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Sep 29

SHOP AHEAD AND SAVE

It may seem premature discussing the winter holidays this early but if you’ve shopped lately, you know the merchants don’t think so. Until some 30 years ago, the marketing tactic was to feature specialized products, at appealing prices, close to their designated holiday. Now by Dec. 1^st, many holiday items are sold out and those which remain are at premium prices due to demand, like flavorings, pastry decorations, fruit, especially dried and candied, nuts, gourmet goods and frozen prepared sides and appetizers. If you’re a Christmas Turkey family, as we are, by Thanksgiving Monday you won’t find poultry seasoning, stuffing ingredients, cranberries in any form, sweet potatoes, even the bird is in limited quantity at double, possibly triple the price of the week before.

Nowadays, the wise shopper will have all the holiday menus planned and the ingredients, save for perishables, stored away by Thanksgiving. All the sales on the products needed for the holidays do still exist, they simply quietly take place over the previous weeks, advertised as departmental events not holiday ones. Particularly now with food prices rising, learning how and when to spot these sales not only saves time and stress, but money and it amortizes the holiday food bill. Spreading the cost of holiday meals, entertaining and even food offerings and gifts, eases stress in paying the bills.

So listen up because October to mid-November is the time to watch for those sales and in-store specials. Pay attention to the market flyers and when shopping check the quantities of things you will need, such as pastry decorations, spices, herbs, prepared frozen products and even items such as fresh cranberries, which disappear the day after Thanksgiving, but freeze beautifully for December uses.

It sounds like a lot to remember when shopping but it really isn’t. The first step is to plan the menus for your holiday events, then list the required ingredients, including foods you might need in extra amounts, like butter and also make note of those not in your normal pantry. Keep the list handy when studying the weekly market flyers and add any needed items on sale to your regular shopping list. Keep an eye out for other things on the holiday list when shopping. You know most of the things you’ll need from experience, so vigilance quickly becomes habit and, in fact, a money-saving one to practice all year, especially in our current food situation.

The best prices on baking ingredients and dairy are in October. For produce, meats, canned goods and frozen products it’s early November. But here’s the catch with the food industry, for the last decade or so, in December, the products on sale earlier become ‘Featured Items’ at regular prices rather than holiday reductions. The reason could be simple merchandizing greed. People are in buying mode, caution is replaced by determination to get whatever enriches the holidays and food products are low ticket compared to gift items.

A slyer reason could be that prices always return to normal in January giving us a jolt. If they’re already at normal, we’re less likely to notice a slight hike. You see our food prices have been rising 2% to 7% per year for a decade ever since the government lost control of our food supply to private corporations. Prices were to continue rising at that rate for the foreseeable future, but, as evidenced by the past weeks, the world situation changed that. A government is obligated to care for the people, but the purpose of a corporation, especially in this case, a foreign one, is profit. See the footnote to this post below.

I’ve been preparing for the entire holiday season before Thanksgiving for several years now and it has several advantages. I have more time to plan and shop with no rush and the extra time makes it easier to amortize the food expenses, defraying the cost. Time is also amortized. My schedule is freer and I’ve learned to prepare dishes ahead I never thought possible. The actual holiday is more relaxed and fun for the whole family with no need to panic if something goes wrong. Each year, I’ve written a post on the subject and they’re in the site Archives. I want people to experience the stress relief of knowing that when it’s time to tackle a kitchen project, everything needed is at hand without having to gorge a chunk out of your busy schedule to shop.

Personally, the idea of preparing ahead for the holidays appealed to me because as the nest emptied and family grew, the tasks didn’t increase in number, but they did in size. Fewer hands around to help meant a lot more work for me alone. Professionally, the idea intrigued me. The main function of a personal chef service is to provide meals for its clients to consume later. This combination of motives has given me the incentive for the past several years to explore how far I can push the envelope.

I always made my fruit breads and cheeses a month or more ahead, to give them time to age, using liquor as a preserving ingredient. Then I found cookie batters could be prepared two weeks before baking. Next I learned that elements of stuffing could be made well in advance. Raw seasoning ingredients, celery, onion, herbs can all be chopped or blended as early as summer and frozen. Bread cubes can be toasted or fried and keep in tins for weeks as do decorated but unfrosted Christmas cookies.

All these discoveries brought welcome savings but nothing opened my eyes like a request from a fellow personal chef. She contracted to cater a wedding reception for 400 and asked for help from others in our U.S.P.C.A. chapter*. The job held some real challenges; the bride had downloaded the menu and recipes, most distinct variations on classics; the venue offered a wait staff and dining needs, linins etc., but only a ‘holding ‘ pantry, no real kitchen. All the food had to be delivered ready to serve.

How the chef, an experienced caterer, solved the obvious problems doesn’t disguise the fact that most of the food had to be prepared days ahead. I learned this is normal for caterers dealing with large events and was amazed at the ways these experts in safe handling food, keep it unspoiled and fresh tasting. Imagine being able to duplicate catering methods for your personal holiday preparations!

The first step is to review your normal seasonal routine. Do you host a major dinner; throw a party, entertain house guests, make food gifts or donate a culinary effort to a bazaar or other event? If you follow my weekly shopping schedule you’ll know the first move is to plan your menus for each occasion and compile a detailed list of all the ingredients required. Then as you read the market flyers to plan each week’s shopping trip, if you see an item your holiday list, you make a note to get it at the sale price.

Remember though, supplies bought ahead should be kept in the original package and stored at the same temperatures as in the market. Produce, of course, needs refrigeration. If bought far in advance, or to be served out of season, consult my blog of Sept 22, 2016 on freezing fresh produce and there are more reference posts in the site archives. They will tell you how to take advantage of sales on fresh vegetables and other products now.

Amortizing time with advance preparation is equally straightforward, with a few simple rules. One is never re-freeze anything without cooking it. If adding a thawed vegetable to a dish, cook it and plan to re-heat it. Be aware that most seafood, especially shellfish is frozen for transport. The only exceptions are fish your monger guarantees were caught within 24 hours and shellfish steamed in store daily. The second is that if a product exists in the markets’ glass cases in frozen form, you can freeze your variation, but if it doesn’t there is usually a good reason, so don’t try to innovate. This is particularly true of imitation ‘diet’ and/or ‘no-cook’ cream sauces, which tend to separate when frozen.

