Category Freezer Friendly

Herbed Butter 

alwayscreatingchaos 1 Comment

One of my main reasons for growing herbs is to make this AMAZING butter. It is seriously addiciting and very simple to make so dont let the long list of ingredients deter you, because it is most definitely worth it to have in your fridge or freezer!

I was extreamly excited when I realized my herbs had grown enough that I could make a batch of butter, as I’ve been out of it for about a month or more now 😳. So a bit more on this butter… it is amazing on any and all meat or meat alternatives as well as on any type of vegetables. I essentially use it any time would  as a fat such as when I’m softening up onions and carrots for a soup or stew seriously its amazing on everything, and a huge bonus it freezes so incredibly well! When I first made it I rolled it in a log but that was a bit teadous to cut off a chunk when I wanted to use it, that with the second batch I ended up piping it on a sheet of parchment paper into coins and let it freeze overnight then tossed all the butter coins into a freezer bag, so much faster to just grb one or two coins when you want to add more flavour to something rather then to start chipping away at a frozen log of butter.

herbed butter college

Herbed Butter

  • Servings: makes 2 Lbs herbed butter
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An amazing explosion of flavour that can be added to any dish.

Ingredients

*Use fresh herbs when possible

1 lb butter, softened

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp capers

4 tbsp shallots, finely chopped

4 tsp parsley, finely chopped

1 1/2 tbsp chives or green onion, finely chopped

3 tsp basil, finely chopped

1 1/2 tbsp tarragon, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp curry powder

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Juice of one lemon

Directions

Put all ingredients except for the butter into a blender or food processor and blend until all ingredients are chopped into small pieces and blended well. In a bowl or food processor add the butter and mix until fully combined. Put into a piping bag and pipe into coins onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet and freeze for a few hours until fully frozen. Once frozen put into a freezer bag and keep in the freezer until you want to use it.

 

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

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This cranberry oatmeal cookie is always a comfort that reminds me of going to my grammas after school.

cranberry oatmeal cookies better 1.jpg

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

  • Servings: Makes 2 dozen cookies
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A chewy and sweet cookie that is a nod to childhood.

This cookie batter freezes well uncooked, best when formed into balls then flatten slightly and frozen on a lined cookie sheet. Once frozen toss them into a freezer bag.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Butter, softened

1/2 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed

1 Egg

1/4 cup Water

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Baking Soda

1/2 Salt

3/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

2 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350*F

In a bowl cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, water and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and oats.

Mix together wet and dry ingredients until fully combined then add the dried cranberries and mix until cranberries are dispersed fully throughout the dough.

Drop from heaping tablespoons onto a greased or lined cookie sheets about 2″ apart. Flatten with a fork and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

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Happy baking everyone!

Hamburger Soup

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It’s approaching midterm time and thus I am preparing to be so busy with school work that I won’t be able to make home cooked meals. So I pulled out my family cookbook and decided to make my dad’s Hamburger soup, which I might add can be turned vegetarian by switching a few ingredients. In addition to this being a hearty soup it is also very freezer friendly, I just freeze portions flat in freezer bags, and just put in a pot to re-heat no added liquid needed.

Hamburger Soup Collage

Hamburger Soup

  • Servings: 4-6
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A hearty soup perfect to warm you up from the chill of the day.

Can be made in a crock pot by just tossing all ingredients in it in the morning on low and cook for 8hours.

Can be made vegetarian by using veggie ground round instead of ground beef and vegetable broth and vegetable, herb or mushroom bullion cubes.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb ground beef, browned and drained of fat
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 28oz can tomatoes
  • 1 container chicken or beef broth
  • 1 10oz can tomato soup
  • 2 chicken or beef bullion cubes
  • 3 or 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 8 tbsp barley
  • 3 or 4 potatoes, peeled and cubes
  • 2 or 3 celery stems
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 2 tbsp parsley
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 bay leaf

Directions

Brown ground beef and skim off fat, set aside beef to add to the soup later.

In a different pot boil barley, potatoes and carrots with enough water to cover everything. Once carrots and potatoes are tender enough to insert a fork relatively easily into them, then add the remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Serve and enjoy or let cool and freeze for later!

Happy cooking everyone!

Cheese Ball

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We all have different smells or food that reminds us of different people in our lives, the one thing that always reminds me of Christmas or family gatherings at my Gramma’s is her cheese ball. Words cannot describe how much I LOVE this recipe! Besides the taste as well as how genuinely simple and fast it is to make, I love it even more for the fact that it also freezes so well! It is something that I tend to always make a double batch and use one ball immediately and freeze the second ball. That way I have it on-hand just incase I need a last minute dish to bring to a brunch, dinner etc its already made and I just have to swing quickly by the store to pick up a variety of crackers.

cheese ball collage

Cheese Ball

  • Servings: makes 1 medium cheese balls
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A quick and easy addition to any gathering.

 

I always double the recipe and freeze the other ball to use later.

Ingredients

1 large pkg.(500g) Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 pkg. (125g) Imperial Cheese, softened

1/2 tbsp. Blue Cheese (optional, which I leave out)

1 1/2 tbsp Grated Spanish Onion

Shake of Salt and Pepper

1/2 tsp Sugar

3 Dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

Directions

Mix all ingredients together then roll into logs or balls. Can roll in crushed walnuts or pecans.

Happy cooking everyone!

Black Beans

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There is an amazing Mexican food restaurant in Whitehorse called Sanchez Cantina and it serves the best black beans you will ever taste! So for a few years people in the village that like the restaurant have been trying to make beans that are similar to its since the only thing they will tell you is that the beans are made with love.

Well I just happen to have a friend that is Guatemalan and her mom is a fantastic cook so I got her recipe for black beans and after about 6 tries I finally got very close to the Sanchez Cantina black beans and now I’m going to share it with all of you!

black beans collage

Rodriguez Black Beans

A must have for your Mexican themed dinner!

A very freezer friendly meal!

Ingredients

1 Bag Black Beans

Mushroom Bullion Cubes

Herb Bullion Cubes

1 Head of Garlic, Finely Chopped

1-2 Onions, Finely Chopped

Directions

Place full bag of raw beans in a large pot and cover well with water. Add one mushroom and one herb bullion cube. Boil for one hour, you will have to keep adding water, every time you add water add one of either herb or mushroom bullion.

Stirring occasionally.

Add one head of finely chopped garlic and continue boiling for 2 hours more, adding water and bullion cubes when needed.

Once boiled for 3 hours turn off heat and leave on the stove top until the next step

In a large frying pan place a fair amount of oil and add diced onions to the pan. Caramelize onions do NOT caramelize them so much that they are a dark brown it will give the beans a bitter flavor. You want them transparent and just starting to turn a light brown.

Once onions are done add a portion of the beans and water to the frying pan and fry them with the onions. Will have to fry several times to get all the beans done, placing the finished beans in a different pot or bowl. Once all beans are fried stir well to get the onions evenly distributed though out the beans.

Enjoy with rice, bean salad, nachos and more!

Because this recipe takes about 4 hours to make and also makes a large amount I tend to freeze a large portion of the beans in different size freezer bags to use later. They freeze amazingly and then you have homemade black beans ready anytime you have a craving!