BYU-Idaho 91st Ward Cooking Group

December Treat Exchange Recipes

2009-12-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

Here are the treat recipes from our December meeting. Thanks to everyone who came!

Christmas Dipped Pretzels
Submitted by Jessica Smith
Bag of thick striaght pretzels
Chocolate Almond Bark
Vanilla Almond Bark
Caramel Syrup
Cornstarch

Melt the bark in seperate bowls. (Instructions on the back-- but about 1 minute plus 15 seconds until melted). I use a spatula to gather chocolate onto pretzels. (If you want to use caramel, do it before the chocolate and add just enough cornstarch so it is like pudding that needs to set up. Not as loose as the actual caramel syrup.) Let dry on wax paper. Then drizzle with opposite color. It's really easy to put in cellophane bag with a ribbon at the top! Enjoy!

Holiday Juice
Submitted by Jessica Smith
1 can concentrate (I use welch's grape)
1 2 Liter of soda (lemon-lime)

Mix straight concentrate (no water) with soda.

Easy Microwave Toffee
Courtesy of Yvonne Harman; submitted by Tari McDonald

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (if you use salted butter, leave this out!)
1/4 cup water
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels (I used 1/2 to 3/4 cup, 1 cup was too much for me)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (I left these out)

Line and 8"x8" baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside. Put the butter, sugar, salt, and water in a 2 quart microwave safe casserole dish (I found a glass dish works better than a plastic one). Do not stir. Put the dish in the microwave for 7 minutes. Check to see if the mixture has changed from yellow to a light tan color (you want the entire mixture to be tan, not just part of it). If not, continue cooking a minute at a time (I think I had to do a total of 7 extra minutes, so be patient if it seems like it's taking forever). You need to watch it here to keep it from scorching and remember, don't stir. Once mixture has reached the light tan stage, pour into prepared baking dish. Let sit for one minute. Sprinkle semi-sweet morsels on top and let sit for one more minute, or until morsels have softened. Using a spatula, spread the morsels over the toffee. Top with chopped pecans. Place the baking dish into the refrigerator until the toffee has cooled completely. Lift out the aluminum foil and break the toffee into bite-sized pieces (I just used my hands).

Fast Food Storage Fudge

Submitted by Tari McDonald

1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup butter (one stick, unmelted)
1/4 cup milk (reconstituted powdered milk is fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift powdered sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add butter and milk. Do not stir. Microwave 2 minutes on high. Stir. Add vanilla, stir. Pour into 8" square baking dish (I lined mine with foil and sprayed it with cooking spray). Refrigerate 1 hour before cutting and serving. Serves 16.

Variations: I have also added chopped almonds to my fudge, but you could also add any other nut as well- just add it into the fudge when you stir in the vanilla. Or you could add crushed candy canes on top. Yum!

Chocolate Pie
Submitted by Jennifer Lee

1/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt (or a dash)
2 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate (or 6 Tbls semi-sweet chocolate chips)
2 cups milk
3 beaten egg yolks
2 Tbls margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 graham cracker pie curst
Cool Whip (optional)

Combine flour, sugar, salt, chocolate, milk, and egg yolks in a pot. Using a wire whisk, stir constantly and vigorously over medium heat until thick. Add the maragrine and vanilla. Mix and pour into crust. Cool and allow to set up, then add Cool Whip on top. Makes 1 pie.

Christmas Cut-Out Butter Cookies

Submitted by Jessica Cedeno

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla, blending well. Blend in flour and salt. Chill in fridge for 45 minutes. Cutout with cookie cutters to desired shapes. Bake at 400* for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pavlova

Submitted by Mallory Watkins

6 egg whites

pinch of salt
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. vinegar
2 t. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 450

2. Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.

3. Sprinkle in sugar gradually and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Stir in vinegar and vanilla.

4. Traditionally, you spread the batter in a circle on a cookie sheet, keeping a hole in the middle. I just put it in a bundt pan.

5. Put pavlova in the oven and immediately turn down to 300. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until the top is a light straw color. Turn oven off and open door a little. Close it again and let cool completely in oven with the door closed.

6. Top pavlova generously with whipped cream. Because the pavlova is really sweet, it's not a bad idea to not put any sugar in the whipped cream. I just put in a bit of vanilla.

7. Arrange any of your favorite fruit on top. I put on kiwis and pomegranate seeds, but if you look it up online, a lot of them are decorated with strawberries. You could also sprinkle some coconut on top to get a snowy look.

A little interesting fact: Pavlova was created by a cook in Australia (or New Zealand?) in honor of Anna Pavlova, the famous Russian ballerina, who came to perform. It's supposed to look like a ballet skirt.

