The Best Burgers....

Here is the recipe for the burgers I made for my freezer.  They are seriously delicious!!!!


Yummo Burgers   Click Here For Printable Recipe

2 lbs ground beef

1 egg , slightly beaten

0.5 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix (can use the whole package if desired)

2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic (or use 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

¼ cup dry breadcrumbs (or crushed soda cracker crumbs, more if needed)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 

1 -2 tablespoon Frank's red hot sauce  (optional but I would use it!!!)

Directions:

1. In a bowl crumble the ground beef with clean hands.
2. Add in the dry soup mix, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs or crushed soda cracker crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper and hot sauce (if using).
3. Using clean hands mix until combined, add in more breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs if needed to just hold the mixture together (do not overwork the meat or it will be tough).
4. Divide the ground beef into 6 equal patties (or make 8 small patties).
6. Place the patties onto a large plate or a small cookie sheet; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours or up to 24 hours to blend flavors.
7. Grill or pan fry the burgers as desired until cooked through (if desired sprinkle a small amount of seasoned salt on top while cooking the patties).
8. Serve burgers in toasted buns with choice of condiments.
9. TIPS FOR EXTRA JUICINESS; shape the hamburger into a ball, press 1 tablespoon cold butter into the middle then seal the meat around the ball then flatten into burger shapes ----or add in 2-4 tablespoons raw finely grated potato into the hamburger mixture then shape into patties, use no more than 4 tablespoons for 2 pounds of ground beef or the burgers will take on a meatloaf texture.

1 hour, 10 minutes....

Today I took an hour.....and hour and ten minutes......and I made:
10 burgers (6 for dinner, 4 for the freezer) UPDATE - Made 12 more burgers Sat afternoon in 15 minutes - will post recipe with pics soon!!!
Tater Tot Casserole
Marinara sauce with meat
Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Not bad.....will post pictures later...... UPDATE!!!!
Here are the pictures from my freezer meal hour......

The way I started - clean stove!

Browning my meatballs for the sweet and sour meatballs .

 Getting my marinara sauce going.....  (basically some onions, celery and red pepper sauteed in olive oil.  Then add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 can of diced tomatoes, some tomato paste, salt and pepper, oregano and basil and some dried chili flakes - then cook for about an hour)



This is how I prep any of my Ziploc meals - I put the plastic bag in a large bowl to hold it upright - makes life much easier!!!



Here is a view from the top - all ingredients in! 

Sweet and Sour Meatballs - ready to freeze.  Remember - freeze them flat and they take less room in your freezer!  I would normally write all instructions on the bag...but this is such a staple meal in our home that I have the directions for it all in the old brain ; ) 

Tater Tot Casserole ready to freeze.  (We had this this week as I swapped out a  meal - really good!!!)



Burgers - ready for the freezer and dinner!  I will post this recipe soon - it was delicious!!!



Finished marinara sauce with some meat added.  Easy as pie!

March Freezer Meal List

Here is the list of meals I am planning on making in the next week for my freezer.
It will not only simply my life, but also save $$$ on my budget ; )

Beef:
Tater Tot Casserole (2)
Hamburgers (teriyaki perhaps)  (12 burgers - enough for at least 2 meals)
Pasta Sauce with Meat or Meatballs

Pork
Asian Pork Chops (make towards the end of the month for April!)
Shredded pork roast (made in the crock pot)

Chicken
Chicken Stove Top Stuffing Casserole
Asian Chicken (for the grill)

Meatless
Twice Baked Potatoes (12-16 of them)


Some of the Recipes I use:

Tater Tot Casserole
1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
pepper
2 cups frozen mixed veggies (corn, carrots, peas)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (we like old)
1 medium package of tater tots.

1. Brown beef and onion. 
2. In a bowl, mix soup and milk.  Add some pepper to taste. 
3. Mix beef and milk mixture and add veggies
4. Place mixture in a 9x13 pan (if cooking right away) or a tin foil pan if making this for the freezer
5. top with tater tots and shredded cheese
6. To serve, bake uncovered at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until tater tots are brown and casserole is hot.
7. If freezing - do not cook!!!!   Place in freezer and then adjust the cooking time depending on whether you thaw you casserole or not.

Asian Chicken
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tbsp fresh ginger

1. Mix all ingredients and place in a ziploc bag.  Add 6 chicken breast and freeze.
2. To cook, thaw and then grill on the BBQ.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole
4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup  (low sodium)
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese (Shredded)
2 boxes of low sodium stuffing

1. Place chicken in the bottom of a 9x9 pan  (again, if you are freezing this, use a tin foil pan).
2. Top with shredded cheese.
3. Mix soup and milk together.  Pour over cheese/chicken.
4. Prepare stuffing according to box directions.
5. Place prepared stuffing over the chicken/soup/cheese mixture.
6. Bake covered for 1 hour at 350.  If cooking from frozen state, adjust cooking time.

March Meal Plan

Here we are, my first blog post for my new blog - I'm a wee bit excited!
I love Fernando's Adventures, but I need to have a blog that is dedicated to strictly meal planning and freezer meals.
And so - to start off this new blog, I am sharing with you my March meal plan as well as my March Freezer meal list  (most of it anyway ; )  )
Enjoy, and I hope this site helps some of you to organize your meal plans and batch cooking : )

March Meal Plan
Date            Meal
4th             Lawn Mower Taco Meal  (in freezer)
5th             Cream Of Potato Soup and homemade buns
6th             Salsa Chicken (freezer meal) with rice and salad
7th             Chili on a bun with veggies  
8th             Clean out the fridge night
9th             TexMex Fusilli (new recipe!)
10th
11th             BBQ, baked taters and grilled veggies!!!!
12th           Honey Terriyaki Chicken  with basmatti rice and either green beans or carrots
13th           Tacos with veggie platter
14th           
15th
16th           Turkey Ranch burgers with oven fries and salad
17th           Pizza Night!
18th           Jaime Olivers Roasted Chicken with all the fixings
19th           Sweet and Sour Meatballs with rice and veggies
20th          
21st           Pasta with Meat Sauce and Caesar salad
22nd   
23rd           BBQ Steaks, baked taters and salad
24th           Clean Out the Fridge night!
25th           BBQ ribs/pork chops and potato salad
26th           Chicken Stuffing Casserole (in freezer) with rice and veggies
27th           Veggie Soup with buns
28th           Tater Topped Casserole (need to make 2 and freeze one!)
29th   
30th           Grilled Chicken, Spicy Noodle salad and veggies
31st           BBQ Burgers (possible teriyaki!), veggies platter and sweet potato fries


I have some dates that have no meals yet......I am leaving a few nights open for events, as well as some freezer meals I need to make and then slot in.
Stay tuned for a list of my freezer meals for this month!