Freezer meals: Almond Chicken

I shared this recipe at a church function and it was well received. I found the recipe in a church produced cookbook from Beaverton, OR. The recipe is similar to one from the great freezer meal company Dream Dinners. For convenience and gourmet taste, Dream Dinners is great. You can see if a location is near you by searching http://www.dreamdinners.com/

Almond Chicken

6 chicken breasts (frozen is cheapest and convenient but fresh is ok)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 c sliced almonds
2 c bread crumbs (I prefer Panko bread crumbs)
black pepper to taste

Place frozen chicken breasts in a freezer gallon size. Add beaten to eggs to chicken bag. Seal bag. In another quart sized bag, place bread crumbs, almonds and pepper. Seal crumb bag. Place the 2 sealed bags inside a 3 gallon sized bag for storage. Freeze.

Thaw in fridge when ready to use.
Drain excess egg from chicken.
Dredge chicken in bread crumb mix.
Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish
Bake 30 mins at 350'  

Freezer meal: Gorgonzola Stuffed Meatloaf

Here is one of my favorite freezer meals. I love the gourmet taste of this meal. Give it a try for yourself and comment how you like it. *This recipe was created for me by my awesome cousin Mindi. The recipe and other fabulous foods can be found on her blog http://www.mindikamoments.blogspot.com/   I strongly recommend checking out her blog. Become a follower to stay on top of updates.

Gorgonzola Stuffed Meatloaf

12 oz ground beef
12 oz ground turkey
4-6 green onions, chopped
1 c toasted Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
4 Tbsp. dijon mustard
3 Tbsp kethcup
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4-6 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 375' (unless preparing as a freezer meal)
Add all ingredients except gorgonzola cheese to a large bowl.
Using your hands stir well. It is the best way to insure everything gets mixed.

*If preparing as a freezer meal- place meat mixture in a gallon size freezer bag. Label and freeze. When you are ready to use, place bag in fridge to thaw. Do not freeze gorgonzola.

Divide meat in half. Take half and place flattened in a greased 9x13
Lay gorgonzola in middle of meat.
Cover with other half of meat mixture. Spray with cooking spray
Bake 375' for 1 hour or until 165'
Cool 10 mins, then drizzle with balsamic glaze (optional)

Purchase balsamic glaze or make your own (1 c balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp brown sugar. Combine a saucepan; bring to a boil then reduce hear to medium high and cook 5-10 mins until reduces to a syrup)

Time

There is rarely a day that passes that I don't hear "How did you get all of that done today?" Usually, it comes from my hubby but often from my friends. First of all, I am pretty sure I have Redbull running through my veins...or atleast a higher dose of adrenaline. Or maybe it is ADD. I don't like to sit still or can rarely do so. I prefer to keep busy and sometimes...most times...it is self inflicted. I am mother of 4 children beginning the prime of life's activities so I am pretty sure my life will get busier. I am actively involved in my childrens lives which means many hours volunteering, driving and cheering them on. I also refuse to give up my life. I have loves, hobbies and interests. How does one balance the life she chooses? That is where my Secondly and Thirdly come in. Secondly, I know my limitations. My boundaries are large and can be stretched which allows more accomplishment in a day. But, don't mess with my sleep or I turn into bear. My brain cannot process on less than 9-10 hours of sleep. Thirdly, it does take skills in Time Management. I was taught this in my youth when so much was required of me. Things had to be done for the family before I could do for myself. Therefore, create systems to work more efficiently and free up time. As a mother these same principles apply. One of my secrets for freeing up time is preparing FREEZER MEALS. For the next few weeks I will be sharing some of my favorite freezer meal recipes. I did not create them. I have found them in cookbooks, from friends, on the internet, etc. I will give credit in each post if I remember where I got the recipe.

Thank you for the recipes requests. Women especially my sister in law, Kaylyn have inspired me. I now share in hopes of helping you.

3x3 Thank you gift card and bag

I created these little cuties to attach to a gift bag (see below) as part of a thank you gift to be presented to 19 women who have volunteered at a local school.

I love the classic look of the black and white. I added the color to infuse a little sass of color. They turned out adorable and I love them.

Bags from Xpedx

Created these 3x3 cards with:
2x3 grey scroll print paper from Hobby Lobby
1x3 Silhoutte dot paper from CTMH
d1361 Thank you stamp from CTMH
Clear sparkles z1104 from CTMH


Inside these cute bags- bobby pins with either a resin rose or jeweled brads on the ends. Very cute!

National Scrapbooking Promotion May 1-31st

Available for the month of May. This 'too cute' for words kit is a worthy addition to your scrapbook. Can be combined with the May stamp of the month promotion for additional savings.

3options to get your hands on this adorable kit:

Sign up as a Close To My Heart Consultant during May (at half price!!!! Only $65 for over $300 worth of kit goodies) and get the kit FREE with your New Consultant Kit. Just head to my website and go to town. I suggest for your 3 "Choose Me" kit options that you do kits 2, 3 or 4, and 5.

• Spend a minimum of $50 in CTMH products (before shipping and tax) and get it for only $15. You can call or email me with your order (801.830.5160, tabathafergus@hotmail.com) or just go right to my website. You'll be prompted to add this set at the end of your order.
• Purchase it outright for $34.95. You can call or email me with your order (801.830.5160, tabathafergus@hotmail.com) or just go right to my website. You'll be prompted to add this set at the end of your order.

Now on to the details of the kit. It includes:

• 1- D size ($22.95 value) "You & Me" Stamp Set
• 1 - 12" x 12" Colonial White Cardstock
• 6 - 12" x 12" B&T (Patterned Paper) Duos (New Cardstock Weight!)
• 1 - 6" x 9" You & Me Irresistibles Chipboard Die Cut Sheet
• 1 yd. Chocolate Striped Ribbon
• 1 pkg. Opaques Mocha Adhesive Gems
• 1 - Full-Color Cutting and Instruction Guide

Studio J Editing Tool

Bliss Sympathy Card

Bliss Sympathy Card

A beautiful card for a sensitive and special time. Created using the Bliss paper packet, the quiet neutral tones will share reverence and your heartfelt love.

Bliss x7132b
Universal Backgrounds stamp D1477
Color Ready Craft Borders z1377
Cocoa ribbon z1316