Freezer Breakfast Burritos

My husband takes his lunch to work with him every day.  He usually takes leftovers or sandwiches.  Between the two, having a turkey sandwich every other day for weeks on end can be kind of boring.

I decided I'd try to let him branch out and spent the other morning making 24 breakfast burritos, half ham, half sausage.  He LOVES them!  Best yet, they are easy to freeze and grab as a quick to-go meal.

I had no idea how much this was going to make, so I will put the ingredients I used and you can portion them to how much you want to make.

*Note:  I am interested in trying hash browns in the mixture, but read bad things about trying to put them in burritos that you don't intend to eat immediately, or especially freeze. If anyone is brave enough to try it...let me know how it goes!

RECIPE----

Ingredients:
24 flour tortillas
1 pound hot Jimmy Dean sausage, ground
3/4 pound diced ham
1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese
18 Large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 bag of frozen sautee mix (green pepper, red pepper, onions)
3 Roma Tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Aluminum foil
Freezer-safe zip-bags
Permanent marker

Brown the sausage in with the frozen vegetables.  Drain well.  Scramble 18 large eggs with milk, adding salt and pepper as desired.  While they cook, dice up the tomatoes.  Once eggs are fully cooked, throw in and mix tomatoes into the eggs.

Set up your station!  Tear out 24 pieces of aluminum foil that are just large enough to wrap each burrito in. Tortillas, meats, eggs, cheese, cilantro.  Trick for soft tortillas:  Place on a plate with damp paper towels inbetween each 2-3 tortillas.  Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Only heat 8-9 at a time so they stay soft until you fold the burritos....don't want them to split!

The way I did mine was to do 12 sausage and 12 ham.  Place a large spoonful of each ingredient into center of tortilla, and then top with a few leaves of cilantro.  Wrap up tightly into a burrito on a piece of foil, wrap, mark what type of meat is in it with a marker....and place in a zip bag for easy freezing.

To Heat:

by oven:  keep burritos in alluminum and heat in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes.
by microwave: Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute 15 seconds- 1 minute 30 seconds per burrito.

Serve with fresh salsa or taco sauce

Peanut Butter Fudge

This is super easy and is a nice variety of fudge from your traditional chocolate!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups confectioner's/powdered sugar

Measure out confectioner's sugar (sifted, not packed) into a large bowl.  Melt the butter most the way in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk and stir.  When hot, add brown sugar and stir well.  Bring to a hard boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well mixed. Pour mixture into bowl of confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth.  Press smoothly into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate until hard.

Potato Soup Shortcut

When it's the end of the "grocery" week but I didn't have time to make it to the store, I improved this soup.  It is a great use for leftover produce.  The additions I would make would be some peeled chopped potatoes and pieces of ham if I had them on hand, but it turned out fine without them.  We ate ours over sourdough bread.  There's probably enough to feed about 4 people here.

Throw the following into a crock-pot on High for a few hours:

1 1/4 cup potato flakes
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup milk
4 cups water (I'm not sure on this amount, but you can adjust to the thickness you like.  Mine was pretty thin, but I was scared it would taste more like mashed potatoes instead of soup.)
1 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrots
2/3 cup chopped brocolli
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black ground pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chives
a few dashes of bacon bits. (If I had ham I would use it instead)

Gourmet Cooking tonight

Confession:

Sometimes menus need to be redone.
Tonight was frozen pizza. We're leaving town tomorrow and are about to move....but something tells me that's not the only reason ;)


I am looking to compile lots recipe ideas that are yummy and thrifty. The most bang for your buck, if you will. If you have lots of inexpensive meal ideas, let me know!

Ready for October

Woooo!

Is it too soon to do November's? This is fun!

Sweet Pork Salad

I've received several requests for this one. And by several I mean about 6 requests each from the same 3 people, haha. It is SOOOO good. I do not credit the recipe for the rice, dressing, or black bean goodness. The pork, pico de gallo, and guac are all my fixes which may or may not be different from how other people make it. The rest of this I got from my sister-in-law Maren who got it from HER sister...who got it from????

If you know where this comes from, I would love to give credit where due.

This salad is a copy cat of Cafe Rio and Costa Vida's. IF YOU LIVE NEAR ONE, TRY IT. My mouth is watering just thinkin' about it!

Don't be intimidated by this recipe. There are a lot of little parts, but after you make it a time or two, you get the timing down and can do lots of it ahead of time. It's very simple and there is some room for interpretation. This is probably my favorite homemade meal of all times.


PORK:

3 lbs pork loin. I find the leanest pork roast they have. Size is approximate, you can add or take away ingredients depending on size of roast and taste.

Put roast in crock pot with about an inch of water, with the following ingredients mixed in the water. Spoon the seasoned water over the pork roast.

