Month: February 2015


Feb
2015

Freezer-Friendly Pork Chops and Cheesy Potatoes

categories: Main Dishes, Recipes

Pork Chops and Cheesy Potatoes 2This is one of the easiest, no fuss, most amazing pork chop recipes I have ever made.  And they are freezer friendly.  You can’t beat that!  I found this recipe in a cookbook that I bought 4 years ago called Dinner is Ready. This book is full of freezer recipes.  When I spotted this Pork Chops and Cheesy Potato recipe, I knew it would be the perfect a addition to the freezer meals I’m making for my sister (she is expecting her 3rd daughter in March and I want to fill up her freezer).

finifhed pork chopsHer family loves the crunchy onions, creamy potatoes and meaty pork chops that make this the perfect comfort food.  So let’s get started. Start by seasoning the pork chops with salt and pepper.  Then brown them in a pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

browning pork chopsCombine 1 can of soup, 2/3 cup of evaporated milk, 1 cup of sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a bowl until smooth.

mixing ingredientsAdd 2/3 of a cup of French fried onions.

adding onionsPour in 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

adding cheeseMix in 3 cups of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (do not thaw) and then pour it in the bottom of a greased foil baking pan.  Arrange chops on top of potatoes and press them into the mixture.

pork chops in potatoesCover with foil then label and freeze.

foil covered pork chops and cheesy potatoesWhen you are ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then bake covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Then uncover and top with 1 cup of French fried onions and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Now you’re all set with a great dish for a busy night when you don’t have time to cook.

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Freezer-Friendly Pork Chops and Cheesy Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 6 boneless pork chops
  • salt to season chops
  • pepper to season chops
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 1 (10 1/2 oz) can of cream of chicken soup
  • 2/3 cup of evaporated milk
  • 1 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
  • 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2/3 of a cup of French fried onions
  • 3 cups of frozen shredded hashbrowns (do not thaw)
  • -------------------------------------------------------
  • topping
  • -----------
  • 1 cup of French fried onions

Instructions

  1. Start by seasoning the pork chops with salt and pepper. Then brown them in a pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Combine 1 can of soup, 2/3 cup of evaporated milk, 1 cup of sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a bowl until smooth. Add 2/3 of a cup of French fried onions. Pour in 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Mix in 3 cups of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (do not thaw) and then pour it in the bottom of a greased foil baking pan. Arrange chops on top of potatoes and press them into the mixture. Cover with foil then label and freeze. When you are ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then bake covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Then uncover and top with 1 cup of French fried onions and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Notes

Adapted from: Dinner is Ready.

https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2015/02/28/freezer-friendly-pork-chops-and-cheesy-potatoes/

 

Pork Chops and Cheesy Potatoes

 

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Feb
2015

Freezer-Friendly Meatballs and Sauce

categories: Main Dishes, Recipes

Freezer Spaghetti and MeatballsThis meatball and sauce recipe is delicious, filling, frugal, and so freezer-friendly; which makes it the perfect recipe to fit in with the freezer meals I’m featuring this February.  So lets get out the onions and start chopping, because we need to fill the freezer up.

Start by chopping your onions up in small pieces and mixing them into the ground beef.

meat and onionsThen cut up the pieces of bread and mix them into the meat.

bread added to meatThen add in the milk.

pouring milk Add in the egg and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

add eggNext shape into 16-20 meatballs about 1 inch in diameter.  Place the meatballs on baking sheets lined with foil.

forming balls

 

meatballs on panBake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until the meatballs reach 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.

cooked meatballsLet the meatballs cool and mix them into a jar of your favorite sauce.

meatballs in saucePour the meatballs and sauce into a freezer bag and label.

sauce in bagNow you have an easy meal to add to your freezer meal collection.  When you are ready to use this freezer meal, put the bag in the refrigerator to thaw the day before you want to make it.  Then the day you cook it pour it into a skillet and simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve over your favorite pasta.

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Freezer-Friendly Meatballs and Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of ground beef
  • 3/4 cups of soft bread crumbs (1 1/2 slices of bread)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 eggs
  • 1/2 of a teaspoon of salt
  • 1 jar of your favorite tomato pasta sauce

Instructions

  1. Start by chopping your onions up in small pieces and mixing them into the ground beef. Then cut up the pieces of bread and mix them into the meat. Then add in the milk. Add in the egg and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Next shape into 16-20 meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Place the meatballs on baking sheets lined with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until the meatballs reach 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Let the meatballs cool and mix them into a jar of your favorite sauce. Pour the meatballs and sauce into a freezer bag and label. When you are ready to use this freezer meal, put the bag in the refrigerator to thaw the day before you want to make it. Then the day you cook it pour it into a skillet and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over your favorite pasta.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2015/02/23/freezer-friendly-meatballs-and-sauce/


Feb
2015

Chicken Enchiladas

categories: Main Dishes, Recipes

chicken enchiladas 3Do you love to have meals ready to go in your freezer?  Then this is the recipe for you.   During this next month, I will concentrate on recipes that are great for freezing so I can help my sister, who is expecting her 3rd daughter next month, load her freezer with great meals.  The first freezer friendly dish that I will focus on is Chicken Enchiladas.  It’s easy to make and loaded with flavor.  This recipe has a wonderful blend of delicious chicken, melted cheese, a savory sauce with green chiles, and corn tortillas. So let’s get started filling our freezers! 

