Portugues Sweet Bread

Made using a Bread Machine

Ingredients:

1 c milk
1 egg
2 Tbs butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 c flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Cook using Sweet Bread Setting if available.

Onion Bread

Made using a Bread Machine

Ingredients:

1 c water
1 Tbs butter, softened
1 tsp salt
3 c flour
3 Tbs dry milk
1 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp minced dry onions
3/4 tsp fresh pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp yeast

Whole Wheat Bread

Made using a Bread Machine

Ingredients:

1 5/8 cup warm water
1/2 c honey
2-3 Tbs butter, softened
2 tsp salt
4 2/3 cup wheat flour
3 tsp yeast

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Bread

Made using a Bread Machine

Ingredients:

1 c water
1/8 c molasses
1/8 c honey
2 Tbs butter, softened
3 c flour
1/2 c oats
2 Tbs dry milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 3/4 tsp yeast

Use the Sweat Bread Cycle if available.

Raisin Bread

Made using a bread machine

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup water
2 Tbs butter, softened
1/4 c sugar
1 Tbs dry milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 1/4 c flour
3 1/2 tsp yeast

add 3/4 c raisins OR cranberries after the first beep. Use Sweet Bread Cycle if available.

Chives and Cheddar Bread

Made using a Bread Machine

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c water
1 1/4 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c chopped fresh chives OR 2 Tbs freeze dried chives
2 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 1/4 c flour
2 tsp reg yeast OR 1.5 tsp quick yeast

Directions:

Add ingredients to bread machine in order written. Turn it on. I once forgot this last step until the next day :)

Kima

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chopped onions
2 raw potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tomatoes, peeled and cubed (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
10 oz frozen peas
2 tsp curry
1 dash pepper
1.5 tsp salt

Directions:

In large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until meat is browned. Pour off excess fat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Serve with cooked rice.

If potatoes take too long to cook, cook them a little prior to mixing all of the ingredients together and cooking.

Pozole

A spicy Mexican Soup I often had on my mission.

Ingredients:

2 (15 oz) cans hominy
0.5-1 lb chicken, diced
1-2 tsp oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1-2 Tbs chili powder
1-2 cups chicken broth and water

Directions:

Season chicken and cook. Set aside. Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add all ingredients. Cook 15 minutes. Great with thinly sliced cabbage on top.

Polenta

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
1-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or about 1 tsp table salt)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, grated (opt)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. (I don't have one, so I just use a pot and transfer it to an oven safe Pyrex dish). Add the onion saute until onions begin to turn translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.
Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken stock, bring to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal while continually whisking. Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper. Once they are incorporated, gradually add the Parmesan.

Serve as is, or pour the polenta into 9 by 13-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
Once set, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles. Brush each side with olive oil and saute in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, or grill.
Great with gravy, cheese, milk etc.

Fried Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1 c. plus 2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 c. milk
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 med. head cauliflower, broken into flowerets
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Combine flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Combine egg, milk, and oil in a small mixing bowl. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Dip cauliflower into batter; fry in deep hot oil (375 degrees) until golden OR I just use a few Tbs oil instead of deep frying to save oil and decrease the fat content. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Baked Chicken Saltimbocca

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs/crushed stuffing mix
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or deli boiled ham (opt)
1 jar marinara sauce
mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
spaghetti, cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dip chicken in egg, then bread crumbs, coating well. Arrange chicken in 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Top chicken with prosciutto, then 1-1/2 cups pasta sauce. Bake 10 minutes more. Top with mozzarella cheese and cook until melts. Serve over hot spaghetti tossed with remaining heated sauce.

Apple Streusel Pie

Ingredients:

TOPPING
2 ounces butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans

FILLING
9 apple - peeled, cored and sliced
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 recipes unbaked pie shells


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, flour and chopped pecans. Cut in all ingredients with pastry cutter until pea-sized. Set aside
Combine the apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Place apple mixture in unbaked pie shells. Heap the apples up high in each shell and fill completely. Sprinkle topping on top of each.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes. Do not allow topping to get too dark.

