AMY'S AMAZING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tSp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 1/8 cup flour

12oz chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugars.

Add in eggs and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

*Dough freezes and bakes up really well.

Just portion our your cookies and freeze on a cookie sheet.

Put frozen dough balls  in a ziplock bag.

Bake from frozen approx. 10 minutes.

CHEESY BAKED LEMON CHICKEN (EASY)

4 chicken breasts, uncooked
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lemon pepper
Grated parmesan cheese (enough to cover top of chicken)

1.  Put all except parmesan into a ziplock bag.

2.  Put in refrigerator for 2-3 hours to marinade.

3.  Put in baking dish and cover with parmesan cheese.

4.  Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

TO FREEZE…

Place the prepared ziplock into freezer.

To prepare, thaw overnight in the fridge,

then follow above instructions from step #3.

This is great served with garlic parmesan rice and sautéed spinach.

PUMPKIN PUREE

Wash outside of pumpkin. Cut in ½ and pull out seeds and goop. Put on roasting pan.


Cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees


3 sugar pie pumpkins = about 8 cups of puree.

PEACH PIE

6 cups fresh peaches (peeled and sliced) (can use frozen/thawed sliced peaches also)

1&1/4 cup granulated

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

pinch salt

3/4 tsp almond extract

4 TBL diced butter

1 egg mixed with 1 TBL water for egg wash

2 discs Pie Dough

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out one pie dough disc 1/8-inch thickness. Drape pie pan with dough (about 1” overhang)

Set aside and keep chilled.

Step 2

In a mixing bowl put all ingredients, except butter and gently toss until all ingredients are combined.

Pour filling into pie shell. (or freezer bag)

Step 3

Dot with butter

Roll the remaining dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Drape over peach filling & butter.

Crimp the edges. Vent the top crust.

Brush with egg wash.

Step 4

Bake for 10 minutes

Lower oven to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 30-40 minutes

**If freezing pie filling, after step 2 put into ziplock freezer bag. When ready to bake thaw completely first then continue from step 3.

MEXICIAN COWBOY CASSEROLE

2 lbs. ground beef (I use 85/15)

1 package taco seasoning

1 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn

1 can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 bag (2lbs.) frozen tater tots (I like to use the flat ones, not the traditional tater tots)

Before I got ready to make this casserole, I let the tater tots sit on the counter to defrost for an hour or so. The original recipe used still frozen tater tots, but I felt they get more crunchy thawed.

In a large skillet cook the beef. Add in the taco seasoning and garlic.

In a small bowl combine the soup, milk and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add to hamburger mixture and stir to combine. Add corn and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Gently mix to combine.

WHEN MAKING A 9X13 PAN

Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the tater tots on the bottom, pour the hamburger mixture over the top and then layer with the other half of the tater tots. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and bake at 350 for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.

WHEN MAKING AN 8X8 PAN

Put half the ingredients in a freezer bag and then assemble the rest in an 8x8 baking dish and bake as above.

FREEZER PEAR SAUCE

8 Pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1" chunks

1/4 cup water

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp vanilla
1 TBL brown sugar (optional)(I never add this)

CROCK POT INSTRUCTIONS
Put everything except brown sugar into a 2 qt. crock pot. Cook on low 4-5 hours, stirring every 90 minutes. Use a stick blender to make smooth or eat chunky!

Can add brown sugar but I never do!

Can easily triple this recipe in a 6qt. crock pot!




STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS

Put everything into large pot. Cook on medium heat until soft enough to puree, about could be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending how soft your pears were to start. Puree up with stick blender, traditional blender or food processer.

Place in freezer containers. Let cool before placing in freezer, or you can just eat it right away. Oh, and no need for sugar, but if you like it sweet, add brown sugar after you get it all mashed and pureed up. 

FREEZING PEACHES

Wash peaches.
Blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds.
Remove them to an ice bath.
Rub skins off the peach.
Cut in half and remove pit.
Dip all sides into orange juice.
Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Put in freezer.  Once frozen solid, move to zip-lock bags.


