Posts from the ‘Recipes’ Category

AUTUMN DINNERS

Fall, like spring, is a transitional season and seems fleeting because it only lasts a short time in its pure form. Few people stop to realize autumn has as many fruit and vegetable crops to offer as summer-squashes, Brussel sprouts, rabe. Kale, beets, apples, pears and grapes to mention a few.  Most of fall produce has a more pronounced taste than that of other seasons and this invites herbs and spices to compliment the flavors. 

As a result, fall dishes work with herbs and spices to create tantalizing flavors and aromas, like the popular ‘Pumpkin Pie Spice’ to give them a zing unique to this season. They’re the perfect pairing for the crisp, sunny days and bright foliage. Try some of these dinners now. You’ll be glad you did…..

RECIPES 

Stew in a Pumpkin;  Serves 6-8

3 Tbs. butter

2 lbs. beef for stew cube-OR equal amount of pork—(I prefer this option)

3 Tbs. cornstarch

2 large onions diced

3 tomatoes chopped

2 Tbs. butter

¼ tsp. EACH salt and pepper

3 cups beef stock

½ lb. prunes

½ lb. dried apricots

3 sweet potatoes sliced

(2) 10 oz. packages corn –thawed and drained

1 pumpkin, top cut off and reserved, cleaned of pulp and seeds. Melt 3 Tbs. butter in a Dutch oven. Roll the meat in the cornstarch and brown. Set aside. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a separate pan and sauté vegetables until tender. Add to meat with juices. Add all remaining ingredients except pumpkin, cover and simmer 1 hr. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ladle stew into the pumpkin; set in a roasting pan with 1 inch of water, and bake for 1 hr. Carefully transfer pumpkin from the pan to a serving dish and replace its top as a lid for garnish. Serve at once scooping out some of the pumpkin meat as you ladle out the portions.

NOTE: I save clean-up by sautéing the vegetables in the Dutch oven first and then browning the meat. It’s one less pot. Also if you have it on hand, replace one cup of stock with beer. It deepens the flavor.

Stuffed Acorn Squash*: Serves 4

2 Acorn squash-halved and seeded

½ lb. hamburger

½ cup diced carrots

½ cup diced onions

2 Tbs. raisins

Salt and pepper

Halve squash and seed. Mix other ingredients and stuff squash cavities. Bake at 375 deg. for 1 hr.

*NOTE: Squash can also be stuffed with hash, creamed ham, link sausages, vegetables or peeled, cored and quartered apples.

Microwave apples until crisp tender with 1 Tbs. sweetened cider vinegar. Cook the squash until tender. Halve the apple quarters and fill the squash cavities, optionally topping each with 1>2 tsp. chutney. Reheat in a 400 deg oven or under the broiler.

My Pork Normandy: Serves 2
4 thin loin chops, slices of loin-trimmed of fat
2 large cooking apples-peeled, cored and cut into rings
1/3-1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1-1 ½ tsp. cinnamon-sugar mix-depending on taste
3 Tbs. Madera, Apple Jack or Brandy  -optional
Place the meat in a flat bottomed pan, put a slice of apple on each and lay the remainder of the apple cut in chunks in the pan. Pour in enough juice to almost cover the meat, and sprinkle the spice mix over it.Cover with foil and bake in a 350 deg. oven for 40 min. Uncover and add liquor. Bake 5 more min. Plate and serve hot. Optionally, plate meat and fruit, add 1/3 cup sour cream to sauce and return to oven to warm through. Serve sauce around chops.

Glamorous Ham Casserole – Serves 4- 6
2 cups cooked rice – not minute

2 cups cooked ham in ½ inch dice

2 eggs – beaten

2 plum or small tomatoes in large dice

1/3 cup green bell pepper diced

¼ cup onion diced

1 ½ tsp. Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard

1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

½ cup cream sherry

½ cup light cream

½ cup bread crumbs

2Tbs melted butter

Paprika and parsley to garnish.

Combine all the ingredients except the last three in a lightly greased 2 quart casserole. Stir to mix well. Combine butter and bread crumbs, sprinkle over the top. Garnish with the paprika and parsley.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 mins. or until nicely browned and bubbly.

