By Kate, on January 25th, 2013% 
This week I was able to double 2 1 meal for the freezer! I made a huge batch of meatballs and spaghetti and 1/2 went into the freezer for lunches all week and onto our pizza last night and I made chicken cordon bleu casserole which is a recipe that actually doubles. So one for us and one for the freezer.
Sometimes I just don’t have the fortitude to put the meatballs away until they are all gone!!! *sigh*
Here’s some photos of the meatball making process. I do it differently from most folks. I cook mine in the sauce. No browning. And they are moist and YUMMY!
 All the ingredients for Killer Meatballs.  Form them and roll them in flour, shaking off excess.  Drop them into the simmering sauce and gently stir to keep from sticking.  Oh man…are they good! Thanks, Dad! I’ve linked to both recipes in case you are interested in trying them out. Trust me, you’ll want to!
Blogs I might be linking to:
Menu Planning Monday, On The Menu Monday, Erin Branscoms, Marital Oneness, The Better Mom, Multitudes on Monday, Hear it On Sunday, Sharing His Bounty, What Joy Is Mine, Playdates at the Well, Back to School Monday, Domestically Divine Tuesdays, Time Warp Wife, Funky Planet Frequent Flier Club, Encourage One Another, Living Well Wednesdays, The Welcoming House, Legacy Leaver Thursday, What’s Up Wednesday, Thought Provoking Thursday, Hearts 4 Home, Thankful Thursday, First Day of My Life , Thankful Thursdays, Thankful, Thankful Thursday Brown-eyed Bell(e), Big Family Fridays, Faith Filled Fridays, Feasting In Fellowship Friday, Homemaking Link-up Week-end, A Little R&R
By Kate, on April 19th, 2011%  My dad was a great cook! My mother was absolutely DREADFUL in the kitchen! She got better over time, but she had no flare for discovery, invention and no sense of why baking soda was NOT a good substitute for baking powder in a pancake recipe!
My father taught me to cook. He would come home (he worked just down the street and was the factory manager) when I got out of school and would give instructions on supper for the evening. He’d tell me what things to try in different kinds of soups or sauces, and he loved to feed others! In fact, when he retired and moved away, family, friends and neighbors would ask for his baked beans (they were MARVELOUS) or pea soup or meat pies or meatballs whenever he visited.
Certain foods remind me of my dad – meatballs (my best friend in college dubbed them Killer Meatballs – a major compliment from an Italian girl!) being one of the best. The recipe I use is adapted from my dad’s experiments in making the best meatballs ever. It brings back memories of love and home and laughter. And my husband says it is one of the reasons why he married me! 
As I link up with the Hearth & Soul Blog Hop hosted at Frugality and Crunchiness with Christy, I am once again sharing my recipe for Killer Meatballs. Hope you enjoy it.
Killer Meatballs
2 28 oz cans tomato sauce
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Put all in a large pot, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour (or longer). Stir often and partially cover – it can get messy as it simmers.
Mix:
1 pound ground beef (you can use 1/2 beef & 1/2 pork if you prefer)
1/2 c (or more as need to bind together) Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Roll into walnut sized balls, roll in flour and drop into bubbling sauce. Partially cover (to help prevent spatters) and cook 3-4 hours, stirring frequently to help prevent burning.
Sauce thickens overnight and is often better the next day as the spices heat it up.
Serve with al dente angel hair pasta.
By Kate, on April 13th, 2011% From my friend Laurie at Laurie’s Kitchen (re-posted with permission). She posted this on her blog the other day and it sounded so good I HAD to try it!! Well, it was a MAJOR hit! Kevin really likes moist food, and this was a moist and tender casserole. And it smelled WONDERFUL in the house!!! Of course, with 15 people here for supper, we didn’t have the second casserole for later, but it was a good amount to feed us all.
You can go to Laurie’s Kitchen for the recipe, but I’ve posted it here for convenience. If you try it, be sure and go to her blog and let her know! Here’s what she said:
This recipe is originally from Taste of Home, but I changed it up a bit, and drastically reduced the amount of cheese (it called for FIVE CUPS!) It is a great meal to make and share since making two creates the same mess as making one.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Makes 2 13×9 pans, each about 6 servings.
