Creamy Mashed Potatoes

These are the absolute best mashed potatoes ever! Well, at least I think so. I honestly can't remember where I got the recipe from, but I've been making them for years now and I think they are wonderful.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs. of potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tbsp. butter
0.5 tsp. garlic powder
0.5 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 cup milk*
1 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream

1. Boil potatoes until tender; drain.
2. Mash/mix potatoes adding in garlic salt, onion powder, salt, cream cheese, butter and sour cream. Add in milk* until the potatoes reach the right texture/consistency for your taste.
3. Divide among 8x8 pans; cover pans with a double layer of aluminum foil*. Label and freeze.

**These can be eaten as is, or heated in the oven (350*) for approximately 30 minutes before serving.

To serve from frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake at 350* for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until heated through, keeping covered until the last 20 minutes of baking.

Chicken a la King

Source: Tammy's Recipes


Chicken a la King

1 cup butter (do not use margarine)
1-1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
4 cups (32 oz) milk
7 cups diced cooked chicken
16 oz canned sliced mushrooms, drained
1 red bell pepper, diced
*Chicken bouillon powder

1. In a large Dutch oven melt butter. Whisk in flour and salt. Add chicken broth and milk and cook and stir until thickened.**
2. Once thickened, stir in chicken, mushrooms and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes to let the flavors blend together.
3. Serve over hot rice, broken toast or egg noodles.

Makes 4 batches (so 4 separate meals worth) of 4 servings each.

*Taste as it’s cooking after the chicken, mushrooms and bell pepper are added and if desired, add some chicken bouillon powder to taste to create a stronger flavor. You may or may not need to add this depending on your preference.

**Make sure to let the base thicken before you add in the remaining ingredients or it will not thicken up afterwards.

To freeze: Let cool and divide into quart or gallon size freezer bags. Remove excess air and seal. Lay flat to freeze.

To serve: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Heat through and serve.

Cornbread

Cornbread
Source: Pennies & Pancakes (This site is awesome!!!)

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil*
1 egg
1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar and baking powder together.
3. Lightly beat egg.
4. Add egg, oil and milk to dry mixture. Mix until batter is smooth and there are no more lumps.
5. Pour batter into lightly greased muffin tins and bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly golden.

Makes approximately 12 muffins.

******

This is a perfect cornbread. No more Jiffy cornbread mix for me!

Chicken & Stuffing Stuffed Shells

Chicken & Stuffing Stuffed Shells
Source: luckymommyto2boys on BBC

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 box Stove Top Stuffing mix (turkey or chicken)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 box large shells
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1-1/4 cup chicken broth
Italian cheese blend

1. Cook shells until al dente (I cook mine for 10 minutes). Rinse in cold water.
2. While shells are cooking, prepare stuffing according to package directions. Add in chicken and mayonnaise.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the condensed mushroom soup and chicken broth. Mix well.
4. Stuff the shells with the chicken mixture and place in two 8x8-inch pans. (You can also do one 9x13-inch pan for one larger meal instead of two.)
5. Cover with mushroom soup mixture. Top with shredded cheese.
6. Bake at 350*F about 30 minutes or until heated throughout and the cheese is melted.

To freeze: Do not bake, and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Label and freeze.

To cook: Thaw in fridge overnight. Bake at 350*F for about 30 minutes or until heated throughout. (If you're like me and forget to thaw it, you can bake it, loosely covered, at 350 degrees for about 1-1/2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.)

Makes about 32 stuffed shells (about 16 per pan for 8x8 size).



*****

I actually made this dish ahead of time and froze both portions right away. I ended up cooking mine from frozen (I tend to forget to thaw things) and it still turned out great. I honestly expected my oldest daughter to turn up her nose at this one tonight, but she declared it a keeper - with the stipulation that I don't tell her what was in it because she might then have to tell me that it's gross. Fine by me. I didn't tell her what was in it, and it's a keeper recipe for everyone who ate it.

Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Source: I have no clue!

