Make up a lot of chicken and then make it into 3 different recipes that save money and time.
The basic chicken recipe
1 bag 2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup water
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
This is all about using your resources to good advantage and about saving time. So we are starting with a budget bag of chicken thighs. From that we will make three meals.
Thaw the chicken and put into a stew pan. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the chicken is done and a bit tendar. 20 to 30 minutes Allow to cool.
Dice chicken to make 3 cups. Freeze one cup is for the Paella, and freeze the other two cups are for the Chicken Pot Pie.
Shred the rest of the chicken back into the broth. Freeze with the broth. Note: This set of recipes work well with leftover turkey .
Freezer Paella
1 cup frozen cooked Chicken
1 box saffron Rice
Water as specified on package
1 cup frozen Shrimp
1 cup frozen Peas
2 tablespoons Butter
In a large skillet, combine the rice and water as specified on the package. When it starts to simmer add frozen items and butter. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is done, stir every few minutes. Keep the lid on the pan in between stirring. Serve with a salad or fruit.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
½ can of milk or water
1 can mixed peas and carrots
1 tablespoon sage
1 ½ cup cubed cooked chicken
1 Pie Crust or biscuits
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix soup, vegetables and chicken in 9" pie plate. Top with Crust. Freeze. Thaw before cooking. Bake 30 min. or until golden. Serve with a tossed green salad. For dessert serve pineapple tidbits
Shredded Chicken Sandwich
Okay this is the easiest of the three recipes. Thaw Chicken. Heat and serve on buns. This is a great rush night recipe. I generally have at least three to four sandwiches from the shredded chicken.
You can add stuff to it to give it different flavors, ½ cup of BBQ Sauce. You can also thaw drain and add the meat to a salad. This is also a great soup starter, add canned veggies more broth, serve with buttered bread or biscuits and you have really quick supper.
Freezing Tips
Freezer bags, rigid containers, glass dishes, ceramic dishes, foil pans. They all work fine. Just be sure that you are using containers suitable for the freezer. Remove as much air from them as possible before you put them into the freezer.
Label everything! It’s a Murphy’s Law thing. All food looks the same once it’s frozen. I once thawed a crumb cake instead of a meat loaf. It was still a good supper but from then on I used labels.
I’m a last minute person who likes to thaw everything at 5:30 in the microwave hence I use freezer bags almost exclusively. Other cooks like to plan out their meals ahead of time and freeze in their serving dishes. These highly organized people usually have 2-3 entrees thawing in the refrigerator at the same time.
If you choose freezer bags, don’t skimp. Use FREEZER bags! Double bag everything to help prevent freezer burn. Especially double bag your meats that you have added marinade. One little puncture and you’ll have marinade all over the place.
A trick for freezer bags is to freeze them in thin, flat layers. You don’t want a jigsaw puzzle in your freezer.
If you choose rigid containers, use good quality freezer containers. Your serving dishes work fine as long as you slide them into a 2-gallon freezer bag. Try to remove as much air as possible.
If you don’t have enough serving dishes to freeze your casseroles combined, you can freeze the components of the casserole individually and combine the ingredients just before baking. Like I did with the chicken paella in class. This is sometimes called bundling. I had all the food for the paella in separate bags, then I put all the ingredients into a larger bag. That way all of my recipe is ready to cook.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Easy Peasy Picnics
Honey Orange Chicken Legs
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 chicken legs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup honey
Combine breadcrumbs, orange rind, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in orange juice and roll in crumb mixture. Place in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients; heat until butter is melted. Pour over chicken and bake an additional 25 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
Stuffed Sandwiches
1 ½ lb of Hamburger
1 medium chopped Onion
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 cup cheese sauce
6 to 8 Buns (make sure they are not cut)
Crumble Hamburger into a skillet and cook until it is done, making the pieces small. Take hamburger out of the skillet, drain excess grease. Add olive oil and sauté Onion until golden brown. Add hamburger back into the skillet. Add the cheese sauce. Heat through. Pull the center of the buns out to make room for the filling. Stuff with the meat mixture. These may be served hot immediately or cold later.
The Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake
1 quart fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1 (14 ounce) angel food cake, cut into cubes (I buy the cake already made)
Wash, stem, and cut strawberries in half. Add sugar; toss to mix well. Chill. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar well. Fold in whipped topping and cake cubes. Spread cake into an ungreased 13x9 dish. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Cut cake into squares; top with strawberries. To take this on a picnic, freeze the cake and add the strawberries as you leave. You can make it less messy by freezing them in individual servings.
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 chicken legs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup honey
Combine breadcrumbs, orange rind, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in orange juice and roll in crumb mixture. Place in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients; heat until butter is melted. Pour over chicken and bake an additional 25 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
Stuffed Sandwiches
1 ½ lb of Hamburger
1 medium chopped Onion
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 cup cheese sauce
6 to 8 Buns (make sure they are not cut)
Crumble Hamburger into a skillet and cook until it is done, making the pieces small. Take hamburger out of the skillet, drain excess grease. Add olive oil and sauté Onion until golden brown. Add hamburger back into the skillet. Add the cheese sauce. Heat through. Pull the center of the buns out to make room for the filling. Stuff with the meat mixture. These may be served hot immediately or cold later.
The Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake
1 quart fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1 (14 ounce) angel food cake, cut into cubes (I buy the cake already made)
Wash, stem, and cut strawberries in half. Add sugar; toss to mix well. Chill. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar well. Fold in whipped topping and cake cubes. Spread cake into an ungreased 13x9 dish. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Cut cake into squares; top with strawberries. To take this on a picnic, freeze the cake and add the strawberries as you leave. You can make it less messy by freezing them in individual servings.
Make Ahead Cooking
Chicken Tettrazinni
This is a make a head recipe. It’s easy to prepare and you can freeze it and bake it later. This set of recipes was featured on Paula Sands Live.
1 lb box of spaghetti
4 skinned and boned chicken breast
2 cans cream of chicken soup
½ cup mayo
1 ½ cup shredded Cheddar
Boil and cube the chicken. Set aside. Cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Place the spaghetti in a 9 x 13 pan or two 8x8 pans. Set aside.
Combine the chicken, soup and mayo. Spread over the spaghetti. Top with cheese. If you are making it for a later date, freeze the tetrazzini. Thaw before baking. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
I make two batches of this at one time. One to eat for supper and one to freeze for later. This is a great dish to make for church or potluck suppers.
Pantry Notes for those who want to use what they have on hand:
Any type of pasta will work, as will rice. For the meat you can also use 3 cups of leftover turkey meat, or 3 cups of canned chicken meat. I even did this recipe with canned tuna once. The cream of chicken soup taste the best, but any cream soup will work. For the cheese you can also use Mozzarella Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese. If you have odds and ends of cheese in the fridge, grate it all and use for topping. A vegetarian version of this dish would use in place of the meat, 1 ½ cups mushrooms and 1 1/2 cups asparagus.
Fajita Bake
1 pound ground beef
1 Fajitas seasoning mix
1 can Chili Ready Diced Tomatoes
1 can Mexican style corn
1 jar Cheese sauce
2 boxes corn bread mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup of milk
2 tablespoon sage
1 can creamed corn
Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease 9 x 13 inch rectangular pan.
Make corn bread mixture first. Mix the muffin mixes with the egg, the milk, the sage and the creamed corn. Batter will look a bit lumpy. Set aside.
Cook meat until done. Drain off excess fat. Add Fajitas seasoning mix. Stir well to mix. Drain the Mexican Corn and the Tomatoes and add to the meat mixture Spoon into pan and top with cheese sauce. Pour the corn bread over the top.
You can cover with foil and refrigerate over night or freeze. If frozen thaw. Remove foil. Bake 25 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before cutting or the corn bread will tear a little. You can serve as it or with sour cream and salsa.
Raspberry Pears
Quick Easy and only 2 ingredients, what more can you ask for.
1 package (12 oz) frozen, unsweetened red raspberries.
2 large cans of pears, drained
Thaw and mash the red raspberries so they have a lot of liquid. Drain the pears and put into a large bowl.
Pour the raspberries over the pears and fold gently so that the pears are covered. Cover and set into refrigerator until you need them. Spoon into individual cups and serve. You can add a dollop of whipped cream to make it extra fancy.
This is a make a head recipe. It’s easy to prepare and you can freeze it and bake it later. This set of recipes was featured on Paula Sands Live.