- 2 packages (6 ounces each) reduced-sodium stuffing mix
- 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 8 cups cubed cooked chicken cut in ½ inch chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dill (Kate’s note: I omitted this, we aren’t dill fans)
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 3/4 pound ham, cut into ½ inch chunks
- 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- 1-2 cups mixed vegetables (optional – Kate’s note: I omitted this)
Directions
- Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions.
- Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.,
- Divide into two pans.
- Top with prepared stuffing mix.
- Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer until stuffing is lightly browned.
- To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and stuffing is lightly browned.
By Kate, on November 14th, 2010% Cowboy Bake
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 T olive oil
1 lb chicken breast, cubed
1 10.oz can tomatoes
1 C frozen corn kernels
pinch of chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C of your favorite cheese, grated.
For topping:
1 8.5oz package of corn muffin mix
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray. In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic for 2 minutes in oil.
Add chicken and brown, then add tomatoes, corn, chili powder and salt. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into the pie pan.
If serving, same day:
Top with grated cheese. In a mixing bowl, prepare muffin mix according to package. Spread evenly over chicken mixture and bake for 30 minutes.
If freezing:
Reserve cheese in sandwich bag and do not mix corn muffin mix until the day you serve. Lable, freeze with baggy of cheese. To serve, thaw, top with mix and cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% These are all from my friend Jen
Here is a ton of recipes to marinate/freeze — I use the same cooking instructions for them all. This is what I do:
Crockpot – high 3 hours – low all day
Grill – 7-9 mins per side
Oven 350 for about an hour.
I use my meat thermometer to check and make sure they are at 170
DUMP HERB WINE CHICKEN
1 cup Red Wine
2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
2 Lemon (sliced thinly)
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
1 Teaspoon Thyme
1 Teaspoon Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
=
DUMP HONEY GINGER CHICKEN
4 Tablespoons Chopped Onion
1 1/2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Minced Ginger
2 Tablespoon Sherry
1/4 cup Chives
=
DUMP HONEY GLAZED CHICKEN
1/4 cup Butter Melted
1/8 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Honey
=
DUMP HONEY SESAME CHICKEN
1/2 cup Beer
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
3 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
=
DUMP LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN
2 Cloves Chopped Garlic
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
=
DUMP LEMON MARINADE CHICKEN
2/3 cup Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Minced Onion
=
DUMP PEPPER LIME CHICKEN
1/2 Teaspoon Lime Peel
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 Teaspoon Basil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
=
DUMP RASPBERRY CURRANT CHICKEN
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1/8 cup Water
1/8 cup Raspberry Vinegar
1/2 cup Currant Jelly
=
DUMP RUSSIAN CHICKEN
2/3cup Apricot Preserves
16 oz Russian Dressing
2 Packages Dry Onion Soup Mix
=
DUMP SPICED CITRUS CHICKEN
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Paprika
1 Teaspoon Cayenne
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
=
DUMP SPICY SWEET GLAZE CHICKEN
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
2/3 cup Apricot Preserves
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
1/3 cup Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Tabasco
=
DUMP STICKY CHICKY
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Ketchup
=
DUMP SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
1/4 cup Honey
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
1/8 cup Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Minced Ginger
4 Cloves Crushed Garlic
=
DUMP SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN
1 Package Taco Seasoning
8 oz Apricot Jam
12 oz Salsa
=
DUMP TERIYAKI CHICKEN
1 Clove Garlic Crushed
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine (Or Sherry)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Minced Ginger
=
Bloody Mary Chicken
2 whole chicken breasts
1 can cream of something soup
1 cup V-8 juice
3 cloves garlic
dash celery seeds
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
4 dashes tabasco
Put it all in crockpot and stir it.Cook on low and serve over rice if you like.
=
ORANGE CHICKEN(Great for wings!)
