Tag Archives: prep ahead

Food

Compound Butter: Chili Style

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Coumpound Chili Butter: Softened

Quite a while ago I posted a Garlic Herb Butter recipe and the best way to get it in rolls and freeze it. But I have been bored lately so I have been working on a couple new things. One of which is a new compound butter! First rule of compound butter is that you can also make it with margarine. That can be a good choice when you BBQ with the butter on it because butter has a low smoke/burn point.

So for this butter I just took 1 cube of margarine, very softened. I mixed in 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper. You can use this in many ways (one of which will be one of my next posts;), including covering it and keep it in the frig. Or you can freeze for future use. Check my tutorial in house to set it up.

Food

Burritos: The Delightful Leftover

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I know, I know, burritos aren’t glamorous but they are yummy and cheap! I made about a pound of pinto beans in my crockpot and a few cups of rice in my rice maker to go with enchiladas one night. The I take the leftover beans, throw them in a pan with a touch of oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Then I take an immersion blender to them and Voila! Refried Beans!

Then get tortillas from the bread store ($2 for 30), shredded cheese, and taco sauce in a squeeze bottle (50 cents for 1 from the Dollar Store). Make an assembly line with these, the beans, the rice and either a saute pan or griddle (to heat the tortillas to make them bendable).
Then assemble! To fold the burritos first fold the edge in, then the 2 sides like a present. Then continue to roll. All my kids eat these and they don’t leak! But don’t over stuff!
That is it! You can even make a ton and freeze them!

Food

Super Easy Pasta Bake

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This is one of my big make ahead dishes. I always make it when I need to feed a crowd easy and for cheap! I buy the chicken breasts in bulk and cook them all up one day. Then I buy pasta in bulk and frozen spinach at Winco and the big bag of shredded mozzerella cheese from Costco. I stash pasta sauce in the pantry when it is on sale. I buy the disposable aluminum foil dishes from the dollar store (or the big pack at Costco from Christmas time). Then I make them up about 6 in just about 3 hours! I find they cost less than $10 to feed 8-10 people.

Ingredients:
1 lb (or 2 cups) cooked, cubed, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package frozen, chopped spinach: thawed and throughly drained
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 lb of pasta: cooked and drained
Mozzarella to top generously
Process:
To cook the chicken I put it on a baking sheet. Season it, put water in the bottom of the sheet and cover with foil. Then cook at 350 degrees for a half an hour. Let the chicken cool enough to handle and cube.
Then mix all the ingredients together except cheese. Then place in the baking dish. Top with cheese. This is the point you can cover tightly with foil and place in the freezer. To cook (thawed) just place it in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Make sure the cheese is throughly melted.
That is it!!! A yummy, hot, homey meal that can just live in your freezer.

Food

Easy Refrigerator Cookies

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These are super easy cookies! You can keep them in the fridge and just slice them up when you are in need of fresh cookies! You can even freeze the dough.

Ingredients:
1 cup of softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of AP flour
sprinkles, nonpareils or sugar
Process:
Just blend it all together, adding the flour last. Then form logs of the dough. Roll logs in sprinkles, nonpareils or sugar. This isn’t just for decoration because you need the sweetness. Wrap logs in wax paper or parchment and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Then heat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the cookies (if the diameter is 2 inches then slice 1/8 of an inch, if thinner then cut thicker) and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until they turn golden (the bottom will turn light brown). Cool completely on a wire rack!
That is it! How much easier can it get?

Food

Peaches and Cream French Toast

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This is a great recipe that our Mentor Mom Doris made for our MOPS breakfast and it was yummy!

Ingredients:
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 tbsp corn syrup
1 can (29oz) sliced peaches, drained
1 loaf (1lb) day old French bread, cubed
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese cubed
12 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Process:
In a small sauce pan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved: pour into a greased 13in x 9in baking dish. Arrange peaches in dish. Place half of the bread cubes over peaches. Layer with cream cheese and remaining bread. Place the eggs, cream, and vanilla in a blender: cover and process until smooth. Pour over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Serves 12

Food

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

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Here is a great recipe for WFMW! This is an easy and yummy dressing. During the sumer I always make this and have it on hand for entertaining. The original version was to just go with a spinach salad but I have found this works with any bitter green salad also. The recipe serves 16-24 so you can just make a half recipe or stick it in the frig because it lasts a long time!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Sugar
2 tsp Dry Mustard
2 tsp Salt
2/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 medium Onion, chopped
2 cup Vegetable Oil
3 tbsp Poppy Seeds

Process:
Mix first 5 ingredients (Sugar through Onion) in a blender, food processor or in a bowl that you can use a stick blender in. Then blend until everything is smooth. Pour in the oil slowly while blending. Keep blending until the mixture changes color (white if you use a white onion and pink if you use a red onion). Stir in poppy seeds by hand. Refrigerate!

