White Wine and Garlic Chicken

Freezer meals. Can. not. tell. you. enough. I love these freezer meals. I'm definitely doing round 2 soon to get me through all the holiday events I'll have going on.  If you are remotely busy, or ever dread cooking after a long day, I HIGHLY recommend doing this. See my initial explanation here.

This recipe turned out more liquid-y than I thought it would be, but it was very good. You can always add a little cornstarch mixed with cold water anytime things need thickening. Thin or thick it doesn't matter, this was yummy!

Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 small red onion, sliced
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 cup sliced yellow bell pepper
12 oz. spaghetti

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side. Divide chicken into gallon freezer bags. Divide remaining ingredients except noodles into bags. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw. Cook in crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Serve over chicken over pasta.

I divided this one into 2 gallon bags because it makes 6 servings. My general rule is, any recipe that makes more than 4 servings I divide into two bags. Totally depends on your family size.

Asian Meatballs

If you've been following along, you I had this crazy idea to try approximately one thousand freezer meal recipes in July. We're still eating them and it has been an awesome time saver for us so far, especially on nights where I have a trunk show or some other commitment. You can see my overall approach on the the linked post, and where the orignal recipes came from. This one was supposed to be gluten free and dairy free, which I didn't follow exactly, I just wanted something I could make with ground pork. The original recipe called for ground chicken, but I subbed. We've heated these up for snacks, during football games, for a lazy dinner with some rice, just whatever. This is one of the only things in the whole cooking day that I actually cooked. They were a little time consuming since you have to roll the meatballs, but I will definitely make them again. If any of the chopping is intimidating, just use dried ginger and garlic to save a step or two. But oh.my.goodness. the way fresh ginger smells is worth it. It's like the cleanest most fresh smelling ingredient ever. If you've never used it, just cut away the peeling with a small knife and use a grater on the flesh of the ginger.

Ingredients
2 pounds ground pork
1 1/4 cup diced red onions
1 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp flour

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Scoop into rounded tablespoon sized balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I ended up rolling these like when you play with play doh, but they aren't going to be as firm or ball like as a regular meatball because of all the liquid. Don't stress if they aren't perfectly round-they still taste phenomenal. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Once they come out of the oven, let them sit out for about 5 minutes to cool down just a little, then place the cookie sheet in the freezer to flash freeze the meatballs. Just freeze them until they are solid and won't stick together, maybe 20 minutes. You'll just have to check them. Then place them in a freezer bag. To serve, thaw in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

These are super great to have in a pinch because you can reheat them so fast. What's your go to make ahead snack/meal? 

Pug's Pimento Cheese

My grandmother Peggy, who I reference on this blog often as Mamaw, grew up with everyone calling her Pug. Now that I'm thinking about it, out of her sisters, they all have nicknames. My great aunt Kathy is Kat and my great aunt Betty goes by Beck. All three are great cooks so I guess its no wonder I love to cook. Mamaw makes pimento cheese that is a southern staple with a little twist. This will in no way be the only pimento cheese recipe I put on this blog because I am constantly intrigued by variations that seem good. To start us off though, here is a heavily requested comfort food by my family and others. If someone has a baby, you should take this. If someone dies, take their family this. If work sucks, take this to the office. Just take it places. People will like you better. You will like yourself better. Trust me.

Ingredients
10 oz can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
16 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (don't buy pre-shredded)
4 oz. jar diced pimentos, drained

Stir together first four ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in cheese and pimentos. Serve with crackers, veggies, or on a sandwich.