Game Hens with Wild Rice and Grapes:  Serves 4- 

4 Cornish Hens- o if large, 2 split
1 box Long Grain and Wild Rice
8 lightly toasted slices of white bread if you decide to split the hens into 8 servings
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs. cornstarch or flour
¼ tsp. each thyme and rosemary
1 Tbs. butter
1lb. seedless white or red grapes, stems removed
Prepare the rice according to package directions, and use it to stuff the hens. If the birds are split, cover each stuffed half with a slice of bread and invert as placed in the pan. If left whole, place the hens breast side up in the pan. Rub the butter over the game hens. Pour ¼ cup broth in the bottom and roast at 350 deg. for 1 hour, basting every 20 min. and maintaining the fluid level in the pan. Meanwhile chop the giblets and cook them in 1 cup of broth. Spread the grapes out in a microwave safe pie plate with 1 Tbs. water. When the hens are done, add the pan drippings to the remaining broth with enough water to equal 1 cup. Dissolve the four or cornstarch in the cold broth, and add to the pan with the broth and giblets. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Microwave the grapes 30 sec. before serving and plate with the hens. Serve the sauce on the side. The rest of the Romaine will make a salad to complete this meal.
NOTE: If serving stuffed, split birds, roll 4 slices of bread thin to compact them and place one under each stuffed half bird. It will keep the rice in place and prevent it sticking to the___14 pan. Serve the bid on the bread slice.

Stuffed Duck: Serves 2-4

Usually, the domestic ducks found in markets run about 4-5 lb. and can serve four, but are more often split to serve two. Because the cavity isn’t large enough to hold stuffing for more than two or three servings, any accompaniments are usually served on the side. If stuffing is desired, a fruit one is best rather than bread. I like a couple of slices of toasted raisin bread with apples, orange sections and some rind, celery, onion one egg, orange juice and thyme or sage. It’s simple, light, compliments the meat and the citrus down plays any grease. Approximate quantities are:
1 rib celery- diced
½ small onion – diced
2 apples-peeled cored and in 1 inch chunks
1 orange-meat scooped out and zest of /2 the rind
3-4 slices cinnamon-raison bread-toasted torn or cut in 1 inch pieces-amount depends on size of duck
1 egg
Orange juice to moisten
1 tsp thyme-or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl; toss well and stuff uncooked duck.
Duck is only roasted and there are two theories on doing it. Both are based on a 4-5 lb. duck, because size is pretty uniform. One is to cook the duck at 350 deg. for 2 ½ hr. remove it prick the skin again and cook at 500 deg. for 15 more minutes. The second reverses the process, starting the duck at 425 deg. for 30 min. then pricking the skin again and coking for 2 hr. at 325 deg. Both are designed to render the finished bird with a crisp skin. Several recipes even advise broiling at the end to further crisp it.

Squash Crisp: Serves 4 From Homemade Magazine- This can be a side dish, a vegan entrée or add ground beef, pork chicken  or turkey.

2 lb. butternut squash- peeled, seeded and in 1 inch cubes 

4 Tbs. butter divided

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups toasted bread cubes- stuffing mix is good

1 tsp. crushed dried rosemary

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Salt and pepper

Simmer the squash in water until tender, about 7 min., drain and toss in a 3 quart casserole dish with 1 Tbs. butter and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté onion in remaining butter until tender, about 5 min. Add bread and rosemary and cook about 2 min. more tossing to coat bread with butter. Stir in walnuts and spoon over squash. Bake in a 400 deg. oven until bread is browned. Toss before serving.

START HOLIDAY FOOD PREP NOW

I know it seems to be rushing things to advise actively preparing for the winter holidays now, but with today’s food situation, and the current prices, it’ the smart move.  It not only amortizes the time, labor and stress associated with the holiday season, but also, most importantly, nowadays, the cost. Things used to be different; one prepped for Thanksgiving first and then moved on into December, but no longer. Thanksgiving now definitely marks the gates closing on food sales and on supply for many items.

I learned this the hard way some years ago.  I set out the Monday after Thanksgiving to buy my cookie ingredients and was shocked by the rise in prices on items I had bought a week or so before, especially dairy products. Additionally, I was surprised by the absence and/or scarcity of other things, add-ins/ons like dried fruits, nuts and decorative sugar, and boxed foods, like cake and quick bread mixes. Even supplies of vegetables and fruits, canned and frozen, were thin, and cranberries non-existent. The store’s answer to my questions was that they had received their supplies in the fall and were not scheduled to restock until January.

The final blow came December 23, when I went to pick up my pre-ordered turkey. The cost was 3 times what I had paid for an identical bird in November, which was under $20.00 as compared to over $50.00. I’ve played by the new rules since and learned that, on the up side, it helps the budget by amortizing the cost of holiday food, on the down side it requires more storage space. I’ve found several dishes can be made ahead and will keep for the holidays, reducing the number of items to store and amortizing prep time. This is a huge stress saver later. 

