STUFF THE FREEZER CHICKEN RECIPE

Chicken's on sale at HEB. Time to stuff the freezer! Here's what's on the Menu:

Wine and Herb Chicken
Cheesy Taco Chicken
Lemon-Lime Spicy Chicken
Louisiana Chicken

Let's get started! You'll need to have on hand:

3 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. Orange juice frozen concentrate
2 T. fresh lemon juice
½ lemon, sliced thinly
¼ c. chopped onion
½ cup slice green bell pepper
¼ c. chopped celery
3 clove garlic, minced
4 T fresh parsley, minced
1 (14 oz.) canned whole tomatoes, chopped and undrained
1 (12 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes and chilies, chopped
1 (12 oz.) can Campbells Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Red wine vinegar
1½ tsp. Dried basil
3 T. Chili Powder
3 T. Paprika
1 tsp. Cayenne
¼ tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Thyme
1-1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp. Lemon pepper
1 tsp pepper
¼ tsp Tobasco sauce
1 c. white wine
6 lbs chicken pieces

**********************************
STEP 1:
Label 4 gallon-size freezer bags as follows:
Wine and Herb Chicken
Cheesy Taco Chicken
Lemon-Lime Spicy Chicken
Louisiana Chicken

STEP 2:
Set up the bags:
1. Set up the 4 gallon-size freezer bags so they are standing upright. It might help to set them in bowls.
2. Divide the chicken in to the 4 bags equally.

STEP 3:
Stuff the bags:
1. In the bag labeled, “Wine and Herb Chicken”, add the following, then seal:
1 cup white wine, 2 cloves minced garlic, ½ sliced lemon, 2 tbsp. Parsley, 1 tsp. Thyme, 1 tsp. Basil, ½ tsp. Salt, ¼ tsp. Pepper.

2. In the bag labeled, “Cheesy Taco Chicken”, add the following, then seal:
1 can Rotel, 1 can Cheese Soup, ¼ tsp. Cumin, 1 Tbsp. Chili powder, ½ Tbsp. Paprika.

3. In the bag labeled, “Lemon-Lime Spicy Chicken”, add the following, then seal:
2 tbsp. Olive oil, 2 tbsp. Fresh lime juice, 2 Tbsp. Frozen orange juice concentrate, 2 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. Chili powder, 1 Tbsp. Paprika, ½ tsp. Cayenne, ½ tsp. Pepper, ½ tsp. Lemon pepper, ½ tsp. Salt

4. In the bag labeled, “Louisiana Chicken”, add the following, then seal:
1 Tbsp. Olive oil, ¼ cup chopped onion, ½ sliced green pepper, ¼ cup chopped celery, 1 clove mined garlic, 1 can whole tomatoes (chopped), 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp. Red wine vinegar, ½ tsp. Dried basil, 2 Tbsp. Fresh parsley, ¼ tsp. Pepper, ¼ tsp. Tobasco sauce.

STEP 4:
Lay them all flat on a cookie sheet and stick it in them in the freezer!

STEP 5:
Add the 4 meals to your Menu Calendar.


STEP 6: COOK & EAT!!!
On cooking day, take out your frozen meal, thaw it, then stick in a crockpot on low for 6 – 8 hours. You can also bake in a casserole dish that you’ve sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until juices from chicken run clear.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: (Be sure to add these extras to your shopping list so you have everything you need on hand for serving day!)

Wine and Herb Chicken – fresh steamed green beans, wild rice mix
Cheesy Taco Chicken – chopped lettuce and tomatoes, tortillas, guacamole, beans
Lemon-Lime Spicy Chicken – white rice, steamed broccoli
Louisiana Chicken – Cajun rice (look for Zatarain’s or Tony Chachere’s mixes), green salad.

Menu Maker Mom’s MAKE-A-MENU Meals~

MAKIN’ YUMMIES. STUFFIN’ TUMMIES.

