Chicken Potpie

This is my recipe with directions from Taste of Home magazine on how to cook from frozen. This does take longer to cook than most of our dishes, but it DOES NOT need to be defrosted first.

Ingredients:

2 c. shredded cooked chicken

1 can cream of potato soup

1 can cream of chicken or celery1

can mixed vegetables, drained

1/2 c. milk

1/4 t. thyme

1/2 t. pepper

1 refrigerated pie crust

1 egg, slightly beaten

Assembly:Mix 1st 7 ingredients together and pour into a deep dish pie pan. Roll out pastry to fit top. Brush bottom with egg. Place over filling, egg side down. Cut slits and flute edges. Brush top with egg. Cover and bake or freeze.

To bake that day: Cover and bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes or until brown.

To bake from frozen: Cover edges with foil: place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 30 min. Reduce heat to 350; remove foil and bake 50-55 minutes longer or until golden.

Pesto Chicken Pasta by Andrea

This is a freezer recipe from TOH Simple & Delicious. The recipe makes 2 casseroles.
Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) pasta
6 cups shredded cooked chicken
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce
1 jar (10 ounces) prepared pesto
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, cheese blend, spinach, tomatoes, Alfredo sauce, pesto and milk. Drain pasta and add to chicken mixture; toss to coat.
To bake immediately: Pour into 2 greased 8" pans. Mix bread crumbs, Parm. cheese with oil and sprinkle over the top. Cover and bake the casserole at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.
To freeze: Transfer to 2 ziplock bags. In a small baggie, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil, mix.
To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Pour into well greased pan. Sprinkle with topping mixtures. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Crock Pot Barbecued Pork (adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It) by Amy

Ingredients:
2-3 lb. boneless pork roast or tenderloin, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
16 oz. bottle barbecue sauce
salt and pepper

Assembly:
1. Place meat in slow cooker. Sprinkle salt and pepper over pork. Add onions and sauce.
2. Cover. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.
3. Use 2 forks to shred meat.
4. Serve on sandwich rolls with sauce.

Freezing:
1. Allow barbeque to cool completely.
2. Place barbeque in a freezer container (Ziploc bag).
Freezer to Eating:
1. Thaw barbecue completely.
2. Place in sauce pan. Warm up barbecue over medium heat. Add more sauce if barbecue is dry.
3. Serve on sandwich rolls with sauce

Farmer's Casserole

3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 cup diced ham or Canadian style bacon
1-4.5 oz can mild green chiles (optional)
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
4 beaten eggs (or 1 cup frozen egg product)
1-12 oz. can evaporated milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt

Assembly:Grease a 2 qt. square baking dish. Arrange potatoes evenly in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with cheeses, ham, green chiles, and green onions. In medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper and salt. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in dish. (If not freezing, cover and chill several hours or overnight, then follow serving day instructions.)Freeze.

Serving Day:Thaw completely. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until center appears set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If you prefer, extra shredded cheese can be sprinkled on top during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Cherry-Almond- Chocolate Clusters

1 cup whole almonds, tasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
6 oz. dark or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

In medium bowl toss together almonds and cherries. Line baking sheet with waxed paper.

Melt half of the chocolate in top of double boiler over slightly simmering water, on lowest possible heat setting. Stir chocolate frequently, making sure water in bottom pan does not touch top pan. Remove double boiler from heat. Stir in remaining chocolate until melted. Remove top pan and wipe water from bottom of pan; set aside. To keep chocolate at the right temp while making the clusters, repalce the simmering water in the bottom pan with warm tap water and place the pan of melted chocolate on top of the warm water.
Stir fruit-nut mixture into chocolate. Spoon heaping tablespoon-size clusters fo the chocolate mixture onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate to cool and set, about 20 minutes. Store and serve at room temp.

Makes 12 clusters

each cluster 109 cal. 8g. fat, 2g fiber

Garlic-Basil Shrimp

6oz. dried whole wheat or plain fettuccini
2 TBS oilive oil
1 1/4 lbs. frozen large shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper

cook pasta according to pkg directions, drain and keep warm

meanwhile, heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add shrimp, cook 4 minutes turning once, or until cooked through. With slotted spoon transfer shrimp to bowl (reserve oil in skillet)

add garlic and red pepper flakes to reserved oil in skillet. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook over high heat 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. stir in the tomatoes and basil. season with salt and pepper. return the shrimp to the pan and heat thru. serve with fettuccini.

*from 1/10 BHG mag

Baked Beans with Ham

2 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 12oz. slab smoked virginia ham, cut into 1/4 in cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15oz. cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2- 28oz. can no salt added crushed tomatoes (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1 TBS dijon mustard
1TBS cider vinegar

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook 5 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add the ham and garlic. Cook 3 minutes more. Stir in beans, crushed tomatoes, water, molasses, mustard, vinegar, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until about half of the liquid is absorbed.

*from 1/10 Better Homes and Gardens mag.