Hearty Cheese Tortellini

~adapted from a recipe in a Taste of Home Ground Beef cookbook~

1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 jar (24 oz.) marinara sauce
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 package (19 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

*I used a spaghetti sauce with mushrooms instead of adding the fresh mushrooms.

Cook sausage and beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker.  Stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes and mushrooms.  Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until heated through.  Prepare tortellini according to package directions; stir into meat mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

My mom and I recruited another member for this month so lets only cook one meal.  This makes 7 meals for the summer.  Everyone cool with that?

Couple of items of business, first, I've made the executive decision and we will not be exchanging meals during the summer. May's meal exchange will be our last til we start up again in September. So if you would like to have some scrumptious meals for over the summer please sign up before April 30th. Second item of business, just wanted to welcome Maviny Brown to the group. Maviny, please read the How To's section on the left hand side of the blog. This will get you up to speed with how we do everything. If you have any questions after reading through the How To's let me or someone else that is participating know and we would be happy to help. A couple of How To's to get you started: you must accept the blog invitation so that I can give you administration access. Then, edit the left hand gadget that says Allergies and Dislikes. Add your name and any absolute dislikes or food allergies. And finally, go to the post labeled May's recipes and edit it and add your name and what you will be cooking for May. Finally, for all members, if you want to continue to help out the Nawrocki's please make an extra meal. This isn't a requirement, just if you would like to. I know that they really appreciate the food.

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

This is a recipe that I found in a special issue of Taste of Home and then modified.

1 lb. gemelli or spiral pasta
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon oil
2 jars (15 oz each) Alfredo sauce
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup milk
4 teaspoons taco seasoning

Cook pasta only to al dente, drain and set aside.  In a large skillet over medium heat cook chicken, onion, green pepper and black pepper in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Stir in Alfredo sauce; bring to a boil.  Stir in 1 3/4 cups cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, salsa, milk and taco seasoning.  Toss pasta with chicken mixture.  Divide between two greased 8 in. square pans.  Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

To use frozen casserole:  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. 

I put the whole recipe in one 9x13 foil pan so you will need to allow more time to bake.

Upcoming Summer Months

In the past we have stopped exchanging meals during the summer. I wanted to know if we should make May our last exchange and resume in September or does everyone want to continue exchanging during the summer months? Let me know what you would prefer.

May's Recipes

Please list what you will be cooking for May here:

Savanna Sorensen: french dip sandwiches
Nanci Edwards: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Rachel Mardis: Hearty Cheese Tortellini
Natalie Ball: Chicken Delight (the ones that Brandie made before)
Lesa Gunn: Cheesy ham and potato casserole
Kristina Crossan: Chicken and Broccoli
Maviny Brown: Healthy(er) Mac and Cheese

May's Meal Exchange

For those of you that would like to participate we will be having our next meal exchange on Monday, May 14th at 10:30am at my house. Please bring your food frozen and with the cooking instructions on the package. Hope everyone will participate.

April Meals

Please put down your meal for April:

Savanna Sorensen: Cranberry Chicken
Lesa Gunn: Hawaiian Chicken
Rachel Mardis: Mexican Chicken Alfredo

April's Meal Exchange

If you want to participate in the April Meal Exchange please sign up by March 30th. We will be having our exchange on Monday April 9th at 10:30am at Savanna's house. Please post the meal that you will be making when you sign up and bring your meal frozen. Tell your friends!

Thanks to all those that participated this last month. It was nice to have more than just 3 people exchanging. I love the variety that lots of people bring to the meal exchange.

Cafe Rio Pork

I used this recipe so hopefully ya'll liked it before.  :)

http://themaplesmomsmakingmeals.blogspot.com/2010/10/cafe-rio-pork.html

I would love feedback on food quantities.  I feel like my recipes have either made more than I expected or much less.  I don't want to be stingy so let me know how you think my recipes have worked out for your family.  Thanks!

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken

from www.cjaneinthekitchen.blogspot.com

Lisa's Cafe Rio Chicken

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken

1 1/2 cups italian dressing

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon chili powder

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup cilantro

Place chicken in a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Pour dressing over top and sprinkle with chili powder and garlic. Cover and cook for 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Remove chicken from crock pot, shred with a couple of forks, then put back in crock pot. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes. Add lime juice and cilantro.

Serve in tacos, burritos, quesadillas or taco salad.

**I included raw tortillas so be sure to cook them on a skillet on med heat before eating**

March Meal Exchange

Please post what you will be bringing to the March Meal Exchange.

Nanci - Crockpot Mexican Chicken
Savanna-Lasagna
Lesa- Spaghetti
Tiffany- Meat Loaf
Natalie-Oven-Fried Chicken
Rachel - Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Coming Back

So now that I have finally gone through my freezer meals (yes I did just eat one the other day from our first meeting over a year ago and it was still good) I am ready to make some more. The only thing is that I have a hard enough time figuring our what to make my own family for dinner otherwise other peoples. So I am asking for suggestions.... Can you remember any meals that your family loved and I can make again? I just want to make something that everyone is going to enjoy. Thanks I am excited join the group again.

Tiffany

-if you dont make a comment then you can't complain!!! :)

New Recruits

Thanks to those that participated in our February Meal Swap. We are small in number but the food is still good.

I was wondering if anyone has any good ideas in how to get more people to participate. With the new year we seemed to lose quite a few people. How do we get them back or get new people to participate?

In the mean time, if you are interested in participating in the next meal exchange then please sign up by Feb. 27th. The March meal exchange will be held on Monday March 12th at 10:30am at my house. Please bring your meals frozen and ready to exchange. And as always, is you can't make the date then just make arrangements with someone to bring your meals for you. That is totally fine. We've done that before.

Thanks

Sweet ‘n’ Sour Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 red pepper, finely diced
3 scallions, trimmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound ground chicken (I used ground turkey)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup bottled barbeque sauce
2 TBSP sugar
4 hamburger buns or soft rolls

Directions
1. In a medium-size skillet or saute pan, heat oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add red pepper, scallions, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper. Cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add ground chicken (or turkey). Cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, for 4 minutes, until no longer pink.
3. Stir in tomato sauce, barbeque sauce and sugar. Simmer 3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and spoon into hamburger buns or rolls.

Mexican Chicken

Mexican Chicken

www.cjaneinthekitchen.blogspot.com

6 chicken breasts

1 can green chilies

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups grated cheddar

1 onion, chopped

Put all ingredients in a 9 X 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 2 hours, or until chicken is done. Serve over rice.

February Meal Exchange 2012

Please add what you will be bringing to the meal exchange on Monday, Feb. 13.

Savanna Sorensen: undecided :)
Rachel Mardis:  Sweet & Sour Sloppy Joes
Nanci Edwards:  Mexican Chicken

Hello Ladies!

This is a friendly reminder for those of you who are interested. We are starting up our meal swap again so if you would like to participate please put your name in under the Official Member slot by Jan. 30. This will give everyone two weeks to decide on a meal and make it.

We will be meeting at my house on February 13 at 10:30am. Please bring your meal frozen and ready to go.

Thanks