FABULOUS FRUGAL FRIDAY

Being Frugal is Fabulous! I always give a High Five to the Good Lord for leading me down this path. This path has led me to meet so many wonderful people with so many awesome ideas for making life easier and saving our hard-earned dollars. If you're just tuning in to this blog, please introduce yourself so I can add you to my list of friends!

That being said, I hope we can put our heads together and start sharing some tried-and-true frugal tips and ideas. Oh, what the heck... Let's share the NOT tried-and-true too! Feel free to post your comments with ideas and links!

************************************

Make-Your-Own Breadcrumbs

Why buy packaged breadcrumbs when you have the ingredients right there in your kitchen??? I always keep a stash of breadcrumbs in my freezer, and I NEVER buy breadcrumbs in the canister.

It's simple... When you have left over bread loaf heels, crackers, rolls, tortillas, hamburger or hotdog buns, biscuits, etc., just set them aside and let them dry a bit. Once they are dry, run them through the food processor or blender. Put the crumbs into a shallow baking pan (I use the bottom of the broiler pan) and lightly toast them by setting in a low oven (250) for about an hour.

Seasonings can be added as needed. I store the bread crumbs in a 1-gallon plastic ice cream container, but they could be kept in any freezer bag, a cleaned out coffee can, a jar, or some other plastic container.

So easy, so inexpensive, so waste-free.

Being Frugal is Fabulous!

Ground Beef's on Sale... MAKE-A-MENU HAMBURGER PLAN

Hi there, my Menu-Makin' Friends! If you've followed this blog long enough, you've learned that the best way to save money and plan your menu is to prepare and freeze a few recipes at a time, using common ingredients that are on sale. With that in mind, it’s time to fill the freezer with new Make-a-Menu Meals! As always, these are simple everyday-type meals that all your peeps will love. They will sing for joy when you serve MMM-Good Hamburgers, Italian meatballs, MMM’s Meatloaf, or Porcupine Eggs!

This week’s menu uses ground beef, which is on sale this week at HEB for $1.99/lb. Of course, if you’d like to fill your freezer with even more beef recipes for even more savings, be sure and click on the “Beef Plan” link on the left sidebar. This entire batch cooking session should cost you just about $20.00. That's only $5.00 per meal for a family of 4!!

Here’s a couple of quick reminders:
1. Don’t forget to add your recipes to your menu as soon as they go in the freezer!
2. Add any items that will complete your meal to your shopping list BEFORE your week starts. For example, on the week that you serve meatloaf, you might want to include green beans, mashed potatoes, and rolls. Be sure to add these items to BOTH your menu AND your shopping list. When you serve Italian Meatballs, you might need rolls if you are making meatball subs; or you might need spaghetti noodles if you are serving spaghetti and meatballs.
3. Check out my Make-a-Menu resources and instructions on the left sidebar if you need a refresher on how

Let’s get cookin’... Here's the lineup:
MMM-Good Hamburgers
Italian Meatballs
MMM's Meatloaf
Porcupine Eggs

**All recipes serve 4**
**********************************
INGREDIENTS

7 lb. Ground Beef
2 packets Onion Soup Mix
1 packet Beef Gravy Mix
4 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
½ c. Bread Crumbs (I keep a stash of make-your-own in my freezer)
½ c. White Rice
1 c. Onion, minced (about 1 medium onion)
2 tsp. Salt
1-3/4 tsp. Pepper
3 Eggs
32 oz. (2 cup) Spaghetti Sauce
15 oz. Can Beef Consommé
1 c. Water
½ tsp. Garlic Powder
¼ tsp. Garlic Salt
2 tsp. Basil, dried
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/3 c. ketchup
1/3 c. BBQ Sauce
2/3 c. Quick Oats

***************************************
Other Supplies:
2 Gallon Freezer Bags, 2 Quart Freezer Bags, Wax paper or Fold-over type sandwich bags, Aluminum Foil

***************************************
Step #1 - Make the MEATBALLS

Mix the following and form into 2” balls, then bake at 250 for 20-30 minutes. Cool and freeze in a gallon-size freezer bag.
2 pounds ground beef
½ cup onion
¼ tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Garlic salt
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Egg
**Reserve 24-ounce can Spaghetti sauce OR 1-1/2 to 2 cups homemade spaghetti sauce for serving day

To serve, thaw in the refrigerator then cover with one 24-ounce can spaghetti sauce (or 1-1/2 to 2 cups homemade) and simmer. See "Serving Ideas" at the end of this article.

