Baked Oatmeal Cups

5 cups rolled oats 

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon (opt)
2 large egg
3 cups milk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Optional mix ins: chopped apples, bananas, berries, nuts, mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease 2 12-cup muffin pans (you can also use silicone muffin cups). Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin pans (make sure you get equal liquid in each cup so none are dry).

Bake for about 25 minutes, until light golden brown on top and completely set.

Let them sit for 10–20 minutes before removing them from the pan and putting them on a wire rack to cool completely before storing.

Makes 24 muffin cups. May be refrigerated or frozen.

Egg Muffins

72 Tater Tots

1 lb ground sausage, cooked and crumbled (or diced ham)
1/2 cup diced peppers (optional)
13 eggs
1/4-1/2 cup milk
shredded cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.
Grease 2 muffin pans liberally, or use silicone or regular cupcake liners.
Place 3 frozen tater tots in the bottom of each muffin tin and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove and press the tots down to form a base using a glass or measuring cup.
Return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes.
Remove from oven.
Reduce oven temperature to 350.
Top each cup with a little sausage (or ham), and peppers if desired.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture into each muffin tin nearly to the top.
Sprinkle each with a little shredded cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until egg is cooked.

Makes 24 muffins. May be frozen.

Adapted from midwestmodernmomma.com

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

2 lb frozen southern style hash browns
seasoning salt
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
2 lb ground sausage
24 eggs
salt and pepper
shredded cheese
30 10-inch tortillas

Place hash browns on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Sprinkle generously with seasoning salt. Stir to combine. Bake at 400* for 30 min, stirring every 10 min.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers and onion and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Remove from pan.

Brown sausage in pan. Drain grease. Remove sausage from pan.

Add eggs to the pan and scramble with salt and pepper.

In the skillet, combine hash browns, peppers, onion, sausage, and eggs. Place 3/4 cup of mixture in line down the center of a tortilla. Top generously with shredded cheese. Fold in sides of tortilla and roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place burritos in a large ziploc and freeze. Makes about 30.

Image from damndelicious.net

Freezer Beef and Bean Burritos

 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
 1 cup chopped onion
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 3 cans (16 oz ea) refried beans OR 6 cups homemade refried beans*
 3 cans (4 ounces) green chiles (mild, medium or hot, depending on preference)
 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) green taco sauce
 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) red taco sauce
 1/2 cup (4 ounces) salsa, green or red
 1 teaspoon ground cumin
 1 teaspoon chili powder
 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
 6 to 7 cups shredded cheese (I prefer using a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
 20 10-inch tortillas or 30 8-inch tortillas

In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef and onion with the salt and pepper until cooked through, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain excess grease.

Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cheese and tortillas) and mix to combine. Heat through, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Let the mixture cool slightly. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the filling on each tortilla (depending on the size of the tortilla and how stuffed you want them). Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese (or so!) on the filling. Fold in the sides and then roll the burrito closed.

Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and then put them in large ziploc bags and freeze. Makes about 30.

To reheat, unwrap burrito from plastic wrap and microwave for one minute. Poke holes in the semi-thawed burrito with a fork or cut the burrito in half and microwave for 1-minute intervals until heated through. They'll be piping hot! Eat carefully.

*For the homemade beans: I make them in the Instant Pot as directed, then I drain them really well before mashing them. They end up being very thick, which helps the burrito mixture to be less runny. After I take out the 6 cups that I need for this recipe, I add back in some of the beans' cooking liquid to get a better consistency for regular use.

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe