Does anyone know when the next exchange will be and at who's house? If no one is hosting, I would be willing to do it.
Thanks!

Pepperocini Beef Sandwiches

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from Allrecipes

1/2+ tsp. kosher salt
1/2+ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive or cooking oil
3 lb. beef roast, trimmed of excess fat (not the pot roast cut of beef)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 16-oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained (I used whole ones, so I wouldn't have to pick them out for kids)
Crusty sandwich rolls (for sandwiches)
Sliced provolone cheese (for sandwiches)

Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis. If possible, cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours. If not possible, cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.

For sandwiches, slice the rolls and spread lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Makes 12 large sandwiches.

Freezer Instructions: Prepare the meat through the searing stage. Allow it to cool. Place the roast in a gallon-sized freezer bag or a large freezer safe container. Add the pepperoncinis and the garlic. Seal and freeze.

When ready to cook, place in a slow cooker and cook on high for 6-8 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Serve on toasted crusty rolls with melted Provolone cheese.

*You can also use any leftover beef to make these beef taquitos. Super delish! And there are freezer instructions too!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/baked-chipotle-beef-taquitos/

Bread Braid

Broccoli, Ham and Cheese Bread Braid:

Ingredients:

1 dough loaf Rhodes bread dough or homemade bread
¼ cup butter or margarine
½ envelope hidden valley ranch mix ( not generic):
3/4 lb. thinly sliced ham
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup broccoli
1 tsp poppy seeds


TO PREPARE BEFORE FREEZING:
Roll bread dough out into a rectangular shape so its approx. 1/2 inch
thick. Combine margarine and ranch mix. Spread about 5 TBS of mixture on the rectangle. Layer ham and cheese down the center of the rectangle. Use a pizza cutter to cut strips along each side of the dough (even numbers on each side). Starting at the bottom, take each piece, cross and twist. Continue cris-crossing until your pizza is braided. Brush remaining butter/ranch mixture over top. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Wrap loaf with plastic wrap and then foil.

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING:  Open and remove plastic wrap before thawing/ baking.  Thaw overnight. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. A couple of hours before you are ready to bake place it on the counter to continue to thaw and begin to rise. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

chicken roll ups

chicken roll ups and sauce

I made this a few months back for an exchange and never got around to posting so here it is.

Chicken Roll Ups
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1, 8oz. pkg of cream cheese
couple green onions, sliced
1 c carrots, shredded
1c zucchini, shredded
2 pkgs of Pillsbury crescent rolls
1c bread crumbs

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c milk
Heat in sauce pan until heated through. Spoon over roll ups before serving.

Mix first 5 ingredients together. Separate out crescent rolls and fill with mixture. Fold corners of crescent rolls up and over to enclose filling. Roll in bread crumbs.  Bake at 350' for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy

Baked Cheesy Spinach Tortellini

Baked Cheesy Spinach Tortellini 

Yields: one 8x8 casserole

This easy and oh-so-cheesy baked pasta is a great way to use up leftover veggies, like frozen or fresh spinach. Even your meat-lover will dig this one!

Ingredients
-1 and 1/2 jars spaghetti sauce (approximately 28 oz. each; I like Newman’s Own Marinara)
-1/2 cup frozen spinach, defrosted, drained and chopped in small pieces
-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
-1 cup shredded Italian mix cheese (Romano, Parm, Asiago, etc)
-1 package (16 oz.) frozen cheese tortellini, cooked al dente (I use HEB’s)
-Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.

Cook cheese tortellini until al dente, according to package directions.

Spread thin layer of sauce into bottom of baking dish. Arrange half of the cooked tortellini over the sauce. Top tortellini with 1/2 of sauce, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and Italian cheese. Repeat layers again, ending with the last of the cheese on top.

Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes until hot throughout. Take foil off and bake about 15 minutes more or until bubbly at edges. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Link to the blog where I found it: http://thrivinghomeblog.com/2012/09/baked-cheesy-spinach-tortellini/

Banana Bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp soda
1/4 cup sour milk (or 1/4 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar)
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
Mix ingredients in order given.
Pour into well-greased loaf pan.
Bake @ 350:  1 large loaf: 60-70 minutes, or 3 small loaves for 45 minutes.

Green Bean Chicken Casserole

I'm not sure what happened on the last post but it posted some crazy flowers so you cannot read it. Here it is again.

GREEN BEAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Ingredients
1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1-3/4 cups frozen French-style green beans
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of broccoli soup, undiluted
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
2/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped green pepper
1 envelope onion soup mix
3/4 cup shredded Colby cheese
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT (for each casserole):
2/3 cup french-fried onions

Directions
Prepare wild rice according to package directions. Stir in the chicken, beans, soups, mushrooms, onion, green pepper and soup mix. Spoon into two greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dishes. Sprinkle with cheese.
Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the second casserole at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with french-fried onions; bake 5 minutes longer or until onions are golden.

To use frozen casserole: Completely thaw in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with french-fried onions; bake 5 minutes longer.