***************************************
Step #2 - Make the MMM-GOOD HAMBURGER PATTIES

Mix 2 pounds ground beef with 1 packet onion soup mix, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and ½ cup bread crumbs. Form into 8-10 patties. Place patties into fold-over type sandwich bags or separate by wax paper or foil. Freeze in a gallon-size freezer bag.

To serve, thaw first, then grill, broil, or pan fry. Serve on hamburger buns with all the fixin's and fries or corn on the cob, or with onions and gravy and mashed potatoes. MMM-Good!

****************************************
Step #3 - Make the PORCUPINE EGGS

In a large bowl, mix the following and form into 8 balls. Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray and fry the meatballs, or bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool, place into a quart-size freezer bag. Freeze.

1 pound ground beef
½ cup rice
½ cup minced onion
1 tsp. Salt; ½ tsp pepper
1 egg
½ cup spaghetti sauce (freeze the other ½ cup until the day you serve this)

To serve, thaw the meatballs. Place in a casserole dish or crockpot. Add ½ cup spaghetti sauce, 1 15-ounce can of beef consommé, 1 cup water, and 1 packet beef gravy mix. Bake 40 minutes at 350 or cook 4 hours on low in the crockpot.

*****************************************
Step #4 - Make MMM’S MEATLOAF

In a large bowl, mix the following ingredients. Dump the whole mess into an aluminum foil lined loaf pan and press down into a loaf-shape. Freeze until almost hard. Remove from the pan, wrap with more foil, and freeze in a gallon-size freezer bag.

2 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 packet onion soup mix
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup bbq sauce
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup quick oats
1 tsp. Pepper

To serve, thaw in the fridge. Place back in the loaf pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

********************************
Serving Ideas:

1. Italian Meatballs are great in soups and stews. They can be used on sub sandwiches and of course, served with spaghetti sauce and spaghetti noodles. They are also superb when sliced in half and placed on homemade pizza!
2. MMM's Meatloaf leftovers make great panini sandwiches!! Leftovers can be crumbled and served over egg noodles for a great dinner too!
3. MMM-Good Hamburgers can be served on buns with all the fixins' along with french fries or corn on the cob (ON SALE THIS WEEK AT HEB), or they can be pan fried and smothered with onions, mushrooms, and gravy then served with a side order of mashed potatoes with peas and carrots.
4. Serve the Porcupine Eggs over a small portion of rice, along with steamed green beans (I love the steamer packs. Check out this coupon and pick some up this week!)

********************************

MMM GOOD!!!

MENU PLAN MONDAY

Hi Friends! I'm so sorry to have been away for so long, but my family has been enjoying Spring Break. We loaded up the kids in the RV and took off for the lake. We had a great time doing a whole lot of nothing! Getting back to work was hard. I just love Spring Break! But all good things have both a beginning and an ending, and now I'm back at work... Sigh....

Have many of you heard of BeCentsAble? Be CentsAble is a company I work with in terms of sharing the awesome savings that the humble little coupon can provide. Be CentsAble also is a great place to visit to find the latest deals at your local grocery stores. Over the last 4 weeks, I've been writing a series on the Menu Maker Mom Make-A-Menu System. Stop by here to read what I've been writing! (And don't forget to visit the Grocery Gathering, where you can find the latest deals and printable coupons!)

