Freezer Quesadillas

This is a recipe that the IL group had quite a while ago. I have never forgotten about it, so WI is going to give it a try!

Ingredients
Chicken Breast, no skin, 32 ounces
Sour Cream, reduced fat, .5 cup
Salsa, 2 cups
Cheddar Cheese, 1 cup, shredded
Pepper Jack Cheese, 16 oz
Chili powder, 1 tsp

Have on Hand:
flour tortilla shells


Directions
Assembly Directions: In a mixing bowl, mix chicken, sour cream, salsa, cheeses and chili powder and mix in chicken.

Freezing Directions: Place chicken mixture in a quart size

Serving Directions: Thaw contents of meat mixture. Lay tortillas flat and divide the filing evenly between the tortillas. Fold each tortilla in half. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray. Cook the quasadillas one at a time in the pan. lightly browning them on each side. The cheese in the filling should melt. After each one is done, remove it from the pan. Use a pizza cutter to cut each quessadilla into 3 pieces.

Chicken Pot Pies

1 package fresh pie crusts
1 lb chicken (cooked & diced)
i can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can ofcooked potatoes
1 can of mixed peas & carrots

Drain veggies and potatoes and mix with the cream of chicken soup. This should be the consistancy of gravy, so add water accrodingly.


Spray a 9" pie plate and roll out bottom shell. Add filling, then roll out top shell. Trim and crimp as needed and cut a few small vent holes. Wrap and freeze.

To bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 50-60 minutes or until pie crust is lightly browned and inside is heated through. *Note: it may take the insides longer to heat through than the pie crust to brown, so watch for this and cover with aluminum foil as needed to prevent over-browning of pie crust.

Enchiladas

Enchiladas (beef or chicken)

* indicates the ingredients are used in both the sauce and the filling

Sauce:
2 T oil
1/3 c finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove 1 chix (or beef) bullion cube or 1 tsp granuals
1/2 c hot water
2-8 oz cans tomato sauce
1-2 T chili powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 c cold water
1 T cornstarch

Filling:
2 T Oil
1/4 c chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 c shredded (small cubes or thin strips)
cooked chicken or beef
4 oz can diced green chilies, drained
1/2 tsp salt

12 (6-inch) tortillas
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese (I normally use Co-Jack)
4 oz (1 cup) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
OPTIONAL - sour cream to place on top of cooked enchiladas

To prepare sauce: in medium sauce pan heat oil; saute 1/3 cup onion and 1 garlic clove until tender. Dissolve bouillon in 1/2 cup hot water; add to onion mixture. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, sugar, salt and cumin. Combine 1/2 cup cold water and cornstartch; gradually stir into tomato sauce mixture. Simmer 10-15 minutes or unitl slightly thickened, sitrring occasionally.

To prepare filling, in large skillet heat oil; saute 1/4 cup onion and 1 garlic clove until tender. Stir in remaining filling ingredients and 3/4 cup of sauce; simmer 10-15 min or unitl thickened.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over botton of 12x8 inch baking dish. Set aside. In ungreased skillet, heat 1 tortilla over medium-high heat about 15 seconds or until warm (can also be done in the
micrwave) turning frequently. Fill each tortilla with 2 T filling, roll up. Place seam side down in pan. Pour remaining 1 1/4 cups sauce over filled tortillas. Bake for 10 min. Sprinkle with cheese, bake additional
3-5 minutes or unitl cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.

Serves 6

***Note: As the IL Freezer Co-op has discovered, it is best to roll the chicken mixture into the tortillas and place them in a gallon size zip lock for freezing, and keep the sauce separate until just before baking. The bonus to this is that you can also take out as much or as little as you need each time you prepare.

Preparing from frozen:
Place tortillas in a sprayed baking dish and thaw slightly. Assemble w/sauce & remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees until heated through.

Italian Citrus Marinade

2 cups pineapple juice
1/3 cup bottled Italian dressing (diet is fine)
1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium is fine)
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced

Dump all ingredients in a freezer bag and squish to mix. Add fresh meat (see below for quantity), label and freeze.

Thaw before preparing. Grill, broil, or pan-fry pork chops or chicken breasts. Marinade must be boiled for two minutes before eating or discarded.

Makes approximately 3 cups of marinade- enough for 6-8 pork chops or 4-6 chicken breasts.

