Stork Meal 9: Sour Cream Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Oh. My. Heaven.

So, I haven't even tasted this recipe (as I begin write this, but I tasted it by the end) but the smell in my house makes me want to do a little jig. I mean seriously people, I don't know what is more exciting. The fact that I have bacon in my crockpot or that it's wrapped around juicy chicken and covered in a smoked paprika cream sauce. Seriously folks, my nose is in heaven. And I have 8 people coming for dinner who will be the judges of it's fantasticity (That is totally a word)!

And now that I've tasted it... Oh yeah. This is a total keeper. So here is what you must do, run (don't walk) to the store and buy these ingredients:

Thick sliced bacon
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts (you can use thighs too)
2 cans of Cream of Chicken (or you can use mushroom if you prefer, but my kids prefer I don't)
1 cup of full fat sour cream (you already have bacon, come on you really going to use FF?)
2-3 Tablespoons of Smoked Paprika
Garlic Salt (or you can use real garlic [1-2 crushed cloves], but my kids prefer I don't)
Pepper (and salt if you don't use the garlic salt)

For preparation to go in your crockpot today: Wrap defrosted chicken in bacon and place in the bottom of a preheated crockpot. I usually turn mine on high then back to low when I'm all putting it in. Mix the soup, sour cream and all the spices together and taste, adjusting for your liking. Some days I need more paprika... some I need less. Depends on how snarky I am I think.  Pour well combined yummy sauce over the chicken in the crock and cover. Cook on High 4 hours or low 6-8 hours (until chicken is at 165). Serve over rice or noodles. Steamed carrots will be excellent with this meal.

For the freezer: Wrap frozen chicken breast in bacon and pack tightly into the bottom of a gallon sized zip lock bag. In another gallon bag combine Cream of chicken, sour cream, paprika (start with 1 table spoon first, taste and then add more to your liking), Garlic salt (again taste and see), and finally some pepper. Seal bag and mix well by squishing the bag many times. Make it all the same color. Taste and adjust to your families liking.

Store sauce and bacon wrapped chicken together in an additional freezer bag and label with this: Place chicken in the crockpot first, cover with sauce. Cook 4 hours on high, 6-8 on low. Serve with rice or pasta.

To see the other Stork Meals, click here.

Stork Meal 3: No Fuss Chicken Cordon Bleu

I'm happy to report this was a total win in the house today. Even the two year old shoveled the meal into her mouth with joy, asking for seconds.

I've posted this meal on FFMeals before, but since I am using it as a stork meal, I will post it again. People, you really should try this. SO easy. SO good. Needless to say, this meal is going in my new mama's freezer :)


The brilliance of this meal is that it's wonderful like a normal Cordon Bleu might be, but it's none of the hassle of stuffing a chicken breast. It's truly, no fuss!

Ingredients:6-8 fresh chicken breasts (or equal amount of boneless thighs) cut into tenders (they cook faster)
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cans Cream of Chicken
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsps Paprika
1 1/4 cup of grated Swiss cheese
1/2 cup of Ham slices cut into thin strips
1 Egg
1 cup of bread crumbs

Directions: Put sliced carrots in bottom of 9x13 pan (or two 8 inch). Combine Cream of Chicken soup, sour cream, paprika and lemon juice in bowl. Mix well and pour over the carrots. Slice Chicken breasts into tender strips. Crack an egg on a plate and beat well. Place bread crumbs on additional plate and coat  chicken with egg and then with bread crumbs. Arrange coated chicken breasts over the top of sauce in the pan. Place ham strips over the top of the chicken. Top with swiss cheese.

Freeze: Use Saran wrap or press and seal over the top of the pan and then Foil it all the way around to ensure air tight. Store in the freezer up to 2 months (or more depending on your druthers).

Baking: Defrost and use within 2 days. Preheat oven on 375 and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until cheese is bubblely and chicken juices run clear (Or meat thermometer says 165). Serve over egg noodles.

To see the other Stork Meals, click here.

Lasagna 24+ servings

Lots of folks don't like making lasagna because its expensive and it's a time-suck making it. However, if you make it in large batches to freeze, it doesn't take any more time then it takes to make 1... Well maybe a little more time, but certainly not more then 5 extra minutes.

If you make your own spaghetti sauce, this recipe will even be cheaper. But we make it pretty cheap and it sure is yummo-licious. All the plates are licked clean... almost literally.

Now, my children hate onions, so I don't use onions in my recipe... but it would be amazing if you did. So this recipe is WITH the onions but I leave them out for the kids sake. I pick my battles.

What you will need:

2 - 9x13 dishes (or 4 8x8 dishes)
Foil or pans with airtight lids

1 large onion (and some olive oil to caramelize)
2-3 pounds of sausage (or a meat you want in your lasagna)
3-4 cans of hunts spaghetti sauce (any flavor. The reason I use hunts is for price)
2 boxes of traditional cooked noodles (I tried the no-cook with all the trick, texture NEVER comes out right. I always get complaints)
Lots of Mozzarella cheese (like 8 cups ish?)
4 cups of Ricotta
2 Eggs
Parsley

Boil the noodles according to package directions.

Caramelize onions in olive oil... make sure they turn nice and brown... they are yummy that way.

Add sausage and brown. Don't break the sausage up too much, I love finding the big chunks in my lasagna. When sausage is almost all brown, just a bit pink left, drain off as much of the grease as you can and add the 3 cans of hunts to the pan.

Now you can do two things. If you are strapped for time, just blend it well and you are ready to go. If you have an hour or more that you can check your email, facebook, and twitter, then go on to this step. Turn the heat on low and let it simmer for a good hour so the flavors can all combine and be excellent. Hunts sauce on it's own is fine, but the flavors of the sausage and onions will mix brilliantly and make the sauce even better!

Mix ricotta and the two eggs together in a separate bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of parsley and half the cheese.

With the noodles done, the sauce simmer and brilliant, the ricotta mixture, the cheese ready... you are ready to assemble.

Put a little meat sauce in the bottom of the pan and line pans with noodles. Spread ricotta mixture over the top and top with noodles. Spread meat sauce over top and top with noodles. Continue doing this until all the mixtures are gone. Last layer being the meat sauce. Top with the remaining cheese (and more cheese if you have cheesy lovers).

To freeze I suggest you cover with foil a few times. This will keep in the freezer for at least 6 months. But I suggest 2 months to retain the best flavors. When you are ready to cook it, you can either cook from frozen for 2+ hours... or defrost and cook covered for 45 minutes at 375. Remove cover the last 10-15 minutes to melt cheese on top ;)

This meal makes 24 large servings or tons more if you have a small belly. ;)