Or if you desire to leave the skins on .  .  .  .  .
Wash peaches.

Cut in half. (leave skins on)

Remove pit.

Dip exposed flesh in orange juice.

Place on jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper, flesh side down.

Freeze until solid then put into zip-lock bags.

TO USE:

Remove from freezer, run under water and rub until skins come off.

FREEZING & DEHYDRATING PEARS

Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Cover the bottom of a second bowl with salt then fill with cold water.

Blanch pears in boiling water for 30 seconds.

Put into the bowl with ice and water.

Rub the skin off.

Half the pear and remove core & stem.

You can now leave them in halves, quarter or slice. Your preference.

Put in salt water once cut for at least 30 seconds. (I usually just leave them in there until all my pears have been prepped)

Rinse well with cold water.

TO FREEZE:

Put on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper.

Freeze until solid then move into zip-lock bags.

TO DEHYDRATE:

Put on dehydrating trays and follow instruction for temperature and time.

Store in zip-lock bags.

GOULASH

1 lb. ground beef

2 tsp minced garlic

½ large onion, diced

1 ½ cup beef broth

15oz can diced tomatoes

15oz can tomato sauce

½ TBL Italian seasoning (sub: ½ tsp basil & ¼ tsp thyme)

¼ TBL Adobe seasoning (sub: ½ tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chili powder & 1/8 tsp cumin)

¼ tsp black pepper

½ tsp seasoning salt (Johnny’s)

2 bay leaves

1. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain any fat. Add in garlic, broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce and all seasonings.

2. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add 1 cup uncooked macaroni. Stir well. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is done.

4. Stir in ½ cup cheddar.

5. Top with ½ cup mozzarella.

FREEZER MEAL:

Follow step 1 in the instructions, then put everything EXCEPT macaroni & cheeses into a freezer bag.

To make: Thaw, and follow steps 3-5.

APPLE PIE IN A BAG

6-7 apples peeled and sliced thin

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 C sugar

1/4 C flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp butter cut into chunks

1. Place butter chunks in freezer.

2. In a gallon freezer bag mix all ingredients except apples, butter and lemon juice and shake until combined.

3. Coat apples in lemon juice. Discard extra lemon juice.

4. Add apples to bag and shake to coat.

5. Add butter.

6. Remove air and lay flat and freeze.

TO USE:

Remove bag from freezer and lay on counter for about an hour to 45 minutes to defrost or in refrigerator overnight. Squish bag to mix well and dump into pie shell. Either cover with top crust or add a crumb topping.

CRUMB TOPPING:

¾ cup rolled oats

½ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

6 TBL butter

BAKE:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake with edges covered for 25 minutes. Uncover edges and return to oven for 20 minutes.

FREEZER APPLESAUCE

Makes 3 ½ - 4 cups (1 quart)

Doubles & Triples very good.

8 cups of washed, peeled & chopped & cored apples

2/3 c. water

2 TBL lemon juice or Fresh Fruit

CROCK POT INSTRUCTIONS

Fill 6 quart crock pot to the top with peeled, sliced and cored apples

Add 2/3 cup water, mixed with 2 TBL of lemon juice

Cook on low 4-5 hours, stirring about every 90 minutes. Once apples are falling apart, use stick blender to puree. Can add Brown sugar or cinnamon if desired.

STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS

Put everything into large pot. Cook on medium heat until soft enough to puree, about could be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending how soft your apples were to start. Puree up with stick blender, traditional blender or food processer.

Place in freezer containers. Let cool before placing in freezer, or you can just eat it right away. Oh, and no need for sugar, but if you like really sweet applesauce add 1/4 cup of brown sugar after you get it all mashed and pureed up. Can add ½-1 tsp. cinnamon also.

BEEFY SOUR CREAM NOODLE CASSEROLE

1-1/4 pound Ground Beef

1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce

3/4 t Salt

1/2 t freshly ground Black Pepper

1/4 t Seasoning Salt (I love Johnny's)

1/2 t Garlic Powder
1/4 t Dried Minced Onion

8 ounces Egg Noodles (1/2 of a package)

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1-1/4 cup small curd Cottage Cheese

1/4 t Dried Minced Onion

1/4 t Seasoning Salt
1/4 t Garlic Powder

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown ground beef until thoroughly cooked, drain fat from pan.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic powder & minced onion.

