Taco Soup and Freezer Tips

Last week we had a great evening sharing ideas and tips for making freezer meals for our families. Having a few meals made ahead of time can give us better quality time with our families on those nights that we serve those meals. It also gives us nutritional meals when our evenings are packed full running the kids from place to place and we return home for a quick supper together.

Below is a recipe that we sampled that would be nice to prepare ahead of time to serve on those chilly fall nights. The Taco Soup recipe uses 7 canned items, which would also make it a great meal to put in your 3 month supply of meal makings. You can use ground beef that you have previously cooked and frozen, or make this recipe up the night you need it and freeze the leftovers for a future meal.

Taco Soup Shaleen Wilding

3 cups ground beef/onion, cooked
1 can black beans
1 pkg. Taco seasoning
1 can corn
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing
1 can great northern beans
1 can Rotel tomato and chilies
1 can kidney beans
1 1/2 cups water
cheddar cheese, shredded
tortilla chips
sour cream

Brown hamburger with diced onion (or use frozen and cooked ground beef/onion). In large pot dissolve taco seasoning and dry Ranch dressing in water. Add ground beef and canned items, including the juice (do not drain cans – most of the cans are about 16 oz. cans). Heat till hot, 30-40 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Oh-so-good!

Also, there are many online resources that can help as we look for ideas, recipes, and answers to our questions. One of my favorite sites is http://www.30daygourmet.com/ Another site that Colette brought to my attention last week is http://www.stilltasty.com/
Some handy tips I found this week on that site are listed below:

Surprising Foods You Can Freeze

You already know that the freezer is a good place to store steak and chicken. But it works equally well for some far less obvious items.

Try freezing the following. You'll save money, waste less — and make cooking a lot more convenient. Go to http://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/33 and click on the food item you are interested in for more information in freezing it.

• EGGS: 1 year

Crack open and mix in a touch of salt (if using for savory dishes) or sugar (for baking or desserts); place in freezer bags or airtight containers.

• BROWN RICE (UNCOOKED): 1 year

Brown rice has a higher oil content than white rice, so its shelf life isn’t nearly as long. But it’ll keep for several months longer if you freeze it.

• BUTTER: 6 months

Butter freezes well, so stash a stick or two in the freezer (leave in the original wrapping and place in a freezer bag) and you’ll always have some on hand when you need it.

• MILK: 3 months

If you’re constantly running out, freeze a backup supply in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge and stir well before using — the texture may be a little grainy, but it's fine for cooking and usually okay for drinking.

• NUTS - INCLUDING PECANS, ALMONDS, WALNUTS: 1 -2 years (depending on the type)

Thanks to their high oil content, nuts are especially prone to going rancid. Freeze them and they’ll stay fresher longer.

• FRESH HERBS - INCLUDING BASIL, CILANTRO, PARSLEY: 6 months

Most recipes call for only a sprig of herbs, but you have to buy the whole bunch. Freeze what you don’t use in ice cube trays, covered with a bit of water, and then transfer to freezer bags.

• TOMATO PASTE: 3 months

Rarely do you need to use the whole can at once. Freeze dollops of leftover tomato paste on a cookie sheet or in ice cube trays and transfer to freezer bags for use in future recipes.

• BREAD: 3 months

If you can never seem to finish a whole loaf before it gets rock-hard or moldy, freeze it. Bread toasts just fine, straight out of the freezer.

• MAPLE SYRUP (100% PURE): keeps indefinitely

Sure, it’s more expensive than the imitation stuff. But pure maple syrup keeps forever in the freezer — so you’ll never have to waste a delicious drop.

Freezer Meals

Many sisters in the ward have expressed an interest in learning more about freezer meal preparation and to share ideas and recipes. I will be collecting your favorite freezer meal ideas and recipes so I can print them out to share with everyone at an upcoming freezer meal activity where we can sample different freezer meals and share ideas of how to utilize your freezer to cut down on meal preparation time for whatever family situation you may have.

I would like to share one of my favorite freezer meal recipes: Breakfast tacos. These are easy to prepare and great to have on hand for a fast and healthy breakfast. Also, the recipe is adaptable to the tastes of your family.

