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PIZZA BURGERS

This recipe not only freezes well, but is also quick & easy to make on a busy weeknight! It's similar to sloppy joes but with a pizza flavor. You could also easily customize it for your family's taste by taking out the green pepper and/or mushrooms and replacing them with your favorite pizza toppings. Enjoy!

PIZZA BURGERS

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 medium onion
1/2 medium green pepper
1 ounce sliced pepperoni

6 hamburger buns, split
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

COOKING DAY:
In a skillet, brown ground beef with green pepper & onion. Drain. Stir in pizza sauce and oregano. Cool & place in labeled freezer bag. Place cheese in separate bag & staple to meat mixture.

SERVING DAY:
Have on hand hamburger buns & fresh mushrooms. Thaw & reheat meat mixture; serve on hamburger buns & top with cheese & mushrooms. I like to put this under the broiler for a few minutes to get the cheese nice & melty!

Yield: 6 servings

AIMEE'S SAUSAGE GRAVY

Thanks to Aimee buddy for sharing this recipe with me! It’s one of those fill-your-belly, good down home-cooking type recipes that you can’t help but love!

AIMEE’S SAUSAGE GRAVY

1 pound sausage
1 small onion, diced (optional)
3 to 4 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
4 cups milk (separated)
3 TBSP cornstarch
2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper
Biscuits (for serving day)

COOKING DAY:
Brown the sausage and onion. Once browned, take the sausage out of the pan but leave the “drippings.”

In that same pan, melt the 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter and, when melted, add 3 tablespoons of flour to make rue. Slowly add in 3 cups of milk. If you warm the milk up in the microwave first, this process will go a little more quickly.

Take the remaining 1 cup of milk and combine it with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Warm it in the microwave and stir until it’s nice and smooth. Add to the rest of the milk mixture.

This will need to simmer for a while so it gets nice and thick. Once your milk gravy base has thickened, add the rest of the seasonings (sage, basil, salt, red pepper) and then add the sausage back in.

Cool and place in labeled freezer bag. Freeze.

SERVING DAY:
Reheat and serve over biscuits.

BREADED RANCH CHICKEN

This chicken was a huge hit at our house – it bakes up moist & delicious!


BREADED RANCH CHICKEN

3/4 cup crushed Corn Flakes (I buy the box of “Corn Flake Crumbs”)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
8 chicken breasts
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Cooking Day: In a shallow bowl, combine Corn Flake Crumbs, Parmesan cheese and ranch salad dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter and then roll in corn flake mixture to coat.

Place in tinfoil-lined 9x13 baking dish. Freeze. Once frozen, transfer to labeled freezer bag. I roll it up right in the tinfoil and place the whole thing in the bag. Then when I’m ready to thaw and cook it, I just unwrap the tinfoil and put it back in the 9x13 pan. After dinner, all you have to do is throw out the tinfoil = no dishes to wash! If you are going to do it this way though make sure you are using the heavy-duty type of tinfoil. The regular tears too easily.

Serving Day: Thaw chicken completely. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

CHEESEBURGER BAKE

This is a quick and easy family-pleasing recipe! Typically I am not a big fan of cooking with canned soup but this is such a winner that I can’t resist making it every once in a while! You will be amazed at how good four simple ingredients can taste!

CHEESEBURGER BAKE

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 - (10¾ oz.) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1 - (11 ounce) can condensed cheddar-cheese soup
1 - (20 ounce) package frozen crinkle-cut fries
Toppings like ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions

Cooking Day:
Cook the ground beef until brown; drain. Mix cooked ground beef with the two cans of soup. Place mixture in labeled freezer bag. Freeze along with the french fries.

Serving Day:
Thaw meat mixture and place in 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the french fries over the top.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the fries are golden.

Garnish and/or serve with the toppings of your choice.

Best Ham Ever!

This is not a freezer recipe, but I thought I would post this in case you want to use it tomorrow for your Easter ham! It is a super easy recipe. It cooks in the slow cooker, freeing up your oven for your other dishes. The cola tenderizes the meat and the rub adds just the right amount of flavor! Fabulous!

BEST HAM EVER

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 cup cola-flavored soda
3 to 4 pound precooked ham

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard & horseradish. Moisten with just enough cola to make a smooth paste. Reserve remaining cola.

Rub entire ham with mixture. Place ham in slow cooker and add remaining cola. (I usually add more than the 1/4 cup called for. I figure the can is opened, so why not?)

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 10 hours, or high for 2 to 3 hours.

SLOPPY JOES

This is a fabulous recipe for several reasons. First, all of the ingredients are things that I typically have on hand at all times. Second, this one recipe makes THREE meals for our family of five. We have sloppy joes twice, then I take whatever is left and mix it with a box (or 2!) of prepared macaroni & cheese (such as Kraft) for a third meal. Third, it is by far the best tasting sloppy joe recipe I have ever tried!

SLOPPY JOES

3 lbs ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (I usually don't use this much!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 & 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup prepared mustard
4 TBSP vinegar
4 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp chili powder
Hamburger buns

Cooking Day:
Cook ground beef, onion and garlic; drain. Combine remaining ingredients (except the buns!), then stir in the meat. Place in labeled freezer bag. Freeze along with the hamburger buns.

Serving Day:
Thaw. Place meat mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.