Chicken Pesto Alfredo Casserole - Freezer Meal

I love love love this casserole!  This is my first ever freezer meal creation and it is a HIT!  I would love to claim that I created this but I got it from my  Taste Of Home Freezer Cooking book.  I highly recommend it.

(photo courtesy of TASTE OF HOME)

For original recipe click HERE -TASTE OF HOME

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
• 6 cups cubed 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
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 jar (8.1 ounces) prepared pesto
• 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, milk and pesto. Drain pasta and add to chicken mixture; toss to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil; sprinkle over casseroles.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Nutritional Facts1-1/3 cups equals 612 calories, 30 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 111 mg cholesterol, 829 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 42 g protein.

Big Ole Juicy Meat Balls, I mean Meat MOUNDS

This is the easiest meatball recipe.  No rolling with your hands to make uneven meatballs, everyone comes out exactly the same size.  Because you use a cookie scoop they are not really meat'balls', more like meat'mounds'.  But they are BIG and juicy and full of flavor!

1 lb ground chuck (80% lean)

2 slices bread ( I use whole wheat)

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Worcesteshire sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 small white onion diced

1 egg

Heat oven to 400°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. (If using a baking stone, no foil is needed.)

Pour milk into medium sized bowl. Tear bread into tiny pieces and add to milk, stirring to make sure each piece is covered.  Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.  Drain any remaining milk.

In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Mixture will be very moist. Using a large cookie scoop, (2 tablespoon size) scoop balls of meat onto pan or stone. ( Should make 12-14 meatballs)

Bake uncovered 20- 25 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Add to spaghetti sauce, serve on a roll or eat them one by one!

Beach Vacations Meal Savings Without "Cooking"

One of the best things about vacation is relaxing.  That's the whole point - relax and have fun!  Add SAVE MONEY to that mantra and you will not only have a thrifty good time but a fatter wallet when you return home.

I know there are the tried and true I WILL EAT OUT ALL THE TIME vacationers. Epicureans, bachelors, people who don't cook, New Yorkers ;)  But you can still save and eat out at the same time WITHOUT having to dirty on pan. You don't have to "cook".  Pick on meal a day to eat out. Eat the rest of the meals at home.  Shop for or bring with you milk, sodas, cereal, oatmeal, snacks, chips, fruit, salad fixin's, bread, condiments, hot dogs, buns and lunch meats. You will only need the microwave for a few of these items.

One rule I have and encourage is to EAT AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS.   Why on Earth am I driving ten hours to the beach to eat at Applebee's or McDonald's?  It makes the eating out experience that much more special if you go local. Support the community you are putting your money into.  We have one breakfast place we look forward to every year and it tastes better than anything from that iHop could ever make.  

1. Spend the money on a great home or condo. Staying in for meals in the home you rent will be much more appealing if it has something special that you don't get at your own home. Think about what you need to make your vacation ideal.  A quiet neighborhood? A private pool? Ocean front view? A spa tub? Once you figure that out, be willing to spend more for that luxury. We spend more money than we used to on a rental home that fit our requirements.  We are at the beach. A fantastic OCEAN VIEW is on the top of our list!  We used to get houses that were 2 or 3 blocks back that had a smidge of a view but we ate out more.  We realized that bumping up the budget for our home completely heightens the entire beach experience and we stay in more to appreciate the thing we came to see...the ocean!

2.  Research the area you are heading to online.  Google the town name and "restaurants" to get a plethora of online beach websites and menu samples as soon as you decide where you are going. Find out which ones have KIDS EAT FREE or half price. Look for the restaurant on Facebook and LIKE them. Leave a comment about how much you are looking forward to coming there. Post the day before you leave that you will "see them next week." When you do show up, tell them you are a Facebook friend and enjoy the updates, you will at the very least win their hearts and get better service and may even get a discount for being so supportive. We have made great bonds with the restaurants of our favorite beach town by this simple LIKE theory.

3.  Eat out only for one meal each day.  We love to eat breakfast out so that's where a majority of our food budget goes to.  Lunch is also a great way to get good hearty local meals but are up to 50% off the dinner prices, with the same big portions.  Most vacation town restaurants have EARLY BIRD specials.  Eat early so you can go home and enjoy the sunsets.  Choose a restaurant that has some local flair and highlights the areas natural beauty.

4. Buffet all the way.  It's the obvious way to get the most fresh local variety for the least cost.  Paying $20-$30 per person may sound like a lot up front.  But think of the variety you get! A steak, a lobster tail, shrimp and crab all on one plate! Any ONE of those dishes would cost you $20-$30 at a regular restaurant. Many of these buffets offer free or low cost meals for kids as well.  Make sure you go on a day where you have a light breakfast and super light lunch!

5. Don't waste money on alcohol and sodas. Now for the tough love. Let's be honest, we all love a cocktail with dinner on vacation! But a simple glass of wine with appetizer easily turns into two or a beer with dinner turns into 3.  You can pay for a full bottle of wine or 12 pack of beer for everyone to enjoy at home for the same cost. Drinking at home makes safe sense too. Liquor your self up without having to drive anywhere. Get as loud as you want without a waitress booting your drunk buns out.

