Overnight Freezer French Toast

This is so easy to make and a family favorite! My kids love having breakfast for dinner. :) It's also quick and easy to make for the holidays or when family is in town. Thanks, Cara, for the recipe! 

1/2 cup butter 

12 slices Texas Toast 

1 cup brown sugar 

1 tsp cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice) 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

5 eggs 

1.5 cups milk 

 Melt butter and pour in a 9x13 pan. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice. Whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla together. Layer bottom of pan with 6 slices of bread, sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture. Layer last 6 slices of bread, pour egg mixture over all then sprinkle with remaining brown sugar. Cover with foil and freezer or refrigerate overnight to use the next day. To bake: Leave covered with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes (should be browned and set).

Kansas City Hot Wings

4 lbs chicken wings
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp Tobasco sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce

Rinse chicken wings in cold water. Mix together vinegar, Tabasco sauce, and barbecue sauce. Place chicken and mixture together in a freezer bag; seal and freeze.

To cook: Thaw chicken. Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking pan with foil. Drain chicken wings, reserving remaining sauce. Arrange wings on foil-lined pan and bake 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Increase temperature of oven to broil. Baste wings with reserved sauce and return to oven. Broil for 30 minutes, turning and basting wings every 5 minutes, until crispy.

Spicy Vegetable Stew

Make this tonight in the crockpot, or freeze it for another night!

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 (26-30 oz) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
16 oz package frozen mixed vegetables
10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (or without, if you don't want it spicy)
1 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp pepper
3.5 cups water

In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the meat and remaining ingredients (except water) into a freezer bag; seal and freeze.

To cook: Thaw in refrigerator. Add to crockpot, along with the water. Cook on low 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Bacon Roll-ups

1 can crescent roll dough
1/2 c. sour cream
1 t. onion salt
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled

Stir onion salt into sour cream. Using a cookie sheet as a work surface, open & unroll dough. Cut each crescent into 3 smaller triangles. Spread each triangle with sour cream mixture. Top each triangle with a generous amount of bacon. Beginning at large end, roll each triangle to form a mini-crescent. Place 6 rolled crescents on a piece of plastic wrap & seal. Freeze sealed packages in a large freezer bag.

To Serve: These can go directly from freezer to oven. Preheat oven to 350. Place crescents on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Autumn Slow Cooker Pork Roast

2 lbs. pork tenderloin
3 c. apple juice
1 16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large freezer bag. Remove air, seal & freeze.
To Serve: Thaw completely in refrigerator. Empty contents of bag into slow cooker & cook for 6 hours on low.

Sesame Salmon

1 lb. salmon fillets
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. sesame oil
1 T lemon juice
2 T rice vinegar
1 T sugar
1 T hot chili oil
1/2 t. ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a large freezer bag. Remove air, seal & freeze.
To Serve: Thaw completely in refrigerator. Discard marinade. Spray grill surface with oil/cooking spray & pre-heat to medium high. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side. Salmon may also be broiled on high (about 12 minutes).

Caribbean Chicken

1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts
8 oz pineapple chunks in juice
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/3 c. orange juice
1/2 c. Golden Raisins

Combine all ingredients in a large freezer bag. Remove air, seal & freeze.
To Serve: Thaw completely in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 and bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes (until juices run clear).

Foil-Pack Chicken & Artichoke Dinner

This was delicious! The chicken was so moist & tender, and all the ingredients combined for a great flavor. I couldn't even tell that the rice was instant rice! My kids liked it too!

2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
2 cups warm water
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/5 lbs, 1/2" thick)
1 can (13-3/4 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 2 large)
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup pesto

PREHEAT oven to 400. Mix rice and water; spoon evenly onto each of four large sheets of heavy-duty foil. Top each with 1 chicken breast. Cover evenly with the artichoke hearts and tomatoes, then drizzle evenly with the combined dressing and pesto.

BRING up foil sides. Double fold top and both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place packets in single layer on baking pan.

BAKE 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove packets from oven; let stand 5 minutes.

** You can easily make 6 portions by adding 1 more cup of rice & water and 2 chicken breasts.

** If your chicken is larger than 4 oz, it will take longer to cook. Be sure to cook long enough so that they are no longer pink in the centers and the juices run clear.

(Recipe from Kraft foods)

Chicken Taco Soup

I made this for lunch and it was so easy! My two-year old really liked it. It doesn't make a lot, but the recipe is easily doubled.

1/2 cup jarred mild green salsa
1 cup shredded or chopped cooked chicken
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
tortilla chips, crushed
shredded cheddar or mexican cheese

In a medium sauce pot combine the salsa and chicken. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the chicken stock. Heat the soup over medium heat. Serve in bowls, and top with the chips and cheese.

Recipe from Rachael Ray's Yum-O cookbook.