With all the hustle and bustle of work, blogging, sports, kids, and animals, I always thank God for my Menu!!!! Here's what we're eating at my house this week:

Monday:
Pork Tacos (country pork ribs baked with paprika, chili powder, onion, garlic, cumin, seasoned salt, pepper, tomatoes; then shredded and used to fill corn tortillas along with lettuce, tomato, and avacado.... YUMMM!!), Spanish Rice, Salad, Strawberry Shortcake for dessert

Tuesday:
Orange Sticky Chicken (CROCKPOT - recipe to follow), Steamed Green Beans, Buttery Rice

Wednesday:
Frijoles (beans - CROCKPOT) and Texas Cornbread, ice cream for dessert

Thursday:
Salisbury Steaks (from the freezer!), Cheesy Potatoes (recipe to follow), English Peas

Friday:
Go out to dinner - Fried catfish & all the fixin's

Saturday:
Little League Opening Day - Hot Dogs, Fries, Carrot Chips

Sunday:
Carnitas (recipe to follow!), Refried Beans, Fideo (recipe to follow), Salad
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STAY TUNED FOR THE FOLLOWING RECIPES:
Orange Sticky Chicken (crockpot)
Cheesy Potatoes (stuff the freezer with bargain priced potatoes!)
Pork Carnitas
Fideo

CORN and SAUSAGE CHOWDER :: YUMMY ON A COLD DAY!!

This Corn and Sausage Chowder will warm you up on a cold day! It's savory, yet fresh and will fill up hungry tummies for just a few pennies! You can pick up the sausage and canned creamed corn on sale at Super S this week. See my Super S Deals listing for more info on how you can save! After you get your groceries, don't forget to add this dish to your Make-A-Menu Calendar.

1 16-oz. package smoked sausage

2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 small onion, grated

2-3 celery ribs, chopped finely

1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

salt and pepper to taste

1 15-oz. can cream-style corn

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp. olive oil

shredded cheese for garnish

1. Slice sausage thinly and fry in a large saucepan. Remove sausage to a paper-towel lined plate or bowl.

2. Heat olive oil, then saute potatoes, grated onion, and diced celery. Add water or chicken broth, the cooked sausage, salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are soft.

3. Add can of cream corn and 1 cup milk. Cook until heated through.

4. Serve and garnish with shredded cheese.

5. Finish a bowl, then rub your belly. Mmm, mmm, mmm!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Bargain Meal of the Week using HEB sale items. You'll love my newest dump-in-a-freezer bag recipes:

Parsely Parmesan Chix

Grilled Herbalicious Chix

Orange Sticky Chix

(By the way, I'm a lazy typist, so my new word for "chicken" is "chix". I love it!)

WATCH ME ON TV TOMORROW MORNING!

Hi friends,

Tomorrow's a big day for Menu Maker Mom... It's my official television debut!! Here's your invitation to see li'l ole me, yours truly, Menu Maker Mom, on TV! I'll be talking about coupons (our favorite subject, huh??) on the San Antonio Living news program. Here's the details:

Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Channel: WOAI, Channel 4

Please tune in!!!

BARGAIN MEAL OF THE WEEK!

On Sale at HEB this week: Pork for Carnitas at $1.49/lb. I can't wait to make Carnitas and serve on Homemade Tortillas!

2 lb. Pork for Carnitas, cut in cubes - $3.00 (or use pork butt, shoulder roast, country pork ribs, etc.)
3 garlic cloaves, peeled and mashed
3/4 cup orange juice - .25
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano, dried
1 tsp chili powder
~~~~~~~~~~~
1 avacado - $1.00
2 tomatoes - .50
Shredded lettuce for tacos - $1.00
Picante sauce to taste
Homemade tortillas (storebought will do too! If you use storebought, try using corn!)

STEP #1: Dump the pork, garlic, orange juice, water, salt, pepper, oregano, and chili powder in the crockpot. Cook on low at least 7 hours.

STEP #2: Drain the pork, put into a shallow pan, sprinkle with a little of the broth, and bake at 350 until browned and crispy on edges.

STEP #3: Spoon pork into tortillas, top with chopped avacado, lettuce, tomatoes, and picante sauce.

This is so good, it will make you cry. Yes, I said you will cry.

BARGAIN MEAL OF THE WEEK!

Guess what's on sale this week? CATFISH! Just in time for lenten "fish on Friday" meals! Head out to Super S to pick up the following ingredients so that you can put fish on your menu for the next 2 weeks!

These recipes don't get prepped and put in the freezer this time. You'll have to actually cook them on the day you serve them. That's okay! You'll love the results and nothing is complicated!

Some ingredients have prices that I've actually researched, and some are best-that-I-can-do estimates. (It's hard to estimate the cost of a 1/2 tsp. of pepper!)

Here's our lineup of meals: Cajun Fried Catfish PoBoys and Southwestern Fish Tacos. (kids might not go for the last recipe, so have some fish sticks on hand for them!)

For 4 servings at each meal, make sure you have the following on hand:

2 lbs. Catfish ($1.27/lb. at Super S)

2 tsp. Cajun or Creole Seasoning (.99/ea for Zatarain's 8 oz. at Super S)

2 tsp. seasoned salt (.99 at Dollar General)

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (.10)

2 tbsp. milk (.20)

Olive oil for pan frying + 1/3 cup (.50)

4 Kaiser rolls ($1.50)

Sliced pickles (.20)

Lettuce (.50)

4 tomato ($1.00)

4 tbsp. tartar sauce (.80)

1/4 c. cider vinegar (.20)

1/4 c. vegetable (canola) oil + 4 tbsp. (.20)

cooking spray

1/4 head green cabbage ($1.00) (save the rest for next set of recipes!)

5 tbsp. lime juice (.50)

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (.10)

1 avacado, peeled and pit removed ($1.00)

1 clove garlic (.10)

3 tbsp. chopped cilantro (.50)

1/4 red onion, finely chopped (.30)

8 tortillas (1.20)

SHOPPING DAY:

When you get home from the grocery store, separate the 2 lbs. of catfish into 2 freezer bags. Seal well. Freeze. Add both meals to your MENU.

COOKING DAY #1 - Southwestern Fish Tacos:

1) Shred 1/4 head of cabbage. Put into a large bowl and mix together the cabbage, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. seasoned salt. Refrigerate.

2) Chop jalapeno. Chop 1 pound of fish into 2 x 2 cubes. Place fish in a bowl. Top with mixture of 3 tbsp. lime juice and half the chopped jalepeno, seasoned salt, and 1/3 cup olive oil.

3) In a food processor or blender, combine the avacado, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 chopped jalepeno, 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, 2 tbsp. lime juice, 2 tbsp. canola oil, and 1/4 cup water. Put in a serving bowl and chill.

4) Chop 1-1/2 tomatoes and put in a serving bowl.

5) Drain fish. Heat a skillet over medium-high. Cook fish, stirring often, until done. Transfer to a serving bowl.

6) Heat tortillas.

7) To eat, place spoonfuls of fish down center of a tortilla. Sprinkle with onion, tomatoes, cilantro, cabbage, and avacado sauce. YUMMM!!!!

COOKING DAY #2 - Cajun Fried Catfish PoBoys:

1) Slice 1 pound catfish into 2-1/2" strips. Place pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. milk and allow to set for 15 minutes.

2) In a flat casserole dish, mix together 1/4 cup cornmeal, 2 tsp. cajun seasoning, 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper.

3) Dredge catfish pieces in the cornmeal mix.

4) Heat a skillet over med-high. Add some olive oil (enough to pan fry). Pan fry fish until done, about 3 minutes per side.

