Winter Menu Week 4

I have been intrigued by the concept of Once a Month cooking, but when I tried it, my kitchen ending up being a huge mess and I was exhausted for days. So, I have modified this marathon cooking day for myself several times and instead focused on cooking all chicken meals one day, beef another day, etc. That has worked well, but I haven’t kept up with the process. What works for me is Once a Week Cooking. I can cook all of my meals for one week on a Sunday, and have meals in the freezer ready to go. I keep Fridays as a leftover day or eat-out night, because my boys all love pizza and think of Friday as “pizza day”. If you do not want to eat out or cannot afford to at this time, feel free to make a fresh meal that night, make your own pizzas using this Freezer-Friendly Pizza Dough recipe, or experiment with your leftovers to make a creative repurposed meal.

On soup days, I match it with a fresh salad and bread or dinner rolls. Many of the recipes do not include a side dish, so be creative and add your own.

I also like to make a double batch of some of our favorite recipes, so that I have a dinner ready for Sunday cooking days, in case of unexpected illness, or to bring to a potluck. Try our Once a Week Cooking Menus and see which recipes become your favorites. Enjoy! 

Cranberry Chicken

Simple Shepherd's Pie

Honey Orange Chicken

Pot Roast

Teriyaki Pork Chops

Fish & Potato Chowder

  

Shopping List:

12 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 chuck roast

1lb frozen fish fillet (non-breaded)

6 boneless pork chops

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

2 packets onion soup mix

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

3 Tablespoons Orange marmalade

1 can reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup

1 cup Catalina or red style French dressing

½ cup orange juice

½ cup honey

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 large onion

2 stalks celery

5 medium potatoes

1/3 cup flour

5 cups milk

16oz bag frozen stir fry vegetables

Salt & pepper

Teriyaki Pork Chops

Teriyaki Pork Chops:

 

Ingredients:

6 pork chops

16 oz bag of frozen stir fry veggies

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

3 tbsp orange marmalade

Place pork chops into 9x13 greased baking dish or foil pan. Pour frozen veggies on top of chips. Mix teriyaki sauce and marmalade in small bowl. Pour over veggies. Cover with foil. Cover with plastic wrap and then foil before freezing.

 

To Cook:

Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake covered in 450 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until pork is cooked through (longer if still frozen).

Fish Chowder

Fish Chowder (adapted from here)

• 2 tablespoons margarine or oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups tap water
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound frozen fish fillets
• 4 or 5 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/3 cup flour
• a jar with a tight fitting lid

This soup is very good, and an excellent way to make a pound of fish go a long way. Use a good sized soup pot and melt the margarine in it.  Sauté the onion and celery until they are tender. Add 2 cups of water and the potatoes. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. While the vegetables are simmering, cut the fish into chunks about an inch square. Add the fish to the potatoes. Cover and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. If the fish is room temperature, it will only take about 5 minutes. The fish will be opaque and flake easily when it is done. Freeze mixture in large gallon sized freezer bag until ready to eat.

To use: Thaw bag in refrigerator for 24 hours. Dump contents of bag into large soup pot. Next add the milk, salt and pepper. Heat gently while you do the next part.

In a pint sized jar, combine 1-cup cold tap water and 1/3-cup flour. Screw on the lid. Shake and shake the jar until the flour is dissolved in the water. Pour this mixture into the pot of hot soup. Stir it up and bring the whole thing to a slow boil. Boil and stir for a full minute, or until everything is nicely thickened.

Freezer Beef Roast

Freezer Beef Roast:

1 chuck roast

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 can reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup

Place roast in gallon size freezer bag. Combine the dry soup and canned soup, and pour over roast in bag. Freeze.

To cook: Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours, or place sealed bag in hot water until mixture starts to defrost. Dump contents of bag into crockpot and cook on Low for 8-10 hours. This mixture makes its own gravy and can be served with mashed potatoes or over egg noodles.

Honey Glazed Chicken

Honey Glazed Chicken (Source)

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ cup orange juice

½ cup honey

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place chicken breasts in gallon size freezer bag. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Seal bag and freeze.