Hence, tried and true menu choices are important in advance preparation but even a traditional holiday dinner comprised of family recipes usually affords some wiggle room. Updated twists aren’t always a bad thing. For example, roasted vegetables done a few days ahead can be slipped in with the roasting meat, saving prep time on the day of the event. Frozen vegetables can be cooked to near-doneness and kept chilled, with a little butter or flavored oil, even in their serving dishes, a few days ahead, as can garnishes, and the two combined before or after quick re-heating. Salad ingredients can be cut and stored, chilled in water for several days and the dressings mixed weeks ahead.

Buffets are easier to prep ahead than seated dinners. Food served at table should be hot, but even roasts can be cooked ahead and served room temperature at a buffet. Casseroles and sauced meat dishes are the darlings of advance preparation. They can be cooked, frozen, thawed, reheated and still taste fresh. Of course, cold foods are a natural. They can be prepared and simply chilled until served or frozen and just thawed. No effort is needed at the last minute and minimizing the last-minute work load is one of the main reasons to do advance preparation.

Desserts are a good category to reference to illustrate the optional levels of advance food prep. Cookies, as noted, can be made 6-8 weeks ahead if stored in air-tight tins. All kinds of pastry freeze well rolled and stacked with paper dividers or lining pans, even whole unbaked fruit pies and turn-overs can be made months ahead. However, baked pastry products only hold well for 24 hrs. After that they become soggy as the fillings lose their moisture and harden. To have these desserts table-ready, you must leave room in your schedule, as well as your oven’s, at the earliest the afternoon before, to bake the items and/or make the fillings. This can be a strain during a hectic holiday week.

So what dessert can be made ahead and produced the day of a major dinner ready to be served?

Cake! Several years ago my Yule log survived Christmas dinner almost intact. I decided to freeze it to serve sliced with a bowl of whipped cream on New Year’s. I froze it uncovered for an hour to firm up the icing, then I wrapped it snugly in plastic wrap and put the whole cake, still on the platter, in a plastic bag in the freezer. I was pleased to see it looked fresh on New Year’s morning but surprised that it tasted fresh too. I served it on the original platter, without the cream, and had many compliments with no leftovers.

Now I bake my Yule logs three weeks ahead and limit my December holiday desserts to cookies and cakes. I’ve tested other cakes, layer cakes, bar cakes, even a multi-layer sponge Opera Cake, with the same great results. Planning this way allows me to take the time to be sure I do a good job creating the cakes, and it’s soooo relaxing to know the whole dessert portion of my dinner is ready and waiting. All I have to do is open the freezer.

In point of fact this feeling of freedom is a major part of the overall concept of amortizing holidays. Buying the food as it appears on sale during the preceding weeks and preparing things ahead, saves money, defrays costs and assures time for careful preparation. It provides the security of knowing what you need is on hand when you decide to start a project and the confidence of having been able to do it well, rather than rushing through slip-shod. Above all there is the comfortable assurance that everything’s ready and you are free to enjoy the festivities.
So set yourself up right and enjoy!!

*United States Personal Chef Association

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**The story is simple. When a very efficient exfoliant was developed during the Vietnam era, its commercial value was apparent but crops had to be created which were impervious. Prior to that time agricultural experimentation in the U.S. had been done in colleges and universities under federal grants, which made any results government property. However, private labs became involved in this project, with greater funding and developed a ‘super’ soy bean seed.

In the early ‘80s history was made when the first U.S. patent for a living organism was issued, not for the seed, but for the process which created it. After that, the process could be freely applied to other plants, corn, wheat etc. Naturally, the holder of the patent controlled the seed and consequently controlled the price of the crop. It was granted to the corporation responsible for the exfoliant, which became known under the trade name Round-Up.

Now this process, in some form, has been applied to the seeds of most produce plants making them GMOs. Included is fodder for our livestock which takes the axiom from above one step further. The one who controls the feed crops controls the husbandry industry and, consequently, the prices on meat and dairy. The original corporation has also moved on, having been sold to the German giant Bayer.

If you have any doubts about the global scope of the situation, the next time you’re in a supermarket, take note of the origins, especially of the produce and seafood items, fresh, frozen and canned. You’ll see many products are now farmed internationally according to climate, not limited to their country of origin and transported to markets worldwide. Also note that 99% of packaged items contain soy or corn products, unheard of 50 years ago, when soy was rarely used in the U.S. as other than a cover crop. It helps to explain the complete control international conglomerates have on our food supply and understand why prices are no longer influenced by the economy of any one country and that the reality that the situation can‘t or won’t be altered for many years, if ever.

Sep 22

RECIPES USING PRESERVED PRODUCE

Having talked about preserving summer produce for winter meals for two weeks, it’s only logical to look at various ways to use it. The gifts are self-explanatory, but serving the frozen produce is wide open. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

RECIPES
WHOLE GREEN BEANS

Ham and Beans au Gratin: Serves 4
1 lb. beans
8 slices Deli ham – custom cut 1/16 to 3/8 of an inch thick
½ cup grated sharp cheese
2 cups milk
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
¼ tsp. garlic powder
Salt& pepper
Paprika and dried parsley for garnish
1 envelope chicken bouillon granules –optional
Parboil the beans until crisp tender, about 8 min. Shock under cold water and drain well. Divide the beans into 8 piles of about 10 beans each, and wrap each bundle in a slice of ham. Place bundles in a greased dish, seam side down. Make a simple cream sauce by heating the butter in a saucepan until it foams, Add the flour and stir to a smooth paste. Quickly add the milk, return to medium heat and stir constantly until sauce becomes smooth and thick, about 3 min. Add seasonings; pour the sauce over the bean-ham bundles and top with the cheese and garnish. Bake at 350 deg. until bubbly and cheese melts and browns slightly, about 15 min. Serve hot at once. Tip: plate with a spatula, taking care to serve the bundles intact.

Green Beans with Soy Mushrooms: Serves 4-6
1 lb. whole green beans-cooked to tender and hot
4 oz. mushrooms-caps, caps with stems or sliced
½ tsp. butter-melted
Soy sauce to taste
Toss mushrooms in butter and bake in a 300 deg. oven until they release their juice. Add soy sauce and bake about 3 min. more. Serve over hot beans.

Chow Tao: Serves 4
1 ½ lb. whole green beans
½ lb. thinly sliced pork
1 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
Salt and pepper
Soy sauce
Heat a wok or sauté pan on medium, brown pork with ginger in oil until golden, add beans and soy sauce cook, 10 min. longer or until beans are tender Season with salt and pepper, drizzle optionally, with more soy. Let flavors blend 1-2 min. before serving.

CORN

Corn Salad: Serves 4
2 cups corn kernels-thawed and parboiled-see directions above
½ a jarred fire-roasted red pepper- in thin strips about ½ inch long
2 scallions-white and light green portions only, sliced thin
1/3 of a green bell pepper –finely diced
1/3 cup light vinaigrette
4 medium tomatoes seeds hollowed out or 4 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeds removed.
Mix the vegetables, toss with the dressing, fill the tomatoes and chill before serving.