HONEY LIME ENCHILADAS

6 T honey
5 T lime juice (1 large lime)
1 T chili powder
½ t garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts).
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound Monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 10 oz cans green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least ½ hour (I tossed mine together in a Ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in refrigerator all day). Pour one can enchilada sauce on the bottom of the 9 x 13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese (or more if you are like me and love cheese) to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas. Mix the other can of enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

***Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

Cafe Rio Recipe - Pork

Sweet Pulled Pork:

3-4 lb pork loin roast
1 cup brown sugar
1 12-14 oz bottle of mild/med taco sauce
1 12oz can of Coke (I heard that Costa Vida uses Dr. Pepper)

Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for at least 6 hours. Take pork roast out and shred on a cutting board (I also removed the fattiest pieces). Return shredded meat to crock pot and let it heat/soak while you get everything else ready.

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing:

3/4 c. buttermilk
1 t fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 c. cilantro leaves
1 c. mayo
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch powder
1 small tomatillo, quartered
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
3/4 can chopped green chilies

Slop everything into either a food processor or a good blender.

Freezer Meals

I am putting together a bunch of information for freezer meals. I will include a bunch of specially made freezer meals that I find places and label them under freezer meal. Many of the meals on this site, although they don't specifically say it, can also be frozen for later use. I haven't tried out many of the freezer meals that I have just added to the blog, but as I try them I will erase them if they are horrible, and rate them if they are good.

USEFUL WEBSITES- many are crockpot ones since they freeze well
http://organizedhome.com/freezer-cookbook-recipes-freezer-cooking
http://www.once-a-month-cookingworld.com/
http://organizedhome.com/start-small-sneak-freezer-cooking
http://community.babycenter.com/groups/a64625/freezable_recipes
http://freezersupperswappers.wordpress.com/
http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com/
http://www.homemadegourmet.com/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/slow-cooker/index.html
http://freezersupperswappers.wordpress.com/
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food/cooking/guide-to-freezing-vegetables-grains-fruits
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5402.pdf
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/askext/freezing/4451.htm
http://organizedhome.com/freezer-cooking/freezer-cookbook-recipes?page=2
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

GENERAL RECIPE IDEAS
Chicken or Beef Pot Pie
Spaghetti
Chili
Mac and Cheese (just the cheese sauce)
Chicken Soup
Meatballs
Gravy
Meatloaf
Beef Stew
Enchiladas
Sloppy Joe Mix

BOOKS
Once-A-Month Cooking
Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites
30 Day Gourmet's BIG Book of Freezer Cooking
Frozen Assets, 2E: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month
Frozen Assets Lite and Easy: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month
Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer: Great-Tasting Meals You Can Make Ahead
Don't Panic--More Dinner's in the Freezer: A Second Helping of Tasty Meals You Can Make Ahead
The Big Cook (really good)
Dinner's in the Freezer!
Fix-It And Forget-It Big Cookbook: Slow Cooker Recipes (great slow cooker book w/ hundreds of recipes you can freeze)
FIX-IT and FORGET-IT LIGHTLY : Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker


USEFUL TIPS
*Storing in ziplock bags works good. I like to double bag. I write on the inner bag so I can use the outer bag again later for other meals. I put the label of the outer bag opposite from the inner bag so I can easily read the label on the inner bag.
*Glad Ovenware is a good cheep way to get lots of extra freezable containers that you can use in the oven (and top rack dishwasher) too.
*Tupperware sometimes cracks/breaks when frozen.
*Some people fill the freezer bags, mush each bag into a pyrex and put them in the freezer until they hold their form. Then take the pyrex out and stack the pyrex formed bags together in the freezer.
*I like to line a dish with tinfoil, spray with pam and put my ingredients in the dish. Cover with tinfoil and freeze. Then I can pop the meal out of the dish (and tinfoil too if desired) and put it into a ziplock bag to freeze (note: it is now in the shape of the casserole dish I will use to cook it in later).
*When making soups, omit the milk when you freeze the recipe and add before serving.
*Make sure things are cooled before putting them in the freezer.
*Generally I hear that most meals freeze for 3 months, longer if you vacuum seal them.
*Potatoes, especially raw ones, don't freeze well. If you have a recipe with them, partially cook them before freezing or keep them out of the frozen recipe and add them later on (best idea). Less sweet potatoes do better freezing. Waxier potatoes will fare better in the freezer. Yukon Golds will do better than Russets and Red Skinned potatoes will do better yet. Mashed potatoes, if mixed well when thawed, freeze well.
*Mayonnaise will break down when it is frozen. Use salad dressing instead of mayonnaise when you make sandwiches or salad mixtures for freezing
*Well-done pastas may be too soft after reheating. If you want to freeze macaroni, spaghetti, or foods containing these, under cook the pasta.
*Add thickening agents after thawing the meal, not before freezing.

