Lazy Day Gourmet

"Honey I Fed the Kids" Chicken VIDEO

Ingredients (Per Freezer Bag)

2 chicken breasts
1/2 cups apple juice
1 teaspoons garlic
2 TBS cup honey
Salt & Pepper to taste

Prop open a one gallon freezer bag. Add apple juice, garlic, pepper, honey, and salt. Mix the marinade together in the bag by rubbing squeezing the outside of the bag. Once the marinade is well blended, the chicken breasts. Let out excess air, and seal the freezer bag. Label the bag, and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw.
Remove chicken from marinade. Discard leftover marinade.
Grill chicken breasts over medium heat until completely cooked, flipping once. Will need to cook about 7 minutes per side.

2 chicken breasts
1/2 cups apple juice
1 teaspoons garlic
2 TBS cup honey
Salt & Pepper to taste

Prop open a one gallon freezer bag. Add apple juice, garlic, pepper, honey, and salt. Mix the marinade together in the bag by rubbing squeezing the outside of the bag. Once the marinade is well blended, the chicken breasts. Let out excess air, and seal the freezer bag. Label the bag, and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw.
Remove chicken from marinade. Discard leftover marinade.
Grill chicken breasts over medium heat until completely cooked, flipping once. Will need to cook about 7 minutes per side.

Once a Week Cooking Session

Whew, that was fun! I just finished up a Once a Week cooking session, Lazy Day Gourmet style! What's on the menu for this week?  Well, let's see. In about an hour, I was able to get the following recipes into the freezer for the week.

And, I found the perfect use for my XO Laptop from One Laptop Per Child. My XO is now my official Lazy Day Gourmet cooking assistant!

1. Easy Orange Chicken- This is what's for dinner tonight! Serving it up with jasmine rice, and my new favorite (okay, I'm obsessed) Amazing Spinach & Pear salad.
2. Pineapple Pork Chops- This recipe is such a welcome change on a cold winter's night. Try it this week, and transplant yourself to the beaches of Waikiki. I cheated and used canned pineapple chunks this week since there wasn't a pineapple in sight at the local grocery store.
3. Rosemary Roast - I couldn't find a tri-tip at the grocery store this trip, so instead I bought an oven roast, and will be cooking this in the oven instead of on the grill this week.
4. Chunky Beef Crockpot Chili- Now with pictures! This is one of the most popular recipes on the Lazy Day Gourmet site. And for good reason. It's SO easy, and SO tasty.
5. Roasted Chicken- No freezer prep needed here. Just stick the whole chicken in the freezer, and place in the fridge to thaw the night before you want to cook.
6. Little Village Chicken Wraps- This is a new recipe I'm introducing this week. It's one of my all-time favorite recipes, so check back this week for pictures and a step by step how-to.
7. Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini- Another new recipe coming up this week. This recipe will wreck your diet, but is worth every single mouthful.  The Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini recipe is another Make One - Freeze One that I think you will really enjoy. Recipe and photos coming up later this week, so stay tuned! Note:

Parmesan Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This chicken recipe is one that I keep in the freezer all the time. It's a great meal for Once a Week or Once a Month cooking, and is fancy enough to make ahead for a dinner party or special occassion.

My only suggestion for making this recipe extra delicious is to use a little more salt than you might normally use in the dry ingredients mix. 

I also like to add a little thyme to my version. If you are not a big fan of thyme, feel free to omit it from the recipe.  It's still delicious!

Parmesan Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4 chicken breasts, bone in & skin on
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup oregano
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste (Use more than you think you'll need on this one!)
Optional: Add 2 TBS of dried thyme for a little more flavor

Freezer Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, oregano, Parmigiano and garlic. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Carefully loosen the chicken skin with fingers. Divide the oregano mixture into equal mounds and tuck the oregano mixture under the skin, pushing down to spread out. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Wrap each breast individually with plastic wrap and then place all of the breasts in a large ziptop freezer bag.

Using packing tape, affix the cooking label and place in the freezer.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw.
1. Unwrap the chicken and place the breasts in a roasting pan covered with cooking spray.
2. Bake until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted should register 165 degrees.

Pineapple Pork Chops

This delicious pork chop recipe is designed to be made ahead, and is the perfect freezer meal. Pull it out of the freezer on cooking day, and create a fresh pineapple sauce to top off your chops.  This is an island delight that uses everyday items found in Hawaiian kitchens.

Ingredients
4 center cut pork chops
1/4 Cup soy sauce
1/4 Cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
Coarse sea salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Day Ingredients
1/4 Cup maple syrup
1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar
Fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks

Freezer Instructions: Prop open a one gallon freezer bag.  Add soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame seeds, and sesame oil to the freezer bag.  Mix the marinade together by working the outside of the freezer bag with your hand. Salt and pepper the pork chops. Add the pork chops to the bag, and turn to coat. Squeeze excess air out of the bag, seal, and label the bag with a Sharpie.  Lie bag flat in freezer. Freeze.

Cooking Instructions: Thaw. Heat grill to Medium Hot. Place the marinated pork chops on the grill once it has preheated.  You can discard the rest of the marinade. Grill the pork chops until  done, around 6 minutes per side.  While the pork chops are grilling, add maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and fresh pineapple to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until pineapple starts to break down and create its own syrup goodness! Serve the pork chops hot with pineapple on top.

Lazy Day Gourmet- Hawaiian Style is written by Beth Berry, exclusively for AlohaLiving.com 

Easy Orange Chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS soy sauce
3 TBS orange juice conentrate (thawed)
2 teaspoons garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
Coarse salt & Pepper to taste

Freezer Instructions:
Prop open a one gallon freezer bag.  Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, orange juice, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper to the freezer bag, and mix using your hand on the outside of the bag until all ingredients are well blended.  Add the chicken breasts to the bag, and turn inside the bag to coat with marinade.  Squeeze excess air out of the bag, seal, and label the bag with a Sharpie.  Lie bag flat in freezer. Freeze.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Coat a baking dish with light cooking spray. Remove chicken from freezer bag, and DO NOT discard the bag  & remaining marinade. Place chicken in baking dish, and place in the oven for roasting for 25 minutes. Baste occassionally with the remaining marinade. Once the chicken is cooked through, turn the oven to broil and broil the chicken for a minute or so, until it is nice and brown on top.

Serving Suggestions: Jasmine Rice and Garden Salad with ginger dressing.

Stock Your Pantry for Lazy Day Gourmet OAMC

Having a pantry stocked with your most commonly used oils, vinegars, spices, mustards, and cooking sauces makes Once a Month Cooking or Lazy Day Gourmet cooking easy, whether you are going to do an all day marathon cooking session or you just find a great deal on sirloin steaks at the grocery store, and want to throw a couple of recipes into the freezer at a time.

I use the same ingredients to make up the majority of my marinades and recipes. These are the items I try to keep stocked at all times. If I have most of these ingredients on hand, I can whip up a Lazy Day Gourmet meal on the fly.

Lazy Day Gourmet Pantry
Soy Sauce
Minced garlic- I use Spice World prepared minced garlic in a jar.
Ginger- I use Gourmet Garden ginger in a easy squeeze tube. I LOVE this product. 
Dijon Mustard
Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Honey - I try to use local honey when it's available. It's good for fighting local allergies.
Brown Sugar
Sesame Oil
Worcestershire Sauce
Chili Powder
Dried Thyme
Dried Oregano
Lemon Juice - Most of the time I keep fresh lemons, but also use the lemon juice concentrate.
Lime Juice
Capers
Pine Nuts
Onion Powder
Shaved Parmesean Cheese- in the fridge, of course!
Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
Cumin
Kalamata Olives

Seoul Food Korean BBQ

Ingredients
1 pound sirloin steak
3 TBS brown sugar
3 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS rice wine (If you don't have it, skip it!)
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
3 cloves chopped garlic
Bamboo skewers

Freezer Instructions: Prop open a one gallon freezer bag. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Mix with your hand until well blended. Slice the sirloin across the grain into strips around a quarter inch thick. Once completely coated, let out the excess air in the bag, seal, and label the bag.  Tape skewers to the outside of the bag. Lie flat in the freezer*. Freeze.

