Showing posts with label meal prep. Show all posts

Asian Pot Stickers | Fried Dumplings | Potsticker Recipe

If you enjoy Asian food, these Pot Stickers are for you, so easy to make.

Asian Pot Stickers Dumplings

My co-worker gave me the recipe for Pot Stickers many years ago, and I have made tons of them to send to my daughter and her roomates when she was in college. They are easy to freeze, and then microwave for lunch, dinner, snack or party food.

I like to meal prep these tidbits ahead of time and keep a bag on hand in the freezer to grab when needed..

Aactually I only have a recipe for the dumpling filling and then I just wing it so here goes.

You can purchase the wrappers in the grocery store or an Asian specialty store – to me it's not worth the time to make them. Round or square wrappers can be used.

Pot Sticker Dumpling Recipe

1 package won ton wrappers

Filling:

3/4 lb. ground pork or ground chicken

Soy Sauce (NOT La Choy) or Tamari to taste

Salt and pepper, optional

2 cloves minced garlic

A bit of minced scallion

1/2 to 3/4 small can water chestnuts, minced

Just enough corn starch to bind

1 -2 tbl. of water, for softness

Preparation:

Keep won ton wrappers sealed until ready to use

Mix all other ingredients

Have a small bowl of warm water ready for dipping your fingers

Have a plate or platter ready and a wet towel to keep the dumplings moist

On each wrapper place approx. 3/4 tsp. of meat mixture

Fold to desired shape and seal with wet fingers

Place on plate and after 3-4 cover with wet towel until ready to cook to prevent wrapper from drying

out

Steam until wrapper shrinks slightly around meat and looks wet

Remove from steamer and return to plate and wet towel

Put a thin sim of oil in pan and fry on medium high until golden

Dip in any sauce you like and enjoy

(May be frozen at any stage but must be well sealed)

(May be refrigerated after steaming and before frying if kept under moist towel -

great when having company)

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Crockpot Freezer Meals | Beef Stew Slow Cooker Recipe

Since I like to use my crockpot, I'm taking advantage of cooking in a crockpot by planning ahead and putting together some crockpot freezer meals such as this recipe for Freezer Crockpot Beef Stew.

Crockpot Freezer Meals

When I transferred to a new city for my full-time job, I didn't have the convenience of being able to stop by a grocery store during lunchtime to pick up a few things for that evening's dinner. I turned to my trusty slow cooker.

Here are some terrific dump crockpot recipes to simplify and make meal prep easy during hectic times. I use my Foodsaver Vacuum Sealer to freeze ahead and dump in the morning on those busy days.

Chicken Cacciatore is another favorite dump and go freezer meal we enjoy.

Serve with some delicious homemade Sourdough Bread recipe (it's easier to make than you think) and gut-healthy too with all of the probiotic properties.

Crockpot Beef Stew

Beef prices have risen recently because of the high cost of gas and transportation. Rather than buy sirloin tips for my stew, Shoulder London Broil was on sale this week, so I bought several steaks and cut them up and cubed them myself at home.

Whether you're a stay at home mom, or work part-time or full-time outside the home, it's hard to get your home organized. Even if you're a grandmother, you might be thinking you have it all covered at home since your pantry is organized immaculately and everything in your kitchen has its place. It doesn't change the fact that you're still busy working all day and driving kids or grandchildren to practice, running errands or taking care of your household in the evenings. Another thing you can learn to do to simplify your life is to plan your meals and cook in advance.

Meal planning and bulk cooking are both wonderful techniques you can utilize and modify to fit your families needs. The idea behind this is simple. The principle is that you cook and or prepare your meals ahead of time and then preserve them by either freezing refrigerating them. It can also help stretch your food budget dollar further, since you can cook one large meal and get two or three other meals from it with the proper planning.

Start by writing down a list of your favorite meals and plan on preparing a grocery list that will coincide with your menu. Since you're learning to cook in bulk, your shopping list will have to change accordingly so you're sure to have enough ingredients on hand when the time comes to do the cooking.

The most important tool in meal planning and bulk cooking is your freezer. Freezer bags are a great space saver if you have a small freezer. You can fit many in the same space of a few storage containers. Be sure to incorporate lots of quick and easy meals that your family can warm up and serve themselves in the event you're not able to be at home for dinner or you just need to grab something that's quick.

You'll also learn to love your slow cooker. Experiment with different recipes and variations on your favorites. They also make easy work of cooking whole chickens or roasts which can be frozen or refrigerated for later use very easily.

Easy kitchen clean up with Handmade Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet !

You're only limited by your own imagination when cooking in bulk for the week ahead. Factor in the time you save by not having to do a lot of after dinner cleanup or dishes, Whether you're cooking for one, or cooking for a family, you'll be glad you took the time to simplify your life and master this important organizational skill.

Be sure to check out my recipe for Crockpot Beef Stew Louisiana Style (with molasses!)

Freezer Slow Cooker Beef Stew

3 c. chopped onions
2-1/2 c. coarsely chopped green bell peppers (about 2 peppers)
2 c. fresh green beans, diced
2 cups of baby carrots or diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into one inch cubes, or whole and you can cut it after it's cooked
4 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
2 Tbl. of Hungarian paprika or regular paprika
1 tsp. ground black pepper
4 c. hot cooked wide egg noodles, do not add in freezer bag, cook separately, day of cooking
1/2 c. dairy sour cream, do not add in freezer bag, use as garnish on the day of cooking

Transfer everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. DO NOT add the sour cream and noodles as the sour cream is for garnishing after the meal is cooked. Cook the noodles separately according to package directions on the day of cooking.

On the day of cooking, dump bag contents into your crock pot and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low 6-8 hours, depending upon your specific slow cooker.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe | Freezer Meals | Easy Make Ahead Meals

If you're looking for easy freezer meals to bag and meal prep ahead for busy nights, this Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe is for you!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

When my daughter had her third child, I went over and spent about 1 hour preparing and bagging these Chicken Breasts for her freezer. All she had to do was take them out of the freezer the night before or morning of, and then bake in the oven for about 35 minutes! She's a busy mom and always running around taking the kids to soccer, baseball, basketball, school events, community board meetings and more. My youngest daughter has children and is expecting again, so I'll be making more of these ! Now how easy is that?

To make the chicken breasts and ham roll-ups extra fancy, you can prepare a sauce using Cream of Chicken Soup (I know, I know, but really it's delicious over the chicken breasts, and adds a nice touch making it special.)

Freezer Meal Prep

Place in Freezer Bag and take out as needed. Serve with fresh vegetables and your favorite rice and Enjoy !

I made this easy make ahead meal the other night, but didn't have any Swiss cheese on hand, so I simply used what I had in the refridg, bagged Mozzarella cheese worked out just fine. This is a great recipe for retired folks if you're cooking for two, just take out the individual portions you need for supper. I save money by shopping at Aldi for my cheeses, staples, chicken and dairy.

Serve with helpings of Brown Rice, topped with Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce

I freeze these Chicken Cordon Bleu in my Food Saver Vacuum Sealer, saving money when chicken is on sale, eating tomorrow at today's prices.

Check out some other easy Chicken recipes -

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Pad Thai
Chicken Liver Pate

Save the Planet with these reusable Handmade Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop !

Chicken Cordon Bleu

3 or 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, split in half
8 slices of thin Ham
8 slices of Swiss Cheese or Shredded Cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Old Bay Seasoning, to taste
Seasoned Bread Crumbs or Panko (Keto - use crushed pork rinds)
1 Egg
Milk or Water
Toothpicks

I make a basic white sauce and doctor it up a little:

Chicken Cordon Bleu White Sauce:

Makes 1 cup

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese finely grated
1 teaspoon thyme Fresh thyme is best. If using dried, reduce amount to 1/2 teaspoon
Salt and pepper as needed

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour to the melted butter, whisk, and allow to cook for several minutes while continually whisking to avoid burning. Once the flour has started to cook, whisk in milk. Continue to heat until the milk bubbles and begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in dijon, parmesan, and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Directions:

Cut each chicken breast in half, lengthwise
Pound to 1/4 of an inch
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, Old Bay Seasoning
Top with 2 slices of Ham
Top with Swiss Cheese
Roll up and Secure with Toothpick (non-colored)
Roll in Egg Wash mixture (Egg and milk or water)
Roll in Seasoned Bread Crumbs or Panko

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes

Spoon sauce over Chicken Cordon Bleu when serving and serve with Brown Rice or Long Grain rice

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Breadmaker Pizza Dough | Pizza Dough Recipe | Pizza Dough

Everyone loves pizza, and Connecticut is the Pizza Capitol! It's so easy to make your own with favorite toppings with the Breadmaker Pizza Dough Recipe

We have Pepe's and Sally's Pizza in New Haven, along with Willington Pizza in Willington, Connecticut.. Of course each town has their own local favorite pizza shops.

Breadmaker Machine Pizza Dough Recipe

There's all types of pizza you can make with this pizza dough - flatbread Hawaiian pizza, Buffalo Chicken pizza, yummy tomato and basil pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese. The variations are endless.

My aunt was married to an Italian, and she loved to cook, doing all of her meal preparation for the week on stay-at-home Sunday.

Pizza Dough and toppings made in a Breadmaker

Here's her favorite recipe for Pizza Dough. No need for take-out when you can freeze your own !

Easy clean up in the kitchen with Handmade Cotton Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop

Breadmaker Pizza Dough

Ingredients

1 pkg. yeast
3 c. flour
1 c. lukewarm water (1-1/4 c.)
1 tsp. oil (1 tbl.)
1/2 tsp. salt

Variations:

Reduce flour by 1/4 c. and add 1/2 grated parmesan
Or add 1 tsp. basil, 1 tbl. grated garlic, 1 tsp. oregano
Water can be replaced with beer

Preparation:

Add liquid ingredients. Add yeast last. Put in machine. Make on dough cycle.
Take out and put on floured board. Cover for 10-15 minutes.
Roll out and place on pan dusted with cornmeal. I use a Pizza Stone from Pampered Chef.
Put olive oil on top and add favorite toppings.
Bake 375° for 20-25 minutes.

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Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore | Easy Freezer Meal Recipes for Slow Cooker

By using your crockpot or slow cooker more often, take advantage of sales on beef and chicken, and try making several cheap crock pot recipes such as this Freezer Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore.

Freezer Meals Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

I've been trying to take advantage of B1G1 grocery sales on meat and chicken lately to make ahead using easy freezer meal recipes. Oftentimes I find some great buys on chicken at my local Aldi.

Usually I cook dinner for two at night, but even though my family is grown, our grocery bill expenses haven't gone down since when the kids lived at home. I still prepare most of my large meals on the weekends, and have everyone over for Sunday dinner, holidays and special occasions. How many trips do you make to the grocery store each month? How many of those are planned? You could be spending extra money each month by taking those unplanned trips. Planning your meals ahead of time can take the impulse shopping out of your grocery budget.

Meal Planning Helps Lower The Grocery Bill

Another kitchen tip is that I've been doing some OAMC and preparing some frozen meals starters ahead and put them in a freezer bag. Saves me time as most of the prep work is then done ahead.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Kitchen cleaning is easy with my crochet Handmade Dish Cloths that I make. Find them at my Moomettes Crochet Shop!

Handmade Cotton Dish Cloths Washcloths Peach

Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

3 lbs chicken breasts, cut up in pieces; or boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
6 ounces (one can) sliced mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green zucchini squash, chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 can Diced Tomatoes
2 -4 garlic cloves, minced
1 package Good Seasonings Italian Salad Dressing Mix
1 Tbl. Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 Tbl.Old Bay Seasoningfor Poultry mix
2 Tbl. Kraft Minute Tapioca
Cooked, pasta, spaghetti, linguine or egg noodles (if desired)
2 one-gallon Zip-Lock Freezer bags

Trim any fat off chicken. Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.
Chop and dice veggies
Divide into two portions and add everything to freezer bags, shaking well.
Release air from freezer bags.
Mark freezer bags with date and type of meal.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours
Serve over pasta of choice