PB & J Breakfast Cookies

PB & J Breakfast Cookies
from Fix, Freeze, Feast

These are perfect with a glass of milk!

Makes about 32 Cookies

1 1/2 cups natural peanut butter
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup apricot jam, preferably no sugar added
1/4 cup molasses
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup hulled sunflower seeds

1 cup instant dry milk powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Wax paper

4 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, jam, molasses, eggs, and vanilla in a food processor or by hand in a large bowl. Mix oats, flour, sunflower seeds, dry milk, baking soda, and salt in a separate large bowl. Pour the peanut butter mixture in to the dry ingredients; mix well.

3. Scoop dough with a 1/4-cup measure and place several inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. With your fingers or the back of a spoon, shape into 1-inch-thick patties. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; transfer to a cooling rack. Divide cooled cookies evenly among freezer bags, separating layers with wax paper.

4. Seal and freeze.

To Enjoy: 

Remove desired number of cookies from freezer; thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Bake before freezing?

We like to bake these before freezing so they're easy to grab in the morning. The dough does freeze well thought, so it you prefer, freeze the dough.

Orange Curried Chicken

Note: We are trying to get back in the habit of cooking and freezing our meals in advance. This is one of the first new recipes we've tried - and one of the most delicious meals we've made.

Orange Curried Chicken
from The Everything Meals for a Month Cookbook by Linda Larsen

Serve this delicious Indian dish with extra curry powder for those who like it hot.
To serve immediately, add frozen peppers and onions and simmer 5 to 8 minutes until hot: serve over rice.

Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons flous
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 cups frozen peppers and onions

1. Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Combine flour, curry powder, and salt on large plate. Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add chicken; cook and stir until chicken is almost cooked. Add orange juice; simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Add evaporated milk, stir, and remove from heat.

3. Chill mixture in refrigerator or ice-water bath until cold. Add frozen vegetables and mix gently. Wrap, label, and freeze.

4. To thaw and reheat. Thaw mixture overnight in refrigerator. Place in heavy skillet and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Serve over hot cooked rice. (The East-Indian Rice Ring is a perfect complement to this dish.)

Tex-Mex Lasagna

This recipe is from the Fourth Edition of The Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet. It freezes beautifully, and making six pans is not much more work than making one.

Ingredients:
3 cups Spaghetti Sauce
1 cup Water
15 oz Kidney beans: canned, drained
10 oz Frozen Corn (or one can whole kernel corn, drained)
1 envelope Chili or Taco seasoning mix
12 Lasagna noodles
2 cups Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 cups Shredded cheese, Monterey Jack or Cheddar

Assembly Directions:
Combine spaghetti sauce, water, beans, corn, and seasoning mix. Spread 1 cup of the combined sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Arrange 4 uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce layer (3 lengthwise and one cross-wise). Cover the noodles with 1 cup of the combined sauce. Spread half of the ricotta over the sauce layer. Arrange another 4 pieces of the lasagna over the ricotta layer and top with one cup of combined sauce. Spread remaining ricotta over the top. Arrange the final 4 pieces of lasagna over the ricotta. Cover the casserole with all remaining combined sauce.

Freezing Directions:
Place the shredded cheese in a small plastic bag that can be taped or attached to the dish.
Wrap pan tightly with freezer paper, foil, or place in a 2-gallon bag. Seal, label, and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover lasagna, sprinkle the cheese on and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more.

Comments:
Lasagna will set up better and slice neater if it is allowed to sit for ten minutes before cutting.

Scotty's Chicken Enchiladas.

Our dear friend, Scotty, used to make these before she abandoned meat. They are divine!

Chicken Enchiladas

2 chicken breasts - bite sized pieces
1/2 med onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 cup rice - cook per directions on bag
1/2 bag frozen white shoepeg corn
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 can chopped green chilies
2 cups shredded cheese- 1/2 mozzarella and 1/2 med or sharp cheddar cheese
14-16 corn tortillas ( or flour tortillas)

Saute onion in oil. Add chicken, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper. Saute until done (be careful not to over cook).Turn heat off. Add corn and cooked rice, and green chilies. In separate pan on high, heat a small amount of oil and heat tortillas one at a time. Flip over several times. Will puff up slightly when nice and hot. Place a spoonful or so of filling and small amount cheese to tortilla, role and place in baking dish. I am able to fit 14-16 in large baking dish. Make sauce and pour over tortillas, add cheese to top. Bake at 350 until bubbly around the edges, about 40 min.

Red Chile Sauce

3 Tbs. flour
4 Tbs. chile powder
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp oregano
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbs. cooking oil
1 1/2 tsp salt

Brown flour in cooking oil. Blend in chile powder. slowly add water and stir until lumps are gone. Add garlic, salt, and oregano. Simmer on med heat for 15 min, stirring to prevent scorching. If desired, add about 1/2 pound of browned ground beef to the sauce.

Kit's Homemade Rolls.

Kit's Homemade Rolls

2 packages yeast
1 cup warm water
1 pinch of sugar (for testing)
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup sugar
1 TSP salt
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs, slightly beaten
6 cups all purpose flour (do not sift)
1 stick butter, melted (divided, reserved for basting)

Dissolve the yeast in warm water, stir, add pinch of sugar to determine if yeast is active.

In mixer, cream shortening, sugar, and salt until mixed. Turn mixer to low setting; add boiling water. When mixed, add beaten eggs and yeast/water mixture. Measure flour onto waxed paper. Use wax paper as a funnel to slowly add flour into the mixture. Mix well on a medium for a minute or so until combined. Place a damp towel over the top of the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Roll out dough onto lightly floured surface to half-inch thickness. Use a 1.5 inch diameter biscuit cutter to cut into rounds. Place rolls, barely touching, in greased 9X13 foil baking pans. Baste with half the butter. Cover with dry kitchen towels and let rise again at room temperature, approximately 2-3 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 18 minutes or until slightly brown on top. Baste again with butter and let cool. Makes approximately 7-8 dozen..

To freeze rolls, wrap pans in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Place inside a plastic bag. To reheat, let thaw and bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes.