Sunday dinner: Chicken Pot Pie

Chris and I took a meal to some friends, Daniel and Wendy Simmons, that just had a new baby girl. Daniel is going to be the campus pastor at the new Summit church Raleigh campus. We are so excited about it because they are a precious family! Wendy is a vegetarian so I wanted to find something that I could make for her but that I could also add some meat to for the boys. Enter...Ina Garten's chicken pot pie. I modified it some so that it has more veggies. If you like chicken pot pie, you will LOVE this! It was a wonderful evening with new friends. God is so good.

I made a double batch of this so we would have some in the freezer. A double batch will make 3 regular size pie pans and 6 mini pie pans (at our store, they are actually called "pot pie pans"). We ate one of the regular pie pans, put one in our freezer (which we ate for lunch today), and gave the other to Daniel and Wendy to put in their freezer.

Link to original recipe...
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-pot-pie-recipe/index.html

Chicken Pot pie (or leave out the chicken steps for veggie pot pie)
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
1 fennel (chopped...remove the green stems/leaves)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes
1 cup potatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen green beans
1 1/2 cups frozen small/pearl whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

For the pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions, fennel, potatoes, and carrots over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Check the carrots and potatoes to see if they are almost soft. If not, allow to cook on low heat for a few more minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, peas, green beans, small onions and parsley. Mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls (or 1 regular size pie pan and a few mini pie pans). Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Chicken Spinach Lasagna

This is a recipe that I adapted from a recipe that I got from my friend, Carlyn. It was passed around her freezer swap group so she passed it on to me. It works great as a freezer meal or as a meal to take to someone. It makes 2 9x13 pans of lasagna or you can split it into 3 8x8 pans. It is absolutely delicious! Now, I haven't actually made it like the original recipe so mine might not be as good as the original : ). If you try it both ways before I do, let me know if it makes any difference. The only differences in mine and the original is that I omitted the cream of mushroom soup (and made my own) and I sauteed the vegetables. The original would be much easier to make and has a lot less steps than the one I made. I just really like the taste of homemade cream of mushroom "soup". However, I will make it like the original next time just to compare.

18 no boil lasagna noodles
EVOO
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed (Squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as you can using your hand. The rest of the liquid will get cooked off in the skillet)
4 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken (Season 3 split chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook in the oven for about 40 minutes on 350 degrees. Cover with foil and let cool. Shred or dice the chicken.)
4 cups shredded white cheddar (You can use any other cheese you like. I just love white cheddar.)
1 onion, diced
8-16 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cream
1 cup chicken broth/stock
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp soy sauce
16 oz sour cream
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Heat skillet with a few swirls around the pan of EVOO. Saute mushrooms until they start getting a golden color. Add the onions. Sprinkle with a tsp or so of salt to help release the liquid. Let the onions cook 3-4 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the spinach. Sprinkle with flour. Stir and let cook for a minute. Whisk in the chicken broth and then the cream. Let it cook for 6-7 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken. Take off the heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, mix together sour cream, mayo, soy sauce, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Stir in the cooled cream chicken mixture.

In a greased 9x13 pan, place a layer of the cream mixture. Lay down 3 no boil lasagna noodles. Top with more cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place 3 more noodles down. Top with cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place the last 3 noodles down and top with more cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Top with pecan/Parmesan mixture.

Repeat in the other 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

You will just need to guess about how much cream mixture and cheese you put on each layer. Just keep in mind that they will be used for both pans. If you have never worked with "no boil" noodles, you will love them! You don't have to cook them at all. Just lay them down. Make sure that every corner has some of the sauce on them. The layer of sauce doesn't need to be thick for the noodles to soften, it just has to be covered. I think you could use the no boil noodles in the original. I will let you know when I try it.


Original Recipe:
24 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
4 cups diced chicken(i cooked mine first)
4 cups shredded cheddar
2/3 cup finely diced onion
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cans cream of mushroom
16 oz. sour cream
2/3 cup mayonnaise

Topping:
1 cups grated Parmesan
1 cups chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients in very large bowl. In a large and deep baking dish, layer chicken mixture, noodles, chicken, noodles, chicken. Sprinkle with topping. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Thrifty Thursday: Pecan Chicken Curry

We love curry in our house. I used to make Rachael Ray's Curry in a Hurry recipe once a week. It is awesome and really cheap because once you buy the two main ingredients (curry paste and mango chutney) they will last a while. Rachael's recipe actually calls for mincemeat but I use mango chutney. Also, I buy Patak's Curry Paste which I think is the best of all the brands. It costs $5 but it will last a long time!

