Pre-Cooked Ground Beef 5-8 lbs. raw ground beef 2 Tbsp.

minced garlic Silpat Mat or Wax Paper

2 cups finely diced yellow onion 1 cookie sheet Small Ziplock bags

Get a huge non-stick pot, like the kind you might make soup in. Cook the onion and garlic on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add your ground beef and cook until completely done. Drain any excess fat. Line a cookie sheet with a silpat mat (or wax paper). Lay out your beef in an even layer. Place in freezer, uncovered, for 4 hours. Use a Sharpie marker to label ziplock bags with date. Use a cup measure to measure out 2&1/2 cups into each ziplock bag. Store in freezer. 2&1/2 cups of cooked ground beef equals 1 pound of ground beef in a recipe. Grab a jar of your favorite jarred marinara sauce. Boil pasta noodles you have in your pantry. While the pasta is cooking, throw your marinara in a medium pot and add one of your packets of hamburger straight from your freezer. Cook on medium heat until heated through. Pre-Seasoned Variation: When your cooking your meat in step 3, put half on a cookie sheet to freeze and leave the other half in the pan. Then add 1-2 taco seasoning packets and place to freeze on a separate cookie sheet. Then you or your kids can simply throw a seasoned meat baggie straight into the microwave and have instant taco meat. Alphabets with Mini Meatballs 1 lb alphabet shaped pasta 1 tsp dried Italian seasonings 28-oz can crushed tomatoes 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp garlic powder ? cup Parmesan cheese 1 lb lean ground turkey 1 Tbsp olive oil 6-oz can tomato paste 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp onion flakes

Cook the pasta. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the turkey and Italian seasonings. Mix well and shape into small meatballs, each about the size of a marble. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, paste, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, and onion flakes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and cook for 1 minute to heat through. To make ahead: Shape the meatballs in advance, combine (don't cook) the sauce ingredients (tomatoes through onion flakes), and cook and drain the pasta in advance. Store each separately for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. When ready to finish, brown the meatballs as directed and add the premixed sauce to the pan. Add the pasta as directed before topping with cheese. Baked Ziti 1 pound dry ziti pasta 1 onion, chopped 1 pound lean ground beef (season with pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and minced garlic) 2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce 8 slices provolone cheese 1 1/2 cups sour cream 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes; drain. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 2 8x8 inch pans with non-stick cooking spray. Layer as follows in each pan: 1/4 of the ziti, 1/4 of the sauce, 4 slices of Provolone cheese, 1/2 of sour cream, 1/4 of ziti, 1/4 mozzarella cheese and 1/4 of sauce mixture. Top

with grated Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake covered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted. You can eat one for dinner now and freeze the other for dinner another day! These fill the 8x8" pans to the top, so I cooked mine on a large cookie sheet just in case they bubbled over Black Bean Taco Soup 1 lb lean ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 package mild taco seasoning mix 1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn 1 (16 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed (you could use kidney beans or pinto beans) 2 (14 oz) cans stewed tomatoes 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis Brown meat and onion, drain. Let meat cool for a minute, then dump into a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Dump the remaining ingredients into the bag, mix together, and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours or LOW for 2-3 1/2 hours. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. **Cheddar Chicken Bake 2 cups water 2 cups chicken broth 4 teaspoons dried minced onion 2 cups uncooked long grain rice 4 cups cubed cooked chicken 2 cups frozen peas, thawed 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted 2 cups milk 2 cups finely crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 60 crackers) 6 tablespoons butter, melted In a large saucepan, bring the water, broth and onion to a boil. Reduce heat. Add rice; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Divide rice between two greased 9-in. square baking pans. Sprinkle each with chicken and peas. In a large bowl, combine the soup, milk and salt; pour over turkey. Toss the cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the top. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Bake the second casserole, uncovered, at 350 for 35 minutes or until golden brown. To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until heated through. Cheesy Chicken and Brown Rice Bake (OAMC) 2 cups cooked brown rice (or other whole grain) cup finely chopped onion 1 cups shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese, divided 1/3 cup egg whites 1 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast 1 cup chopped broccoli cup cottage cheese or plain greek yogurt 1 tbsp chopped green chilis, drained (optional) cup finely chopped cilantro (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine rice, 1 cup cheese, chicken, cottage cheese/yogurt, onion, egg whites, green chilis, and cilantro in a large bowl; Mix well. Spray an 8x8inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and dump the rice mixture in. Top with the remaining cup of cheese. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. Freeze leftovers in individual portions using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash. MAKE AHEAD (OAMC) METHOD: Assemble as directed above in a disposable baking pan but do not bake. Freeze the entire pan. On cooking day, defrost overnight in the fridge and bake 60-70 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Chicken and Stuffing 8 oz frozen mixed vegetables 1 onion--chopped 3 cups chicken ubed 8 oz dry stuffing (not prepared)