* The freezer bag, that is. Not you. You do not have to lie in the freezer. But you can lie to yourself near the freezer that this recipe is calorie free.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw.
Remove bamboo skewers from outside of the freezer bag, and soak in water for at least one half hour.

Pull the steak from the marinade, and throw away the remaining marinade and the bag. Thread the steak onto the soaked bamboo skewers.

Lightly coat your grill with cooking spray BEFORE you preheat to high.  Once the grill is nice and hot, grill the bbq skewers for 3 on each side. Remove the skewers and serve right away. Korean BBQ is best when served hot.

Serving Suggestion: Basmati rice and grilled vegetables.

Honey Bear Pork Medallions

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin medallions
2 Tablespoons honey
4 Tablespoons butter, softened
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Freezer Prep: Salt and pepper both sides of the pork medallions, and place them in a one gallon ziplock bag.  In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, honey, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Transfer to a small freezer safe container or freezer bag. Label, and place in freezer together.

Cooking Instructions
Thaw.
In a grill pan or skillet, cook the pork medallions, using the honey butter as your cooking oil. Save enough to spread a dollop on each medallion before serving.  Cook pork until completely white, approximately 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Tex Mex Sirloins

1 1/4 lb sirloin steak
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Corn Salsa
15 oz can of corn
1 small red pepper
1/2 shallot or red onion
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 hot pepper, chopped (Optional)

Freezer Prep: Combine the pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, salt and oregano in a small bowl to make an herbed rub for the sirloin steaks.   Spread and press the rub onto both sides of the sirloins. Once they have been rubbed, place the steaks into a one gallon freezer bag, and seal.

In a small bowl, mix the vegetable oil, Dijon mustard, vinegar, sugar, cilantro, and add a pinch of salt. This will make the vinaigrette for the corn salsa.

In a medium bowl, pour in the can of corn, and then add the red pepper, shallot or onion, cilantro, and any hot pepper you have chosen.  Mix together with a large spoon. Pour the vinaigrette over the corn salsa, and mix it in well.  Once the salsa is prepared, place it into a one gallon freezer bag, or a freezer safe container.

Place both the steak freezer bag and the salsa freezer bag into a one gallon zip log bag together. Label, and place in freezer.

Cooking Instructions
Thaw.
Preheat grill to medium heat.
Grill sirloins over medium heat for 6 minutes on each side, for a total of 12 minutes grilling time.
Remove steaks from the grill, and let them sit for around 5 minutes.
Slice and serve with a big helping of corn salsa.

Serving Suggestions
Baked potato and Biscuits

Stuffed Basil Chicken

4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices proscuitto
Dijon mustard
Balsamic vinegar
8 large basil leaves
1/2 cup mozarella cheese

"I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate."
Julia Child

Freezer Prep:
On your cutting board, lay out your 4 proscuitto slices. Spread dijon mustard evenly on all 4 slices.  Then take 2 basil leaves, and lay them on tof of each slice of proscuitto. Sprinkle mozarella cheese on each slice of proscuitto, and then roll the proscuitto up into neat small rolls. Set the rolls aside.

Prepare your chicken for stuffing by cutting small 2 inch pockets into the thickest part of each breast.  Fit a proscuitto roll neatly into each pocket.  Sprinkle a little balsamic vinegar on top of each stuffed chicken breast and brush it evenly on the outside of the breast until lightly coated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the stuffed chicken breasts into a one gallon freezer bag, label as Stuffed Basil Chicken, and place in the freezer.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw. Grill the stuffed chicken for approximately 7-8 minutes per side, or until thoroughly cooked.

Serving Suggestions:
Mashed potatoes & garden salad.

Note: This recipe can also be cooked in a grill pan over medium heat.