Hello Again,
It has been a crazy week at my house. I had to take a mandatory 3-day hospital vacation due to a fever and some contractions. The baby and I are both back to our normal selves and ready for Valentine's Day tomorrow.
Freezer foods won the poll so I will list several great ideas after this week's menu and recipes. Take a look at this week's poll. It will be for the week of the 22-28 but I wanted to give you plenty of time to answer and me time to prepare.
This week:
Day 1 -
The Classic Egg Salad Sandwich
This is modified from my friend Nicole's recipe.
6 eggs, hardboiled and shelled
1/4 cup mayo
2-3 T. mustard
salt
pepper
lettuce
sliced bread, toasted for extra texture
In a bowl, break eggs with the back of a fork until eggs are crumbly. Add mayo and mustard to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Make sandwich with lettuce if desired. Serve with a side of your choice, celery is really nice with this.
Day 2 -
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (frozen)
5 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery round crackers
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the chicken into a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed soup, 2 tablespoons and sour cream. Pour over the chicken. Freeze at this point, if you want to have it later in the week. You can also put this in two smaller baking dishes and bake one now and one freeze.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, remaining 2 tablespoons poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.
3. Bake for 40-60 minutes in the preheated 350-degree oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly.
Day 3 -
Whole Wheat Pancakes (Freezable!!!)
http://www.tammysrecipes.com/easy_whole_grain_pancakes
These are great for Valentine's Day. Add in a 1/2 cup chocolate chips before cooking. You can also put the batter in an empty ketchup bottle and squeeze out designs on the grill pan, think hearts, initials, faces, etc. These can be frozen up to a month if you wrap them in waxed paper and place in a freezer bag. Pop a couple out for a quick homemade breakfast. Don't forget to get creative with your toppings, syrup is good but jam, fresh fruit, and whipped cream is even better!
Day 4 -
Crock-pot BBQ Beef Sandwiches
You've got to try this recipe. It is perfect mix of sweet and tangy. I use a chipotle BBQ sauce then add the preserves. Wonderful!
http://www.laaloosh.com/2008/06/17/barbecue-beef-sandwiches-crock-pot-recipe/
Day 5 -
2 Quiche for the Price of 1
I modified this recipe from one I found on the internet. It is super fast and you can cook both then freeze one for later or the weekend. Just let it come to room temperature and place in a 400 degree oven until hot again. You can just microwave each piece, this way if you have late sleepers they don't miss out.
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 cup milk
8 eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, reduced fat if you are watching calories
2 (10 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 (9 inch) frozen thin pie shells (not deep dish)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Whisk together first three ingredients. Layer spinach, cheese and onions in pie shells, making several layers. Pour egg mixture into each pie shell. Cover with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes, uncover and continue baking for 15 more minutes until top is golden brown. If freezing, wrap with plastic wrap then tin foil.
Now for other things that freeze well and will save you time or money, here are some good tips. Anything that you can buy in the freezer section of your grocery store, you too can freeze. For example, most meats are shipped frozen anyway. Wait until they are on sale and stock up. I repackage them if they were thawed into individual freezer bags. Remember to date when you got them and refroze them. This is also true for cheese, milk and eggs. You can freeze them in their original wrapping. I buy all my shredded cheese on sale and freeze what I can't use in the next couple of days. Casseroles and soups are classic freezable foods, make sure to label them and include baking temps and times so you don't forget or your husband can easily pull it out and reheat. Bread, muffins, and donuts are also excellent frozen, buy from the bakery on sale and freeze them. I always have leftover muffins when I bake. I keep the extras in the freezer and have homemade muffins every morning for the rest of the week. Just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds. And my all time favorite thing to freeze is sausage balls. They are the most perfect food for a busy parent. Make a double batch and be ready for a quick breakfast, late night snack, or appetizer for a shower or potluck.
You may need to clean out your fridge before implementing these newfound freezer options. Make sure you know what's in there, keep a cheat sheet stuff to the side of freezer for quick recall or dinner ideas. Let me know what you keep in the freezer and keep your recipes coming.
With the joy of cooking and the art of reheating,
Brooke
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