December Meals

Amanda Sue- Teriyaki Chicken
Crissy- Cilantro Lime Enchiladas
Jordana- African Peanut & Ginger Chicken
Lauren- Asian Pork Tenderloin
Laurie- Chili Con Carne
Tabitha- Beef Burgundy

November Meals

Amanda Sue- Cheesy Chicken Bundles
Amanda Sue- Chicken & Vegetable Marinara
Crissy- Beef Pot Pie w/ Cheddar Cheese Crust
Jordana- Beefy Three Cheese Enchiladas
Lauren- Tilapia with Shallot Lime Butter
Laurie- Beef Pot Pie
Suzanne- White Chicken Chili
Tabitha- White Chicken Chili

Looking for a few new members...

We could really use a few new members. We are currently at 7, which means only one person can be absent for any given month. It would be great to have a few more members to provide variety and flexibly to the group. So, please be thinking of your friends who happen to love cooking and who could benefit from having a few great homemade meals to stock their freezers with...

Our New Guidelines

Your meal should:

• Consist of enough food to serve 4 adults.
• Be the substantial part of the meal, requiring only side items to be additionally prepared.
• Be packaged neatly and with care, avoiding messy containers when possible. Please label meal with baking/reheating instructions and list of ingredients.
• Take time and effort. Please try to avoid the type of meal that is quick and easy to throw together. These are the meals that we can all make from scratch ourselves on those busy nights.

It is okay if occasionally you make a meal that is easier to prepare or costs a bit less. Just keep in mind the time, money, and effort that others are putting in. Overall, we want this to be an equal exchange of service.

Finance

Each member is responsible for the cost of ingredients to make their chosen meal. We commit to be savvy shoppers, but not to be cheap. We would hope that members spend approximately the same amount of money to prepare their entrée each month as others do, making the exchange financially worthwhile to all members.

The Exchange Gathering

We will meet monthly to exchange frozen entrees, sign up for next month’s entrees, and spend some time hanging out with the girls. We will take care of business up front, allowing members who need to leave to return to their families. We will meet at Amanda Sue’s house.

Commitment

Each member commits the time, effort and money of planning, shopping for, and preparing 24 servings of a single entree. In exchange, each member benefits from 6 nights a month of quick preparation of a variety of quality meals that are more complex than they may have otherwise had time and energy for that evening.

Respect – it’s what makes our group the best it can be!

Your meal is your gift to the other families participating. It should be an example of the best you have to offer. Please use your talents and creativity to present the best possible meal you can bring and provide a meal that you would be proud to present to your own family and guests in your home.

Do I need an additional freezer to participate?

I currently operate with just my kitchen freezer. I have a side-by-side refrigerator with an icemaker, and I have a bad habit of shopping at Costco, and I still manage. I have found that I can store 8 meals on one shelf, which I try to reserve only for the exchange. The trick is to eat your meals from the previous month before the next exchange!

What's for dinner?

I am really enjoying the benefits of this cooking exchange! I generally try to think about dinner the night before and go to my freezer to pull out a meal to thaw in the fridge overnight. Then after a busy day, I need only to pop the meal in the oven for 30 minutes to an hour. Whip up a quick salad or other vegetable and the meal is complete! A quick and easy, homemade family dinner that you can be proud to serve your family!

Are you interested?

I'm just working on getting this website up and running, but if you happen to run across this and want to know more, please contact me. We currently have around 8 participants and are really enjoying the ease and convenience of knowing what's for dinner! Let me know if you want to know more...