To cook: Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours, or place sealed bag in hot water until mixture starts to defrost. Place chicken and sauce in 9x13in aluminum foil-covered baking dish and bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and turn chicken pieces. Cook an additional 20-30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and juices run clear.

Cranberry Chicken

Cranberry Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 packet dried onion soup mix
• 1 cup Catalina or French salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

Freezing Directions:

Place ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag and freeze.

To serve: Thaw for 24 hours in refrigerator. Dump bag contents in a slow cooker. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. You can also place this in a 13x9in baking dish and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serve over rice.

Winter Menu Week 3

I have been intrigued by the concept of Once a Month cooking, but when I tried it, my kitchen ending up being a huge mess and I was exhausted for days. So, I have modified this marathon cooking day for myself several times and instead focused on cooking all chicken meals one day, beef another day, etc. That has worked well, but I haven’t kept up with the process. What works for me is Once a Week Cooking. I can cook all of my meals for one week on a Sunday, and have meals in the freezer ready to go. I keep Fridays as a leftover day or eat-out night, because my boys all love pizza and think of Friday as “pizza day”. If you do not want to eat out or cannot afford to at this time, feel free to make a fresh meal that night, make your own pizzas using this Freezer-Friendly Pizza Dough recipe, or experiment with your leftovers to make a creative repurposed meal.

On soup days, I match it with a fresh salad and bread or dinner rolls. Many of the recipes do not include a side dish, so be creative and add your own.

I also like to make a double batch of some of our favorite recipes, so that I have a dinner ready for Sunday cooking days, in case of unexpected illness, or to bring to a potluck. Try our Once a Week Cooking Menus and see which recipes become your favorites. Enjoy! 

World’s Best Chicken

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Tater Tot Casserole

Pork Chops & Apples

Tilapia with Lemony Spinach and Mushrooms

Homemade Chicken & Dumplings

Shopping List:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 2lbs boneless skinless thighs

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

7lbs very lean ground beef

2lbs pork chops, boneless

24oz tilapia fillets

15 green bell peppers

5 onions

1 cup chopped fresh carrots

4 whole apples, peeled and cored

2 cloves garlic

4 cups fresh spinach

16oz package of fresh mushrooms

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

4 cups chicken broth

3 jars chunky salsa (16oz each)

46oz tomato juice

2 cans low sodium Cream of Chicken soup

1 can reduced fat & sodium Cream of Mushroom soup

2 cups uncooked long grain rice

½ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 cup white cooking wine

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

½ cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

4 Tablespoons butter

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

16oz package frozen mixed vegetables

1 package frozen tater tots

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Rosemary

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Cumin

Oregano

Homemade Chicken & Dumplings

Homemade Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings (Source)

Soup:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans low sodium cream of chicken soup
1 cup white cooking wine
1 onion, chopped
1 cup of carrots, chopped
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules

Dumplings:
2 cups of flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup of milk
4 tablespoons melted butter

To freeze, add the chicken to a gallon size bag. Mix broth and cream of chicken soup, and spices. Pour into bag over chicken. Add veggies. Squeeze the air out, seal, date and label with name and cooking instructions.

Dumpling instructions:
Combine all dumpling ingredients- the mixture will be thick. Don't overmix. Form into medium-sized balls. If freezing, flash-freeze the balls on a baking pan and then put in a separate gallon freezer bag (not with the soup). Defrost these in the fridge until you are ready to add them.

When ready to cook, put the chicken on the bottom of the crockpot, salt and pepper, and then add liquids. I whisk my liquids together with the spices and the cream of chicken soup, and then pour over the chicken. Add the veggies. Cook on low for 8 hours. About an hour before the end of the cook time, remove chicken and shred it, and then add dumplings- drop them in and then sort of push them into the liquid so that they absorb some of the yummy broth. The dumplings are done when they look like biscuits on the inside. NOTE: I would recommend NOT lifting the lid and checking until at least 45 minutes after you put them in. You get lighter dumplings this way.