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Trim chicken. Hold sharp knife parallel to cutting board and along one long side of breast; cut almost in half, leaving breast attached at one side. Open breast so it lies flat; cover with plastic wrap. Using flat side of a meat mallet, lightly pound to 1/4-inch thickness.
3. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and bread crumbs. Stuff a scant 1/3 cup into each chicken breast. Secure with toothpicks.
4. Brown chicken over medium-high heat in two batches in a nonstick skillet for 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until cooked through.

Makes 6 servings.

To Freeze: Do not bake. Brown chicken and then arrange in a single layer on a pan to freeze. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Label and freeze.

To Bake: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed above.

*****

Oh my goodness! This was so yummy! We used to buy some frozen broccoli stuffed chicken breasts that were absolutely delicious. I no longer buy them, and have really missed having them. This recipe turns out to taste really similar. The only real difference being that the frozen ones that I used to buy were processed chicken and breaded on the outside. These are so much better!

If you need a visual on how to flatten the chicken breasts, here is a visual on Taste of Home's website.

Ranch-O Bacon Chicken

Ranch-O Bacon Chicken
Source: I have no clue!

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
6 tbsp. pre-cooked crumbled bacon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer. Sprinkle ranch seasoning evenly over chicken.
3. Evenly cover chicken with bacon crumbles. Use the back of a spatula to gently press down and help the bacon to adhere.
4. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

To Freeze: Do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze.

To Bake: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed above.

*****

I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to like this or not when I was making it, but I really liked it a lot. Everyone enjoyed this dish and it will definitely be a repeat in our house. Very easy and very tasty.

Freezer Biscuits

Freezer Biscuits
Source: Money Saving Mom

4 cups flour (I used all purpose)
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening, butter, coconut oil, or FF plain yogurt (I used butter)
1 to 1-3/4 cup milk (I used 1 cup)

Mix dry ingredients together. Add in the shortening or butter and mix until crumbly. (You can use a KitchenAid or food processor to save time and effort). Add in the milk and mix until a ball forms. (Not a wet sticky dough.)

Roll out onto a floured surface and cut into biscuits. (I rolled mine out and cut it with a pizza slicer. You can also roll the dough out and cut into biscuit shapes. Reroll the dough and cut again.)

To Freeze: Freeze on a cookie sheet for 1-2 hours. Then remove and place in a airtight freezer bag.

To Bake: Pull the desired number of biscuits out and let thaw for 30 minutes to an hour. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes. You can bake them straight from the freezer but they won’t rise much. (Bake right away at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes if baking from fresh.)

Makes 24 biscuits.

*****

Okay, I actually made these biscuits twice. The first batch I messed up somehow, but my husband and son stilled loved them and gobbled up the half batch that I baked.

The second batch I made with room temperature butter, and 1 cup of milk that was treated with vinegar to be used as a buttermilk substitute. The second batch turned out to be exactly what I was looking for.

I might try using shortening the next time I make them to see how they turn out. That's if I can convince myself to buy some shortening since it's soy based and I avoid soy products as much as possible.

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole
Source: Taste of Home

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 pkg. (20 oz) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

1. Brown the ground beef; drain off fat.
2. Stir in soups (undiluted) with ground beef. Pour mixture into two greased 8x8-inch pans (or one 9x13-inch).
3. Arrange french fries on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350* for 50-55 minutes or until the fries are golden brown.

Makes 4-8 servings. (Each 8x8 pan = 4 servings; 9x13 pan = 8 servings.)

To freeze: cover tightly with foil. Label and freeze.

To cook after freezing: Preheat oven to 350*. Bake approximately 60-90 minutes, uncovered, until the fries are golden brown.


For bulk cooking:

4 lbs. ground beef
2 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
2 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 pkg. (5 lb) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

Cook as above and divide into four 8x8-inch pans or two 9x13-inch pans.



10 lbs. ground beef
5 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
5 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 pkg. (5 lb) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

Cook as above and divide into ten 8x8-inch pans or six 9x13-inch pans.