I started making another recipe recently that I got from the online cooking school that I do. I changed it up just a little bit. Chris and I love it! If you like traditional Indian curry, then this is for you! This meal just makes the cut of under $10. It costs around $9.95. Now, if you already have all of the spices, then it will be much cheaper.

Pecan Chicken Curry
4 whole onions (diced 1/4 inch cubes)
1/2 cup ghee (see below) - can substitute butter
2 bay leaves
2 tsp Kosher salt
4 large garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp fresh ginger (roughly chopped - I buy a fresh ginger root and keep it in my freezer. It keeps it fresh and makes it easy to chop.)
2 whole green chilis (seeded and roughly chopped...if you can't find these, you can use one poblano pepper)
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp paprika
1 cup Water
3-6 chicken breasts depending on your family size (diced in 1 or 2 inch cubes)
1/2 cup pecans
3/4 cup cream
1 bunch cilantro

Heat the ghee over medium heat in a large fry pan or Dutch oven and sweat the onions, bay leaves and salt for about 25 to 30 minutes. You want the onions to sweat slowly. If they look like they are going to start to brown, turn the heat down.
Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the garlic, ginger, chilies and place into food processor and puree.
Once the onions are very soft add the garlic, ginger and chilies and cook for another 3 minutes.
Then add all of the remaining spices and seasoning and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and cover. Let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add the diced (uncooked) chicken into the sauce, replace the lid on the pot and simmer for another 10 -15 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.

Grind the almonds in a food processor. Then add the cream and blend until you have a smooth paste. Add the almond paste to the chicken and onions and stir. Check for taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. To finish add the chopped cilantro and serve over rice (preferably jasmine).

Ghee
You can buy Ghee in stores but it is much cheaper to make yourself.
This is just a simple process of removing the milk solids from the butter. It allows the butter to be cooked at a higher temperature without burning.
Take a stick of butter and melt it in a saucepan over low heat. Let it continue to cook until you see the layer of milk solids has separated. You can strain the butter through a cheesecloth to remove the milk solids. I just take a spoon and skim off the milk solids and discard them.

Tip: If you don't have some of these spices, I would suggest you go to a Fresh Market or Earth Fare (if you live near one). They sell their spices in small plastic bags and are WAY cheaper than the grocery stores. Also, walmart has really cheap spices as well.

Menu Planning Monday (On Saturday)

So, I just spent the last 2 hours planning our meals. We have 12 dinners before we get paid. Since money is a little tight, I decided to try to get all 12 dinners (plus lunches and breakfast stuff) out of our normal amount of money for one week of groceries. My plan is to make 6 meals that can all be eaten twice or that I can used to make another meal. So, for all of the meals that are casseroles, I will make the whole recipe and separate it into 2 or 3 8x8 pans depending on how much it makes. We will eat one that night and save the other for the next week. Hopefully, we will like these recipes enough to eat them twice so close together : ). My estimated cost of all of these meals plus lunch and breakfast stuff for my boys is going to be $100. I will let you know what happens!

Sunday - Pizza (I am trying a new technique this week and new dough recipe that is supposed to make the pizza thin and crispy. It uses semolina flour and slow rising overnight. I will let you know how it turns out and pass on the recipe.)
Monday - Sunny Anderson's Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Tuesday - Chicken Parmigiano
Wednesday - Chicken Parm Subs (made from leftover chicken parm)
Thursday - Giada's Ragu with Mint (It is made with ground lamb but I will more than likely use ground beef unless there is an awesome sale on ground lamb...which I doubt.)
Friday - My mac-n-cheese topped with bacon and onions
Saturday - Pizza
Sunday - Sunny Anderson's Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Monday - Giada's Ragu with Mint
Tuesday - My mac-n-cheese topped with bacon and onions
Wednesday - Pan fried Chicken with gravy and rice (Chicken breasts are on sale at Lowe's foods for $1.99 a pound)

Baked Ravioli

3 packages of frozen cheese ravioli
1 pound ground sirloin or ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
5 cups of Basic Tomato Sauce
1 cup stock (whatever kind you have on hand)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup red wine (if you don't want to use wine, you can just add another cup of whatever stock you have)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. allspice
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cups shredded cheese (you could do a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan or provolone and Parmesan)
EVOO

Preheat oven to 375. Cook ravioli according to package but take a few minutes off of the cooking time as they will continue to cook in the oven. Lay flat after draining to keep them from sticking together. Set aside.

