Easy Freezer Meals

Hey There...I promise to get back and do some real writing soon.  I'm itching to get pen to paper.  In the meantime...I'm having a blast over at Comfy Home.  I hope you'll come see me there.  I prepared some yummy freezer meals over the weekend and I'm starting to post some of the recipes.  Come on over...

Comfy Home:  Easy Freezer Meals - Part 1

Hope to see you soon,

 

Strawberry Poke Cake...

I made a Poke cake this week.  My oldest son requested that I make it since he had eaten a piece at a friends house and loved it.  I'm pretty sure I've made it before but no one in my house remembers it.  If I actually did make this cake before...it evidently didn't make much of an impression on the family OR it's entirely possible I imagined I made it for the family.  Yep...definitely possible!  I DO remember my Mom and Grandma making this cake when I was young and it was always good...and very easy to make.  I've taken the recipe straight off the Kraft website...so feel free to go there if you'd like to see the original.  Such a quick and easy cake recipe and always tastes good.

Have a great Friday!

--jackie

 

What You Need

1pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix

1cup boiling water

1pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

 

Make It

PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 13x9-inch pan. Cool cake in pan 15 min. Pierce cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
 
ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water; pour over cake. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Sugar Sugar...

Before I tell you about the sinful sugar cookie bars up there...I just have to say that it's a darn good thing that I have Pinterest since I can't find my dang camera anywhere.  If it weren't for all the crazy pinning I do, I would have lots of photo-less posts which aren't near as fun for me to do.  Those pins sure are an inspiration to me and I come up with posts in the middle of the night sometimes from one little photo I pinned earlier in the day.  I just don't have enough time in my day to write up the posts and then I forget them.  Note to self:  place notebook and pen on my bedside table tonight for middle of the night scribbles.

So, what do you think about those bars up there?  Let me tell you they are Delicious with a capital D!  Several people were pinning them yesterday and I did the same.  I tried the recipe and it was a huge success.  I mean...who doesn't like sugar cookies and if you can just press them into a pan and make bar cookies it's even better.  Now, to be totally honest, mine didn't exactly look like the photo above.  Mine weren't as white...more of a buttery yellow color and I didn't have the cute sprinkles.  No worries... they tasted great and the men in the house didn't complain one bit about the color...not that they would ever complain about cookies!  Oh, and a shout-out to Ice Cream Before Dinner for the recipe.

Enjoy...

Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat to 375. Sift together the flour, salt & baking soda to combine, and set aside. Spray a 9 x 13 cookie sheet (with raised sides) with non-stick spray. Put the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and turn on to cream the butter. Slowly add the sugar and mix until creamy, about two minutes. Add the eggs and mix to combine. Add vanilla. In three parts, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just to combine, scraping the bowl in between additions. Spread the dough in the 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 14 - 19 minutes, or until it is slightly golden around the edges. Leave in pan to cool, on a wire rack. When completely cool, spread with about 1 cup of frosting (recipe below), or to taste. Wait until frosting has set a bit before cutting, at least a half hour.

Butter-cream Frosting
this recipe makes a lot more than you'll need for this, but it stores really well in the frig. I just make it in big batches and save it for future use.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C solid white vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
1/3 C + 2 tablespoons warm water
a 2 LB bag of confectioner's sugar

Add shortening to the electric mixer bowl and turn on to cream it. Add 1/2 the sugar and mix on low to combine (you'll certainly want your bowl's dust lid/shield thing on at this point!). Add the warm water and mix to a paste. Once it is creamed, add the rest of the sugar. Mix. Add the extract. Mix to combine completely, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Then, turn mixer to high and beat to about 8 minutes. Store in the frig for up to 8 - 12 weeks

Until Next Time,

Jackie

Small Everyday Joys...

"Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm"

~Earl Nightingale

One of the best parts of being a Mom is watching who my children are becoming.  This little guy is fun to watch.  His creativity and personality are a true joy to me.  Writing and drawing are one of his favorite things to do and he takes great care in deciding what he wants to say on paper whether it's a note or a drawing.

I'm glad it's Friday...for a short work week it's been kind of a long one.  We have a full weekend planned with visits from my cousin Denise and her family and other activities as well.  

On the menu tonight...

Meatball Sandwiches and Seasoned Potato Wedges

I hope your Friday is a great day.  See you on Sunday for a scripture I've been working on this week.

Jackie

Want A Little Heat For Your Dinner Tonight? Try Cajun Chicken Pasta...

