Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

Ingredients

Spicy Chipotle Mayo

• 3 1/2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon chopped Chipotle Chile in Adobo Sauce

Black Bean Burgers

• 1 (15-ounce) can Reduced-Sodium Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1⁄2 Red Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1⁄2 cup roughly chopped Scallions
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 1⁄2 cup Quick-Cooking Oats
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce, such as Frank’s
• 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1⁄4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Cooking Spray or Oil Mister
• 4 Whole Wheat Potato Rolls (approx. 90 calories each)

Additional Toppings

• 1 medium (4 ounces) Hass Avocado, thinly sliced

Directions

For the spicy chipotle mayo: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and chipotle. Set aside.

For the black bean burgers: Dry the beans well after rinsing (any extra moisture will keep the burgers from holding together well). Put the beans in a medium bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher until thick and pasty.

In a food processor, combine the bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, and garlic and pulse until finely chopped. Add the oats, egg, hot sauce, cumin, and salt and pulse a few times, until mixed well. Fold the mixture into the mashed beans. Form the mixture into 4 patties (using slightly oiled or wet hands helps) and put them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. (If the mixture is too wet, refrigerate it for 30 minutes or add another tablespoon of oats.)

Freeze for at least 2 hours before cooking.

To cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly spray the skillet with oil and cook the frozen burgers until browned, about 7 minutes per side. (Alternatively, preheat a grill to medium, lightly spray a sheet of foil with oil, put the burgers on the foil,and grill until browned, 7 to 8 minutes per side.)

To serve, place the burgers on the buns, and top with the spicy chipotle mayo and avocado slices.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 burger (includes bun + 1 tablespoon Spicy Chipotle Mayo)

Per serving: Calories: 347; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 49mg; Sodium: 546mg; Total Carbohydrate: 48g; Dietary Fiber: 17g; Sugars: 6g; Protein: 18g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 549mg; Vitamin A: 8%; Vitamin C: 17%; Calcium 14%; Iron: 29%

Quick and Easy Taco Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 15 oz. can pinto beans
• 15 oz can kidney beans
• 15oz can black beans
• 2 -15oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 - 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 packets taco seasoning
• 1 16oz bag frozen corn
• 1 cup diced onion
• sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1.       Brown ground beef; set aside.
2.       Drain & rinse pinto, kidney, & black beans; pour into pot large bowl (if freezing) or large pot (if cooking immediately).
3.       Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, & water to beans; mix well.
4.       Add taco seasoning; mix well.
5.       Add corn and onion; mix well.
6.       Add beef; mix well.
7.       If freezing, divide mixture into 2 labeled gallon size freezer bags and freeze.

8.    To cook: Thaw if frozen; cook in crockpot on high for 2-3 hours or bring to a boil on stove then reduce heat & simmer for 20 minutes until cooked.

Chicken Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1- 12 oz box of stuffed shells
1-tablespoon of vegetable oil
1-onion, chopped
4-skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped into small pieces or shredded 
2-boxes of Stuffing, any flavor
1-cup mayonnaise
2-10 3/4 oz can of condensed cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring large pot of water to boil to cook shells. Cook according to package directions; drain. Set aside. 


In the meantime, in a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken breast pieces and stir-fry until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. 


Prepare stuffing according to package directions. In a large bowl, mix prepared stuffing with cooked chicken and onion mixture. Stir in mayonnaise. Use a large spoon to generously fill the cooked pasta shells with the stuffing mixture. 

After stuffing the individual shells, arrange them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, and freeze. Store the frozen stuffed shells in a resealable freezer bag.

To serves arrange stuffed shells in two lightly greased 9-by-13-inch baking pans. In a bowl, combine cream of chicken soup with 2 soup cans of water. Pour the mixture over the shells. Cover the pans with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes until heated through and bubbly.

Crock Pot Sausage and Bean

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

1 pound Sausage, thinly sliced 
1 Onion, chopped 

1 cup Celery, chopped
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 
1.5 tsp Dry mustard 
1/4 cup Honey 
1-10oz Can Tomatoes with Chili Peppers 
1-16oz can Butter Beans, rinsed and drained 
1-16oz can Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained 
1-16oz can Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained 

In a large skillet brown sausage, allow to cool. Place sausage in a freezer with onion, celery, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and honey. Freeze. 

 

To serve: thaw contents of bag and place in a slow cooker. Add tomatoes, butter beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans and stir. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-4 hours. 

Serve over rice with shredded cheese.

