50 Uses for a Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

There was an insert in my Food Network Magazine that lists 50 things you can make with a jar of spaghetti sauce. (I make my own spaghetti sauce (a staple in our house) so we thought this had some really good ideas...and we have even tried one of them..and it was AWESOME!

I have the recipes is you are interested in any of them...

1. Spanish Rice

2.  Potato Casserole

3. Baked Brie

4. Mussels Marinara

5. Zesty Chip Dip

6. Quick Rataouille

7. Cocktail Sauce

8. Minestrone Soup

9. Tomato Butter

10. Olive Tapenade

11. African Stew

12. Cream of Tomato Soup (This is the one we tried...Saute' chopped herbs in butter (I didn't do this step, as my sauce has lots of seasoning)...add 1 jar of pasta sace, 2 cups of water and 1/2 c. heavy cream. simmer for 5 minutes.  (I just added milk to the sauce and it made a yummo version of tomato Soup!)

13. Stuffed Mushrooms

14. Buffalo Wings

15. Clam Chowder

16. Tomato Croutons

17. BBQ Brisket

18. Eggs in Purgatory

19. Tuna Marinara

20. Stewed BLT

21. Pizza Potato (make a baked potato and add sauce, pepperoni, and mozzerella bake till cheese melts)

22. Italian Meatloaf

23. Baked Beans

24. Tomato Mac and Cheese

25. Instant Salsa

26. Sweet and Sour Franks

27. Vodka Penne

28. Saucy Marinade

29. Tomato Biscuits

30. Country Captain

31. Taleggio Panini

32. Poor Man's Parmigiana

33. Tomato Polenta

34. Italian Quesadilla

35. Cilaquiles

36. Creole Stew

37. Poached Cod

38. Enchilada Sauce

39. Pizza Sticks

40. Greek Beans

41. Tomato Omelet

42. Bloody Mary

43. Spiced Okra

44. Polenta Bites

45. Tomato-Fennel Soup

46. Chickpea Pasta

47. Red Pepper Coulis

48. Sloppy Joes

49. Tomato Vinaigrette

50. Eggplant Rolls

Cleaning Freezer Out

Well, after the making 30 doz. Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas presents and having them shoved in the freezer, I was feeling like I couldn't find anything and that I had no food left in the freezer, so we cleaned out the freezer last night and to my surprise had over 25 meals left!  Dave kept saying, "don't ever tell me we don't have anything to eat again".. :-)  We were pleasantly surprised at how much was left and that there were even a few favorites left in there! :-)

Tina

February Menu

I have chosen my meals for February, but Tami hasn't picked her meals yet.  (On a side note, keep Tami in your prayers, she goes to Cleveland Clinic on Monday for hip surgery).  

Salisbury Patties

Round Steak Bake

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Chicken Picatta

Update on January Meals

I just thought I would update you on the meals we have tried so far this month (as they were all new meals we hadn't had before).  We have tried the Pasta with Alfredo Sauce (YUMMO!) and Mom's Chicken Noodle Casserole (YUMMO!) and Ham and Scalloped Potatoes (EXTRA YUMMO!) and Giant Calzone (YUMMO!).  So far, everything has been a hit!

Can't wait to try the next few!

White Sauce

Here is a recipe for a white sauce that replaces the cream of soup cans that are loaded with salt and an easy way to make. You can use this for a variety of things, (fettucini alfredo, scalloped potatoes, chicken tettrazini, chicken noodle casserole, and many many more).

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. flour

6 c. milk (warmed) (I put in microwave for 2 minutes)

6 cubes bouillon

Over low heat melt butter and then add flour and stir till smooth.  Add warm milk and stir till thick (takes about 30 minutes, be careful not to scorch).  Add bouillon and stir till dissolved.

1 1/2 c. is equal to 1 can of soup.

You can make this a low fat version by using skim milk. 

It is not recommended to freeze this but you can refrigerate for a few days.  You can freeze if it is combined with other foods, it will be fine.

January Swap

I know I am a little behind on posting what we did, but it has been a little crazy around here for the holidays and this has taken a back seat. :-) We did not swap in December as it was just too hectic. We are swapping in January although not till closer to the end of the month.
I made homemade cinnamon rolls for friends and family for Christmas (we made 30 dozen in one day) with frosting. I have also been making homemade pizzas and bread. We have not ordered out for pizza for over 2 months now nor bought bread in over a month! Homemade bread is soo much better and the kids love it. I can't make it fast enough. :-) Although, kids are learning how to make it too, so that helps. I make a mix for the dry ingredients and they are packaged, and so all they have to do is dump in the bread maker with the wet ingredients and yeast. I put it on the dough setting and then bake it in the oven instead of in the breadmaker. That is how I make the pizza dough too. One batch of pizza dough makes 2-3 10" pizzas or 6-8 individual pizzas. I also made several cheesecakes and french silk pies and homemade kit kat bars (YUMMY...kids new favorite treat) for the holidays. The french silk pies we took to Christmas dinner with Mom and Dad, and then had one for New Year's Eve and still have 2 more in freezer left. Good for several months in freezer so as we get a chocolate craving, or have company over or need to take dessert somewhere, we have one!