5) Toast 4 kaiser rolls. Slice 1 tomato, a few red onion slices, and some lettuce.

6) Coat toasted sides of Kaiser rolls with tartar sauce. Sandwich fried fish, pickle slices, tomato slices, red onion slices, and lettuce between the top and bottom buns. YUMMM!!!

(Great served with potato chips, onion rings, or fries!)

MENU PLAN MONDAY

Monday: Chili with cornbread.
Tuesday: Salisbury Steak with gravy and egg noodles, boiled English peas
Wednesday: Grilled sausage, pan-fried potatoes with green beans
Thursday: Chicken-stuffed shells, salad
Friday: Mama's Mac-n-Cheese, salad
Saturday: Pizza at the local pizza joint! (Youth Group Night)
Sunday: BBQ Ribs, baked potatoes with all the fixin's, garden salad

MENU PLAN MONDAY

It was a fun and busy weekend for our family. We headed out to the San Antonio Rodeo! We enjoyed festival food (gorditas, fajita tacos, funnel cake, foot-long corndogs, pizza, and general JUNK FOOD!), riding rides at the carnival, shopping in the marketplace, checking out the steers, horses and goats, and watching the buckin' broncos and bull riders! The evening ended with a concert by Alan Jackson! What an awesome evening!

When I have time, I'll put some pics on this blog!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's the menu for the week. I'm just posting dinners this time:

Monday: Almost Famous Chicken Patties (we didn't get around to making them last week), mashed potatoes, green peas, tea, and devils food cupcakes (thanks Grandma!)

Tuesday: Smorgasborg Night! (Eat up the leftovers!)

Wednesday: Tex Mex Chalupas, fruit salad, lemonade

Thursday: Grilled Chicken Kabobs, Salad, Baked potatoes, iced tea

Friday: Grilled Hamburgers with the works, potato chips, soda

Saturday: Valentine dinner at a restaraunt!

For more menu ideas, go to Menu Plan Monday!

PAY IT FORWARD, MAMA!

I have been tagged with a gift from my good friend Deanna. This is awesome! She sent me a text the other day saying that she had a surprise for me. Seems that she had received an awesome coupon for Dave Ramsey products and decided to PAY IT FORWARD. Look what showed up today:

Whoo Hoo!!!!

Also, a huge thanks goes out to 2 people. First off there's Lisa who sent me a message saying how much money she is saving now that she is being strategic with her coupons and POWER SHOPPING! (I am so proud of you, LISA!!) She also sent this nice little coupon for Scotch Brite Nail Saver Scrubbers by the 3M company. I didn't realize that 3M is located in Del Rio, Texas. Cool! Here's the link:

Scotch Brite Ultra Nail Saver

The next person I'm so grateful to have met is Barbara. Barbara emailed me requesting information about upcoming Power Shopping workshops. She also told me her story. You see, Barbara became suddenly single, with 3 wonderful children to raise, a couple of years ago. As money got tighter and tighter, she discovered coupons. Because of the help of others and the savings she found with couponing, she was able to SAVE HER HOME! She is now an AWESOME Power Shopper and is PAYING IT FORWARD by helping her coworkers and friends. Barbara is super busy, but still found it in her heart to offer to help ME, a total stranger, with my endeavors. She's got a huge heart.

These little scraps of paper... They mean so much more than $.45/1.

They really are Fishes and Loaves!

MAKE-A-MENU END-OF-MONTH TASKS

"Like sands through the hourglass.... Those were the days of our lives..." As I think about how fast the month flew by, this phrase comes to mind!
***********************************************
It's time to close out the month in the kitchen. Here's your end-of-month task list:

1. File your old menu away in your Make-a-Menu Binder, or at least make a couple of notes regarding what worked or didn't work before you throw it in the trash.

2. Place your new menu in the special place just for menus. Mine is on the fridge.

3. Take note of frozen meals, meats, cheeses, etc. that are in your freezer.

4. Inventory your pantry for supplies that you'll need this month. Are you running low on flour, sugar, coffee, etc? How about canned tomatoes, canned soup, etc? Do you have a surplus of any items that need to be used in recipes? Taking inventory now will save you money down the road.