1 lb box of spaghetti
4 skinned and boned chicken breast
2 cans cream of chicken soup
½ cup mayo
1 ½ cup shredded Cheddar
Boil and cube the chicken. Set aside. Cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Place the spaghetti in a 9 x 13 pan or two 8x8 pans. Set aside.
Combine the chicken, soup and mayo. Spread over the spaghetti. Top with cheese. If you are making it for a later date, freeze the tetrazzini. Thaw before baking. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
I make two batches of this at one time. One to eat for supper and one to freeze for later. This is a great dish to make for church or potluck suppers.
Pantry Notes for those who want to use what they have on hand:
Any type of pasta will work, as will rice. For the meat you can also use 3 cups of leftover turkey meat, or 3 cups of canned chicken meat. I even did this recipe with canned tuna once. The cream of chicken soup taste the best, but any cream soup will work. For the cheese you can also use Mozzarella Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese. If you have odds and ends of cheese in the fridge, grate it all and use for topping. A vegetarian version of this dish would use in place of the meat, 1 ½ cups mushrooms and 1 1/2 cups asparagus.
Fajita Bake
1 pound ground beef
1 Fajitas seasoning mix
1 can Chili Ready Diced Tomatoes
1 can Mexican style corn
1 jar Cheese sauce
2 boxes corn bread mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup of milk
2 tablespoon sage
1 can creamed corn
Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease 9 x 13 inch rectangular pan.
Make corn bread mixture first. Mix the muffin mixes with the egg, the milk, the sage and the creamed corn. Batter will look a bit lumpy. Set aside.
Cook meat until done. Drain off excess fat. Add Fajitas seasoning mix. Stir well to mix. Drain the Mexican Corn and the Tomatoes and add to the meat mixture Spoon into pan and top with cheese sauce. Pour the corn bread over the top.
You can cover with foil and refrigerate over night or freeze. If frozen thaw. Remove foil. Bake 25 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before cutting or the corn bread will tear a little. You can serve as it or with sour cream and salsa.
Raspberry Pears
Quick Easy and only 2 ingredients, what more can you ask for.
1 package (12 oz) frozen, unsweetened red raspberries.
2 large cans of pears, drained
Thaw and mash the red raspberries so they have a lot of liquid. Drain the pears and put into a large bowl.
Pour the raspberries over the pears and fold gently so that the pears are covered. Cover and set into refrigerator until you need them. Spoon into individual cups and serve. You can add a dollop of whipped cream to make it extra fancy.
Celtic Cooking Class
Feather Fowlie
3 hind quarters of chicken
1 smoked pork chop
2 ribs of celery
¼ cup fresh thyme
½ cup fresh parsley
3 egg yolks
½ cup cream or evaporated milk
10 cups Water or chicken broth
Cover meat & celery with water or broth. Add herbs. Cook for 1½ hours on medium heat. Strain the stock into new saucepan. Discard the celery. Remove any bones or skin from chicken and chop fine. Beat the egg yolks with the cream, and add slowly to the warm broth. Reheat without boiling. You can do the broth the night before and finish the soup the day you will eat it.
Cheese and Chive Scones
1 cup self-raising flour
pinch of salt
½ cup butter, diced
½ cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
½ cup fresh milk and extra for brushing
Put the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and the chives. Add the milk and mix to form a soft dough, then knead quickly until smooth. Roll out on a floured work surface until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 10 rounds or triangles with a 2 inch plain cutter and brush the tops with milk. Transfer to baking sheets. Bake at 450° F for 7 - 10 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Serve hot or cold.
Tipsy Parson
This dessert is actually a Trifle which comes from the old French term "trufle," and literally means something whimsical or of little consequence. An original trifle was made with real egg custard poured over sponge cake soaked in fruit and sherry and topped with whipped cream. This cake is also called Tipsy Pudding, Tipsy Squire, and Tipsy Hedgehog. A Scottish version known as Typsy Laird adds in brandy and is served at Burns Night Suppers or New Years. Typsy Cakes got their name with the notion that the alcoholic ingredients would make the eater slightly drunk. Though in reality there is little alcohol in the trifle and the typsy or tipsy effect is due to the drams drunk during toasts or through an evenings entertainment.
