Thursday, August 13, 2009

Roasted Chicken Meatballs

This recipe has already been posted, but here is a modification to make it freezer-friendly.

2 pounds ground chicken
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp rosemary
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/3 cups (~10 oz) ricotta cheese
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, and bread crumbs. (If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit more bread crumbs.) Form 16 meatballs, wrapping each in wax paper (or you can flash freeze them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet). Place in freezer bag.

**These are meant to be big, as the main component of a meal (rather than a normal meatball with spaghetti). :)

To cook:
Thaw meatballs. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets with about 1 tbsp olive oil. Arrange 8 balls on each of two baking sheets and coat them with olive oil. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning over halfway through. Serve meatballs with sauce on top or underneath.


Original recipe: http://momtestedkidapproved.blogspot.com/2009/01/mozzarella-stuffed-roasted-chicken.html

Quiche in a Bag

This is great to have on hand during the holidays, when having overnight guests, or a quick dinner when you are too tired to make anything! The recipe calls for ham and cheddar cheese, but you can use whatever kind of meat (or veggie) you would like and whatever cheese suits your taste buds. Make on or a bunch, you will surely love this one!

3/4 cup (~6 oz) chopped ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/8 tsp (or a dash) Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder

1. Add the chopped ham and cheddar cheese to a ziplock bag.
2. Add the milk, eggs, tabasco, flour, and baking powder to a blender or bowl and mix to combine.
3. Pour into the bag with ham and cheese and seal bag, getting as much air out as possible.

To cook:
Thaw quiche in the bag. If you forget to take this out to thaw, it can be thawed in the microwave. After quiche is thawed, shake bag well and pour into a greased deep-dish pie plate or an 8x8 square pan. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until lightly browned on top and well set in the center. Cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Italian Vegetables

This is a great side dish to have. The recipe easily doubles or triples to feed more. This one cooks in a crockpot as well.

1 zucchini, sliced
1 bag frozen, french style green beans
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
1 tsp basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Combine all ingredients in ziplock bag. Seal and mush.

To cook:
No need to thaw! Place in crockpot and cook on high for 2-4 hours.

Lemon-Herbed Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil

Place all ingredients in a freezer bag, combining well.

To cook:


Thaw chicken completely. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the tenderloins and sauté them for 3 minutes on each side until they are just cooked through. Remove them from the heat immediately so they remain tender.