Freezer Meals: Sat, Feb 6, 10:00 a.m.

Hi Sisters, Sorry that this is on later than planned. I'm just slow. I know this is at an awkward time, so know that if you can't make it, but want to make the meals, give me a call and we'll work on it for you! Here is a list of the meals planned for Friday, followed by the full recipes:

Entrees:

• Italian Cheese-Stuffed Meat Loaf
• Chinese Chicken Morsels
• Steak Fajitas
• Tofu-Spinach-Cheese Stuffed Shells

Side:

• Sesame Green Beans

Dessert:

• Chocolate Blizzard Cookies

Please leave a comment with your order no later than Thursday at Noon!

Remember, you provide the meat, so you can do any substitutions you want. Thanks and See you Friday! Call me with any questions you have!

Recipes:

Sesame Green Beans

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds green beans, stemmed
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

• 1Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• 2In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until well blended. Add the green beans and toss to combine well. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

· 1 pkg large shell pasta

· 1 pkg. tofu (extra firm)

· 2 c. frozen chopped spinach

· 3 c. ricotta cheese

· 1 ½ c. parmesan cheese

· Marinara Sauce (to top)

· Parsley (to top)

· 3 t. Italian Seasoning

· 1 t. garlic powder

· Mozarella Cheese (to top)

Biol shells until al dente. In blender or mixing bowl, mix tofu, spinach, Italian seasoning, garlic pwdr parmesan and ricotta; fill shells. Spread ½ c. marinara sauce on bottom of pan, fill pan with shells. Top with remaining marinara and mozzarella. Garnish with Parsley. Freeze. When thawed, bake covered at 350 for 45 min. Remove cover and continue to bake until cheese is browned on top.

Steak Fajitas

Ingredients:

1 pound sirloin steak

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon salad oil

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cloves garlic

6 flour tortilla

10 ounces frozen veggies fajita style

1/2 cup salsa

Place meat and marinade ingredients in freezer bag; bag tortillas separately. Freeze. Thaw meat and pan sear it; add veggies and bring to high heat. While veggies continue to cook, pull out meat and cut it across the grain in thin slices. Return to pan and cook until heated. Serve with tortillas and salsa.You can add avacado and tomatoes and cilantro if you wish!

Chinese Chicken Morsels

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken breast -- cubed 1"

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup dijon mustard

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup rice -- uncooked

Cut chicken breast into 1" cubes. Make the Marinade combining the lemon juice, soy sauce, mustard, oil, and pepper. Put Marinade and chicken in a 1 gallon bag. Put rice in a sandwich baggie and then put it in between bags. Freeze.
Thaw. Warm marinade in a small saucepan. Place cubes about an inch apart on broiler pan treated with nonstick spray. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 7 minutes, brushing with Marinade once. Turn chicken cubes and broil another 4 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions. Heat remaining marinade and serve over rice.

Chocolate Blizzard Cookies:

These cookies are so rich and delicious that you have to hide them from yourself so you won't eat them all at once! The white chocolate "chips" inside are a wonderful change from regular dark chocolate chip cookies. But, of course if you do not like change, just use bittersweet or semisweet chips and call these cookies Chocolate Tornado Cookies. You don't have to bake these cookies all at once. They are very rich, so just cut off what you need for baking. They also freeze well after they are baked.

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 oz. white chocolate, chopped
2 cups chopped toasted pecans

Melt the chocolate and butter over hot water. Cool slightly.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Reserve.

Beat the eggs with the sugars until light and stir in the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture, chopped white chocolate and nuts. Refrigerate the dough until it is cold enough to mould.

Shape the dough into two flat rolls about 3 in. in diameter, like refrigerator cookies. Roll in additional flour and wrap well in waxed paper. Don't worry about the floury edges of the cookies after they are baked. It makes them look more blizzardy! Freeze for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Slice the cookies 1/2 inch thick. Bake only 10 to 12 minutes or just until they lose their sheen. They should just barely hold their shape when cool, and should be moist and chewy inside. Gently lift the cookies off the cookie sheets and cool on racks.

Italian Cheese-Stuffed Meat Loaf

Ingredients

2 pounds extra lean ground beef

2 eggs

1 cup dry italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 cloves minced garlic

8 ounces pizza sauce

2 cups grated provolone cheese

4 ounces sliced olives -- canned

4 ounces sliced mushroom -- canned

4 ounces pimiento -- jar

Spray bottom of 9X13 pan. Mix beef, bread crumbs, eggs, parmesan, seasonings, garlic and ½ of the

jar of pizza sauce together until well combined. Place ½ the meat into a dish and level out. Smoosh the center down and build up the sides so you have a lip on the meat. Put a little shredded cheese along the trough, then top with mushrooms , more cheese, olives, more cheese, then pimentos and remaining cheese. With the remaining meat, make it thin, like three big burgers and put them on top so you cover the cheese. Pinch the sides well so the filling will not escape. Rub the sides down with cold water on your hands until you see it is smooth. (The water sets the meat so it doesn't break as easily). Place remaining ½ of the pizza sauce in a sandwich bag and freeze separate from meat.

Freeze. Thaw, bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the oven and spread the rest of the pizza sauce on top and give it a sprinkle of parsley or oregano. Bake another 20 minutes. (This meal is absolutely delightful).