January's menu is:

Cheeseburger Quiche
Calzones
Ham and Potato Casserole
Mom's Chicken Noodle Casserole

Simple Beef Stew
Hamburger Casserole
Pasta with Light Alfredo Sauce
Meatloaf with Mozzerella, Mushroom, and Pepperoni

November Cooking

I went to Aldi's to get my groceries, and spent $236.17 for enough food to make 38 dinners plus multiple side dishes and desserts.
Here is what I plan to make:

5 Stuffed Shells
4 Homemade Spaghetti Sauce (7-10 c. each pack)
6 Homemade Pizza Packs (either 2 medium in each pack or 6 individual)
4 Loaded Baked Potato Soup
4 Chicken Noodle Soup
2 Crockpot Saucy Pork Chops
4 Shepherds Pie
2 Spaghetti O Soup
4 Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
2 Cheesy Beef Casserole
4 Beef Chimichanga (16 in each)
4 Chicken Quessidillas
2 Pumpkin Pies
2 French Silk Pies
1 Turkey (13 lb.)
2 Sweet Potato Casserole
2 Homemade Noodles
4 Chicken Broth (10 c. each)

Plus all the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, noodles, corn, green bean casserole, lettuce layer salad, pies)

and with the leftovers I will make other dishes, yet to be determined. I also will be making over 10 dozen cookies, I already have 4 doz. in the freezer. I am making them for Unity, the Christmas program that the kids have been involved in and working hard every weekend on. They need 125 dozen cookies spread out over 5 nights, so I volunteered to make 10-15 dozen cookies. I will also be making 10-15 dozen Cinnamon Rolls to freeze and give as gifts this year.

Do I spend all my time in the kitchen? No, I spend maybe 2-3 hours once or twice a week, and that is really about it.

November Swap

This month, Tiffany opted out, as she was super busy...so Tami and I are on our own. Here is what we decided on.

Tina - Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Chicken Quesidillas
Shepherds Pie
Chimichangas (Beef)
Stuffed Shells w/homemade sauce

Tami - Classic Penne Casserole
Beef Tips and Noodles
Tortellini Soup
Tipsy Chicken
Slowcooker Pork Chops

We are spending the day tomorrow doing most of Tami's cooking. I am helping her again this month, so she can become comfortable cooking in bulk by herself. (She did a great job last month) but it is also fun to have the company in the kitchen with you as you cook and visit with friends.

October Swap Results

Well, we did it! We finished our meals and have swapped a whole week early! I am excited! My family has tried one of the recipes that Tami made and we all liked it. We are excited to try some of the other recipes soon. We have also been trying out new recipes for upcoming months.

We even had leftovers for one meal, so portion sizes seem to be good. We will keep you posted on this, as one family has 4, one has 5, and one has 6 in it.

Tiffany did spend a little more than Tami and I did, so next month, she is going to go light!

But overall, it seems like we did pretty good. 21 meals in our freezers each and all for under $7 per meal!

Stay tuned for our November menu.

October Menu

Octobers menu is below. We will meet on Wednesday, October 15th at 6pm to swap food. Please be sure to have turned in all receipts as well to Tina prior to October 15th.

Tina - Stuffed Peppers, Parmesan Chicken, Hamburger Stroganoff, Taco Soup
Tami - Ham Steaks, Crockpot Beef Stew, Spaghetti Pie, Chicken Noodle Soup
Tiffany - Hawaiian Chicken, Dijon Pork Chops, Meatloaf, Beef Barley Soup

Potato and Ham Soup

Taken from the 30day Gourmet website....

Soup & Sandwich

Potato and Ham Soup

---

Recipes:	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings:	6	12	18	24	30	36
Ingredients:
Potatoes, diced	6	12	18	24	30	36
Carrots, sliced	2	4	6	8	10	12
Celery stalk, sliced	2	4	6	8	10	12
Chopped onion	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.
Water	6 C.	12 C.	18 C.	24 C.	30 C.	36 C.
Chicken bouillon granules	4 t.	8 t.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 4 t.	1/4 C. + 8 t.	1/2 C.
Dried thyme	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Dried parsley flakes	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Diced ham	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Evaporated skim milk	3/4 C.	1-1/2 C.	2-1/4 C.	3 C.	3-3/4 C.	4-1/2 C.
Flour	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.