The heat continues here in Mid Missouri.  Since the hot weather doesn't seem to be going away, I decided to just go with it and spice up our dinner one night last week and make Cajun Pasta.  It was a huge success with all the boys in the house and I'll be making this dish again.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken breasts, Cut Into Cubes

3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste

1 pound linguine or fettuccine
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced (whatever color you have)
1 lb Okra (I substituted corn)
1 small Onion, diced
5-6 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Tomatoes, Diced
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups White Wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add all the veggies. Sprinkle on Cajun seasoning. Cook over very high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained pasta and toss to combine and enjoy!

Ca c'est bon!

Jackie

*Recipe credit - The Newlyweds Blog

Got Cranberries?

   

I looked in my refrigerator on Tuesday and I had 3 bags of Cranberries left over from Thanksgiving.  I found a recipe for Cranberry Cake at Taste of Home so I thought I'd try it out.  It has been a huge hit at our house and I'll definitely make it again.  It is the perfect blend of tart and sweet and it's surprisingly light since there is no frosting.  We top it with whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Cake

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• Whipped cream, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Add butter and extract; beat 2 minutes. Gradually stir in flour just until combined. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Spread in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
• Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Thanks For Stopping By,


Jackie

Menu Plan Monday - November 29, 2010

Good Morning!

It's a little hard to plan this menu after all the cooking and eating that took place in the last week...but here goes...be sure to stop by Orgjunkie.com for more great menu ideas. 


Monday:  Farmhouse Chicken (I'm using leftover turkey)

Tuesday:  Dinner with Friends (I provide the dessert) Cranberry Crumb Bars

Wednesday:  Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork (new recipe), Baked Beans, Salad

Thursday:  Slow-Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and leftover pulled pork

Friday:   Taco Night!


Saturday: Baked Buffalo Wings with Veggies and Dip

Sunday:  Baked Chicken Parmesan, Salad and Buttery Bread Machine Rolls


Thanks for stopping by,

Jackie

Menu Plan Monday - November 22, 2010

Hello Blog Friends!

Thanksgiving Week is here!  I'm participating in Menu Plan Monday sponsored by OrgJunkie.  Head over there for more great menus for this wonderful week of cooking and eating.

Monday: Baked Potato Soup with Salad and Rolls

Tuesday:  Slow Cooker French Dip with Sweet Potato Fries (frozen)

Wednesday:  Kobe's 10th Birthday!!  His favorite Brown Sugar Meatloaf with Salad and Cheesy Cauliflower

Thursday:  Thanksgiving Day (menu below)

Friday:  Leftover Buffet/Eating Out/Shopping/Visiting

Saturday:  Leftover Buffet/Eating Out/Shopping/Visiting

Sunday: Taco Night!

Thanksgiving Day Menu

Appetizers

Veggie Tray

Chopped Mediterranean Salad with Pita Chips

Main

Turkey

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Noodles

Cranberry Sauce

Sweet Potato Casserole

Broccoli/Rice Casserole

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Cranberry Waldorf Salad

Desserts

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Thanks For Stopping By!

Jackie

Menu Plan Monday - November 15, 2010

Happy Monday Blog Friends!

I'm back for another Menu Planning Monday sponsored by OrgJunkie.  Head over there for more great meal ideas!

In addition to the menu below, I plan to make Pumpkin Bread and Banana Cranberry Bread for snacks and quick breakfasts this week.

Monday:  Slow Cooker Pork and Beans with Salad and Rolls

Tuesday:  Spaghetti with Salad

Wednesday:  Honey Mustard Lime Chicken with Rice and Broccoli

Thursday:  Aunt Fannie's Dinner with Salad

Friday:  Taco Night!

Saturday:  Baked Ziti with Salad and Sweet Dinner Rolls

Sunday:  Slow Cooker Green Beans, Ham and New Potatoes



Thanks For Stopping By,

Jackie

Menu Plan Monday...

Happy Monday Blog Friends!


I'm joining the OrgJunkie this week and participating in Menu Plan Monday.  For the last several months I have been planning our menus every two weeks.  I do the bulk of our grocery shopping every two weeks,  because that is when I am paid, and I do a quick run in between for bread, milk, etc.  This schedule works well for us.  To help me keep track of our meals, and since I use so many of the other participating blogs to plan my own meals, I've decided to give Menu Plan Mondays a try.  I will only be posting our dinner menus because we're gone during lunch and breakfast at our house is quick (toast, cereal, muffins).  It will be a short week for us because we will be out of town Friday-Sunday so I'm off the hook for those meals.  Here is the plan for this week...

