Slow Cooker Pear Butter

October 26, 2020 by

Does anything quite say fall like something cooking in the slow cooker? Especially when cinnamon is involved. My oldest daughter loves, LOVES jams, spreads, condiments of any kind. I haven’t made pear butter in forever and had a big bag that was getting too soft for eating so I knew what to do.
This could easily be made with apples too and it isn’t safe for canning it freezes quite well and in little jars it would make a wonderful gift especially with some fresh bread or biscuits. My girls have discovered it’s yummy on pancakes as well.

Filed Under: Freezer, Halloween / Fall, Sauces / Condiments Tagged With: , , , ,

Freezer Street Tacos

September 6, 2019 by

Tacos may be my husband’s love language.  And since he’s such a nice guy I like keeping the freezer stocked with some of these.
They come together in no time and are great for a quick lunch.  My kids love them too so double bonus.
I usually serve them with a salsa or taco sauce.  I didn’t put amounts in the recipe since a lot of that will depend on how much you want in each taco.  You could even use just beans and cheese if you like.

I use my Instant Pot taco meat with beans, I find that the beans help hold everything together and kind of act like glue. If you don’t have an instant pot just combine some cooked ground meat with taco seasoning and refried beans. These also freeze very well and don’t get freezer burnt. The parchment helps with that as well.

I usually make a big batch of these since everyone loves them so much.  The parchment squares can be found in restaurant supply stores inexpensively, and ours even has big packs of the small street taco tortillas as well.

FREEZER STREET TACOS

corn tortillas (street taco size)
Cooked taco meat and beans
Cheese, shredded (I used a Mexican blend)
Parchment squares

Cook tortillas on a dry griddle just to warm and make more pliable.  Alternatively, you can wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds until warm and pliable.
Lay out the parchment squares and place a tortilla on each square.  Top with a little cheese, then the taco meat and beans.
Use the parchment square to fold in half and set aside.  Repeat with remaining tacos then place in freezer bags or containers and freeze.

To serve: Remove parchment square and place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes or until warmed through.

 

Filed Under: Freezer, Mexican

Creamy Pesto Dressing

July 24, 2019 by


Our basil didn’t do so well in the garden this year… maybe because I ignored the garden basically and left the 12 year old in charge of it… maybe.
Never mind, I have this basil pesto on hand in my freezer year round.  I buy the gigantic 1 pound bag of basil at our local restaurant supply store and make a huge batch.  I use it to spread on sandwiches as a condiment, on pizza crust as the sauce, in this salad dressing, or pretty much anywhere.
I pop a cube or two in the microwave for a few seconds and it’s good to go.
I never blanch my basil and the color is always super bright.  If you adore lemon as much as I do use fresh lemon juice and add the zest of the lemons in too!
You can freeze it in ice cube trays and when frozen pop into a container.  I freeze mine in cookie dough freezer trays and leave them in it.  Each cube holds about 2 Tablespoons and the big batch of pesto fits in 2 of those trays.
You can totally use a store bought pesto for the dressing, but I think homemade has so much better flavor and you have complete control over the ingredients and quality.  My youngest is very allergic to tree nuts as well and good luck finding a nut free pesto!  I actually prefer the flavor of mine without any nuts or cheese.  Just super concentrated basil flavor with a bright lemon note!

BIG BATCH BASIL PESTO

1 pound  basil leaves
2 cups olive oil
24 cloves garlic cloves
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup lemon juice (and lemon zest if using fresh)

Pulse everything in a food processor until fairly smooth.  Freeze in ice cube trays.

CREAMY PESTO SALAD DRESSING

1/4 cup Basil Pesto
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a mason jar and mix or shake to combine.  (or whisk together in a bowl).
Chill until ready to serve.

Filed Under: Freezer, Salad / Dressings

Strawberry Lemonade

June 26, 2019 by

We don’t drink soda, outside of root beer floats once or twice a year.  But I do love having some homemade berry lemonade concentrates ready in the freezer for BBQ’s in the summer.  I love this Blueberry Thyme Lemonade.   Don’t get me started on this Blackberry Basil Lemonade.  Or if lime is your jam there’s Cherry limeade or Raspberry limeade.   Of course you can swap lemon or lime with each other on any of these to suit yourself.

