January Exchange Info

January Favorites
Crockpot Swiss Steak
Wild Rice & Chicken Stew
Savory Chicken Breasts

Cost per meal $4.09
Cost for supplies $2.47

Western Corn Chowder

2 cups water
2 cups potatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion (or you can use 1 Tbsp. dried onion)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can (15.5 oz.) creamed corn
Ham (optional)

Bring water to a boil in a 3 quart pot. Add the next 8 ingredients (down to chili powder on the list). Return to boiling and simmer for 10 minutes. Do not drain.

Meanwhile, prepare cream sauce. Melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour and cook until smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Boil one minute and remove from heat. Add cheese, stir until melted.

Combine vegetables and cream sauce. Add creamed corn, reheat if necessary, but do not boil.

Label: Thaw. Reheat on low to medium on stovetop. Do not bring to a boil.

Italian Chicken Rice Dinner

2 T dried Basil
1 T Oregano
1 T Salt
1/2 T Pepper
1 c uncooked rice (white or long-grain)
2 cups of baby carrots
1 cup sliced celery
4-6 chicken thighs or legs
2 c water

Mix seasonings and rice. Place in slow cooker. Top with vegetables. Coat chicken with salt and pepper. Place on top. Add the water and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Can de-bone chicken at this point if you'd like. Can also add Italian style cheese blend to the rice mixture if you'd like.

Italian Turkey Burgers

1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes (I use jarred spaghetti sauce.)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated parmesian cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground turkey burger
provolone cheese
favorite marinara sauce

Combine first 7 ingredients the crumble turkey into it and mix well. Cook on a well greased grill, or broil 6-8 min. per side. Top with your choice of cheese, we like provolone. Serve on a bun or plain with marinara sauce as a condiment.

Heavenly Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

12 ounces 95 % lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove pressed
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup grated cheese

Serves: 4 large Sandwiches

In 10 inch skillet cook and stir beef, onion, chili powder and garlic (pressed) over medium heat 8-10 minutes or no longer pink.
Drain well, pat with paper towel. Stir in ketchup mustard and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
Slice rolls, Fill evenly with beef mixture. Place on baking stone, Bake 6-8 minutes remove from oven. ( Toasting is optional )
Can serve sloppy Joe's with lettuce and fresh tomato.

Directions:
Let beef mixture and rolls thaw completely. put beef mixture in skillet until heated through.
Slice rolls, Fill evenly with beef mixture. Place on baking stone, Bake 6-8 minutes remove from oven. ( Toasting is optional )
Can serve sloppy Joe's with lettuce and fresh tomato.

Steak en Papillotte

2-3 lbs. sirloin steak cut thick
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. season salt
2tsp. season pepper
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumbs



In a small bowl blend butter, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread on all sides of steak. Mix cheese and bread crumbs and press into butter mixture coating the steak well. Place steak in a brown paper grocery bag. Fold over and secure. Before cooking bring steak to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place bag on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake for 5-10 minutes longer for medium rare. Remove steak from bag and let it stand for 5 minutes before carving into thin slices.

Label:
Bring steak to room temperature. Coat steak with cheese and bread crumbs. Place in paper bag and secure. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase temperature to 425 degrees and bake for and additional 5-10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before carving. (No peeking into paper bag while baking!).

Manicotti Crepes

Sauce
2 Qts. Marinara Sauce, any kind (Especially if it's on sale for cheap!)
Pasta
2 C Flour
1/4 C Olive Oil
2 Large Eggs
2 C Water
1/8 tsp. salt

Combine the pasta ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat til smooth. Heat a crepe pan or 8-inch non-stick skillet. If skillet is not hot enough the batter will stick. Lightly coat skillet with olive oil. Ladle a small scoop of batter into the center of the pan and tip the pan to spread it evenly over the whole pan. The batter should spread easily because it is very thin.

Cook over medium heat until the crepe changes color and starts to curl up around the edges, about 2-3 minutes. No need to turn over. Crepe should cook all the way through. If it doesn't, the batter may be too thick.