Sausage Gravy

Sausage Gravy
Source: allrecipes.com

1 lb. roll of breakfast sausage
1 lb. roll of hot breakfast sausage
1/2 cup all-purpose flour*
4 cups milk*
16 biscuits

Crumble and cook sausage over medium heat until browned and cooked throughout. Drain off fat; return sausage to pan. Stir in flour slowly until it dissolves. If needed, gradually start adding small amounts of the milk while mixing in the flour. Stir in the remaining milk slowly. Cook gravy until it becomes thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper as needed (we don't use any). Serve over hot biscuits.

*If you prefer a less meaty, more gravy sausage gravy, then double the milk and flour to make more gravy.

**This recipe can be frozen. Cool the gravy and divide into bags for freezing. Remove the air from the bags, and lay flat to freeze. To thaw, place bag in refrigerator overnight. To heat, remove from bag and place in a heat safe container. Warm it either in the microwave or on the stovetop.

***Most sausage gravy recipes tell you to make the gravy with the grease from the sausage. I do not do this because it leaves you with a very greasy gravy that is extremely visually unappealing to me, and I will not eat it because of all of the fat.

Easy (Make Ahead) Garlic (Cheesy) Bread

We LOVE garlic cheesy bread. Problem is that we've been buying the premade frozen garlic cheesy bread at $3-$3.50/loaf of bread. That adds up and kills the grocery budget over time.


Easy (Make Ahead) Garlic (Cheesy) Bread
Source: Life As A Mom

1 large loaf bread, sliced lengthwise
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), softened
2 tsp. minced garlic (jarred, or two cloves minced)
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
*Shredded mozzarella cheese (if making cheesy bread)

Mix butter, garlic and parsley flakes together. Spread in a thick layer onto bread. If making cheesy bread, add a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese and flash freeze*. *If just making garlic bread, you don't have to flash freeze before proceeding. Place the two sides of the bread together (making it whole again) and wrap tightly with foil.

To cook from fresh or thawed out: Bake at 375* for 25 minutes (wrapped in foil still if only garlic bread. If cheesy bread, open foil and lay bread side by side on baking sheet and bake until cheese is melted and bread starts to crisp - I'm not sure how long that will take at this temperature).

To cook from frozen: Bake at 375* for 35-40 minutes (wrapped in foil), or if making cheesy bread, unwrap and place bread side by side on baking sheet and bake at 400* for 9-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is starting to brown/crisp on edges.

*I always make ours and then cook at 400* for about 10-15 minutes. When freshly made, it takes about 10 minutes to start becoming crisp on the edges and when frozen, it takes about 15 minutes.

Chewy or Crunchy Granola Bars

We go through a LOT of granola bars in my house. Both of my older kids absolutely love chewy granola bars and both my husband and I have a soft spot for them too. Although my husband prefers crunchy granola bars the most, but that recipe is to be tried another day.

I followed the recipe as-is (except I didn't use gluten and dairy free products, and I doubled it to the quantities below), and we LOVE it!!! If you want Oats & Honey, just skip the chocolate chips. If you don't want chocolate chips, but another flavor, mix it up. These were extremely easy to make, and well worth it. I doubt that I'll be buying any more granola bars any time in the near future.

Oh, and next time I make these, I might add in one more cup of crispy rice cereal just to make them crunch a bit more. They were perfect as-is, but I want to see how they'll turn out with a little more crisp to them.


Source: Once A Month Mom

Granola Bars
(Oats & Honey or Chocolate Chip)

1/2 cup butter (needs to be full fat)
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups crispy rice cereal
4 cups quick cooking oats
4 tbsp. mini chocolate chips*

Combine butter, honey and brown sugar and melt together until bubbling. Cook for two more minutes. Add vanilla.

Combine crispy rice cereal and oats. Mix wet and dry ingredients together until well mixed/coated.

Spread into a greased jelly roll pan. Press down firmly. You must press this extremely well for the bars to hold together.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and press them into the granola mixture.

For chewy bars: Cool for several hours at room temperature for several hours before cutting into bars.