FREEZER FRIENDLY STRAWBERRY LEMONADE CONCENTRATE
Yield: 1 quart concentrate (makes 3 quarts lemonade)

1 1/2 cups lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pound strawberries

Heat the lemon juice and sugar in a pot over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Set aside and cool.
Puree the strawberries in a blender and strain.  Mix with the lemon juice and sugar.
You should have approx 1 quart concentrate.  Freeze for later use or mix and chill.
To serve add 2 parts water to 1 part concentrate.

Filed Under: Drinks, Freezer

Pancake and Sausage Bites

August 15, 2018 by

I am not a fan of the sample tables at Costco.  At least, not when I want to get down that aisle that is being blocked by people waiting for samples.  However, I love that it has gotten my daughter to try so many new things and has really helped with her food aversions.  For some reason she will try almost anything they are giving out as samples! Because of that I’ve discovered that both of my daughters love funky cheese… I mean FUNKY cheese.  Who knew?!  I also discovered they make corn dogs.. but not.  You might have seen them, sausage instead of a hot dog and dipped in pancake batter, frozen.  While I’m not a big fan of processed food I’m also not opposed to having fun in the kitchen too.  So I came up with a home version I could feel better about for treat breakfasts.  These are great for busy mornings, pull out how ever many from the freezer and warm in an oven or microwave.

My favorite way to make them is with whole grain pancakes and turkey or chicken sausages.  One of the things I love about homeschooling is breakfast is not the hectic grab something and rush out the door experience.  We can have some time together to enjoy the morning… but that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to make a hot breakfast every single morning! Oh, and prebaking sausages for the freezer works great too.  Sometimes I have some leftover and I just throw them in a freezer container and when it’s time to reheat just put in a pan with a lid to reheat.  Breakfast presto!

PANCAKE SAUSAGE BITES

Sausage links (pork, turkey, or chicken)
Pancake batter (Whole wheat or oat work great!)

Bake your sausages on a foil lined baking tray at 435 degrees until done (these took about 12 minutes).

Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick coating and place a slice of sausage in the middle of each cup.

Use a small scooper to make easy work of filling 2/3rd s full with pancake batter.
Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Let cool before putting in freezer containers ( I haven’t had any issues with them sticking together).
Pull out how many you want and rewarm in the oven or microwave.

We’ve also done mini chocolate chips..

with and without colored sugar.  Fun for birthday breakfasts!
You can do pretty much anything in these you would use for pancakes.  Blueberries, blackberries do okay but they will get a bit more mushy if you plan on freezing.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Freezer

Make Ahead Caramelized Onions

November 3, 2016 by

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I was at Cash and Carry recently (a restaurant supply store open to the public) and for some reason thought I should buy a 50 pound bag of onions.  By the time I got home I knew exactly what I was going to make with them!  We love adding caramelized onions to all kinds of things, on sandwiches, burgers, spreads, on top of biscuits, not to mention french onion soup.  My big 20 quart roaster pan fit almost half of the bag.  I used my Cuisinart to make slicing the onions quickly too.
They filled the roaster pan all the way to the top but they will cook down A LOT.
Here they are at the beginning:
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And at the end you have this!
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If you don’t have a roaster pan you could use a slow cooker, just cut enough onions to fit the size you have.  Cook for the same amount of time on high.
I put some in 8 oz containers for adding to sandwiches or smaller uses like that.
Then I put some in quart containers for making a quick french onion soup.
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Make Ahead Caramelized Onions

20 pounds onions
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Spray the roaster pan with nonstick spray. Set on 250 degrees.  Place the butter in the roaster pan to warm while you slice the onions thinly and place in the roaster pan along with the butter.
Cook for 7-8 hours, stirring occasionally (every hour or so).
Leave lid ajar and continue cooking for 2 hours, stirring more often, at least every 30 minutes.
The onions should be cooked down and most the liquid evaporated.
Cool completely before putting in freezer containers.

