How to turn 3 Pounds Ground into 3 Freezer meals, fast!

So you over there at your house. It's pretty late and your all "Shoot! I don't know what the heck is for dinner!" Then I laugh at you because you talk like my grandma. Then we just decide that wine is better for dinner anyway.
But, no. Seriously. What to do?? Run to the store and buy some food, and then come home and cook and then eat and then...NO MORE AND THEN!
Here is what you should  have done...About a week ago you were reading this one blog by Melissa and she told you how to make freezer meals. And you did.
If you take my advice now, you'll try this trick this weekend and be ready whenever lack of time strikes!

This is, hand down, the easiest way to get dinner out of the way.  I'll call it...Power-cooking, and here's what you'll need.

3 pounds ground meat (turkey, chicken or beef)
1 extra large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all in large skillet and brown 15-17 minutes or until meat is crumbly.
Divide into 3 portions into large zip-lock baggies.
This is your base for 3 meals...

You can make tacos, chili, sloppy joes, beef stroganoff, spaghetti or italian hoagies!
Tacos:
1 TBSP chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cayenne
1 can tomato sauce (8oz)

Stroganoff:
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
5 oz cream of chicken soup (1/2 of a can)
1 cup sour cream
(Optional) 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

Spaghetti (cheater):
1 jar marinara sauce

Chili (cheater):
1 packet chili mix
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans or kidney beans, drains
1 can tomato sauce (8oz)

Italian Hoagies (mix well in bag before adding beef):
1 packet Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup water
8 oz mild pepper rings, not drained

Sloppy Joes (cheater):
1 Can sloppyjoe mix

When ready defrost in fridge and heat on the stovetop. If you prep on a Sunday you can leave the bags in the fridge so they are ready any day.

Who Wants S'More?

We have a great little chiminea in our backyard. The kids love to have "bon fires" and cook s'mores. And, who can blame them? S'mores are delish, right?! Right!
Last week we had one of these nights and, as usual, there were leftover graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. So, after passing the crackers and chocolate on the counter a few times, the idea of S'Mores pie popped into my brain.
I had to make it, it was going to happen, it freakin' happened! Ohhh Yeah!
Oh, and my youngest child said I should name it "hashtag s'mores pie" so of course I did...
Check this baby out!

 

#S'MoresPie

Ingredients

1 stick Softened Butter
1 cup White Sugar
1 whole Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Flour
1.5 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 whole Chocolate Bars
1 cups Mini Marshmallows, divided
1/2 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F
Using a stand mixer cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and vanilla and combine. Add flour and graham crackers and combine.
Using half the dough create a pie crust on the bottom and sides of pie pan. Break apart chocolate bars and line the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup marshmallows over the chocolate bars.
With the remaining dough make balls and pat flat. Cover the pie in sections until the while pie is covered.
Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup marshmallows.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting.

 

Cheese Please

Cheese is an amazing thing. I have never met someone who hates cheese. Ever. And if I did, I might not be able to be their friend. There is something about that ooey, gooey, stringy stuff that makes my mouth water.

This morning I was daydreaming about cheese filled pretzels and, although I have the ingredients to make them, I didn't feel like putting that much effort into cooking.  So I grabbed a few items from the store after dropping the kids off at school and rushed home to make something you're going to want to make tonight!

 

 

It's Really easy! Just unroll and pile on the ingredients.

 

Roll Up the Bread

 

 

Bake the loaf.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Cheese Bomb Bread

Ingredients:
1 pkg refrigerated French bread dough
Italian seasoning
onion powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan (not the stuff that sits on the shelf at the store...blech!)
2 handfuls shredded cheddar or Colby


Directions:
Preheat oven according to bread dough package. Remove dough from package. Find the seam on the dough and unroll carefully.
Sprinkle the whole loaf with Italian seasoning and onion powder. At one end of dough, spread the garlic along the edge and sprinkle the parmesan cheese over garlic. Over the remaining dough spread yellow cheese (whichever you picked), but do not cover the last 2-3 inches of the dough.
Roll the dough back up, starting at the end you placed the garlic. Turn dough over so the seam in down.
Bake according to package.