Although, I have written posts on this subject for a decade, I still get questions about, and encounter people who are shocked by the situation. Below is a list of posts, all linked to their articles, which answer questions and advise about advance holiday food preparation. I make a point of not endorsing expenditure, but advance preparing to host a holiday or occasion will become the norm due to rising food costs, and freezer space will be increasingly imperative. A small one, even rented for an event, will soon justify the expense.

Several of the linked articles listed below explain that early October is the time to start watching for and taking advantage of sales on ingredients you’ll need over the holidays and contain sample schedules. Others offer advice on the types of dishes which can be made ahead and stored, giving proven recipes. Between the two, it’s possible to amortize time and money, and relieve a lot of holiday stress.

As to my certainty that food prices will continue to rise for the foreseeable future, there’s a footnote at the bottom of this post which summarizes the change in control of the U.S. food supply. I’m adding an illustration of our now competing with other nations for our own agricultural products.  The situation developed over 40 years and unfortunately is irreversible as it stands now. 

October 29, 2014-PREPARE AHEAD FOR THE HOLIDAYS
This post recounts the reasons why I became so interested in preparing ahead for the winter holidays. Planning is the important first step, determining the obvious items which can be bought early and stored and even foods which can be made or partially made, weeks in advance. Included are stuffing tips, and recipes for cheese spreads and fruit bread.

October 27, 2016– AMORTIZE HOLIDAYS-SAVE MONEY, TIME,STRESS=PRICELESS
Prepping ahead lessens the financial burden of the holidays by amortizing the food expenses. Time can also be ‘amortized’ by preparing dishes as early as their recipes allow or making and preserving them, mainly by freezing. Nothing is a greater relief during the hectic holidays than realizing something is ready and waiting, without having to gorge a chunk out of your busy schedule to do it, except, perhaps, knowing the cost has been defrayed. This post focuses on the importance of scheduling, both in shopping and cooking, and gives advice on how to plan.

October 5, 2017-SHOP HOLIDAY FOODS NOW

I believe that organized planning and informed shopping are key and a LIST is the most valuable tool to managing any situation involving food preparation.  Since the sales on the items you’ll need for various occasions will be appearing intermittently in the same time period, you need an over view, a master list. However, to avoid confusion the master list should be clear as to separate events. Sound difficult? Not really. To construct a working master list answer four questions, omitting any that don’t apply. Then follow the directions.

October 12, 2017-PREPARE HOLIDAY FOODS AHEAD

Advance preparation is straightforward but has 4 simple rules discussed in this post. It’s also highly rewarding but completely individual depending on each cook’s abilities, schedule and storage space.  The best way to illustrate the overall process is to share my Holiday Timeline to give a general idea and allow you to adapt it to your situation. I can tell you, I now wonder how I coped with the holidays before  I had this. 

October 19, 2017-RECIPES TO MAKE AHEAD
The next step is to look at what type of recipes lend themselves to this treatment and if they need be altered to do so. I discuss freezing methods and recommend several of my previous posts which give detailed directions on freezing different types of foods. I also include tips on how to extend the life of refrigerated dishes and include 9 recipes for dishes I always have made in advance.

October 4, 2018- AMORTIZE THE HOLIDAYS –SAVE TIME, MONEY, STRESS
Revisiting how taking advantage of the pre-Thanksgiving sales prices saves money and relieves stress with the knowledge that when it’s time to tackle a kitchen project, everything needed is at hand. Above all, it lessens the financial burden of the holidays by amortizing the food expenses. Time can also be ‘amortized’ by preparing dishes as early as their recipes allow or making and preserving them, mainly by freezing. It’s a relief during the holidays to know something is ready and waiting, with the cost defrayed

October 11, 2018– SCHEDULE FOR MAKING HOLIDAY FOOD AHEAD

Preparing food ahead for events is less stressful than cramming it into a busy day. This doesn’t actually save time it amortizes it. A dish takes a given amount of time to prepare no matter when it’s done but spending it during a free period is far less stressful than squeezing it into a busy one. Here is a schedule for the weeks prior to the winter holidays, illustrating which types of dishes can be prepared and when.

October 18, 2018- HOLIDAY RECIPES TO MAKE AHEAD
Once convinced of the convenience of having dishes prepared in advance, the next step is to look at what type of recipes lend themselves to this treatment and if they need be altered to do so. Here are 9time- tested recipes, with links to many more and tips on making, preserving them and others in their categories, plus leftover storage and serving suggestions.

October 3, 2019– PREPARE AHEAD FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Merchants always prepare months ahead for holidays, and what we don’t realize is the food industry has begun to do the same. Prices on holiday supplies, especially baking supplies and canned goods are featured at lower prices October through Thanksgiving. In December, though often showcased, items reflect regular prices. One theory is that the tactic masks a general price hike in January. In any case, NOW is the time to shop for items in these categories….. 