1 c. orange juice
5 oz. soy sauce
2 tsp. garlic powder
=
DUMP BBQ CHICKEN
1 env. onion soup mix
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 c. catsup
1 1/2 c. water
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Blend all thoroughly before dumping on chicken =
HOT ITALIAN CHICKEN
1 pkg. dry Italian salad dressing
1 1/2 tbsp. Tabasco sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white vinegar
2 tsp. celery salt
1 c. water
1 c. ketchup
3 tsp. ginger
Blend all thoughly before Dumping on chicken =
SOY SAUCE CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup soy sauce
Put chicken in a greased casserole pan.Blend soy sauce and sour cream together.Spread over chicken breasts cover and bake at 350° for about one hr
– ——————-
Recipes with cooked ground beef:
• First make: Pre-Cooked Basic Ground Beef
• Make other dishes
o Noodle Stroganoff – 3lb
o Taco Meat – 3 lb
o Hamburger Pie – 3 lb
o Chili – 4 lb
o Goulash – 3 lb
Pre-Cooked Basic Ground Beef
Use ½ chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves per 1 pound of meat
Rinse the fat off in a big colander, then using a Tupperware Quick Shake container, bag meat 2 cups at a time. The quick Shake container works great, it’s 2 cups and has no handle, so it fits into a quart size ziploc container.
Ideas to use the Pre-Cooked Basic Ground beef…
• pizza
• spaghetti sauce
• hamburger gravy
Noodle stroganoff
3 lb cooked ground beef seasoned with onion & garlic
3 large can (8 oz) canned mushrooms
3 can beef broth
½ c Lemon Juice
¾ c beef stock
To Freeze.. bag together, label, date and freeze..
To Serve.. defrost.. add 3 cups noodles ( I add the whole bag but need to add a little liquid) cook till noodles are tender then stir in 1c. sour cream (or more if you have added extra noodles) warm slightly and serve…
Taco Meat Seasoning Packets – Makes enough mix for one pound of ground meat
2 t Instant Minced Onion
1 t Salt
1 t Chili Powder
1/2 t Cornstarch
1/2 t Instant Minced Garlic
1/4 t Dried Oregano
1/2 t Ground Cumin
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend well.
Taco Filling: 1 lb ground beef , 1/2 cup water and the seasoning mix. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes filling for 8 to 10 tacos.
Hamburger Pie (Makes 4 meals)
2 onions — chopped
3 pounds ground beef
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 9″ pie shell
6 egg — beaten
3 cups cottage cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese — shredded
2 lbs frozen mixed veggies
1/4 meat mixture in each pie shell. Beat eggs. Add cottage cheese to eggs,add vegetables to egg/cheese mixture, pour 1/4 over meat on each pie. Put the rest of the meat on and sprinkle with cheese. Place another pie crust on top, crimp edges. Cover with foil, flash freeze, then put into ziplock.
To serve: Thaw all day in refrigerator, then bake at 375F for 30 minutes.
Chili
4 lb. ground beef mixture
4 tsp. cumin
4 tbsp. chii powder
4 chopped green pepper
2 shredded carrots
1 Number 10 can diced tomatos
1 Number 10 can kidney beans
Slow for about 1 hour. Cool and freeze in freezer bag.
Goulash
Ingredients for Cooking Day:
3 lb. ground beef mixture
1 number 10 can diced tomatoes
1 lb elbow macaroni
3 chopped green pepper
6 zucchinis quartered and cut into ½” pieces
Cook elbow macaroni al dente. Simmer meat, bell pepper, zucchinis, and tomatoes for 1 hour. Add cooked macaroni and freeze in bags.
———————
Recipes with raw meat
• Meatloaf – 6 lb.
• Meatballs – 5 lb.
• Salisbury Steaks – 4 lb
Meatloaf
6 lb. of ground beef and packaged it in 3 – 2 lb loafs
2 lb gr. beef
1 c. bread crumbs
½ c shredded carrots
1 egg
dash of worchestershire, ketchup, mustard
1/2 c milk
1 med. size carrot
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Blend carrot and milk to pulp. Mix together with all ingredients.
To Freeze.. package in family size portions in zip bags.
To Serve.. bake 350 * for and hour or till cooked through.
Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
chopped garlic
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Shape into 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls. In oven, arrange in un-greased shallow baking pan; bake at 400 degrees F for 30 – 45 minutes or until browned.
To Freeze.. Flash Freeze and bag together.