5. Inventory your supply of foil, wax paper, ziplock bags, etc.

6. Don't forget to take a look at your paper products as well. How are you doing on paper towels, napkins, and toilet paper?
*****************************************************
Inventory notes:

I keep a check-off form type of grocery list on my fridge. As I inventory, I mark on the list the items that I will need.

If I find I have a good supply of any particular item in my freezer, fridge, or pantry, I make a note of it in my Make-a-Menu Binder. I'll use this list when planning my menu.
****************************************************
Have a great week!!
~Menu Maker MOm

MAKE-A-MENU :: Meatballs, Lasagna, Chili, Salisbury Steak, and Hamburgers

Hamburger is on sale for $1.99/lb this week at HEB. Stock up on enough to make these five recipes and you will fill your freezer on the cheap. You'll end up with 7 meals to add to your menu calendar! Three of them are even crock pot meals!

Here's the lineup:

Italian Meatballs, serve w/ spaghetti and marinara (you'll make 2 meals worth of meatballs)
No-Cook Lasagna (9 x 13 pan)
Salisbury Steak (8-10 patties make you 2 meals)
Chili - use the McCormick Chili Mix on sale this week at HEB
4-5 Hamburger patties for the grill

***************************************
Ingredients:

2-1/4 cup water
1-1/2 cup bread crumbs (+ ext if you put it in your burgers)
1/8 cup salt
2 pkgs brown gravy mix
12 ounce monzerella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan romano cheese, grated
15-oz. ricotta cheese
1/8 cup worcestershire sauce
3 eggs
7 pounds ground beef
1 can pinto or red beans, or 2 cups cooked beans
1/2 pound italian sausage, fried (optional)
12 lasagna noodles
8 cups spaghetti sauce (or 3 jars)
32 ounces spaghetti
1 onion
1 packet Onion Soup Mix
1/8 cup each: Basil, garlic powder, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, pepper
1/4 cup parsley, dried
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pkg. Chili Mix
WINE - for the cook... hee, hee!!

********************************************
Other Supplies:

Gallon Freezer Bags - 2
Pint Freezer Bags - 2
Quart Freezer Bags - 3
Wax paper

********************************************
STEP #1:

1. Brown 2 pounds ground beef with 1 cup finely chopped onion. (You can grate onion finely. The little ones won't know it's there!)

2. Fry the Italian sausage.

3. Label pint-size freezer bag with "lasagna". Measure half the browned ground beef and put it in the bag, along with the Italian sausage. Freeze. Write "Lasagna" on your calendar.

4. Label pint-size freezer bag with "chili". Put the other half of browned ground beef in the bag. Freeze. Write "Chili" on your menu calendar.

5. Use 1 to 1-1/2 pounds ground beef to make 4 or 5 hamburger patties, using your favorite spices. (Adding breadcrumbs or ground crackers stretches the amount of beef!) Label a quart-size freezer bag "hamburger patties". Stack the hamburger patties, separating each with wax paper, then stick inside the bag. Freeze. Write "hamburgers" on your menu calendar.

***************************************************
STEP #2

1. Label 2 quart-size freezer bags "Italian Meatballs".

2. Heat oven to 350f.

3. In a large bowl, mix 2 pounds ground beef, 1/2 cup chopped onion (grate for picky eaters!), 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic salt, 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. basil, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, and 1 egg. Form the mix into 24 meatballs.

4. Put meatballs onto a broiler pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool

5. Put 12 meatballs into each freezer bag. Freeze. Write "Spaghetti" on two days of your menu calendar.

****************************************************
STEP #3

1. Label 2 gallon-size freezer bags "Salisbury Steak"

2. In a large bowl, combine 2 pounds ground beef, 1 packet onion soup mix, 1-1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 2/3 cup water.

3. Form into 8-10 meatballs, then flatten into oval patties. Brown in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook until juices run clear.

