Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

I got this recipe from Heatherann so you know it's got to be a good one! This is the amount I use for freezer meals when exchanging with 4 - 6 families so adjust it down if you just want a few bags in your own freezer. 8 - 9 lbs pork roast or tenderloin (I can usually find tenderloin for $2/lb or less if I'm patient and buy it when it's on sale) 1 Tbsp oregano 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp ginger 1 Tbsp chili powder 6 Tbsp dehydrated onions (or dice up 1 or 2 onions and throw them in) 1 15 oz. bottle of Wochestershire sauce Cook all of the above ingredients in a crock pot for most of the day until the pork easily falls apart when you shred it a bit with a fork. When it gets to that point pour off most of the juice (BUT SAVE IT) and shred the pork up with a couple forks really well. Add: 1 28 oz. can enchilada sauce (I like green) 3 to 3 1/2 c brown sugar (depending on how SWEET you like it) Some of the juice you poured off (Just make it as wet as you prefer remembering the meat will absorb liquid as it cools. I guess I usually put atleast 1/2 of the juice back in.) Cook for another hour or so in the crock pot so all the flavors can really settle into the meat. We like to use the meat in burritos with homemade refried beans or serve it Cafe Rio style over a big salad with greens, black beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, & cilantro lime ranch dressing with Costco tortillas that you cook at home. Mmmmmm, my mouth is watering.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

We've been making these as a freezer meal for quite a few years now and they are a favorite. I love them because you can decide how many you'd like to serve at a time (single serve or toast up a bunch for the whole family) and they are VERY affordable to make. This is the recipe to make 32 pizza rolls and I usually give 8 - 10 per family. 3 Tbsp. yeast 1 c. warm water 1 1/2 c. warm milk 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. shortening 2 eggs 2 tsp. salt 8 c. flour (I usually put in whole wheat flour for the first 3 - 4 c to add nutrition) Pizza sauce (I blend 1 6 oz can of tomato paste with 1 24 oz can of spaghetti sauce and it gives a perfect amount of sauce that is just the right thickness) Pepperoni (I usually get anywhere from a 5-8 oz package and cut them into 1/4ths and there seems to be plenty, diced ham works great too) Mozerella cheese (I use anywhere from 1 - 1 1/2 lbs) Warm the water and milk to around 120 degrees F and then mix yeast, water, milk, sugar, shortening, eggs and half the flour (this is where I use whole wheat flour) in a large bowl. Add the salt and then the last half of flour (put the last cup in slowly because you may not need all of it). Knead for about 5 minutes and then let dough rest for 20-30 min. Divide the dough into 4 large balls that you can easily divide into 8 smaller balls one group at a time (unless you have a HUGE counter) keeping the large balls covered while you work with the others (you'll eventually end up with 32 small balls). Flatten balls out by hand or with rolling pin into small pizza shapes making sure not to get the middle too thin or you'll have all the guts of the pizza rolls ooze out little holes while they're cooking a make a huge mess. Layer pizza sauce (about a heafty tablespoon), a small mound of pepperonis, and hearty pinch of mozerella cheese on the top as if making sixteen mini pizzas. Pull sides together and pinch into seal (kind of like a stork blanket that carry's a little baby inside) so no sauce or ingredients can be seen. Put sealed side down on a greased cookie sheet or pizza type baking stone with 8 rolls per cookie sheet. Let rise 20-30 minutes and then bake at 400 for 11-12 minutes, until golden but watch closely so you don't burn the bottoms. Let them cool completely before freezing them so they don't get soggy. When you're ready to serve them let them defrost and toast them another 8 - 10 min at 400 but watch closely so they don't burn. You can also stuff these with bbq chicken, broccoli and cheese, fruit to make a dessert, etc.

Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup (1-Kit version)

Place the following ingredients in a quart freezer bag: 1 lb chicken breast, cooked & cubed 2 - 3 each sliced carrots & celery 3 sliced green onions 1 ½ TBL parsley 4 tsp chicken base (or amount of bullion for 4 cups broth) 2 c water In a separate bag put: 5 – 6 oz. soup noodles (wide egg noodles) In a separate bag put (but cut the butter into the powders so it’s kind of like cornmeal): ¾ c LDS Cannery powdered milk (enough to make 4 c milk) ¼ c butter ¼ c flour In a separate bag put: ½ pkg frozen peas (6 oz) Also include in the “kit”: 1 can cream of chicken soup Freeze the veggie/chicken bag, milk/butter/flour bag, & peas but just put the can of soup and noodles in the cupboard. When ready to serve, defrost the veggie/chicken and put in a big pot with 6 c water and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until noodles & veggies are tender. While noodles are cooking, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, milk/butter/flour bag, and 4 c HOT water. Add it to the pot when the noodles are cooked and get it back to a simmer. Add the peas and let simmer for a couple minutes to let the soup get nice and creamy. **I don’t freeze this soup completely cooked because the noodles tend to get soggy and the creamy/soupy part doesn’t always turn back into the right creamy texture after it’s been frozen and thawed**

Farmers Casserole (9x13 Pan)

6 c frozen shredded hash browns (I used 3/4 of a bag of hashbrowns from Kroger)
1 c cheese
1 c diced ham (I used about 12 oz)
¼ c green onion
6 beaten eggs
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
¼ - ½ tsp pepper
1/8 – ¼ tsp salt (depends on how salty ham is)

Grease 9 x 13 pan. Layer potatoes, cheese, ham and green onion. In bowl combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Mix and pour over potato mixture. Cover pan with foil and freeze. When ready to serve let thaw completely in fridge and then come to room temp. just before cooking. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour.

Whole Wheat Pancake & Waffle Mix

8 Cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp salt
1/3 Cup baking powder
½ Cup sugar
1 ½ Cups powdered milk
1 Cup olive oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a kitchen aid or with a hand mixer. As mixing, slowly drizzle in 1 cup olive oil. Keep mixing until mix is lump free. Store in the refrigerator. When ready to use add 1 cup mix to 1 egg + ½ - ¾ cup water and let sit a few minutes so the wheat has time absorb the water.

Best Ever Meatloaf

2 eggs
2/3 c milk
1/2 c chopped onion
1 c shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
3 slices bread, torn in pieces
1/2 c grated carrot
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 lbs LEAN ground beef (I try to use at least 90% so it's not swimming in grease)

Topping:
1/2 c tomato sauce
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp prepared mustard

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and bread and let stand a few minutes. Stir in the onion, carrot, cheese, herbs & seasonings. Add beef and mix well. Put in a freezer bag and then stuff in a bread pan so it freezes in the shape of a loaf. When it's frozen you can take it out of the pan and just let it hang out in your freezer in the freezer bag until you're ready to cook it. I freeze the topping in a separate little bag.

When ready to use let it thaw in the fridge over night, taking off the freezer bag as soon as it will pull away from the meat and put it in the pan you'll cook it in. I like to cook mine in a shallow kind of roasting type pan so the grease can pull away from it even though it's still shaped like a loaf. Make sure it's completely thawed and then bake at 350 for about 1 hr 15 min but spoon about 1/2 the topping over the meatloaf after it's cooked for about 45 min. Every 10 min or so spoon more of the topping over the loaf until it's all used up. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.