To Serve.. Just add to any sauce or recipe as needed
Salisbury Steaks
4 lb. ground beef
1 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Ingredients for Serving Day:
2 cans Franco-American Mushroom Gravy
Directions for Cooking Day: Mix together all cooking day ingredients. Shape into 6 oblong patties.
To Freeze.. Flash Freeze and bag together.
To Serve.. Defrost patties completely. In skillet, brown patties and drain. Add gravy. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until patties are completely cooked. Serve over whole wheat egg noodles
—————
More recipes can be found at another friend’s site in her Feed The Freezer section.
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
2 c diced chicken (or turkey)
2 cans cream of chicken soup (I prefer it not so rich, so I use 1 can soup and 1 can milk)
8 oz sour cream
1 sm can green chilies
1/2 t salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 doz small flour tortillas (heated and soft)
3 c grated cheddar cheese
1/2 bunch chopped green onions
1/2 c sliced black olives (opt)
-Heat first 6 ingredients, simmer 5 min
-Place 2 T mixture and a bit of cheese on each tortillas and roll
-Place seam side down in greased 9X13 pan
-Top with remaining mixture, cheese, onions and olives
-(to eat now follow baking directions below) To freeze: place into 2 gallon ziploc bag and freeze
(thaw) Bake at 350 uncovered for 20-25 min. Serves 6
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% 2# ground beef
4# potatoes (cooked and mashed or 3 c hot mashed potatoes from instant)
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 (16 oz) can kernel corn
2 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c milk
1 c grated cheddar cheese (or 9-10 American cheese slices)
-Brown hamburg with onions, salt, pepper and garlic, drain
-Stir in corn, soup and milk
-Pour into greased 9X13 pan and spread mashed potatoes evenly on top, sprinkle with cheese
-(to bake now, follow baking directions) To freeze: place in 2 gallon ziploc bag and freeze
(thaw) Bake at 350 or 30 min, until cheese is melted and pie is heated through.
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% SCALLOPED POTATOES & HAM
6 med potatoes, peeled & sliced
1/4 c chopped onion
2 c diced cooked ham
3 T marg/butter
3 T flour
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 T marg
2 1/2 c milk
1 c shredded cheese
-Place sliced potatoes in greased 9X13 pan
-Add ham and onion
-Make white sauce (whisk 3 T butter, flour, salt and pepper in pan on stove and cook until thickened and bubbly but not browned – stirring constantly)
-Pour over potatoes, stir and season to taste.
-(to cook NOW follow baking directions) To freeze: place in 2 gallon ziploc bag.
(thaw) Bake at 350 for 45 min. Add cheese to top for last 15 min of baking. Serves 6
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% LASAGNA
1# hamburg, cooked and drained
1 pkg lasagna noodles (no boil)
56 oz tomato sauce (2 large cans)
1 pkg ricotta cheese
1 8oz pkg mozz cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
oregano
-Mix meat with tomato sauce
-Combine ricotta cheese, eggs, and oregano, mix well
-Layer sauce, noodles, ricotta and mozzarella cheese in 9X13 pan – make 3 layers
-Top with sauce and parmesan cheese
(if cooking now, cover and follow baking directions) To freeze: Put in 2 gallon ziploc bag and freeze.
(thaw) Bake at 450 for 15 min; reduce heat to 350, bake for 15 min; let stand for 10 min before cutting. Serves 6-8
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SCALLOP
2 c cubed cooked chicken
10 oz frozen corn, thawed
10 oz frozen peas, thawed
2 T butter
2 T chopped onions
3 T flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 c chicken broth
1/2 c milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c grated cheddar cheese
-Combine chicken, corn and peas in 9X13 greased pan.
-Melt butter, add onion, cook until soft. Blend in flour, salt and pepper, cook 1-2 min without browning. Gradually whisk in broth and milk. Bring to boil and cook stirring constantly until thick and smooth.
-Remove from heat and stir in eggs, pour over chicken mixture.
-Freeze in 2 gallon ziploc bag.
-In separate bag, combine bread crumbs and cheese to sprinkle on top before baking.
(thaw) Remove from bag, cover with foil and bake 20 min in 350 oven. Uncover and bake 10 min until lightly browned on top. Serves 6.
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