Bean Salad with Corn: Serves 2
(1) 15 oz. can pinto or pink kidney beans-drained and rinsed
5-7 grape tomatoes-halved OR 1 large jarred roasted red bell pepper julienned
½ cup corn kernels
Cider vinaigrette
Romaine or other green lettuce
Line plates with lettuce leaves. Toss beans with tomatoes or pepper strips and place on lettuce. Top with corn and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Arugula and Liver Salad with Corn: Serves 4-From French Bistro Cooking by John Varnom
2 Tbs. butter
4½ Tbs. walnut oil
2/3 cup corn
8 chicken livers
1 small head frisee lettuce or green leaf lettuce
1 small head of arugula
4 ½ Tbs. balsamic vinaigrette
Arrange lettuces on the plates. Sauté the livers in the butter and oil, over high heat, for 3 min. per side. Add corn and remove pan from the heat. Place 2 livers on each plate and deglaze the pan with the vinaigrette. Spoon the dressing and corn over the plated livers and serve warm.

PEACHES

Peach Salsa; Yield 3 cups
2 cups peaches
½ cup sliced grape tomatoes-or chopped tomato
½ green bell pepper-chopped
1 scallion-thinly sliced-white and green parts only
Generous dash garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and allow flavors to meld for about 20 min. Store covered and chilled for 2 days. Serve with fish, poultry and rice.

Peach Syrup Topping –Filling: Yield 1 ½ cups-Excellent over waffles, pancakes or ice cream or toasted slices of pound or angel food cake
1cup peaches
1 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup apple juice
1tsp.lemon juice
1 tsp. corn starch
Pinch powdered ginger-optional
Sugar to taste-if needed-preferably brown
1 tsp. > 1 Tbs. Brandy, rum, Madera or Triple Sec-optional—extracts may be substituted
Mix the liquids and flavorings in a cup and dissolve the corn starch. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the peaches, gently stirring and shaking until the color brightens 1-2 min. Add the liquid and continue stirring gently until the mixture thickens and clarifies-3 min. Store extra chilled and slightly reheat to use again.

Quick Dessert Cups: Serves 6
12 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. butter
1 ½ cups sliced or diced peaches
½ cup whipped cream or flavored yogurt
2 Tbs. all fruit spread-optional, but keeps pastry from becoming soggy if cups are prepared ahead.
6 cup muffin pan
Place a wrapper diagonally in each muffin cup. Brush with butter and lay another diagonally across the first, so the 4 corners stand up in points. Brush with butter and bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 10 min. until golden. Cool and remove from the pan; can be done ahead. Spread a teaspoon of the jam in the bottom of each wonton cup, and divide the filling among them. Top with a dab of yogurt or whipped cream.

Don’t forget the thawed peach slices can be used by themselves scattered over ice cream, meats, in salads, mixed with winter fruits in compotes and other ways, even over cereal to brighten a dreary winter morning.

ZUCCHINI

One of the best ways to preserve zucchini is to accept the fact that it’s going to change texture, become limp and combine it, with other ingredients, into a ‘base’, which will keep for several months, for future dishes. Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim has an excellent recipe for such a base and ideas on how to use it but, of course, once made, you can use it as you please.

Zucchini Base; Yield 8 cups
5 lbs. zucchini –shredded in a food processor or the large teeth of a hand grater, but avoid the seedy core.
1 onion -finely chopped
1 garlic clove- minced
2 Tbs. oil
Sauté onion and garlic in oil until softened. Add zucchini and stir until soft. Cool drain most of the moisture by squeezing in a towel or pressing in a colander. Freeze in desired sized containers with firm lids.

USES: Add salt and pepper as desired to all the below
Chilled Zucchini Soup: 4 servings
1 chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
2 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. coriander
1/8 tsp. red pepper
3 ½ cups base
3 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
1cup plain yogurt
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter until soft. Add the base, seasonings and broth. Simmer 10 min. Add the yogurt and chill. Puree if desired and serve garnished with walnuts.

Hot Zucchini Soup: Serves 4
Follow the directions for the chilled soup omitting the coriander, reducing the curry powder to 1 tsp., changing the yogurt to light cream and optionally choosing beef broth. The addition of left-over meat is welcome as are cooked pasta, diced potatoes or rice.

Primavera Sauce: Serves 4
1lb. shaped pasta
Follow the directions for the soups, slicing the onion and substituting oil for the butter. Omit the seasonings and add 3 medium chopped tomatoes and 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil with the base. Cook 2 min. and serve over cooked pasta garnished with ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese and pass extra cheese.

Stuffed Eggplant: Serves 4
2 eggplants -split lengthwise, seeds removed and most of the meat scooped out and diced
Follow the directions for the sauce, mix it with the diced eggplant and use it to stuff the eggplant shells. Top with the cheese and bake on a sheet in a preheated 350 deg. oven until tender, about 30 min. Serve at once.

Of course, zucchini is best fresh. It keeps only a few days at room temperature but over a week refrigerated. However, cooked fresh with other ingredients, it can be frozen.

Microwaving zucchini is my favorite method to cook it for everyday eating. It’s so easy to slice one, add a quarter of an onion sliced, a drizzle of oil, pinch of garlic powder, salt, pepper and herb(s) of choice, basil, oregano, rosemary, fennel ,and nuke it for 3-5 min. until crisp tender. Topped with Parmesan, it’s a great vegetable side, but it’s also good on toast as a snack or sandwich.

The addition of tomatoes, diced, canned are great, and, optionally, peppers turns it into an instant ratatouille, which is not only a good side, or sandwich filling but makes excellent bedding for fish. Simply spread it in the bottom of a dish, place the fish on top and bake or broil until cooked.
This concoction freezes for about a month and can be perked up with the addition of cooked cut green beans, mushrooms or spinach to serve at a later date. Adding rice and sausage, leftover ham or hot dog slices turns it into a quick dinner casserole.

TOMATOES

Sundried Tomato Pate: Serves 6-8—From Tea Time Journeys by Gail Greco
½ cup oil packed sundried tomatoes-drained, save oil for another use.
8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup butter
½ cup grated parmesan
¼ cup butter
¼ tsp. EACH dried oregano and basil
½ tsp. rosemary
Blend everything until smooth. Chill at least 6 hrs. before serving.