7 oz frozen broccoli florets 2 cans reduced fat crm of chicken soup 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar

In a medium mixing bowl combine the frozen mixed vegetables, broccoli florets, chopped onion and two cans of cream of chicken soup. Divide the mixture into three 8x8" pans. Top each pan with 1 cup of cubed chicken. Shred 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese and put one third of the cheese in each pan. Top each pan with one third of the dry stuffing mixture. Do not prepare the stuffing according to package directions. This will be a crunchy topping. Cover each pan with foil and label. Freeze, then thaw in the fridge for two days when you are ready to eat. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes. **Chicken and Stuffing Pockets Cut a pocket in the chicken breast and stuff with your fave stuffing/dresing that is cooked. Wrap in saran. When you want them, take them out of the freezer, put in oven for 30 mins at 350. Pour over a can of cream of chicken soup and bake for 15 mins more. Don't even have to defrost ahead of time. Chicken Cacciatore 1 lb chicken breasts 1 zucchini, chopped 1 sweet onion, chopped 1 (26 oz) jar of chunky vegetable-style spaghetti sauce 1 green pepper, chopped

Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag and mix together. Garnish: chopped black olives, shredded Parm cheese. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve with cooked spaghetti noodles and garnish with olives and cheese. Chicken Parmesan with Noodles 4 - 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 clove of garlic (crushed) 1/2-3/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp. ground thyme 1 jar of 3 Cheese Prego sauce 1/3 cup olive oil 3/4 cup bread crumbs (fine - can be Italian) 2 Tbsp. of minced parsley 1/8 tsp. pepper 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Mix olive oil and garlic in shallow dish. Mix other dry ingredients in similar bowl for coating. Dip chicken in oil, then in mix. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Cover and freeze. Thaw completely. Remove foil and plastic wrap. Bake - 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn meat and continue baking for 20 minutes more. While chicken is baking, heat sauce in pan. Pour sauce and sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over chicken the last 5 minutes of baking. Serve over spaghetti noodles. **CHILI MAPLE GLAZED "DUMP" CHICKEN 1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Pieces -- (4 to 6) 2 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon chili powder For immediate cooking: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts).

For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer. To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, make sure the baggie is completely closed. Place the Bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer (It works best if the bag is laying flat, although this may not be the best option with a side-by-side fridge/freezer). Preheat the oven to 350 F. Empty the contents of the bag into a large baking dish and bake until the juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). CRANBERRY "DUMP" CHICKEN 2 tablespoon butter melted 1/2 cup cranberry juice 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce 1/4 cup orange juice 1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Pieces -- (4 to 6)

