Freezer Meal Prep Party

Last night, I got together with a couple of friends to prep some freezer meals for the crockpot. With the new school year upon us, we were feeling the need to have a few meals ready to toss in the crockpot and go.

The hardest part for me was finding healthy recipes. There are a TON of freezer meal recipes on pinterest, and many claim to be "healthy," but I noticed that most were made with Cream of Whatever soup. While I'm not opposed to that from time to time, I wanted the majority of these to be "clean" and not processed foods.

We started with six recipes (though we only prepped five because one of the meals calls for cranberries which aren't available yet). While I would have loved to prep like 40 meals for my freezer, I didn't want to go too much over my weekly grocery budget.

The three of us gathered at Courtney's house and got prepping! It took us less than two hours to do the five meals, and probably would have taken even less time if we didn't talk so much.

On the menu:

Beef Fajitas

Chicken Chili

Chicken Terriyaki

Honey Dijon Pork

Beef Stew

Cranberry-mustard Pork Roast (this one we didn't do)

Recipes:

Crockpot Beef Fajitas - Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1-2 lb boneless beef chuck shoulder roast, fat trimmed

2 red bell peppers, sliced

1 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

PREP

1. Label your freezer bag.

2. To your freezer bag, add all ingredients.

3. Remove as much air from the freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay flat in your

freezer.

COOK

1. The night before cooking, move frozen bag to your refrigerator to thaw.

2. The morning of cooking, pour contents of freezer bag into your crockpot and

cook for 8 hours on low setting or until beef is tender.

3. Shred beef and serve with peppers and onions on tortillas or rice. (We also top

with lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and guacamole.)

Crockpot Chicken Chili - Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

15oz can of tomato sauce

15oz can of diced tomatoes

15oz can of black beans

15oz can of kidney beans

1 and 2/3 cup frozen corn

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1.5 teaspoons ground oregano

PREP

1. Label your freezer bag.

2. To your gallon-sized freezer bag, add all ingredients.

3. Remove as much air from the gallon-sized freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay

flat in your freezer.

COOK

1. The night before cooking, move frozen bag to your refrigerator to thaw.

2. The morning of cooking, pour contents of gallon-sized freezer bag into your

crockpot and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender.

3. Shred chicken and return to crockpot.

4. Serve with cheddar cheese and tortilla chips or potatoes.

Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki - Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

5oz teriyaki sauce

6 oz bag of frozen stir fry vegetables

PREP

1. Label your freezer bag.

2. To your gallon-sized freezer bag, add all ingredients.

3. Remove as much air from the gallon-sized freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay

flat in your freezer.

COOK

1. The night before cooking, move frozen bag to your refrigerator to thaw.

2. The morning of cooking, pour contents of gallon-sized freezer bag into your

crockpot and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender.

3. Serve with rice.

Crockpot Honey Dijon Pork and Green Beans - Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

 1 pound pork sirloins

 16oz bag of frozen green beans (you can sub fresh)

 1/4 cup honey

 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

 2 teaspoons black pepper

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

 1/2 cup water* not needed until day of cooking

PREP

1. Label your freezer bag.

2. To your gallon-sized freezer bag, add all ingredients.

3. Remove as much air from the gallon-sized freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay

flat in your freezer.

COOK

1. The night before cooking, move frozen bag to your refrigerator to thaw.

2. The morning of cooking, pour contents of gallon-sized freezer bag into your

crockpot and add water.

3. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or until pork is tender.

4. Serve with rice.

Beef Stew

2 lbs beef stew meat

¼ Cup flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp Worcestershire

1 onion

1 ½ cups beef broth

3 potatoes

2 large carrots

2 celery stalks

PREP

Cut vegetables

Mix beef broth, Worcestershire, and spices in a bowl.

Add all ingredients to freezer bag

COOK

Thaw in refrigerator

Low 10-12 hours

Cranberry-Mustard Pork Roast – serves 3-4
1.5-2 pounds pork roast (loin, butt, or shoulder)
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup orange juice concentrate

½ tablespoon brown or Dijon mustard
1 onion, diced
½ tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

Cook Time: 8 to 10 hours on low
Serve with: mashed potatoes and steamed green vegetables or side salad

Shopping List:

(Before you go shopping, definitely check your pantry to see what you already have on-hand. I almost bought potatoes when I already had some...silly me.)

1-2 lbs boneless beef chuck shoulder roast

2 lbs beef stew meat

(2) 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 lb pork sirloins

1.5-2lb pork roast (loin, butt, or shoulder)

2 bell peppers – red, orange, or yellow

4 small yellow onion

2-3 potatoes

2 large carrots

2 celery stalks

5 cloves garlic

15 oz can tomato sauce

15 oz can diced tomatoes

15 oz can black beans

15 oz can kidney beans

Dijon mustard

Worcestershire

5 oz Teriyaki sauce

Apple cider vinegar

Honey

Chili powder

Cumin

Oregano

Paprika

Thyme

Bay leaf

Salt

Pepper

Flour

1 ½ cups Beef broth

1 2/3 cup frozen corn

16 oz bag frozen green beans (or use fresh if you prefer)

16 oz frozen stir fry veggies

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

¼ cup orange juice

I'm already looking forward to our next prep party! I promise to share those recipes too. :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I used to be scared of baking from scratch. I just didn't think anything I baked would come out that great, so I always bought mixes. Working at the coffee shop has taught me that baking from scratch isn't really that hard and it always tastes WAY better than any mix.

One thing I make a lot at the coffee shop is muffins. I love muffins, and I have experimented with many different kinds. But one kind is my absolute favorite: banana chocolate chip. I am obsessed.

I think it's time I share my obsession with my friends. These muffins are amazing. Seriously. I found a random recipe for banana muffins online, tweaked it a little, and added chocolate chips, and well...I'm hooked. I could eat these every day. They are Leland's favorite too; he asks for them almost daily (I wish I could have them every day and not worry about gaining 400 lbs). Even Dave loves them, and he hates bananas!

So, I think it's time I share my recipe.

What you'll need:

• 2 1/2 Cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 Cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 2 Cups mashed bananas
• 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 Cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 Cup chocolate chips (for smaller muffins, I like to use mini chocolate chips, for jumbo muffins, I use regular chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl to break up clumps. Make a divot in the middle of the flour mixture to add liquid ingredients later.
3. Beat eggs in separate bowl. Add bananas, oil, milk, and milk and whisk just enough to mix everything.
4. Add liquid to flour mixture and stir with a spoon or spatula. There will be lumps. That's fine. Don't over-mix - that will make them dense and somewhat rubbery.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
7. Fill each muffin cup to the top, or nearly to the top.
8. Bake about 25 minutes for jumbo muffins. Less time may be needed for smaller muffins.

Happy baking! I hope you love them as much as I do!

Stuffed Shells

So, I have this whole cupboard full of cookbooks. Crockpot cookbooks, casserole cookbooks, quick and easy cookbooks, and your standard Betty Crocker. The funny thing is, I very rarely open that cupboard. When I need a dinner idea or new recipe, I look online.

This weekend, while planning meals for the week, I decided to dust off some of those cookbooks. I grabbed one out of the cupboard and realized that I had never even opened it before. Shame on me! Within just a few pages, I found two new recipes that I wanted to try. One of these was stuffed shells.

I have never made (or even eaten) stuffed shells before, but I knew it was something my family would love. I made it Saturday night and it was a hit, so I figured I'd share it on the ole blog.

Ingredients:
1 package jumbo shells (I used about half the package), cooked
2 eggs
16 oz Ricotta cheese
8 oz shredded cheddar (I bought a block and shredded it myself...we like it better that way)
1/4 Cup shredded parmesan cheese
dash of salt and pepper
parsley (I didn't measure, just sprinkled until it looked good)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (we didn't use the whole jar, but if you desire more sauce, you certainly could)

Directions:

1. Beat eggs, add all cheese, salt, pepper, and parsley, and mix well.
2. Spread about 1 cup of spaghetti sauce evenly on bottom of 9x13 dish.
3. Fill shells with cheese mixture and place in dish.
4. Pour remaining sauce over shells.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or when sauce bubbles.

This recipe made about four servings.

While a little time consuming, this recipe was very simple, which I always appreciate. We all enjoyed it with some roasted broccoli and garlic bread. Dave said the only thing he would like better would be if I added sausage to them.