Chicken Giardino with Sour Cream: Serves 2
2 split chicken breasts, thighs or quarters
½ cup sliced onions
½ cup sliced green bell peppers
4 sundried tomatoes-sliced
1 envelope chicken bouillon granules
2 Tbs. oil
water
garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sour cream
Clean, trim and soak chicken in salted water for 10 min. , rinse and dry well. In an oven proof dish which easily holds the meat, layer the oil, then the vegetables, the bouillon, the pepper and the chicken. Add enough water to cover about ½ an inch of the meat, and dust with garlic powder. Bake at 375 deg. 40-50 min. until skin is golden, maintaining level of liquid by adding more water as needed. Remove meat and tent to keep warm. Stir sour cream into dish and reheat to warm. Serve sauce under meat, or return meat to dish and table serve.

Sep 15

FREEZING PRODUCE FOR WINTER

Last week we discussed ways, with current prices, to utilize summer produce both as winter treats for your family and holiday gifts for friends and associates. But what about the age-old practice of storing preserved produce for winter meals? Well that’s been altered by modern rapid transportation to global markets, improved commercial freezing and canning methods, by loss of farms and easy access to crops, by current, smaller kitchens, by busy working schedules, and, not least, by the increasing prevalence of GMOs leveling the playing field.

The international insistence on seed regulation has rendered the items flown into stores off season very similar to local produce in season. The prices of both are similar as well. Farmers have to pay more for gas to operate, and travel further to markets, raising their costs to rival that of imported items.

Last week I told of my Mother-in-Law’s knack for freezing the local, white corn. Living in farm country, paying only a few cents per ear, she kept the family freezers stocked at a welcome saving. Now, with the farms gone, corn .50 cents per ear and the cost of gas miles to the nearest farm market, it’s more economical to buy commercially frozen corn. Not to mention that GMOs have eliminated the white corn.

The point is that storing summer produce for winter meals requires objectivity and consideration nowadays. Tomatoes are an example. GMOS have eliminated many traditional local specialties, so what’s in the market at any season, locally or foreign grown, are no different. Top chefs have gone on record as saying that, save for fresh salads, canned tomatoes are just as good, less work and cheaper. Sun drying has become the only form of preserving this traditional canning favorite with any savings value.

Another illustration are green beans. Cut beans are one of the least expensive frozen veggies, but whole green beans, or Blue Lakes, are harder to find and more expensive. It’s worth it, if you see special on green beans to buy a couple of pounds, string, lightly blanche and freeze them, because home-frozen whole green beans are n a far different class then commercially processed ones-tastier, more tender, with a silky texture-well worth it to have for special dinners.

In conclusion, unless you have access to fresh produce, live in a remote spot inconvenient to shopping centers or stumble on an exceptional bargain, investing in quantities of food to store for the winter, even at today’s prices, can be an expense not a saving, with a few exceptions. Moreover, if you fail to do it correctly, or don’t use the food in time and it dries out, it’s a loss. So this is about having enough of certain products to make a featured dish for a holiday feast, or to serve as occasional reminders of warm, sunny days during cold, snowy ones. It’s about saving on those edible splurges to get through the holidays and winter. One exception seems to be zucchini, which is a backyard favorite and often over performs.

The first thing to understand is not all produce is suitable for freezing. The best way to tell is to check the glass cases in the supermarkets. If an item isn’t there, it doesn’t commercially flash-freeze well and won’t survive the slower domestic process. This especially applies to things with high water content and soft flesh, tomatoes, plums, eggplant and white potatoes, raw or cooked, for example. The frozen water content forms crystals which attach to the other frozen elements in their make-up, thaw faster and drain the item of its juice and flavor, leaving a deflated, pulpy mass. These items are better canned, or for tomatoes, optionally, dehydrated, allowing the juices to remain or dry in the flesh, retaining flavor.

I describe below the 5 items I know are easily preserved, including my Mother-in-Law’s corn, and have a decent freezer, or with tomatoes, shelf life. I give tips to simulate the commercial flash-freezing process which help to assure a good result. The difference between treatments of the 5 items discussed here is noted at each step. Of course, they should be cleaned and prepped first; the beans trimmed, any strings removed, the corn husked and silk brushed off, the peaches washed, stems and pits removed, tomatoes and zucchini are dealt with individually.

For corn and peaches bring a pot of water to a boil, for beans use a skillet.
1) Immerse the beans only until they turn bright green (blanched) about10-15 sec.
2) Dip the peaches about 10-30 sec. until the skins will peel easily
3) Cook the corn on cob about 4 min. until just beginning to tenderize.
Immediately run cold water over the produce to stop the cooking
Spread a counter top with paper towels
1) Lay the beans and corn cobs out, separated, to dry
2) Using a sharp knife, peel the skin off the peaches. Do not allow to dry. Start freezing prep.
Cover cookie sheets with waxed paper
1) Spread the beans out separately on the cookie sheet and freeze
2) Brace the bottom of each corn cob in the center of a tube pan. Using a sharp knife, slice off the kernels, letting them fall into the pan. Spread them evenly over the lined sheet and freeze.
3) Slice the peaches, about 4 per half, directly onto the lined sheet, not overlapping, and freeze.

Freeze the produce according to your freezer’s rate, usually between 40-60 min.

To Package: The reason for freezing the produce on cookie sheets is to capture color, freshness and taste. The reason to take pains to be sure there’s no overlapping is to avoid clumping and damage in storing, as well as to make it easy to remove a desired portion. It’s important the packaging maintain these assets.

Use zip lock bags or square plastic boxes with secure lids, like those used for dinner entrees.
Do not let the items thaw, package for storage quickly
Place the items in the containers individually, not overlapping
If layering is necessary to fill the container, separate them with accordion-like folds of waxed paper-not plastic wrap
1) the corn is best in bags and should be spread to an even thickness
2) The beans can be arranged in a uniform layers in bags or boxes.
3) The peach slices should be placed individually in each layer, and dusted with a thin coating of powdered sugar before being covered with the paper for the next layer, in boxes.
Make room in the freezer to store these containers flat, even stacked, but never on end, allowing the contents to clump together

Cooking: Because these items have been blanched and domestically frozen, which takes more time than the commercial flash method, they take a few minutes less time to cook. Here are some general guidelines. Individual recipes follow.

