Monday, April 30, 2012

Operation Clean Out the Freezer

Yesterday I decided it was time to get rid of the bits and pieces hanging out in the inside freezer.  So much was stuffed in there in a rush that organization was GONE and my breakfast box was filled with bags of frozen vegetables, chicken parts, seafood, partially used bag of coffee, breakfast calzone's from LAST summer...  well, you get the picture.

Doesn't it look deliciously organized?



In an effort to get back into the blogging habit, I'm going to blog the recipes I use with each of the bits.  I'm excited to see where this adventure leads!


Please, no comments on the Italian sausage.  I'm pretty sure there's more in the outside freezer.  We used to eat a lot of it. I also used to cook from scratch a lot more often.  :p

If you have any recipe ideas for the above, PLEASE post a link in the comments!  An adventure is more fun when others come along for the ride. :)

12 comments:

BETHANY said...

Have you ever made Jen's chicken? It's delicious plain, over rice, on a salad, in a quesadilla, etc. and it freezes well.

http://fortheloveofgrub.blogspot.com/2010/09/jens-chicken.html

BETHANY said...

I'd make this pasta dish with the ham. It's a favorite of all the Ws. :)

http://fortheloveofgrub.blogspot.com/2010/12/creamy-pasta-shells-with-broccoli-and.html

BETHANY said...

I love Italian sausage! Here are three good recipes.

The first is one of our all-time favorites and we love it even more over rice.

http://fortheloveofgrub.blogspot.com/2008/08/italian-sausage-with-bowties.html

This is another popular dish around here.

http://fortheloveofgrub.blogspot.com/2008/08/upside-down-pizza.html

This one makes two 9x13 pans, so it's perfect for feeding a crowd. If I don't need that much, then I freeze half the sauce for another night (not that you need to put stuff *back* in your freezer) and just make one pan.

http://fortheloveofgrub.blogspot.com/2009/10/penne-sausage-casseroles.html

Traci said...

Hmmmm.. Okay, well I make a recipe called Chicken Wilkie that is good. It calls for chicken, mushrooms (or I've used broccoli) a bunch of different seasonings (oregano, poutry seasoning etc), oil, lemon juice.. and then we eat it over rice. I can get the exact measurements for you. We also use the sandwich steaks for greek steak sandwiches. (Feta, tomato, basil and olives for the ones who eat olives, along with mayo) Venison stew meat we use for stew with a red wine base, or we marinade it for a long time with Spiedie sauce and slow cook it, serving with mashed potatoes.

Traci said...

Oh and we eat a shrimp pasta. Linguini or other pasta with sauteed zucchini, onions, green peppers and shrimp on it, with butter, olive oil, garlic and salt.

Elizabeth said...

THANK YOU!

Bethany, we make the Italian sausage with bowties all. the. time! It's one of our faves and one of the reasons I have so much Italian sausage. :p

Traci - Greek steak sandwiches sounds YUMMY! I have everything I'd need for those, too. I'll wait for one of those days when just my youngest is home with me. There's only two (packed back in the day... when she was a vegetarian), and dh isn't as fond of Greek as she and I are. :)

Oh... and what's Spiedie sauce? I'm tired of the same-o, same-o stew. A new recipe would be cool!

Traci said...

Spiedie sauce is a NY thing I think. I always forget about that. There is a famous brand here, even having a spiedie festival. The meat is usually marinated chicken or beef but we do venison too and it's awesome. With the traditional recipe you'd chunk the meat and serve on good rolls after cooking but stew meat is harder so we usually serve it with mashed potatoes or rice when we use stew meat. The acidity helps tenderize it and I've doubled/tripled this depending on how much meat I have.

Knock-Off Lupo's Spiedie Sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 garlic cloves (finely chopped or pressed)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Marinade over night before cooking. Can be slow cooked (with stew meat that's what I do) or grilled, whatever.

Traci said...

Oh and as for the ground beef.. if you're so inclined to try the best meatloaf I have ever had then I can recommend that too. Bbq sauce on top, stuffed with cheddar... it's out of this world. My mom's recipe.
http://karenscountrykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/cheddar-stuffed-bbq-meatloaf.html

Traci said...

Oh! (I'm on a roll here, can you tell I'm hungry? lol!) I also have a recipe on my blog for a knock off version of the Chicken & Gnocchi soup from the Olive Garden. It's really good. We usually buy a package of gnocchi but my mom has been known to make her own.

http://www.karenscountrykitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/chicken-and-gnoccci-soup.html

Elizabeth said...

Oh! The meatloaf sounds good before I even look at the recipe. Have to try that one for sure. :)

We eat a lot of gnocchi, never in soup though. Another one to look into!

BETHANY said...

Well, you're supposed to *make* the dish, not just collect the meat. ;)

Traci said...

I'm back with more ideas! lol. Do you make chicken wing dip? Like with franks red hot sauce, monty jack and cream cheese? Well we make chicken wing pizzas with the crust (or even crescent roll dough rolled out) cream cheese spread over it and then shredded cooked chicken in buffalo sauce (butter, frank's sauce and garlic) and then top with either shredded monty jack or mozzarella. Bake and eat and it's awesome.