Green Bean Chicken Casserole

Green Bean Chicken Casserole 

pg. 28 Taste of Home Fall 2010 Issue

Ingredients

• 1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1-3/4 cups frozen French-style green beans
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of broccoli soup, undiluted
• 1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 2/3 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 3/4 cup shredded Colby cheese
• ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT (for each casserole):
• 2/3 cup french-fried onions

Directions

• Prepare wild rice according to package directions. Stir in the chicken, beans, soups, mushrooms, onion, green pepper and soup mix. Spoon into two greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dishes. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the second casserole at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with french-fried onions; bake 5 minutes longer or until onions are golden.
• To use frozen casserole: Completely thaw in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with french-fried onions; bake 5 minutes longer. Yield: 2 casseroles (4-6 servings each).

Anyone interested in freezer meals this month?  If so, please email me and I will set up a time to exchange!
Thanks
Mitzi

Freezer Meals for November!
I will be hosting the next exchange, which will be Thursday, November 8th at 7 PM
Please let me know if you can make it by Nov. 1st.
Thanks!
Mitzi

Thanks!

I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who made me a freezer meal last month (May), they were DELICIOUS and MUCH APPRECIATED. I really should try and spread them out more :) I also wanted to ask who made the spaghetti sauce? It was Yummy and I would love the recipe. Thanks! -Erin

Campurritos (Breakfast Burritos) 

 

* 16 Eggs

* 1 lb. Sausage

* 1 Yellow Onion

* 3 Cloves Garlic, minced

* 6 Med. Potatoes, chopped

* 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

* 4 Green Onions, chopped

* 3 T. Parsley, chopped

* 8 or 9 Tortilla Shells

* Salt & Pepper to taste

* Tin Foil for wrapping

Optional: Salsa and/or hot sauce 

The Simple directions: 

Chop potatoes and boil until soft.  Chop green onions and set aside.  Crack 16 eggs and cook over low heat until you have soft, scrambled eggs.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Saute yellow onions and garlic in 2 T. olive oil until fragrant.  Add sausage to onion mixture and cook all the way through.  In large bowl combine Sausage mixture, scrambled eggs, potatoes,  cheese, green onions, parsley, and Salt & Pepper.  Divide ingredients into 8 or 9 tortilla shells.  Roll and wrap in tin foil -- ready to throw on the fire! (Or throw in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.  We take them to the pool with us, and keep them in the cooler.  They stay warm in the tin foil for a few hours!

Enjoy:)

I can host the exchange for June. Plan on June 12th at 7:30pm, 12226 Fall River Pass Ln. Let me know by the 8th if your interested. Thanks!

Ham & Cheese Ziti

16 oz packages ziti noodles
1/2 cup butter/margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
4 cups milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 cups Colby cheese, shredded
8 oz cooked ham (deli style), cut into thin strips
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook and drain pasta according to instructions.

In large saucepan or deep skillet, melt butter on low heat. Add garlic and saute for about 30-40 seconds, stirring the entire time. Next add flour and salt, using a whisk to ensure no lumps remain. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring the entire time, until there are no lumps and the mixture begins to bubble.

Slowly add milk, stirring the whole time, while you bring it to a boil. Once boiling, allow to continue to boil for 1 minute, then add mustard and Colby cheese. Continue stirring until cheese is melted. Add ham and pasta, stirring well. Pour into 9x13 pan. Cool and freeze

On cooking day:
Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350. Place dish (uncovered) into oven and bake 30-45 mintues or until heated through and bubbly. Serve.

May Exchange in ONE Week

Just wanted to remind everyone that the Freezer Exchange is in  ONE week.
So far it's Mitzi, Alisha, Jamie. If anyone else wants to participate let me know asap.
Also, I'm changing the time to 7pm, then whoever wants to hit the Berry Bar afterwards at 8pm can :)

Exchange - May 22nd @ 7pm

Babies!

For those who want to make an extra meal I'm sure the new moms would love it. Erin Bailey recently had her baby. Also - Becca Moser had her baby (we just didn't do a meal exchange last month.) If you want to make any extras I'd be happy to deliver them. Thanks!

May Freezer Meal Exchange

I could really use some more freezer meals, so let me know if you could too!
I was going to host the exchange:
Tuesday - May 22nd @ 8pm (12514 Fern Creek Trl)
I think I'm too lazy to demonstrate anything unless you want to learn how to do cakeballs again.
Anyways, let me know if you can make it!
Hope to see you there!
- Jamie

ok, sorry for all the emails, but I just found out the RS mtg is on the 22nd.
How about we try for tues. the 20th at 8:00 (I have YW at 7) If that is too late, we can go a little earlier, like 6 or 6:30PM

So I didn't realize spring break the week of March 15 (don't have kids in school yet)
So... let's change the Exchange to March 22. 7 PM.
Let me know if you can make it!

March Exchange

I can host the March Exchange this month.
It will be held Thursday March 15 at 7 PM
I will be demonstrating how to make homemade cheesecake!
Let me know if you can make it!
Mitzi