Hi Jill,

Congratulations on your new little niece or nephew....

Here are some more ideas that freeze well and are delicious!!

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

4 skinless, boneless chick breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, pressed
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. powdered poultry seasoning
1 tsp. ground paprika
1/2 tsp. Durkee brand Grill Creations Chicken & Fish Seasoning
16 oz. sour cream
1 cup chicken broth (Superior Touch)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 whole roasted red pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
8 oz. herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup mixed frozen vegetables, thawed and drained
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet, saute the chicken in the oil with the onions and mushrooms til browned. Add garlic and saute for 1 more min. Add the chopped roasted bell pepper stirring well to blend. At this point sprinkle on all the seasonings and blend well. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sour cream , broth and soup, add skillet contents. Taste and adjust seasonings. Blend well. Pour mixture into a 2-qt. casserole dish. Mix together stuffing mix, butter and broth. Set aside. Spread stuffing evenly over and bake for 45 min. at 350. Serve with cranberry sauce, salad, and biscuits.

Chicken Spinach Enchilada Casserole
Serves 6

2 chicken breasts
1/2 lb. fresh spinach
1/2 large coarsely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped green chili
12 oz. grated cheddar cheese
12 oz. grated Monterey Jack cheese
3-4 large flour tortillas
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced

Toppings: diced tomatoes, chopped avocados, chopped scallions, sliced black olives, chopped cilantro

Poach the breasts for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Remove meat from bones and cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

Saute onion, garlic and red bell pepper in butter till limp. Remove skillet from heat and add spinach and cover. Allow spinach to steam in skillet for 15 minutes. Add the chili, sour cream, chicken, cumin and blend well. Line a greased casserole I used a shallow corning ware white casserole 3 1/2 quart) with a tortilla, layer chicken mixture on and top with a layer of cheddar and Jack cheeses. Layer once more again and end with a layer of tortilla covered with a layer of cheeses. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Top with all the garnishes listed. Delicious!!

72 Market Street Meat Loaf with Meat Loaf Gravy
Reprinted with permission from 72 Market St.
Copyright © January 1998 by Roland Gibert, Ten Speed Press, P.O. Box 7123 Berkeley
Servings: 6

This recipe by 72's first chef, Leonard Schwartz, remains the restaurant's most popular dish. After you try it we are certain it will become one of your favorites at home as well. It's also great for sandwiches too!

1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup minced green onion
3/4 cup minced white onion
1/2 cup minced carrot
1/2 cup minced celery
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup half and half
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork sausage, with no herbs or seasonings added
3 /4 cup prepared bread crumbs
Meat Loaf Gravy (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and add the green onion, white onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until the moisture has evaporated. Cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, cumin, and eggs and mix well. Add the ketchup and half and half. Blend thoroughly.

4. Add the ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, and the vegetable mixture. It might be easier to mix this with your hands.

5. Grease a loaf pan and add the meat mixture, pressing it into the corners. Put the loaf pan in a larger pan filled 1-inch-high with boiling water. Cook at 350 degrees F for 45 to 60 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with Meat Loaf Gravy.

Meat Loaf Gravy
Servings: 10

2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, minced
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
Dash of crushed peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup veal or beef stock
1 cup chicken stock
2 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
Salt and pepper

1. In a heavy pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, and sauté the shallots, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and red and yellow bell peppers over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

2. Add the wine and simmer over high heat until reduced by three-fourths, to make a glaze.

3. Add the beef stock and chicken stock, and simmer, uncovered, over high heat until reduced by one-fourth.

4. Add the tomatoes and bring to a slow simmer. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

5. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Strain, discarding bay leaf and thyme before serving.

Gina's Chili
serves 8

2 lbs. ground sirloin
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion chopped
2 bell peppers, green and red, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz. can peeled tomatoes
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (more if you want heat)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, 1 light and 1 dark with juices

garnishes: grated cheddar cheese

Brown beef, discard any fat. Set aside. In a skillet with olive oil, saute all veggies, add to beef in a pot with all other ingredients and cook on low for two hours.

I serve this with a garnish of grated cheddar cheese and corn bread squares slathered with butter! Yum!!

NEW ENGLAND STYLE POT ROAST
Serves 4-6

1 med. onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 lbs. carrots, sliced
1/2 lb. turnips, peeled and sliced
1/2 lb. parsnips, peeled and sliced
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3-inch sliced piece of ginger, minced
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes
3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup Tawney Port
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef or veg. broth
2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. water

Drain and chop tomatoes. Pat meat dry and season with salt andpepper. Brown roast in heavy kettle. Tranfer roast to a platter. In kettle, add onions, cook until golden. Add garlic, cook 1 mt. Add Port and wine, scraping the brown bits up. Stir in broth, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, ginger, tomatoes and spices. Bring to a boil, add meat and veggies. Bring heat down to simmer and simmer covered for 3 hours. Turn roast after 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the roast to platter, let stand for 10 mts. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, stir in to the sauce to thicken. Cut roast into 1/2-inch slices and arrange on a platter, spoon veggies around and sauce over.

Leftover Yankee Pot Roast Vegetable Beef Soup
THIS IS A WINNER FOLKS!!

leftover yankee pot roast and vegetables
1/2 can drained corn kernals
1/2 can drained cut green beans
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 quart water

Blend together the leftovers with the quart of water. Put on heat and bring to a simmer, skimming off fat.

Add the tomato paste and blend well. Add corn and beans, simmer for 45 minutes.

Serve with hunks of 5-grain bread.