Technorati Tags: Salad Dressing, Poppy Seeds

Food

Frezer Friday: Pasta Alfredo Bake

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Welcome to Freezer Friday. The goal here is to make our lives easier. Due to the fact I have 4 little ones and homeschool, I need all the help I can find. Simply post a recipe that can be made, frozen and then later reheated(thawed, etc) and consumed. Make sure that you include freezing and reheating instructions in your post. Then come here and add you post (not your blog) into Mr. Linky.
Now for some disclaimers:
If it isn’t a recipe, I will delete it.
If it can’t be made ahead, I will delete it.
If you don’t have a family friendly site, I will delete it.
Now onto the food fun!

Due to my women’s retreat I am reposting this as a Freezer Friday recipe. (It was around before Freezer Friday was)

Pasta Alfredo Bake

Here is my easy, peasy made up recipe to use leftover meat. I have done this with pork roast and chicken so far.

Ingredients:
Anywhere from 3/4lb to 1lb of pasta
2 cups of cubed meat
1 large bag of frozen veggies (I use broccoli)
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1 small jar of alfredo sauce or one batch of my Cheap and Easy White Sauce
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Fontina Cheese

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil your pasta and drain. Rinse frozen veggies in warm water and drain. Then mix pasta, meat, veggies, chili powder, and alfredo sauce. Dump into a 9 by 13 pan and top with shredded cheeses. Then bake for 30 minutes until everything is warm. You can assemble this ahead of time and freeze it. Then just thaw and bake. I put it in partially frozen and cooked it for an hour and it turned out great.

Technorati Tags: Leftovers, Freezer Friday, Make Ahead

Food

Freezer Friday: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Loaf

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Welcome to Freezer Friday. The goal here is to make our lives easier. Due to the fact I have 4 little ones and homeschool, I need all the help I can find. Simply post a recipe that can be made, frozen and then later reheated(thawed, etc) and consumed. Make sure that you include freezing and reheating instructions in your post. Then come here and add you post (not your blog) into Mr. Linky.
Now for some disclaimers:
If it isn’t a recipe, I will delete it.
If it can’t be made ahead, I will delete it.
If you don’t have a family friendly site, I will delete it.
Now onto the food fun!


Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Now that spring is on its way so is all the fresh produce. Here is a good way to enjoy it and hold on to it for the future. This recipe is very easy to double, triple or more.

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup AP Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Wet Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Oil
1/4 cup Applesauce
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Grated Zucchini (unpeeled; if frozen do not drain)

Process:
Mix all dry ingredients together. Then beat eggs until frothy and mix in all remaining wet ingredients. Mix in dry ingredients. Dump batter into greased loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (except chocolate chips). Let stand in loaf pan for 10 minutes and then cool the rest of the way on a rack.

Make ahead directions:
You can just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum and place in the freezer. Then just sit out to thaw. If your freezer is full you can store the dry ingredients in a freezer bag on the shelf and freeze shredded zucchini.

Technorati Tags: zucchini, Freezer Friday, Make Ahead

Food

Freezer Friday: No Boil, Ready for the Freezer, Spinach Lasagna

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Welcome to the first Freezer Friday. Basically, I am looking for make ahead food that is cooked, frozen, then reheated. Please include freezing and reheating instructions. Come back each and every week for this new feature!

This recipe is a crowd favorite. It makes a huge lasagna that it great for left overs. It is easy and quick.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 qt. spaghetti sauce
1 lb. ground beef (cooked)
1 c. water
1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta
1 egg, beaten
16 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese(divided)
1/3 c. water
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese (divided)
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
Dash nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
1 lb. Frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1 box of lasagna noodles(I usually only use 2/3rds)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Mix meat, 1 quart of sauce and water in a saucepan and heat to boiling. In a large bowl mix together Ricotta cheese, beaten egg, 8 oz of Mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, spinach and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper if desired. Rinse your lasagna noodles in hot water. Then prepare to assemble.

Assembly:

In a 9 x 13 pan place a little sauce to cover the bottom. Then place enough noodles to cover (usually 3-4). Then some of your cheese mixture. Then sauce, noodles and cheese again until you have used all your cheese mixture (usually 2 layers of cheese). Then pour extra sauce over the top (since your noodles aren’t boiled, they need plenty of moisture). Then sprinkle 1/2 of parmesan and a generous amount of mozzarella (you may not use all of the remaining 8 oz.) over the top. Make sure you don’t see edges of the noodles poking out to avoid hard edges.

The cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. Then uncover and bake another 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 -10 minutes.

Freezer Option: After assembled wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. Thaw overnight in fridge and then cook for 50 minutes at 350 degrees, uncover and cook for another 15 minutes and let sit 5-10 minutes.

This is a great make ahead dish! Go enjoy!

Food

Announcing a New Event

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Starting this Friday we at NerdFamily Food are going to be hosting a new event called Freezer Friday. Due to the fact I have 4 little ones and homeschool, I need all the help I can find. Simply post a recipe that can be made, frozen and then later reheated(thawed, etc) and consumed. Make sure that you include freezing and reheating instructions in your post. Then come here and add you post (not your blog) into Mr. Linky.
Now for some disclaimers:
If it isn’t a recipe, I will delete it.
If it can’t be made ahead, I will delete it.
If you don’t have a family friendly site, I will delete it.

So, I hope to see ya’all on Friday!