Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Last week I came across this recipe for Sweet and Sour Meatballs Over Rice. It sounded almost good. I wanted to tweak it and make it freezer friendly.

• 20 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained – reserve the juice
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• water to add to the juice to make 1 1/2 cups
• 6 Tbs. vinegar
• 6 Tbs. brown sugar
• 4 Tbs. soy sauce
• cooked rice
• prepared meatballs

I have cornstarch in the photo, but decided later not to use it.

I first made pork meatballs (see previous post). I mixed everything else but the rice in a bowl.

To make freezer meals, I put a few meatballs in the container, then used a ladle to divide the sauce into five servings. Four servings, I packaged into meal-sized containers, labeled and put in the freezer.

With the fifth serving, I put in the crock pot on low for a couple of hours to heat everything through.

I debated over adding cornstarch before I served it, but decided I would try it with out the cornstarch. I made some rice and poured the meatballs and sauce over it.

It was delicious! I'm looking forward to my freezer meals. I will pop out the frozen meal into a crock pot a few hours before I want to have it for dinner. By dinner time, it will be thawed and heated through. I'll use my rice cooker to make some quick rice to pour the meatballs and sauce over.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Tropical Chicken CousCous

I've been thinking about this Chicken with Fruit Couscous for a while. It's been a while since I've had any. I wanted to make some, but simplify it. I got a grocery store rotisserie chicken for a good price and decided to use that.

I made a huge, four-cup pot of Couscous using two cans of vegetable broth and enough water to make four cups. I deboned half the rotisserie chicken and put that in along with two cans of tropical fruit, slightly drained. I tossed it all together.

There was enough for four large meals. I put them all in containers and into the freezer. On the day I want to eat one, I will let it defrost a bit, then put in a mini crock pot to heat through.

Couscous

Applesauce Brats

I've made Crock Pot Applesauce Sausage and Bratwurst and Apples. I wanted to try it a bit differently, so I mixed this up.....

I slightly defrosted the bratwurst and cut into bite-sized pieces.

In a bowl I mixed about 2 cups applesauce, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons pepper, 1/4 cup (maybe a little less) minced onions. I didn't measure anything out, just guessed.

After everything was mixed, I folded in the cut-up sausage. I then divided into three portions, put in quart-sized baggies and put in the freezer.

On the day I wanted to eat it for dinner, I let a portion defrost in the morning. About 4 hours before dinner time, I put in the crock pot on low.

It is the best applesauce and sausage recipe to date! I love it. I will definitely make it again.

Applesauce

Chicken with Fruit Couscous

It's funny to me how I can look for a recipe using a few ingredients I have on-hand, find a recipe that's close to what I want, but then change it up to more of what I imagined. That's what happened with this Lime Honey Ginger Chicken with Tropical Fruit Couscous recipe. Here's how I tweaked it:

Marinate 2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in olive oil and lime juice spiked with garlic for at least an hour in the fridge. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Boil a can of vegetable broth and enough water to make 2 cups of liquid. Remove from heat and add 2 cups of couscous. Let stand 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Add one can, drained, of tropical fruit.

Serve chicken over bead of fruited couscous.

I had plenty to eat and freeze for later.

I had never had couscous made with vegetable broth before and it is delightful! I put leftovers in meal-sized portions in the freezer, then defrosted and reheated in my mini crock pot. It froze and reheated beautifully!

Couscous

Blueberry Pancake Muffins

I was looking for ideas to use up some pancake mix. Looking around the Internet, I read where you can make a thick pancake mix and add blueberries or just about anything you'd like to make a muffin out of.

I mixed up 4 cups of pancake mix with 2 cups of water and added blueberries.

I scooped them into muffin tins and baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

The result is a very bland muffin. Sort of like a plain pancake with blueberries.

Thankfully, the toddlers like them and I bet they would taste better with syrup on them ;)

If I make something like this again, I think a scoop of brown sugar and some other spices or something would work better.

Blueberry Muffins

Bratwurst & Apples

Hubby had some bratwurst sausage he was making for himself and he offered me some. Searching around the fridge, I found I needed to use up this Granny Smith apple. So, I experimented with the apple, applesauce and Adobo seasoning I made.

Adobo Seasoning

• 4 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground oregano

Put all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well and store for up to two months in a cool dry place.

I cut a bratwurst into bite-sized pieces, peeled a chopped the apple, added a 1/2 cup of applesauce with a splash of apple juice and a heaping tablespoon of Adobo seasoning. It mixed it in my mini crock pot and cooked on high for 3 hours.

It was like apple and sausage soup with Adobo kick, lol. I loved it! I'm getting better at experimenting.

This post is being linked to:

• Monday Munchies at OuR kRaZy KiTcHeN
  
• 'Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays at Blessed With Grace
• Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tuesdays at the Table at All The Small Stuff

• Crock Pot Wednesdays at

Apple Stuffing

I've always used Stove Top (or the store brand) stuffing. It's so easy and very delicious.

In an effort to try to make a more healthy meal, I thought I would try to add some apple to it.

I peeled, cored and grated a green apple. I followed the microwave directions, doubling the recipe, using two boxes.

It turned out delicious. The apple was still a little crunchy and it added a new texture to the stuffing. I think next time I might try one apple to one box of stuffing because I felt it could have used more.

I'm sure I will be doing this a lot more!

This post is being linked to:

Food On Fridays at Ann Kroeker’s

Family Recipe Fridays at Vanderbilt Wife

Recipe Swap at The Grocery Cart Challenge

Friday Feasts at Mom Trends

Foodie Friday at Designs By Gollum

Freezer Food Friday at What A Crock!

Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life As A Mom

Healthy Helpings at tHe KrAzy kItChE