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.

STROGANOFF MELTS

I recently found this recipe online but unfortunately I can't remember where. I did tweak it a little to better suit our tastes. My kids LOVE these - as do my friend's kids who have had a chance to try them! - and they are so easy to make.

STROGANOFF MELTS

1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (optional)
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon thyme
2 ounces cream cheese
6 English muffins
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cooking Day: In a large skillet, brown ground beef, onion and optional mushrooms. Season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add thyme (I only used about 1/2 of a teaspoon, instead of the whole teaspoon called for because thyme has a very strong flavor). Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in beef broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Let cool and stir in 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Freeze in Ziplock bag. Freeze remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese in separate bag, stapled to bag with meat mixture. Freeze English muffins.

Serving Day: Thaw meat mixture, cheese and English muffins. Warm meat slightly. Split English muffins and place on a baking sheet. Cover each half with some of the meat mixture and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until English muffins are toasty and cheese is melted, about 8 to 10 minutes.