Tater Tot Chili Bake Casserole

 Another recipe from Candace Anderson's The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook.  Evan, our picky eater, even loved this!  And of course, anything with tater tots in it is a huge hit with Nate!  Love that it can go from the freezer into the oven without thawing!


INGREDIENTS:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (we used 2lbs)
* 1/2 onion, chopped
* 1 (16-oz) can whole kernel corn
* 1 (15-oz) can chili with beans (we used turkey chili w/beans)
* 1 pkg chili seasoning mix
* 1 (2lb) bag frozen Tater Tots
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (we used reduced-fat)

DIRECTIONS:
Freezing Day--In skillet, brown ground beef and onion.  Drain.  Stir in corn, chili, and chili seasoning mix.  Prepare a 9"x13" casserole pan/aluminum pan for freezing.  Lay the Tater Tots along the bottom of Pam-sprayed pan.  Top them with meat mixture, and top that with shredded cheese.  Wrap tightly and freeze. (If preparing for same day, bake at 350 degrees for 45-55min (I covered it with foil for most of baking).


Reheating Instructions--Frozen casserole can go straight into the oven.  Cook @350 degrees for 1hr 30min to 1hr 45min, or until it is heated all the way through.

Chicken Cacciatore

This is a great low-fat meal, and it's so easy to make!  We served it over pasta.

I found this recipe in Candace Anderson's The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook.  I'll be making this for our February freezer cooking get-together this month. 

INGREDIENTS:
* 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
* 1 onion, sliced into rings
* 1 green bell pepper, sliced
* 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 (6-oz) cans tomato paste
* 1/4 cup red wine
* 1 cup water
* 1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes with liquid
* 1 tsp dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp dried basil
* 1/2 tsp salt (used a little more)
* 1/4 tsp black pepper (used a little more)

DIRECTIONS:
Freezing Day--Put chicken, onions, peppers, and mushrooms in a freezer bag.  In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.  Freeze.

Reheating Instructions--Defrost in refrigerator overnight.  Put in slow-cooker and cook 7-9 hours on low.  Add additional water if needed.

Chicken Taco Bake

One of my friends made this at our monthly freezer cooking session...and it was delish!  I topped it with some reduced-fat sour cream.

INGREDIENTS:
*2 c. cooked rice
*2 c. cooked shredded turkey or chicken
*1 can tomato sauce
*1 envelope taco seasoning
*1-2 cans refried beans
*1 c. grated cheese (freeze separately, and we added more)

DIRECTIONS:
TO FREEZE: In a 1-gallon freezer bag, place the cooked rice. In another bowl, mix taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Add shredded chicken and coat it well with tomato mixture. Add mix to the bag. Freeze. 

TO SERVE: After thawing, place rice and chicken mixture into a 9 x 13 pan. "Frost" with the refried beans. It may take up to 2 cans for that, especially if you want a good thick layer. Top off with grated cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes or until hot all the way through and the cheese is nice and bubbly.

Hot Dog Enchiladas

My friend Amy made this for our monthly freezer cooking session last month, and it was a hit in our house.  So quick and easy to make!  I'm actually make this for dinner tonight, serving it with tater tots (for Nate) and green beans.  Yum!


INGREDIENTS:
*8-12 hot dogs (we used 1 pack of  Oscar Mayer hardwood smoked turkey franks---no nitrates/nitrites added)
*1 block (7oz) of Colby/Monterey Jack cheese, reduced fat (or your favorite cheese)
*8-12 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
*1/2 cup tomato sauce
*1/2 cup salsa/picante sauce
*1-2 cans Hormel turkey chili with/without beans (we used 2 cans)


DIRECTIONS: 
1.  Slit hot dog down center and stuff with cheese (cut up pieces from block).  Roll hot dog in flour tortillas 

2.  Mix 1-2 can Hormel turkey chili with beans; 1/2 cup tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce; and 1/2 salsa/picante sauce.  Pour sauce over hot dogs and add shredded cheese (I shredded from block of cheese used to stuff hot dogs.  Bake covered at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Meat Loaf (Better Homes & Gardens)

I've made this recipe a bunch of times, and always have forgotten to post it on the blog.  It's my go-to meatloaf recipe.  I found it in one of our wedding gift cookbooks, Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook:  Bridal Edition.  It pretty much has everything in our pantry (except for the meat), and it's simple to make.  Makes great leftover sandwiches! 

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 beaten eggs
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
*1/4 cup finely chopped onion
* 2 T snipped fresh parsley (we used dried)
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/8 tsp black pepper
* 1/2 tsp dried leaf sage, basil, or oregano (we used oregano)
* 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, lamb, or pork (usually use a combo of lean ground beef and pork)
* 1/4 cup ketchup
* 2 T brown sugar
* 1 tsp dry mustard

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a bowl, combine eggs and milk; stir in bread crumbs, onion, parsley, salt, oregano, and black pepper.  Add meat; mix well.  Lightly pat mixture into a greased/Pam-sprayed meat loaf pan.