Wild Rice, Chicken and Ham Casserole

2 - 6 oz pkg long grain and wild rice
3 - 10 oz cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 C mayonnaise
3 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp curry powder
4 C cooked chicken or turkey, cubed
1 lb of ham, cubed
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 C slivered almonds

needed for cooking day:
2 TBSP chopped parsley*


Cook rice as package directs. Combine soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry powder in a bowl. Layer rice, chicken, ham and mushrooms in a 9 x 13 pan. Pour sauce over all. Top with almonds. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

(Since everything is cooked, should be easily frozen; this 4 C of chicken and 1 lb of ham is a lot of meat so each recipe could be divided into 2 meals.)

Recipe from The Brunch Basket by Junior League of Rockford, IL.

Buttermilk Herb Chicken Breasts

This looks like an easy dump-it-all-in recipe. We haven't used buttermilk for a marinade; I can't wait to try it.

1 cup buttermilk
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. honey
1 T. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried sage
1/2 t. dried marjoram
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. salt
8 boneless split chicken breasts

Mix together buttermilk with mustard, honey, and seasonings. Place chicken in freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken breasts. Freeze.

Thaw chicken, discarding marinade. Grill over medium heat until chicken is tender and juices run clear.

From Don't Panic-- Dinner's in the Freezer by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell, & Bonnie Garcia

Chicken Breasts in Phyllo

makes 12 servings

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise OR cream cheese
1 cup green onion, chopped
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. dry tarragon
12 chicken breast halves, boned and skinned
salt and pepper to taste
24 sheets phyllo dough
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Combine first 5 ingredients to make sauce. Lightly sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place 2 sheets of phyllo on working surface. Quickly brush each sheet with melted butter (about 2 t.) and stack on top of each other. Spread about 1 1/2 T. of sauce on each side of chicken. Place breast in in one corner of buttered phyllo sheets. Fold corner over breast, then fold sides over, and roll breast up in the sheets to form a package. Place in ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts and phyllo sheets. Brush packets with remaining butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Wrap each chicken breast in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.

Thaw completely before baking. Bake at 375 degrees in an ungreased baking dish for 45-50 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.

From Don't Panic-- Dinner's in the Freezer by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell, & Bonnie Garcia

Nutrition information from SparkPeople: Meals Made Ahead cookbook:
Calories: 598.9 | Carbs: 24.1g | Fat: 26.7g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 62g

Plum & Ginger Chicken

adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe

2/3 cup plum sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
2 cups snow peas, trimmed
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups sliced carrots

Mix the plum sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and bouillon in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until juices run clear. Mix in ginger, snowpeas, carrots, and mushrooms and continue cooking until tender. Stir in the plum sauce mixture. Cook until heated through.

Option 1: Prepare recipe as directed. Cool. Transfer to a labeled freezer bag and freeze.

Option 2: Freeze ingredients separately to cook later: Add ginger and vegetables* to the plum sauce; transfer to a small freezer bag. Place uncooked, bite-sized chicken pieces in it's own freezer bag. Package both bags together to freeze.

*Steam, blanche, or saute fresh vegetables partially before freezing. Or use frozen veggies so the work is already done for you.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken

from MomsBudget.com

2 1/2 lbs chicken pieces
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp ground red pepper flakes
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix

Combine ingredients except chicken in a small bowl. Add chicken to a freezer bag, then add Caribbean Jerk mixture. Carefully move the chicken around so it is thoroughly coated, then freeze.

On cooking day, thaw in refrigerator and remove chicken pieces, disposing of the leftover marinade. Barbecue on a grill or bake in a 375 oven for approx 60 minutes (may vary depending on which chicken pieces are used.

MealsMadeAhead notes: We prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and they can probably be left whole to save even more time!

Parmesan Chicken

Ingredient List:
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 c. canola or veggie oil
1 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 t. paprika
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. garlic salt
8 chicken breast havles (4 chicken breasts cut into 8 pieces total)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Use a pastry brush to coat chicken pieces with oil (don't dip or chicken will be really greasy & coating won't stick). In a shallow dish, combine rest of ingredients and coat chicken.

Arrange chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for 55 to 60 minutes or until no longer pink.

***Freezer instructions: Preapare as above, but do not bake until serving day!

Lisa's Chicken Enchiladas

1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
10 flour tortillas (6-8 inches)
1 can (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3-4 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken
3 cups (divided) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (15 ounces) enchilada sauce
¼ cup sliced green onions
¼ cup sliced black olives

Spread about 2 tablespoons of beans on each tortilla. Combine soup and sour cream; stir in chicken. Spoon 1/3 to ½ cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with onions, olives and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until heated through. Just before serving, sprinkle lettuce around enchiladas, if desired. Yield 4-6 servings.