For crunchy bars: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges start to brown. Cut into bars immediately and then wait for bars to cool (if you wait until cooled to cut, you will have an extremely hard time).

SOS Mix

Source: One Good Thing By Jillee

Tired of spending a ton of money on "cream of" soups? Me too. Not to mention the fact that by making your own, you eliminate all of the unnecessary ingredients.

SOS Mix

2 cups powdered non-fat dry milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup instant chicken bouillon (regular or low sodium)
2 Tbsp dried onion flakes
2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a recloseable plastic bag or container, mixing well.

Equal to 9 (10.5 oz) cans of cream soup.

To prepare:

1/3 cup dry mix
1-1/4 cups cold water

Whisk together and heat over low heat until thick. Use in place of "cream of" soups in recipes.

*To make a specific flavor such as onion, mushroom, celery, etc., Saute 1/2 cup diced ingredients until soft and then add the mixture above before warming until thick.

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

Source: A Thrifty Mom

This is the easiest recipe for French Dip sandwiches that I have come across. The result was very yummy and made my husband drool (okay, maybe not really, but he was close!) over it. The bonus factor of cooking the meat this way is that it can be a double duty recipe because the leftover shredded beef is awesome to make steak quesadillas, bbq steak sandwiches, etc.


French Dip Sandwiches

1 hunk of roast beef meat (approximately 3.5 lbs)
1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix (or equivalent)
Beef bouillon (3 tsp.)
Water (3 cups)

Place your meat in the crock pit. Sprinkle with Italian dressing mix. Add enough water to cover meat by 3/4. For each cup of water that you use, add 1 beef bouillon cube (or equivalent). Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove meat and shred. (I learned a nifty trick recently, and I use my stand mixer with the beater blade to shred the meat quickly.) Serve on sub rolls (w/optional cheese) with juice to dip in.

*We used a lean cut of meat (top sirloin) since I don't care to use the more fatty cuts of meat. We ate ours on sub rolls that were sliced in half and then lightly toasted in the oven for 5 minutes at 400 degress. We then topped the bread with provolone cheese and placed it in the oven long enough to melt the cheese before topping with the shredded meat. Absolutely delicious!

Basic Chili

This is a recipe that I copied out of my mom's personal recipes. I can't remember where she got it from (since I just marked that it was my mom's recipe), but I do remember that it was on a recipe card taped in her cookbook and that she had had the recipe forever (or close to it). It's a very basic recipe that can be tweaked in so many different ways. I pretty much make it as-is but I do add more chili powder to it normally. I also let mine simmer in the crock pot instead of on the stove top as the recipe originally called for. I think it turns out great either way as long as you let it simmer long enough. I just prefer the hands off (no stirring) crock pot method instead. Oh, and I don't wait to add in the kidney beans, I always add them in with everything else, and I haven't had them turn to mush on me yet.


Chili

2 lbs. ground beef
2 cups diced onion (or two onions, diced)
2 cups diced green pepper (or two green peppers, diced)
2 cans (28 oz. each) tomatoes
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne red pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 cans (15-1/2 oz. each) kidney beans, drained

1. In large skillet, cook and stir meat, onion and green pepper until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes (with liquid) and remaining ingredients except kidney beans.
2. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in kidney beans; heat through.

Makes 8 or 10 servings.


Smaller version (less meaty):

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup onion, diced (or one onion, diced)
1 cup green pepper, diced (or one green pepper, diced)
2 cans (28 oz. each) tomatoes, petite diced
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne red pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
2 cans (15-1/2 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Broccoli & Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes

Broccoli & Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes
Source: Once A Month Mom

11 small-medium potatoes
1 (12.6 oz) pkg. baby broccoli florets, steamed
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded #1
1 cup sour cream
1 cup ranch dressing
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded #2

1. Wash and poke holes in potatoes using a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for one hour. Remove potatoes from oven. Allow to cool to the touch. Cut in half lengthwise. Using a towel or hot pad to protect your hand, hold the potato and scoop out the insides being certain to leave a 1/4 to 1/2 inch in the skin. Place scooped out middles in a large bowl.
2. Mash the cooked potatoes with a fork or potato masher. Note: they should be lumpy, not smooth. To the potatoes add steamed broccoli, cheddar cheese #1, sour cream, ranch dressing and garlic powder. Mix well.
3. Add mixture back to hollowed out skins. Top with remaining cheddar cheese #2. *Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and cheeses melted. Serve.

