Crunchy Turkey Casserole

An after Thanksgiving favorite! I received this recipe from my Mother in Law soon after my husband and I were married.  It is a simple recipe, easy to whip up in a hurry. This recipe fills a 9"x13" pan so I generally take half of it and freeze it in a large ziplock.

Crunchy Turkey Casserole
1 box of Uncle Bens long grain wild rice
4 c. turkey (or chicken)
8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 sm or med onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
3/4 C. Helmans mayonaise
1 c. French's french fried onions

1.  Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl except fried onions. Scoop into baking dish, covered.

2.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 - 1 1/2 hours depending on size of baking dish. Sprinkle fried onions over the top and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes at the end.

I'll usually serve this with homemade cornbread and an additional vegetable side dish. Some people like to eat this with plain potato chips.

Tangy Chops with Honey Curry Sauce

Tonight I made the marinade for pork chops. It smells amazing! The chops will sit overnight in a bag and be the main course tomorrow night. This marinade can be made ahead of time and after it cools you can add the chops to a freezer bag and freeze. On serving day, thaw completely and broil.

Curry Powder: is basically a blend of different spices and is used in a wide variety of savory dishes throughout India and Southeast Asia.

Tangy Chops with Honey Curry Sauce
6 pork loin chops
3 slices bacon, diced
1 c. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. lemon juice
2 T. honey
1 T. curry powder
2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. salt

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet until lightly browned. Add the onion and garlic and saute' until tender. Stir in soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, curry powder, chili powder, and salt. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Allow the sauce to stand for 1 hour so the flavors can blend together. Place the pork chops in a freezer bag, add the sauce. Freeze them at this point or let them marinade overnight. 
2. Place the pork chops on a broiling pan and place in the oven 4' from heat. Broil 12-15 minutes; flip chops and broil 10-15 minutes more. Brush the chops frequently with marinade. Or if it's not freezing outside like it is here in Minnesota you can grill them!

This recipe is from one of my favorite recipe books called Don't Panic more Dinner's in the Freezer. I think it's pretty handy to have a few extra meals in the freezer for unexpected guests! 

How did they turn out?
Excellent! I might have broiled mine a little too long because they were a bit dry, but the flavor was still there. My husband didn't even use any sauce (ketchup, heinz and honey)! That tells me they were a winner. The curry and chili power gave it a little kick but still sweet with the honey. I'd do it again. 

Chunky Chicken Soup

I made this great recipe this week and instantly thought of who I could share it with. It is PACKED with protein and veggies! A perfectly well balanced meal to bring to a friend in need. It includes basic ingredients that are easy to have on hand. Transport in an old ice cream pail and send along a package of Pillsbury biscuits.

Chunky Chicken Soup
3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cubes. (I just used the chicken I baked the day before)
1/2 c. chopped onions
1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. olive oil
2 TB all-purpose flour
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) vegetable or chicken broth
2 cans (15 1/2 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 c. frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 c. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 can chopped green chilies
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1.  In a Dutch oven, saute the chicken, onion and garlic in oil until chicken juices run clear. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

2.  Reduce heat; stir in the beans, vegetables and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Garnish with cheese. Makes 7 cups.

My husband really enjoyed his bowl full, even though he's not a veggie guy. I think it's the flavors of the cumin and pepper that jazz it up a little bit. My batch turned our really hearty, almost like a stew so next time I'll add an extra can of chicken broth or water to make a little more broth.

I should give credit to a really old Taste of Home magazine where I think this recipe came from.

Hanky Panky's - A Dutch dish

So I have a Dutch friend, well actually he's the husband of my good friend Molly. Each year they go to Orange City, IA to the Tulip Festival. They get all dressed up in Dutch costume, even the kids, and celebrate their heritage.

This is a Dutch meal they make regularly. Contains staple ingredients other than Rye bread which I don't usually have on hand. It's a simple mixture and can even be prepared in the crock pot ahead of time.


Hanky Pankies!
1 1/2 # ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. ketchup
Loaf of rye bread

1. Brown the burger and onion. Transfer to a bowl and add remaining ingredients (except bread). Mix together, it will be like a spread.

2. Place rye bread on a cookie sheet, spread mixture over the top.

3. Bake at 350* uncovered for 12-15 minutes

Eat it just as it is or with tortilla chips.

The family that gave me this recipe usually doubles it, freezes some of the mixture and uses it for last minute meals. They also bring the mixture to work and at lunch time just spread it on bread and heat it up in the microwave.

MEAL IDEAS

Lets make this a little easier for everyone who wants to bring a meal but just doesn't have time to sit and think about what to bring. Listed below are meals that have been enjoyed by others in the past.