November Recipe Exchange: Winter/Comfort Foods

2009-11-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

If I left anyone's recipe out, please let me know or go ahead and post it yourself! Thanks! Also just a reminder that next month (December) we will be sharing our favorite holiday treats so start thinking!

Chili
Submitted by Monica Hokanson

12 oz. cooked ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
15 oz. can dark red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
14-1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
8-oz can tomato sauce
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients and let simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Amanda's Corn Bread
Submitted by Amanda Haderlie

1-1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 Tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbls melted butter

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix. Put in greased muffin tins or cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until done in the middle. Usually I cut the recipe in half and bake in a smaller baking pan.

Taco Soup
Submitted by Michelle Bell

1 lb ground hamburger
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
1 can of corn (15 oz.)
2 cans of kidney beans (15 oz. each)
1 can of crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
2 cans of pork & beans or Chili (15 oz.)
1 pkg taco seasoning

Brown meat and sautee onion and green pepper. Rinse kidney beans, then place in pot. Add entire can of corn, juice and all, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Add seasoning last, you don't have to use and entire package. It just depends on how spicy you like it.

Hot Juice
Recipe by Olive Harwood, submitted by Jessica Harwood

1 can orange juice concentrate
1 can lemonade concentrate
5 cans water (use concentrate cans)
cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves to taste

Pour the juice from the cans into a medium sized container or pitcher. Using the can from the juice, measure 5 cans of water into a large pan and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the juice and spices. Serve hot.

Cheeseburger Soup
Recipe by Olive Harwood, submitted by Jessica Harwood

1/2 lb hamburger, browned
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp dried basil
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 cups milk or evaporated milk
pepper
3/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
4 cups diced potatoes
8 oz Velveeta, cubed
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sour cream (optional)

Cook all the veggies in the broth until tender. Add hamburger and spices. Make a thickening out of flour and milk. Add to the rest. Add Velveeta (to melt) and sour cream right before serving.

Note: if you use evaporated milk, it is absolutely not necessary to use sour cream. The sour cream in smainly just to change the coloring of the soup and the evaporated milk does just that if you use it.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Submitted by Jennifer Lee

1 cup sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups shortening
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 pkg chocolate chips

Mix sugars, shortening, and eggs until creamy. Add vanilla and milk. Add other ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, who has a large family. This recipe makes about 7 dozen cookies, which my small family shouldn't eat at once (and I don't have the patience to bake one cookie sheet at a time.) What I like to do with this is bake one or two dozen as I'm making the dough, then freeze the rest for later. I preform the dough balls and put enough for one cookie sheet in each bag. To bake the frozen dough, I put it in the oven at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. That way, I'm always a few minutes away from warm, soft chocolate chip cookies, and without the mess!

Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies

Submitted by Jessica Smith

1 ½ c flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ c. sugar

¼ c brown sugar

¼ c oil

¾ c pumpkin

2 eggs, well beaten

½ c chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients together. Blend pumpkin, sugars, oil, and eggs together. Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin mix. Add chocolate chips and stir well. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 12-15mins.

Cheesy Chicken Soup

Submitted by Jessica Smith

2 potatoes, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 c water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 ribs celery, chopped,

1/4 c chopped onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup grate cheese

1/2 cup cooked chicken

Steam carrots and potatoes together until soft. Mash by hand. Dissolve bouillon cube in 2 cups water in soup pot. Add onions, celery, and broccoli. Simmer 20 mins. Stir everything together and heat through until cheese melts.

Chili-chip casserole

Submitted by Jessica Smith

1 cup chili con carne

1/4 c salsa

1/4 c sour cream

1/4 c chopped olives

1/2 cup whole kernel corn

1/2 cup grate cheese

20 corn tortilla chips

Mix all ingredients together in a casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 20 mins.

Ritzy Chicken

Submitted by Jessica Smith

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c plain yogurt or sour cream

10 Ritz Crackers

1/4 c Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1 TB parsley flakes

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup canned milk

Crush the crackers to make the coarse crumbs. Mix crumbs with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture in zip-top bag or shallow dish. Dip chicken into yogurt and then in crumb mixture to coat chicken. Place chicken in baking pan. Bake at 425 for 50-60 mins or until chicken is crisp and golden brown. Mix soup and milk. Heat through and pour over chicken.

Salmon Loaf

Submitted by Mallory Watkins

1 (14.75 oz) can salmon, undrained

1/2 c. bread crumbs (I like to use italian seasoned, but it doesn't matter)

1/2 c. milk

1 egg, preferably beaten, but I forget all the time

salt and pepper to taste

2 T. melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Combine all ingredients and mix well

3. Pour mixture into lightly greased loaf pan (9*5)

4. Bake for 45 min. or until lightly golden around edges.

The great things about this is that salmon is safe for pregnant mothers to eat (although they should follow the guidelines, I suggest going to http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/fishmercury.htm) and WIC will pay for canned salmon for moms who breast feed. Not to mention it's wicked easy. Serve with tartar sauce.

Tartar Sauce
Submitted by Mallory Watkins

3-4 heaping t. mayonnaise

1-2 t. sweet relish

juice from 1/2 lime or lemon (about 1 T.)

Mix well. Taste it to make sure it's to your liking.

Chicken Pot Pie
Submitted by Tari McDonald

1 cup chopped onion
1 bag frozen peas and carrots
2 cups diced potatoes, cooked until tender (I used 2 large baking potatoes)
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half (milk should work fine, too, but I'd use 2% or whole)
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
pie crusts (I was able to get 2 whole pies from this recipe, which means 4 crusts, or 2 double crusts)

Saute onions, peas and carrots in butter until tender. Add flouur and stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken and potatoes.

Place 1 crust in pie dish and fill with chicken mixture. Place second crust on top and cut vents. Repeat with other crust. Bake at 375* covered, for 35 minutes then uncovered for 20 minutes.

Notes: You can use any vegetables you want, you should just have at least 4 cups total. My mom's original recipe called for 4 cups chicken- I cut it in half and substituted potatoes to make it less expensive. If you want to freeze the filling or a whole pie, do not use the potatoes in the filling. Use 4 cups of chicken for the potatoes and chicken.

Flakiest Pie Crust
Submitted by Tari McDonald

Makes 2 crusts:

2 cups flour
1 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
1 Tbl sugar
For "slurry":
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup water

Cut shortening into flour, sugar and salt until it resembles coarse crumbs (like peas). Combine "slurry" ingredients; pour over other mixture and combine until just starting to be uniform. Divide into 2 equal discs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or place in freezer for 10-15 minutes).

Freezer Cooking- November's Lesson Notes

2009-11-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: My mom gave me the following information, and I'm not sure who to credit the information to. However, there is good information found below.

To freeze or not to freeze?

The following are some foods that often do not freeze well.

• Cooked eggs, including meringue toppings, may become tough and rubbery.
• Cooked chunks of potatoes, such as in potato salad, may become soft and crumbly. Mashed and twice-baked potatoes may freeze more satisfactorily.
• Custards and cream puddings, by themselves or in pies may separate.
• Pasta may become mushy. Pasta shapes used in baked recipes -- such as lasagna, jumbo shells, ziti, and manicotti -- may freeze best, especially if the recipe is prepared and frozen before baking.
• Raw, watery vegetables such as lettuce, cucumbers and radishes; tomatoes, celery and cabbage may become limp.
• Yogurt and sour cream may change in texture. Some prepared dishes made with them may be frozen successfully; experiment with a small amount.
• Mayonnaise may separate during freezing and thawing.
• Sauces and gravies thickened with flour or cornstarch may separate and break down when frozen.
• Fried foods may lose their crispness. Exceptions are French fried potatoes and onion rings.
• Crumb toppings, such as on casseroles, may become soggy after freezing.
• Gelatin may weep.

· Cooked rice may become soggy. Slightly undercook your rice before freezing it.

Sometimes you will see these foods in commercially frozen products because food companies have equipment that freezes food faster and helps retain quality better. Also, various ingredients,generally unavailable to home cooks, are used commercially to help prevent frozen foods from breaking down.

Before you double a recipe for frozen "planned-overs," experiment by freezing a small amount the next time you make the recipe. If you're satisfied with the results, prepare extra food for freezing when you make the recipe again.

As a general rule, foods with a high water content, such as the vegetables in our list, do not freeze well. The water in food expands during freezing and breaks down the food is structure, making the food mushy when thawed. This is why frozen fruit packages often advise eating the fruit while still slightly frozen.

“Pre-Cooking”

Have a lazy afternoon? Boil up some chicken. Having ground beef for supper? Fry up 5 pounds instead of 1. Fantastic sale on ground beef? Make up a big batch of meatballs. Having a few things started in the freezer will save you a ton of time in the kitchen.

Examples of things that can be “pre-cooked”:

· Ground beef- seasoned and portioned according to your wants and needs

· Chicken- shredded or cubed, packaged in appropriate portions

· Meatballs

· Chicken Broth- for quick soups and sauces

· Sautéed onions or mushrooms- make a quick onion soup, over steaks or burgers, etc.

· Diced ham- for omelets, baked potato nights, pizza toppings, etc.

· Cooked and crumbled Bacon- same as above…

Things not cooked, but handy to have on hand:

· Cheese- shredded- packaged in 1-2 cup portions

· Diced onions- package in small sandwich bags then toss in a freezer bag

· Diced or sliced bell peppers- package in small sandwich bags then toss in a freezer bag
Freezing Helps and Guidelines

A Friendly Freezing and thawing guide for basic meals with out instructions...

For the most part it is best to freeze in Zip bags in my opinion as you can get a huge amount of things in your freezer if frozen flat. There are a few exceptions to this though. Layered casseroles such as lasagnas do best frozen in the pan. If you are short on pans and can not spare one kept in the freezer you can use either the disposable foil pans or simply pop the frozen block of lasagna out of the pan and either put in a large zip bag if it will fit or double wrap it in foil. Also some people think that soups do best in rigid plastic containers.. use what works best for you and your situation.
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LIQUIDS or LIQUIDS WITH CREAM SAUCE (not cream of soup sauce)
To freeze: Pour into a plastic container leaving 1/2 inch (one cm) of space at the top to allow for expansion of liquid during freezing. Cover, seal, label and freeze.
To serve: Allow to thaw a little to make it easier to remove from the container. Put into the top of a double boiler and heat gently, stirring constantly. Or you may transfer to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on 50% power, stirring to mix up frozen chunks every 30 seconds, until heated through.
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DELICATE (PASTA) WITH CREAM SAUCE (not cream of soup sauce)
To freeze: Place in an airtight container. Seal, label and freeze.
To serve: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for six hours at room temperature. Place in a saucepan, stirring gently, and heat through. Or you may transfer to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on 50% power, stirring to mix up frozen chunks every 30 seconds, until heated through.
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HOMEMADE BROTH BASED SOUPS, including soups with noodles
To freeze: Skim any fat from the top of the soup. Put into a plastic container and allow 1 inch of head space at the top to allow for expansion of the liquid during the freezing process. Seal, label and freeze.
To serve: Nuke long enough to be able to loosen soup from container. Put the frozen soup in a saucepan and thaw over a very low heat. Or you may transfer to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on 50% power until heated through.
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QUICHE AND OTHER EGG DISHES
There are 2 ways to do this. One is to freeze the egg part of the quiche, including the broccoli, ham or whatever if you wish, in a ziploc bag or clean milk carton (that's what they do at the store) or other container you could pour from. Thaw in the refrigerator and pour into your crust.
The other is to bake it and freeze it complete. Thaw and serve warmed in the microwave or chilled (for summer dining usually).
You might want to consider using a brown rice crust instead of a pie crust because of the fat. To do this, Pam your pie plates and pat the rice in pie plates,, really compress it. It needs salt, BTW. It won't get soggy, even if you pour liquid into it.
POTATOES Potatoes freeze in some ways and not in others. Mashed potatoes freeze well. Raw Potatoes turn nasty and black. Smaller Pieces and those cooked in sauces seem to have less texture changes. Some people believe that different varieties freeze with different results.
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BURRITOS
To freeze: wrap in either wax paper sheets or a paper towel and bag together in a ziploc bag
To serve: heat in microwave 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on high
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FROZEN YEAST DOUGH
Using your basic recipe and make it into the shape you want for roll's or loaf's, put it on a sprayed cookie sheet and flash freeze it. Then bag it. Thaw on sheet and let rise, bake as usual.

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FREEZING FROZEN YEAST DOUGH
I have tried freezing yeast dough a few times and had not-so-great luck. It took FOREVER for the dough to rise after it was out of the freezer (and thawed). I suspect it was the yeast (regular instead of my beloved INSTANT), since I had trouble on occasion getting the dough to rise in general. I have read that when freezing yeast dough, you should increase the amount of yeast in the recipe a bit (add an additional 1/4 tsp. yeast). Freezing yeast weakens it a little. Frozen dough should be used within one month. It is just as quick for me to whip up some dough in my abm than to thaw the dough from the freezer, so I don't freeze dough.
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FREEZING POCKETS MADE WITH BREAD DOUGH I make pizza pockets, tuna/cheese pockets, chicken/salsa/cheese/onion pockets, and ham and cheese pockets. I bake completely and cool. Wrap well with plastic wrap, then toss all pockets in a freezer bag. To heat, loosen plastic wrap and micro on medium for a minute, then micro on high until heated through. If you are planning to heat them up in the oven, you should bake them until they are SLIGHTLY browned, so you don't burn them when you bake them again. You should thaw them first before baking in oven, either at room temp. or in micro. Another option is to heat them in your toaster oven.

Freezer Containers and Basic Freezing Guidelines

· Freezer baggies, freezer Tupperware, casserole dishes (regular or disposable aluminum)

o Materials specifically labeled freezer are better equipped to protect your food

· They also make freezer paper, freezer tape, and freezer foil

· Avoid round containers because they create unusable corners in your freezer, corners that can be utilized with square or rectangular containers

· For freezer meals that include tomato sauce (i.e. lasagna), avoid using metal pans and separate tin foil coverings from dish by using a layer of plastic wrap first. The acidity in the tomatoes will eat away at the foil leaving a funny taste in the sauce.

Here are some basic instructions for freezing with different types of containers. It is always a good idea to allow your dish too cool in the refrigerator before freezing to help keep your freezer cold enough to keep its contents frozen.

Using Ziplocs and Tupperware

1. Squeeze all air out of container

2. Seal well

3. Label with contents and date prepared (or use by date)

4. Lay flat and stack in freezer. Once frozen, you can rearrange the Ziplocs to fit in crevices around other contents in your freezer.

Using Casserole Dishes

1. Cover with freezer foil (or a double layer of regular foil). If desired, plastic wrap may be used underneath foil.

2. Place dish in freezer bag, if possible.

3. Label with contents and date prepared (or use by date)

4. Allow to completely freeze in freezer before stacking. If you stack before completely freezing, the middle of your dishes may not freeze in a safe amount of time.

Another idea is to make a list of all the contents in your freezer so you know what you have rather than having to open the freezer and rummage through everything, allowing all the cold air out. And it just makes your life easier!

How to Use Freezer Contents

Precooked foods:

Allow to thaw and then use in recipes as normal.

Freezer Meals:

Allow to thaw in refrigerator 24-48 hours. Then bake, or prepare, as normal.

If using soups or other frozen liquids, you can partially thaw them in microwave (or refrigerator), then place contents in a saucepan or pot and continue to warm.

Remember: Do not refreeze after thawing meats and meals!

Food Storage Chart for Refrigerator and Freezer:

Product	Refrigerator	Freezer
Eggs
Fresh, in shell	4 to 5 weeks	Don't freeze
Raw yolks, whites	2 to 4 days	1 year
Hardcooked	1 week	Doesn't freeze well
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, opened	3 days	Don't freeze
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, unopened	10 days	1 year
Mayonnaise, commercial Refrigerate after opening	2 months	Don’t freeze

Product	Refrigerator	Freezer
TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles Keep frozen until ready to heat		3 to 4 months

Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products	Refrigerator	Freezer
Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads	3 to 5 days	Don’t freeze well
Pre-stuffed pork & lamb chops, chicken breasts stuffed w/dressing	1 day	Don’t freeze well
Store-cooked convenience meals	3 to 4 days	Don’t freeze well
Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners with USDA seal, unopened	2 weeks	Don’t freeze well


Raw Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat	Refrigerator	Freezer
Hamburger & stew meats	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months
Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months

Ham, Corned Beef	Refrigerator	Freezer
Corned beef in pouch with pickling juices	5 to 7 days	Drained, 1 month
Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” unopened	6 to 9 months	Don’t freeze
Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened	3 to 5 days	1 to 2 months
Ham, fully cooked, whole	7 days	1 to 2 months
Ham, fully cooked, half	3 to 5 days	1 to 2 months
Ham, fully cooked, slices	3 to 4 days	1 to 2 months

Hot Dogs and Lunch Meats	Refrigerator	Freezer (in freezer wrap)
Hot dogs, opened package	1 week	1 to 2 months
Hot dogs, unopened package	2 weeks	1 to 2 months
Lunch meats, opened package	3 to 5 days	1 to 2 months
Lunch meats, unopened package	2 weeks	1 to 2 months

Soups and Stews	Refrigerator	Freezer
Vegetable or meat-added & mixtures of them	3 to 4 days	2 to 3 months

Bacon and Sausage	Refrigerator	Freezer
Bacon	7 days	1 month
Sausage, raw from pork, beef, chicken or turkey	1 to 2 days	1 to 2 months
Smoked breakfast links, patties	7 days	1 to 2 months
Summer sausage labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” unopened	3 months	1 to 2 months
Summer sausage labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened	3 weeks	1 to 2 months

Fresh Meat (Beef, Veal, Lamb and Pork)	Refrigerator	Freezer
Steaks	3 to 5 days	6 to 12 months
Chops	3 to 5 days	4 to 6 months
Roasts	3 to 5 days	4 to 12 months
Variety meats (tongue, kidneys, liver, heart, chitterlings)	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months

Meat Leftovers	Refrigerator	Freezer
Cooked meat & meat dishes	3 to 4 days	2 to 3 months
Gravy & meat broth	1 to 2 days	2 to 3 months

Fresh Poultry	Refrigerator	Freezer
Chicken or turkey, whole	1 to 2 days	1 year
Chicken or turkey, parts	1 to 2 days	9 months
Giblets	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months

Cooked Poultry, Leftover	Refrigerator	Freezer
Fried chicken	3 to 4 days	4 months
Cooked poultry dishes	3 to 4 days	4 to 6 months
Pieces, plain	3 to 4 days	4 months
Pieces covered with broth, gravy	1 to 2 days	6 months
Chicken nuggets, patties	1 to 2 days	1 to 3 months

Fish and Shellfish	Refrigerator	Freezer
Lean fish	1 to 2 days	6 months
Fatty fish	1 to 2 days	2 to 3 months
Cooked fish	3 to 4 days	4 to 6 months
Smoked fish	14 days	2 months
Fresh shrimp, scallops, crawfish, squid	1 to 2 days	3 to 6 months
Canned seafood Pantry, 5 years	after opening 3 to 4 days	out of can 2 months

String Cheese

2009-10-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

For anyone who likes string cheese, Broulim's is currently having a sale on the Western Family brand. It is 5/$1.00, which is a really good deal.
Also, I linked to the Broulim's blog {both times I said the name}, where they tell you about the sales every week, have coupons, etc. and right now there is a coupon on the side bar for $1.00 off 2 lbs any brand of cheese.

Shredded Cheese Sale

2009-10-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ladies,
Broulims has shredded cheese for only $1 this week. Sale ends October 20th. I hope I posted this right Tari. Let me know if I didn't. I am not very good at blogging.

October 2009 Recipe Exchange

2009-10-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hot Dog Special

Submitted by Jessica Cedeño

So here is my recipe for "Hot Dog Special", Roberto's all time favorite, it is more on the Hispanic side when it comes to taste and texture and its my Mom's recipe. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

One package of Hot Dogs
One medium tomato
One half of an onion
Long grain enriched rice cooked
Sazon (which is annato food seasoning) one packet or about a tablespoon
Vegetable Oil
Ketchup
Water

Start by slicing tomato and cutting it into thin strips. Then thinly slice the onion. Then take your hot dogs (about 6-8 of them), and cut them (like you would to put in with mac & cheese). In a large skillet on medium high heat, put vegetable oil enough to cover skillet and once hot, put in the sliced onion and tomato and top with sazon. Let it simmer for about five minutes. Then add hot dogs and a splash of water and cover. Wait about five to ten minutes, once you see that the hot dogs are close to being done, uncover and squeeze some ketchup on top, enough to slightly cover it all. Mix it all together and put lid back on. Wait another five minutes or so until the hot dogs are really done. Take off heat. Serve with white rice! Enjoy!

Hamburger & Garlic Stroganoff

From Robin Brewer, Submitted by Jessica Harwood

Makes: 4-6 servings

½ cup onion

1 clove garlic

¼ cup butter

1 lb. ground beef

2 Tbsp. flour

¼ tsp. pepper

1 can mushrooms (I use stems & pieces)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. salt

Saute onion and garlic in butter over medium heat. Add meat and brown. Add flour, salt and pepper and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes. Add soup; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream, heat through. Serve over rice or noodles.

Curried Black Beans and Rice

Submitted by Jessica Harwood

Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4-6 people

1 T. Oil
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. Curry powder (more or less depending on your preference
1 lb ground sausage (you can easily substitute beef, chicken, or turkey)
3/4 cup chicken broth (or 2-3 boullion cubes crushed in hot water)
2 (16 oz.) cans black beans drained
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups uncooked Rice

Rinse your rice and cook as directed in your rice cooker or pot, however you prefer. While your rice is cooking, saute onion in oil with the curry powder. Add sausage. Cook about 5 minutes. Add broth and beans. Cook 4-5 minutes longer. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Doritos Casserole

Submitted by Jessica Harwood

1 pkg. Cooler Ranch Doritos chips

2 cans chili

2 can cream of mushroom soup

Shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Crush Doritos chips into bottom on 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix chili and cream of mushroom soup together; pour over Doritos. Cover with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and inside is warm (approximately 15 minutes).

Ranch Chicken

From Jenni Gardner, Submitted by Jessica Harwood

Number of chicken breasts you want

Bottle of ranch dressing

Bacon bits

Provolone cheese.

