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.

Raw Green Smoothie- Banana, Spinach, Blueberry

This is a green smoothie recipe that you can prepare ahead of time, and put into the freezer. When things like fresh berries are in season or organic bananas go on sale, you can buy in bulk, and package up a bunch of green smoothies for the freezer. Pop them out and blend whenever you need a quick breakfast or meal. Perfect raw make ahead food.
Lazy Day Green Smoothie Step 1

Prop open a freezer bag. Add two giant handfuls of spinach, one giant handful of bananas, and one giant handful of blueberries.

Remove excess air from the freezer bag. Label the bag and place in the freezer. If you are not using a freezer bag, just follow the same steps with whatever freezing container you like. I use Ziploc 1 Gallon freezer bags, and then wash them out and reuse them. I prefer freezer bags because they will lie flat in my freezer when I am preparing 14 to 30 days worth of meals at a time.



On Smoothie Day, empty your freezer bag into the blender. Add around 12oz of water. Blend!

You may need more water, depending on your blender. I have a cheapy blender, so I have to add tons of water to get those greens mixed in there.



This is how the smoothie will look after you blend it. Now, tip it back and go sit in the sun. Drink the whole glass, and think about something you are grateful for. Then GET BACK TO WORK!

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:

Rosemary's Chicken & Pasta

Today, I'm featuring a recipe that falls into a unique Lazy Day Gourmet cooking category. I call this recipe a Make One - Freeze One. Make one to eat tonight, and while you're making that one, make another one to stick in the freezer for later.  Much like our favorite Moo Noodle Pie or "Moodle Pie" recipe, this dish is completely cooked before you wrap it up to put it in the freezer.

If you want to Make One - Freeze One, you'll need to double this recipe.

Rosemary's Chicken & Pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast(s)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large button mushrooms, chopped
2 1/2 cups whole milk (can sub half and half)
1/2 yellow onion(s), diced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12  ounces penne pasta
Salt & Pepper to taste

Freezer Prep:
Place the chicken breasts on a small, rimmed baking sheet or pie pan and drizzle with olive oil. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool and cut into small cubes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 6-7 minutes, until not quite al dente.

Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, making a roux. Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute, just to soften, add the milk and stir to thicken. Let cool.

Cut the chicken in to small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, rosemary, cheese and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Gently fold in the pasta. Place the mixture into a baking dish and cover with foil.Using packing tape, place the label on the top and place it in the freezer.

Warm Up Instructions:
Thaw
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake, covered for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

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.

Southern New Year's Stew - Crockpot

If you've ever spent New Year's in the South, then you know about the tradition of eating black eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day.  Eating this traditional meal is supposed to guarantee you plenty of green money in your wallet and coins in your pockets. 

This is a fabulous crockpot recipe that includes all the necessary New Year's ingredients (and then some!) to make sure your upcoming year is fat and happy.

Southern New Year's Stew
1 1/2 cups black eyed peas, dried
4 cups water
2 cups cooked cubed ham
1 15 oz can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 10 oz package frozen oka, cut
1 cup chopped onion
2 TBS minced garlic
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 1/2 cups water
4 cups chopped collard greens (or spinach if you don't "do" collards)
1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained

1. You can either soak your black-eyed peas overnight, or use the quick soak method.  To quick soak, rinse the peas and drain.  Combine peas in 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, and then reduce heat down to a simmer. Let the peas simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse peas again.
2. In your crockpot, combine the peas, ham, hominy, okra, onion, garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.
3. Add 4 1/2 cups water to the crockpot.
4. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours. (Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours)
5. If you're using the low setting, after 8 to 10 hours, turn the crockpot to high. Stir in your collards and the undrained tomatoes. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. 
6. Serve hot with cornbread!

Let's Roast a Chicken!

If you're an incredibly busy cook like myself, you have probably (more than once!) bought a pre-cooked roasted or rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.  They come in all flavors like Mojo, BBQ, Lemon Pepper, and really couldn't be any more convenient.  And oh man, if you've even gotten one from Costco, YOWZA, so juicy!

Cooking the whole bird may seem like some sort of mystical task that should only be tackled by your grandmother and on special occassions, but roasting a chicken is actually super easy, and makes the house smell divine while dinner is cooking.  Give it a try this week!

Yummy Roasted Chicken
1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
1 TBS mayonaisse
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Onion Powder

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Remove the giblets from the chicken.  If this if your first time roasting a chicken, the giblets are usuallly packed in a little bag inside the chicken body. Just reach in, and remove the giblet package. You can dispose of them. We won't be needing those!

3. Pat your chicken nice and  dry with paper towels.

4. Now comes the fun part! Take your 1 TBS of mayonaisse and rub it all over the chicken, just like you're applying it's oven ready suntan lotion.  Don't miss an inch. Just keep rubbing.

5. Once the chicken is well lotioned, sprinkle it will equal parts of salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Make sure you flip the chicken and season it on all sides. 

6. Place the seasoned chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, and place it in the center of your pre-heated oven.

7. Roast for 1 and 1/2 hours.  Juices should run clear when you penetrate with a fork between the thight and the body.  Once the juices run clear, remove the chicken from the oven, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. 

And THAT IS IT!  That's all there is to it.  This is the perfect meal to make while you are preparing your Lazy Day Gourmet meals for the week. By the time you finish preparing and packing 5-7 dinners in the freezer, you've got a succulent roasted chicken ready to serve for dinner.   Now that's smart cooking.

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 

Freezer Shells

Ingredients
12 Oz Uncooked Jumbo Pasta Shells
4 cups ricotta chesse
3/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp dried oregano
Coarse salt & pepper to taste
3 cups of your favorite bottled spaghetti sauce (I recommend Emeril’s Marinara...mmm)

Freezer Instructions:

 

• Cook pasta according to package. When fully cooked, drain, and let cool. Separate shells while cooling.
• Take out a nice big bowl, and mix the ricotta cheese, eggs, oregano, parsley, parmesan cheese, and the salt and pepper. This will make your shell stuffing.
• Once your stuffing mixture is well blended, spoon it into a one gallon freezer bag, let out the excess air, twist the bag, making it into a pastry bag. Snip the end of so that you can squeeze your stuffing mixture into the shells easily.
• Stuff each shell with at least 2 TBS of mixture.
• Coat the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish with spaghetti sauce. Place the shells in the baking dish, and cover shells with the remaining sauce. Cover with heavy foil for the freezer.
• Place in freezer, and let the dish freeze completely.

Cooking Instructions:

• Thaw completely.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, removing foil during the last 5 minutes and sprinkling with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
  

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.