Breakfast Tacos

18 eggs
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. Jimmy Dean’s sausage (I use regular)
1/2 pkg. hash browns (use about 15 oz.)
4 Tblsp. oil
24 flour tortillas (we like the thinner ones—Fajita style, small size)
(I use Mi Casa brand flour tortillas, fajita style)

Cook the sausage, drain, set aside. Beat the eggs well and cook. Cook the oil with the hash browns on a griddle or skillet, until browned. Mix all ingredients (except tortillas) together in a very large bowl and mix lightly. Put 1/3 cup of mixture in warmed tortilla and roll up. Repeat with the other tortillas. Wrap in foil. Bake in oven, on cookie sheet, till warmed through. Serve with salsa, sour cream, etc. To freeze for later use, put foil wrapped breakfast tacos in a freezer Ziploc bag and freeze. To use, defrost and remove breakfast taco from foil and then microwave till warm. (about 20 seconds) Or, bake on a cookie sheet in the oven (still in foil) until warmed through. We love to make these up ahead of time and then you have a quick breakfast option when you are on the run.

Slow Cook Chili

I first met Andrea at a Relief Society Enrichment night in which sisters had brought their favorite chili to share. Hers was the chili that I loved the most and I asked her for the recipe. I like it because it’s not too spicy, but you can add more chili powder if you want. Another reason I really love this recipe is because it is a great recipe for your three month supply because it uses cans of beans and tomatoes. I keep cans on hand because I can throw it together at lunchtime and let it simmer until dinner and then it’s all ready to serve. Just add some Fritos, cheese, and sour cream if you want to make it extra special.

Slow Cook Chili from Andrea Cockrell

Brown together:
1 pound super lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
Drain Fat.

Add:
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed

Add the secret sauce:
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1-2 tablespoons sugar

Simmer 1-2 hours. ( I simmer on low in my Crock-pot) Serve.
Note: This is delicious served with grated cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and Frito chips to add crunch and saltiness. Yum! This chili also freezes well for using later. It’s also great to use to make chili macaroni or Navajo Tacos if you have any leftovers.

Bread Machine Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I (Mary Ellefson) love this bread because it was an easy way to start my family out eating wheat bread. Only 1/3 of the flour is wheat flour so it isn't too heavy. It helped me convert over to using some wheat in my bread and my kids barely noticed. It’s also easy to make for busy moms because it uses a bread machine. The machine does all the work and you have fresh bread to enjoy. It is especially delicious warm with honey drizzled on it! It’s also great toasted!

1 cup water (70° to 80°)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tblsp. honey
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt

In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order above. Select the regular bread cycle for the 1 1/2 lb. loaf (not whole wheat bread cycle). Let the machine do the rest. After dough has mixed about 5 minutes you may want to check the dough: add 1 to 2 Tblsp. of water or flour if needed. I usually need to add a little more flour so the dough won't be too sticky. When the baking cycle is over remove bread and enjoy!

Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices in a 1 1/2 lb. loaf) One slice equals 127 calories, 146 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 20 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm protein, 4 gm fat.

From Quick Cooking Nov./Dec. 1998

Canning Wheat

In April a few of us got together to try out our ward’s wheat grinder and to can some wheat into the #10 cans for long term storage. The machines were easy to figure out and we got over being intimidated by them. Afterwards we enjoyed some fresh whole wheat bread and whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. We would like to invite sisters that are interested in learning how to use the canner to get together sometime to can some products so you can know how to use it on your own. The canning machine is available to be checked out for use from our Food Storage Center in Round Rock. The wheat grinder is available through Mary Ellefson if you would like to grind up some wheat so you can start baking with it!

PIzza Bubble

Here's a new "Off the Shelf" recipe! Looks good and using sale items, this would be pretty cheap!

Pizza Bubble
2 cans Pillsbury Biscuits
1 16 oz jar of pizza sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 green pepper, chopped
1/3 C. chopped onion
4 oz pepperoni
1 8oz package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions: Combine the pizza sauce and cream of mushroom soup in a large bowl. Add the peppers and onions. Cut the pepperonis in half and cut the biscuits into fourths. Add to pizza sauce mixture. Lastly add 1 cup of cheese to the mixture. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Top with remaning cheese and return to oven until melted. Enjoy!! Serves 6-8.
Notes: You can easily change this recipe to suit your taste. Don’t enjoy green peppers? Add olives instead!

