Freezer Food Friday: Make-Ahead Mexican Meat Mixture

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Please post a recipe that can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Link it below using Mister Linky and make sure to visit each blog who shares. I am on Twitter if you want to follow me and have started collecting Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a search engine where you can win bucks for searching ( I just use it in place of Google ). Check it out and see if it works for you!

Make-Ahead Mexican Meat Mixture

1 egg
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 to 5 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds fresh, ground, raw chicken, turkey or lean ground beef (or a combination)

In a large bowl, slightly beat the egg. Add the onion and stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the meat and mix well.

Form meat mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick rectangles. Then wrap, seal and freeze each piece. Meat mixture may be frozen up to 3 months.

To thaw in refrigerator, place wrapped, frozen meat block in a baking dish in refrigerator the night before cooking.

To thaw in hot water, fill a pan with hot water. Place frozen block of meat in a zip-close bag and submerge in water (I place another pot on top of meat and fill it with water to keep meat submerged.)

To thaw in microwave oven, place one frozen, unwrapped meat block in a baking dish. Microwave on 30 percent power (medium-low) for 2 1/2 minutes. Rotate dish a quarter turn. Cook, covered, on medium-low about 2 1/2 minutes more or until thawed but not cooked.

Once thawed, cook mixture to use as a filling in taco, tortillas or in a simple skillet dinner as directed in the accompanying recipe.

Makes 4 loaves; each loaf makes 4 servings.

Soy-Sauced Steak

 

 

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Soy-Sauced Steak

From Julie Kay

Serves 4 to 6.

1 (2-lb.) sirloin steak
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbls. minced garlic
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rounds
Cooked rice or pasta

1. Cut sirloin steak into strips. Pierce the strips with a fork and place in slow cooker.

2. Mix together soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic and pour over steak. Add sliced onion.

3. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

4. Serve over cooked rice or pasta of choice.

Pan-seared Burgers

How did I go a week without posting? That is really unusual and I apologize!  Leave me a note and let me know you are here and please try to share a recipe at your blog or in the comments if you do not blog! Feel free to borrow the Freezer Food Friday badge below and post it in your blog post!

Today is Freezer Food Friday.

Please post a recipe that can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Link it below using Mister Linky and make sure to visit each blog who shares. I am on Twitter if you want to follow me and have started collecting Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a search engine where you can win bucks for searching ( I just use it in place of Google ). Check it out and see if it works for you!

 

Pan-seared Burgers

Serves 4

1 large egg
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) cold water or beef broth
1/4 cup (50 ml) dry breadcrumbs Half medium onion, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
2 tsp. (10 ml) Dijon or prepared mustard
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) each salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb. (500 g) lean ground beef
Canola oil

Break egg into a large bowl; whisk with water until smooth. Add breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well to blend flavours.

Crumble beef over egg mixture. With a wooden spoon, mix beef and egg mixture just until combined.

Shape into four to six patties, each about 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick. (Makeahead: Layer between waxed paper in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To
freeze, layer in a freezer bag. Press out air from the bag; freeze for up to one month.)

Set a skillet that will hold burgers comfortably in one layer over medium-high heat. Brush bottom of skillet with oil. Heat until oil is just shimmering. Arrange burgers in skillet. Fry until brown and crisp on bottom, about six minutes. Turn and fry until brown on both sides and a digital thermometer inserted sideways into centre reads 160 F (71 C) about 15 minutes from beginning to end.

Remove burgers to a plate topped with a paper towel and pat off any visible fat.

Note -you can double the recipe easily and freeze patties for suppers later on.

Lasagna Rolls

Hello…. anyone out there? Do you find this meme helpful? Leave me a comment and let me know… please join in and share a freezer recipe on your blog and link it here or if you do not blog, leave a recipe in the comments!

Today is Freezer Food Friday.

 

Please post a recipe that can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Link it below using Mister Linky and make sure to visit each blog who shares. I am on Twitter if you want to follow me and have started collecting Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a search engine where you can win bucks for searching ( I just use it in place of Google ). Check it out and see if it works for you!

Lasagna Rolls

2 (28 oz cans) diced tomatoes
2-4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium cooking onions, diced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 package Europe’s Best frozen spinach (thawed), squeezed to release extra liquid
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper
1 package fresh lasagna noodles (7 sheets per package)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a food processor, puree tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Spray 13 X 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Pour one third of the tomato mixture in the baking pan.
4. In a non-stick skillet, heat oil. Add onions and mushrooms. Cook over medium high heat until slightly carmelized. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. In bowl, stir together onions, mushrooms, spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, half cup of shredded cheddar and half cup of shredded mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
6. Lay all 7 sheets of pasta on the counter. Divide the filling evenly between the sheets, mounding it along the short end. Tightly roll up the pasta to make a long tube. Lay each filled pasta tube in the baking dish on top of the tomato sauce, seam side down. Repeat with other pasta tubes.
7. Pour remaining tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
8. Cover with foil and bake in centre of oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbling and browned. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

This also freezes well, so while you’re at it, double the recipe and make another pan for the freezer! If you are going to freeze it, then cover with saran first, then tinfoil If you freeze it, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight before baking, then follow the same instructions to cook as are on the recipe.