Softer Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has their preferences when it comes to cookies. Some like them chewy. Some like them crispy. Some like them nearly burnt (weirdos). Me? I like mine soft. 

I've been making chocolate chip cookies since I was a kid, and I've pretty much always used the same recipe - the one on the chocolate chips bag, never thinking of trying anything else. They taste delicious, but I never got that soft cookie, unless it was right out of the oven. They always turned hard the next day. 

I recently came across this recipe from Betty Crocker, and decided to try it out. 

And oh my gosh! These are the softest cookies ever! They taste a little different than the regular recipe from the back of the chocolate chip bag. They're sweeter, and have less of a buttery taste. I do love the buttery flavor of the original recipe I've always used, but the softness of these cookies makes up for it. 

Dave says he likes these better. A nice, fluffy, SOFT cookie. Perfect with milk. 

The recipe makes a lot, so I only baked about half of the dough and stuck the rest in the freezer. Which is kind of awesome; next time I want cookies, I can just thaw the dough and bake! I can even bake just a few if I want. Could be dangerous, though, having cookie dough around. It probably won't make it to the baking stage. 

So if you're like me and you want a big, soft cookie (or a whole bunch of dough to eat) try this recipe. Yum!

Philly Steak Sandwiches...

A few months ago, I was browsing recipes on Pinterest, in search of something new and different that I had never made before. The catch was that it also had to be simple - not too many ingredients or I wouldn't do it. And, furthermore, the quicker the prep/cook time, the better.

Well, I stumbled upon a recipe for Philly Steak Sandwiches. It had the three things I was looking for: (1) looked/sounded yummy, (2) only a few, normal ingredients - nothing too out there, and (3) seemed like a quick fix meal.

So I decided to try it out, and let me tell you, it was pretty good! I really liked it and Dave did too! That almost never happens; we have different tastes, so we don't usually like the same things. But this...this we both liked. We've had it many times since then, and actually just had a few nights ago, so I thought I'd share the recipe on the ol' blog.

Shopping List:

• Sandwich buns - I buy French Rolls (maybe by Aunt Millie's?). You need kind of a thick, not too soft bun.
• Sliced roast beef
• Provolone cheese
• 1 package Cream cheese
• Beef broth - I just get a regular sized can
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• onions and green peppers - sliced

Directions:

1. Pour beef broth and onion soup mix into medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat.
2. Cut roast beef into strips and place in saucepan. Continue to cook on medium heat a few minutes.
3. In a large skillet, combine onions & green peppers, about half of the cream cheese package and the meat from the saucepan. You can add some of the juice to it, but you won't need much. Cook over med heat until cream cheese is melted and vegetables are cooked.
4. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on sandwich buns - you can do top and bottom or one or the other.
5. Scoop roast beef/vegetable mixture onto the bottoms of buns. Place provolone cheese slices over the beef and the tops of buns.
6. Broil in oven until cheese is melted.
7. Enjoy!

Are these the healthiest meal? Absolutely not. But they are yummy. And that says something, coming from the girl who doesn't really like roast beef.

Par-tay...

A few days ago, I hosted a Premier Jewelry party. I don't usually like hosting these kinds of parties, because people don't want to come {because they don't want to feel pressured to buy things}. I booked the party to help out a friend and made sure I let my friends know that I didn't expect them to buy anything. I just wanted to have some girls over for snacks and hanging out. This post is pretty much about the food (always my favorite part of any party).

I decided to try a recipe I saw on Pinterest, and also that a friend of mine tried and posted on facebook. A red velvet cheese ball. It was so good! Sweet, but not too sweet. It was perfect. And super easy! You can find the recipe here.

I liked it on vanilla wafers, but I also had graham crackers available.

The recipe uses about half of a red velvet cake mix, and I wasn't sure what to do with the rest. But on the same blog, I found a recipe for cake mix cookies, so I made them. I liked these even better than the cheese ball! I just mixed the cake mix with 2 eggs, 1/4 Cup oil and some chocolate chips (left over from the cheese ball). They are SO good! It didn't make very many, so I didn't share these at my party.

I also made two of my favorite snacks. Seven layer taco dip (mine was actually only six layers, but whatever) and ham and cream cheese rolls. Dave and I love the ham rolls. Sometimes I make them for no particular reason, other than they sound good. Dave was kind of bummed that I didn't make very many (I just made them with stuff we already had at home). He did, however, have me make him his very own taco dip so he wouldn't have to share.

Refried beans, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, black olives and tomatoes

Ham, cream cheese, and green onions...YUM!

I had a decent turn-out for the party and decent sales, so I should get some free jewelry out of the deal. But mostly, I enjoyed some girl time and some food.

Monster Cookies...

When I was growing up, my mom would make these cookies and they were my absolute favorite cookies in all the land.

I make them every now and then, and whenever I share them with people, they ask for the recipe.

So, hey, why not share it on here?

Warning: This recipe makes a lot of cookies, and they are big cookies. I always give at least half of the cookies away because there are so many, so be prepared to either 1) share; or 2) eat a whole buncha cookies!

What you need:

• 1/4 Cup margarine
• 3 eggs
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. karo syrup
• 1 1/2 Cups crunchy peanut butter (you can use smooth peanut butter, but crunchy is better)
• 4 1/2 Cups quick oats
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Cup chocolate chips
• 1 bag m&m's

What to do:

Mix margarine, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and karo syrup well. Add peanut butter, oatmeal and baking soda. Add chocolate chips. Scoop onto greased cookie sheet, pat gently (to flatten the top). Place m&m's on top. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Seriously, y'all {yes, I'm from Northern Michigan and I just said y'all}, these are so good!

Lasagna...

Growing up, my mom always made this amazing lasagna. Only, I didn't realize how amazing it was, because it was the only lasagna I'd ever had. Now that I'm an adult and have tried others, I know how awesome it is.

Dave was introduced to it a few years ago, and it is by far his favorite meal. It's not something I make often because it's not a cheap meal to make and I don't often have time to make it, but we sure love it when I do make it. I made it this week, so I thought I would share the recipe with my dearest blog readers.

It's actually my Grandma Sally's recipe, but it has been adapted a little, because hers required 7 different cheeses, which makes it even more expensive.

What you'll need:

• 1 package lasagna noodles; cooked
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce (any sauce that your family likes. I use Meijer brand or whatever is on sale)
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. ground italian sausage
• 1 24 oz. container cottage cheese (Grandma Sally used Ricotta cheese, but that costs more and I don't really taste a difference)
• Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• oregano and parsley to taste

What to do:

Brown beef and sausage; drain grease.

Spread small amount of spaghetti sauce on bottom of lasagna pan to keep pasta from sticking.

Mix together spaghetti sauce, meat, and tomato paste in large bowl.

Mix cottage cheese and about 1/4 Cup (more or less, depending on preference) parmesan cheese.

Lay noodles in pan. Top with a thick layer of spaghetti sauce mixture.

Add a layer of cottage cheese mixture. Then sprinkle with shredded cheeses (more mozzarella than colby jack).

Continue layering until reach the top of the pan (or run out of ingredients).

On the top layer, I use only a small amount of spaghetti sauce mixture and lots of cheese.

Cover with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes-1 hour. Once lasagna is fully cooked, you may want to remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes to melt all the cheese.

Add a little garlic bread and a salad on the side, and you've got yourself a delicious meal.

What I love about this is that it freezes well, so sometimes I make two and save on in the freezer. And leftovers always taste good too.

Shamrock Shakes...

I'm a big ice cream fan. I'm a big mint fan. So, shamrock shakes are my thang.

However, I'm a bit of an ice cream snob and McDonald's shakes just don't cut it. Actually, there are few places near me that I feel make a decent shake. Oh, how I miss the Dairyville.

Today, I made shamrock shakes with my students and, because I feel that everyone deserves a better tasting shake than McDonald's can offer, I thought I would share how to make them.

All you need is vanilla ice cream, milk, peppermint extract, and green food coloring. You can have whipped cream too, if you'd like.

You don't need much peppermint; a little goes a long way.

Mix it all together and enjoy. Super easy, super yummy!

BLT Pizza...

I am a big pizza fan! Like, HUGE! But one of my favorites isn't your average pizza.

As a teenager, I worked at a local pizza place {Mancino's}, and they had a BLT pizza that was just delicious. When I first heard about it, I thought it sounded disgusting. Mayo on a pizza? Lettuce on a pizza? Gross! But you have to remember that you don't use pizza sauce.

I have tried BLT pizzas at other places and it's never quite the same. Some places use ranch dressing instead of mayo, which might be okay, but I'm picky about my ranch. And some places don't use ham, which I think adds a little something extra. And one place I saw cooks the tomatoes - sick.

Well, last week, I decided to make it myself. I figured that it's simple enough and I've made it countless times before at Mancino's, so I gave it a try.

It was scrumptious! So scrumptious, in fact, that we decided to have it again this week. And this time, I took pictures to share with my dear blog friends.

What you need:

• pizza dough (I just buy frozen pizza dough)
• ham - cut up (optional)
• bacon - cut up
• shredded mozzarella cheese
•  mayonnaise
• shredded lettuce
• diced/sliced tomatoes

What to do:

1. Cook your bacon and cut into small pieces. I like to cook mine in the oven - way less messy.

2. Roll out the pizza dough. Or, if you're cool like me, you can toss it, (Yes, that's right, I toss my own pizza dough) and put it on your pizza pan.

3. Put your ham and bacon directly on the pizza dough and cover with as much cheese as you desire. I like a lot of cheese. :)

4. Bake for the recommended time and temperature on the pizza dough package (usually arouns 450 degrees for about 10-15 minutes).

5. When the pizza is finished baking, spread mayonnaise on top of the cheese and top with shredded lettuce and tomatoes.

6. Slice your pizza and ENJOY!

Two Delicious Desserts...

This Thanksgiving, Dave and I have two dinners to attend. One at my sister's house and one at his sister's house. Thankfully, everyone lives in Traverse City, so it's not too hard to go to more than one dinner.

For both dinners, I was asked to bring a dessert. In general, I like my desserts rich, decadent, and CHOCOLATE. However, these two are favorites of mine that happen to not be chocolate. That doesn't happen very often. I'm pretty sure I've shared these desserts on my old blog, but since I'm all fresh and new over here, I thought I'd share them again.

The first one is a jello dessert that Dave's family loves. I'm not a big jello person, but I love this stuff. It's really the only jello I like. Dave's mom has made it for family events for basically forever, and a few years ago, she shared the recipe with me. Now, I am usually the one to make it for our gatherings. I have made it for my family too, and they love it as well. {A plus for my family is that it's gluten-free, so my sister and my brother's girlfriend can have it.}

Warning: It takes a long time to make, because you have to wait for each layer to set. But if you wait too long between layers, the white layer starts to set and the last one will be lumpy. It may take a few times making it to get your rhythm down - sometimes my top white layer is still lumpy and I've lost count how many times I've made it. The important thing is that is still tastes good even when it looks like crap.

Ribbon Jello

Ingredients:
3 oz. package lime jello
3 oz. package lemon jello
3 oz. package orange jello
3 oz. package strawberry jellow {You can use any flavors really, but these are what I use}
2 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin
2 Cups milk
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup cold water
1 pint sour cream

Directions:
Lightly butter a 9 x 13 dish. Dissolve one package of jello in 1 1/2 cups boiling water and pour into the dish. Chill until firm {the first layer takes the longest to set}. When the first layer is almost set, bring milk to a boil. Add sugar. Dissolve unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Add with sour cream to milk. Whip. When the first layer of jello is firm, pour 1 1/2 cups milk mixture on top and chill until firm.

While the white layer is chilling, dissolve another package of jello in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Gently pour over the white layer when it is firm. Make sure it is firm or else the second color of jello will go right through the white layer. In my experience, it is best for the jello to not be too hot, because it will firm faster. But if it cools too much before you can add it to the dish, then it starts to firm and you have a lumpy, uneven layer. That's why I boil the water right after putting the white layer on, so it has some time to cool, but doesn't firm.

Continue alternating white layers and colored layers. It looks so pretty when it's done and it tastes super yummy! Like I said, it may take a few tries to get your rhythm down, but once you do, it's easy.

The finished product

Side view...see the bumpy top white layer? Eh...still tastes good.

This is a picture of one that I made a few years ago, using cranberry and cherry flavors just to try something different. Dave really liked it, but I prefer the regular recipe.

A little sidenote on the jello. Dave's mom has a certain order that she puts the colors in, and Dave's sister claims that it tastes the best that way. We have actually had arguments over this - not serious arguments, but it has been a running joke in the family that I make it wrong. I put them in rainbow order because I'm a teacher that makes the most sense to me {and because I kind of like to drive his sister crazy sometimes}. Hey, if anyone else wants to learn how to make it "the right way" and volunteer to make it for every family event, they can go right ahead.

The second dessert recipe is one of my very favorite desserts. It's from Paula Dean. It's super easy to make and is seriously so good!

Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding

I'm usually not a "fruit" dessert person. But this doesn't have an overwhelming banana flavor. The pudding is seriously to die for. I am always thankful that the recipe makes a little more pudding than what will fit in the dish, because I like to eat the pudding by itself. You know, as my treat for slaving over this dessert.

Ingredients:

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies {This year, I am taking this to my sister's gluten-free Thanksgiving, so I bought gluten-free shortbread cookies instead of the Chessman cookies}

6 to 8 bananas, sliced

2 cups milk

1 (5-ounce) box instant french vanilla pudding

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened, condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed

Directions:

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 This is made with the Chessman cookies. The picture is from my old blog post.

If you brought either of these to a family, work, or friend gathering, I guarantee they will not disappoint!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas...

I got this recipe several years ago from Dave's mom, who got it from her mother-in-law. It's super easy and so yummy! It is definitely a favorite in our house! While they're called enchiladas, they're not really "authentic" Mexican food, so don't expect them to be like a Mexican restaurant. But they still taste good.

On my last day with Ella this summer, she and I made this recipe together for her parents to have for dinner. We wanted to give her mommy a night off from cooking, and Ella loves to help in the kitchen. Making it for Jim and Melinda made me really want it, so I made it at home tonight and thought I would share the recipe with all of you out there in blog land.

What you'll need:

• 1 package tortillas
• 1 Tbsp. margarine
• 1/2 C. onion, chopped
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 4oz. can diced green chilis, drained
• 1/2 C. sour cream for recipe, plus some to top enchiladas
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked, cut up
• Shredded cheese (I like the Mexican blend, but you can use whatever you want)
• 1/4 C. milk
• Salsa for topping

Directions:

Melt margarine, saute onion and garlic. Add green chilis, sour cream and soup. Mix thoroughly. Set aside 3/4 C. of sauce for topping. Stir chicken into remaining sauce and add about 1/2 C. of cheese. Warm tortillas, fill with chicken mix, roll up and place in 9x13 dish. Add milk to reserved sauce and pour over tortillas. Top with cheese (as little or as much as you want). Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, covered. I usually uncover for about the last 5 minutes.


Top with sour cream and salsa and enjoy!

Pizza Calzones...

It's no secret that Dave and I are big pizza fans. One of our favorite meals that I make is pizza calzones. I made them tonight, and thought I'd share my "recipe."

What You'll Need:

• frozen pizza dough, thawed
• pizza sauce {we like the squeezable pizza sauce, because we never use an entire can, so this way we don't throw any away}
• mozzarella cheese
• pizza toppings of your choice - our usual toppings are pepperoni {for Dave's, not mine...I'm not a pepperoni fan}, ham, green olives, onions, green peppers, and {when I'm not pregnant and love them} mushrooms
• Optional: butter/margarine, garlic salt, parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. I separate the dough into four pieces so that the calzones aren't huge. Then it makes four smaller ones - Dave usually eats two and I eat one and have the other for lunch the next day. Roll dough out into circles {probably won't be perfect circles} and lay on greased cookie sheet.
3. Spread pizza sauce on half of each calzone {you can put as much sauce on as you want, but the more you put on, the messier your calzones will be and it may cause your cheese to spill out when baking}. Add cheese and desired toppings.
4. Fold each top {the plain side} over each calzone.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until dough is baked through.
6. Melt butter and garlic salt in a bowl. Brush onto top of clazones and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

We like to cut them in half and dip them in pizza sauce if there isn't enough on the calzones.

Add a salad on the side and you've got a quick, easy, yummy meal.