1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dry ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Cook 4-6 hours or until cooked through. Dump out the seasoned water. Replace with a can of Dr. Pepper soda and about 2-3 cups of brown sugar. Make it a thin sludge (sludge is not an appetizing word, but this will be GOOD!) Shred roast and return to crockpot. Cook on low until ready to eat. The longer you can simmer it, the better it is.




LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp butter
2 cloves minced garlic (1 tsp)
1 tsp lime zest
1 can chicken broth
1 1/4 c. water

Put above ingredients into medium pan and boil covered until the rice is cooked. Just before serving, add

2 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp chopped cilantro.

Toss, and serve.

BLACK BEAN GOODNESS
1 can black beans, rinse, drain, repeat.
1 small can of tomato juice (or use between 3/4 to 1 cup, to your desires sauciness)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Mix the above in a saucepan, cook until heated. Serve.

DRESSING-Don't you dare serve this meal without this!

1 envelope hidden valley ranch dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. milk
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 fresh tomatillos
1 serrano pepper (if you don't like it as spicy, add this in little bits until it's the right spicy level for you)

Throw all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and delicious.





PICO DE GALLO
2 medium tomatoes, diced pretty
1/2 small onion (red, white, yellow...whatever) diced
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 good squeaze of a lime
1/2 tsp salt
dash of cayenne pepper

Mix, enjoy.





GUACAMOLE
2 ripe avocados
2 Tbsp of the pico de gallo
Another pinch of lime

Mash up avocados, add pico, mix, enjoy.




Now for the assembly!

The tortillas make a big difference. In WalMart, they sell these by the cream cheese and pilsbury bread canisters in the cold isle. They are ready-made tortillas. You throw them onto the skillet and heat them on both sides. So fresh. Make it taste so good. The one's I've found look like this:


Take fresh tortilla and place on a large plate or bowl. Add rice, pork, and beans as recipe'd above. Load with lots of chopped romaine, top with pico de gallo and guacamole and a bit of shredded cheddar cheese. Crush tortilla chips over the top, serve with dressing.


I made this a while ago and now I'm really wishing I had the stuff in stock to make it again...I feel a craving coming on....

Corn and Bean Veggie Salsa

Just try it. You won't regret! I am thisclose to a money-back-guarantee.

1 can red beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced into small pieces
1 green pepper, diced into small pieces
1 green onion, diced
1/8 cup yellow onion, diced into small pieces
1 ripe avocado, diced into small pieces
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, diced
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup Italian dressing

Throw it all into a bowl and toss. Add salt and Italian dressing to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

The Breakfast Skillet

I call this "The Breakfast Skillet" because you will use lots of skillets to make it! It's a pretty heavy meal- I mostly make it for dinner or rare special occasion breakfasts.

Below, I will list the ingredients I typically use without quantities...mostly because it doesn't matter how much you put in. If you like to eat a tomato like an apple...put in lots! If you like to eat an onion like an apple...please take a picture and email it to me (and also put in lots). I like to do this when I've got extra fresh produce and leftover ham/other breakfast meats I need to use.

Choose your meat (or combine!)

Diced ham

bacon

Sausage

Choose your veggies (I use everything I have)

Green pepper

Onion

Mushrooms

Tomatoes

Hashbrowns or tater tots

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Eggs

Cheddar cheese

Start with your potatoes--they usually take the longest. Either bake or fry them until done. While waiting for them to brown, begin to sautee veggies in one skillet. Once you get those going, heat meat in another skillet. When everything is about done, cook your eggs your favorite way.

When potatoes are finished, top or mix with cream of mushroom and veggies. When I make this for 2-3 people I usually use half a can COM total.

Top with meat, then egg, then cover with cheese. Serve with ketchup.

Enjoy the meal......then get hubby to do all those dishes!

Pasta and Surprise Meatballs

Pasta sauce:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves fresh minced garlic

1/2 cup minced onion

2-6 oz. cans tomato paste

1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp basil

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp majoram

1 Tbsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Over medium heat, put olive oil, onion and garlic into a large saucepan and sautee for 2-3 minutes. Stir in water, followed by the remaining ingredients. Heat to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover.

Start workin on the balls!

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef

2 eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped mushrooms

2 Tbsp minced onion

2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

......and the surprise?

4 slices provolone cheese

Beat 2 eggs into medium mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients except provolone cheese. Blend ingredients thoroughly.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in another skillet on medium/low. Form meat balls of desired size, adding a bit of provolone cheese to the center of each, and drop into skillet. Turn carefully and frequently with love until lightly brown on all sides. Put meatballs into sauce and continue to simmer for up to an hour. (I did more like a half hour, it smelled too good to wait!)

Serve over favorite pasta.

Mmm Hot fudge saw-say-sauce

This recipe is not my own creation. I have no desire to tweak it because it is already THAT good. It is a recipe that comes from my husband's family.