October 17, 2019- PREPARING HOLIDAY DISHES AHEAD
If food shopping in advance for the holidays, it’s logical to discuss dishes able to be prepped in advance too. Of course the ones with more perishable ingredients go first, but how well they store and retain their freshness matters too. I’ve been doing this for years and have worked out a general schedule, printed here, for you to use as a guide.

October 8, 2020–HOME KITCHEN HOLIDAY GIFTING 2020-A NEW LOOK
Every year I write about preparing ahead for the holidays, which includes making gifts. This year DIY gifts will have new meanings. They aren’t just personalized ‘Thank Yous’ or special ways to wish friends a happy holiday. They carry a deeper message, saying “I made this for you because I want you to know I care for and will miss you. I am truly saddened by this situation, pray next year things will be normal again and we will be together.” It’s the thought and effort that goes into making such gifts which really carries the message. The personal touch conveys more than words and fortunately, several will stand up to shipping, because, if this pandemic continues, it will curtail travel. Here are 10 items worth considering.

* Footnote: 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 were allowed to become involved in this project.  With greater funding, and prior knowledge, the company which manufactured the exfoliant, quickly developed a ‘super’ soy bean seed.

Thus, 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. Please note the greatest price changes in the above accountings.

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, poultry and dairy.

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 to understand why prices are no longer influenced by the economy of any one country. Unfortunately, the reality is that the situation can‘t, or won’t, be altered for many years, if ever. 

A more recent illustration of this reality is the rise of potato prices. The controlling corporations have opened and are expanding a market for potatoes in developing countries which traditionally relied on grain based bulk foods to feed their people. The higher cost of potatoes is the price we must pay to compete for our own produce and, as stated above, won’t be affected by our economy.

HOLIDAY FOODS TO PREP AHEAD

Preparing food ahead for the holidays doesn’t actually ‘save’ time, it amortizes it. A dish takes a given amount of time to prepare no matter when it’s done. However, nothing is a greater relief during the holidays than having something ready and waiting, without having to gorge a chunk out of your schedule to do it. Preparing dishes as early as their recipes allow or making and preserving them provides just that.

The idea of preparing ahead for the holidays appealed to me because as the nest emptied and family grew, the tasks increased 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 gave me incentive for the past several years to explore how far I can push the envelope. 

However, nothing opened my eyes like a request for help from a fellow personal chef who had contracted to cater a wedding reception for 400. The job held some real challenges; the bride had downloaded the menu and recipes; 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.  The food, hors d’ouvres plus two courses and dessert, 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.

The point is that, many dishes can be prepared ahead, but the storage is as, or perhaps even more, important than the cooking. 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 Generally, supplies bought ahead should be kept in the original package and stored at the same temperatures as in the market. Safe handling, or Safe Serve as it’s called, is a course in which all chefs need to be certified. Knowing how to freeze different foods is a requirement. For a crash course, see my posts of  January 11, 19, 25, 2012 and February 2, 2012. Most foods require some degree of refrigeration, so be sure you have adequate space before embarking on making dishes in advance. 

Advance preparation is straightforward, but has a few simple rules. One is never  re-freeze anything without re-cooking it. If adding a thawed vegetable to a dish, cook it first. 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 food or dish exists in the markets’ glass freezer cases, you can try to replicate it, and if it doesn’t there is 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. Third, Egg dishes, generally, should be cooked just before serving. Fourth, if you are open to communal contributions, be sure that you’re not going to spend the afternoon juggling things to finish them or keep them warm. Plan with your guests the way to use your space and appliances. 

The process of planning to prepare dishes in advance of an event is highly individualized. Your menu choices and personal schedule must figure in your calculations and, it’s difficult to give any specific directions other than those in the posts cited above. Perhaps the best way illustrate the process is to share my Christmas timeline, as a general blueprint, to adapt to your needs. I can tell you that now I wonder how I ever did things “seasonally” and I’m grateful that I have time to relax and enjoy the trappings and companionship. There are still plenty of last-minute tasks, but no real pressure either on my schedule my nerves, or my wallet.

As a bonus, I’m including my New Year’s buffet in this timeline to show you how easy it is to include a party in your holiday schedule. Buffets are easier to prep ahead than seated dinners; 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.

Another plus is being able to use leftovers from one event to build another. Please note that the foods for the New Year’s party, with the exception of the necessary fresh items, had been purchased well in advance, along with the other holiday supplies. So it was a breeze to arrange, with no extra strain on the schedule or wallet.