Pork Chops & Apples

Pork Chops and Apples (Source)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork chops, boneless
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 whole apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Freezing Directions:

After pork chops are browned, place all ingredients in gallon freezer bag and freeze. To serve: Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Place ingredients in pan. Cover with foil and bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tater Tot Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can reduced fat & sodium Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup milk
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
16 oz. pkg frozen mixed vegetables
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package frozen Tater Tots

Brown ground beef and onions. Drain. Mix together soup, milk, sour cream. Layer ingredients in a 9'x13' freezer/oven pan as follows:
1. Ground beef/onion mixture.
2. Frozen Vegetables
3. Soup/milk/sour cream mixture.
4. Cheddar cheese.
5. Top with layer of tater tots.

Cover with plastic wrap and then layer of aluminum foil. To cook, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until tater tots are brown and casserole is bubbly.

World's Best Chicken

The World’s Best Chicken (Source)


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 2lbs boneless skinless thighs
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Rosemary (season chicken right before serving)

Place chicken in gallon size freezer bag. Mix wet ingredients, and then pour over chicken inside bag. Freeze flat. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours, or place sealed bag in hot water until contents start to thaw. Dump contents of bag into crockpot, and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

Winter Menu Week 2

I have been intrigued by the concept of Once a Month cooking, but when I tried it, my kitchen ending up being a huge mess and I was exhausted for days. So, I have modified this marathon cooking day for myself several times and instead focused on cooking all chicken meals one day, beef another day, etc. That has worked well, but I haven’t kept up with the process. What works for me is Once a Week Cooking. I can cook all of my meals for one week on a Sunday, and have meals in the freezer ready to go. I keep Fridays as a leftover day or eat-out night, because my boys all love pizza and think of Friday as “pizza day”. If you do not want to eat out or cannot afford to at this time, feel free to make a fresh meal that night, make your own pizzas using this Freezer-Friendly Pizza Dough recipe, or experiment with your leftovers to make a creative repurposed meal.

On soup days, I match it with a fresh salad and bread or dinner rolls. Many of the recipes do not include a side dish, so be creative and add your own.

I also like to make a double batch of some of our favorite recipes, so that I have a dinner ready for Sunday cooking days, in case of unexpected illness, or to bring to a potluck. Try our Once a Week Cooking Menus and see which recipes become your favorites. Enjoy!

Easy Vegetable Soup

3-Ingredient Pulled Pork Recipe

Cheesy Potatoes

Refreshing Lime Chicken

Hearty Beef Stew

Freezer Chicken Cacciatore

Shopping List:

3 ½lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

2lbs pork tenderloin (can use shoulder or butt)

1lb beef stew meat

2 limes

1 bunch cilantro

2 garlic cloves

1 red onion

4 red potatoes

4 carrots

1 green pepper

1 bag frozen corn

1 bag frozen stew vegetables

2 bags frozen mixed vegetables

1 can black beans

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 8oz can tomato sauce

¼ cup red wine

1 12oz can of Root Beer

18oz bottle of BBQ Sauce

14oz can of reduced sodium chicken broth

11.5oz can of V8

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 package onion soup mix

Creole Seasoning

Italian Seasoning

Salt & Pepper

Easy Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 (14oz) can of reduced sodium chicken broth

1 (11.5oz) can of V8 or equivalent

1 cup water

1 (14.5oz) can petite diced tomatoes

1 bag frozen stew vegetables (with carrots, onion, & potatoes)

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (with corn, carrots, & green beans)

 

Combine all ingredients in gallon size freezer bag. Freeze until ready to use. Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Cook in crockpot on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4 hours. If cooking on stovetop, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Freezer Chicken Cacciatore

Freezer Chicken Cacciatore:

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning


To Make Ahead:
Cut Chicken breasts into quarters. Combine with all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Serve:
Dump contents of freezer bag into a crock pot and cook all day on low. Serve over cooked spaghetti or rice.

Hearty Beef Stew

Hearty Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 pound beef stew cubed
4 carrots, sliced or 1 package frozen carrots
4 red potatoes, cut into large cubes
1 package onion soup mix
2 cans 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 7-10 hours (or HIGH for 5-6 hours).

Refreshing Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Juice from 2 limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and freeze.

When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours) in crockpot.