Directions:
Thaw the chicken, rinse it, then place in a pan that you have spread the bottom of with Ranch dressing. Smother the top of the chicken with ranch and place in oven at about 350^oF. Cook until chicken is nearly done, then sprinkle with bacon bits and place the cheese on the chicken. Continue to cook until done.

Tater Tot Casserole

Submitted by Jessica Harwood

Tater tots

Chicken or turkey, cooked and cut into chunks

Cream of chicken soup

Milk

Shredded Cheese

Place tater tots on bottom of baking pan. Mix cream of chicken soup and milk together until very creamy. Add chicken and pour over tater tots. Top with cheese. Bake at 400^oF for 30 minutes.

(Note by Tari: I’ve seen ground beef used too, just use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken)

Tasty 2-step Chicken

From Campbell’s Kitchen, Submitted by Jessica Harwood

Prep/Cook time: 20 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 can (10-3/4oz) cream of mushroom soup

½ cup water

Brown chicken in hot oil in skillet. Add soup and water. Cover and simmer until done.

Tip: Also great with 98% fat free cream of mushroom, cream of chicken Dijon and tomato with roasted garlic and herbs soups. Or use cream of mushroom with roasted garlic or cream of chicken with Herbs soup with ½ cup milk instead of water.

Goulash

Submitted by Monica Hokanson

1 cup of dried macaroni pasta, cooked
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 lb of browned hamburger
Shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together and heat on the stove. I like to add some spices like oregano, basil, salt, etc to taste. You can also add vegetables; corn works really well. It makes great leftovers, it's easy, and very inexpensive!

Macaroni Tuna Casserole

Submitted by Jennifer Lee

12 oz large elbow macaroni

1 can tuna, drained

1 can cream of mushroom

1/2 soup can of milk

garlic powder (to taste)

shredded cheese

Boil macaroni according to instructions. In seperate bowl, combine tuna, cream of mushroom, milk, and garlic powder. Drain macaroni, then add to mixture and put in the bottom of glass casserole pan. Top with cheese and put in oven at 350 degrees until cheese melts.

Fruited Barbeque Chicken

Submitted by Michelle Bell

29 oz. tomato sauce
20 oz. can of unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. instant minced onion
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 lbs. chicken, skinned and cubed (I never cube them and it still cooks just fine)
11 oz. can madarin oranges (I actually put two cans in)

Combine all ingredients except chicken and oranges. Add chicken pieces. Cover. Cook on High for 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in oranges. Serve over hot rice.

Potato Sloppy Joe Bake

Submitted by Carlee Francis

1 lb. ground beef

1 can sloppy joe sauce

1 can condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted

1 pack of 30-32 oz. frozen cubed hash browns-preferably thawed

1 cup shredded cheese

Pre-heat oven to 450.

Brown beef in skillet and drain. Add sloppy joe sauce and soup. Place hash browns in greased 13x9x2 pan. Top with beef mixture. Cover and bake for 20 min. Uncover and bake for 10 min. Sprinkle top with cheese. Yield: 6-8 servings

Tuna Casserole

Submitted by Amanda Haderlie

1 package of noodles (I use egg noodles)

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can of tuna fish

½ a package of peas

Water (add enough water to make the mixture kind of runny)

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Cook the noodles and while they are cooking mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Then mix the noodles in and put in a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until heated through. If you want you can add crushed potato chips on top.

Lentil Soup

Submitted by Mallory Watkins

(Sorry, this is almost all to taste, but here's the gist of it.)

1 medium carrot, diced

1/2 medium onion, diced

tomato, it can be freshly diced, tomato sauce, or tomato paste

1 - 2 cups of chicken broth

1/5 lb. dry lentils

lime juice

cumin

1/2 link of kielbasa, chopped or sliced

1. In medium sauce pan, saute carrot, onion, and tomato (if fresh) in a little butter until tender. Add chicken broth (and tomato sauce/paste if using).
2. Add lentils and bring to soft boil. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally. IF AT ANY TIME THE WATER BOILS DOWN BELOW THE TOP OF THE LENTILS, ADD MORE. (This may happen multiple times.)
3. After simmering for a matter of minutes, add a good squirt of lime juice and the chopped/sliced kielbasa. Allow to continue simmering. Sprinkle cumin over top of lentils and stir. Let simmer continue.
4. The lentils will simmer for about 25 minutes. There should be enough liquid in the pot when you serve to meet the top of the lentils.

I'll be honest with you, not everyone likes lentils, including my father and various of Mike's co-workers. But they are very cheap. I think really what it comes down to is finding a recipe for them that you like. I don't like most lentils, but once I found this particular combination, I started to eat a lot more of them.