However, before I post the schedule, I want to address the frequently asked question; “How much space will I need?” The answer depends on your menu, but usually is not as much as you think and will be a changing amount as foods are cooked; cookie dough is chilled, but cookies are stored in tins. The bulk of my freezer usage is for vegetables and a turkey. Just before the holiday I add two cakes, but that’s my personal option. My calculations for years have been 8-10, adults, for Christmas and 18-20 for New Year’s and I manage with a stand up freezer and my fridge freezer compartment. More things are kept in the refrigerator than the freezer, but not large items, other than possibly a ham or other smoked entrée choice and if you live in a Northern climate that can be kept in a cold place like a garage.

Food will require the most room right before and right after the dinner, when thawing and storing leftovers are issues. Be sure to line up some stackable plastic containers for the latter. To give you firmer idea, I’m going to review the list below and mark each entry with an ‘r’ for refrigerator or an ‘f’ for free. Equate item sizes I’m serving with dishes you want and use it to form a clearer picture of your needs Again, if space is limited, in colder climates, a garage comes in handy. Ice chests can offer a temporary solution.

Another question is; “How do I plan my time to do all this ahead?” Your schedule is a prime consideration. I can tell you the type of things which can be made ahead and how far, but you must decide your own timeline according to your schedule. Perhaps you’re free weekends and can combine several tasks or maybe you need to spread them out over week nights working for short periods. The menu choices will affect this aspect of prior preparation too. Keep a balance between things that can be made well in advance and those that can’t and remember, it’s far easier to find the time to do things over a long period than to have to cram them into a brief one, especially one filled with other obligations. Obviously acquiring required items over weeks, rather than having to schedule, or “work in” special shopping trips is a time saver in itself. (See Sept. 29, 2022)

PREPERATION TIME SCHEDULE

1) Early Oct. –a) Process celery and onion mixture for the stuffing and freeze -f

     b) Bake fruit breads. See 10/29/15 post for recipe-r

2) Mid Oct. – a) The salad dressing for Christmas is ready in the fridge-r

    b) The Cumberland sauce for one hors d’ouvres is made-r

3) End Oct. – a) The sautéed croutons for the stuffing are in an airtight can-tinned

   b) The cheese spreads are made and chilling in crocks. (Extra stored in plastic

          containers)-r

4) Early Nov. –a) Nuts toasted and salted-in airtight jars

     b) Cranberry salsa made and kept well chilled-r

MID NOV—Thanksgiving preparation- task schedule similar to Christmas as detailed below

5) End Nov.-Make cookie batter-store in fridge-r

6) Early Dec. – a) Make cookies- tinned

     b) Bake cakes and freeze them-f

7) Xmas Week –a) Make any add-ins for vegetables=sautéed onions or mushrooms, toasted nuts

etc.-r

    b) Roast, thaw, prep vegetables for sides, put them in dishes in which they can

        be heated and served. Cut and soak salad greens –Refrigerate all

    c) Thaw turkey-r (date depends on size)

    d) Store everything plated and ready to serve—cookies on covered platters etc.

    e) Prepare any other hors d’ouvres and chill – r

DEC. 24th – a) Make stuffing and chill.-r

      b) Brine turkey-r

DEC. 25th – Cook bird, thaw cakes, finish vegetables, toss salad, and make gravy.

New Year’s Week-Dec. 26th –a) Strip carcass, saving enough meat for a large casserole-r

      b) Freeze the rest and the stuffing separately in 2 portion size packages for future use. -f

      c) Boil the bones and freeze broth for future use. -f

Dec. 27th -29th-a)Make turkey casserole, and a mixed vegetable one with pasta and/or grains, beans-r

      b) Refresh cheese crocks, bake ham and muffins (if needed) for dessert tray.-r

Dec. 30th– a) Shop for fresh items, seafood, salad greens, bread and cream. -r

      b) Chop and soak greens. Prep any hot hors d’ouvres. -r

      c) Have everything ready on or in serving vessels.-r

Jan.1st– Cook casseroles, heat hors d’ouvres and bread, toss salad, make Eggnog.

If you’re looking for recipe ideas, you’ll find loads in my archives, everything from leftovers to vegetables, to salads and dressings. There’s even one on muffins and rolls that may appeal. Just click Table of Contents, or view the panorama and choose posts that interest you.

So save yourself expense and stress this holiday season, by remembering what the Boy Scouts always say; ”Be prepared!” —-then you can relax and enjoy the festivities.