Freezing Directions:
Follow directions above but do not bake a second time. Instead, wrap in saran wrap and place in a gallon freezer bag. To serve: Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

*Very very yummy! So yummy in fact, I was going to make two different types of twice baked potatoes, but after tasting these, I made two batches of this type instead.

Mexican Meatloaf

Mexican Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup crushed Doritos
1 egg, beaten (or 1/4 cup Egg Beaters)
1 pkt. taco seasoning
1-1/2 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese
1-1/2 cups salsa, divided
1/2 can refried beans

Combine ground turkey, crushed Doritos, egg and taco seasoning and 1 cup of salsa. Form mixture into a loaf and placed in a greased loaf pan. Spread refried beans over the top of the meatloaf. Drizzle remaining salsa over the top. Bake at 400 degree for 50 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake and additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*This is very yummy and I love it served with a little bit of sour cream. I make a double batch and freeze the second meatloaf. To cook from frozen, thaw in refrigerator for 1-2 days and then cook according to the directions above.

French Toast Sticks

French Toast Sticks
Source: Once A Month Mom

30 slices bread (approximately 1 loaf of sandwich bread)
0.25 cups butter, melted
8 eggs
1.33 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except sliced bread. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Dip bread, one by one, in the batter until coated and then place on the cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes turning over half-way through to ensure even cooking on both sides. When done, remove to cooling rack. Slice into thirds (I used a pizza cutter). Serve or freeze.

Freezing Directions:
Allow to cool on cooling rack completely or place on a cool cookie sheet and place in freezer for 10-15 minutes or until partially frozen (flash freezing). Place in Ziploc freezer bag and place in freezer until ready to use. To serve: microwave 30-45 seconds.

*The original recipe called for adding 1/3 cup of sugar, but I forgot to add that in and it wasn't missed by us, but I don't like my foods really sweet either. It also said to cut the bread into thirds before dipping them in the coating, but this didn't work for me. It was much easier to do the whole slices and then cut after baking. Same taste in the end.

Pizza Bake

Pizza Bake
Source: Six Sisters' Stuff

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 (6 oz.) pkg. sliced turkey pepperoni, cut into quarter pieces
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese***
12 oz. mini penne noodles, cooked
15 oz. pizza sauce
26 oz. spaghetti sauce

Brown meat, onion and pepper in frying pan. Drain grease and add pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce. *Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot (spray with non-stick spray first). Cook on HIGH for 30 minutes and then LOW for 2 or 3 hours until the cheese melts.

*This can also be baked in the oven. I divided mine into two 8x8 pans (this was pushing it because they were both filled to the MAX), covered and baked for about 30-45 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

**This recipe makes a HUGE batch and is easily two meals. We baked one pan, and the other pan went into the freezer for later. There is still over half of a pan left after eating dinner.

***I forgot to add this in, and it wasn't missed. I'll probably add it in the next time I make it though to see how we like it when it's more cheesy.

Turkey Meatballs (bulk cooking)

(1/4 batch of meatballs)

Turkey Meatballs
Source: Open-faced Meatball Sandwiches

1 cup egg substitute (or 4 eggs, whisked)
2 cups soft Italian bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. dry minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried basil
5 pounds lean ground turkey

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Shape into meatballs using a small cookie scoop, and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper (or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (Yes, I learned this lesson the HARD way.) Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool and separate into four batches of meatballs. Freeze the batches you don't plan to use in the immediate future.

Makes four batches of meatballs (using the small cookie scoop, it comes out to about 36-40 meatballs per batch). One batch equals one meal's worth of meatballs for a recipe.

*This recipe is also great for making turkey burgers, turkey meatloaf, etc.