Normally green beans need 15 min.to steam or boil. These should be checked at about 10 min. frozen, 8 min. thawed. Take about 5 min. off roasting time too.
It takes about 2 ears of corn for a single serving as a side dish and that’s a lot to freeze. If you have room for this-fine, but if not use this corn to add to casseroles, salads, side combos or even salsa. Done this way it will stand up to cooking in a dish or just being tossed in a salad.*
The peaches quickly lose their juice when thawed and are best used directly from the freezer. Remember they have a thin coating of sugar and adjust other ingredients accordingly

*I come from a state famous for its white table corn. My Mother-in-Law was a master at freezing it. She taught me the tube pan trick and her winter dinners occasionally featured sides of buttered corn. She froze it in 1 cup bags which she considered a single portion or the amount usually required for adding to 4 portion dishes. She stored the bags in large plastic containers in the freezer. If you’re a corn lover and have access to a lot of it, plus the freezer space, this is the way to go.

Now on to specific freezing tips:

Beans: Hand select the beans to be frozen, choosing the largest, firmest, straightest ones. This assures even freezing and makes the best presentation later. As stated above, they cook as directed for commercially frozen ones, only for a bit less time, depending on your appliances and can be used in the same ways. Always try to serve these whole; cut beans are too ordinary to be ‘special ‘.

Of course, the easiest and often most attractive way to serve green beans is simply to add toppings. Fresh herbs such as thyme, sage and rosemary are favorite toppings and mushrooms and Caramelized onions are popular add-ins too. Broiled portabellas, sliced, are wonderful, so are button caps first lightly broiled in butter with soy sauce added, then reheated, poured over the beans.

Corn: Don’t try to freeze corn-on-the-cob. It isn’t that great commercially and even worse domestically. Make sure the ears are silk-free before you cut the kernels off because shreds of silk will mat when frozen and can ruin a dish.

As stated, the best use of the corn is as an addition to another dish, and, of course, that depends on the recipe for the dish. If it’s a cold salad or salsa, dip the bag with the corn into boiling water for about 3 min. then shock under cold. Otherwise just add to the recipe as directed. Using ‘fresh’ corn in salads is a wonderfully refreshing change in winter.

Peaches: Keep the peaches in the boiling water only long enough to loosen the skin. The riper the peach the less time it takes. Hold the peach on a slotted spoon under cold water, until cool enough to handle; prick it with a paring knife and peel off the skin. Place the peaches on a waxed paper covered flat surface until all the fruit is peeled, then begin slicing each for freezing over the paper covered cookie sheet, making sure the slices don’t touch. Freeze, then lightly dust with powdered sugar as boxed.

When frozen, place the slices in a 4 inch square freezer box. Supermarkets sell these in 3-packs. Place the slices, without touching, in layers and separate the layers with a long strip of waxed paper woven accordion style between layers. Peaches are best used frozen and thawed in a dish’s preparation. Remember in using them that they are lightly sugared and adjust the recipe.

Frozen this way peaches consume more room than packaged in bags, so, unless you have a lot of space, they’re best reserved for accessory dishes like salsas and sauces. If you plan a dish using a quantity of them, like a pie, for a winter event, make it, then freeze it in a metal pan, and bake it frozen, just add about 15 min. to the oven time.

Zucchini: may be the most versatile ‘vegetable’ of all. (Zucchini is actually a fruit, specifically a berry.) It’s very prolific and there’s often a surplus. One partial solution is to eat the flowers before they mature. These are delicious prepared stuffed or fried in recipes readily available especially on the web.

Due to high water content, zucchini doesn’t freeze well, except by commercial flash-freezing. Whole, it deflates when thawed and slices clump. I’ve had some success for short periods, freezing thick slices on a cookie sheet before bagging them or freezing it in a sauced dish like ratatouille. However, one of the best ways to preserve zucchini is to accept the fact that it’s going to change texture, become limp and combine it, with other ingredients, into a ‘base’, which will keep for several months, for future dishes. Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim has an excellent recipe for such a base and ideas on how to use it.

TOMATOES: Sun-dried are tomatoes that have generally lost 82-90+% of their original weight through the process of drying. They lose the water but retain the sugar, sweetness, and nutrients, leaving the deliciously dried tomato flesh with an intense, concentrated tomato flavor, perfect for dishes where that wonderful tomato taste should shine through.

There are 3 ways to dry tomatoes, in a dehydrator, naturally or in an oven. #1 requires a special machine, #2 requires weeks of consistently dry, hot, sunny weather covered by nets to deter pests. #3 is the practical method we’ll use. Cherry and grape tomatoes are meatiest and have the most concentrated sweet flavor. Roma (plum) tomatoes also work well if the pulp is hollowed out and discarded during prep.

To make sun-dried tomatoes in the oven
1)Prep-wash and slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise, spread them out in an even layer cut-side-up on a parchment-covered baking sheet, then season sparingly with salt.
2)Slow roast- in the oven for about 2 ½ to 3 ½ hr. at 250 deg., or until desired level of dryness. Don’t flip or rotate the tomatoes during this time, but keep an eye on them near the end to ensure that they don’t burn.
3)Serve or store. The tomatoes are ready to serve or add to a recipe when cool. Place them in a small jar then drizzle with olive oil until the tomatoes are completely submerged. Place a lid on the jar to seal, then refrigerate for up to 1 week or use zip-lock freezer bags instead of containers. Force out all the excess air before sealing. Can be frozen without the oil.

Seasoning Options
1.Sea salt or kosher salt preferred
2. Additional seasonings can include fresh or dried thyme, oregano, rosemary, or a little crushed garlic
3. Season while roasting: During the last hour of roasting, feel free to sprinkle on some chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, oregano, thyme, etc.). During the last half hour of roasting, sprinkle on some dried herbs and seasonings (such as Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red chili flakes, etc.).
4. Season after roasting: season in a jar with olive oil after roasting-bay leaf, a garlic clove or two or whatever fresh or dried herbs/seasonings appeal.

Cooking Option:
1. Cut the tomatoes in half. Place them side-by-side, cut-side-up in a ceramic or glass baking dish. They should fit together snugly but not overlap.
2. Sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt.
3. Add olive oil. The oil should cover about 2/3 of the depth of the tomatoes.
4. Place the dish in the oven and slow cook the tomatoes at 175 deg. for 3 to 5 hours. The exact time will depend on the size of the tomatoes you use.
5. Cool completely, transfer to glass jars or other non-metal containers that are as airtight as possible when sealed.

Approximate Seasoning Guide
20 or more plum ripe tomatoes (Roma)
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
4-5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley-chopped
Pinch or two pepper flakes

HOW TO REHYDRATE SUN-DRIED TOMATOES: Sun-dried tomatoes stored in olive oil are perfectly edible (and delicious!) served right out of the jar. But if you would like to rehydrate and plump them up a bit, just soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain. Or better yet, soak them in tomato juice to amp up the tomato flavor.