Filed Under: Freezer, Slow Cooker

Instant Pot Chicken Stock

October 14, 2016 by

There is no comparison between homemade chicken stock and what you can buy at the store.  I do keep chicken base on hand for emergencies but I keep my freezer well stocked, especially in the fall and winter when I make more soups.  The instant pot makes chicken stock a breeze and I found that I can reuse the bones an extra time.  The trick is mixing the first and second batch together.  Below in the picture you can see the first batch on the left, and the second on the right.  The first batch is incredibly rich and flavorful, while the second is weaker – all though still very flavorful- is more similar to the canned chicken broth in the store.
By mixing them together I find it perfect balance for soups, sauces, or just drinking plain when you’re sick.
I freeze it in quart and pint containers since I use both those amounts.
Oh, and no instant pot? Just simmer on the stove for about 8-12 hours, until desired stock is achieved.

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While most recipes will have you add vegetable scraps I found that I like making it without, all though you could if you want.  I used to add peppercorns and bay leaf but since I use the bones a second time (and didn’t want to fish out little peppercorns) they become more bitter after 2 batches.  Besides the fact that I season the broth when we go to use it.

One other trick.  I buy one or two rotisserie chickens pretty much every time I go to Costco.
I shred the meat and package in freezer bags.  Then I use the bones to make a ton of stock.  If I don’t have time within a couple of days I just freeze the bones until I do.  I even throw the skin in with them.
That precooked chicken comes in handy often for nights I need to make a quick dinner.
And if your family is anything like mine you’ve all ready had a couple of colds or flus go through the house this fall.  Being able to throw some of that cooked chicken and broth in a pot to simmer is perfect for getting everyone feeling better again.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN STOCK
Makes approx. 4 1/2 quarts (18 cups)

Bones from 1 chicken
16 cups water, divided
6 T vinegar (white or apple cider), divided

Place the bones, 8 cups of water, and 3 T vinegar in the instant pot.
Set for high pressure, 60 minutes.
When done, I use the quick pressure release and strain bones from stock.
Place bones back into pot and add another 8 cups water and 3 T vinegar.
Cook again on high pressure for 60 minutes, but allow to come down in pressure naturally this time to give it a little more cook time.
Strain bones and combine the 2 batches of stock.  Cool, then pour into freezer containers and freeze.
Keeps in fridge for 5-7 days, or freeze for up to 1 year.

Filed Under: Freezer, Instant Pot (Pressure Cooking), Soups / Stews

Best Ever Burritos (Freezer Friendly!)

April 13, 2016 by

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There are 2 types of food that I know without a shadow of a doubt, my hubby will LOVE.  Pizza and Mexican.  Pretty much any variety of either.  Well, almost.  There was the cauliflower pizza crust experiment.. we don’t talk about that. 😉

I love keeping these on hand in the freezer, either for dinner or lunches.  I make them lots of ways, and we like them equally with shredded chicken too.  Homemade enchilada sauce and refried beans aren’t a must but if you want the best EVER you really should put in the extra time on those, they are so much yummier.
You can adapt these to your own taste, if I have leftover refried beans I sometimes whip some up with just beans and cheese in them too.
I’ve even made them with leftover turkey from a holiday.  Adding the enchilada sauce to the meat helps it stay moist.

BEST EVER BURRITOS
For the beef:
2 lbs roast
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

To assemble:
Flour Tortillas
Homemade Enchilada Sauce, or store bought
White or Red Rice
Refried Beans
Shredded cheese, I use a combination of monterey jack and cheddar

To serve:
Shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Sliced olives

Combine all the spices together in a small bowl.  Coat the roast with the spices.  Heat a drizzle of oil over medium high heat in a heavy oven safe pot and sear all sides of the meat.
Add 1 cup of water, cover, and bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours or until roast falls apart. (TIP: If your roast doesn’t have much marbling of fat or is a cheaper cut, cut into smaller pieces so it will break down faster.)  Shred meat and toss with enchilada sauce.
To assemble burritos:
In a flour tortilla, place rice, meat, and beans.  Fold up one long side, then the short sides, and then roll tightly.
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In the picture I also have shredded chicken tossed with enchilada sauce since I was making some chicken ones for the freezer as well.
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If I’m freezing them, at this point I roll it snugly in foil then place them in a ziplock bag.
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Place on a baking sheet and top with a little enchilada sauce (more if you want a “wet” burrito) and some cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is melted and warmed through.