4. Simmer on low until ready to use in casserole.

5. Cook egg noodles according to just under al-dente according to  package directions, drain.

6. In large bowl stir to combine: sour cream, cottage cheese, minced onions, garlic powder, seasoning salt & pepper. Add in cooked egg noodles, stir together.

7. In greased 13x9 assemble in layers. 1st layer 1/2 of noodle mixture, followed by 1/2 of meat mixture, and then 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar. Repeat all layers.

8. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and heated through.

9. Serves 6

You can bake half now in an 8x8 pan and freeze half the meat mix, cheese, cream mix before you add noodles.

When ready to cook, prepare noodles, thaw frozen mixtures, assemble in an 8x8 and cook.

ENCHI-RITOS

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 can (150z) refried beans

1 ½ cups enchilada sauce

10 (6inch) tortillas or 6 (10inch) tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until beef is evenly browned and onion is tender. Add in the refried beans and ½ cup enchilada sauce.

2.Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13inch baking dish.

3.On each flour tortilla, place an equal portion of the ground beef mixture and about 1 ounce of Cheddar cheese, reserving at least 1/2 cup of cheese. Then tightly roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the baking dish.

4.Pour the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

5.Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is thoroughly melted.

You could serve with sliced olives and sour cream

THIS IS A GREAT FREEZER RECIPE. PUT ½ THE MEAT MIX, ½ THE SAUCE, ½ THE CHEESE & ½ THE TORTILLAS IN FREEZER BAGS. MARK AND FREEZE FOR FUTURE.

ULITMATE TWICE BAKED POTATO

4 large baking potatoes, washed and baked

8 sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup sour cream

½ cup milk

4 TBL butter

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup cheddar, divided

8 finely diced green onions – or – ½ tsp onion powder with 1 tsp. dried chives

Cut cooked potatoes in half length-wise.  Scoop out potatoes and save the skins. Mix the potato meat, sour cream, milk butter, salt pepper, cream cheese, ½ cup cheese and the onion with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon into potato skins. Top with remaining cheese and bacon. Bake 15 minutes.

Can make these up ahead of time without the cheese and bacon sprinkle on top. Pull straight from fridge and bake 30 minutes at 350. Add cheese and bacon and bake 5 more minutes.

Or -- Freeze the stuffed potato skins, with cheese & bacon on the side.  Thaw and bake according to the fridge directions.

OVERNIGHT HASHBROWN CASSEROLE

1 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled (or 12 oz. of diced ham)

6 eggs

4 cups shredded hash browns

2 cups cheddar

1.5 cups mozzarella or swiss

1.5 cups cottage cheese

1.5 TBL minced onion

Mix all together and bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

When I make this, I put half in a freezer bag after it is mixed.  Bake the half recipe in an 8x8 pan.

BREAKFAST BURRITOS

MAKES 10 BURRITOS

12 Eggs

½ cup sour cream

Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder to taste

1 lb. Canadian Bacon (could also do sausage) (for Tate use hot sausage & 4oz can diced jalapenos)

30-32oz Bag Frozen hash browns cooked to package directions & cooled*

2 Cups (8 oz) Cheddar Cheese, shredded

4 Green Onions, chopped (optional)

8-10 Flour Tortilla Shells (10-12” burrito size)

Tin Foil for wrapping

Optional for serving: Salsa and/or hot sauce

Mix eggs with sour cream. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Scramble them up.

Once eggs, sausage & hash browns are cooled, in a large bowl mix eggs, sausage, hash browns, green onions & cheese. Divide evenly into 10 tortillas. Roll & wrap. Tuck ends good!

For Camping: double layered foil. (throw over coals 10 minutes (5 on each side).