Sep 8

DIY Fruit Gifts to Make Now and Give Later

DIY SUMMER PRODUCE GIFTS

When food prices are on the rise, the wise thing is to start taking stock of what’s available and how to preserve and/or repurpose it to your best advantage, often as gourmet produce gifts. Done well, these gifts are unique, better than commercial renditions and have a deeply personal touch. However, you also have to be objective in what to choose and what to pass.

For example, my-Mother-in-Law, lived in the midst of Southern New Jersey farm country, had a knack for freezing, and sharing, the wonderful local corn, paying only a few cents an ear. Now most farms are gone, the nearest farm market is miles away and corn is 50 cents an ear. Between its price and the gas, freezing corn is an indulgence compared to the cost of commercially packaged.

On the other hand, even at the increased price, I can buy a watermelon, serve my family the meat and pickle the rind, which would have been discarded. I have fruit for a few meals and several jars of a gourmet condiment for guests and gifts. That’s a win-win on value.

End of season produce is not as pretty, but it preserves and cooks as well as, if not better than prime and it’s, usually, greatly reduced. There are lots of ways to transform these items into unique, gourmet gifts for the upcoming holidays at a huge saving, with people actually flattered to receive them.

One word of advice, avoid any item which is widely available commercially, jams, jellies, pickles, unless you have a tryed and true ‘special’ recipe. It’s also safer to work with recipes which include a natural preservative such as vinegar or alcohol. You never know how long your ‘gift is going to wait to be used.

In a passing note, because I’m going to deal with this subject in a later post, the items with the widest return margin as gifts are home roasted or candied nuts. Though they should be done closer to the holidays, they’re included here because now is the time to buy raw nuts and store them until ready for use. If you want to try them sooner click on Dec. 2, 2021.

The beauty of the following recipes is that they all began as manual creations, not products from automated kitchens and therefore are best when handmade, rather than commercially produced. This places them in the ‘gourmet’ category, enhancing the value and in truth, prepared properly, making them superior to commercial renditions. Singularly or combined they’re ideal solutions to the question of what to choose for many gifts, and how much to spend, clients, co-workers, teachers, hostess and ‘holiday greetings’. They are bright additions to your holiday menus and, in the depth of winter, memories of sunny days and a promise of summer’s return.

Packaging is important, however. Several containers you may have on hand. Olive jars are good for chutney, glass salad dressing bottles for mint sauce, pickle jars for watermelon pickle and shaped mustard and jelly jars are great for several things. Other container sources are Dollar stores, antique stores, Target, flea markets, even Goodwill. Wrapping is easy with gift bags and tissue. For grouped items, Dollar store usually have a selection of baskets. Perception is paramount.

RECIPES

Nuts: Roasted salted, herb favored, candied and glaceed
As stated above, I will post on these nearer the holidays, but nuts have the largest return on your investment. Raw nuts are quite reasonable, but gourmet finished nuts, which yours will be, can be expensive. Unlike the other items below, however, nuts have definite shelf lives. For freshness and price, the best time to buy raw nuts is late summer- early fall, especially if shopping in a market, as opposed to online. Keep them unopened until ready to work with them and then gift them within a week.

Since these contain no preservatives, you can mention to the recipient to “Enjoy them while they’re fresh”. The upside is that with no preservatives or artificial ingredients, home processed nuts are fresher, brighter tasting and more visually appealing than even the priciest gourmet boutique offerings. Presentation is everything with nuts. They’re cute casually packaged in mugs, but a decorative tin or box is worth it, just be sure it’s airtight and re-sealable. To make them sooner go to Dec. 2, 2021.

Watermelon Pickle: To see more watermelon recipes go to Aug.30, 2018
1 Watermelon- Green rind peeled and meat removed. White rind cut in 1 inch cubes.
1 cup cider vinegar per pound
1 cup water per pound
1 ½ cup sugar per pound
3 inches stick cinnamon per pound
4 cloves per pound
1 Tbs. sliced ginger root per pound
Cover melon cubes with salted water and soak for 2 hrs. Drain and rinse well. Boil in fresh water until half tender, about 10 min. Drain again and rinse in cool water. Weigh melon and measure the other ingredients into a pot accordingly and boil them for about ½ hr. until a syrup forms. Add drained melon rind and boil for another 10 min. or until rind is crisp-tender. Allow to cool and pack cubes with syrup, including spices, to cover, into glass jars with secure fitting lids. Store refrigerated. Keeps for a year easily.

Peach Brandy: For more peach recipes go to Aug. 16, 2018
Peaches –Alberta suggested
Sugar
Peel the peaches and place them in quart jars. Cover with sugar and allow to stand until sugar is dissolved and peaches render juice. Continue adding sugar and allowing it to dissolve until juice covers peaches. Seal jars with tight lids, wrap them in heavy paper to insulate them and keep out light. Store in a cool, dark place and after 3 months, strain off the juice to serve as a liqueur and slice the peaches as a topping or garnish. Store as any liqueur.

Mint Sauce:
4 cups fresh mint –tough stems removed
Cider vinegar to cover
Sugar or substitute such as Splenda to taste
Simmer the mint and vinegar in a pot until the leaves are cooked, about 8 min. Add sweetener to taste as the mint cooks. Do not over do. This should be sweet-sour when finished. Remove from heat, cool and process or blend until the mint is finely ground. Correct seasoning and pour into clean bottles. Let stand, uncapped until completely cool, cap and store in a dark, dry, cool place. Keeps for two years or more.
Use in salads, on cooked vegetables and to marinate or baste meat.
NOTE: I use sterilized salad dressing bottles—but only glass ones.

Apricot Chutney: Yield 3cups- Adapted from Food.Com*
2 cups apricots-pitted and roughly chopped
1 large red onion-diced
1 cup raisins
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1>2 tsp. salt-to taste
½ tsp., curry powder
¼ tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. allspice or cinnamon
1 Tbs. minced Serrano chili-optional
Place all ingredients into a large, heavy bottomed, pot. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer. Let it simmer away for about an hour until it’s nice and thick. Keep an eye on the heat and stir often so it doesn’t burn. Fill sterilized canning jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Screw on sterilized bands and lids securely. Store in a cool, dark place, refrigerate after opening.
*For more apricot recipes go to: Aug.9, 2018

Fruit Leather: Yield = I sheet or 10 servings-From – https://www.simplyrecipes.com
Home-made, with less sweeteners and the addition of optional spices, this becomes an adult treat-especially for diabetic and those on diets
Fresh fruit (apricots, peaches, plums, berries, apples, pears)*

Water

Lemon juice

Sugar, optional

Spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, optional

Rinse the fruit and remove any pits. Chop the fruit If you’re working with apples or pears, peel and core them, then chop. Taste the fruit to gage sweetness. If very sweet you won’t need to add any sugar. If still a little tart, you may need to add some.