2.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees.  Spoon off fat.

3.  In a bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and dried mustard; spread over meat.  Bake for 10 minutes more.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

(You can substitute 1/3 cup BBQ sauce for the ketchup/brown sugar/mustard topping)

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Nate has been complaining of eating chicken all of the time...at home and at the fire house...so...I found a great slow cooker beef recipe.  It's actually very healthy, since the cut of meat (sirloin) is lean and low-fat.  And a great way to incorporate veggies for my picky guys!  I found this off of allrecipes.com.


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
• garlic powder to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Firecracker Raspberry Chipotle Glazed Shrimp

I found this in a sales flyer at The Fresh Market.  It was different and very tasty  :)  Here is a link to the recipe.

Pasta with Roasted Garlic, White Cheddar, & Wine Sauce

This was amazing and such a hit at dinner time!  I didn't change anything about this recipe, and I give Annie's Eats all of the credit!  (the link goes to the recipe w/ingredients and directions).

Spaghetti Casserole

A group of friends and I participated in a freezer cooking session, and it was a lot of fun!  Little did I know how great freezer cooking is!  What a time-saver!  I definitely plan to dedicate a day every couple of weeks to cooking about 5 or so meals.

The recipe I chose was a spaghetti casserole I had found on Taste of Home, a great recipe magazine.  This was so good!  Evan even approved...he finished his plate!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package (16 ounces) angel hair pasta
• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce. Remove from the heat.
• Drain pasta. Combine soup and sour cream. In two 8-in. square baking dishes, layer half of the meat sauce, pasta, soup mixture and cheese. Repeat layers.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Found this at allrecipes.com---it looked liked something that Evan would enjoy and seemed easy to make!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup or Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream (used reduced-fat)
• 1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 10 Mission® Fajita Size Flour Tortillas, warmed
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 green onion, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder.
2. Mix 1 cup picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese.
3. Spread about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in 3-quart shallow baking dish. Pour remaining picante sauce mixture over enchiladas. Cover.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until hot. Top with tomato and onion.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti

Trying to make things Evan would love, and this seems like a hit! I actually made it ahead for tomorrow night, but it sure did smell good when I took it out of the oven. Even Nate was eyeballing this as I was making it. Made it more diet-friendly by using reduced-fat versions of ingredients. Haven't tried a Pioneer Woman recipe I haven't liked...here is the recipe link.

INGREDIENTS:
* 2 cups Cooked Chicken
* 3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
* 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup (reduced-fat)
* 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese (reduced-fat)
* ¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper
* ¼ cups Finely Diced Onion
* 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
* 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
* 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
* ⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper (omitted)
* Salt And Pepper, to taste
* 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese (reduced-fat)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups (we used skinless/boneless chicken breasts). Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.
3. Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Creamy Taco Mac

This is the gourmet version of Hamburger Helper! So yummy! And a hit with Nate and Evan...who both had 2nd helpings! So easy to make! Found this on Annie's Eats---a great recipe blog you should check out!

We used lean ground beef instead of ground turkey, and reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream.

Link to recipe...

Baked Ziti

I found this on allrecipes.com...and what a tasty recipe!

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 pound dry ziti pasta
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
* 6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
* 1 1/2 cups sour cream (used reduced-fat)
* 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (used whole 8oz bag)
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Spray 13x9 baking dish with Pam. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

Cheesy Chicken Roll-ups

This is a great recipe...found it on this blog. It's a yummy variation from the Polish hamburger recipe I have.

INGREDIENTS:
*8 ounces cream cheese (used reduced-fat)
*4 T. melted butter (used about 2-3 T. instead)
*2-3 cups cooked chicken (shredded it)
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/4 tsp pepper
*2 cans crescent rolls (used reduced-fat)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix first five ingredients together.
3. Unroll crescent rolls and separate into squares. Press seams together so they stay squares.
4. Put a spoonful of mix in the middle of each square. Bring corners together to center on top. Seal the edges/seams.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes (we placed the rack toward the top so the bottoms of the roll-ups wouldn't burn).

Cottage Cheese Beef Enchiladas

Saw this recipe on Lindsay's blog, and wanted to try this enchiladas recipe. It was absolutely delicious! We used ground beef instead of chicken. Nate is not a lover of cottage cheese at all, and when he saw me cooking it, I think he was ready to get a Hot 'n Ready from Little Caesar's. To his surprise, they were delicious! I served the enchiladas with rice and refried beans.