Look at the blog archive on the right side of the blog for some freezer meal recipes.

Cooker Chops

4 pork chops
10 3/4oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/4c ketchup
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 pkg. onion soup mix

For best taste: brown chops first (takes 5 minutes tops!)

Put chops in slow cooker. Combine soup, ketchup, w. sauce & soup mix. Pour over chops.

Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 8-10 hours.

Cheesy Mostaccioli

1 package (16 ounces) mostaccioli pasta, uncooked
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 can (1 l ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

To freeze: Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium nonstick skillet, cook and stir beef over medium-high heat until browned. Remove from heat; pour off drippings. Stir in spaghetti sauce, soup, pepper and seasoning. Combine pasta, sauce mixture and the cheese. Ladle into freezer bag and lay flat to freeze.

To serve: Preheat oven to 350. In greased 4-quart baking dish, place thawed casserole. Sprinkle additional cheese on top if desired. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through.

Sloppy Joes

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped (I use 1/3 Cup dried minced onion to make it quicker)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

To Freeze: I brown and drain the ground beef, you can either sauté the onion with the beef or just add the minced dried onion without cooking it. I let the ground beef cool, toss in a freezer Ziploc bag, add the minced onion, and all the other ingredients, and freeze.

To Serve: thaw it, and reheat in a pan until it's warmed up. If you're just making it without freezing it, you would brown the beef and sauté the onion. Then add all the other ingredients and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until sauce has thickened and divide between 4 hamburger buns and serve

Green Bean with Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients
4 cups cooked and cut green beans
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk or 1/2 cup sour cream
Dash ground black pepper

or

Ingredients
4 cups cooked greenbeans
1 small can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cheese
6 oz French Fried onions
dash ground black pepper


Optional ingredients:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 1/3 cups French Fried Onions
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (omit soy sauce if you add this)
garlic
onion

Cook green beans as directed. Add soup, milk and pepper and mix well. Mix in other desired ingredients (cheese can go on top or be mixed in), sprinkling fried onions on top if desired (you can also mix in 1/2 onions and put 1/2 on top). Cook 350 for 25-35 minutes until heated through.

Tip: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 ounces) frozen green beans, 2 packages (9 ounces each) frozen green beans, 4 cups frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 ounces each) green beans or about 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans for this recipe.

Chicken Rolls

1 pkg cream cheese (8oz)
1 pkg crescent rolls (8 ct)
shredded cooked chicken (about 1 breast)
grated chedder cheese (about 3-4 cups)
bread crumbs
melted butter
seasonings

Combine the cheeses and the chicken. Spoon some mixture into a flattened roll. pull all the edges around it, and seal it. Make sure there are no holes in the dough! Roll each one in the butter and then the bread crumbs. Bake for about 25 minutes at 350degs F.

TO FREEZE: Make completely and place on a baking tray. Let freeze, then place them all in a ziplock bag. Defrost before cooking.

Anniversary Chicken

3 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
1/2 c teriyaki
1/2 c ranch dressing
1/2 c colby jack cheese
1/8 c cooked and crumbled bacon
1/4 c scallions, sliced

To Freeze: Mix together teriyaki and ranch and place in a small ziplock.  Mix cheese, bacon and scallions and place in a small ziplock. Place chicken in a large ziplock and the two previous bags inside this bag. When ready to eat, defrost all ingredients. Place chicken in a pan that has been sprayed with pam. Put sauce on top followed by cheese, bacon and scallions.

To cook: 350/375 for around 40 minutes.