Place the fruit in a large saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of water for every 4 cups of chopped fruit. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let cook on a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fruit is cooked through. Uncover and stir. Use a potato masher to mash up the fruit in the pan. Season with sugar and spices, if desired: Taste the fruit and determine how much sugar, lemon juice, or spices to add. If needed, add the sugar in small amounts (1 tablespoon at a time), to your desired level of sweetness. Add lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time to help brighten the flavor of the fruit. Add a pinch or two of cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices to augment the flavor, if you’d like. Continue to simmer and stir until any added sugar is completely dissolved and the fruit mash thickens, another 5 or 10 (or more) minutes.

Put the mashed fruit through a food mill or purée the fruit thoroughly in a blender or food processor until very smooth and adjust the sugar/lemon/spices, if necessary. Pour the purée onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with a sturdy, heat-proof plastic wrap (the kind that is microwave safe) or parchment to about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.

Heat the oven to 140°F.

Place the baking sheet in the oven. Try to keep any plastic wrap from touching the sides of the oven or the oven racks. Also, try to make sure the plastic wrap hasn’t folded back over on top of the purée. If this happens, the purée won’t dry out. If you have a convection setting, use it. It will speed up the drying process. Let dry in the oven for as long as it takes for the purée to form fruit leather. We usually keep it in the oven overnight, about 8 to 12 hours. The fruit leather is ready when it is no longer sticky to the touch.

When the fruit leather is ready, you can easily peel it up from the plastic wrap. To store it, roll it in its plastic wrap, put it in an airtight container, and store at room temperature for 1 month,in the refrigerator for 6 months or freezer for 1 year.
NOTE: Grapes need a slightly different treatment – See-https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_fruit_leather/

Sep 1

WALLET FRIENDLY FAVORITE FALL DINNERS

I’ve posted about easy dinners on this specific week for several years. Other seasons hint at their arrival, a few snowflakes, a leaf bud, an 80 deg. day, but while autumn waits for leaves to change, fall hits like a sledgehammer the first week of September. It’s even more traumatic in the U.S. where we celebrate Labor Day that Monday with water sports, ball playing, picnics and BBQs.

Within, literally, a few hours our lives are drastically altered. The sun shines and it’s still hot, but shorts and thongs are replaced by darker, more concealing clothes. Our days are busy with new, full schedules and our evenings with organizing activities, events and, of course homework. It’s a hectic time and dinner is a frequent casualty.

Previously, I focused on quick cooking recipes with little prep or clean-up. This year I added a new requirement-affordability. Even hamburger, that old mainstay of the quick meal, is now at a cost which makes it a questionable choice, as, in fact, is all beef. I’m offering economic alternatives wherever possible and suggest, if you have an Aldi’s near, you use it, especially for dairy, produce spices and condiments.

In addition, check my posts on Fish Salads Aug. 16, 2022, Combined Salads May 26, 2022 . For more early fall dinner recipes, click Blog on this site’s Home Page and use the waterfall menu in the right margin of all blog pages to select September of any of the past 10 years. Find Monte Cristo Sandwiches, Chicken Pizza, Stuffed Zucchini, Taco Pie, Mediterranean Fish, and Pasta a la YOU, Salad Veronique and many more. There’s even a selection of easy company meals on Sept. 18, 2019.

RECIPES
Ready in a Jiff

Tuscan Tuna and Bean Salad: Serves 4

6 oz. can solid white tuna in water- drained

16 oz. can cannellini or other white beans

2 plum tomatoes diced

2 tsp. dried basil

Ground black pepper

Salt to taste

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. powdered garlic

1 Tbs. oil

2 Tbs. Dijon or spicy mustard

Mix the last 5 ingredients well and set aside to let the flavors form a dressing. Gently toss the first 6 ingredients, then add the dressing. Allow the whole to chill for 30 min. at least to meld flavors. Serve on greens.

Tortellini all Panna: Serves 4

1½ lb. dried Tortellini or 1 lb. fresh – cheese stuffing-penne can be substituted

(1) 10.5 oz. can chicken broth, or 1 envelope bouillon and 2 cups water or just water

½ lb. cooked ham – in ½ inch dice from the Deli in (2) ¼ lbs. slices OR Turley Ham or Smoked Turkey-Ham can be cut to 5 oz. and sliced hot dogs can be substituted

(1) 10oz. box frozen peas-frozen cut green beans work too

1 Tbs. butter

1 cup heavy cream – light can be used-Skim, 1 %, 2% and Half and Half also work

Grated Parmesan

Cook the Tortellini in the broth- -8 min. for the dried, 5 min for the fresh. Meanwhile, heat the ham and peas with the butter, over medium heat in the skillet. Drain the Tortellini and add them to the skillet along with the cream. Continue cooking over low heat, gently stirring until the pasta absorbs all the cream. Serve at once, lightly sprinkled with the Parmesan.

Cheese Fondue: An authentic Swiss recipe-Serves 4
2 lbs. grated Swiss cheese – or very thinly sliced and cut in small pieces – rind removed

6 Tbs. flour

1 garlic clove cut in half

4 cups dry white wine

6 Tbs. brandy- extract, whisky or Madera can be used

Dash salt

Ground nutmeg

Ground black pepper

Toss cheese and flour to coat well. Rub the inside of the pot with the garlic. Over low heat, cook the wine until bubbles rise to the surface. Add the cheese, a few spoonfuls at a time, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted, the mixture is smooth and begins to bubble. Add the brandy, nutmeg and pepper. Reduce heat until there is just enough to keep the fondue hot, without burning the bottom. It sounds far more difficult than it is, and made at the table, everyone can watch.

Serve with a variety of dippers – – Pieces of crusty bread,( just be sure the bread has the density to hold up to the sauce, otherwise it will be soggy, or break off and stay on the pot) or cubes of cooked meat –chicken, ham, cooked hot dogs, or vegetables – cherry tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower flowerets, baby carrots, pieces of bell pepper, scallions, celery even fruits – or fruits, apple, pear, fresh pineapple or grapes and on and on and on.
Again a salad can be added, but unnecessary if vegetables are included in the dippers.