Everyone should be drinking water with eat out meals too.   A family of six that gets sodas and milk at a restaurant meal spends as much as a gallon of milk and a 12 pack of soda cans that lasts more than a few gulps. 

Now go make a no cook sandwich, sit on that deck and soak up some rays.

Simply Delish Garlicky Pasta with Toasty Breadcrumbs

Pasta is one of those NEVER PAY FULL PRICE FOR items.  Wait for it go on sale and load up.  Recently my grocery store had it on sale for buy 10 for 49cents.  And wouldn't you know that I had a 40 cents off coupon to go with them!  Ronzoni is famous for being free with coupons and sales!

This recipe is so easy and full of flavor

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh or dried bread crumbs
• (Want to save money on breadcrumbs? Check out my homemade breadcrumb recipe HERE)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3-6 garlic cloves, minced (depending on the level of vampire fighting breath you like)
• 8 ounces uncooked pasta
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
•  
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Return pan to heat. Stir in breadcrumbs, and cook 6 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
• Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Place pasta in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, breadcrumbs, basil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Juiciest Ever 6 Minute Pork Chops

• Seriously. Juicy. Moist. Tender. Chock full of flavor. 6 Flippin' Minutes

• This is one of those things I had to learn how to cook. I never ever made pork chops because I always dried them out. Then my good Friend The Food Network taught me how to pan sautee a boneless chop. Buy these on sale or in the big ole family size and freeze them. I find my for as low as 99 cents a pound! 
• 
  
• Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 boneless pork chops
• Salt & Black pepper
• 1/4 cup flour, on a plate or pie pan
• 
  
• Directions

Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over LOW heat. While the pan is heating, sprinkle the chops on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge them in the flour.

A few minutes before cooking the chops, turn stove to MEDIUM HIGH. (That's number 8 for you new cooks.) When the butter stops foaming and just starts to brown, add chops to skillet. 

sizzle

THIS IS THE ESSENTIAL PART: Cook for 3 minutes.. Set your timer on this one.  Do not move them, do not peek on the other side, leave the poor little buggers alone! At 3 minutes buzzer turn chops. As soon as you turn that last chop over, immediately set your timer for 3 minutes.  Remove from pan and place on a plate tented with foil. LET THEM REST AT LEAST 5 MINUTES.  They will be a perfect golden juicy flavor bomb in your mouth!

Those Useless Bread Ends Become Tasty Breadcrumbs!

WHY ARE YOU PAYING FOR BREADCRUMBS?  

All it takes is a few simple steps to make your own. The BEST way is to save those annoying end pieces from your loaves of bread. Don't worry about mixing flavors, tossing in a few white pieces and wheat pieces are going to give your crumbs a tasty layer of flavor.  Start making a stash today.  Grab that end chunk, put it in a gallon size freezer bag, squeeze out as much of the air as possible, date it and store in the freezer. Or use any other freezer safe storage container. Add more end pieces as you come across them.

Bread Crumb Recipes

Ingredients:

4 slices bread, stale or lightly toasted. 

(Use any flavor bread you like! I use RYE, WHEAT and OATNUT too!)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Fresh: 

Tear bread slices into small pieces. Process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. You can use these fresh crumbs for making meatballs, topping casseroles, or coating chicken. Store in a dated, airtight container for up to one year in the freezer.

Oven Toasted:
To make toasted breadcrumbs, spread fresh crumbs a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 250° oven, stirring occasionally, until browned and dry, about 20-30 minutes.  Transfer dry crumbs into a bowl and cool.  When cooled add 1 Tblsp. olive oil and toss.  

At this point you can add any seasonings you might like.  Parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, or thyme are all wonderful choices. Also zing it up with crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of lemon juice. Store in an airtight container up to one month in pantry. (Make sure you date the container, you don't want a science experiment staring at you from the cabinet in 9 weeks.) Or store in a dated, airtight container for up to one year in the freezer.

Thrifty Pinterest Party! Stone Tile Coasters

This is probably one of the most pinned things on Pinterest, I see it all the time.  I have seen several pinners and several versions so I don't know who originality came up with it, but it wasn't me!  Best of all it it SUPER CHEAP!  We had a great time playing and of course EATING.  Try this at your next Pinterest Party.

Start with a set of natural stone bathroom tiles from a home improvement store.  The tiles are only $3.95 for a set of 9!

I love the texture and imperfections.~!

We used stamps and ink we already had on hand ( When I say WE I mean Aunt Nessie, our host) We used Technique Tuesday Clear stamps FANFARE. (Technique Tuesday is to stamping what bacon is to BLTs. LOVE them!)  We also used a Large alphabet stamp for the initials ( Sorry don't know which ones they were.)

Stamp to your hearts content with any color Staz-on ink ( MUST be Staz -on! Why? 'Cuz it STAYS ON)

 

Then seal the stamped tiles with minwax. 

DON'T FORGET~! Apply self stick felt circle to the bottom to avoid scratching the table surface. (Wouldn't that be a great gift? Coasters to save their table from water rings but they scratch the bejeebees out of your wood. Thanks friends)