Lemonade Chicken

3 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 12-oz. Can frozen lemonade, thawed
2 Tbsp. Oil
1 c. water
6 Tbsp. Ketchup
6 Tbsp. Brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Vinegar
Corn starch

Brown chicken in oil (I wasn't able to brown the chicken bc there was too much of it. I just cooked the outside a bit. You probably could get away with not cooking it at all prior to adding the other ingredients). Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 45 - 50 minutes or until tender. Combine 2 Tbsp. Cornstarch (I had to use a bit more than this to thicken things up) and ½ c. cold water. Stir into chicken mixture until thick and bubbly.

To FREEZE: Allow to cool. Add frozen vegetables, if desired. I added peas, and the kids LOVED it! Bag and lay flat. Makes 2 meals.

To SERVE: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Reheat in a pan, adding water as necessary. Serve over hot rice.

Maple Glazed Chicken

¼ cup maple syrup
4 teaspoons lemon juice or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
4 whole chicken legs
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450'. Combine the maple syrup, lemon juice, and butter in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Line a baking dish with foil and grease. Pat the chicken dry (and trim excess skin, if desired) and lay it on the foil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, then pour the glaze over the pieces. Basting occasionally, cook for another 15 minutes, or until the meat is cooked throughout and the juices run clear. Serves 4.

Bag, freeze and reheat later!

Chicken Enchiladas

(Freeze the tortillas separately for this easy dinner)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 pint sour cream
pinch garlic powder
1 can diced green chiles
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 dozen flour tortillas
grated Monterey Jack cheese

To freeze: Mix first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon into a 1 gallon freezer bag and lay flat to freeze.

To prepare: Thaw sauce and tortillas. Spoon a bit of the chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place side by side in a 9 X 13 baking pan. Pour remaining mixture over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chicken Tetrazzini

12-16 oz. dry spaghetti
3 cups grated cheese - Jack or Cheddar
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 (10 3/4 oz) soup can milk
3-4 cups cooked diced chicken
1/4-1/2 tsp pepper

To freeze: Cook spaghetti as directed until al dente; drain. Sauté onions in butter. Mix onions and remaining ingredients with spaghetti in a large bowl. Put mixture in containers and freeze.

To serve: Thaw tetrazzini and put in a 9X13 baking dish. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 oven until bubbly, about 30-40 minutes.

Chicken Orient Express

Ingredients
1 can (about 14 oz.) low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. Corn starch
1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
½ tsp. Ginger
2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ lb. Boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
6 c. cut up vegetables (I use frozen stir-fry veggies)
2 c. cooked rice

In bowl, stir first 4 ingredients; set aside. In large skillet, heat oil over medium- high heat. Stir in garlic. Add chicken; cook, stirring 2 minutes. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil, and let boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Allow to cool. Add vegetables.

To freeze: ladle into 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag.

To serve: Thaw sauce, and place in skillet. Heat to almost boiling. Serve over rice.

Chicken Primavera

Ingredients
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
¾ cup milk
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. Garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups broccoli florets (I use frozen)
2 medium carrots, sliced (I use frozen pre-cut carrots)

2 ½ cups cooked corkscrew or elbow macaroni
2 cans (5 oz. each) Chunk White Chicken, drained

To freeze: Dump all ingredients except macaroni and chicken into 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer.

To cook: Place thawed dinner in a pot over medium heat, heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 20-30 min. or until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally (it won’t actually take this long, since the veggies have been frozen). Stir in macaroni and chicken and heat through.
Serves 4.

Chicken Curry

Ingredients
10 servings
8 c. cooked brown rice
1/2 c. olive oil
2 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
6 c. cooked chicken, chopped
2 T. flour
2 T. curry powder
1½ t. salt
1 c. water
1/2 c. lemon juice
2 c. tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Cook onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add chicken . Sauté briefly. In separate bowl mix flour, curry powder and salt. Slowly stir in water and lemon juice to make paste. Add tomato sauce and garlic and pour mixture over chicken mixture. Mix.

To freeze: freeze in ziploc plastic bag. Freeze rice in separate ziploc bag.