Special directions for freezing:
I have successfully frozen these after they’ve been baked. The way I like best is to roll up the enchiladas and store them in a gallon size zip top bag and freeze them. Then I can remove just as many as I need for dinner and open a fresh can of enchilada sauce to pour over top. If only using half for dinner, I have even frozen the other half of the enchilada sauce to save for the remaining enchiladas. The texture of the frozen sauce changes slightly, but the taste is unaffected.

Cashew Chicken

½ cup ketchup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 whole chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces or 1 package chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup cooking oil
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 can bamboo shoots, drained and sliced
1 ½ cups cashews
2 cups cooked white rice

Combine ketchup, soy sauce, salt, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, and chicken broth and set aside.

In a bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Toss the chicken with cornstarch mixture. Heat a wok or frying pan to a high heat and add cooking oil. When oil is hot add chicken. Add ginger root, garlic and onion.

Stir fry mixture until chicken is cooked through and opaque. Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Add ketchup/soy sauce mixture to chicken and vegetables and cook until it comes to a boil.

Cool, bag and freeze. Save cashews for serving.

Thaw bag in fridge overnight. Reheat over medium heat until just boiling. Add cashews. Serve over rice.




I added carrots and green peppers when I made this for my family

The Freezer Chicks provide us with yet another recipe.

Polynesian Honey-Pineapple Chicken

This is another recipe that has been on our "to-try" list for some time. We finally tried it for our September 2009 cooking session. We made it with chicken drumsticks as the the original recipe calls for.

1/2 cup pineapple juice (unsweetened)
1/4 cup honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ground)
1 teaspoon salt
12 chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs (or a combination, approx. 3 lbs. or any other meaty chicken pieces)

For marinade, in sauce pan combine pineapple juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger& salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat.
Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes or until marinade mixture is reduced 1/4 (approx.).
Cool to room temperature.
Place chicken pieces in a plastic bag or shallow dish.
Pour in marinade& marinate chicken at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
Drain chicken pieces, reserving marinade.
Cook chicken on covered medium heat grill (indirect heat) for 40 to 45 minutes or until chicken is tender& no longer pink, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade for the first 30 minutes.


I baked this batch of chicken at 425 since we didn't have good grilling weather. It browned just a little- I was on a deadline to get dinner finished- I could have let it go longer to get more browned.

Polynesian Honey-Pineapple Chicken from RecipeZaar (read the notes above the recipe for more options).


Freezer Chicks also made this and recommend trying boneless/skinless chicken.

Chicken Empanadas

I copied this one out of a book before I gave it away so now I don't have the book to give it a proper reference.

Chicken Empanadas

• 1 box (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts (two 11-inch rounds)
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
• 1 egg, beaten
• additional salsa

1. Remove pie crust pouches from box, let stand at room temperature 15-20 minutes
2. Heat cream cheese in small heavy saucepan over low heat; cook and stir until melted. Add cilantro, salsa, cumin, salt and garlic powder; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken; remove from heat.
3. Unfold pie crusts; remove plastic film. Roll out slightly on lightly floured surface. Cut dough into 3-inch rounds using buscuit cutter. Reroll dough scraps and cut enough additional to equal 20 rounds.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil. Place about 2 teaspoons chicken mixture in center of each round. Brush edges lightly with water. Pull one side of dough over filling to form half circle; pinch edges to seal.
5. Place 10 to 12 empanadas on prepared baking sheet; brush lightly with edd. Bake 16-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with salsa.

Makes 10 appetizer servings (20 empanadas).

Note: Empanadas can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. Simply wrap unbaked empanadas in plastic wrap and freeze. To bake, unwrap and follow directions baking 18-20 minutes.

Creamy Peanut Chicken

Here is a recipe we haven't tried yet, but it sounds good to me. From Full Tummies.

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. peanut butter (I used natural, unsweetened)
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 1/2 c. evaporated milk
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. honey
• 1/2 c. chopped peanuts (I used unsalted, dry roasted)

1. Freeze chicken for 1 hour so it's easier to slice. Then cut chicken into 1-inch strips and refrigerate. In heavy skillet, saute onion in olive oil until crisp-tender. Cool in refrigerator. When cool, place chicken strips and sauteed onion in zipper-lock bags and place in freezer.
2. In medium bowl, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and honey and mix well to blend. Pour into another zipper-lock bag and attach to chicken along with small bag of chopped peanuts. Label bags and freeze.
3. To thaw and reheat: Thaw all bags overnight in refrigerator. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy skillet. Add chicken mixture and cook, stirring frequently, for 7 to 8 minutes. Add sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer chicken and sauce for 10 to 20 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Sprinkle dish with copped peanuts and serve (I serve it over brown rice).
4. To cook without freezing: just follow cooking directions without going to the trouble of chilling everything and placing in ziploc bags!