PROVEN RECIPE EXAMPLES

The next step is to look at what specific type of recipes lend themselves to this treatment and if they need be altered to do so.  The concept of preparing food ahead is the backbone of the Personal Chef Service business and the parent organization, the U.S.P.C.A. has been instrumental in exploring the field of home freezing. I make the distinction because there is a difference between what can be done with a domestic freezer and the commercial flash-freezing process as implied by its name. For example, neither eggplant nor boiled potatoes home freeze well, but both exist in commercial products. 

A secret to making some things last in the refrigerator for long periods is adding vinegar or alcohol, in the form of liquor, to the ingredients. If you don’t want the liquor to be noticeable, as I don’t with my Blue Cheese Spread, use vodka. On the other hand, it can be a flavoring agent as in the Cheddar Cheese Spreads below. The alcohol and flavor of the preserving wine in the fruit cakes disappears in baking and the liquor flavoring in the finished item comes from sprinkling them over weeks with bourbon or rye. Again optional if the cake is for children or to serve at breakfast. Long refrigeration dissipates alcohol in other items but its preservative effect stays. 

It’s vital to keep items tightly covered with plastic wrap, pressing out any air bubbles on the surface. This is true not only of refrigerated items made ahead, but especially of frozen ones. Air is the enemy of freezing. It’s the cause of ‘freezer burn’ which though harmless as a health threat, dries food out, robbing color, taste and texture, usually discoloring large spots.

Cooked dishes with sauces freeze better than unsauced ones. They provide a smoother surface, with fewer air pockets, for the plastic wrap to adhere, but sauces are susceptible to air damage and if they spoil, they take the whole dish with them. Never depend on just the lid of any container, cover the food surface, pressing down firmly with wrap as well.

Making sure foods are room temperature before chilling, and, preferably, chilled before freezing is also important. The smallest trace of steam left in food can form ice crystals which, like freezer burn, ruin taste and texture. Another cause of ice forming is leaving an air space between the food and the container lid. Try to choose containers that are perfect fits for the contents. If there is an empty space at the top, ice crystals will form. Make sure the plastic wrap is secure enough that no ice can touch the food. Sometimes crystals can be scraped off, as freezer burn can sometimes be cut out but there is still damage, and you don’t want that especially in a holiday meal. 

Concerning the recipes below, the cheeses are fully explained. Moving on to sides let me first say, rice, bulgur and quinoa freeze well. I like to freeze them cooked, seasoned and then add cooked vegetables or fruits as they’re re-heated for serving. The Double Baked Potatoes are great to have on hand, keep frozen for months and really dress up a roast. As a rule, starchy winter vegetables freeze well mashed but not well when done in other ways with the exception of candied sweet potatoes. The cauliflower I include to show how a sauced dish can be simply made ahead and transported to a communal meal, which is increasingly popular for Thanksgiving. 

The Hot Chicken Salad as an example of a main dish casserole that freezes for a month or more. It’s a crowd favorite and wouldn’t be out-of-place at a Super Bowl party, but the basic directions for handling are the same as for the cauliflower. Combine cooked ingredients with any sauce, freeze, thaw, then do the final baking and browning to serve, or under bake about 15 min. transport and re-heat and brown on site.

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 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, you need room in your schedule, as well as your oven’s, at the earliest the afternoon before, to bake and/or make the fillings. 

Cake is the ideal elegant dessert to be made in advance. Years ago my Yule log survived Christmas dinner almost intact, so I froze it to serve sliced with a bowl of whipped cream on New Year’s. I left it uncovered for an hour to firm up the icing, and then 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. The Fruit Cake properly wrapped is good for six months or more in the fridge (see the ‘Tips’ on leftovers at the bottom of this post.) The Yule Log is my own recipe. I devised it for a gingerbread loving, young relative because it was simpler than building a house as a Christmas treat. These inspired me to do the same with cakes, of all types, even a tiered, sponge Opera Cake. This could make birthday parties a lot easier.

More recipes like these are coming in the next weeks but if you want to try some now which can be made ahead frozen and/or transported, go to the right margin of this blog page, click ‘Select Month’ click Oct. Nov. of any year and you’ll find a relevant post. There are several for sides, salads, desserts, even salad dressings with full directions. 

RECIPES

Cheddar Cheese Spreads: These recipes offer suggestions of how to change one to suit your taste 

Number I:original recipe

(1) 8oz.bar of sharp cheese-any brand, even the supermarket’s own-yellow or white

1/3 cup of mayonnaise

1/3 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

1 Tbs. white wine- or dry sherry

Blend all the ingredients but the nuts in a food processor until smooth. Add more wine if it seems too dry or a bit more mayonnaise to smooth. Add the nuts and pulse only to combine. Put into a container, seal and. chill.