Crockpot Cheese Tortellini

Ingredients:

1 small bag of fresh spinach

2-14.5 oz cans of Italian style diced tomatoes, drained

8 oz cream cheese, diced

1 pound ground sausage or chicken/turkey sausage

4 cups chicken broth

1- 19 oz bag of frozen cheese tortellini

1. Brown the sausage and put the first five ingredients in crockpot or bowl and stir. 

*If freezing, put the sausage mixture in a freezer bag and freeze. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.*

2. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

3. Add the tortellini during the last 30 minutes of cooking. 

4. Enjoy! 

Hawaiian Chicken, Thai Peanut Chicken, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Philly Cheesesteak

Hawaiian Chicken

IN THE BAG:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices, drained and juice
green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
Juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.

TO COOK: Let defrost completely in the fridge (24 hours). Add 1/2  cup of water (or stock) and the contents of the bag to the crockpot. Then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Ten minutes before serving, add cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

TO SERVE- Serve over  brown or  white rice. Optional: serve with fresh pineapple or another canned of sliced pineapple to give it some crunch. 

Thai Peanut Chicken

IN THE BAG:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red pepper, diced
1 white onion, chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon cumin. 

TO COOK:  Let defrost completely in the fridge (24 hours). Add 1/2  cup stock and the contents of the bag to the crockpot. Then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

 TO SERVE: Serve over brown or white rice or thai noodles. Serve with red thai peppers (optional for some spice!)  crushed peanuts  and fresh cilantro.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

IN THE BAG:
4 chicken breasts
1 medium yellow onion
1 can water chestnuts
1 carrot
1.5 cups mushrooms
2 cloves garlic- all veggies diced
4 TBS soy sauce.
3 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS rice vinegar

TO COOK: Let defrost completely in the fridge (24 hours). Add contents of the bag to the crockpot. Then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. (mine didn’t need any extra liquid, but if you feel it needs it- add 1/2 cup stock)

TO SERVE: Serve with white rice in lettuce leaves.  Garnish with any combination of the following toppings: toasted ramen or can of rice noodles, special dipping sauce (recipe in the original recipe above) , green onions, crushed peanuts, sriracha, soy sauce.

Philly Cheesesteak

IN THE BAG:
2 pounds steak
chopped mushrooms
green peppers
onions
parsley and cheese

TO COOK: . Let defrost completely in the fridge (24 hours). Add contents of the  bag to the crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours or until steak is cooked through, but still slightly pink.

TO SERVE: Right before eating, remove the steak and slice thin. Place steak on rolls, and pour the cheese and veggies over the meat.  Tip: add an extra slice of provolone cheese to each sandwich and melt slightly in the oven to make it extra tasty.

There you have it! A new set of freezer meals that everyone will love! Also, for your convenience, here is a handy dandy shopping list that combines all the ingredients from these four recipes into one list! Please note that the shopping list includes all the ingredients for one of each recipe.  If you would like to double or triple the recipes to make 8 or even 12 meals, please adjust the list accordingly. 

TEXAS CHOWDER, Chicken Cacciatore, Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, Honey Rosemary Chicken

TEXAS CHOWDER (triple or quadruple this recipe, prep it first and cook it while you prep the rest of the meals)

INGREDIENTS
1 Chicken breast, cooked and diced
3 cups chicken stock
4 Yukon Gold potatoes
2-3 strips bacon
½ stick of butter
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
½ cup flour
3 cups frozen yellow corn
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS In a large pot, bring stock to a boil. Place the whole chicken breast in the stock and boil until cooked. Remove from pot and reserve the stock.

Peel potatoes and boil in a separate pot until almost finished. Cut into large chunks. Set aside.

Dice the celery, carrots and onions.
In a large skillet, cook 2-3 strips bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. Drain most of the bacon fat from the skillet, but keep 2-3 Tablespoons. Melt the butter in the same skillet. Over medium heat, sauté the carrots and celery until almost tender. Add the onion and the garlic and keep sautéing until tender. Add the flour and stir until lightly browned.

Add the corn to the stock and bring to a boil. Mix in the vegetable mixture, the chicken and the bacon. Keep simmering for roughly 20 minutes. Near the end, add the milk and the potatoes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Can freeze once cool.

Chicken Cacciatore

IN THE BAG-
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 chopped zucchini
1 chopped green pepper, 1 chopped onion.

TO COOK- Thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

TO SERVE- Garnish with parmesan cheese, serve with noodles.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

IN THE BAG-
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bag frozen broccoli
2 jars light alfredo sauce
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained.

TO COOK- Thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

TO SERVE- Serve over cooked alfredo noodles (perhaps with a side of broccoli?).

Honey Rosemary Chicken

IN THE BAG-
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1/3 c honey
1/3 c olive oil
3 T chopped fresh rosemary
1 t salt.