To serve: thaw. Place rice in casserole dish. Place chicken mixture over top of rice. Heat through on 350°, about 30 min.

Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
2 t. veg. or sesame oil
1 sm. minced garlic clove
3/4 t. ground ginger.

Stir ingredients together.

To freeze: pour into a gallon sized ziploc bag with 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

To serve: thaw and pour into a baking dish. Bake in preheated at 350 for 35 min. Serve over rice. To stretch this out, I add a bag of frozen, stir fry style veggies in before baking.

Chinese Chicken Morsels

Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup regular, uncooked rice

Cut chicken breasts (kitchen scissors work best) into 1-inch cubes. Mix lemon juice, soy sauce, mustard, oil and pepper.

To freeze: Put marinade and chicken cubes in a 1-gallon bag and freeze.

To serve: thaw chicken and remove from marinade. Warm marinade in a small saucepan. Place chicken cubes about an inch apart on broiler pan treated with nonstick spray. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 7 minutes, brushing with marinade once. Turn chicken cubes and broil another 4 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions. Bring remaining marinade to a boil and serve over rice.

Kid-Friendly Chicken Bites

Ingredients
2 c. cooked chicken, chopped
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 garlic clove, pressed
½ c. mayonnaise
¼ tsp. salt
Frozen bread dough, thawed, but not risen

TO FREEZE: Combine chicken with other ingredients (except bread dough) in a bowl. Roll out bread dough to a 9”x13” rectangle. Cut into smaller squares. Spoon filling onto one side of each square, leaving a border of dough on three sides. Fold over bare side of dough into a triangle and pinch ends together. Fold points of triangle into center to make a roundish shape. Freeze on cookie sheet. Place frozen individual bites into 1 gallon freezer bag and lay flat.

TO COOK: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Place bites on greased cookie sheet. Loosely cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Allow to rise, but not double. Cook 15 - 20 minutes in a 350° oven until golden.

OPTION #2 - Bake the bites then freeze. I like this option best because I can have an "instant" dinner or snack

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
1 6-8 oz. package long grain and wild rice mix
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 3/4 C frozen french-style green beans (I use more, like 1 lb)
1 each cans of cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup (I use a little more since I add more rice and green beans)
1 4-oz can or jar mushroom stems and pieces, drained or fresh mushrooms cooked in butter for a few minutes on the stove (optional)
1/2-1 envelope onion soup mix
3/4 c shredded Colby or Cheddar cheese

Directions
Prep the wild rice mix per package directions, mix in chicken, beans, soups, mushroom pieces, and onion soup mix. You can freeze in two halves, or freeze one half and cook the other, or cook the large meal at once. For the dish you wish to cook now, place in a greased casserole dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 F for 60-75 minutes (35 minutes if the green beans are already cooked), covered. Sprinkle on french-fried onions if you like and bake another 5 minutes. Enjoy! For the frozen half, thaw in refrigerator and bake as above for 55-60 minutes, removing from fridge half an hour before cooking.

Crispy Chicken Bites

Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup / 120 ml Oat bran
1/2 cup / 120 ml wheat germ
2 Tbsp / 30 ml coarsely ground flax seed
1/2 cup / 120 ml coarsely ground almonds
1 tsp / 5 ml sea salt
1 tsp / white pepper
Pinch Garlic Powder
1/2 cup 120 ml water or low-sodium chicken stock
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
cooking spray

Preparation:
1. preheat oven to 400*F/205*C. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or coating lightly with cooking spray.
2. cut the chicken breast into nugget-sized pieces” about 1 1/2 inches square. Set aside.
3. combine all dry ingredients in a large container with a tightly fitting lid. Shake well. This is your coating mixture. Combine water and egg in a medium bowl. Dip each chicken piece in the water/egg-white mixture and then place in the coating mixture. Make sure each piece is well coated. Place on the backing sheet. When all of your chicken has been coated and your backing sheet is full, place in oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until golden.

Note: if you wish to make a large batch to freeze bake only for 9-10 minuets and let cool completely before freezing in a ziplock bag. To finish spread out desired number of nuggets on a baking sheet and bake at 400* for 10 minuets.