Number II— Can also be served at a dessert party with spicy cookies or crackers.

To the cheese and mayonnaise add;

¼ cup toasted walnut pieces

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 Tbs. Port

Proceed as above.

Number III

To the cheese and mayonnaise add:

2 Tbs. caraway seeds

2 Tbs. of bourbon or rye whiskey

Proceed as above.

I realize there’s a lot of concern over nuts. In fact, I’m so allergic to Brazil nuts that I can’t eat another nut from the same mix, but allergies to the major nut varieties almonds, pecans, walnuts are rare. Presented alone in a dish they should cause no problems. The recipe below has been in my family for 5 generations at least.

Salted Almonds:

1 lb. shelled, RAW almonds—these are the ones with the brown skin still on, uncooked or salted.

½ – 1 tsp. butter

Salt

Cover the almonds with water, bring to a boil and cook for about 30 sec. Turn off the heat. Ladle about half the nuts into a large strainer and run under cold water, until cool enough to handle. Squeeze each nut to pop the skin off, and put the nuts in a bowl. Discard the skins. Repeat until all the ‘blanched’ almonds are skinless. Preheat oven to 350 deg. melt butter on a cookie sheet and toss the nuts through it with a wooden spoon. Bake the nuts until they’re a golden brown, about 30 min., tossing occasionally and keeping a close watch as they begin to brown, because then they can burn very fast. Turn them out onto a paper towel- lined flat surface and sprinkle generously with salt, tossing gently with the spoon. Let cool and place in jars, but don’t seal for at least 12 hrs. Transfer them to cans or plastic bags to gift.

Double Baked Stuffed Potatoes  can be made in quantity. They keep for several days in the refrigerator, and freeze very well. Pick the best from a 5lb, or even a 10 lb. bag, bake and prepare as directed below. Place on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once firm, individually wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer in a plastic bag. To use, they only need to be microwaved, on a paper towel, for about 2 min. at half heat, or until thawed, then baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 min, or until brown on top. Do not use the Microwave for the entire process or they will be soggy!

Scrub potatoes and lightly rub with butter, margarine or oil

Bake in a 350 deg. oven for 45-60 min, until skins are crisp and potatoes yield when squeezed.

Using a scissors, cut a large oval off the top of each potato. Scoop out pulp and mash, adding butter and cream until silky. Refill potato skins mounding filling, garnish tops with paprika and parsley. Follow directions above to freeze, double bake and serve.

Cauliflower au Gratin – Trim leaves and stem from a head of fresh cauliflower. Boil upside down about 5 min. drain and invert into a buttered ovenproof casserole dish with at least 2 inch sides. Make a white sauce from 3 Tbs. butter, 3 Tbs. flour and 1 ½ cups of milk. Add ¼ tsp. salt, 1tsp. garlic powder and ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower, and garnish with, in order, 2 Tbs. more grated Parmesan, a generous sprinkle of Paprika and 1 tsp. dried Parsley. Bake at 375 deg. for 45 min. or 300 deg. for 1hr; or until top browns nicely and sauce begins to bubble.

To make white sauce:

Cook butter over medium-high heat until it foams. Off heat, quickly stir in flour and make a roux or paste. Add milk at once and stirring to remove lumps, return to heat. Keep stirring until mixture simmers reduce heat and stir until thickened, about 3 min. Add cheese and seasonings, stir to incorporate. Then follow directions above.

To freeze: Don’t bake and reserve garnish. Cool, cover as instructed and freeze for up to 3 weeks. Remove wrap and thaw, garnish and bake as directed above. To take to a communal dinner, bake 15 min. less, cool cover and transport. Finish baking and browning on site.

Hot Chicken Salad; Serves 4-6

4 chicken thighs, split breasts or equal amount of leftover turkey.

1 cup diced celery

½ small onion diced

3 Tbs. slivered toasted almonds

1 Tbs. lemon juice

(½) 4oz.can mushrooms -drained

½ tsp. salt

2/3 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise*

¼ cup grated sharp cheese

1/3 cup toasted croutons

1 Tbs. melted butter

Paprika and dried parsley for garnish

Boil chicken, skin and bone and cut into bite sized pieces (save broth for another use).  Mix in a bowl with the next 7 ingredients. Spread evenly in a flat bottomed, oven-proof dish or casserole. Toss croutons with butter and scatter over the top, sprinkle with cheese.**  Bake in a 450 deg. oven for 30 min.

*Hellman’s is recommended for this because it cooks better than other mayonnaise.