INGREDIENTS:
*1 lb ground beef (used 96% lean)
*1/2 C. chopped onion
*1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies
*1 pkg taco seasoning mix
*1/2 C. sour cream (used reduced-fat)
*2 C. cottage cheese (used small curd 2%)
*1 tsp salt
*dash of pepper
*12 (6-inch) corn tortillas (used flour)
*2 C. Mexican-blend (Sargento Mexican Bistro Blend) shredded cheese
*1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce (used 1 1/2 cans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

DIRECTIONS:
1. Meat mixture: Brown beef, leave in pan. Add chopped onion and green chilies, saute until onions & green chilies browned. Add taco seasoning mix, and prepare according to package directions.
2. Cheese mixture: In large bowl, mix sour cream with cottage cheese. Add salt and pepper. Stir, until well-blended.
3. Add meat mixture to cheese mixture, stir well.
4. Assembling enchiladas: Heat tortillas until soft. In each tortilla, place meat/cheese mixture and a bit of shredded cheese. Roll tortillas and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with enchilada sauce and remaining shredded cheese. (We ended up with two baking dishes of the enchiladas)
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Shrimp Scampi

We haven't had shrimp in awhile, and shrimp scampi sounded good to us. I found this recipe from foodnetwork.com. I served it over angel hair pasta along with a salad.

INGREDIENTS:
*1.5 pounds shrimp (deveined, peeled, tails removed)
*Salt and pepper
*2 T. unsalted butter
*2 tsp minced garlic
*1/4 C. dry vermouth
*1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
*2 tsp finely chopped parsley leaves
*1/4 tsp grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:
1. Put the shrimp on a large pie pan or plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, raise the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

3. Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the vermouth and lemon juice. Boil the liquid until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir the zest and parsley into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine.

Baked Potato Soup

I found this on Annie's blog , and it looked yummy! I just made a few modifications. Nate and I both love the potato soup at Charleston's restaurant...and this is very close to it! Great for a cold winter day!

INGREDIENTS:
*5 russet/baking potatoes
*4 tablespoons unsalted butter
*2/3 cup all-purpose flour
*6 cups 2% milk
*salt and pepper to taste (I was generous with the sea salt)
*1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
*1/2 cup green onions, chopped
*1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Toppings:
Sour cream
Green onions, chopped
Bacon
Shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke potatoes with fork, then cover with foil. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven for one hour. Remove from the oven, let cool. Scoop out the insides of the potatoes, discarding the peels. Place in a food processor or mash into small chunks.

2. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add ¼ cup of flour to the pot and whisk into the butter. Cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and the rest of the flour. Cook until thick and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes. Mix in the potato chunks. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat, stir in the green onions and sour cream.

Serve immediately. Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions and bacon as desired.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

I found this on Molly's blog, and it sounded yummy! Had such a great flavor. We served it over white rice with a vegetable side dish of green beans with almonds.

INGREDIENTS:
*3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*Salt and pepper
*1 C. cornstarch
*2 eggs, beaten
*1/4 C. canola oil

Sauce:
*¾ C. sugar
*4 T. ketchup
*½ C. vinegar
*1 T. soy sauce
*1 tsp garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg (I did this, and Nate said I should have reversed it, egg first then cornstarch...which makes sense now). Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken.

2. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Saw this on allrecipes.com and had to try it. Was in the mood for some comfort food. This was a perfect meal for Evan too...he loved it!

INGREDIENTS:
*2/3 C. chopped onion
*1 garlic clove, minced (we omitted as Nate doesn't like too much garlic)
*1 T. olive oil
*1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
*1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
*1.5 C. chopped carrots
*3 celery ribs, chopped
*1/2 tsp savory (we omitted and used poultry seasoning instead)
*3 T. butter/margarine
*3 T. all-purpose flour
*3/4 tsp salt
*1/8 tsp pepper
*1.5 C. 2% milk (we used 1%)
*1 1/4 C. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (we used 1 pkg, or 2 C.)
*8 oz wide egg noodles, cooked and drained (we used almost the whole package)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink. Add the broth, carrots, celery and savory. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. Pour over chicken mixture. Add noodles; mix well.

3. Transfer to a 3-qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

I've had a taste for shrimp...and this recipe looked and sounded yummy! I don't think I've tried a Barefoot Contessa recipe before :) We served it over thin spaghetti along with a salad.

INGREDIENTS:

*2 lbs. shrimp (in the shell)
*3 T olive oil
*2 T dry white wine
*Kosher salt (we used sea salt) and ground black pepper
*12 T unsalted butter, or 1 1/2 sticks (we only used 1 stick, and it turned out fine)
*4 tsp minced garlic
*1/4 cup minced shallots (we skipped this)
*3 T minced parsley leaves
*1 tsp minced rosemary leaves
*1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
*1 tsp grated lemon zest
*2 T lemon juice
*1 extra large egg yolk
*2/3 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
*lemon wedges for serving


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

3. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

4. Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.