Back to school

Well, it is that time of year again, BACK TO SCHOOL.  If you have a school aged child that will not eat the school food, I have a solution for you.  This is the small thermal lunch tote.  It retails for $12.50 and comes 4 different patterns.  It can be monogrammed for an additional $6.00.  There is also a larger thermal tote that retails for $14.00 and comes in 10 different patterns.  I LOVE these totes.  They are great for a variety of different activities, not just lunch.  We have an extra that we keep snacks in in our pantry.  I have heard of someone using them for their child's game system and games.  Someone else keeps their GPS in it.  

If you are interested in ordering one, please contact me.

Thanks and happy shopping!

Mandy

mandycarters31@yahoo.com

2009

I am just so thankful for a healthy child.  I can not find words to express my gratitude to God for what he has given me.  Please read the link.  This family has a 7 year old little boy who suffers from ALD.  Please pray for him and his family.

www.teamgreene09.blogspot.com

Party Chicken

8 Chicken Breasts

8+ pieces of bacon (depending on how much you like bacon)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 cup of sour cream

*Wrap the bacon around the chicken breast

*In a separate bowl, combine the soup and sour cream

*Put the wrapped chicken in a greased baking dish

*Spoon the soup/sour cream mixture over the chicken

*Bake at 350 for 2 hours

I wrapped all the chicken but only cooked 1/2 of them.  I put the other wrapped chicken breasts in a freezer bag.  Then when I added the soup/sour cream mixture, I only added 1/2 and put the other half in the freezer bag on top of the chicken.  If you know me, you know that I am all about OAMC (once a month cooking).  I am a busy working woman, mother, and wife.  In order for my family to eat home cooked meals, I must prepare them ahead of time!

Let me know what you think!

Meat Loaf

If you have a FAVORITE meat loaf recipe, I am sure that it will freeze well.  I used this one and added a little of tomato paste.  I put mine into 4 small, aluminum, loaf pans.  I cooked 2 loafs at a time (for some reason, they really shrunk during cooking), plus my family members are not big dinner eaters.  It still did leave plenty for a leftover meal for lunch!  Good luck and let me know how your OAMC (once a month cooking) is going!

Freezer Meat Loaf Recipe

3 pounds ground beef


1/2 cup dry bread crumbs


3-1/2 cups milk


1 cup minced onion
  

2 eggs


2 tablespoons salt


2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce


1/4 tsp ground pepper

Combine all ingredients. Divide into two foil loaf pans (9"x5"x3"). Wrap, label and freeze.

On cooking day:
Remove from freezer and unwrap 2 1/2 hours before cooking. Preheat oven to 350F, cooking for 2-1/2 hours. Shorten cooking time by removing from freezer in the morning, checking for doneness after one hour of cooking.

MINE DID NOT TAKE 2 1/2 HOURS OF COOKING SO KEEP AN EYE ON IT!

Another "Once a month cooking" recipe

This is a great recipe to double or triple, freeze, and pull out at the last minute (that is what I did tonight).  Yummy, yummy, delicious!

Chicken Quesadillas Freezer Recipe

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced


1/2 tsp garlic powder


1/2 tsp pepper


1/2 green pepper, diced


1 medium onion, chopped


1 15-oz can diced tomatoes


2 cloves garlic, minced


8 flour tortillas


2 cups Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, grated

In large skillet, cook chicken with garlic powder and pepper until throroughly cooked. Remove from skillet and set aside. Next, simmer tomatoes, green peppers, onion and garlic, continuing to simmer until liquid is evaporated. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Using a small amount of olive oil, fry each side of tortillas in skillet, then place on a cookie sheet. Top four tortillas with 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 of the chicken mixture, 1/4 of the tomato mixture, topping with 1/4 cup of cheese and second tortilla. Press gently and place in ziploc freezer bag or wrap for the freezer.

On cooking day: Preheat oven to 375F. Do not thaw! Simply place the quesadillas on the cookie sheet straight from the freezer, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted. Cut into wedges (pizza cutter works best) and serve with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream.

Taco Soup

 Here is another YUMMY one a month cook it and freeze it recipe!  Madison didn't care for it but she doesn't like anything tomato based so I wasn't surprised!  I wish that I had frozen smaller portions (maybe one or two cups per baggie) so they would lay flat in the freezer instead of a big, fat, lumpy bag.  Oh well, you live and you learn!

Let me know what you think!

TACO SOUP

2 lbs Ground Beef

1 medium Onion, chopped

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

1 package Ranch Dressing Mix

15.5 ounces Canned Whole Kernel Corn

1 can (15.5oz) Canned Diced Tomatoes

1 can (15.5oz) Canned Ro-tel Tomatoes with Green Chilis

3 cans (15.5oz) Ranch Style Texas Beans

2 cups Water

Directions:

Brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Add meat and remaining ingredients to crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Serve.

For added flavor serve over tortilla chips and offer sour cream and shredded cheese.

Servings:

12

Freezing Instructions:

After fully cooked, place soup in medium or large plastic ware or gallon size zipper freezer bags. Make sure to leave at least 1/4 inch space above the liquid as it does expand during freezing.

Frozen meal 1

Cream Cheese Chicken

1 .7-ounce envelope Italian dressing mix


1/2 cup butter


2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast


1 10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup


1 8-ounce package cream cheese

Turn slow cooker on High. Place butter in bottom of slow cooker. When the butter has melted, add one envelope Italian dressing dry mix. Stir into butter until well mixed. Cut chicken breasts into 1" strips. Place in slow cooker and stir to coat with butter and dressing mix. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours. Remove chicken to plate to cool. Add cream of chicken soup and cream cheese. Stir to melt and mix well until smooth and creamy. Remove sauce from slow cooker and allow to cool. Place chicken and sauce into a gallon resealable freezer bag. Label. Freeze.

To serve: Thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat until piping hot and bubbly. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or hot buttered noodles.

 I pre cooked my wide egg noodles, mixed them with the good stuff and froze it.  I wish I had frozen it in the baking dish but I didn't and it was still great!  

Let me know if you like it!

Mandy