For immediate cooking: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer. To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, make sure the baggie is completely closed. Place the Bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer (It works best if the bag is laying flat, although this may not be the best option with a side-by-side fridge/freezer). Preheat the oven to 350 F. Empty the contents of the bag into a large baking dish and bake until the juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). French Bread Pizza (OAMC) 2 loaves of whole grain French bread, sliced in half lengthwise and again width-wise into thirds to make a total of 12 pieces 2 6oz cans Basil, Garlic, and Oregano tomato paste (or plain tomato paste, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp garlic powder) cup hot water 2 big handfuls fresh spinach (or half of a 9oz box of frozen spinach, thawed and drained) 1 6oz package reduced-fat turkey pepperoni 1 12oz package frozen broccoli, cooked and chopped small 2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese 2 cups 2% cheddar cheese In a blender or food processor, puree the spinach into the water. Add tomato paste and blend well. Spread the sauce evenly over the 12 pieces of bread, about 2 Tbsp each. Place the broccoli on top, dividing it evenly amongst the pieces. Top each bread with 4 slices of pepperoni. Sprinkle on the cheese distributing it evenly over the pizzas. TO EAT IMMEDIATELY: Preheat oven to 375. Place pizzas on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is crispy and cheese is bubbly. TO FREEZE: Wrap each pizza in a double layer of foil, place 4 pieces each into a gallon-sized freezer bag, and freeze. TO REHEAT: Preheat oven to 375, unwrap desired number of pieces, and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes. **FRENCH - TOASTED MUFFINS 3 eggs 1 tbsp. Sugar 6 English muffins, split in half Jam or syrup, if desired 3/4 c. milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract butter, melted

In a small bowl, mix eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla until blended. Place muffins on a rimmed baking sheet. Slowly pour egg mixture over muffins, turning to coat both sides. Let stand 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Flash freeze or place in freezer uncovered until frozen. Place muffins in a plastic bag and return to freezer until ready to use. To serve muffins, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a rimmed baking sheet. Remove desired number of frozen muffins and brush each side with melted butter. Place on baking sheet, cut-side down. Bake 10 minutes; turn slices over. Bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown and toasted. Serve with jam or syrup, if desired. Makes 12 servings. **French Onion Meatloaf 3 eggs, beaten 6 oz stuffing mix, crushed 1 lb ground turkey 1 can condensed french onion soup 1 lb ground beef

Using a blender or food processor crush the dry stuffing into crumbs. In a medium bowl beat three eggs. Stir in 1 can of condensed french onion soup. Add the crushed dry stuffing mix and stir well. Crumble the ground beef into the bowl and mix well with your fingers until fully Incorporated. Shape into two loaves. I made one large loaf for tonight and two smaller loaves to fit in a 8x8" pan to freeze for another night. Cover each pan with foil and label. If cooking from frozen, please thaw in the fridge for two days before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes covered. Then uncover and bake 5 more minutes to brown the top. Garlic and Soy Baked Chicken Thighs 6 8 chicken thighs 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup honey 2 green onions, chopped 5 garlic cloves, minced crushed red pepper (1 tsp. or more, to taste) Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, onion, garlic, and spices. Place the chicken thighs and your marinade into a large ziploc baggie and marinate for 2 hours to overnight. Turn the bag halfway through so that all the thighs get equal drenching time. Place the thighs skin side up in a baking dish that leaves just a bit of room, but not too much, between each chicken thigh. Pour the marinade over the thighs. Bake at 350?F for 30 40 minutes. Garlic Bread 1 long loaf French or Italian bread 2 tbs dried Italian Seasoning Grated Parmesan cheese 6 to 8 tbs butter, room temp. 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Make-Ahead Preparation: Slice bread lengthwise leaving one side intact. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, Italian seasoning and garlic. Mix well. Spread each cut side of the bread with the butter mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese to taste over both sides of the bread. Close the loaf. Wrap loaf in tin foil. Label and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month. Last Minute Preparation: Allow bread to thaw overnight in the freezer, if desired. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If bread is frozen, loosen the foil and bake for 15 minutes. Open up the bread so the cut sides are exposed and cook for approximately 15 more minutes. If bread is coming out of the refrigerator, cut cooking time down by about 10 minutes. Garlic Chicken Breasts