Brown meat in large (high sided) skillet with a few swirls of EVOO. Brown until the meat has some crispy parts to it. Move the meat over in the pan and add onion and garlic to the pan. Cook until tender...about 6 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the cup of wine or stock making sure to scrape up any bits on the bottom. Cook for 5 minutes. Add allspice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire and stock. Bring to a bubble and then add the tomato sauce. Cook until it thickens a bit (about 15 minutes).

Place a cup of tomato sauce in a greased 9x13 pan. Place a single layer of ravioli on top of sauce making sure to get ravioli into the corners of the pan. Repeat until all the ravioli is used (3-4 layers). The top layer should be sauce. Then top with your cheese. Bake for 10 minutes. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes after it has baked.

Thrifty Thursday...One of My Favorite Comfort Foods

A friend of mine requested that I post my Macaroni and Cheese recipe. Mac and cheese is one of my absolute favorite things to eat and fun to make. My friend, Brittany, gave me a great idea the other day that she found somewhere. Make the mac-n-cheese in cupcake tins and store them individually in the freezer. This is great if you have kids! Pull them out and pop them in their lunchbox.

I am going to give you my basic macaroni and cheese recipe (it looks long but it is really simple). Then, I am going to give you a list of things you can do to change it up a bit. This is going to be so fun! You can make an entire meal out of mac and cheese...just serve with a green salad along side. So, Jill, here you go : )...

1 lb noodles (I use either Cavatappi or Conchigilie)
1 stick unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp flour
3 cups whole milk (you can use reduced fat but it will not be as rich and creamy)
sea salt (or kosher salt)
4 garlic cloves (smashed but you can leave skins on)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (optional, but it adds a great flavor)
freshly grated nutmeg (about 1 tsp...this is a key ingredient)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
4 cups sharp WHITE cheddar cheese (you can also do half sharp white cheddar and half Gruyere if you can find a good price on it)
1 cup panko crumbs

Cook the noodles according to the package except cook just short of al dente. So, if the package says to boil for 8 minutes then boil them for about 6. You will really just have to taste test them. You want them to have a pretty good bite to them because they will continue to cook in sauce when you bake it. Be sure to use about 4-5 quarts of water for every pound of pasta and 2-3 tbsp of salt. The salt does not significantly increase the boiling point but it is the ONLY chance you have to season the pasta. Also, do NOT add oil to your pasta water. This does not keep your pasta from sticking AND it prevents whatever sauce you use from coating the pasta. If your pasta is sticking together, then you aren't using enough water which lets the pasta move freely in the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, begin to make your Bechamel sauce. In a medium saucepan heat the milk, garlic and thyme on low-medium heat. Allow it to get warm. Once it is almost warm, melt half of the stick of butter in a skillet. Once melted, sprinkle with the flour. Whisk for a couple of minutes (you don't want it to get dark). Drain the garlic and thyme from the milk. Whisk the milk into the butter/flour mixture (roux). Allow to cook for a few minutes to thicken. Season with salt and nutmeg.

Add 2 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan or other casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cut remaining butter into small 1/4 size cubes and place around on the top. Then, sprinkle with the panko crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Variations:
1. Crisp bacon and saute with onions...put on top after Mac and Cheese comes out of the oven.
2. Replace a 1/2 cup of the milk with beer for Beer Mac-n-Cheese
3. BLT - add crispy bacon and sauteed leeks to the mac-n-cheese before baking. Then, top with diced fresh tomatoes.
4. Add crumbled cooked sausage and sauteed onions and bell peppers
5. Add cooked diced chicken and broccoli
6. Add sauteed spinach and artichokes
7. Add sauteed chopped red peppers and onion (and maybe some jalapenos) and switch out half of the cheddar cheese with Monterrey Jack for spicy mac-n-cheese.
8. Add cooked ground beef, onions, crispy bacon, and a tbsp or two of yellow mustard (to the cheese sauce)
9. Add some sauteed shrimp
10. Rachael Ray has a Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac
11. Add pimentos and switch it to yellow cheddar
12. Added chopped corned beef and sauerkraut (you can use rye bread crumbs for topping instead of panko)
13. Rachael Ray even has a Philly cheese steak mac-n-cheese. Now, what could be wrong with that?1
14. Add some sauteed sun dried tomatoes and spinach
Try your own additions and then let us know what you did!!