Assembly Directions:

Place potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, water, chicken bouillon, thyme, parsley and ham in a large stock pot. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a separate bowl mix together the evaporated milk and flour until there are no lumps. Add to the soup and stir in completely. Continue to cook until the soup has thickened slightly.

Freezing Directions:

Cool soup completely. Divide into family-sized portions in freezer bags or rigid containers. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:

Thaw completely. Reheat over low in a saucepan or reheat in the microwave.

Comments:

You can reduce the sodium in this recipe by using reduced sodium chicken bouillon. Serve this soup with a big salad to round out the meal.

Nutritional Info:

Per Serving: 201 Calories; 3g Fat (12.7% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 14mg Cholesterol; 616mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk.

Update: I made a whole 10 qt. full of this soup, and there once again, is only enough for 5 bowls left. So lunch it is...so between this and the taco soup, nothing to freeze, but 2 meals and 1 of them was shared with friends! What more can you ask for!

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

2 1/2 chicken breast cooked, and shredded
1/2 c. onion
1 packet of Taco Seasoning
1 can (14 oz.) kidney beans (undrained)
1 can (14 oz.) corn (undrained)
2 cans of diced tomatoes (undrained)

Add ingredients and stir. Pour into freezer containers and label, freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat in microwave or on stovetop or in crockpot. Serve as is, or garnish with Mexican Cheese, shredded, sour cream, grean onion, or tortilla chips.

You can substitute the chicken with 1 lb. of ground beef if you want. I just happened to have chicken on hand since I was making chicken broth, so I used Chicken. :-)

Update: I made the soup and decided to invite our neighbors over for dinner and I also made another soup (which I will post) since Dakota and I don't do tacos. Verdict: Everyone loved it so much the the whole crockpot was full and now there is only 2 bowls left (enough for Jessica and Nick for lunch today). So I would say it was a hit!

Our First Attempt

This will be our first attempt to try a Freezer Meal Swap with friends. We will meet together monthly and decide which recipes each are making and what we liked and didn't like from the previous month, etc.

Here's some benefits of Co-op Cooking:

1. Bulk cooking saves you money. Co-op cooking allows even further savings!
2. You will eat out less because you have food in your freezer. (Again saving money)
3. Your food is healthier and better for you. You know what is in each dish.
4. Save you time and energy trying to figure out what is for dinner and if you have everything you need to make it.


--As many meals as possible should be frozen in freezer bags as opposed to foil pans in order to save space.
--If a meal (like lasagna) must be in a pan, it can be frozen in a greased pan until solid and then turned out into a bag. In this case, though, it is important to use standard sized pans, so the receiver of the meal can thaw it and serve it in a proper sized pan.
--You must write the name of a participant on each bag. This will save many headaches on swap day, when we are trying to figure out who is missing a meal.
--Try and be frugal when shopping. One of the reasons we all want to do this is to save money!
--Prepare your freezer now, make sure you have room to put the meals. If not, then make room, or "rent" space from a friend or neighbor. :-)
--Check out the sales ads to find the deals.

Shopping Day Tips:

-Write out a shopping list! Do not try and do the math at the store!
-Don't forget to add freezer bags (or foil pans) to your shopping list. Make sure you get freezer bags and not storage bags.
-Take your cell phone when you go shopping. Call Tina if you have any questions while shopping.
-If you buy personal groceries at the same time, please ring them up separately.
-It is easier to shop one day and cook the next.

Cooking Phase:

-Clean off all counters
-Spend the day/evening of your shopping day also prepping your ingredients. (Clean, chop, dice, etc) Do anything you can the night before to help you save time.
-Borrow big pots, food processor, extra muffin pans, crockpots, etc. if you need them to make your work easier.
-Sanitize your working area and use safe handling procedures for all raw meats.
-Start early.It's much better emotionally to be halfway done by noon than to be up till midnight cooking!
-Work with all of one ingredient at a time. For example, chop all the onions at once and do all chicken dishes together.
-Choose the best preparation method. If you have 10 of a recipe to cook, put 10 bags out and put each ingredient in each bag, like an assembly line (this saves lots of time and energy).
-Write each person's name and the MONTH on one bag. Use a Sharpie to write on it so it doesn't come off.
-Write recipe name at top of bag and cooking instructions on front. (This way our kids and husbands can cook if they have to).
-Cool food before putting it in the bag.
-Remove all air before sealing bag.
-Freeze all food before bringing on Swap Day.
-Bring a cooler or clothes basket to Swap Day to exchange food.