Freezer Tips

Vacation time is here. Before we pack our suitcases, most of us probably go through the refrigerator to clean out anything that could go bad before we get back home and begin cooking again. This was the case for me a few weeks ago, so in my planning for meals when we returned home, I took stock of what was in the pantry, freezer and the refrigerator. Of course, as we all know, not all food items can be frozen successfully, but a good many do just fine. When preparing food for the freezer, make sure that freezer-safe bags and containers are used. Also, when freezing liquids and food items that have liquids in them, make sure that there is at least 1/2-inch of space at the top of the container for expansion. Here's a few items that I discovered could survive the freezer very well. Blessings...

1. That one remaining glass of cranberry juice.
2. Crushed pineapple in juice tasted wonderful in our carrot salads the week we got home.
3. There was 1/4 cup of salsa left which froze beautifully in a small, air-tight freezer container. It was used in our Salsa Corn.
4. There was an onion in the vegetable crisper that I chopped up for our Southwest Tortilla Stack. The texture of an onion becomes limp during the freezing and thawing process, so use them in casseroles, soups, stews, etc.
5. I had a bit of a bean casserole leftover that I wanted to taste after freezing to see how the beans would fare. I thought they were just fine and would freeze beans in the future when I needed to.

One thing is for sure, we won't know until after something has been frozen and tasted, just how successful they freeze, or not.

A Few More Tips for the Kitchen

I love getting tips from magazines, other people, and sometimes, the school-of-hard-knocks and the wisdom that comes from mistakes I've made. These few tips are very practical and maybe will be helpful in your kitchen. Blessings...

1. Sometimes, even those of us who love to cook take the easy and fast way of opening a prepared meal from the freezer for dinner. There are some very good ones, now, from many different cuisines. When I use one, I add extra veggies such as sliced carrots, sweet red pepper, fresh onion or broccoli to an Asian meal or Italian meal. Great added nutrition.

2. Clean up is easier when measuring things like spices, powdered sugar or baking cocoa, if you do the measuring over waxed paper or the empty liners from cereal boxes that have been cut open and laid flat. The spills can be poured back into the container for later use, rather than being wiped up and thrown down the garbage disposal. 

3. Summertime is the time for lots of fresh berries. If you freeze them when in season a great deal of money can be saved over buying them at the market. Gently wash blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc. and drain them on paper toweling. Lay them on cookie sheets in a single layer and freeze them until hard. Measure one cup measurements into freezer bags for later use. Strawberries can be done for things like smoothies, and not much else, as they are very mushy when thawed.

4. To freshen the kitchen drain, pour 1/2 cup Borax into the drain and follow with 2 cups boiling water. This is also great for keeping the other drains in the house fresh, as well. Borax is amazingly cheap.

5. If your recipe calls for buttermilk and you find none in the fridge, try this substitution trick. Measure 1 teaspoon lemon juice, preferably fresh, into a 1 cup measure and add milk to make 1 cup. I've been using this trick for years with very good results.

Chicken Avocado Melts

I came across this recipe last week, after not making the dish since we lived in California six years ago. I made the recipe and was reminded how very good it is, and it goes together very easily. A double win at the end of a busy day. It definitely is not low calorie, but it is worth the splurge! I hope you will give it a try, and let me know what you think. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 chicken breast halves, boned and skinned

Combine in pie plate:
2 tbsps. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Combine in another pie plate:
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water

1/3 cup cornmeal (may need more) in another pie plate

Avocado slices, sour cream, salsa, about 1-1/2 cups Jack cheese, and cilantro

1. Pound chicken to 1/4" thickness.
2. Dredge pieces in seasoned cornstarch, dip in egg wash and then coat in cornmeal.
3. Fry pieces in oil till golden brown and place in baking pan.
4. Top each piece with avocado slices and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes until tender.
6. Top with salsa, sour cream, and fresh chopped cilantro, if desired

Tip:  I use the liner bags from cereal or cracker boxes to pound the chicken pieces between. I have found that these liners are tougher than wax paper or plastic wrap, and clean up is so much easier.