Let marinate for several hours in the refrigerator before freezing.

TO COOK- Let defrost completely in the fridge (24 hours). Add 1 cup of water and the contents of the bag to the crockpot. Then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Ten minutes before serving, add cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

TO SERVE- Serve over couscous (or rice). Be generous with the sauce as you ladle- it’s fabulous.

And, of course, to make this little adventure a little easier, the shopping list for these freezer crockpot recipes is ready for you (the shopping list provides enough for one batch of each recipe- to make more meals at once, multiply accordingly). Enjoy!

Santa Fe Chicken

IN THE BAG-
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 chopped red pepper
½  onion, chopped
1/2 t cumin
2 T cilantro (optional).

TO COOK- Add the contents of the bag plus 1 can of black beans, 1 can of corn and 1 medium sized jar of salsa to a crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on high for 6-8 hours.

TO SERVE- Serve over rice.

Lime Salsa Chicken

IN THE BAG-
Juice from one lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
One 1.25-oz. package taco seasoning
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (optional)
3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 chopped red pepper
1/2 onion, chopped

TO COOK- In a slow cooker, mix together the contents of the bag and one 24-ounce jar of salsa (I used mango salsa, but use whatever kind of salsa you like). Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

TO SERVE- Serve in corn tortillas with rice.

Coconut Curry Chicken

IN THE BAG-
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 lbs. of chopped butternut squash
2 medium onions,chopped
8 minced garlic cloves
1 oz fresh ginger
2 T curry powder
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
coarse salt

TO COOK- Add the contents of the bag and a can of coconut milk to a slow cooker and cook on low all day. 25 minutes before serving, add another can of coconut milk and a bag of frozen peas.

TO SERVE- Garnish with chopped cashews and cilantro (except if you’re us and you hate cilantro- then just garnish with cashews).

Honey Rosemary Chicken

IN THE BAG- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces, 1/3 c balsamic vinegar, 1/3 c honey, 1/3 c olive oil, 3 T chopped fresh rosemary, 1 t salt. Let marinate for several hours in the refrigerator before freezing.

TO COOK- Let defrost completely in the fridge. Add 1 cup of water and the contents of the bag to the crockpot. Then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Ten minutes before serving, add cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

TO SERVE- Serve over couscous (or rice). Be generous with the sauce as you ladle- it’s fabulous.

Pineapple Pork, Teriyaki Honey Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Beef Broccoli

Prep these Freezer Meals Together - see shopping list below.

Pineapple Pork 

IN THE BAG- 1.5 lbs cubed Pork Loin or Tenderloin,1/2 cup apple juice, 1/2 a red pepper, chopped, 1/2 onion, chopped, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar,1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, 3 Tablespoons corn starch. Mix well and freeze.
TO COOK- Thaw in the fridge. Place in slow cooker. Add one 20 oz can of crushed pineapple. Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or LOW 7-9 hours.

TO SERVE- Serve with rice or couscous.

Teriyaki Honey ChickenIN THE BAG- Place 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs), 1/2 of a red pepper, chopped, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 2 t ground ginger, 2 t minced garlic in a gallon bag.

TO COOK- Thaw. Bake at 350ºF covered 20-30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes longer, or until juices run clear.

TO SERVE- Serve with rice and vegetables.

Lemon Chicken IN THE BAG- Add 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 5 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 sliced lemon, 1 teaspoon parsley to a gallon sized freezer bag.

TO COOK- Place in crock pot, remove the lemon rinds and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

TO SERVE- Pair with rice, quinoa or potatoes.

Beef BroccoliIN THE BAG- Whisk together 1/4 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons white wine, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes. Add mixture plus one and a half pounds chuck steak, cut into strips, to a gallon sized freezer bag. Freeze cooked 2 cups brown rice and 1 cup broccoli florets in their own separate bags.

TO COOK- Thaw beef/marinade bag and rice, but not broccoli. Cook beef mixture in crock pot for 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. Add frozen broccoli for the last hour of cooking.

TO SERVE- Serve over warm brown rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Pork Chops and Apples

Ingredients:

• 1 pounds pork chops, boneless
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 whole apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Brown pork chops in skillet.  Place apples in the bottom of an 8-inch square pan.  Cover apples with brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Place pork chops on top of apples.  Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Freezing Directions:

After pork chops are browned, place all ingredients in gallon freezer bag and freeze.  To serve:  Thaw.  Place ingredients in pan.  Cover with foil and bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast
juice from 2 limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin 

salt and pepper to taste

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). 

Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings (sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and cheese).