Did someone say Burger?

Hamburger.
Cheeseburger.
Bacon Burger.
Double BBQ Burger.
Burger. Burger. Burger.

Ok I got that out of my system! I don't know about you but I am always up for a stellar burger. I like them made with beef, turkey, chicken, pork and any combination of those listed meats. There is this place in San Diego, and they grind up the bacon, too...Oh.Em.Gee. they are so stinking good! I have to figure out how. In the meantime, I want to share an oldie recipe of mine I think you'll enjoy!

 

Blue Cheese and Bacon Burger Belt

Ingredients

2 pkg refrigerated crescent roll                            

1 lb ground beef                            

1/4 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1-1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles                            

1 medium sliced onion, caramelized                            

Directions                       

Cook beef until crumbled and no longer pink. Drain and mix with bacon, set aside.

 

(NOTE: when following this step, do it on the cooking surface - I use my pizza stone, but make sure you do this part ON the surface that is going in the oven!)
Arrange crescent rolls in a circle with the wide ends overlapping leaving a 5 inch diameter opening in the center.
(the wide ends will overlap on the outer corners and the pointy side will point outwards)

 

Scoop beef & bacon into the widest end of each triangle being sure each triangle has equal amounts of mixture. Place onion over beef mixture and sprinkle blue cheese over that.

 

Bring the points up and over the mixture and tuck under the center of the ring. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until deep golden brown.            

Cut into 8 servings.

 

If you are having trouble following the folding, you can see pictures here: http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/other-main-course/blue-cheese-bacon-burger-belt.html?p=2

 

 

 

Savory Breakfast Bread-Easy Like Sunday Morning, On Saturday!

Ahh...Saturday Morning. The one day of the week we don't have anywhere to be (most of the time). I love sleeping in until whenever I like 6:30AM.
This morning I crept around the kitchen with a box of baking mix in hand trying to think up a delicious alternative to our usual Eggs with cheese and Sausage breakfast. I don't know what came over me, but I wanted to make something yum for the family this morning.
I came up with something easy and delish! I'll call it...Savory Breakfast Bread. Served with eggs, it made the perfect Saturday morning breakfast.
This bread is savory and wonderfully moist. There is no need for buttering this bread! The recipe is easy and quick to prep.

Savory Breakfast Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups baking mix
2/3 cups almond milk (or regular milk)
2 tablespoons melted butter (or margarine)
1 Sausage Link (bratwurst size), I used Trader Joe's Sweet Basil Pesto Smoked Chicken and Turkey Sausage
3 Premade Meatballs, I used Aidells Italian Style with Mozzarella Cheese Chicken Meatballs
1 Generous handful shredded cheese
1 palm-full Shaved Parmesan Cheese
1/3 Cup Chopped Green Onion

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 450.
Mix together baking mix, milk, and butter. Set aside.
Cut sausage link in half, lengthwise. Then each half in half, lengthwise again. Then cut into pieces.
Cut Meatball into quarters.
Add meat, cheeses and onion to batter and stir until well blended.
Pour mixture into a silicone (I love these because I don't need extra fat to grease the pan with) bread pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until sharp knife comes out "clean" (the cheese will leave some residue on knife, but the batter shouldn't be seen).
Slice and Enjoy with eggs, if desired.

Back to Reality

Ahhh, the good ol' Vegas trip to throw off your entire weight loss. It might have been better to wait until I was down 30 or more pounds. The 4 pounds I put back on would have been easier to deal with. But, that is what happens, you eat! And it's good.
This morning I am going to start carb cycling to get back on track. Lots of water. And then, of course, tomorrow is Easter and it's going to be a buffet of "that" type of food...You know the stuff Midwesterners bring to a church potluck. I guess I'll have a salad, thank you!
I'm hoping to create some really great recipes. Carb cycling can get boring.


Maybe I'll start Monday......LOL