These great recipes I mentioned (plus many more) can be found in my new e-book http://momstalkebooks.com/freezer-cooking.htm.

• Sandra’s Chili
• Great Stew
• Homemade Split Pea Soup

These yummy recipes you can print out and share!

Super Simple Chicken Noodle Soup

(It doesn’t get much easier than this short-cut recipe!)

In 4-quart pot, heat together

2 C cooked chicken meat

60 oz canned chicken broth

1 C carrots, sliced (I use more)

1 C celery, sliced

¼ C onion, chopped (I use more)

Bring to a boil, and then simmer 10 min.

Bring back up to a boil, add 2 C egg noodles, and cook ‘til noodles are tender.

Hamburger Soup

Heat 5 C water

Add 6 beef bouillon cubes.

Add

• 16 oz canned tomatoes
• 1 lg onion, chopped
• ¾ C celery, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• S&P

Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.

Add

• ½ lb. Ground beef, browned
• ½ C diced cabbage

Cook 10 more minutes, until cabbage is tender.

Remove bay leaf.

Garnish each bowl with a little parsley before serving.

Super Easy Potato Soup

(Convert this soup into Potato-Broccoli, with or without bacon, ham, or cheese)

Sauté chopped onion and celery in 5 TBSP margarine

Add parley, S&P to taste.

In same pan add 7-8 peeled, diced potatoes. (I don’t peel.)

Cover with water.

Simmer until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add desired amount of milk; heat through.

Sprinkle with a dash of Lowry’s seasoning salt and a cube of butter.

After Church Stew

Servings may vary according to amounts you use.

(If you’re using a glass pan, you can assemble this the night before and refrigerate.

Pop in the oven on your way out the door. Sure smells good to come home to!)

In roaster pan or Dutch oven with lid, layer:

• 3-4 lb Chuck roast, cubed, and sprinkled with Worcestershire sauce
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 potatoes, scrubbed and cut in ½ or quarters
• 4 carrots, chunked

Pour over top

• 1 can tomato soup + 1 can water, mixed together
• S&P to taste
• Garlic
• ½ tsp Basil

Bake, covered tightly for 3 hours @ 300F.

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Some of the recipes I mentioned (plus many more) you can find in my new e-book: Freezing It and Loving It; some are below so you can print them out.

Happy creating!  ~Sandra

Spinach Quiche

Put 10 oz thawed spinach into sprayed 10” pie dish.
Sprinkle 6 oz shredded cheddar cheese on top.

In a separate bowl mix together
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 ½ C milk
¾ C biscuit/baking mix
1 small diced onion
S&P to taste

Pour over spinach and cheese mixture.
Bake @ 400 F for 35-40 min.

Oven Baked Omelet

4 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
3 slices of American cheese
¾ C milk
Dash pepper

Arrange cheese slices to cover bottom of sprayed, 8” pie dish.
Beat together eggs, milk, pepper with fork; add bacon.
Pour over cheese.
Bake for 30 min @ 350 F. Let stand few minutes before serving

Ham and Cheese Croissants

(Great for breakfast, lunch or snacks. Can be assembled night prior for breakfast.)

Lay 2 slices ham and 1 slice cheese on each sliced croissant.
Wrap in tin foil. Heat in oven.

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If you missed part one, you can catch it here!

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Sue and I discussed only the “tip of the iceberg” but the possibilities for these little delectables are endless! On the printable page below you’ll find a sampling of the recipes we talked about – from meatballs to fondues. And as I’ve said all along on Family Foodies, I personally like the end result without all the fuss, so my contributions are usually quite simple!

As mentioned on the show, many great web sites can also help your holiday appetizer planning, such as:

• Pillsbury.com
• NabiscoCrackers.com
• KraftFoods.com.

Grab the free printable Holiday Entertaining Recipe Sheet with all of the recipes mentioned on our show.

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The ideas we shared are simple and inexpensive, and can involve your kids too! Many can be made up in big batches so you have plenty to share (and some to keep at home too!) Homemade gifts are best, as far as we’re concerned, and with a little creativity and presentation you’ll be proud to give.

Homemade Hot Fudge
(Makes 4 Cups)

Melt 12 oz MILK chocolate chips (not semi sweet) with ½ lb butter (not margarine) in microwave or on stove.

Add 14 oz sweetened condensed milk and 14 oz light corn syrup (like Karo). Beat on medium speed with electric mixer 1-2 minutes.

Pour in glass jars. Decorate with pretty lid (cloth, ribbons, etc) and a label, which instructs to keep refrigerated, and to serve: heat in micro.

Hot Cocoa Mix

8 qts powdered milk
2 lbs chocolate drink powder
1 lb powdered sugar
16 oz non-dairy powdered creamer
You might add marshmallows and/or flavored chips (like chocolate, raspberry, cinnamon, mint) too, if desired
Mix all ingredients together, store in airtight container up to 6 months.
To share, pour into container with lid or baggies in mugs.
Label should read: Mix 1/3 C to one cup boiling water.

Friendship Tea
(Makes 5 Cups of powder)

1 jar (21.1 oz) Tang (I’ve used the generic, and it’s fine)
1 C sugar
½ C sweetened lemonade mix
½ C unsweetened instant tea
1 pkg Apricot Jell-O
2-½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
Mix all ingredients together. Store in airtight container.
To share: Label containers to read Mix 4 ½ tsp to one cup boiling water.

Homemade Foot Scrub

(These amounts are approximate)
4 C Epsom salt
2 TBSP chopped cloves (or try different scents)
½ C baby oil (try scented, like lavender)
Mix in big bowl until blended, and the consistency feels right!
Pour into little glass jars; give with rolled up washcloth or scrubby.