1/4-cup lime juice 1-tbsp. minced garlic salt and pepper

1/4-cup olive oil 2-boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper generously, and add chicken, making sure it is well-coated with the marinade. Marinate chicken, covered in fridge for at least 3 hours and preferably overnight. Preheat oven to 400?F. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Arrange chicken breasts in a shallow baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when you prick it with a fork. Goulash 2lbs lean ground beef 1 green pepper 2 14.5 oz cans of Italian diced tomatoes 1 16oz box of elbow macaroni 2 Tbsp paprika 1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 bunch green onions 3 stalks celery 15 oz can tomato sauce 2 Tbsp sugar 2 Tbsp chili powder 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Set a medium sauce pan of water over medium high heat to boil. When boiling add the elbow macaroni and boil for 9 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile in a large sauce pan brown the ground beef and drain. Chop the green onions, green pepper and celery. Add the vegetables to the pan that you used to brown the ground beef. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until just starting to get tender. Turn off the heat. In the pan with the vegetables add the drained ground beef, 2 cans of diced tomatoes (drained), tomato sauce, 2 Tbsp paprika, 2 Tbsp chili powder, 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper. Stir well. When your macaroni is cooked and drained you can add it to the meat sauce. You may need to transfer the meat sauce to a large mixing bowl if your pan is too small for the noodles and sauce. Divide into 4 containers. You can use 4 quart sized freezer containers or 4 8x8" pans. If you chose the 8x8" pans sprinkle the tops with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover and label. Once frozen and thawed bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. If you use quart containers freeze then thaw. Reheat on the stove and top individual servings with cheese. Green Bean and Chicken Rice Casserole 1 6oz pkg of long grain and wild rice 4 C cooked and cubed chicken 1 pkg frozen french cut green beans 1 med onion--chopped 1 green pepper hopped 1 envelope onion soup mix 1 can 98% fat free cream of mushrooms 1 can 98% fat free broccoli cheese soup 1 bag fried onions 1 can mushrooms Prepare the rice to the box directions. Meanwhile, mix all the remaining ingredients but the mushies and fried onions together in a large mixing bowl. Add a little salt (you get some salt from the onion soup mix) pepper and all purpose seasoning to taste. When the rice is done you can pour that in the bowl and mix it all up. Then you split the mixture into two 8x8 inch pans. Carefully put mushrooms on half of each casserole. Label the foil to include the name of the casserole, cooking directions and location of the mushrooms. Bake one at 350 degrees for 60 min. Uncover and top with half the fried onions. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees and bake 5 more min to brown the topping. The other casserole can go into the freezer for a later dinner. Put the leftover fried onions in the cabinet so it will be ready when you eat the other dish. Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken

1 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, about 2 cups 1 large green pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 2 cups 1 large red pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 1 cup 1 zucchini, chopped, about 2 cups 1 cups chopped onion 1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca (or flour, or some other thickening agent) 1 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks 1 15oz cans of tomato sauce 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon ground yellow mustard 1 clove garlic, finely minced, about 2 tablespoons Divide everything into two separate one gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. On the day of cooking, dump it into your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low 6-8 hours, depending on your specific slow cooker. If you want, you can add 1/2 cup of chicken stock to have more sauce, but the liquid from the frozen meat and vegetables melting should give you enough liquid to work with. Every slow cooker is different, so just watch yours the first time you make it. Honey Glazed "DUMP" Chicken 1/4 cup Butter Melted 1/2 cup Honey cup bbq sauce

1/8 cup Soy Sauce 1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Pieces

For immediate cooking: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer. To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, make sure the baggie is completely closed. Place the Bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Empty the contents of the bag into a large baking dish and bake until the juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). Lemon & Garlic "DUMP" Chicken 2 Cloves Garlic chopped 2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley 1/8 Teaspoon Pepper 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice 1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Pieces

For immediate cooking: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer. To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, make sure the baggie is completely closed. Place the Bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Empty the contents of the bag into a large baking dish and bake until the juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). LEMON CHICKEN 3 teaspoons dried thyme 3 teaspoons salt