** Can be frozen at this point. Cover top with plastic wrap and seal dish in a plastic bag. Good for 4 weeks.

*** To transport bake 15 min. less, cool, cover and carry. Finish baking and browning on site.

Fruit Breads: This recipe is wonderful because by using the options, you can make it into your own.

2 boxes of quick bread mix with fruits—DO NOT buy a swirl or sweet variety.*

¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped candied fruits

¼ cup other chopped dried fruits not in either mix**Ingredients listed on boxes.

Red wine

Rye or Bourbon for wrapping

Cooking spray

Whole pecan or walnut halves and candied cherries for decoration

Colored sugar crystals.

(2) 8 or 9 inch round cake pans or 2 regular loaf pans

Remove a bit of the mix from each, about ¼ cup total, and toss with the fruits to coat and separate them so they don’t clump in the cakes. Make up the batters separately replacing half the water required with wine, and then combine them. Mix in the chopped fruits and nuts. Spray pans and divide batter between them. Decorate the tops with the nut halves, cherries and sugar. Do not press in or they will sink into the batter as it rises. Alternatively, pull out the oven shelf after about 15min. and place the fruits and nuts. The sugar can be sprinkled before baking. Cook and cool according to package directions*** in a preheated oven and on a rack. Remove from pans and invert onto plates.

When cool, sprinkle liberally with the whiskey, and wrap in plastic wrap, Refrigerate on plates. Unwrap every week to ten days and re-sprinkle with the whiskey.

*I like Cranberry and Pumpkin for the mix, but Cranberry and Date Nut is good too. It depends on the holiday and your preference.

**The best choices of dried fruits for this type of bread are apricots, dates, figs and pineapple. Just don’t duplicate a fruit already in the mix.

***Even when using the same brand there may be a variation in cooking times This may require a bit of math. Usually there will be a common ground if you overlap the time brackets. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.

*****You may want to add more colored sugar before serving

Yule Log—serves 16-18   My recipe

Using boxed Gingerbread mix, I replace half the water with applesauce, add ¼ cup oil and use 2 eggs. Beat only until well incorporated – about 2 min.

Grease the bottom only of a 19 x 11 inch jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg., and bake on the middle rack for 16 to 18 min. until it springs back when poked lightly with a finger.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Cover with a tea towel, and using a board as a brace invert the cake. Peel off the parchment and roll the long side of the cake in the towel. Resting the seam on the bottom let the cake cool completely.

Meanwhile, beat 8 oz. cream cheese with 8 oz. Cool Whip until smooth adding 2 tsp. maple flavoring -or to taste, and 1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans.

Carefully unroll the cake and fill with the cheese mixture. Re-roll. Trim ends evenly.

Cut a piece about 3 inches long from one end on an angle and position it along the “trunk” to form a branch. Secure it with a bit of frosting.

Frost the cake and add any decorations. Freeze until ready to serve. Allow to thaw 30 to 45 min.

NOTE:The Roulade cake recipe below explains how any flavor of cake mix can be baked into a log. The same filling can be used with a flavor change, other nuts and even chocolate chips.

Cake Log: *This recipe is based on but modified from one in The Cake Doctor by Ann Byrne

1 box plain cake mix

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup vegetable, seed or nut oil

4 eggs

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Parchment paper

Butter for preparing pan

Make the cake:

Butter the bottom only of a 16 ½ X 11 ½ X 1 inch jelly roll pan. Line it with the parchment, leaving a couple inches overlap on the ends, and butter the paper. Put the cake ingredients in a bowl and beat, scraping the sides, until batter is thick and combined about 3 min. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a spatula. Bake on the center rack of a preheated 350 deg. oven for 15-17 min. until it springs back when pressed with a finger. Liberally dust a clean kitchen towel and starting with the long side, carefully roll the cake away from you in the towel. Place seam side down on a flat surface to 

cool for about 20 min. Follow directions above for assembly.

NOTE: If the cake seems split in places, and it will as it’s rolled, the frosting will cover them. Garnish with sprinkled cinnamon or nuts.

Tips for serving leftover cake:

1) If you want to preserve cakes for another occasion, positioning them on the table is important. It guides people away from cutting into them willy-nilly. I often cut a slice or two from the trunk of the log to give direction or a thin slice from the round cakes. The layered cakes can simply be sliced while frozen and the slices arranged on a plate for a new presentation. The log can usually be presented in its original form, but it too can be sliced to share the plate with the other cakes.

2) The fruit bread is stored in the refrigerator not the freezer. Cut the remainder of the fruit “cakes” into interesting shapes or fingers, and present them plated with small squares of a quick muffin fruit mix, like Jiffy, baked in a loaf pan, with sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. It creates an economical, efficient and attractive presentation.