Baked Beef Taquitos

adapted from ourbestbites.com

 
3 C cooked, shredded beef roast
4oz green chilies, undrained
1 t garlic powder
1 t coriander
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
zest from one lime
1 T fresh lime juice
1 package Queso Fresco (about 12 oz)
6" white corn tortillas (about 20) or flour
olive oil or cooking spray
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Take your shredded beef and slice any larger pieces across the grain so you have pieces about 1/2-1" long. Place in a bowl and set aside.
ombine chilies,  garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and lime zest and juice in a bowl. After stirring to combine, gently toss together with shredded beef.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften. (after those are used, do the next 10)

Now bust out the queso fresco. You can find it at just about any grocery store now days. It's generally in the refridgerated cheese section. you can always substitute monterey jack or pepperjack, but I like queso fresco because I feel cool using foreign foods. Plus, it's a traditional Mexican cheese and it tastes good.

Working with one tortilla at a time, crumble about 1T queso fresco in a line across the center of the tortilla. Top with 1-2 T shredded beef mixture and roll that baby up.


I use 6" tortillas and I usually get about 20 taquitos. I fill them on the full side, so you could definitely stretch this and easily get more out of the recipe.

Place seam-side down on a lightly oiled/sprayed baking sheet. Use cooking spray or lightly brush olive oil on the top of each one. (I use olive oil in a mister and it works perfect.) Lightly sprinkle kosher salt on the top of each one.

Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and your house smells like a Mexican restaurant. A Mexican restaurant in a good way, not in a nasty, greasy, stinky way.

Take them out of the oven and let them cool for just a few minutes. Eat 'em hot!

These should absolutely, positively be served with a healthy smothering of fresh guacamole. And some sour cream if you wish.

Freezer instructions: Taquitos are definitely best right after cooking, so if you're not going to use all of them, plan ahead and freeze some. Then you can pull them out for a quick meal, appetizer or snack any time! To freeze: Make as noted above through the step where you sprinkle the tops of the taquitos with salt. Place in a dish a single layer, not touching each other and set in the freezer. After frozen, place in zip-top bag, foodsaver bag, or any other air tight container. To cook, preheat oven to 425. Place frozen taquitos on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until edges are golden brown. (Usually about 30 minutes)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

From ourbestbites.com

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Cilantro Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chickens
1/3 cup lime juice plus 1 teaspoon lime zest
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chopped jalapeno or serrano pepper, optional
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, jalapeno, salt and pepper and honey. Set aside two tablespoons of mixture. Pour remaining mixture into zip top bag. Add chicken and cilantro and squish bag to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Grill (or broil) chicken over medium high heat, about four minutes per side. Let rest for five minutes. Drizzle with reserved marinade and serve.

Cowboy Spaghetti

Cowboy Spaghetti

1 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
ground black pepper
salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1-14 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1-16 oz can tomato sauce
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon chili powder
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
4 green onions, sliced

Heat oil in a deep skillet. Add bacon and saute till browned. Turn off heat and spoon out excess fat leaving enough to coat the bottom of skillet. Add beef, onion, and garlic and cook till meat s browned, breaking up meat as it cooks. Season meat with salt and pepper. Add Worcestershire and 1/2 cup beef stock and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, cayenne (optional), and chili powder. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve over spaghetti and sprinkle individual servings with cheese and green onions.

Freezer Meal Option: Make the sauce, let cool then place in a gallon ziploc bag to reheat and serve over spaghetti later.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

A little bit time consuming but very tasty. Double the batch and freeze for later.

Chicken:3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil


Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Cut chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch then in egg. Fry chicken chunks in hot oil until browned but not cooked through. Place browned chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix together sauce ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes at 325 degrees turning chicken every 15 minutes.

*If you'd like extra sauce, mix together another batch of sauce ingredients while chicken is cooking and cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced, about 6-8 minutes.

Taco Soup - Can be a Freezer Meal too!

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 can beans - pinto, red, or kidney, drained and rinsed
1 can chili beans (or a can of chili if you don't have chili beans on hand)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water (can add extra water if you want the soup to be thinner)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can corn, undrained


Brown hamburger in a pot with chopped onion. Add beans, chili beans, tomato sauce, water, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and corn. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, and tortilla chips.


Freezer Meal Instructions:Brown hamburger in a skillet with chopped onion, drain and allow to cool. In a bowl combine beans, chili beans, tomato sauce, water, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with juices, and corn with juices. Add cooled hamburger and pour into a gallon size ziplock. Label with cooking instructions and freeze flat.

Cooking Instructions:Thaw. Pour into a pot and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. If desired thin with a little water or V8 juice. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, and/or tortilla chips.