Serves 4-6

Monica's BBQ Chicken

Once again, this is a recipe I found online a few months ago, but can not find the link. (It is the same page as the Potato Carrot Mounds were found on). This is another easy, family favorite!

Monica's BBQ Chicken

3 Pounds Chicken Pieces (Or All Breasts)--*I use boneless, skinless breasts.
½ Cup Soy Sauce
¾ Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
¼ Teaspoon Ground Pepper
½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder (Or 2 Cloves Mashed)

Prepare sauce and place chicken in it. Seal bag. Freeze. TO SERVE:Thaw chicken. Bake 350 degrees for 1/2 hour. Done when fork easily pierces meat. Heat remaining sauce and boil 2 minutes. Serve over rice, if desired.**NOTE - this makes two meals for our family of 6.

Shredded Chicken for recipes

When the big bags of frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts go on sale, I buy as many as I can. When I get home, I open a bag and throw the whole thing in the slow cooker on low for the rest of the day. After it has cooked at least 6 hours, just pull the chicken apart using two forks or your (clean) fingers.

You can use it in a recipe right away, or let it cool and bag it up into portions you will need for recipes later. The works great for any dish that uses shredded or diced chicken, including Bankok Chicken, Chicken Enchiladas, etc. Add some taco seasoning and a little water and you have a great taco filling. Add barbeque sauce and you're halfway to quick sandwiches.

Bangkok Chicken

I got this recipe from a good friend of mine. I will post it exactly as she wrote it. In addition to the veggies she lists, I also add carrots and peas. Or you could do pea pods, green beans, pimientos, the possibilities are endless!

Bangkok Chicken

• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (I usually use one small can, drained)
  
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 3/4 cup mayo
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I use low fat)
• 3 cups cooked rice (I use brown)
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (or shredded)

Mix all ingredients together and spread into a 9"x13" pan.

• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds

Combine melted butter and bread crumbs and crumble on top of casserole. Sprinkle on toasted almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Apricot Marinade

Marinade:
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups apricot jam or preserves
2 cups french dressing
2 (1 oz each) packages of dry onion soup mix
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Meat options:
6 pork chops (about 1/2-3/4 inch thick)
or
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix marinade ingredients together and divide into 2 freezer bags.

Freezing and cooking options:

1. Freeze just the marinade. Thaw the marinade when you're ready to cook. Place your meat choice (browned separately, if desired) in a baking dish and cover completely with the marinade. Bake at 350 until the pork or chicken is completely cooked.
2. Add half of your fresh meat choice to each bag of marinade. Freeze. Thaw completely before baking. Dump meat and marinade into a baking dish and bake at 350 until the pork or chicken is completely cooked.
3. Freeze just the marinade. Thaw just enough to get it out of the bag. Throw a few frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts into a large saucepan. Squeeze the slightly thawed sauce out of the bag over the chicken. Cover and heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Make sure chicken is cooked completely, then remove chicken and dice it. Or keep cooking until chicken falls apart with stirring. Return chicken to sauce. Serve over rice. Yummy!

Since the recipe makes two packages, you could split it up and make one per family if you need to keep costs down.

We found that you really need to use a good cut of pork to make this recipe worth it. If you don't like so much onion flavor, you can use one envelope of onion soup mix per 6 pork chops; I've tried it and it works just as well.

Adapted from this original recipe at Freezer Chicks.

Lemonade Chicken

This recipe came from Spark People Recipes. I've altered it to make enough for one meal for an average family. It tastes very much like the Orange Chicken you would find at a Chinese restaurant, except not at all spicy. If you want it spicy, I'm sure a few red pepper flakes would do the trick.

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut into one-inch pieces
• 6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or brown sugar substitute such as Splen.da)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Brown chicken in oil. Combine all ingredients except oil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 40 minutes or until chicken is tender. Combine cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold water and mix until blended. Stir cornstarch mixture into chicken until thick and bubbly. Allow to cool. Transfer to a zipper bag or other suitable container for freezing.

To reheat, just let thaw enough to get it out of the container. I brought mine back to a boil, but I'm not sure if that's necessary. Eat over rice or noodles.