Monday: Broccoli Cheese Soup and Sweet Dinner Rolls
The broccoli cheese soup will be doubled and 1 portion will go in the freezer


Tuesday: Easy Chicken Enchilada Crescent Bake with carrots and dip


Wednesday:  Sloppy Joe's (from the freezer), Tater Tots, Corn


Thursday:  Beef Stew with Potato Dumplings (gnocchi)


Friday:  Out of town


Saturday:  Out of town


Sunday:  Out of town until early evening...sandwiches and chips for dinner


Thanks for Stopping By,


Jackie

There's a Chill in the Air...

Whew...those last two posts were a bit on the heavy side...even for me. Let's move on to something a little more fun! It's chilly today and I'm in the mood for some comfort...

It's a perfect day for some leftover Baked Ziti. I made this last night and it was a hit with all the boys.  It was an easy weeknight meal and next time I'm going to double the recipe and freeze.  The only change I made to the recipe was adding cream cheese and omitting the sour cream.  It's what I had on hand and it worked great.

Next on my list is grabbing one of these when I'm out today.  It's really on my list folks...and yes I have a problem...I'm aware of it.  It's a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. 

And finally, my Mom is coming to spend the weekend!  I'm looking forward to seeing her and snagging some goodies on our little road-trip to the best store in Missouri, Randolph Mercantile!  Here is a sampling of what we might see tomorrow...

 

Have a great weekend!

Until Next Time,

Jackie

Muffins...So Many Ways To Love Them...

We have muffins in our house A LOT! They are easy, cheap and oh, so yummy! We eat them for breakfast and for snacks. I make them from scratch, from those little packages of muffin mixes for 78 cents and from baking mixes. There are so many types of muffins to make and I want to share some of our favorites with you and give you a recipe for a bulk muffin mix that I'm trying for the first time. Having a jar of muffin mix on hand sounds like a great idea for my family.

All-Star Muffin Mix
Prep/Total Time: 30 Minutes
Yield: 4 batches (11 cups); 1 dozen per batch

8 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Additional Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Store in airtight containers in a cool dry place or in the freezer for up to six months.

To prepare basic muffins:
Place 2-3/4 cups muffin mix in a large bowl. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill paper lined cups 3/4 full and bake at 400 degrees for 18-21 minutes.

Of course the best thing to do is add whatever you have on hand to the muffin mix after you add the "wet" ingredients above.

Here are some we like...

Blueberry Muffins (add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries)
Apricot-Cherry Muffins (1/2 cup chopped dried apricots and 1/2 cup dried cherries)
Rhubarb-Orange Muffins ( 3/4 cup diced fresh or frozen rhubarb and 1/3 c. orange marmalade)
Cappuccino Muffins (1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips and 2 tsp. instant coffee)


...And one of our favorites is the Spring Strawberry Muffins that I posted last March.


Do you have a muffin recipe to share? Please share it in the comments section so we can all add to our recipe collection!

*photo - heart shaped blueberry cheesecake muffins from a Martha White Muffin Mix look lovely with old silver, old china cup and purple crocheted doily made by my Grandma many years ago.

Jackie

Comfort Food...

Sometimes you just need some good comfort food and tonight was one of those times. We had Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Buttery Bread Machine Rolls (I made the dough over the weekend), Marvelous Broccoli Salad and Berry Smash Muffins for dessert.

Yummy!

Have I told you how much I love Recipezaar? It's my new favorite website. It has almost completely replaced my cookbooks and I love cookbooks so this is BIG. I love to page through them and make meal plans. Now I just search and find tons of recipes for whatever type of dish I'm looking for.

Summer has arrived in Missouri...92 and sunny tomorrow.

Enjoy your evening.

Yummy Spring Muffin Recipe...

I have been experimenting with different muffin recipes and recently hit the jackpot with this one....

Strawberry Strudel Muffins

I used fresh strawberries and they turned out great.

This little guy looks super cute on my Great Grandma's Blue Ridge Pottery saucer too!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 1/3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries, chopped


For the Strudel:
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup butter


Directions:
1Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl.
2Add egg, mix well.
3In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
4Add to creamed mixture, together with milk.
5Stir in vanilla, followed by strawberries.
6Fill 12 paper-lined muffin cups with batter.
7In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour and cinnamon, then cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
8Sprinkle over muffins.
9Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes or until browned.