Friday, February 19, 2010

Foil Packet Tilapia

This is so easy, and the flavor is divine! You can use this method with any fish or chicken. Tilapia is so good for you, super high in protien and low in fat. You can get it frozen or fresh, and often for a great price. I threw this recipe together and LOVE it! Often a strong taste comes through with frozen talapia, but with this recipe, it was masked perfectly.

Ingredients:
2-4 Tilapia portions
Aluminum Foil
1 Bell pepper cut into thin strips
1/2 onion cut into thin strips
olive oil- to taste
1 tsp Basil
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Capers- optional, but tons of flavor
1 lemon, sliced thin, reserve some juice too



Rinse and pat Tilapia portions dry with paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides. Put Tilapia in large piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with basil, garlic powder and capers, layer on the pepper and onion strips. Top with lemon slices. Wrap up in a rectangular packet shape, place in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes and is solid white in color. Yummy! Serve with steamed broccoli and rice!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Freezer Bag Meals!

Simplify your life by making Freezer Bag Meals!

For me, this method of freezer meals is a life saver! There are a few days out of the week that are the hardest, due to our schedule, for meals to get on the table. So, I needed something always ready to pull from the freezer and put in the crock pot. NO prep mess, EASY clean up!I take one day in the beginning of the month to do my freezer bag meals. I put together anywhere from 5-8 meals in only a few hours. Get your meat on sale, chicken or chuck roast, and save for your freezer meals.


All you do is trim meat, rinse and pat dry with paper towel, then place in a freezer bag. Add all your ingredients (except cheese, beans, corn, etc.) Anything you want cooked the full amount of time in the crockpot will do.
Place bags laying flat into the freezer. Take bag out of freezer the night before and let it defrost in the fridge. The next morning dump contents into crock pot, or place on grill, or in casserole dish for the oven! Some of these recipes you can use for grilling or baking as well. Thats the great part about it, you can use whatever method of cooking you want, or that your recipe can work for.


Here are some of my favorite recipes. Just prep your meat the way you want it to be in your crockpot or grill etc. Depending, I will sometimes cut mine up in chunks,for beef stroganoff, or Creamy italian chicken) or leave chicken the way it is for other recipes, like grilling.




Make sure you label your bags with the date and recipe, you could also add any other special cooking instructions.

Italian crock pot chicken- (Add all ingredients to bag, just dice up cream cheese and butter into cubes)-serve over rice or noodles-
Creamy Southwestern chicken -(just salsa and chicken, add black beans and corn later!) Use leftovers for tacos,burritos, tortilla chicken soup, quesadillias
Cafe Rio Chicken- (Mix together all ingredients, then pour overn chicken in the freezer bag)- Burritos, nachos, quesadillas, soups
Cheesy crock pot chicken- (Mix all ingredients together, then pour over chicken in freezer bag)Over rice or noodles
Roast chicken- Along side baked or roasted potatoes
Beef Stroganoff or Roast- (Mix all ingredients together, then pour over chicken in freezer bag)- Serve Along side mashed potatoes or over rice or noodles
BBQ Chicken- serve with rice or potatoes
Thai BBQ chicken (Mix all ingredients together, pour over chicken, I love this one for an all ready to grill chicken dinner!)

Click here for Grilling Freezer Bag meals and more recipes!