Breakfast Burritos

1/4 c butter
1/3 c chopped onion
1/3 c chopped green & orange pepper
18 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2-1 c bacon (crumbled)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
20 flour tortillas

Saute onions and green peppers in butter. Beat eggs and milk together and pour into the skillet with the onions and peppers.

Add the bacon, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set. Mix in cheese and let melt.

Scoop 1/2 cup egg mixture onto tortillas. Fold ends under and roll up. Freeze.

Wrap burrito in paper towel, microwave around 1 minute. Serve with salsa.

Adapted from: Money Saving Mom, Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Burritos

No Bake Granola Bars

No Bake Granola Bars

2 c. Kellogg's Smart Start (or other flaked cereal)

2 c. quick-cooking oats

1/2 c. coarsely chopped peanuts

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c light corn syrup

1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Lightly butter a 9 inch square pan. In a large bowl, mix cereal, oats, raisins, and peanuts. In a small sauce pan, stir brown sugar and corn syrup over low heat until mixture starts to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, oil, and vanilla. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal; stir until combined. Press mixture into pan firmly so batter spreads evenly.  Cool.  Cut into 16 bars.  Wrap bars individually in freezer paper and place in freezer bag.  Freeze for up to 3 months.

California Quiche

3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese
9 inch pie crust
1 small can diced green chiles
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Beat eggs with milk and salt.
Spread Monterrey Jack cheese over bottom of pie crust. Spread green chilies over cheese, then pour egg mixture over chiles. Place cheddar cheese on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

** Be careful if moving around thawed but uncooked, the egg liquid mixture makes it a little prone to spillage.**

Manicotti

8-10 Manicotti shells
1 lb. (2 cups) Ricotta cheese
1 T. Parsley
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 t. Salt
1/4 t. Pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese

Marinara or spaghetti sauce, to taste (about 2/3 a jar)

Cooking day instructions:

Cook manicotti shells according to package directions, but slightly undercook when preparing for freezer.
Mix all ingredients together and fill manicotti shells. (Try using pastry bag or plastic bag with corner cut off.)
Freeze in their manicotti plastic trays, or wrap shells in plastic wrap (2-3 together) and freeze.
*The book stops here and has you pull them and bake them in sauce on serving day, we decided to freeze them overnight, and set them in trays with sauce, so that all we need to is thaw, heat and eat. ;)

Serving day instructions:
Pour sauce over bottom of ungreased baking dish. Lay stuffed manicotti noodles on top of sauce and top with leftover sauce. Then top with a parmesan cheese, and bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes.

From "Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer" by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell, and Bonnie Garcia.

Mini Shepherd's Pie

1 lb ground beef
3 T chopped onion
1/2 t minced garlic
1/3 c chili sauce or ketchup
1 T cider vinegar
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 c water
3 T butter
1 1/4 c mashed potato flakes
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup crushed potato chips
paprika, optional

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the chili sauce, vinegar and salt; set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Pour into a small mixing bowl. Whisk in potato flakes until blended. Beat in cream cheese until smooth.
3. Press biscuits onto the bottom and up the sides of 10 greased muffin cups. Fill with beef mixture. Spread potato mixture over beef. Sprinkle with potato chips; press down lightly.
4. Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Serve immediately, or cool before placing in a single layer in freezer for up to 2 months.

To use frozen pies; Thaw in refrigerator for 8 hours. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375* for 15-18 minutes or until heated through.
Yield: 5 servings

Stuffed French Bread Pizza

1 loaf French bread, 2 foot long

1 pound Italian sausage

1 T. olive oil

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 c. pepperoni, chopped

2 c. shredded mozzarella

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Split bread lengthwise and dig out the center. (Save the bread crumbs to be ground and frozen or chopped and bake for croutons.) Cut in half across, making 4 shells for pizzas.

Brown and crumble sausage. Add red bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, add spinach. Remove mixture from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Combine sausage and veggies with ricotta, Parmesan, and pepperoni. Fill bread shells and top with mozzarella. Place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze.  Once frozen, transfer to Freezer bag. Bag cheese in a sandwich bag and oregano and pepper in a small bag.  Place Freezer bag with pizzas, bag with cheese, and bag with herbs into a second gallon sized freezer bag.  Label and freeze. 

To cook: Thaw partially. Place pizza on cookie sheet and bake until cheese melts and bubbles and bread is crisp, about 15 minutes. Top pizzas with oregano and hot pepper flakes.

NOTE: This recipe makes 4 - one foot long pizzas.  Each family will receive 3.

Pecan French Toast

Ingredients:
3/8 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 1/2 Tbsp corn syrup
3/8 c chopped pecans
French bread, sliced 1" thick
3 eggs
1 c milk
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

To assemble:
In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter & corn syrup.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Pour mixture into ungreased 8" square baking dish.  Sprinkle with pecans.  Top with french bread slices.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and salt.  Pour over bread.  Cover, label & freeze.

To serve:
Thaw.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.  Invert onto serving platter.

1/4 of pan = approximately 425 calories (using skim milk & margarine)

Taco Stew

Ingredients:
1 lb ground sirloin, browned & rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can ranch style beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (undrained)
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix
salt/pepper to taste (I do not add salt)

Place all ingredients in a gallon size ziploc bag.  Remove air, label & freeze.

To prepare:  Thaw & pour into a crockpot.  Add 1/2 cup water or beef broth (this instruction is not in the original recipe, but I assume we may need to add some liquid after freezing).  Cook on low 6 hours (or on high 3 - 4 hours).  Serve with sour cream & Fritos.

Source:  Adapted from a recipe by Crockin' Girls:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-2QsOVTg7A

Beef Bourguignon

The following amounts yields 10 servings, so I will divide that into two dinners.

2 1/2 lbs. beef for stew
1/4 cup + 3 T. butter, divided
1 T. oil
1 med. onion, coarsely chopped
6 small green onions, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
2 T. flour
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 14-oz can beef broth
2/3 cup water
2 T. tomato paste
1 whole bay leaf
1/8 t. dried thyme
1 t. salt
2 sprigs parsley, coursely chopped
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups Burgundy wine (not cooking wine)
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Melt 1/4 cup butter and oil together in heavy skillet.  Brown beef, onion, and carrots slowly, about 15-20 minutes.  Sprinkle mixture with flour and stir to coat. Add garlic and toss briefly.  Stir in broth, water, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, salt, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and wine.  Simmer over very low heat, covered, for 2 hours.  (The liquid should barely bubble while cooking.)  In a separate pan, saute mushrooms in remaining 3 T. butter until tender.  Add to beef mixture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer, covered, another half hour.  Cool completely and freeze, using freezer bag method. 

To serve:  Thaw beef until slightly slushy.  Place in stockpot and heat on low until simmering.  Serve with French bread for dipping in sauce. 

Source:  Don't Panic More Dinner's in the Freezer

Elizabeth's Notes:  I like to serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Gabriel's Eggs

Makes 6-8 servings.  I will divide between two 8"x8" pans

1 pound bulk pork sausage
8 slices sourdough French bread
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
3 cups milk
1 4-oz can diced green chile peppers, undrained
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

In a skillet cook and crumble sausage until no longer pink; drain on paper towels.

Arrange bread slices in the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking dish, tearing it to fit if necessary.  Sprinkle cooked sausage evenly over bread; top with cheese.  Beat together eggs, milk, undrained chile peppers, salt, and black pepper;  pour over cheese.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Cover with plastic wrap and foil.  Freeze. 

Defrost completely in refrigerator.  Remove plastic wrap and foil.  Bake at 325 degrees uncovered for 1 1/2 hours.

Source:  Super Suppers Cookbook