2010 November

November 4, 2010 by Toni Anderson

Five Simple Ways to Fill Your Freezer

Any mom knows that dinnertime is the witching hour. Kids are hungry — and whiny, the clock is ticking, and everyone’s ready to sit down and eat. And sometimes, despite our best efforts, dinner prep can take its toll.

Make dinnertime a little easier by having a stash of homemade freezer meals on hand. Here are five simple ways to make that dream a reality:

Double tonight’s dinner.

Place the extra meal in the freezer for another night. You’ll be amazed at the meals that freeze well. Repeat twice a week and after a month you’ll be able to take a week off.

Combine bulk cooking and sale items.

Find a great sale on chicken breast. Stock up! Once you get home, mix up a few marinades, divide chicken into meal size ziptop bags, add the marinades. Seal, label, and freeze. The chicken will marinate as it thaws. Add a simple salad and steamed rice for an easy dinner.

Save leftovers creatively.

Have lots of leftovers from a party or holiday meal? Prepare individual “TV dinners.” Portion out mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, and turkey into pie plates or other freezer safe containers. Wrap well, label, and freeze. Have convenient meals to grab on busy nights.

Bulk up.

Buy ground meat in bulk. Cook it right away and season for tacos and pasta meals. Freeze in meal size portions for your own convenience foods. Taco night will come together in a snap.

Bake yourself happy.

Love home baked goods? Prepare a large batch of rolls or scones. Flash freeze them and store in airtight containers or ziptop bags. Pull just what you need and bake without a lot of prep work.

Freezer cooking doesn’t have to be a daylong marathon. A few simple steps to feed your freezer can help you feed your family quickly, healthfully, and on a budget.

– Jessica Fisher, aka FishMama, is a busy mom of six kids. She regularly fills her freezer in order to enjoy easier mealtimes and good, cheap eats.

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Beef Nacho Casserole

November 1, 2010 by Toni Anderson

The following is a guest post from my good friend Lynn. I have never made a recipe of hers that my family did not love!

I love to cook and bake and I love to spend all day in the kitchen, but the reality is that I do not usually have time to do that. On a day to day basis I need quick and easy recipes that contain everyday ingredients. I need meals that I can get on the table without much work or time.

This recipe is just that. It is quick and easy and it uses ingredients that I usually have in my kitchen.

This recipe is also a great way to use up those leftover tortilla chip crumbs that are all crushed or stale at the bottom of the bag. Does anyone else have a bag of chips in their pantry that looks like that? I hope I am not the only one that has that problem.

I have a similar version of this that I make with Doritos and Chicken that my kids also love, but I think I like this beef version a little better. However, both of them are favorites in our family.

I hope you enjoy!

Beef Nacho Casserole

Ingredients

1 lb of ground beef
1- 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1- 10 ounce can of corn drained
¾ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon of chili powder ( you can also use 1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning instead of the chili powder)
1 ½ cups of crushed tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese

(you could also easily add beans to this also)

Cook beef until browned and crumbled. Drain grease and stir in tomatoes, corn, sour cream, and chili powder. Set aside.

In a 9x 13 or similar size pan, spread the crushed chips, then layer ½ of the beef mixture, then ½ cheese, then remaining beef and cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Serve and enjoy!

Lynn loves to cook and try new recipes. She lives in Oklahoma on 43 acres with her husband and three children. She blogs at Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures, sharing recipes, tips, and ideas to help you me blend a love of cooking with a busy life. She also blogs at Lynn’s Recipe Adventures where she writes about the challenges of food allergies.