Perfect Place to Start

This last weekend I hosted the first of many training meetings for an upcoming trip to Honduras.  Our team bonding activity was a mini-once-a-month cooking which filled my freezer.

Here is how we accomplished the goal and even ate one of the meals for lunch. 

Honduras OAM Cooking Day Recipes

1.      ____________________:   Corn Casserole

Melt butter or margarine in baking dish.  Add other ingredients and mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.  Cool.  Serve hot or lukewarm, but not cold. 

 

1 stick of butter or margarine, melted

1 8 oz. box cornbread mix

1 C sour cream

1 15 oz can corn, undrained

1 15 oz. can creamed corn, undrained

 

2.      ___________________:     Meatloaf

Using the 4th package of ground turkey (or beef) prepare the following recipe. Souperior Meatloaf

·         1 envelope dry onion soup mix

·         1 packaged ground turkey (1 1/2 - 2 lbs.)

·         1 1/2 C fresh bread crumbs, plain is best

·         2 eggs

·         3/4 C water

·         1/3 C ketchup

 

Combine all ingredients in an large bowl and mix very well.  Put mixture in a bread pan and shape into a smooth loaf.  Cover with heavy duty foil and freeze.

To serve, defrost and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done using a meat thermometer. 

 

 

3.      ____________________:   ground turkey (or beef)

Brown 3 packages of meat individually, reusing the same frying pan.

Put 1 package of cooked meat into the following containers:

·         14-cup for Taco Soup

·         9-cup for Joe's to Go

·         Large salad bowl for Taco Salad to be served today. If serving at another time, put in a 3 Cup container.

Finish each recipe as directed below.

Taco Soup

Add the following ingredients to the 14-cup container:

·         1/3 C taco seasoning

·         2 cans whole kernel corn, undrained

·         2 cans chili beans or pinto beans, undrained

·         2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

·         Stir to mix.  Cover and freeze.

·          

To serve: defrost and then bring to a boil in a large saucepan.  Serve with a dollop sour cream, crushed tortilla chips and a sprinkling of cheese.

 

Joe's to Go

 

Add the following to the 9-cup container:

3/4 C finely chopped onion or 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 jar of Homemade Chili Sauce

1/4 C brown sugar

1 T white vinegar

1 T prepared mustard

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

 

Stir well. Cover and freeze. 

To serve: defrost and then bring to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Spoon over open-faced hamburger or hot dog buns.  Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

 

Taco Salad

 

Add the following to the large salad bowl:

Dice one onion (optional or serve on the side)

Dice 1-2 tomatoes.

2 C cheese, shredded

3 heads of Romaine lettuce chopped

Drain and rinse one 15 oz. can kidney or black beans

 

Crush several handfuls of tortilla chips and set aside to serve later.

At serving time, pour most of a bottle of 1,000 Island Dressing over the salad and gently toss.

Ingredients may be served in individual bowls and people make their own combinations.

Other toppings can include guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

 

To freeze: simply freeze the meat in a 3-cup container.  Cheese can be frozen in a Ziploc-style bag.

 

4.      _______________________       Gerri Theodore's Spaghetti Sauce

 

Saute:

1/4 C olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 T minced garlic

 

Add:

1- 102 oz. cans tomatoes, pureed in a blender

1 - 106 oz. cans tomato sauce

3 - 6 oz. cans tomato paste

 

1/3 bunch parsley, chopped or about 1/2 C dried parsley

1/2 C  dried basil

1/2 C sugar

2 tsp. ground cloves

 

Reserve 4 cups for Lasagna.

Divide the remaining sauce into 3 cup containers to cool.  Cover and freeze.

 

 

Lasagna

Brown 1 lb. of Italian sausage and set aside.

Prepare Ricotta filling.

·         2lbs ricotta

·         2 eggs

·         1/8 C parsley

Gather the mozzarella cheese, grate if necessary.

Gather the oven ready noodles.

Assembly:

Place 3 noodles across the bottom of a 9x13" pan.

Cover with 1 3/4C ricotta

Sprinkle with 1 3/4 C sausage-flavored meat.

Cover with 2 C sauce.

Sprinkle with 2 1/2 C grated mozzarella cheese.

 

Spread 4 noodles with ricotta filling and place on top of cheese.

Use a spatula to spread remaining ricotta over noodles (up to 1 3/4 C). Sprinkle with 1 3/4 C sausage.

Cover with 2 C sauce.

Sprinkle with 2 1/2 C grated mozzarella choose.

 

Cover with waxed paper and then foil or a blue lid to freeze and bake later. May take up to 1 1/2 hours to fully reheat.  Bake at 350 degrees F.

 

 

5.      _____________________  Chicken dishes (3)

 

Creamy Chicken Bake

 

Mix the stuffing with 2C very hot water and the seasoning packet.  Let stand.

Place 6 chicken breasts in a 9"x13" pan.

Cover with sliced Swiss cheese.

Spread one can of Cream of Chicken soup over the cheese.

Put the stuffing on top of the soup.

Melt 1 stick of butter and pour over the stuffing.

Cover with a blue lid and freeze.

 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.

 

Chicken Enchiladas

 

Stir the following in a saucepan over low heat until the cream cheese is melted.

 

2 C shredded or chopped cooked chicken

1 - 8oz. package cream cheese, cubed

1/2 C salsa

 

Spoon mixture down the center of  8 flour tortillas.  Roll them up and place seam-side down in a 9"x13" pan.

 

Using the same saucepan, stir the following until melted and smooth:

            12 ounces Velveeta Cheese, cut up

            1/4 C milk

 

Pour over enchiladas.  Cover with a blue lid or heavy duty foil.  Freeze.

 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes and drizzle 1/2 C salsa over before serving.

 

Huli Chicken

 

Put 12 thighs in each of two Ziploc-style bags.  Prepare the following sauce to pour over the chicken.

 

1 C packed brown sugar

3/4 C ketchup- sodium soy sauce

1/3 C sherry or chicken broth

2 1/2 tsp. minced fresh gingerroot or about 1 tsp. ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

 

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Pour half over each bag.  Close bags and freeze.

To grill: defrost chicken and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side.

 

 

6.      _____________________  Egg B ake

Rehydrate 1 box of dehydrated hash browns with boiling water.  Set aside for 10 minutes. Make egg mixture and set aside.

 

Egg mixture:

·         2 c whole milk or cream

·         4 large eggs

·         1 T Dijon mustard

·         1/2 tsp. dry mustard

·         1/2 tsp. salt

·         1/4 tsp. pepper

 

Place potatoes in an 8-in. square pan:

 

Add the following:

1 8 oz. can mushrooms, drained

1/4 C bacon, crumbled

Optional ingredients:  onions, bell peppers,

 

Cover with 1 1/2 C grated cheddar cheese (about 6 oz.)

Pour egg mixture over all.  Cover with a blue lid and freeze.

 

To Serve:  Defrost and bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or bake while partially frozen for up to 2 hours.  Cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

 

 

Misc. Notes.

Meatballs can be divided into smaller bags or simply frozen and used as needed for Spaghetti and Meatballs and Meatball Sandwiches.  Cook as directed on bag.

Prepare the chicken for the enchiladas ahead of time by either boiling 3-4 breasts in a pot of water with garlic salt until done (about 20 minutes) or cooking them in a crock-pot with garlic salt or taco seasoning.  Cool some and then shred using two forks to pull apart the meat.