50 Things to Make With a Jar of Pasta Sauce

Wow! Here is a great resource for recipes ideas using a jar of pasta sauce. Check it out!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/50-things-to-make-with-a-jar-of-pasta-sauce/index.html

When a few of us went on the tour of the Food Storage Center we talked about using wheat to make bread. This is a recipe that several sisters said they use and they wanted me to share it with the rest of you. You can use all wheat flour or use part wheat flour and part white flour if desired. I believe they use a bread mixer to mix the dough. I made a batch last week and it turned out great and my family really enjoyed it!

Homemade Wheat Bread

2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
5 cups hot water
1 Tblsp. salt
10-12 cups flour (wheat or white, or a combination of them)
3 Tblsp. yeast

Mix oil, honey, water and salt together. Add 4 cups of the flour and mix until smooth. Then add yeast. Mix and add the additional 6-8 cups flour. Add flour until dough starts to leave sides of bowl. Knead for 10 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Divide into 4 loaves and place in greased pans. Let rise for 30 minutes or so. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Bread is finished when you tap it and it sounds hollow.

Homemade Suckers

It is going to be important to have comfort food in the times of trial/emergency. This is an easy recipe with off the shelf ingredients.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. flavor oil
food color
Molds
Sticks

Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in pan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cooke to hard crack (300). Remove from heat and add flavor and color. Stir approximately 2 minutes. Pour into molds arrange on a cookie sheet or marble slab. (grease molds and cookie sheet with spray oil/shortening.) Allow to cool Makes approximately 20 suckers. You can also just pour rounds of candy on a greased cookie sheet and roll a sucker in the round until it is coated.

Hints:
**Use your 40% off at Michael to buy sticks, color and flavor
**Walmart also has flavor oil.
**Johnsonflavors.com also has a great variety of flavors and the metal molds (my favorite)
**All in One Cake decorating on 183 also has plastic hard candy molds (be use and use the white plastic molds--clear molds are for chocolate only.)
**Call if you have questions or would like to borrow molds and try it out!

Berry Wonderful Breakfast Cobbler (Oatmeal)

I found a great new recipe from a food storage book that I thought I would tell you about. It is a recipe for oatmeal that you can eat for breakfast and it’s all done in the microwave. I make ahead the mix and store in sandwich baggies and then just pour into a bowl, add water, microwave, and then add the frozen blueberries and microwave again. Pour on milk and enjoy! It is very healthy and delicious oatmeal, with lots of good stuff for you. I love it! It makes a lot, so even a half serving is quite filling. If you don't have the blueberries you could certainly used sliced bananas on top instead. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

From: I Dare You to Eat It, by Liesa Card (Food Storage book))

Fresh ingredients: 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
(milk, for on top of the oatmeal, when serving)

Storage ingredients:

1/4 cup rolled oats (not old fashioned or instant)
1/4 cup walnuts, crumbled
1 Tblsp. golden raisins
1 Tbslp. Craisins
1 Tblsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup water (I use 2/3 cup water)

Toss all ingredients except blueberries in a large glass bowl and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the frozen blueberries and microwave an additional 45 seconds. Add milk and enjoy! Tastes like a dessert!

Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

Save some money by making your own!!! I was just e-mailed this today and I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to soon!

Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

½ cup Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup water
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Dash of salt
Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Add water, and mix until smooth. Bring this mixture to a boil. Be careful this does not over boil. Remove from heat, when it cools add the vanilla. Mix with milk (hot or cold) or serve with ice cream.

Cream Soup Mix

This can be a substitute in any recipe that calls for a can of condensed soup. I haven't tried it yet but it came from Lisa Larsen. I'm not sure if she's tried it yet, but you can check!

Cream Soup Mix
2 c. nonfat powdered milk
3/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. instant chicken bouillon
2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 tsp basil leaves
1 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. S store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Cream Soup

1/3 cv. cream soup mix (above)
1 1/4 c. cold water

Whirl ingredients in a blender or use a wire whisk. Mix until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened.

Good luck! Comment when you try it and let us know how it goes!