4. Cool. Put 4-5 patties in each freezer bag. Freeze. Add "Salisbury Steak" to two days on your menu calendar.

******************************************************

SERVING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Chili: Thaw bag of meat. Put into the crockpot along with the chili mix, the packet's required amount of water, and a can of beans. Serve with Cornbread or crackers, and grated cheddar cheese.

2. Hamburgers: Have all the fixin's ready (buns, mustard, mayo, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickle, etc.) Thaw burgers. Cook on the grill, in the skillet, or under the broiler. Serve with chips, fries, or tater tots!

3. Lasagna: Thaw bag of meat. Gather all your ingredients (you should have put these into your Make-a-Menu Box at the beginning of the week!). In a saucepan, combine meat with 2 cups spaghetti sauce, and 1-1/2 cups water. Simmer 10 minutes.
......In a medium size bowl, make the cheese filling by combining 15 ounce ricotta, 3 eggs, 12 ounce mozzerella cheese, 1/2 cup grated parmesan romano cheese, 1/4 cup dried parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
......Get out your package of lasagna noodles and a 9 x 13 pan. Heat the oven to 350f.
.....Layer as follows:
1 cup meat sauce
3-4 pieces uncooked noodles
1 cup meat sauce
1/2 cheese filling
3-4 uncooked noodles
1 cup meat sauce
remaining 1/2 cheese filling
3-4 uncooked noodles
remaining sauce.
.....Cover with foil and bake 55-60 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

4. Salisbury Patties: Thaw patties. Prepare 2 packets gravy mix. Add thawed patties and cook till hot. Great over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.

5. Spaghetti: Thaw meatballs. Put 3 cups spaghetti sauce in crock pot. Add meatballs. Simmer all day. Boil 16 ounces spaghetti noodles until al dente. Serve topped with meatball sauce. MMMMM!!

COUPON LOVE - LET ME SHARE THE JOY!

Ever wonder how those "coupon queens" do it? Are you just starting out with coupons, but overwhelmed by the idea of countless hours spent clipping and organizing little scraps of paper? Then you're ready to attend my upcoming Power Shopping Workshops!

I've teamed up with the folks at Be Centsable to offer you these awesome workshops. When you attend a workshop, I'll show you how to organize your stash of coupons and how to develop a strategy for Power Shopping. You'll leave the workshop ready to attack those grocery prices and SAVE!

Stay tuned as this story develops and I post times and locations for workshops. If you would like a class in your area, then email me! I will travel to San Antonio and surrounding areas, Austin, and Corpus Christi. We can work together to get something set up.

P.S. Check out ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, for a quick peek into what Be Centsable is doing to help families!

See you soon at a workshop!

~Menu Maker Mom

POTATO CHOWDER WITH KIOLBASSA

This is the most awesome, filling potato chowder. My daughter absolutely loves this on a cool day, and she's been asking for it for a while now. I lucked into a really good deal on potatoes, so here comes potato soup!

You don't have to add the kiolbassa if you don't have it or don't care for it. My family loves the taste of the sausage with the potatoes. If you don't have sausage on hand, fry up a little bit of bacon and serve it as a garnish with a small bit of shredded cheese.

This is great in the crockpot. Mine is a large 6-quart one.

6 cups peeled, diced potatoes
2 links kiolbassa, boiled and sliced
5 cups water
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 teaspoons low-salt chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
12 oz can evaporated milk
8 oz. shredded cheese

1. Combine all the ingredients except the milk and cheese in slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on High until vegetables are tender. Just remember that new crockpots cook faster and hotter. I can burn things easily if I don't watch it! You will cook this on low around 4 or 5 hours.
3. Stir in milk and cheese, melting, before serving.

If you have bits of leftover carrots, broccoli, celery, corn, etc., you can add them the chowder.

MMMM, MMMMM-MMMMM-MMMMM GOOD!!