For Freezing: Saran Wrap. (heat from frozen, wrap in damp paper towel, microwave 2-3 minutes)

Half this recipe for taco size tortillas

Microwave 1.5-2 minutes

J-only wants egg & cheese in hers

K-wants it all.

*bake on a sheet pan @ 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

RESTAURANT QUALITY TOMATO SOUP (CROCK POT)

Makes 10 cups (8 cups soup base + 2 cups cream)

--3 lbs of vine-ripened tomatoes (or sub 2 28oz cans whole tomatoes)

--1 med onion, chopped (4 ounces)

--2 cups tomato juice

--1 cup apple juice (or sub cooking sherry)

--3 T granulated white sugar

--1 tsp chicken base or 1 chicken bouillon cube

--2 T chopped fresh basil

to add later:

--2 cups heavy cream

--salt (jonny’s ½ tsp)

--pepper (1 tsp)

optional:

sour cream and/or Parmesan cheese for garnish

The Directions:

Use a 5-6 quart crockpot for this soup.

Wash all of your tomatoes, and cut them in quarters. Nope, we're not going to peel the tomatoes, yay! To save your counter top from tomato gook, put your cutting board on a cookie sheet with sides. The juice will then stay inside the cookie sheet.

Put all the tomatoes, onion, tomato juice, apple juice, bouillon, sugar and basil in your crockpot. Stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

If you'd like your soup to have chunks, go ahead and stir in the cream. If you'd prefer a chunk-free soup, CAREFULLY use an immersible blender to soupify, or blend in small batches in a traditional blender. Then stir in the heavy cream.

I like to strain my soup as well to get rid of seeds and make it velvety smooth!

Freezer instructions: I blend and strain mine than freeze in ziplock freezer bags before adding cream. Then I just heat the soup base and add cream and eat.

BUFFALO CHICKEN BITES

3 cups cooked shredded chicken

¼ - ½ cup franks red hot

3.5 oz soft cream cheese

1 ¾ cup sharp cheddar

¼ cup chopped green onions

1 cup flour placed in shallow bowl

4 beaten eggs in shallow bowl

3-4 cups crushed cornflakes in shallow bowl

Combine chicken, cream cheese, franks, cheddar and onions.  Roll heaping tablespoon of mix into balls.  Place on baking sheet. (can freeze at this point or continue on)

Roll in flour, roll in egg, roll in cornflakes.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

CHEESEY STUFFED BACON MEATBALLS (FREEZER)

10 slices smoked bacon, cooked & crumbled

1 lb ground chuck

1 TBL Worcestershire

1 envelop onion soup mix

½ cup panko bread crumbs

1 TBL black pepper

1 TBL beef stock

1 string cheese cut into 14 equal pieces or 7 bocconicini balls cut in half

Mix all together except cheese.  Divide meat into 14 equal pieces and form a ball around cheese.  Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Put in crock pot with marinara sauce and cook on low 6-8 hours.  Serve over pasta or on rolls for meatball sandwiches.

 

to freeze:  just put uncooked meat balls on a cookie sheet.  Once frozen put in ziplock bag.  Thaw overnight then bake as directed.

COWBOY CASSEROLE

2 lbs. ground beef (I use 85/15)

1 medium onion, chopped (or 1/2 tsp onion powder)

3 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn, drained (can use beans, we like corn best)

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 bag (2lbs.) frozen tater tots (I like to use the flat ones, not the traditional tater tots)

Before I got ready to make this casserole, I let the tater tots sit on the counter to defrost for an hour or so. The original recipe used still frozen tater tots, but I felt they get more crunchy thawed.

In a large skillet cook the onion until tender and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the beef and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the mixture and place into a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the soup, milk and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add to hamburger mixture and stir to combine. Add corn and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Gently mix to combine.

WHEN MAKING A 9X13 PAN

Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the tater tots on the bottom, pour the hamburger mixture over the top and then layer with the other half of the tater tots. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and bake at 350 for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.

WHEN MAKING AN 8X8 PAN

Put half the ingredients in a freezer bag and then assemble the rest in an 8x8 baking dish and bake as above.