Alfredo Sauce

Submitted by Mallory Watkins

We eat it over fettuccine, and sometimes we mix in some coarsely chopped broccoli tops. Just to warn you, my family has always called this "heart attack on a plate" so you probably shouldn't have it once a week or more.

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter
2/3 - 1 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. cream (or milk, I've even used skim for this, and it's a little healthier)
1 egg, beaten
ground pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add Parmesan to melted butter while stirring with a whisk.
3. Turn heat to low, and stir in milk.
4. Stir in egg and add pepper.

That's it! This makes enough for about one pound of fettuccine. If you only have a couple mouths to feed like I do, I suggest making a whole batch and saving out half of it in a mason jar or something for next time. It'll hold in the fridge for two or three weeks.

Dinner in the Swiss Alps

Submitted by Jessica Smith

Potatoes

Corn

Hamburger patties

1 can stewed tomatoes

Seasonings of your liking

Start with putting potatoes in boiling water to make mashed potatoes. Meanwhile, cook hamburger patties in a skillet until brown. Add one can of stewed tomatoes and let simmer. I always add seasonings (and usually switch it up every time!) Here are some ideas of seasonings for the hamburger mixture (garlic salt, oregano, and greek seasoning, etc.)

Once the tomatoes and hamburger patties have simmered for a while then serve with mashed potatoes and corn and anything else you want. It is really easy (you can just leave it while doing other things) and is very refreshing.

Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

Submitted by Jessica Smith

2 lbs. chicken breast, cooked
8 oz. sour cream
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 rolls of crushed Ritz crackers
2 tbs. poppy seeds
1 stick of butter
6 servings of rice cooked

Cook the rice and spread on the bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Spread shredded or cubed cooked chicken over rice. Mix sour cream and cream of chicken and spread on top of chicken and rice. Spread Ritz crackers, then butter, then poppy seeds on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Mmmm..... tasty!

Anytime Muffins

Submitted by Tari McDonald

These are a great option for bread to accompany any meal. They are really cheap, easy, and fast to make!

1 Egg
1/2 C. oil
2 C. Flour
1/2 C. Sugar
3 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp salt
1 C. Milk

Mix all the wet ingredients first. Sift together dry ingredients and mix until blended well. Fill muffin tin either lined or greased 2/3 full . Bake at 400* for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
makes 1 dozen.

You can also fill muffin cup 1/2 way add a spoonful of your favorite jam and then top with remaining batter for a yummy jelly filled muffin.

Clean-Out-Your-Cupboards Soup

Submitted by Tari McDonald

This recipe is mostly just a guideline. The vegetables can be fresh, canned, frozen or dehydrated. Don’t be afraid to use what you have… that’s the point! Here are some ideas of what might be lurking in your pantry:

Potatoes

Carrots

Celery

Onion

Zucchini or other squash

Tomatoes or tomato sauce or tomato paste

Canned or rehydrated beans

Cooked Meat

Seasonings (I like to use bay leaf in my soups, and then I’ll usually use salt and pepper and dried parsley)

Fill large pot with water and bring to a boil. In the mean time, dice all of the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Boil everything together until the potatoes and carrots are done. You can add pasta to the soup as well, but you don’t want to add it until the potatoes are almost done so it doesn’t over cook. That’s it! This is really healthy and helps stretch what you have on hand to avoid a trip to the store. (If you use the bay leaf, remember to remove it from the soup before serving.)

French Bread Pizza

Submitted by Tari McDonald

1 loaf of French bread

1 jar or can of either pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Any desired pizza toppings (i.e. pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, etc.)

Cut bread in half lengthwise and lay “face up” on baking sheet. Dress like you would a pizza; put sauce down, followed by cheese and any toppings you are using. Broil in your oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Welcome!

2009-10-13T18:39:00.001-07:00

Hello sisters! I hope you all will use this blog as a way to share ideas about budgeting for groceries, to spread news about great sales, and to pass along great recipes. Please use appropriate labels so that your posts are easy to find in the archives.

Also, don't forget about our next meeting on Thursday, November 5 at 7:00 pm. It will probably be in Rockland's lounge again, but I'll let you know for sure as we get closer. Our theme will be comfort foods for winter warmth. As we discussed at our last meeting, everyone will make one of their favorite foods to make during the winter that helps them stay warm (i.e. soups, casseroles, baking to get the oven on, etc.) and also bring 1 copy of the recipe to share. We'll then compile the recipes and send everyone a copy (and probably post them on this blog, too). I think we'll also be discussing briefly how to properly freeze food so that we can better enjoy these warm and yummy foods throughout the winter. Anyways, be thinking of what recipe you want to share!