1 cup berries, thawed if frozen and drained2 tablespoon sugar
4 to 5 cups stale pound cake cut into 1 inch cubes - Generally one Sarah Lee Frozen Cake
3 tablespoon sweet sherry (optional)
1 box of Flan (5.5 ounce package)
4 cups milk
1 container Cool Whip
Almonds for Garnish
Make this dessert in decorative cut-glass or crystal bowl, or individual sherbet glasses. Combine fruit and 2 tablespoons sugar in bowl; set aside. Toss cake cubes and sherry in separate bowl; set aside. Make pudding as directed on package. Fold in cool whip.
Layer cake squares, fruit, and custard in serving bowl or individual dishes. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Decorate with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Makes 6 servings.
NOTE: Any fruit can be substituted for berries. Drain canned fruit; sweeten fresh fruits to taste. If you do not want to use sherry a fruit syrup will do. I used 2 Sarah Lee Pound cakes for the class. Cheaper alternative is to bake a yellow cake. If you do not want to use the sherry, toss the cake with juice from the berries.
3 hind quarters of chicken
1 smoked pork chop
2 ribs of celery
¼ cup fresh thyme
½ cup fresh parsley
3 egg yolks
½ cup cream or evaporated milk
10 cups Water or chicken broth
Cover meat & celery with water or broth. Add herbs. Cook for 1½ hours on medium heat. Strain the stock into new saucepan. Discard the celery. Remove any bones or skin from chicken and chop fine. Beat the egg yolks with the cream, and add slowly to the warm broth. Reheat without boiling. You can do the broth the night before and finish the soup the day you will eat it.
Cheese and Chive Scones
1 cup self-raising flour
pinch of salt
½ cup butter, diced
½ cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
½ cup fresh milk and extra for brushing
Put the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and the chives. Add the milk and mix to form a soft dough, then knead quickly until smooth. Roll out on a floured work surface until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 10 rounds or triangles with a 2 inch plain cutter and brush the tops with milk. Transfer to baking sheets. Bake at 450° F for 7 - 10 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Serve hot or cold.
Tipsy Parson
This dessert is actually a Trifle which comes from the old French term "trufle," and literally means something whimsical or of little consequence. An original trifle was made with real egg custard poured over sponge cake soaked in fruit and sherry and topped with whipped cream. This cake is also called Tipsy Pudding, Tipsy Squire, and Tipsy Hedgehog. A Scottish version known as Typsy Laird adds in brandy and is served at Burns Night Suppers or New Years. Typsy Cakes got their name with the notion that the alcoholic ingredients would make the eater slightly drunk. Though in reality there is little alcohol in the trifle and the typsy or tipsy effect is due to the drams drunk during toasts or through an evenings entertainment.
1 cup berries, thawed if frozen and drained2 tablespoon sugar
4 to 5 cups stale pound cake cut into 1 inch cubes - Generally one Sarah Lee Frozen Cake
3 tablespoon sweet sherry (optional)
1 box of Flan (5.5 ounce package)
4 cups milk
1 container Cool Whip
Almonds for Garnish
Make this dessert in decorative cut-glass or crystal bowl, or individual sherbet glasses. Combine fruit and 2 tablespoons sugar in bowl; set aside. Toss cake cubes and sherry in separate bowl; set aside. Make pudding as directed on package. Fold in cool whip.
Layer cake squares, fruit, and custard in serving bowl or individual dishes. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Decorate with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Makes 6 servings.
NOTE: Any fruit can be substituted for berries. Drain canned fruit; sweeten fresh fruits to taste. If you do not want to use sherry a fruit syrup will do. I used 2 Sarah Lee Pound cakes for the class. Cheaper alternative is to bake a yellow cake. If you do not want to use the sherry, toss the cake with juice from the berries.
Crock Pot Cooking
Pantry Bean Soup
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ lbs pork
2 cups of broth
2 cups of water
2 cans of beans
herbs
pepper
This is a pantry recipe. So how your soup turns out depends on what you have on hand to put into it.
Onion. I like to use fresh. If you have chopped onion in the freezer use ½ cup to 2/3 cup of prechopped.
Pork. I use smoked sausage, ham hocks, smoked pork neck bones, ham bones, kilbossa sausage, or any other type of left over pork that you have.
