French Stew

Ingredients:
3 pounds beef stew meat
1 10-3/4 ounce can beef consomme
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 14.5 ounce can whole green beans, drained (you can use fresh)
8 ounces pearl onions, separated
1 14.5 ounce can small peas, drained
1 14.5 ounce can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup minute tapioca (for thickening)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients and cook in a slow-cooker on low for 8-10 hours

Allow to cool and put into freezer bags (2 1-gallon freezer bag)

Serves 8


Adopted from Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites
Copyright 2009 by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Have you ever had guests announce they were coming over last minute and wished you had a quick dessert you could make for them?  Well, now you don't have to open the used container of ice cream.

Make cookie dough balls listed below and freeze them.  Keep a box of cake mix and eggs on hand and you are set.

Ingredients:
Original recipe makes about 2 dozen cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
•  
  3 eggs

Directions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls; place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.  Directions on how to freeze cookie dough below. 
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Beat 3 eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer to break up. Add the cake mix, water, and canola oil; continue beating for 2 minutes on medium speed. Spoon into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion of the cupcake (not the cookie dough ball) comes clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

5. Freezing Cookie Dough

   Most cookie doughs freeze extremely well and can be kept frozen for up to 4 or 6 weeks. Use these tips for freezing: 

   • Double-wrap dough in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn and absorption of odors from your freezer
   • Write the type of cookie dough and the date it was frozen on the outside of the package.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough--cupcake--the-best-cupcake-ever/detail.aspx

Recipe from All Recipes.com

Pineapple Marinated Steak

Recipe modified for freezer cooking

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup soy sauce 

      Kosher salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds flank steak

Preparation:

In freezer bag, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and add flank steak,  Move around to coat.  Freeze.  

To cook:Thaw.  Heat grill to medium-high.  Remove steak from the marinade (discard the marinade) and grill 4-6 minutes per side for medium rare.  Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.  Serve with potatoes and green beans. 

**Realsimple.com July 2012 Issue

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Crockpot Orange Pork Roast

Ingredients:

•1 pork shoulder roast, 3 to 4 lbs, trimmed

•1/2 tsp salt

•1/4 tsp pepper

•1 can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (6 oz)

•1/4 cup brown sugar

•1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

•1/8 tsp ground allspice

•3 tablespoons flour mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

Preparation:

Place pork shoulder roast in slow cooker; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, nutmeg, and allspice; pour over roast. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW and cook for 8 hours. Before serving, skim fat from juices and pour cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour-water mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring, and continue cooking until thickened. Serve thickened juices with the pork roast. Serve this with rice and a salad for a full meal.

Serves 6 to 8.

**By Abby Harris** Will need to format for freezer cooking

Sante Fe Chicken

Ingredients:
8 Chicken breasts

2 cups salsa

2 cans corn

16 ounces Cream Cheese (added later)

Put all, except cream cheese, in crock pot on high for 3 hours. Add cream cheese. Cook on high for 1 more hour.

Allow to cool. Put into freezer bag. Serve with rice, tortilla chips, or corn bread.

Reheat: put in over at 350 for 30 minutes

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

12 Chicken Breasts

2 Tablespoons minced onion

56 ounces canned tomato puree

2 Tablespoons Tomato paste

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons dried basil

4 teaspoons salt

4 small bay leaves

Put chicken in crock pot. Combine tomato puree, tomato paste, garlic, onion, basil, salt, and bay leaves and pour over chicken. Cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Put in freezer bag.

Reheat: Put in oven for 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over spaghetti