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.