Frittata: A leftover solution – Serves 4 Can be served from the pan
4 large eggs

2 Tbs. oil

½ tsp baking soda

¼ cup milk or water, or milk + water to equal this amount

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp paprika

Ground pepper to taste

2 cups vegetables – cut to ½ inch size or thin slice *

½ tsp garlic powder optional

Optional toppings- for example ¼ cup grated cheese or tomato sauce.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, with all other ingredients except the oil and the vegetables. Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium. Pre-heat the broiler. Sauté the vegetables, or if cooked, turn them over in the oil to coat and warm. Reduce the burner heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs. Cook, gently pulling the eggs away from the sides of the pan, and tilting it to allow the uncooked portion to run into the spaces, until the eggs are fairly set, but still quiver in the center. Put the pan under the broiler, until the top begins to tan and all the eggs are cooked. Add the cheese, if using, before broiling and pass the sauce, warmed, at table. Be careful not to put the handle of the skillet in the oven, unless it is metal. Slide the frittata onto a plate to serve.
*If not using leftovers, substitute an equal amount of cooked fresh or frozen vegetables. Broccoli and green beans can be parboiled. Others, such as a zucchini and onion combination should be sliced thin and sautéed in 1 Tsp. additional oil first, then, proceed with the frittata directions.

Suggested sides: 1)Core and cut in large pieces enough fresh tomatoes to allow a cup per portion. Allow them to marinate at least 30 min. in 2 Tbs. Olive oil, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 Tbs. dried basil and salt to taste.

2)Bread, rolls or a package of muffin mix, made as directed, with perhaps ¼ cup raisins or other dried fruit incorporated. Pour the batter into a greased 9×3 inch pan, or one of equal capacity, top with 1 Tbs. sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Bake as directed, usually 15 to 18 min.

NEW New England Boiled Dinner
1 lb. to 1 1/2lb. ham in 4 slices –packaged round bone slices are fine-3/4 lb. in 4 Deli slices will do
(2) 1 lb. bags frozen French cut green beans-cut green beans can substitute
(2) 15 oz. cans small, while white potatoes- drained
(1) 10 ½ oz. can beef consommé-can use 1 envelope of bouillon granules
(1) 14 oz. can chicken broth-also use 1 envelope bouillon granules
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
Make small snips around the edges of the meat to prevent curling. Sauté in the butter until slightly browned. Remove from heat, add the potatoes and top with the beans. Pour the liquid over and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook for about 30 min. Make sure beans are very tender.

Frank, Bean and Potato Hot Pot: Serves 4

.8 hot dogs cut in 6ths to make 48 pieces
(1) 15.5 oz. can pinto or kidney beans – drained juice reserved
(1) 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes – drained juice reserved
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 Tbs. oil
1 onion thinly sliced
1 envelope bouillon powder-beef, chicken or vegetable
4 potatoes – or (2) 15 oz. cans sliced potatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook onion in oil until soft. Mix the bouillon with reserved tomato juice and bean juice combined to make 1 cup. Add to pot along with all the other ingredients except the potatoes. Ring to a boil, add more reserved juice if necessary to get a stew-like consistency. Pour into a 1 qt. casserole. Microwave the potatoes about 2 min, until just crisp. Thinly slice and arrange to completely cover the top of the casserole. Bake at 400 deg. for 40 – 45 min. until potatoes are golden. Serve hot.

Cranberry-Chicken Salad: Serves 2
1 cup bite size pieces of meat
2 Tbs. craisins
2 Tbs. chopped walnuts
¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese
At least 4 cups of Bibb, Iceberg, Romaine or other salad lettuce in bite sized pieces
½ Tbs. olive oil
@3 Tbs. Raspberry vinaigrette
Toss the greens with the oil, then layer the meat, craisins and nuts over them. Pour the vinaigrette over and top with the cheese. Present layered as made.

With a Little Advanced Prep

Poached Salmon: Serves 4
(4) 5 oz. salmon fillets- frozen is O.K.
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
1Tbs. dried dill weed
Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a skillet large enough to hold the fish fillets or do them in batches. Slide the fish into the water, lower heat and simmer about 8 min. per inch of thickness until just cooked, if still frozen add 4 min. Remove fillets with a spatula and run under cold water. If there is skin, peel it off with a knife, and place fillets on a plate to refrigerate, and firm until serving. Mix the other ingredients and chill as well, if doing ahead. To serve plate the fish and spoon sauce over, garnishing with a bit more dill or paprika. Can be served hot.

Tortilla Strata Burger: Serves 4

8 oz. hamburger- ground sausage will substitute or a mix of sausage and ground turkey

¼ tsp ground cumin

(1) 16 oz. jar garden style salsa – level of spiciness optional – you’ll use a little over half

(6) 6 inch flour tortillas

½ cup sour cream

(1) 15 ½ oz. can black beans rinsed and well drained

(1) 4oz can green chilies

2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

8oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Non stick cooking spray

Brown the beef in a skillet coated with non stick spray, allow to cool, and mix with the cumin. Spread 2 Tbs. of the salsa in the bottom of the casserole. Top with a tortilla then begin the layering with 2 Tbs. of salsa, 1/6^th of the sour cream, then 1/6^th each of the beans, beef, peppers, cilantro and cheese. Top with a tortilla and repeat the layering again starting with the salsa and ending with the cheese until all the ingredients are used, pressing down gently on each tortilla to keep the stack level. End with a tortilla.** Can be made a day ahead at this point, cover and refrigerate, then allow to warn a bit before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 min., until cheese melts and salsa bubbles.

NOTE: This dish does tend to lean a bit. One way to keep it straight is to put a bamboo skewer down through the center before baking. I once saw a friend make the skewer into a decoration by putting a cherry tomato on it before serving.

My Easy Spaghetti: Serves 4
1 ½ lb. ground beef – or sausage or turkey

(1) 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

Tbs. oil

2 small carrots, peeled and sliced thin (1/8 to 1/16 inch) or about 8 baby carrots
(1) 1 oz. box raisons

2 tsp. garlic powder – or to taste

2 tsp. dried oregano-or to taste

2 tsp. dried basil-or to taste
Dash crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp pepper and salt to taste

1 lb. thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta-or other strand pasta of choice

Grated Parmesan

In a deep pot, over medium heat, brown the meat in 1 tsp. of oil, when all pink in gone, add all the other ingredients, but the pasta, Simmer about 40 min. until the sauce reduces a bit and the carrots are very tender. Cook the pasta in a separate pot just to al dente. Drain and put in the pot with the sauce, toss briefly, THEN turn the contents out into a serving bowl. Pass the Parmesan.

NOTE: Spaghetti sauce freezes beautifully, so make ahead or extra if you wish, and freeze it in separate containers of the size your family needs for a meal, or in single servings for quick meals. Reheat in the microwave, even if frozen and add to freshly cooked pasta.