Dinner Ideas

Scalloped potatoes and Ham

Chicken/Turkey Casserole
Veggie soup, buns, pie
Chicken Parmesan, noodles, french bread, salad

Chicken Chow Mein

Beef roast, potatoes and carrots

Turkey pot pie

Cheesy ham, broccoli and potato soup

Taco chili

Pork chops, baked potatoes, corn
Manicotti 

A ham and potato salad

Sour cream chicken enchilada's and rice

Brisket, twice baked potatoes

Chicken Kiev Casserole

Pizza, salad and dessert

Pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad

Sloppy Joe's, buns, veggies

Lasagna, caesar salad, french bread

Spaghetti, caesar salad, french bread

Meatloaf, salad, mashed potatoes

Taco fixings

Ham sandwiches, chips, fruit

Sausage casserole

Baked chicken, broccoli, baked potatoes

What is your families favorite meal? Can you double it or triple it next time? On your next grocery store visit, purchase enough items to do so. Freeze the extra proportions and now you have a meal to bring to another family.

Soups are a wonderful thing to bring. If the family does not eat it all they can easily be frozen for a later date. Not to mention, soups are usually a balanced meal all in one bowl. One time my friend brought me an ice cream pail half full of soup. It lasted us a few days and was nice to eat for lunch or dinner.

Breakfast Ideas

All of these can be prepared days a head of time and froze. 

Muffins -blueberry, banana, pumpkin

Croissants

Danishes

Eggbakes

Breakfast breads

A bag of bagels and tasty cream cheese. What a treat!

Pancakes, waffles and french toast are my favorite things to freeze and have on hand. 

Breakfast burritos (eggs, cheese and salsa)

Breakfast sandwiches (eggs, bacon on english muffins)

You can also find a variety of crockpot breakfast recipes online. Drop the crock off Friday night and they can have a warm breakfast waiting for them on Saturday morning!

Baked Potato Bar

A baked potato bar is a popular way to serve baked potatoes along with a variety of toppings.

Here are some topping ideas:
Butter or greek yogurt instead
Cheese (shredded cheddar, american, swiss, pepperjack, ricotta)

Nacho cheese or chili con queso

Sour Cream or French onion dip
Ranch dressing
Salsa
---
Chives
Broccoli
Roasted red peppers
Black beans
---
Fresh Bacon bits
Chili
Beef tips
Shredded beef
Stroganoff sauce
Pepperonis
Shrimp

Did you know you can bake baked potatoes in your crockpot! Here's how: place your potatoes upright on end. Cover and cook without opening lid on LOW heat setting for 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.

You can bake them in the oven on a cookie sheet for 50-60 minutes, smothered in EVOO.

Great Recipe Book

I came across a great book to help me with making meals ahead of time and freezing them. The book is called "Dont Panic more Dinner's in the Freezer" by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and Bonnie Garcia. By the title of this book I would say this is not their first book in the series.

The Pulled Pork Sandwich recipe is one of our families favorite. This is also where the Italian Stuffed Meatloaf recipe came from.

I dont cook!

What if I dont cook!

Just when you thought you could weasel out of not bringing a meal! Here are 3 easy ways to still help out. 

1. Gift cards are always welcome. Yes the family would have to go and pick up the meal if they wanted it right away which may not work will with those that are ill. However all restaurants take to-go orders. You can pick it up and bring it to them. Or the family can save the gift card for an eventual time when they can get out. 
2. A friend of mine once ordered a pizza and had it delivered to the families house around dinner time. 
3. Warehouse stores (Costco and Sams Club) are excellent resources for those that dont cook. They will sell you an entire Lasagna or a whole box of quiche! With their large proportions the family can have leftover or freeze a second meal. This is a simple and convenient way to bring a meal in a hurry. 

Packaging and Freezing Meals

How to package a meal

Instead of throwing out those to-go boxes (plastic works best), old sour cream containers and old pie pans, save them in a paper bag in your basement. They work great for delivering meals. Garage sales are a great place to purchase used cake pans and casserole dishes that you can give away with your meal. 

Freezing Methods

There are a few different methods. 

1. Freezer bags work great for liquids such as soups, chili, gravy, stews. Get as much air out as possible and lay flat in the freezer
2. Foil and Plastic Wrap works great for semisolid food items like lasagna, casseroles, meatloaf and breakfast items such as breakfast burritos and sandwiches. You can either just cover the top of the baking dish with plastic wrap and foil if your freezing for a day or two. The other method saves space in your freezer and lasts much longer. Line the baking dish with foil, then plastic wrap (making sure you have to cover the bottom, sides and top of the dish). Let the food cool completely, seal the plastic wrap, removing as much air as possible. Seal the foil layer. Put the whole thing in the freezer and once the food has been frozen slip it out of the pan and into a freezer bag. 
3. Double wrap baked goods in plastic wrap and freezer bags. Muffins, rolls, breads, cookies.   

Date and label everything and always include baking directions.