Marshmallow Fruit Dip

A few days ago my husband called me from work to ask about something I might be able to prepare for a potluck the next day. My first thought was, "Oh, dear" and then I told him I would quickly check through my recipes to see what I might be able to easily prepare and would then get back to him. I remembered a clipping I had in my recipe stash for a fruit dip that I was able to find. My goodness this was an old recipe. A coupon on the back of it was dated 2003! I am very glad I had kept it stuck away because it was wonderful and so easy to prepare. My husband said it got rave reviews, so you might want to give it a try. It would be perfect for Easter if you have a large gathering to prepare for, but it also saves very well in the refrigerator if there are leftovers. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 8-ounce package low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream
Fresh fruit ( I used strawberries)

1. Blend cream cheese and marshmallow cream together until well blended.
2. Cover and refrigerate until serving time
Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Tip: Since I had to prepare this recipe for my husbands lunch the following day, I had to wash the berries the evening before. When washing strawberries in advance of use, don't remove stems. The berries stay fresher and the stem end also serves as a "handle" for easy eating.

Rinse the berries lightly and dry on paper towels. I then placed them on my serving tray surrounding the plastic container of dip. I covered everything with plastic wrap and put away in the fridge. My husband took an old serving spoon, that if lost, was no big deal. Don't ever assume that folks know not to "double dip". If there is a spoon readily available there are no challenges. Being prepared is so important to the care of people and any needs that might come up.

Homemade Egg Substitute

One of the ingredients needed in my last recipe post was egg substitute, which can be very easily made with egg whites and instant nonfat dry milk powder. I have found that having dry milk powder in my pantry can be very helpful, especially in trying economic times. I also have to have it for my Chai recipe, which I make regularly for myself and to give as gifts.

Recipe: 
3 egg whites
2 tbsps. instant nonfat dry milk powder
1 tsp. water

Place the ingredients in a small bowl and whip with a fork until combined.

Yield: 1/2 cup or the equivalent of two whole eggs
81 calories
I have used egg substitute in many recipes with great success, and it really helps with calorie counting and weight loss.

A Few More Tips for the Kitchen

1. Over the years I have read many tips on how to peel and chop an onion without tears, and none have worked for me. One day I noticed that when I was cutting up a piece of left-over onion that had been in the refrigerator, there were no tears. So now I cut the ends off the onion and peel it and store it in a plastic bag overnight for easy chopping the next day. I only do this as I need onion for a recipe, one at a time.

2. I often use fresh parsley, and I have found a way to make the job of prepping it for use much easier. Use kitchen shears to remove the leaves from the stems and place the leaves in a lettuce spinner. Rinse under cold water and spin as you would lettuce. When it looks like you have gotten rid of most of the water, place the leaves on a long piece of paper towel, I use 2 pieces, and gently roll up. Gently, but firmly, press to get the last of the water off the leaves. I use a mini chopper, or large knife, to finely chop what I need at the moment and store the rest in a tupperware container made for this purpose. Of course, this also works for other leafy herbs.

3. My last thought is so simple as to seem ridiculous, but I actually read a cookbook author who said to throw out the pineapple juice left over from draining the canned pineapple. Don't do that! Strain the juice and add it to your orange juice container to make pineapple-orange juice for breakfast, or use it in place of the cold water needed for gelatin. I also have used it in sweet and sour dishes. It just takes a little planning ahead, if possible. Of course, you can simply drink the juice, too!
Have a great day...

Seasoned Coating Mix for Chicken

This tasty seasoning mix is very fast to put together with ingredients that are usually on the pantry shelf. The recipe makes enough for 4 small or 2-3 large chickens, so plenty if you are going to have a house full of people. I have found that chicken is usually a good choice when it comes to serving guests because very few people dislike it and it combines well with a large variety of side dishes. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups fine dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Figure 1/2 cup for a 2-1/2 to 3-pound fryer. (I have found that the average fryer is more like 3-4 pounds anymore.)

