December was another one of those months where I was in the kitchen all the time, but I didn’t take too many pictures… This time around I am also sharing a few photos of tasty treats that I didn’t make, but they are too good not to share.

My family loves Panko chicken, and my family loves popcorn chicken, so I decided to give Panko-popcorn chicken a try. It was so tasty, and it has become a family favorite. It will be on the menu a time or two in January.

We needed a football snack one sunny afternoon, and I had everything on hand to make Chocolate Chip cookies. To be honest, I really don’t like to make Chocolate Chip Cookies, I can never get them quite right. My family really liked this batch, or they were just so happy to have Chocolate Chip cookies that they wouldn’t complain otherwise.

I usually skip breakfast, but one morning I made oatmeal. I added in some dried cranberries for extra sweetness. No matter what I try breakfast and I just aren’t the closest of friends.

One fantastic take-out Tuesday James and I opted for a local favorite NuGrille. It is a fun 1940’s diner that makes some killer Onion Rings. I always get the Pork Tenderloin sandwich (plain) it is crazy good. Now I need NuGrille stat!

I had some leftover Croissant dough hanging out in the freezer, and I wanted to see how it proofed after freezing. It worked out well, and these tasty beauties made a delicious side to Beef Stew and a bottle of Red. It’s probably one of my favorite Winter dinners.

I brought back Ham& Beans with cornbread, and my family still isn’t a fan. The cornbread muffins were so cute though. They are a little bit of sunshine on a cold Winter day.

One of my favorite lunches, steaming-hot Ramen Noodles with Edamame.

When it was time for Thade’s Christmas party at school, I lucked out when the head room-mom called and asked if I wouldn’t mind sending along some cookies. She loves to bake, and so do I. We each sent two dozen cookies for the party, I made a batch of Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies.

When it was almost Christmas, the kiddos wanted to make some cookies for Santa. Thade and Dylan were worried that we wouldn’t have enough, so we decided to make about 12 dozen. We made Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies, Vanilla Sugar cookies, Cakerdoodles, and White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal cookies. I also served them for dessert after the large Christmas dinner, and I sent home plates filled with cookies for the guests that visited.

One of my very favorite Christmas treats comes from my Mother-in-law, she always brings along a candy tray filled with sweets, cookies, and homemade fudge. She also sneaks in a second tray filled with Peanut Butter Fudge just for me. I stash it in the fridge right away, and I might share a piece or two. It is seriously the best Peanut Butter Fudge I’ve ever had. I’ve tried to make it a time or two, but her’s is seriously the best. I wonder if I can talk her into making a batch for me for my birthday…

So here we are in January, and I haven’t been in the kitchen too much. I think I’m still all cooked-out from Christmas… I have a few treats in mind to make, I just need the motivation to get to it.

Last night I got a phone call from a good friend, and she was asking if Dylan could come over to play for the afternoon. I said sure, he would be so excited to spend the day at a friend’s house. I know he will have a blast, and I knew that with a little extra time in the morning, I could knock out some cooking for the freezer.

Yesterday James came home with these…

One of his friends stopped by his workplace with a big bag of Apples for me. I was pretty pumped, and I knew exactly what to do with them. I’ll make up a big batch of freezer-friendly Apple Pie Filling, and be set for awhile. I’ll be baking a pie for his friend though, to say thanks.

Agnes wanted to “help”, but it was naptime, so no little gals in the kitchen.

I set in and got to work. I started the roux for the Potato Soup, and started the base for the Apple Pie Filling too. I also trashed the kitchen, but oh well.

I used the pre-cooked potatoes that I had on hand. I had Bacon Breakfast Potatoes, and Potatoes from the leftover weekend Pot Roast hanging out in the fridge. I threw in Milk, Cheese, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Salt, and made one tasty soup.

Oh my goodness, it was really tasty.

It also made a gigantic pot of soup.

The Apple Pie Filling is simple. It’s Apple Juice, Sugar, Cinnamon, Corn Starch, and Apples. I just peeled, chopped, and dropped the Apples into the syrupy sweet cinnamon deliciousness. The kitchen smells amazing too.

I waited a bit for everything to cool. I got all of my freezer supplies together, and tidied up a bit of the dishes too.

I scooped the Apple Pie Filling into quart sized bags. I ended up with three quarts, and a little bit more. I’m going to mash, and add the leftover apples to Brown Sugar Topped Oatmeal Muffins, for the next time my mom comes to visit. Make sure and remove as much air from the bags that you can, and freeze the quart bags flat. It makes them easier to store (you can store them upright once they are frozen), and it helps them thaw a bit faster too.

When it was time to store the soup, I measured out 1 1/2 cup portions, and spooned them into a measuring cup. It was easy to portion the soup that way, and easy to pour into bags too. I can eat a ridiculous amount of homemade soup, it is just so stinking good.

I ended up with five generous portions. There would have been six servings, but I was hungry, and had to make sure and taste the batch before I froze it. Oh yeah, it was good! This soup reheats well, and is tasty alongside Crusty Bread Rolls.

What about you… Do you have any freezer favorites?