Time has flown and here we are approaching another group cooking time! The date is for Thursday,
June 18th starting at 1pm. Here's the menu list (it's fairly set in stone but could change if I try a recipe and don't care for it - then I'll let you know):
- Chili Con Carne
- Shepherd's Pie
- Enchilada Casserole
- Lasagna (red meat sauce)
- Pasta Peanut Stir-Fry
- Chicken Caccitore
- Honey Baked Chicken
- Salmon Cakes
- Chili con Carne
3 cups ground beef, browned
1 onion, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
32 ounces chopped tomatoes canned, undrained
2 cans red kidney beans, drained
16 ounces tomato sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon chili powder
To assemble:Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a Ziploc bag and freeze.
To prepare:Thaw completely in the refrigerator. Add 1 bay leaf. Put in a crock pot and set it for low for 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving. Additional items needed:2 bay leavesServing ideas:cornbread, salad - Shepherd’s Pie
2 2/3 cups potato flakes
5 cups ground beef, browned
2 cans tomato sauce
1 ½ cups milk
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound package frozen green beens, thawed
2 ½ cups water
4 Tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups cheddar cheese
To assemble:Combine beef, onion, tomato sauce, brown sugar, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and thawed green beans in a bowl, stirring well. Press beef mixture into a 9x13 pan. Bring water to a boil. Pour boiling water over the butter and salt in a bowl. Stir in potato flakes and milk. Spread potato mixture over beef mixture, sealing to edge of dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
To prepare:Thaw completely in the refrigerator. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until bubbling (I put a cookie sheet under the 9x13 as it sometimes bubbles sauce over the dish edge)Additional items needed:noneServing ideas:salad, bread - Enchilada Casserole
2 ¾ cups ground beef, browned4 cups diced tomatoes, canned, undrained1 ¾ cups tomato sauce½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon pepper2 tablespoons chili seasoning (more or less to taste)1 Tablespoon vinegar½ cup water2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded1 package tortillas
½ can black olives, sliced
To assemble:Combine all the ingredients except cheese, tortillas and black olives in a bowl and mix well. Combine the cheeses in another bowl. Tear tortillas into large bite sizes. Layer casserole in a 9x13 pan in the following order: a small amount of tomato mixture, ½ of torn tortillas, ½ of tomato mixture, ½ of cheese, remaining torn tortillas, remaining tomato mixture and top with remaining cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and then foil. Slice black olives and put into a small Ziploc. Freeze.
To Prepare:Thaw. Bake at 350 for ½ hour. Top with black olives and serve.
Additional items needed:
noneServing ideas:corn, salad - Lasagna (red meat sauce)
1 Pound Lasagna Noodles
1 1/2 Pounds Lean Ground Beef
2 Quarts Marinara Sauce
1 Pound Cottage Cheese
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Pound Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
To assemble:
Combine meat and marinara sauce in a bowl. Combine cottage
Cheese, Ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Lightly grease a 13"
9" baking pan, and arrange a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread with cheese
mixture, sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella, spread with meat sauce, and sprinkle
with grated Parmesan cheese. Continue layering lasagna, cheeses, and sauce in
the same manner until all ingredients are used. (You may have an extra lasagna
noodle or two.) Cover with plastic wrap then foil. Freeze
To prepare:
Thaw. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before
cutting into squares to serve.
Additional items needed:noneServing ideas:breadsticks, salad - Pasta Peanut Stir-fry
3 pounds chicken breasts, cut up
4 Medium Carrots, cut julienne
1/2 Teaspoon Hot Red Pepper Flakes
1 Bunch Scallions, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch lengths
1 Large Cucumber, peeled, cut julienne
1 Pound Linguine, Spaghetti, or Thin Spaghetti, uncooked
SAUCE
1/3 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
2/3 Cup Lime Juice
1/2 Cup Low-sodium Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Low-sodium, Defatted Chicken Broth
Black Pepper, to taste
To assemble:
Combine vegetables and red pepper flakes in a Ziploc bag. Put the cut up
chicken in a Ziploc bag. Combine the sauce ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Freeze.
To Prepare:
Thaw. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Warm 1 teaspoon
vegetable oil in a large non-stick wok or skillet over high heat. Add the chicken
and stir-fry for 5 minutes until mostly done. Add the vegetable bag contents to the
wok or skillet. Stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add all the sauce ingredients to the wok or
skillet. Season with pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour the stir-fry over pasta. Toss well
and serve immediately.
Additional items needed:
1 teaspoon oil for cookingServing ideas:fruit - Chicken Caccitore
3 Pounds Chicken, cut up
18 Ounces Tomato Paste
1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
6 Small Mushrooms, sliced
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Teaspoons Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Box Vermicelli
To assemble:
Put the tomato paste, spices and broth into a quart ziploc bag and mix together.
Put the chicken, onion and bell pepper in a ziploc bag. Put mushrooms in a sandwich bag. Put all the separate ingredient bags into one bag and freeze.
To prepare:
Thaw all ingredients. Place the chicken, onion and bell pepper in the bottom of a
crockpot. Pour the tomato paste mix onto the chicken and veggies. Cook on low
for 6 hours. Add mushrooms and cook on low for 1 more hour. Cook vermicelli
according to package directions. Serve the chicken sauce over hot noodles.
Additional items needed:noneServing ideas:French bread, salad - Honey Baked Chicken
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
To assemble:Melt butter on the stove. Remove from heat and mix in remain ingredients except chicken. Place whole chicken in Ziploc, pour mixture over bird. Seal well. Rub the mixture into the chicken through the bag. To prepare:Thaw. Place chicken in casserole dish. (something with decent sides) Bake 375 for 1.5 hrs, basting occasionally.Additional items needed:noneServing ideas:steamed brown rice, asparagus - Salmon Cakes
5 Cups Salmon, boneless, skinless
1/2 Cup Lime Juice
3 Green Onion, finely chopped
1 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Cups Bread Crumbs
To assemble:
Put the salmon into a mixing bowl. Add onion and lime juice and mix lightly with a
fork. Mix mayonnaise, pepper flakes, and mustard together in a bowl, then add to
salmon and mix with a fork. Add 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs, mix, and see if it can
hold in a bundle. If not, add more, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds. Form into
16 cakes, approximately 3" in diameter and 3/4" thick. Cover with plastic wrap
and freeze.
To Prepare:
Thaw. Heat 2 Tablespoons each butter and oil in a heavy skillet over medium
high heat. Fry cakes until crisp and golden brown on the bottom (3 - 5 minutes).
Turn carefully and brown on the other side. Serve immediately.
Additional items needed:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons oilServing ideas:red potatoes, asparagus
