Molly's Country Memories

Molly's Country Memories

The memories and happening in the everyday life of a country girl

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Sunday Favorite Re-runs

It's time again for Sunday Favorite Re-runs, a new Meme hosted by Chari over @ happytodesign It is so much fun to go back and re-run some of my favorite post.
This is a post I did right after I first started my blog...and since it is summer and the gardens are coming in, I thought some of you ladies might enjoy a recipe for using your fresh tomatoes....

HOME MADE FREEZER SPAGHETTI SAUCE AND MORE

I spend all day yesterday, defrosting my old, tired...but just won't die deep freeze. Now don't get me wrong, I don't like to see any appliance bite the dust, but this is one I will be glad to bid farewell too.. When we had to buy this one 15 yrs ago, it was an emergency, since the one I had ( it was only 5 yrs old) just up and died one night unexpectantly, and it was full of all our summer labor. Isn't it funny how....that is the way it always happens. Well as I said it was an emergency to get another right then. I live in a very small town and at the time we only had a small Sears store that carried freezers in stock...lord knows we didn't have time to order one...my food was slowly defrosting. So we took what we could find and promised to buy frost free next time.
Now my hubby is a frugal man, you don't threw away a perfectly good item and replace it just because there might be something about it you don't like...hump..he don't have to defrost this sucker, Now I pray every night that it will give up the ghost and depart this world, but it just hangs in there...(where are the shotty made appliances when you need one). I think it survives just to torture me....lol..
Now that it is all clean and ready to be refilled. I will spend today and tomorrow making my spaghetti sauces and Mac n cheese. I usually take one day a month and make freezer meals for the days I am to busy to cook. DH favorite is the home made sauces that I use our home grown tomatoes in. In the summer I use them fresh out of the garden, but in the winter I used the ones I freeze for just this purpose. I plan on making a big pot of home made veg. soup next week and half of it will be put in freezer containers and frozen for a later day. I purchased a vacumm sealer several years ago and if you don't own one it is well worth the money. The saving in food the first 3 months along will pay for it.
Here are my recipe for the sauce I make . If anyone wants to use it.
Spaghetti Sauce.....
Ingredients
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 cups chopped tomatoes (with no skins)
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
Directions
1. Combine onion, garlic, green pepper and vegetable oil in pan. Cook until onion is transparent.
2. In large pot add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, sugar, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 hours on low heat stirring frequently.
3. Let sauce cool. Pour sauce into quart size containers or freezer bags. Store in freezer.
Note: You may add hamburger, mushrooms etc. when preparing the sauce to eat.
Mac' N cheese
8 oz dried macaroni noodles
5 tbsp butter
6 tbsp white flour
3 cups milk
1 small green or red pepper, sliced (or half of each color) (optional)
1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
salt (optional)
pepper (optional)
Cook macaroni noodles according to instructions until al dente. Drain. Melt a small amount of butter and mix with noodles, to prevent them from sticking together. Cover and set aside.
Melt 5 tbsp butter, add flour and stir over medium heat for about thirty seconds, being careful not to brown. Add milk and whisk until mixture thickens. Add salt and pepper, reduce heat and simmer. Heat pepper on stovetop in a separate pan, or microwave for about a minute. Add to milk mixture, then add cheese, stirring until melted.
Toss mixture with macaroni noodles, and place in a 3 pint casserole dish or disposable foil casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Can split into two for smaller families. Allow to cool, cover and freeze.
Instructions from Freezer:Allow to thaw at room temperature for one hour, or all day in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 45 minutes. If you split into two, baking time may be reduced.
I usually make 2 batches of this, in one I put peppers for hubby and 1 without peppers for my Grands, they're not crazy about bell bepper.
I also am going to try a new recipe I found on http://www.momsbudget.com/freezerrecipes/
This is a neat site for other Mom's who, like me, love to plan ahead....
Beef & Broccoli Freezer Recipe
1 lb beef strips (can use inexpensive steak cuts)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups broccoli florets
1 can cream of broccoli soup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 c cheddar cheese
Cooking oil
Heat a small amount of cooking oil in skillet and saute pepper, onion and broccoli about five minutes or until tender. Remove veggies from skillet. With another small amount of cooking oil, stir fry beef until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of strips. Add soup, water and basil, mixing well. Add vegetables, bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook over low for ten minutes. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Allow to cool then transfer to freezer containers.
To serve: Defrost then reheat over low heat in skillet.
I hope these will help someone and that you enjoy them. I got to get busy...never any rest for the weary...who ever said retirement was boring didn't live at my house...lol..bye now.

