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Summer Make-Ahead Meals

May 17, 2010 By

I love make-ahead meals! When the weather is warm, I cook outside on the grill as much as possible. This is where my frozen marinated meats come in handy. When chicken goes on sale, I marinate the chicken in freezer bags. You can freeze them for about 3 months. Here is my frozen (uncooked) Teriyaki Chicken. I usually defrost the frozen marinated meat in the refrigerator the day before I need it or defrost it in the microwave.

I also marinate steaks when the price is right. I even make some single serving frozen packages for my college son to take back to his dorm, so he can cook and enjoy some food from home. McCormick makes some tasty marinades. My family loves this Grill Mates pre-packaged seasonings.

If you’re looking for some quick meals to freeze, I suggest freezing your cooked taco meat, spaghetti sauce with meatballs, and sloppy joes. These meals can be defrosted in the microwave and are heated in less than 30 minutes for a quick meal that doesn’t heat up your kitchen. Taco meant, Spaghetti sauce with meatballs, and Sloppy joes are all found in my cookbook.

When ground beef goes on sale, freeze some hamburger patties to have on hand for a quick barbecue! They just take a few minutes to defrost in the microwave.

You don’t need to spend all day preparing these meals ahead. Find an hour here or there when it works for you. You’ll find that it saves you money, trips to the grocery store, and it’s healthier than fast food take-out meals.

Jane Doiron is the author of the cookbook Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms available at Amazon.com (also available for Kindle Download) and Barnesandnoble.com. Need a family-friendly recipe? Check out her blog Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms and see what’s cooking! I reviewed it and showed how to make her Tomato Bacon Mini Cups. She has some wonderful and useful tips!

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Easy Recipes For Lent

March 5, 2010 By

During Lent it is almost impossible to find meatless recipes that my family will all enjoy. We are from the Midwest, so yes, we grew up with hearty meals like meat and potatoes, beef stew, steak and anything else you call “comfort food”. I remember as a child I did not touch anything that swam in the sea, maybe because we didn’t have it often, but as I grew older I fell in love with everything from sushi to salmon to crab legs. I want to incorporate seafood into my son’s diet as a child because of the health benefits meat does not provide.

I recently wrote about Different Varieties of Tuna Sandwiches that you may have not tried before, but here are some recipes from Bumble Bee foods that are more dinner time meals. Bumble Bee products are a great tool for Busy Mom’s to get dinner on the table in a flash. Head over to Bumble Bee to check out all of their recipes – perfect for Lent.

vegetable

With one of their new products, Bumble Bee Sensations in Sun Dried Tomato, this dish is transformed into a flavorful and healthy dish all will enjoy. Use frozen vegetables for easy preparation, but fresh is best. Zucchini, Squash and Asparagus would be perfect! You can find this recipe for Garden Vegetable Medley Skillet here.

stuffedpastashellswithtuna

Pasta, often a family favorite, is a quick and healthy meal. Skip the meat sauce and go with Stuffed Pasta Shells with Tuna! This dish is a good source of Calcium, Omega-3 fatty acids, low calorie and very kid-friendly. With yummy ricotta cheese, fresh spinach and Bumble Bee Tuna, your kids won’t miss meat sauce!

salmonburgers

I am a burger and fries girl so this salmon burger sounds delicious. This dish doesn’t only have to be in your recipe box during Lent- make it a Salmon BLT burger! Add a side of fries, or even better, sweet potato fries and your kids will enjoy. I always look for quick and easy recipes and there is only 45 minutes for prep and cook. I will definitely be adding this to my favorites.

Have any meatless recipes your family enjoys? Leave the link below!


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How To Make Your Own Rotisserie Chicken

February 7, 2010 By

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Update- Try the new Slow Cooker Buttered Lemon Herb Rotisserie Chicken version!

I usually buy Rotisserie chickens for quick meals, but once I learned of this recipe from the Slow Cooker recipe book, I was hooked. Not only does it save money, but it’s delicious. First, rinse the chicken and remove the neck and giblets (you can also buy the chicken with these already removed). Then you prepare the rub, all you need is:

1 broiler/fryer chicken (3.5-4 lbs)

2 Tbsp Paprika

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional!)

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

2 Tbsp garlic powder or 3 cloves garlic

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

rotisserierub

Place all of your ingredients in a small bowl and stir in water by the teaspoon until a paste forms. Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray and place the chicken in, breast side up. I hate the look and feel of raw chicken, but trust me- it will be good when it’s done!

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Coat the chicken inside and out with the paste. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3.5-4.5 hours. Make sure the thickest part of the thigh registers at 180 degrees. Wow, how simple is that? You can use the leftover chicken to make a variety of recipes like Chicken and Gnocchi Soup, Quesadillas and Queso Pizza. I made Chicken and Dumplings tonight!

If you’d like to make “real” Rotisserie Chicken, you can find an inexpensive at-home Rotisserie Convection Ovens for under $100!

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