3/8 teaspoons garlic powder 3 pounds chicken, pieces

1 cup lemon juice 3 cups rice, uncooked

Mix all the spices and lemon juice in a bag. Add chicken pieces and freeze. When thawed, preheat oven to 450. Arrange chicken skin-side down in a baking dish treated with nonstick spray. Pour liquid over chicken. Bake 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, baste it. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until chicken is tender and no longer pink when cut along the bone. Prepare rice according to package. Serve chicken over rice. Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos 12 eggs 2 cups cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 1 cup chopped veggie trio (red, peppers, green peppers, onions) 24 medium flour tortillas OR 12 large flour tortillas 1/2 cup milk salsa

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the milk and salt and pepper. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, being careful not to brown the eggs, until cooked through. While the eggs are cooking, place your tortillas on a microwave-safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. Heat for 30 to 45 seconds or until tortillas are just slightly warm. (Warming the tortillas makes them more pliable. If your tortillas are already soft enough to roll, you can omit this step.) When the eggs are cooked through, stir veggies. Place ? cup egg mixture into each tortilla (more if using larger tortillas); sprinkle with cheese and top with some salsa. Roll them up burrito-style. Wrap each tortilla in tin foil, place on a large baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen through, transfer the burritos in batches to ziploc bags. Freeze for up to one month. Last Minute Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove burritos from ziploc bags and heat in the tin foil for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. **Make Ahead Lunch Wraps 1 cup uncooked brown rice 4 cups water 1 package Southwest seasoning, 4 oz 4 can (15 oz) black beans 2 can (15.5 oz) Pinto beans 1 can (10 oz) whole kernel corn 1 jar (10 oz) Salsa 16 ten-inch flour tortillas 1 tsp cumin Salt to taste Pepper to taste 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp oregano 1 sweet onion, chopped 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Make Ahead Preparation: Combine rice, southwest seasoning and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and cool. Place black beans and pinto beans into a colander or strainer; rinse. Add corn, onion, spices and salsa, and toss to mix. Transfer to a large bowl, and mix in rice and cheese. Divide the mixture evenly among the tortillas, and roll up. Freeze wraps in single layer on lightly greased cookie sheet. When fully frozen, wrap individually in foil or plastic wrap. Place wraps in large zip-top freezer bags; freeze. Last Minute Assembly: Unwrap wraps from foil or plastic wrap. To heat using microwave, wrap in a paper towel. Cook in microwave until heated through, approximately 2 minutes at 70% power. To heat in oven, thaw wrap. Remove plastic wrap if used in freezing and wrap in tin foil. Bake at 350F for ten minutes. (really good)

**Make Ahead Meatballs 3 pounds ground beef 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 eggs

1/3 cup instant minced onion 1 Tablespoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcheshire Sauce 3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Roll mixture into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet living a little space between the balls. When the tray is full place in preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes. Makes about 100 meatballs. I will make a double or triple batch and put them into freezer bags or containers and freeze them in recipe size portions. (They freezer very well when cool.) Make-Ahead Pizza Meat Loaves 1 jar (28 oz.) Prego? Traditional Pasta Sauce 1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm? Herb Seasoned Stuffing 1 medium onion, chopped1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed 1 1/2 lb. ground beef 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup chopped green pepper 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 6 pieces

MIX 3/4 cup pasta sauce, beef, stuffing, eggs, onion, pepper and oregano thoroughly and shape firmly into 6 loaves, placing 1 piece of cheese in center of each loaf. Place loaves in baking pan. BAKE at 400? F. for 30 min. or until meat loaves are done. Cool slightly. Wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Cover and refrigerate remaining pasta sauce. PLACE meat loaves and remaining pasta sauce in skillet. Cover and heat through. Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts 1/2 cup maple syrup salt and pepper to taste 1 cup Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours). Sprinkle with fresh or dried rosemary for serving. Meatball Casserole 16 ounce jar spaghetti sauce 10-ounce can condensed Cheddar cheese soup 1-1/2 cups water 3 cups uncooked mafalda or farfalle pasta 16 ounce package frozen pepper and onion mixture 16 ounce package frozen precooked meatballs 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese In 2 quart glass baking dish, mix spaghetti sauce, soup and water until blended. Add uncooked noodles, stir-fry mixture and meatballs and stir to coat. Make sure noodles are completely covered with sauce mixture. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake casserole, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake uncovered 5-10 minutes longer until casserole is bubbly, noodles are tender and cheese is melted. Serves 6 to 8 Note: Since the pasta cooks in the sauce, it will be al dente, that is, still have a bit of texture and firmness in the center. If you prefer pasta softer, then cook it partially, not completely, and drain well before adding to the rest of the ingredients. meatballs* 4 lb Lean ground beef 2 eggs slightly beaten

1 cup dry Italian bread crumbs 1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/4 cup worchestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients. Blend well. Shape mixture into 1-1/2" balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 25-30 minutes until brown. Remove immediately and drain on paper towels. When cooled put into ziploc bags. Freeze and use within 3 months. Makes about 80 meatballs. 1 point per meatball. Mini Meat Loaves 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef 2 cups Herb Seasoned Stuffing (not cubes) 2 eggs 1/4 cup milk 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey 1 shallot, finely diced 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Press the meat mixture into 16 muffin cups. If you want to cook them right away, bake them at 350 F for 30 minutes. Freezing Directions Follow steps 1 and 2. Cover the muffin tins with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove the mini meat loaves from the pan and wrap them individually with plastic wrap. (If you have trouble getting the meat loaves out of the pan, place the bottom of the muffin pan in warm water and they will release easily.) Place them in a labeled freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 to 4 months. Cook frozen mini meatloaves 2 inches apart in a baking dish at 350 F for 40 45 minutes. Makes 16 mini meat loaves. Perfect Barley (OAMC) 2 cups hulled barley (can use pearled but it is not whole grain, the bran has been removed) 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 4 cups boiling water Preheat oven to 375. Spread barley in a 9x13 baking dish or large ceramic baking dish with lid. Boil water and, once boiling, stir in oil and salt. Pour over barley and cover baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil (or skip the foil and use the lid of the dish if it has one). Bake 1 hour or until barley is tender. Remove dish from oven and fluff with a fork. Serve immediately. To really save yourself some time, make a batch and freeze it in 1 cup portions. Once they e frozen, put them all together in a big gallon-size freezer bag, break the chunks up (sometimes it helps to let them defrost a little bit first), and throw the bag back into the freezer. This will leave you with a big bag of individual cooked barley grains. That way, if you need a cup as a side dish or to throw into a soup or something, you can just scoop it right out of the bag with a measuring cup. Throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds or a minute and it's ready to eat. Portobello Mushroom Ragu 2 tbsp Olive oil 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced tsp dried thyme 1 medium red or sweet onion, diced (about 1 cup) 12 oz sliced Portobello mushrooms, diced 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onions until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute, then stir in mushrooms and thyme. Continue to cook over high heat until the mushrooms have softened and given off their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over cooked whole grains or whole wheat pasta. Freeze leftovers in cup servings using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie 1 package (1 pound) spaghetti 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup butter, cubed 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 2 cups water 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

4 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup chopped onion 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream 2 pounds bulk pork sausage 1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Add eggs and Parmesan cheese. Transfer to three greased 9-in. pie plates; press mixture onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Set aside. In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and Italian seasoning. Spoon into the crusts. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in water and tomato paste. Simmer, uncovered, for 510 minutes or until thickened. Spoon over sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Cover and freeze two pies for up to 1 month. Cover and bake third pie at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until heated through. To use frozen pies: Completely thaw in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed. Yield: 3 pies, 18 servings, 6 per pie. Sloppy Joe Pitas Freezer Recipe 1 lb gound beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove of garlic, minced 2 tsp chili powder 2 tsp flour 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp cumin 1 small can tomato sauce cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp or to taste) 1/2 beef broth 6 pita shells (on serving day) In large skillet, brown ground beef, ensuring you break up into small pieces as it browns, about 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Over medium heat, add onion, minced garlic, chili powder, oregano, flour, cumin and cayenne pepper. Cook for about five minutes or until onions are soft. Add beef broth and tomato sauce, stirring until slightly thickened. Cook for a further five minutes, stirring ocassionally. Allow to cool and divide into freezer containers. On cooking day... thaw in refrigerater then heat in microwave or saucepan until thoroughly heated. Serve in pita shells. Add cheese, tomatoes, etc if desired. Slow Cooker BBQ Spareribs 1-2 lbs of country-style pork ribs 1 1/2 Tablespoons seasoned salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 cups ketchup 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke 1/2 cup white vinegar