18 comments:

  1. A freezer is a wonderful thing to have as long as it works!

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  2. Have a loved filled Sunday Molly!!!

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  3. I love making spaghetti sauce & homemade meatballs. I need to find other foods to make for the freezer as my body doesn't look forward to tomatoe's as it once did. Sometimes I just want to set something out to thaw that just needs warmed up. I know what you mean about the "ole freezer". One day you'll have a shiny new one. :)

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  4. Molly, the recipes sould awesome, I need to try them and put in the freezer.
    Just wanted to say, you are my kind of ice cream lady. I could eat it two times a day, everyday.

    Purple Hugs,
    Barbara

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  5. My Grandmother used to have 3 freezers full of stuff. You could always start putting up so much stuff from the garden that you need another one...and you could always sell hubby on the idea that he can have more home grown taste in the winter.
    Cheri
    www.itssoverycheri.blogspot.com
    give away going on in July

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  6. Great recipes! I have never been very good at freezer meals but I do have a desire!!

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  7. I wish my freezer looked this organized! We have a deep freeze and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to organize it - I do the daily dig and yes, it is usually at the bottom!

    blessings
    mary

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  8. Your food freezing is very inspiring, I wish I could do as well!
    I love your blog design and heading goes so well! I also really enjoyed the messages and pics on your sidebar!

    Have a wonderful day!
    Sherri:)

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  9. I hope that your freezer dies soon. lol. Isn't it the truth that when you want something to die, it will probably live another 15 years. But let's hope not for your sake. Thanks for the recipes.

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  10. MMMM I'm going to try that one! Lools like you are keeping very busy! We lost an old up-right freezer in our fire...I really miss it...old and faithful...my parents went thru two new deep freezes and the old one kept on tickin! See vintage stuff rules!

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  11. Hi Molly...

    So happy to have you participate in Sunday Favorites again, my friend!

    I just love this post...so very timely for all the fresh garden tomatoes as you said! I love spaghetti...it's one of my most favorite meals! I must admit that I've never made up enough sauce to freeze but I really should...and it's always better after it's sat awhile and all the ingredients have melded! I wasn't able to get a garden in this summer...there was just too much going on but I have a good friend that I can get all the fresh tomatoes that I want from! I really need to make some sauce and freeze it! Thanks so much for the inspiration and your recipes sounds great!!!

    Girl, I sure feel for you with having to defrost your freezer...I finally have a nice frost-free freezer but it hasn't always been that way! Such a hassle! Sure hope that you can get a different one soon, my friend!

    Have a super Sunday!
    Chari

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  12. Actually freezers that have to be defrosted keep your food better. Much less freezer burn!
    The thing that keeps the frost out of the freezer depletes the moisture in your food. Or so I have been told!
    I make tomato sauce every year and our recipes are almost identical!

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  13. These all sound wonderful! I really need to start making some freezer meals ahead of time. It's been so crazy around here that it sure would be nice to have some things prepped and ready to go. Thanks for sharing the recipes! Kathy

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  14. That sounds good, Molly! I need to try that!

    Hope you have a great week!
    Tammy

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  15. *cuz I know that you'll explain it to me and not let me know how little I know...
    what does meme stand for?*

    :o)
    (now to go straighten out my freezer! your freezer photos inspire me haha)

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  16. Hi Molly, I hope your freezer gives it up soon...lol ;) I remember my mom and dad use to have to defrost the refridgerator...WHEW~ I am glad that changed!!! My dad still has a freezer that he has to defrost...he always complains about it too!

    Stop by and enter a giveaway I am having. Nancy

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  17. Thanks for sharing the recipes! They sound wonderful! Have a great week.

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  18. I have one frost free and one always frosted. I bet the frost free dies 1st. Recipes sound good.
    Ramona

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Little sweet memories whispered..