Tomato Mac and Cheese

Tomato Mac and Cheese

From Julie Kay

Serves 6 to 8.

3 cups elbow macaroni
1 onion, chopped
3 cups water
2 (10-oz.) cans Ro-tel tomatoes
2 tbls. butter, melted
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup seasoned croutons, crushed

1. Put pasta, onion, water and tomatoes into slow cooker.

2. Cook on Low 2 to 2 1/2 hours, checking macaroni for softness with fork.

3. Spray 8-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Remove pasta and tomatoes into dish with slotted spoon and top with melted butter.

4. Fold in 1 cup of grated cheese and  melted butter.

5. Top the mixture with the remaining cup of grated cheese and the crushed croutons. Put into preheated 375-degree oven for 10 minutes to brown. Serve.

Apricot Meatballs

I made these tonight with frozen meatballs. I tossed them in the crockpot and  put the sauce over it. Let it cook on low about 4 hours.

Apricot Meatballs

Taste of Home Ground Beef Cookbook

1 egg
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a skillet, brown meatballs in several batches; drain. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Combine preserves and barbecue sauce; pour over meatballs. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Yield: 38 meatballs.

3-Step Baby Back Ribs in the Slow Cooker

3-Step Baby Back Ribs in the Slow Cooker

Recipe is by Tracey Koch.

Serves 6.

2 sides baby back pork ribs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 (18-oz.) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

1. Turn the slow cooker on High and rinse the baby back ribs. Pat them dry and cut them in half to fit into your slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and sprinkle over the ribs.

3. Place the seasoned ribs into the slow cooker and pour the sauce over them. Cover and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours or until ribs are tender.

Kitchen helpers: Kids love to eat ribs, and these take no time to make. Have your kids mix up the dry ingredients and help season the ribs and put them in the slow cooker.

Cheesy Spinach Lasagna Soup

Cheesy Spinach Lasagna Soup

Serves 8

1 pound Italian sausage, squeezed from casing

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried organic basil (or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil)

2 teaspoons organic oregano

1 teaspoon organic anise seed

4 cups chicken broth

1 14 ½-ounce can petite diced tomatoes

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup mini farfalle pasta

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced

½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded

1. Brown the sausage in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crumbly. Remove the sausage from the pan and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the onion to the pan and saute over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Return the sausage to the pan, stir in the garlic, basil, oregano and anise seed, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta and cook, according to the manufacturer’s recommended cook time, until the pasta is al dente.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the spinach and mozzarella. Serve the soup immediately, topped with Parmesan cheese.

Per serving: 303 calories, 17 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 18 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 43 mg cholesterol, 1,109 mg sodium.

Italian Pot Roast ( crockpot – from Every Day Food)

For another verison of this recipe see HERE

Italian Pot Roast

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can whole tomatoes in purée (28 ounces)
1 ¼ pounds small white potatoes (scrubbed)
1 large onion (cut into 8 wedges)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried and crumbled)
3 pounds beef chuck roast (trimmed and halved crosswise)
4 garlic cloves
coarse salt and ground pepper

1. With a sharp paring knife, cut 4 slits in beef roast; stuff slits with half the garlic.  Generously season beef with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.  In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat, swirling to coat bottom of pan.  Cook beef until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

2. In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine beef, onion, potatoes, tomatoes (with purée), rosemary, and remaining garlic.  Cover; cook on high setting until meat is fork-tender, about 6 hours (do not uncover while cooking).

3. Transfer meat to a cutting board; thinly slice, and discard any gristle.  Skim fat from top of sauce.  To serve, divide beef and vegetables among bowls; generously spoon sauce over.

Crockpot Beef Burgundy

Today is Freezer Food Friday.

Please post a recipe that can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Link it below using Mister Linky and make sure to visit each blog who shares. I am on Twitter if you want to follow me and have started collecting Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a search engine where you can win bucks for searching ( I just use it in place of Google ). Check it out and see if it works for you!

Crockpot Beef Burgundy

By Lori Gysel and Gerry Kentner

• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cups dry red wine
• 3 cups beef broth
• 16 oz cubed steak or beef roast or stewing beef
• 2 medium cooking onions, sliced or 2 cups pearl onions
• 1 can (10 oz) whole button mushrooms
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup gravy thickener (bisto) mixed with 1/4 cup cold water
• salt and pepper to taste

Blend tomato paste, beef broth and wine in the crockpot. Add beef, onions, mushrooms and bay leaf. Cook on low for seven hours. Mix gravy thickener with water and add to crockpot. Continue cooking for one more hour. Taste and season. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes. Serves four.

This is an excellent dish to make in advance and freeze – if you are the kind of person who prepares meals and puts them in the freezer. It also is a great dish for making a large batch and reheating during the week, as it just gets better with more cooking time.