Place pork in resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl and pour over pork. Mix together in bag and zip closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours. Spaghetti Bake 16 oz spaghetti 2 quarts pasta sauce

2 eggs 1 cup chopped frozen spinach (thawed and drained) 8 oz shredded mozzarella

30 oz Ricotta 1/2 cup Parmesan

Cook spaghetti to package directions and drain. Let noodles cool slightly. Beat the two eggs together and stir into the noodles. Add the Parmesan and stir well. Spray three 8x8" foil pans with non-stick spray. Place one third of the noodles into each pan. Mix the spinach with the Ricotta and add salt and pepper to taste. Spread one third of the ricotta spinach mixture over each pan of noodles. Top each pan with one third of the spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle one third of the mozzarella on each pan. Cover with foil and label. Place in freezer until ready to use. When you are ready to use please thaw the spaghetti bake for two days in the fridge. Bake 375 degrees for 60 minutes. If you want to bump up the nutrition in this dish you can layer in mushrooms, olives, green peppers or tomatoes. SUPER-EASY CHICKEN MANICOTTI 1 jar {30 oz.} spaghetti sauce {any variety} 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast tenders 1 can {2 1/2 oz.} slice ripe olives, drained 1 tsp. garlic salt 14 uncooked manicotti shells 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Spread about 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Sprinkle garlic salt on chicken. Insert chicken into uncooked manicotti shells, stuffing from each end of shell to fill if necessary. Place shells on spaghetti sauce in dish. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce evenly over shells, covering completely. Sprinkle with olives and cheese. STOP HERE. TO STORE IN REFRIGERATOR: Cover unbaked manicotti tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours. TO STORE IN FREEZER: Wrap unbaked manicotti tightly with aluminum foil and label. Freeze no longer than 1 month. TO COOK FROM REFRIGERATOR: About 1 hour before serving, heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake in covered baking dish about 1 hour, or until shells are tender. TO COOK FROM FREEZER: About 1 1/2 hours before serving, heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake in covered baking dish about 1 1/2 hours or until shells are tender. Super Simple Meatloaf 1-1&1/2 lb. ground beef 1 tsp. minced garlic 1 can manwich 1 egg 1/2 c. chopped onion 1 box stove top chicken stuffing

Place stove top stuffing in gallon sized ziplock bag. Seal bag and use a rolling pin to crush. Combine all ingredients (including seasoning packet from stuffing) in a large bowl. Mix with hands. Place in loaf pan and top with ketchup (if that's how you like your meatloaf). Bake at 350* for 40-55 minutes or until internal temperature is 155* Freezing Instructions: Place raw meatloaf mixture in disposable aluminum loaf pan. Cover with foil and freeze. Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours before baking. Bake as directed. Sweet and Savory Turkey Cheddar Meatballs in the Crockpot (OAMC) Ingredients: (Can be doubled... which I do every time because otherwise I am immediately bummed that we've eaten half of them. I like seeing a big bag of meatballs in the freezer.) 1 pounds 93% lean ground turkey 1 tsp kosher salt OR tsp sea salt

 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cups pureed broccoli * cup raisins