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Here’s Kelly’s Pic:
Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 8

Cook 10 medium potatoes until soft; mash with 1/2 stick butter and 1 C milk. Meantime,

Brown 2 lbs ground beef with one medium onion; drain. Return to pan. Add one can cream-of-mushroom soup, warm till heated through. (I add pepper and a little garlic salt at this point.)

Spray 9×13 pan with non-stick spray. Pour meat mixture in bottom. Pour 2-3 C frozen vegetables over meat mixture; cover with mashed potatoes; slice another ½ stick butter over potatoes. Broil until top is golden brown. (I prefer to bake @ 350 for 30 min.)

Variations:

• Use leftover mashed potatoes and/or vegetables.
• Vary the amounts of meat and vegetables according to what you have on hand.
• Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over vegetables before covering with potatoes.
• Substitute cream of onion or cream of cheddar for mushroom soup.
• Substitute cooked, cubed chicken or turkey for ground beef, and use cream of chicken or cream of celery soup instead of the mushroom.

The traditional Shepherd’s Pie is quite similar to the TaterTot Casserole, which always goes over big! You use frozen peas, and substitute tater tots for the mashed potatoes.

Italian Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 4-5

Cook in large skillet until brown, drain; return to pan:

1 lb bulk Italian sausage
½ C chopped onion

Add:
3 large eggs, beaten
1 - 14 1/2 oz can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp fennel seeds

Spoon into 1 – 9 in unbaked pie shell.
At this point you may wrap well and freeze for later. OR:
Cover edge of pie with foil and bake @ 375 F for 25 min.
Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes or until set.

Variation: Stir ½ C shredded cheddar cheese into mashed potatoes (enough to serve 4) and spoon over meat. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake covered 20 minutes more.

I told Kelly that if she likes this simple casserole, she will probably also enjoy the two “Easy Pie” recipes found on the back of the Bisquick box. One is cheeseburger, one is chicken, and are both simple and delicious!

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The Original Thanksgiving was celebrated in October, 1621 with about 50 pilgrims and 90 of their Native American friends. These pilgrims, called “Separatists” had journeyed on a small boat called the Mayflower from England and Holland to America the year before, seeking freedom to worship God without a government- run church. Although almost half of them died that first winter, they were thankful that God provided the “Indians” for their protection and survival, and that they could now enjoy the freedoms they were searching for. Thanks to their new friends, they had a bountiful harvest and would not die of starvation their second winter in America. . It is documented that the first feast lasted three days with eating, target shooting and games.

This was their menu:

Venison; Goose; Lobster; Eel; Oysters; Clam Chowder; Turkey; Partridge; Shellfish; Parsnips; Turnips; Cucumbers; Onions; Carrots; Cabbage; Beets; Radishes; Dried Fruit (gooseberries, strawberries, cherries, plums) Some cooked inside dough, as a crude pie; Corn Ashcakes “Hoecakes” cooked over fire; Corn, popped over the fire; PopcornBalls, mixed with maple syrup

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Can be prepared and refrigerated 1-2 days in advance. Don’t recommend freezing. Serves 8-10

5 lb Russet baking potatoes, scrubbed and poked several times with a fork
3 C heavy cream, hot
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
S&P

Microwave the potatoes on high for 16 min, turning ½ way through.

Transfer to bake directly on middle rack of preheated 450 F oven for 30 min.

Remove from oven when a fork glides easily through; cut each in half lengthwise. Scoop out all of the flesh into a med bowl, and break down into small pieces with a fork.

Beat with electric mixer about 2 min.

Gently fold in butter and cream until desired consistency. When potatoes reach your desired consistency, fold in another ½ C cream (potatoes will be quite loose, but they absorb the liquid during refrigeration.)

Transfer to microwavable bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1-2 days.

To serve: Poke lots of holes in the plastic wrap with the tip of a knife; microwave at med-high about 14 min, till potatoes are hot, stirring gently half way through.

Corn Pudding

1 can creamed-style corn
1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 C sour cream
2 eggs
½ C white sugar
½ C oil

Beat eggs in blender.
Add all other ingredients and mix.
Pour into greased 2 qt casserole dish.
Bake, uncovered for one hour @ 350 F.
Serve warm.

Squash Bake Recipe from Cara’s Mom

3 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped.
Boil until very soft - drain and mash
(you can substitute e bags of frozen, pre-peeled and pre-cut squash)

Mix in 1 12oz can of evaporated milk, 1tsp vanilla extract, 3 eggs, 1
1/2 c sugar and 1/2 stick of margarine
Should be thin, almost soupy.

Pour into baking dish (we use a pyrex 9×12 pan) and bake at 375 until
edges turn light brown

Topping:
Melt 1/2 stick margarine
mix with 1/2c brown sugar, 1/2c pecans and 1c Rice Krispies
Sprinkle on top of the squash bake to coat and bake an additional 10 minutes

Sandra’s Thanksgiving Book Basket

• Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember by Barbara Rainey. A beautiful coffee table book, complete with facts of, and journal quotes from the pilgrims. The story can be read in increments to your family of all ages. Comes with a CD of Thanksgiving music great for dinner background. Can be ordered through www.familylifetoday.org.

• The Story of Thanksgiving by Nancy J. Skarmeas. A small hard board book perfect for little hands. Published by Candy Cane Press/Ideals Publications, Inc.

• If You Were At…The First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma. Scholastic.Written in question and answer format, this book addresses not only that celebration, but also the issues the pilgrims faced during their first years in America. Great for all ages.

• The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing. Scholastic. In simple story form appropriate for young children, this is a story of a modern American family preparing for the Holiday.

• The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross. A Random House PICTUREBACK Book.

A short version of the story, appropriate for children.

Psalm 100 from the Bible

(What the Pilgrims recited as they fell on the ground in America.)

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”

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