Thrifty Thursday: Two for One

Today, I am posting TWO Thrifty Thursday recipes! I am very excited about both of these. The first one, I am going to just give you the link to it. It is what I am making for dinner tonight so I can't tell you (yet) what I think about it. However, it looks so yummy! I got a great deal on some white fish at Aldi this week. I got a bag of about 6 filets for $3.99. They were out of tilapia but I think these will work great. I will let you know what I think about Bobby Flay's Grilled Tilapia with Lemon Butter, Capers and Orzo (for dairy free, just substitue the butter for smart balance light and omit the cream). If you can find a similar deal on a white fish or tilapia, then you can make this meal for a family of four for around $7.00.
Here is a pic of Bobby Flay's meal that I made last night. It got rave reviews from my husband! Now, if you read the reviews from Foodnetwork.com they say that the written recipe is not the same as how Bobby does it on his show. I did it like the reviews said to do it (make a butter sauce). However, my guess is that he changed it up a bit since making a butter sauce is kind of finicky. The trick is to remove the pot from the heat and whisk in room temperature butter...one cube at a time so that it doesn't separate. Do not re-heat in the microwave. If you need to warm it up put it in a bowl over hot water.

This next idea I got from Rachael Ray's Neapolitan Baked Ziti. I had planned on just making regular spaghetti but then I saw this on her show and thought it looked really good and figured I could do something similar with baked spaghetti. You can make this for around $6.10!! AND, it makes two dinners for a family of four!!

Jazzed Up Baked Spaghetti
1 pound spaghetti (Cooked a couple minutes short of what the package says...noodles will continue to cook when you bake it.)
1/2 lb ground turkey or beef, cooked
2 tbsp EVOO
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped or use a microplane zester
seasonings (Use whatever seasonings you like in your spaghetti. I used about a tbsp of Italian seasoning and some extra basil because I LOVE basil.)
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes
S&P to taste
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 bay leaf
nutmeg, freshly grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 -1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Heat EVOO in a medium to large saucepan. Add the onions and sweat on low heat until they are translucent (do not brown). Add garlic and cook another minute. Add your seasonings (do not add the S&P yet). Let cook for another minute and then add the tomato paste. Stir and let cook for another minute. Then, add your tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Let simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

While the sauce is simmering, melt the butter in a small to medium saucepan. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until combined. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly add the milk while whisking (you can also heat the milk before adding it so you don't have to worry about adding it as slowly). Add the bay leaf, nutmeg and season with S&P. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring often. Remove the bay leaf.

Combine the pasta, beef and red sauce and place in a greased 9x13 casserole dish (I split mine into 2 8x8 so I could freeze one of them). Pour the white sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and then the parmesan cheese. Bake on 400 for 25 minutes. Then, place the oven on broil and broil for a couple of minutes until the top of the cheese is golden brown.

Freezer Meal Friday

Cherry Pork Chops Freezer Recipe
6 boneless pork chops
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup beef broth
3 tbsp apple juice
1 can pitted cherries, drained but save juice
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp dried crushed rosemary

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Brown pork chops with a small amount of salt and pepper (to taste), about six minutes each side. Pour apple juice and broth into skillet, stir. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.

In a bowl, combine cherry juice and cornstarch. Add to skillet and stir. Add cherries and rosemary. Bring up the heat slightly and cook until sauce has thickened, about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Allow to cool then freeze in freezer container or large Ziploc bag.

On cooking day: Defrost overnight in refrigerator. Empty container into a skillet and cook on low heat until the pork chops and sauce are thoroughly heated. Serve over bed of Cherry Rice Pilaf.


Cherry Rice Pilaf
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon margarine
3 cups cooked rice

Directions:
Heat margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, cherries, walnuts, and spices over medium heat for about ten minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice and cook three to four minutes or until heated through. Freeze in Ziploc bag.

