Harvest Bread

This was another recipe from my freezer meals book but I didn't freeze it. It's a very hearty sweet bread which is yummy for breakfast...even with the chocolate chips. Plus it has a little veggie and fruit in it...a meal all in one. :o)

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup egg substitute (or 3 eggs)
• 1/3 can of pumpkin (I just read this and realized I put the whole can in and it was still really good and very moist)
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or I used milk)
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (I didn't have this on hand so I used about 1/2 cup flax seed)
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 t. ground ginger
• 1/4 t. ground cloves
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (I never thought I would say this but a few less would be better)
• 1/2 walnuts, chopped

Spray loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg substitute, pumpkin, banana, and buttermilk. Add the flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves; mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 5-10 minutes, until golden brown and the bread springs back when pressed.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I modified this recipe a little bit to make it my own - it was SUPER easy and got rave reviews from the fam.

EASY CHICKEN POT PIE

1 package of 2 premade pie crusts dried minced onion 1 lb frozen mixed vegetables salt and pepper to taste 4 tablespoons water to steam the vegetables 1 can of cream of chicken soup store-prepared rotisserie chicken Choose diced vegetables for even cooking. Peas, carrots, and potatoes make good additions. In a pinch, canned Veg-All style mixtures may be substituted. Bake one of the pie crusts according to the packaging directions. Shred the rotisserie chicken with a fork and remove the skin and the bones. Set it aside. Pour the vegetables, water, the salt and pepper, and the dried minced onions in a microwave-safe bowl. Put the bowl in the microwave until tender. Once the vegetables are done, combine the shredded chicken, the vegetable mixture and the can of cream of chicken soup in a large bowl. Pour the mixture into the cooked pie crust. Place the uncooked pie crust on top of the pie and cook on 420°F for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375°F and continue to bake until lightly golden (about 20-30 more minutes).

Salmon Loaf with Cucumber Sauce

This is a favorite of mine that my mom used to make but I don't make very often because Jason doesn't like the sauce (the sour cream) and Salmon Loaf isn't the same without the cucumber sauce.

1 cup cracker crumbs (I used bread crumbs)

2/3 cup milk

2 T chopped onion

2 T butter/margarine, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 T lemon juice

dash of pepper

1 can (15 1/2 oz) Pink Salmon, drained flaked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine first seven ingredients, stir in salmon. Shape into a loaf in greased shallow baking pan. Bake 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve with cucumber sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 chopped cucumber

1/2 t. lemon juice

1/4 t. dried dill weed

1/4 t. salt

Combine ingredients; mix well. Chill.

Sweet Potato Fries

We love sweet potato fries and they are a bit pricey in the grocery store. So we've tried to make them ourselves but they just turned out soggy. So I found this recipe and even though they look burnt and not so yummy...these are delicious!

1 large sweet potato (feeds about 3)
olive oil
salt
pepper

You can peel the skin off or leave it on...we like potato skin, so I left it on. Cut the potato into chunky slices. Throw into a bowl and add salt, pepper (to your taste) and about 1/4 cup olive oil. Toss to coat. Then with tongs or fingers place on a cookie sheet (make sure the potatoes aren't touching). Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another 10 minutes....or if you're like me and forget to take them out when the timer went off, just cook them for about 20-25 minutes on one side. Either way they turn out great and are so yummy and sweet...without the brown sugar and marshmallows.

Summer Pasta - freezer meal

Okay Jess, one more freezer meal. :o) I thought of you when I saw this because you wanted recipes for summer time. This one sounds so yummy but I haven't tried it yet.

1 lb. cooked Italian sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups mozzarella cheese in 1/2 inch cubes
8 oz. plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. black pepper
1 lb. penne

Combine all ingredients except the pasta in a large bowl. Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the pasta and stir. Cook pasta until tender, 5 to8 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the ingredients in the bowl until the cheese is soft, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately. Hot pasta is the trick; it will heat all the other ingredients just enough to wilt the basil and soften the cheese.

*if you want to freeze it, drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Toss the pasta with the ingredients in a freezer bag. Thaw before baking. Transfer to the prepared baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until thoroughly heated and the mozzarella is soft and just starting to melt.

Baked Spaghetti - freezer meal

Okay this is the last freezer meal.

1 cup onion, diced
1 t. minced garlic
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 t. dried basil
1 T dried oregano
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
6 oz. spaghetti
1 16oz. bag frozen meatballs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups low-fat shredded cheese (your choice)
1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 2.4 oz. can sliced black olives, drained

Combine onion, garlic, green pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, oregano, salt and pepper in bowl. Set aside. Place half of the cooked spaghetti in the bottom of the prepared baking dish (9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray). Layer 6 meatballs and half of the vegetable mixture over the spaghetti in the baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat, beginning with the remaining spaghetti and ending with the vegetable mixture. Set aside. In bowl, combine the mushroom soup with an equal amount of water and pour over the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, shredded cheese and olives.

Cover with foil and freeze, or bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour covered and then 30 more minutes uncovered.

Kielbasa Bean Soup - freezer meal

2 cups potatoes 1/2 inch diced
2 10.5 oz. cans bean with bacon soup
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
3/4 lb. kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. black pepper

It can be mixed and frozen in a gallon zip-lock bag or put straight into the crock pot for 5 to 6 hours on low.

BBQ chicken pizza

One night last week Mallory ordered us pizza from Papa Johns - he ordered a bbq chicken pizza and it was so good! I think I liked it b/c it tasted different. Well I decided to try to make one at home...this is a recipe I found online. We shall see how it turns out! :) I am ready for lighter meals with spring here and summer on the way. I am tired of soups and casseroles - so I am just looking for anything different.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half
• 1/4 cup barbeque sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package pre-baked pizza crust
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken breast in the skillet, and top with 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce. Cook 10 minutes, turn, and top with 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce. Continue cooking 10 minutes, until juices run clear. Cool slightly, and cut into chunks.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. In a small bowl, mix the remaining barbeque sauce and marinara sauce. Spread evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Arrange cooked chicken chunks and red onion slices over the top.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cilantro, and let sit 10 minutes before slicing.