Another Plug for Couponing

I went to Target today and got some great deals! I want to put in a plug for using coupons because at Target you can get $.25 Chex Mix and $.58 deodorant and body spray. All the details for these can be found at hip2save.blogspot.com or at savingwithshellie.com. On both sites you can click on Target off to the right and scroll down until you find the deals you want. Then they tell you where to click and find the coupons (you can print two from each location per computer). The Target coupons are unlimited. You CAN combine Target coupons and manufacture coupons and that's what makes the deal so great!! Happy shopping!! BTW, I paid $4.90 for everything pictured and saved $41.40!

72 Hour Kit Food Comparison

Here is my current shopping list for 72 hour kits. As you can see, it is not finished yet. Check back for soon for more pricing updates! If you click on the picture, it will get bigger and you can see it better!

Also, here's a good site for a more complete list of what you need in your kits!
http://bit.ly/ru0t6

Not Really Food Storage...but Food related!!

You want to be inspired...check out Bakerella. It is an amazing website. I am inspired and overwhelmed by the things she does with desserts. When you have a spare minute, check it out! It's on the right!

All You Magazine - 24 issues for $20

We learned from Stacy L.'s Couponing Night that All You has a lot of valuable coupons. If you happen to know a child in middle school who is having a magazine fundraiser right now (like they are at Kelly Lane MS) you will find that you can order a 24 month subscription for only $20. So far, this is the best deal I have found for this money saving magazine. If anyone has found a better deal, please let me know.

72 Hour Kit Time

With General Conference fast approaching it is time to get out those 72 hour kits and dust them off. At the October General Conference we redo all the food in our kits and redo all the clothing (for those fast growing kids). The fun part for the kids is that they get to eat all the food in the kit during General Conference (I don't cook at all on Saturday). The kids are thrilled to be able to eat all the fun individual packaged items that I don't usually buy. So start thinking about your menu planning and getting your kits out and organized in the next couple of weeks. You can get really cheap fruit snacks and granola bars until Tuesday at Randalls (see Savingwithshellie.com). Here is our menu:

Also, backpacks are 75% off at Target right now. This would be a good time to get some backpacks for around $3. Lunchboxes are on clearance as well! Here's a pretty good list of what you need from lds.about.com:

Buttermilk Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits (From: My Food Storage Deals)
Makes 12
2 c. flour
1 T. cornstarch
2 t. baking powder
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
8 T. butter, cut into 1/4 in. cubes and chilled
3/4 c. cold buttermilk (or 1/4 c. milk & 1 t. lemon juice--you could also use powdered milk if you didn't have milk on hand with the lemon juice)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a wisk. Scatter the butter evenly over teh top and pules to combine, about 12 pulses (or use a dough blender/pastry knife to cut butter into dry ingredients). Stir in the buttermilk with a spatula until the mixture forms a soft, slightly sticky ball. Do not over mix. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces (I just grabbed balls and eyeballed 12). Roll into a rough ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet. If you want cute and evenly formed biscuits you can roll the dough out onto a floured counter, roll the dough out, and use a cup to make perfectly shaped biscuits. Bake until the biscuit tops are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Serve warm with jam or gravy.

*For the gravy, I just made a country gravy with 1 lb. sausage, flour, butter, salt & pepper, and milk. I cooked the sausage until done and set aside. I then made a quick roux with flour and butter and then added the milk. I let simmer until the gravy thickened and then added salt & pepper to taste. Delightful!

Brown Sugar Storage Tips

To avoid dried-out and hardened brown sugar, store it in a cool area in a covered and airtight container once the box or bag has been opened.

One way to soften hard sugar is to place a fresh apple slice, the peel of half a lemon, or a slice of bread in the sugar overnight. The sugar will absorb the moisture from the apple, lemon, or bread and rehydrate, making it soft again.

For an even quicker fix, remove the hardened brown sugar from the package and place it on a baking pan. Place it in a 225°F oven until soft, about 10 minutes. (Use caution, because the sugar will become very hot.)

COUPONS RULE!!!

Okay, I know you say that you don't have time to coupon....but, you need to make time!! I used the advice of savingwithshellie.com today and got the following....guess how much I paid?

The answer is....$1.15. Come on ladies and gentlemen, spend 15 minutes learning how to do this and then go shopping! This is a great way to get your food storage going!