On cooking day: Open the Ziploc bag and place (no need to thaw) in the microwave for about 3 minutes or until heated through.

The Best Baked Ziti

Here is the amazing baked ziti I keep raving about! This is Giada de Laurentiis' (from Food Network) recipe. I add some garlic and use crushed tomatoes if they are on sale. Also, she has you completely cook the meatballs in a saucepan on the stove. I finish them off in the oven so I can begin preparing the other stuff for the ziti. I made this the other night and doubled the recipe. I was sending some to our college student's dinner for our church. It made one 9x13 and 3 8x8 pans. That is a lot! So, if you are looking for a freezer meal, you can double this and get five meals out of it by putting it in 5 8x8 pans. I hope you enjoy!


Giada's Baked Ziti with Meatballs1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup grated Romano
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground beef
All-purpose flour, for dredging
1 pound ziti
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cups tomato sauce (I have also used crushed tomatoes if they are on sale. I like the texture that they give the dish.)
2 cloves garlic (grated or very finely minced...you don't want to bite into a huge chunk since you aren't cooking it first.)
3 cups whole milk ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of the Romano and the parsley, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add beef and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Shape into bite-size meatballs. Roll each meatball in flour to coat, shaking off excess.

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. You definitely do NOT want to overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook in the sauce when you put it in the oven. Drain pasta in a colander and set aside. If not using immediately, cover top with plastic wrap so that pasta does not dry out. Do not rinse pasta with water since you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will cling to the ziti.

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. When almost smoking, add meatballs in batches and without moving or turning the meat, allow it to brown for about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer meatballs to a cookie sheet and allow them to finish cooking in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, garlic and ricotta and mix well. Add the cooked ziti and meatballs and toss gently.

In a large greased baking dish, pour in pasta mixture. Sprinkle the mozzarella, Parmesan, and remaining Romano all over the top. Dot with the butter. Place baking dish on top of baking sheet covered with aluminum foil to collect any drippings from the dish. Bake until top is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 to 40 minutes

Baked Ravioli with Chicken

This was a recipe that was submitted by someone to the first freezer swap that I participated in. So, I made it for the first freezer swap with the ladies from our church. I think it is yummy! I made my own pesto and added some homemade Alfredo sauce (about 2 cups).

2 lb. of cheese-filled frozen ravioli (I used fresh because they were on sale but frozen is usually cheaper.)
1 lb. of cooked chicken breasts in ½ inch slices
2/3 cup of chicken broth
½ cup store-bought basil pesto sauce
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup of Parmesan cheese

Place all ingredients into a large bowl and combine. Transfer to a freezer bag.

Thaw. Preheat oven to 350F. Place contains of bag into baking dish (a 9×13 dish sprayed with cooking spray). Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until bubbly.

Lisa's Sweet Chili

Here is another freezer swap meal from my friend, Lisa. It is SO yummy! She sent it with some cornbread that was perfect for soaking up the sauce in the bottom of the bowl.

1-2 lbs ground beef or turkey grounds
2 16 oz. cans red kidney beans
bush's chili magic-chili starter, traditional mild
2 16 oz cans of tomato sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 medium onion, chopped (cook with meat)
1 green pepper, chopped

Brown meat (with onions). Drain grease. Put into a stock pot with all ingredients, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes or longer (b/c of green peppers). Serve with melted cheese if desired!

Freezer Meal Swap

I got introduced to freezer meal swaps by someone that lives near us. She and I went to the same school for undergrad. Thanks, Terra! I absolutely love freezer swaps now. So much that I started one with some ladies at our church. Now, I get to go to two freezer swaps...yay! We had our first meal swap a few weeks ago. Here is the first recipe for Baked Spaghetti (thanks, tori). I will hopefully be posting the rest of the recipes today.

1 small box of spaghetti
1 Jar of Spaghetti sauce of your choosing (or more depending on how saucy you like your spaghetti)
1/2 to 1 pound of ground turkey
Shredded Mild Cheddar cheese, Mozzorella cheese, parmesean cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package.
Cook Ground Turkey in a frying pan until well done.
Mix spaghetti, ground turkey and sauce together in a large pan.
Pour spaghetti into a baking dish.
Sprinkle cheddar and mozzerella cheese generously over the spaghetti.
Add as much parmesan cheese as you like.
Freeze if desired.
Remove from freezer and 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and fully cooked.