Fresco (a slightly salty, crumbly, white Mexican cheese that is wonderful!  You can find it in the cheese area of most any grocery store)

Sauté meat in oil.  Add spice pack, onions, and peppers,  If freezing right away, dish hot mix into containers.  Top with a dollop of sour cream, a little crumble of cheese, cilantro, and a lime wedge.  Warm tortillas slightly in microwave and fold into quarters (so they fit into a plastic sandwich size ziploc bag).  I store 2 tortillas per serving of filling. When it is time to eat this freezer meal, warm both the filling and the tortillas.  Squeeze the lime over your fajita and enjoy!

Breakfast Burritos

These are very versatile and you can put together any mixture of egg, potato, chicken, sausage, or beef, bell peppers, and cheese.  Flavor with hot sauce, or bbq sauce, or even italian seasoning.  Mix it all together in one big pot (cook the potatoes first and either cube them really small or grate them into the pan) and then wrap in whole wheat flour tortillas and freeze.  Take it out and microwave for about 3 minutes.  Easy!

Unfortunately, I didn't write down the recipe for the last batch I made, but here's the general gist of it:

1 package Italian sausage

3-4 potatoes, cooked and cubed

2-3 colored bell peppers (red, yellow, green)

1 med to large white onion

2 cups cheddar cheese

4-6 eggs

I cooked the sausage first, then added the onion, peppers, then potatoes.  I kind of pushed it to one side of the pan and cracked the eggs into the hole left.  I let them almost completely cook and then stirred the whole mixture up.  I added salt and pepper, and some garlic powder.  Once it tasted good, I quickly stirred in the cheese, then loaded the mixture into warm tortillas - they bend and fold better.  Then, wrap each burrito in plastic wrap and store several in a gallon zip-loc bag.

Spinach Florentine Lasagna

• About 2 c. frozen spinach, chopped
• About 2 c. chopped broccoli
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 can sliced mushrooms (or fresh if you want)
• 2 c ricotta cheese
• 1 c cottage cheese
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t. basil
• salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 c. half and half
• 2-3 T parmesan cheese
• ½ pound uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 c mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 pound chicken breast tenderloins, thawed and chopped
• 1/2 c. pesto (optional)

Heat oil and chicken; cook until chicken is cooked almost all the way through; add onion and garlic until onions are soft and chicken is completely done, about 5 minutes, and set aside. Put broccoli, spinach, mushrooms in a frying pan with a little water.  Cook until broccoli is mostly cooked, and spinach is thawed and soft.  Add back chicken and onions and stir together.  Add the half-and-half, parmesan cheese, basil, and oregano.  You can also add a little cornstarch to thicken mixture.  Add pesto now, if used.  Cook on medium high until sauce is moderately thick.  Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of water until al dente.  Drain and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.  Mix the ricotta cheese and cottage cheese (so it's not such a strong flavor) with a little salt, pepper, basil, and oregano.  Then, in a 9x13 baking dish, put a layer of noodles, a layer of spinach mix, a layer of the ricotta mixture, and then sprinkle some mozzarella cheese.  Repeat as many times as you have ingredients for and end with a liberal sprinkling of cheese on top.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.  Cut into squares when slightly cooled.

Tortilla Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or 2 cloves)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (or more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (or more to taste)
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
• Toppers: chopped avocado, chopped tomatoes, queso fresco (delicious salty, crumbly, mexican cheese), chopped cilantro, lime juice, sour cream (Tillamook brand is THE BEST), and either tortilla chips or corn tortillas cut into strips, tossed in olive oil, and baked at 350 for 15-20 minutes - yum!

In large pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until almost translucent.  Then, add the tomato paste, chicken broth, herbs, and frozen chicken tenderloins and cook on a low boil for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is done. Fish out the chicken and shred it.  Add back the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the cilantro and lime juice, and stir well. Garnish with toppings: avocado, tomatoes, queso fresco, tortilla stips, cilantro, lime, and sour cream.

Sweet and Sour Beef

• 1/2 pound steak meat (you can use chicken, but I got round steak on sale for cheap!)
• 1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
• Juice from the canned pineapple
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt - or to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 onion, chopped coarsely
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• Brown rice

 Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, and brown sugar and set aside.  Cook onions in a hot frying pan with olive oil.  Pour a small amount of water to the pan to create steam.  Stir constantly.  When onions are almost translucent, put into a large bowl.  Then stir-fry peppers and transfer to bowl when softened.  You can stir-fry the pineapple a little if you want too, and put in bowl when seared.  Then add meat to pan along with a little oil.  Cook until meat is browned and almost cooked through.  Then, add ginger.  Add juice mixture to meat and cook until sauce is thick.  (You can thicken with cornstarch if you'd like).  Add a little soy sauce to the mixture to taste.  Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce and then serve over rice.