Directions for use:
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 inch jelly roll pan in a 375 degree oven. Watch carefully so butter doesn't burn. (If you prefer, simply brush the pan with 1-2 tablespoons of oil, but I think the butter gives much better flavor.) Shake chicken, a few pieces at a time, in coating mix in a plastic or paper bag until coated. Place pieces skin side down in the pan and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Turn pieces and continue cooking for another 15-30 minutes or until chicken tests done. If the chicken begins to brown too much, cover it with foil so it doesn't burn.

Tip: For lower calorie chicken, I remove the skin and as much fat as possible and still have gotten good results with this coating mix. You will have to be a little more careful when turning the chicken so the coating doesn't come off.
Tip: This mix would work well for gift giving. Put it in a pretty jar with directions for using on an attached label.

Whole Wheat Bread

There is something so wonderful about the aroma of yeast bread baking, and then to cut into the bread and enjoy it spread with butter. Oh my goodness, this is surely the meaning of comfort food. If you have never attempted a yeast bread, I would encourage you to give this one a try. Yeast breads are very forgiving. By this I mean that unlike a pie crust, which can get very tough with handling, a yeast bread loves to be "beaten up". The kneading process is great for getting rid of frustrations, if done by hand rather than in a mixer.

Recipe:

5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
2-3/4 cups water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups whole wheat flour

1. Proof the yeast. Heat the water to 115-120 degrees in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from heat and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Add 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar and stir; let set while the yeast grows. The yeast will get bubbly and grow on the sugar if the yeast is good. If it does not, you have used old yeast, the water was either too cool and the yeast was not activated, or the water was too hot and the yeast was killed.
2. While the yeast is proofing, put 4 cups of the unbleached flour, the remaining sugar and the salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. When yeast is nice and bubbly add it to the mixing bowl along with the melted butter. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
4. If you have a large stand mixer such as a Kitchenaid, you can continue with your mixer. If you do not, you will have to use the good old-fashioned way and stir with a wooded spoon. Gradually add the 3 cups of whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix on the "kneading" speed for your mixer, usually #2. Knead until all the flour is incorporated. If the dough is falling off the dough hook, continue adding the unbleached flour, a bit at a time, until the dough becomes a ball and is no longer sticking to the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer off, and check the dough by touching it. If it feels smooth and elastic, and does not feel sticky, it is ready to rise. (If you are mixing the dough with a wooden spoon, stir in the whole wheat flour and enough of the unbleached flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth and elastic, 10-12 minutes. You will be adding a little more flour as you work the flour into the bread dough by way of the kneading process.)
5. Shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 hour. (This could take longer)
6. When dough is double in size, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
7. While the dough is resting, grease two 8-1/2"x4-1/2" loaf pans. Shape the dough into two loaves and place in the pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost double, about 45 minutes.
8. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Check for browning at 25 minutes and cover with foil if the bread is already getting well browned.
9. At 35 minutes remove the loaves from the oven and check to see if they are done by "knocking" on the tops. If the loaves sound hollow they are done, if not continue to bake another 5 minutes and repeat testing. Remove the bread from the pans and cool on wire racks.

Tip: To aid the rising process, heat your oven for about 5 minutes on a very low setting. Turn off, and place the loaves in the oven. Some ovens have a proofing setting. The bread will rise much faster doing this.

A Few Easy Tips for the Kitchen

Over the years I've used many good ideas and tips from friends, my mom, magazines, and some I've simply discovered because of a need at the moment. 

1. A great way to save a little money is this idea from my friend, Jacquie, via her mother-in-law. Don't throw out the liner bags that cereals and crackers come in inside boxes. Empty out the crumbs, cut the end of the bag off and then cut the bag open. Wipe the bag off and use in the microwave in place of wax paper. The only thing that I have noticed is that moisture will accumulate on the paper, so you won't want to let your cooked item sit covered for long.