Hot Fudge Sauce

2 c. sugar

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1/4 c. flour

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter

4 Tbs. cocoa

Mix together sugar, cocoa and flour in a medium saucepan. Heat to medium and stir in butter (doesn't need to be melted, it will melt in) Slowly add evap milk. Cook to boiling. Boil about 3 min., stirring constantly until thick to your liking. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

DELICIOUS on ice cream, angel food cake, perhaps Wednesday's crepes?

No Wait Pizza Dough

I am not a woman of patience. I played around with some ingredients and this dough works really well and does not need time to rise.

Ingredients:

1 cup warm/hot water
1 1/2 Tbsp yeast
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp pizza seasoning (Italian seasoning works too)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese.

Put all ingredients into a large cuisinart on dough setting, mix until it forms a firm ball. If not, any large mixer will do, it'll just take longer to mix. You can let it rise for a bit if you like but as I said before... no patience. I roll it out as thin as I can get it (otherwise it comes out dense and heavy). This will usually make a 14 inch AND a 10-12 inch pizza.

Put on Pam sprayed pizza pan and cook JUST the crust (before sauce and toppings) at 425 for about 5-6 minutes. This prevents limp and soggy pizza (ew.) Remove from oven and put on sauce and toppings.

For a twist, last night I made a BBQ Ranch sauce by using Sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce (I used brown sugar hickory but I'm sure any would do) a couple Tbsp of mayo and some Hidden Valley ranch seasoning. You can make it as ranchy or as bbq-y as you like. It was so delicious with the difference sauce!

Bake at 425 for 11-16 minutes until the crust edge is golden brown.

Crepes

2 ½ c. milk

2 whole eggs (can use 3 egg whites as an alternative)

1 ½ Tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Beat together wet ingredients until well mixed. Slowly beat in dry ingredients and beat until smooth. There may still be a few lumps, but we can't all be perfect.

Lightly butter a skillet and heat it to medium (important to get the skillet hot before adding mixture). Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto skillet and rotate it out immediately for a thin crepe.

Burn/rip/ruin the first one? Probably means you did it right. I usually have to throw away the first one. You do NOT need to re-butter the skillet in-between crepes.

Top however you like! My favorite is Nutella, strawberries and bananas.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

I tried something new (and simple!) tonight. They turned out great!
Ingredients:

~Green pepper

~Yellow Onion

slice and sautee with a little cracked pepper and water.

~Deli sandwich sliced roast beef

~Sliced provolone cheese

~Hogie/Sub sandwich bread~Sliced tomatoes, lettuce, mayo.

Simply turn on the broiler in the oven to 500 degrees, lay hogie bread open faced on pan. Stack shredded up roast beef on one side and cover with provolone cheese slice. Let broil until bread begins to turn golden brown. Top with sauteed onions and peppers, lettuce and tomoates, and mayo if desired.

Easy desperation dinner! Delish!

Pumpkin Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. flour,
1 tsp baking powder,
1 tsp. baking soda,
1 tsp. cinnamon,
1/2 tsp. nutmeg,
1/2 tsp. salt,
1 egg,
1/2 c. butter,
1 1/2 c. sugar,
1 c. solid-packed pumpkin,
1 tsp vanilla,
12 oz. chocolate chips.


Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.

Mix in dry ingredients until well blended. Add chocolate chips.

Drop by round Tbs. onto a cookie sheet. (The smaller the blob, the more they rise.) Bake a 375 for 12 minutes.

Cool on wire wrack and store in ziploc bag.

Martinelli's Ham

Ingredients:

1. Martinelli’s sparkling cider
2. Solid Ham – Not spiral cut.
3. Whole dried cloves
   
4. “Country Dijon” Grey Poupon mustard.
5. “Blonde brown sugar” or sometimes called “Sugar in the raw”

Cooking the Ham

1. Trim the rind off the ham.
2. Take a knife and make cross hatch cuts into the top. The cuts need to be about a quarter inch deep, and space an inch to an inch and a half apart.
3. Put a clove at each intersection between the cross hatch. Do not over-do the cloves because they can overpower the taste. Recommend a dozen at very most for a whole ham.
4. Put the ham into a baking dish that is just fits into.
5. Pour in a cup to a cup and a half of cider, until the dish is filled to about half an inch.
6. Put the ham into the oven at 325 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes per pound. For example, a 6 pound ham will cook for 2 hours.
7. Once done, put the ham onto a dish and throw the cloves away.

Glaze

1. Put half a cup of the cooked ham juice into a small pot.
2. Add 1 cup of raw sugar and mix together.
3. Add 1 heaping spoonful of dijon mustard into the mix and bring to a boil.
4. Once it comes to a boil the mix is done.

Pour the glaze onto the ham, slice the ham, and pour more glaze as desired.