Filed Under: Beef, Chicken / Turkey, Freezer, Mexican

Holiday Sausage Rolls

November 7, 2015 by

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Sausage rolls are mainly from England and Ireland, making appearances in a couple other countries as well.  Basically they are sausages wrapped in pastry.  A tasty finger food served for parties and holidays.  Sausage rolls are usually made with puff pastry but I like making them with pie crust.  Especially my pie crust 🙂 Super flaky, buttery, and makes my hubby one happy guy.  My 8 year old is becoming quite the pie dough expert and I can’t wait to make these with her again for the upcoming holidays.
These are a great appetizer for taking to parties or serving before a holiday meal.  You could even make them ahead of time, a few days even and rewarm in the oven before hand.  If you want to make them further ahead of time, I would bake them, then freeze.  Thaw in the fridge and then rewarm in the oven at 350 degrees. (You could probably bake straight from the freezer okay).

HOLIDAY SAUSAGE ROLLS
makes 32 pieces

Double pie crust dough, a double batch of this recipe
Egg wash (one egg beaten with 1 T water)

Filling Spices: (OR use a seasoned pork sausage and skip the seasonings.. but this makes them super yummy!)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried fennel
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried sage

Filling:
1 lb ground pork
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg

Grind spices in a spice grinder if desired.  mix with remaining filling ingredients until well combined.  Divide into quarters.
Roll out half of the pie dough on a lightly floured surface to about 9 by 13 inches.  I have a silicone mat this size I use for a guide.
Cut in half lengthwise.
Shape one quarter of the filling into a log and place on the center of one of the strips of pie dough.
Repeat with another quarter of filling on the other half.

Holiday Sausage Rolls

Brush the length of pie dough and wrap around filling snugly to seal.
Holiday Sausage Rolls

Cut each roll into 8 equal pieces.
Holiday Sausage Rolls

Place rolls on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Cut slashes in top if desired and brush with egg wash.
Repeat with remaining half of dough and filling.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until meat is cooked through and pastry is golden and flaky.

Filed Under: Appetizers / Dips / Snacks, Freezer, Holiday Recipes, Irish

Sweet Pulled Pork

October 8, 2015 by

Sweet Pulled Pork - freezer friendly!

This is one of those things I am so glad to have in the freezer when we have a hectic night and I am more parts tired mom than I am food blogger… okay, I’m always more parts tired mom… but some times more than others. 😀 Pork shoulder is a cheap cut, locally I can get it at United Grocers Cash and Carry (No, you don’t have to own a restaurant or have a business license to shop there) for around $1.50 lb.  But you do have to get a pretty big bag of it.  Winco is having a case lots sale through this week and has them for only 95 cents a lb.  They weigh around 10 lbs each and do have a bone but it doesn’t account for much of the weight at all.  I bought a few for the freezer (they came in sealed packages and can be frozen for up to 12 months) and went ahead and cooked one up for some freezer meals.  From one 10 lb piece I got about 5 quarts.  I freeze it in quart containers, that’s about right for our family.  For best quality use the cooked pork within about 3 months.

SWEET PULLED PORK (For the freezer!)

10 lb pork shoulder (also called pork butt, pork picnic)
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1 T smoked paprika
1 T kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle powder (more if you want it spicy)
1 cup brown sugar
1 (12 oz) can root beer (or cola)

Place the pork in a large roasting pan.  Combine the spices with the brown sugar and coat the pork with it.  Pour the root beer or other liquid over the top.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 hours, until meat falls off the bone and shreds easily.
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Remove any fat (this should be fairly easy to remove off the outer layer) and bones.
Meat should be very easy to shred.  I just stir it with tongs.
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Remove from remaining liquid and cool if not using immediately.
Package in freezer containers or bags  (I get about 5 quarts from this recipe) label and freeze.

To serve: (Makes sweet pork like Costa Vida or Cafe Rio)
1 quart pork
1 cup root beer (or cola)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T tomato paste

Put the root beer, brown sugar, and tomato paste in a skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring to combine well.
Add pork and continue to heat for about 15 minutes, until sauce is mostly absorbed.

USES:
Serve in tacos, burritos, on taco salad, enchiladas, taquitos, tamales, pizza, on rolls.  Or my favorite, sweet pork tostadas!
If you want a less sweet pork, replace the root beer with something neutral like chicken stock for the cooking part. (Or leave the root beer in the cooking section and just skip the serving sauce.)  This makes amazing sloppy joes as well.
Use as is to serve or heat with another sauce such as BBQ.



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Filed Under: Freezer, Mexican, Pork