Start by cooking the chicken.  I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper and then I baked it in the oven at 350 for 1 hour.  Your chicken might take less time since I used thick chicken breasts.   Make sure your chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees before taking it out of the oven.  Once it is cooked, shred the chicken and put it into a bowl that you will set aside.

chicken Next you need to make the sauce.  In a pan heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

oil for enchiladasRemove the oil from the heat. Mix in the flour.

adding flour to sauceAfter the flour is mixed in, put it back on the heat.

mixing in the flour Pour in the chicken stock.

adding chicken stockAdd the tomato paste.

adding tomato pasteMix in the can of green chiles, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of oregano,1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then simmer for 20 minutes.

adding green chilis

Now you can start making the filling.  Chop the onion and brown it in a pan with some vegetable oil.

chopped onioncoked onion

 In a bowl mix the shredded chicken, onion, 2 cups of cheddar cheese and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

adding onion to filling

 cheese mixed into filling

Now that the filling is done you are ready to assemble the enchiladas.

filling and sauce

 Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9″x13″ casserole dish.

sauce on the bottom of panDip tortillas in the sauce.

dipping tortillias into sauceSpoon 3 tablespoons of filling onto each tortilla.

putting filling in the tortilliaRoll up and arrange, seam side down, in the 9″x13″ dish.

putting tortillias in panPour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes.  Let it cool, and there you have it!  It’s ready to be served.

chicken enchiladas done in pan

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, olives, and any other taco fixings.  Now you have a yummy enchilada meal for the whole family to enjoy.  And don’t forget you can freeze them for later.  To freeze, assemble enchiladas and then before you bake them wrap with foil and freeze.  When you go to bake them later, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and cook 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven covered and then 5 minutes uncovered.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

  • Filling
  • ---------
  • 1 lb. cooked chicken
  • 1/2 of an onion chopped
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • ----------------------------------
  • Sauce
  • ---------
  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon of flour
  • 2 cups of chicken stock
  • 1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (4 oz.) can green chiles
  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
  • -----------------------------------------
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups of cheddar cheese for the top

Instructions

  1. Start by cooking the chicken. I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper and then I baked it in the oven at 350 for 1 hour. Your chicken might take less time since I used thick chicken breasts. Make sure your chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees before taking it out of the oven. Once it is cooked, shred the chicken and put it into a bowl that you will set aside. Next you need to make the sauce. In a pan heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Remove the oil from the heat. Mix in the flour. After the flour is mixed in, put it back on the heat. Pour in the chicken stock. Add the tomato paste. Mix in the can of green chiles, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of oregano,1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then simmer for 20 minutes. Now you can start making the filling. Chop the onion and brown it in a pan with some vegetable oil. In a bowl mix the shredded chicken, onion, 2 cups of cheddar cheese and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Now that the filling is done you are ready to assemble the enchiladas. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9"x13" casserole dish. Dip tortillas in the sauce. Spoon 3 tablespoons of filling onto each tortilla. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, in the 9"x13" dish. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes. Let it cool, and there you have it! It's ready to be served. And don't forget you can freeze them for later. To freeze, assemble enchiladas and then before you bake them wrap with foil and freeze. When you go to bake them later, thaw overnight and cook 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven covered and then 5 minutes uncovered.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2015/02/16/chicken-enchiladas/

 

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Feb
2015

Copycat Olive Garden Salad

categories: Recipes, Salads

olive garden Salad 2Valentine’s Day is this Saturday…. Do you know what you’re cooking for your special someone?  Well I have an idea of what I am cooking.  I am going to create an Olive Garden experience right in the comforts of my own home.  My sister made up this recipe a few years back when I wanted to serve an Olive Garden style dinner menu for my daughter’s birthday party.  She went to the Olive Garden and counted the ingredients in the salad bowl.  That effort was a great start, but we needed more information to get it very close.  Fortunately my sister-in-law (who used to work at the Olive Garden) gave us some suggestions to perfect the recipe.  When I served this salad for the first time, it was paired with lasagna.  However, I have an amazing Chicken Alfredo recipe here on the blog that would be a wonderful addition to your Valentine’s Day menu.  

Here are the ingredients you will need:  1 (9oz.) bag of Italian Blend salad mix, 1/2 of a purple onion sliced, 3 Roma tomatoes sliced, 10 black olives, 5 Pepperoncini peppers, croutons, shredded Parmesan cheese, and your favorite Italian dressing. 

ingredients for salad Start by slicing the onion and tomatoes.

onion

 slicing tomatoesThen pour your salad mix into a large bowl.  If you didn’t want to use a salad mix, you could chop up romaine lettuce to fill the bowl.

lettuceThen add the onions and tomatoes.

adding onion

 

adding tomatoNext drain and rinse the olives.

olivesAdd ten olives to the salad and then add five Pepperoncini peppers.

peppersMix the salad together.  

mixed lettuceServe with shredded Parmesan cheese, croutons, and Italian dressing on the side .

cheese croutonsNow you are ready to bring the Olive Garden experience into your home this Valentine’s Day.

Olive garden salad 3 Copycat Olive Garden Salad 4

 

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Copycat Olive Garden Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 (9 oz.) bag of Italian Blend salad mix
  • 1/2 of a purple onion sliced
  • 3 Roma tomatoes sliced
  • 10 black olives
  • 5 Pepperoncini peppers
  • 1 bag of croutons
  • 1 container of shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 bottle of Italian dressing

Instructions

  1. Start by slicing the onion and tomatoes. Then pour your salad mix into a large bowl. If you didn't want to use a salad mix, you could chop up romaine lettuce to fill the bowl. Then add the onions and tomatoes. Next drain and rinse the olives. Add ten olives to the salad and then add five Pepperoncini peppers. Mix the salad together. Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese, croutons, and Italian dressing on the side.
  2. Note: Double this recipe if you are serving it for a large group.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2015/02/09/copycat-olive-garden-salad/