Here's What's Cookin'

January Cook with the Cookin' 4 Some which became the Cookin' 8 this time!

We have actually enjoyed moving our cooking time to Friday Nights.  It happened once by accident and now we love it.  We get there when we can which is usually about 5:30 and hope to leave 4 to 5 hours later.  We do stop for dinner!  A girl has to eat!

Caroline getting busy trying to finish up.  The group has been together for 6 years.  I have been with them for 2 1/2.  Caroline was with them before and came back about a year ago after we had someone move.

Angela is all business.  She is our list maker and head shopper.

Here is one table of our staples.  These are stored and inventoried at Angela's house by her husband.

2nd table.

Stephanie is ready to be done!

This is the bar where we line up our food.  We have never had trouble before, but for some reason tonight we got some mixed up.  It's usually a good idea to begin loading the coolers early on.  We all have the same kind if I recall.  Mine is always dirty for some reason.  I got a new big one, but I don't like it.

Food starting to stack up.  Labels are put on with cooking instructions. Paper labels and packing tape with the tip turned down to make it easy to remove.  NOT sticky labels.  We want to be able to take it off and stick it on the cabinet to see the instructions. The date and initials of whose meal it is along with the name of the recipe are written with sharpie in case we lose a label.

More food!

This time we each had our 6th grade helpers. Cool how we are all have 6th grade kiddos.  Megan (Stephanie) Kennedy Caroline) Caroline (my daughter, not the one cooking) and Nehi (Angela).

Joshua comes in to help sometimes as well....he gets things we may have forgotten or takes out the trash or just cheers us on!

We take our gallon freezer baggies, turn them over to keep spill "inside" and place all 4 or 5 in one large bowl.  Then we begin making them.

Pretty!

Be sure and check out more details on how we cook under the Cooking label.  I give loads of details.  We go home with 24 meals for a family size of 8 and we leave 4 at the church for families in need.  I don't have the exact costs yet on this one, but it is usually around $9 per meal.  We do get a majority of our meat from a meat processing place in our town.  We pay a little more, but the meat is EXCELLENT, fresh, and they pack and load it in our car for us.  All we do is call it in!  Most meals are in baggies so it keeps our freezer neat and saves money on disposable dishes.  Every now and then we have to have a container, but seldom. Only one was used this time.  Our church allows us to cook in their kitchen!  It rocks!  We cook about every 10 weeks or so.  This time we cooked 4 extra meals to take to a friend who subs in some times.  She just had twin baby girls making her family total 7 now.  We love you Karas!

Honey and Spice Glazed Pork Chops *

8 (4-oz) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 C honey 
4 TBSP Dijon mustard

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Thaw.  Transfer the contents into a crockpot, cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-5 hours.  Even better if you will take the liquid from the crockpot and cook in a skillet to thicken into a glaze.  Serve atop mushroom and garlic rice pilaf.

White Chili *

2 cans Great Northern Beans (any bean could do as well)

2 cans white shoe peg corn (any corn will do)

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 can Rotel tomatoes (or off brand)

1 can chicken broth

1 pkg already cooked fajita chicken meat: cut into sm bites

16 oz. Velveeta cheese (Do NOT freeze Velveeta)

1 onion chopped

1 lb. smoked sausage

pepper and cumin to taste

This is what we call a “dump” recipe.  Just dump it in and freeze.  This one takes 2 bags and you must remember NOT to freeze the Velveeta. Meat in one and all else in the other. Who cares what order...it's just too much for 1 bag!   Combine and simmer all except sausage. Be careful not to let the bottom scorch because of the Velveeta. Add sausage and cook on low for 30 to 45 min.

Slow Cooker Fajitas*

1.5 lbs of flank steak or chicken breast equivalent

1 1/2 bags of frozen veggies( onions, peppers)

2 tsp garlic

1T fresh cilantro (chopped)

1 t chili powder

1 t ground cumin

1 t ground coriander

1 t salt

1  10 oz cans of diced tomatoes and green chiles

flour tortillas  

Dump all ingredients in a bag.

Thaw and place in crock pot on high for 4-5 hrs or 7 hrs on low

Brown Sugar Meatloaf*

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1/2  C ketchup

2 lbs lean ground beef

1/2 C milk

2 ggs

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 bags onion or 1 onion chopped

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 C oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.

Form into loaf & top with ketchup mix.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

(Serve with homemade mac and cheese and green beans.)

Monterrey Chicken*

8 Chicken Breasts

2 can 4 oz green chillies

8 oz Monterrey cheese slices

Fajita seasonings to taste

Arrange chicken in baking dish and cover with chillies and Bake 30 minutes at 350°.  Then add cheese and bake until bubbly.

Tasty Pork Tenderlion*

2 lbs Pork Tenderloin

12 oz Chili Sauce

16 oz can Jellied Cranberry Sauce

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Crock-Pot (Slow Cooker)

Rice

 Place pork with sauce in crock pot for 4-5 hours on HIGH.

Cook Rice.  When serving pour sauce over tenderloin and rice if desired.

I'm linking up to http://noordinarybloghop.blogspot.com/

and

http://raisingolives.com/2012/06/freezer-meal-recipe-link-up/