1 cup diced onion 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

you can add one or two egg whites to the broccoli for easier pureeing. Broccoli is sometimes hard to puree without adding liquid but adding water will make the meatball mixture very sloppy. The egg whites will make for a slightly wetter and stickier atterbut will not negatively affect the firmness and cohesiveness of the finished meatballs. It will work best if you put the egg whites into the blender first and then add the broccoli in a little at a time, pureeing as you go. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix VERY well. Scoop out a level 1/8 cup and use your hands to roll it into a ball. CROCKPOT: Place formed meatballs into your crockpot, stacking them gently on top of each other once the bottom is covered (like a bucket of golf balls). Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 6-7 hours. OVEN: Place formed meatballs in rows on a cooking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the crockpot or baking tray and cool on a wire rack over a double layer of paper towels (to catch the drips). Freeze using the flash freeze method. TIP: When cooking them in the crockpot, don worry that they don look brown at first. I promise you that they will eventually brown and you will be able to gently separate them when they e cooked. The bottom ones will be slightly moister and mushier than the top ones but we mash them into brown rice anyway so that doesn bother us. If you want them firmer you can use a turkey baster to remove the juices from the bottom of the crock halfway through cooking. You may need to increase the cooking time if you do this due to heat loss from uncovering the crock. Taco Pasta 2lbs lean ground beef 2 pkg taco seasoning 1 can diced green chilies 1 green pepper chopped 8oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded 1 lb penne pasta 2 cans diced tomatoes 1/2 onion chopped 1 bunch cilantro chopped

Cook pasta to lowest recommended cooking time on the box. Meanwhile in a large pan cook the ground beef and drain. Add chopped onion and green pepper, cook until just starting to get tender. Add two packages of taco seasoning and two cans of diced tomatoes (don't drain the liquid from the tomatoes). Also add the can of chopped green chilies. Stir well. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the meat mixture. Once thoroughly mixed, remove from heat and stir in chopped cilantro to desired taste. Now pour the pasta into three different 8x8"pans. Top with one third of the shredded cheese. Cover with foil. Put one pan into the oven for dinner and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes just to melt the cheese. Put the other two meals into the freezer for a later date. Once thawed the freezer meal bakes at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to warm all the way through. This pasta tastes great just like this, but feel free to top with sour cream, fresh salsa, shredded lettuce or extra cilantro. If you want to pack more veggies in this meal you can chop celery and carrot very small and stir in with the meat. Sweet corn is also a nice addition to the meat sauce. Teriyaki Chicken 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons water 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup lower sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic powder 8 10 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

In a gallon freezer bag, combine all of the ingredients except the chicken. Mix thoroughly. Add the chicken and seal. Refrigerate up to 24 hours before cooking or freeze in a labeled freezer bag up to 3 months. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the chicken and all of the liquid in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish (uncovered). Bake for 30 minutes, turn the chicken over and bake for 30 more minutes. *If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator a day ahead before cooking. Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry 4 chicken breasts cooked and chopped 2 bags of stir fry vegetables 2 bottles Teriyaki sauce Take two gallon zipper bags and pour one bag of vegetables into each bag. Then add half of the chopped chicken to each bag. I also added half a sliced onion to each bag because the vegetables that I bought did not have onion. Feel free to add in any veggies you have in your fridge that you would like to use up...mushrooms, celery, carrots, asparagus, green beans etc. Pour one bottle of Teriyaki sauce into each bag. Seal and squeeze to mix. Then label and freeze. When you are ready to cook please let one bag thaw in the fridge for two days. Then pour the contents of the bag into a medium sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Serve over rice. Unstuffed Peppers Casserole 1 pound of lean ground turkey 3 bell peppers, diced 2 cups of cooked brown rice 2 cups of reduced fat shredded cheese, cheddar or other variety 1 jar (24 oz) of spaghetti or tomato sauce- all natural kind (I used Parmesan Romano) 3 cloves of garlic, minced (or use 1 tsp garlic powder) 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp oregano Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2 quart deep pan and skillet with cooking spray. Set aside. Dice your peppers into small pieces. Toss them into a skillet along with the defrosted ground turkey meat. Brown ground turkey meat with garlic and diced peppers in skillet. Add in the Italian seasoning, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cook for about ten minutes. Remove from heat and pour into large bowl. Add spaghetti sauce, cooked brown rice and 1 and 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese to bowl. Spoon peppers casserole into 2 quart pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve warm. Freeze any leftovers in plastic containers for up to four months. Reheat in microwave or in the oven.