Recipe(tried): King Ranch Casserole a la Penny, Eleanore Merryman's Pancakes, and Grillades - freeze ahead meals

These frozen meals are always my gift to new Moms!

For my friends arriving home from the hospital with new babies I always deliver the following meals, frozen in disposable containers, with instructions for thawing and reheating.

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KING RANCH CASSEROLE A LA PENNY

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 cup butter or 1/2 Canola oil 1/2 butter
Emeril's Southwest Seasonings (to taste)
1/4 can chipotle peppers in adobe sauce*
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 oz) chopped tomatoes
1 can corn niblets, drained (or frozen corn)
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups chopped or cubed cooked chicken
12 corn tortillas, torn in to bite-size pieces
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

in a large saucepan, cook peppers and onions in melted butter until tender, about 5-10 minutes.

Stir in SW seasonings and chipotle peppers. Add soups, tomatoes, corn, beans, and chicken and stir until well blended; set aside.

In a large baking pan, alternately layer tortillas, soup mixture and cheese repeating for three layers.

Bake 40 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

*The hotter you want the dish the more chipotle peppers you add.

TO FREEZE:
This can be made in two baking pans. Place one in the oven and cook for dinner and the other in the freezer covered with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam then covered in tin foil. The frozen dinner can be taken out in the morning, placed in the refrigerator all day to thaw then one hour before dinner preheat the oven and place casserole in for 40 minutes. Voila! Two delicious dinners from one prep day.

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ELEANORE MERRYMAN'S PANCAKES

1 1/4 cups Flour
2 tsp baking powder (1tbsp if doubling recipe)
2 Tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cup milk or cream
3 eggs
2 Tbsp oil

Combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth.

Cook pancakes on a very hot griddle.

TO FREEZE:
After cooking the pancakes set them out to cool then wrap in either wax paper or plastic wrap 2-3 per package. Freeze all mini packages in large zip-loc.

TO REHEAT:
Unwrap 1 serving and place on microwaveable plate for heat for 1 minute on med-high in microwave.

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GRILLADES
(traditional southern beef or veal stew)
Source: Le Bonne Cuisine

4 lbs beef rounds, trimmed of fat
1/2 cup bacon grease (If you only have 1/4 cup of bacon grease add olive or canola oil), divided use
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz) can tomatoes
2 Tbsp Worcestershire
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Tabasco
2 bay leaves
1 cup water (I use 1/2 water, 1/2 either beef or chicken broth)
1 cup dry red wine (remember, the better the wine, the better the dish)
1/4 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
cheese grits (to serve)

Using a mallet flatten meat to 1/4-inch thick and then cut meat into serving size pieces.

In a Dutch oven heat 1/4 cup of bacon grease over medium heat. Add the meat and fry until brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

To the Dutch oven add remaining bacon grease and the flour, stirring constantly, until the roux is dark brown.

To the roux add the onion, green onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and saute until soft.

Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire, thyme, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and bay leaves; cook for 3 minutes.

Add the water, wine, and mushrooms, and stir well. Simmer 2 hours.

Remove the bay leaves and stir in the parsley.

The cheese grits recipe I use is on the back of the large bag of grits.