Use a spatula to gently loosen the Manicotti Crepe from the pan and lift. If it will not lift it is not done clear through. Cool on waxed paper. Spread a new crepe and cook. You should only need to oil the pan every three to four crepes.

Filling
2 lbs Ricotta Cheese
3 Eggs
1/2 C Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 C Grated Romano Cheese
1/2 lb. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Assembly:
Set oven to 325 degrees.
Cover the bottom of a baking dish with 1/2 inch of Marinara sauce. Fill each cooled crepe with one heaping tablespoon of the filling mixture. Fold one half of the crepe over the other. Place in the baking dish, lining each filled crepe next to the others. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Bake for 20 minutes in 325 degree oven until center is heated through.

If Freezing: Complete all steps above. Cover with foil. Freeze, or cook first then freeze. Either way works. You can place the crepe pan in the oven fully frozen if desired. Cooking time will vary depending on how hard frozen they are, and how close together they are lined. Cook until center is heated through.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Serves 8

8 egg whites
1 1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
8 Tbsp reduced-fat Parmesan Cheese
8 portions chicken breast

8 Tbsp reduced-fat Parmesan Cheese to garnish

In a pie tin, beat egg whites until slightly frothy. Then in another pie tin mix breadcrumbs and cheese. Dip breasts in egg whites and then into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides. Place on cookie sheet in freezer until frozen then transfer to freezer bags.

Place frozen on cookie sheet coated w/ cooking spray. Cook 20 mins on each side. Garnish with extra cheese. Serve with pasta and sauce or on salad.

Potato Bacon Chowder

4 cans condensed cream of potato soup
4 soup cans filled with milk
1 large onion, chopped
4 sliced of bacon, cooked and crumbled into small pieces
1/2 tsp pepper
2 large uncooked potatoes, cut into
1/2" pieces (russet best)
1/2 cup chopped chives (fresh) (split into two 1/4 cup sizes)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.

Combine soup, milk, onion, bacon, pepper, potatoes and 1/4 cup chives into slow cooker. Stir well. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until potatoes are soft and cooked through. Add cheese to slow cooker, stirring until the cheese is fully melted. Serve into bowls and top with chives.

Label: Place in slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until potatoes are soft and cooked. Add cheese and stir until fully melted. Serve - top with chives if desired.

Chicken Tostadas

(1/2 meal or made for 4)
1/2 4oz bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 1/2 t Chili Powder
1 1/2 t cumin
1 1/2 clove of garlic minced
3 chicken breasts
corn tortillas
Thaw and cook all ingredients in a crockpot for 3 to 4 hours . Shred chicken and cook an additional hour on low. Serve on warm corn tortillas with fixings of your choice (lettuce, tomatoes, beans, cheese -not provided) and put dressing from crockpot on top if you desire or add your own salsa.

Yummy Lasagna

2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon oregano
12 lasagna noodles
12 oz ground beef
1 egg
2 tbsp Parsley
2 jars spaghetti sauce

(this recipe makes a large Pyrex dish of lasagna)

1. Brown the ground beef, drain, and set aside.
2. Mix ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.
3. Cook lasagne noodles in a large pot until tender.

Layer a small amount of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan then place 3 Lasagne noodles side by side on top of the sauce. Spread ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle 1/3 of the ground beef on the cheese mixture. Pour ample spaghetti sauce on the beef and cheese mixture.

Start a new layer with 3 lasagna noodles. Repeat steps by adding cheese mixture, ground beef and sauce. Add final layer by adding last 3 lasagna noodles. Repeat steps by adding cheese mixture, ground beef, and sauce. Sprinkle the final 1 c. of mozzarella cheese that was held back from the cheese mixture on the top.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes.

LABEL: Thaw completely in the fridge. Bake with tin foil at 350 for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes.

PS My rancher grandfather just sent us about 50 lbs of frozen ground beef so there will be no cost for the meat :)

Mexican Chili

1 can Kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can refried beans

1 can Mexican style chili beans

1 can corn

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 can chopped chilie's

1 C. water

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 pkg. hidden valley ranch dry mix

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 c. onion finely chopped

Brown meat ad onion. Put in large cooking pot and add all remaining ingredients without draining. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Label: Defrost. Warm on stove top.