Bean Salad

15 oz. cooked kidney beans
15 oz. cooked black beans
15 oz. cooked cannellini beans
1 medium celery rib
1/2 medium red onion
1 small bunch Cilantro

For the dressing:
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
a pinch of cayenne

Prep the veggies and beans. Dice the celery, onions, and parsley. Set aside. Thoroughly rinse the three beans and also set aside.
Make  the dressing. Mix olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and a pinch of cayenne to a small mason jar and shake well until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Make the Salad. Place all three beans into a large bowl. Then, add the chopped celery, onions, and parsley. Pour the dressing on top and mix well until everything is coated in dressing.

Source: Cooktoria

Bean and Cheese Burritos

12 burrito sized tortillas
2 cups refried beans (or homemade)
1 cup Rotel or Salsa undrained
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Foil and freezer bags

Mix beans and Rotel/salsa.
Pre-cut 12 pieces of foil.
Lay tortilla over foil and add approx. 1/4 cup filling  and 1/4  cup cheese to center. Fold tortilla into burrito and wrap with foil. Repeat until all filling is used.
Place burritos in gallon freezer bags and freeze until ready to serve.

For serving: Cook frozen burrito in oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper or foil; set aside.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through, OR, in microwave 2-3 minutes or until warmed throughout.

🥕Carrot and Celery Sticks, Large family Style

Carrots and celery are healthy and very inexpensive option for snacks and sides for lunches, but I find that they just don't get made as much as I would like to have them if I don't prep them in advance. Here is how you can do this large family style.

Storage Containers and Prepping

A plastic cereal keeper container can hold 8-10 lbs of chopped carrot or celery sticks. It will take about an hour to wash, peel and chop this amount of carrot or celery sticks, but as they will keep any where from 5-7 days, or even longer (as long as you change the water they are in every three days) you may very well go through this amount in that length of time. You can also use any size plastic container that suits your needs. By the way, radishes can also be kept in this way, although in a much smaller container, I would imagine.

Keeping the Carrot/Celery Water Clean

When you wish to have carrot and celery sticks, pull your prepped carrot/celery container from the refrigerator. Use a slotted serving spoon to dip in the top opening of the container. This way hands dont need to enter the container or the fresh carrot or celery water. Using the spoon, you are able to put the carrot and celery sticks in a serving bowl, on individual plates or in a little baggie for packed lunched from there. 

As I said before, even with your work to keep your hands out of the water you still will want to change the water on or about every third day.

Source: Large Family Table

Bagel Pizzas -Large Family Style

Five Bags Bagels
1-16 oz bag of Shredded Mozzarella
4-15 oz cans of Pizza Sauce
1-21 oz bag of Pepperoni

Cut bagels in half.
Top each half with the desired amount of Pizza Sauce and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese.
Top with @4 pepperonis.
Individually package in sandwich bag and then layer in gallon size freezer bags.
Makes 80 bagel pizza halves. For a lunch, plan for 2 per person.

To bake, cook from frozen for 15 minutes at 400F.

Italian Pork Roast Large Family Freezer Meals and ITALIAN PORK SANDWICHES

This recipe makes four freezer meals with 2-5 servings.

Shopping List
Two 3 lb pork roasts
Two packs of Zesty Italian dry dressing
2 cups olive oil
1 cup fresh parsley (you can substitute other herbs such as basil, or rosemary for some of the parsley)
3-4 one-quart freezer bags (depending on whether you are freezing all of them or whether you are cooking one or more tonight and freezing the rest.)

In each labeled freezer bag combined the following:
1 1/2 lbs pork roast (cut each pork roast in half)
1/2 pack of Zesty Italian Dry Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

SLOW COOKER COOKING DIRECTIONS:

For the slow cooker just set out 1-2 Zesty Italian Pork Roast bags the night before to defrost in the refrigerator.

The next day pull your Zesty Italian Pork Roast out of the freezer bag(s). Place in slow cooker and cook for 8-10 hours on low until meat can be shredded easily with a fork.

