Menu Challenge: July Freezer Week

Next month our church is holding its annual Vacation Bible School and I am lead teacher for the 1-3 graders. It is going to be an incredibly crazy week so I'm planning ahead and doing freezer meals for the whole week. Here is my freezer-week menu for July 22-28:

• Chicken enchiladas with a creamy green chile sauce and a side salad (I am making this for supper tomorrow and doing up a double batch, we'll eat one pan and I'll freeze the other)
• Homemade Frozen Pizza (if you'd like some extra ideas for toppings check out my post on homemade pizzas) and fresh veggie tray
• Chicken cordon bleu freezer casserole, sauteed green beans, and garlic bread
• Ranch cheddar burger, side salad, and French fries
• Tater Tot Casserole (just prep this in a 9x13 pan instead of the skillet)
• Asian grilled chicken (I will toss the ziplock bag in the freezer), Minute brown rice and stir-fry veggies

With that in mind, I decided to make it a challenge for all of you and here are your instructions:

1. Pick one week in July (preferably one that you know is going to be busier than usual).
2. Write up a menu for that week using only dishes that can be made up ahead of time, frozen, and then cooked later.
3. Actually follow through on it.

Your turn: What is your freezer-week menu?

If you need some ideas for freezer meal, check on Pinterest, take a look at my freezer menu from last year, or check out everythingmom.com.

Loaded Cauliflower [or Potato] Souffle

In February 2011, Jared and I went on a cruise. On the cruise we tried all sorts of new foods and one of dishes happened to be a souffle. Now, a souffle has this slightly crisp outer texture but then you scoop a bite and the inside is light, airy, and yet still very creamy. Ever since that trip I have wanted to try my hand at making a souffle. My MIL even bought me an awesome souffle dish but I've been too chicken to try it. Until tonight, that is. Yes, tonight I faced my fears and dove head first into the deliciousness that is souffle. You see, I needed a savory side dish so I looked at a few different recipes, the Super Easy Souffle, the Easiest Souffle Ever, and even a Potato Souffle. After figuring out what the common elements are in a souffle I came up with my recipe.

Carrot Cake Waffles

I love finding new recipes on Pinterest, but the best part is that moment when I actually get the chance to try them out. My family loves waffles, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, etc. and we enjoy doing "breakfast for dinner" once or twice a month so when I saw this recipe on Pinterest for Carrot cake waffles a few weeks back I just had to repin it. I am so glad I did because this recipe is truly a keeper. It's delicious and fairly healthy. I made a few modifications and then topped them with maple syrup and spiced cream cheese whip.

Spiced Cream Cheese Whip

Spiced Cream Cheese Whip atop a carrot cake waffle

I happened upon a Pinterest recipe for "Carrot Cake Waffles" (my version is in the works) the other day and it included a recipe for Maple Nut Cream Cheese Spread. It sounded so delicious that I decided to attempt my own cream cheese spread. I think this would make a great alternative to cream cheese frosting if you doubled or tripled it. Or maybe as a bagel spread...

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup Cool Whip
• 3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip all the ingredients together until desired consistency. Place in a ziptop bag, let the air out, and close. Snip a corner off the bag and voila! you have your very own piping bag. :)

Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing

I am always looking for new SAMD (salad as a main dish) recipes to try during the summer months when I can get really flavorful fresh veggies. When I saw this recipe for Santa Fe salad on WeightWatchers.com I just had to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. This salad is bursting with flavor and texture! The crunch of the veggies and the spice of the chili-lime dressing really make this salad awesome. I did make a few minor variations (noted by an *) so here's what I did.

Fudge Nut [Brownie Mix] Cookies

I love making cake mix cookies. They're quick, easy, and delicious. But I was out of cake mixes and "needed" to bake (for stress relief reasons). I did however have a few brownie mixes in my cupboard and decided to attempt cookies with one of those instead. It worked! These cookies have a crunchy, flaky exterior and a soft, chewy interior. I probably shouldn't have made them though because now I want to eat them. :)

Grilled One-Pouch Feast

I've been wanting to try some new grilling recipes now that we are on summer break and what's not to love about a dish by the name of "One-Pouch Feast". So I tried my own variation of the recipe and it was a hit! It's a great meal for picky eaters because each person can add the veggies of their choosing with the way I serve it. Now if everyone in your family likes the same combination of veggies, by all means, stick with one large foil pouch. Since that is not true of our family, we make individual pouches. You can change up the veggies that I have listed and use other items, like sliced potatoes (the original recipe had these instead of the rice), asparagus, jalapenos, etc.

Strawberry Banana Mango Muffins

I was feeling creative yesterday morning while making our Sunday "take along" breakfast. With several

bananas and a mango that needed to be used up I decided to attempt something new, Strawberry Banana Mango muffins. They were delicious!