Spanikopita Turkey Meatballs

This is another fill the freezer meal, and is super easy and yummy! You could obviously use beef, turkey, or ground chicken for this.  Also, I used feta cheese, but you could easily swap out any kind of blue, goat, or other crumbled cheese to fit your needs.  I froze these with carrots as well, so it's a whole dinner! 

Ingredients: 
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 box frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
- 3/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- 1 lb ground meat
- 1 Tbsp McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning (any grill seasoning will work) 


Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Combine onion and garlic in saute pan
3. Squeeze the liquid out of the spinach, and add to saute pan
4. Cook spinach for 3 - 5 mins, then remove from heat. 
5. Add feta, chicken, grill seasoning, and a liberal splash of evoo to spinach. 
6. Combine all ingredients, and form into 1 1/2 inch meatballs (approx 18) 
7. Place on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake for 10 - 12 mins

::Womp:: Photo Challenge Fail

Hooray for finally getting my laptop back tonight, although without a computer, it's pretty much been a photo challenge fail on my part.  I'm hoping to download photos tonight, upload and write blog posts tomorrow, and post later this week! I've only got about 20 days of catching up to do! 

I haven't fallen off the wagon yet, just a broken computer, you know! 

Souperfly - Taco Soup

This is a two-fer, it's part of Souperfly Soup Day AND it's part of stocking Mom's freezer. 

::warning, I only took photos of the beginning, and forgot to take one at the end::

This is a recipe from a friend of mine for Taco Soup.  It's sort of like a mix of tacos and chili, and is incredibly easy! The ingredients are basic, and can absolutely hang out in your pantry until you decide to make it.  I made mine on the stove, but I know it works great in the crock pot for 4 or 6 hours as well. 

1. Combine ground beef and onion in soup pot.  Cook & drain any drippings. 

2.  Add taco seasoning, water, tomatoes, beans, and corn to sauce pot, and mix well. 

3. Bring all ingredients to a boil, and then simmer for 20 - 40 mins.  

To serve, you can add Veleveeta, Cheddar Cheese, green onion, and serve over rice or with tortilla chips! 

This made two freezer containers, and each one will serve 2 - 3 adults.  So, I'd say 4 - 6 servings! 

Taco Soup

Ingredients: 

1 lb ground beef

1 small diced onion

1 package taco seasoning

1 cup water

2 cans petite diced tomatoes with jalapenos (14 - 15oz cans)

2 cans chili beans (15 oz)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15oz)

1 can creamed corn (15 oz)

Instructions:

- Crumble & Cook beef and onion in sauce pan

- Drain any drippings

- Add the remaining ingredients to sauce pan

- Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 - 40 mins

- Eat :) 

Mission: Fill the Freezer

With everything going on with my Mom, I've been trying to be as proactive as possible over the last few weeks.  We're keeping fingers crossed that Mom will continue to feel well, and that with all of her friends and family, there will be plenty of helping hands.  So far, Mom has only missed 1 day of work (Chemo Session 1), but as of Monday (October 17) Dad has been switched to mandatory 6 days a week, 12 hour shifts. 

I made sure I remembered how to use my Dad's lawnmower, I've got all the directions, doctor information, and details memorized, but my mind kept coming back to food.  If Mom wasn't feeling well, and Dad was at work 9am - 9pm, were they going to be eating Subway for dinner?  Uh, not my parents.  My mom and dad both love to cook, and eat (haha), so it has become my personal mission to fill their freezer - and it's a big old, stand alone freezer.  With a little help from some friends, armed with great recipes, and a little more than $100, I am well on my way.  I need to edit some photos, but I've already made 8 different recipes, and 2 dinners of each - so we're at 16 dinners, for two people! Plus, I pre-scooped and froze some peanut butter cookie and chocolate chip cookie dough, so they can just grab a few balls of dough and throw them on a sheet pan!

I'm hoping to finish some food posts in the next week or two, and hope some of you will enjoy the same recipes, whether you're stocking a freezer or not!

Photo Challenge: days 5 - 9

Day 5: High Angle

From the top of the 2 story escalator at the Hilton Orlando for our Hampton Conference 

Day 6: Low Angle

On the Autumn level with our cutie pie god daughter! 

Day 7: Fruit

(This is pathetic, but there was zero fruit in our house) So, I remembered from 4th grade health class, that a tomato is a fruit.  Here is my exceptionally sad, partially dead, tomato plant 

Day 8: Bad Habit

Merrymead Ice Cream - I could really eat this entire half gallon in one sitting.  Okay, Okay, maybe two sittings! It is absolutely a downfall though, as it's obviously sitting on my counter in this photo, ready to be eaten! 

Day 9: Someone You Love

My husband and My God daughter.  I know it's two people, but it's just an even larger amount of love! 

 See you next week~