Source: Large Family Table

Use leftovers to make these sandwiches the next day for lunch.
ITALIAN PORK SANDWICHES

Combine in a Large Bowl:
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3  Tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil or Olive oil
2 Tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Stir in:
4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped tomato (about 1 medium) 1/2-1 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Line each of 6 (6-inch) pitas halves with 1/4 cup greens. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pita halves.

Source: Little Italy Chicken Pitas with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Cheese Quesadillas, Beef Quesadillas and Chicken Quesadillas

To fill your freezer with 15 each of all three, you will need:
9 packages (10 count) flour tortillas
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 store bought small rotisserie chicken
20 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend


Cheese (makes 15)
3 packages (10 count) flour tortillas
Non-stick spray
8 cups shredded cheese
Gallon Freezer bag

- Pre-heat large skillet or griddle. Spray with non-stick spray.
- Lay out tortillas on griddle.
- Top with 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese.
- Top with second flour tortilla and fry until Golden brown. Allow to cool.
-Repeat, as needed.
- Place quesadillas into a gallon size freezer bag, placing a piece of wax paper between each quesadilla.
- Make sure to label outside of freezer bag with date and CHEESE Quesadillas.

Beef (makes 15)
3 packages (10 count) flour tortillas
Non-stick spray
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
4-6 cups shredded cheese
Gallon Freezer bag

- Saute ground beef until cooked and add taco seasoning packet.
- Lay out 5 tortillas.
- Top with rounded 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese.
- Top cheese with 1/2 c. cooked and seasoned taco meat.
- Top with second flour tortilla and fry in pan, one at a time until golden. Allow to cool.
- Place each quesadilla into a gallon size freezer bag, placing a piece of wax paper between each quesadilla.
- Make sure to label outside of freezer bag with date and BEEF Quesadillas.


Chicken (makes 15)
3 packages (10 count) flour tortillas
Non-stick spray
4-6 cups shredded cheese
1 store bought small rotisserie chicken
Gallon Freezer bag

- Cool rotisserie chicken in refrigerator until cool enough to handle.
- Remove meat and shred or cut into 1/2" cubes.
- Lay out 5 tortillas.
- Top with rounded 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese.
- Top cheese with 1/2 c. chopped chicken.
- Top with second flour tortilla and fry in pan, one at a time until golden. Allow to cool.
- Place each quesadilla into a gallon size freezer bag, placing a piece of wax paper between each quesadilla. - Make sure to label outside of freezer bag with date and CHICKEN Quesadillas.

To Serve:
-Remove desired quesadilla from freezer and cover in slightly damp paper towel. Microwave on high until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Cut into wedges with a rotary pizza cutter.
- We usually serve these as a lunch or snack and serve with salsa, sour cream and sometimes guacamole.
- You  with could add Spanish Rice and Refried Beans and serve as a dinner.

Grandma Carol's Vegetable Hamburger Soup for the Freezer

1 lb. hamburger
1 large bottle/can tomato juice or V-8 juice
1 large bag frozen mixed vegetables

Brown the hamburger. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for an hour.
Serve with bread or rolls.

Note: Can easily make Vegetable Lentil Soup at the same time.

To freeze, put in 16 Ounce restaurant take out/ freezer deli food storage containers with lids, which you can find the n Amazon.  They will keep food in the freezer for months without freezer burn or excessive ice crystals. The lids provide a super tight, leak-proof seal too.

Easy Vegetable Lentil Soup for the Freezer

3/4 -1 cup lentils
1 Tab. Olive oil
1 large bottle/can tomato juice or V-8 juice
1 large bag frozen mixed vegetables

Add all of the ingredients and simmer for an hour.
Serve with bread or rolls

Note: Can easily make the same time as Vegetable Hamburger Soup.

To freeze, put in 16 Ounce restaurant take out/ freezer deli food storage containers with lids, which you can find the n Amazon.  They will keep food in the freezer for months without freezer burn or excessive ice crystals. The lids provide a super tight, leak-proof seal too.