Broth. Chicken or Beef broth will do.
Water. I use tap water. If you have enough to do four cups of broth you can eliminate the water.
Beans. Again this is your call. I have used gabanzo beans, black beans, northern white beans, red kidney beans, lima beans.
Herbs. Use 1 tablespoon fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried herbs. I recommend basil, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, combination mixes use as creole mixture or old bay. In short use the herbs you like. Use one or two herbs. I use 1 teaspoon sage and rosemary most of the time. Pepper to taste.
Put the onion, pork and broth into the crockpot and cook on low for about 6 hours, or high for about 4 hours. Add the beans and herbs. Simmer on low for about 2 hours. Serve with bread and butter.
Chicken Cacciatore served over Spaghetti
1 onion, sliced
3 lbs of Chicken pieces
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves also minced
1 (15 oz) can of Spaghetti sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes with Italian Herbs
2 teaspoons basil pesto
Place onions in bottom of the crock pot. Lay chicken over onions. Drizzle chicken with olive oil. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover. Cook on low for 6 to 6 ½ hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti.
TIPS: If you don’t have pesto, use 1 teaspoon each of basil and oregano. If you need to cook it faster, do 3 hours on high. Original recipe called for 3 lbs of chicken legs, but I use whatever I have in the freezer.
Apple Pie Bread Pudding
8 slices cinnamon bread
1/4 c. melted butter
3 eggs
1 can of evaporated milk
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 can of Apple Pie Filling
Place bread cubes in a well greased crock pot. In a bowl mix sugar, melted butter, well beaten eggs and milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in cinnamon. Pour over cubes and mix lightly. Cook on high for 1 hour. Top with Apple Pie Filling. Turn to low for 2 to 3 hours or bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
TIPS: You can use any type of Pie Filling. If you don’t have cinnamon bread, 8 slices of white bread will do. You can use 2 cups of regular milk instead of the evaporated milk.
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ lbs pork
2 cups of broth
2 cups of water
2 cans of beans
herbs
pepper
This is a pantry recipe. So how your soup turns out depends on what you have on hand to put into it.
Onion. I like to use fresh. If you have chopped onion in the freezer use ½ cup to 2/3 cup of prechopped.
Pork. I use smoked sausage, ham hocks, smoked pork neck bones, ham bones, kilbossa sausage, or any other type of left over pork that you have.
Broth. Chicken or Beef broth will do.
Water. I use tap water. If you have enough to do four cups of broth you can eliminate the water.
Beans. Again this is your call. I have used gabanzo beans, black beans, northern white beans, red kidney beans, lima beans.
Herbs. Use 1 tablespoon fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried herbs. I recommend basil, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, combination mixes use as creole mixture or old bay. In short use the herbs you like. Use one or two herbs. I use 1 teaspoon sage and rosemary most of the time. Pepper to taste.
Put the onion, pork and broth into the crockpot and cook on low for about 6 hours, or high for about 4 hours. Add the beans and herbs. Simmer on low for about 2 hours. Serve with bread and butter.
Chicken Cacciatore served over Spaghetti
1 onion, sliced
3 lbs of Chicken pieces
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves also minced
1 (15 oz) can of Spaghetti sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes with Italian Herbs
2 teaspoons basil pesto
Place onions in bottom of the crock pot. Lay chicken over onions. Drizzle chicken with olive oil. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover. Cook on low for 6 to 6 ½ hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti.
TIPS: If you don’t have pesto, use 1 teaspoon each of basil and oregano. If you need to cook it faster, do 3 hours on high. Original recipe called for 3 lbs of chicken legs, but I use whatever I have in the freezer.
Apple Pie Bread Pudding
8 slices cinnamon bread
1/4 c. melted butter
3 eggs
1 can of evaporated milk
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 can of Apple Pie Filling
Place bread cubes in a well greased crock pot. In a bowl mix sugar, melted butter, well beaten eggs and milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in cinnamon. Pour over cubes and mix lightly. Cook on high for 1 hour. Top with Apple Pie Filling. Turn to low for 2 to 3 hours or bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
TIPS: You can use any type of Pie Filling. If you don’t have cinnamon bread, 8 slices of white bread will do. You can use 2 cups of regular milk instead of the evaporated milk.
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