2. Something new for me last year was to use chopped garlic from a bottle. Again, this came from Jacquie. When they were packing to move across the country, and she had to clean out her pantry and refrigerator, she offered me the bottled garlic. I had never used the stuff. I am sold on the ease of going to a bottle rather than chopping my own garlic. Especially because with only my husband and I to cook for daily, I was forever throwing out bad garlic. If you haven't tried it, I would encourage you to.

3. My last tip for today concerns recipes and notes. I've found that a very helpful thing for me to do is to "star" the recipe title in the index of my cookbooks and magazines of those recipes that we favored. I use one "star" if the recipe was repeatable and two "stars" if it was wonderful. The two stared recipes are the ones that I then like to use when serving guests or to take to potlucks, etc. I also make notes if I changed anything or if I did something in the preparation that is different from the original recipe. This is a life saver if I haven't made the recipe in awhile.

Very Easy Pie Crust

The other day I posted a recipe for a quiche and failed to give the recipe for the pie crust. This recipe is made in a food processor or a bowl with a pastry blender. Either way is easy, and the crust comes out good every time. If you are afraid of making a pie crust and always buy your crusts, try this one. I think you will be pleased.
Blessings...

Pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cube cold butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons Crisco
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

1. Place the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 6 to 8 times in the food processor or mix with a pastry blender or two forks until pieces are the size of peas.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of the ice water and mix until the flour is moistened. If the dough is too crumbly, add additional water a little at a time until the dough holds together. Do not continue mixing until a ball forms, but rather place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap and gently form a ball. Now flatten the ball into a disk and wrap in the plastic wrap.
4. Refrigerate the dough until cold enough to roll.
5. When the dough is cold and firm, unwrap it and roll it out on a floured pastry cloth, turning the dough 1/4 turn until the pastry is a few inches larger than your pie plate or quiche dish. An easy way to judge this is to gently lay the dish on top of the pastry to see how much overlay you have.
You must make sure that you have enough overlay to fill the pie plate without stretching the pastry and then be able to crimp the edge.
6. When your crust is large enough, gently fold it into fourths and lay it in your pie plate with the point in the center of the plate. Now unfold the pastry and gently smooth it over the plate and up the sides. Use a knife to cut away all but about 1 inch of the crust that overhangs the plate. This remaining pastry can be re-wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a freezer bag and frozen for another use.
7. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edge of the pastry in a decorative fashion. The crust is now ready to be filled with a filling that needs to be baked.

Prebaked Pie Crust:

1. Follow all the steps as above in preparing your crust.
2. In order to prebake the pastry for a pie that is going to be filled with a cooked or chilled filling, or for a quiche, line the pastry with a piece of foil that overlaps the pan and then place pie weights on top of the foil. Place the prepared crust on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes.
3. Remove pastry from the oven. Carefully remove the pie weights and the foil and set aside.
4. Prick the crust all over with a fork and return to the oven for about 3 more minutes or until a very light golden brown. Watch carefully as the crust will burn quickly at this point.

Tips:
1. Raw beans can be used as pie weights but then can only be used for this purpose from then on. 2. Cutting a piece of foil into a circle makes the job so much easier. I then fold it into fourths and put it away in a plastic bag until the next time it is needed.
3. Because of the butter in the pastry, if it crumbles and lands on the bottom of your oven it will make a mess, hence the cookie sheet.
4. I save all my leftover pieces of pastry until I have enough for another pie crust, a pot pie or a quiche. Because of the butter, the crust does not get tough like most recipes do.

Low-Fat Chicken or Turkey Divan

This past Saturday night we had a Newcomer's Dinner in our home. This is a ministry that my husband and I really enjoy doing for the new people that are attending our church. The recipe I'm sharing here is one that I pasted on to a friend so that she could make it and bring it to our dinner. I "trimmed down" the original version of this dish when I was helping my husband lose weight last year. Everyone enjoyed my variation, I hope you do as well. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/4 lbs. chopped fresh broccoli, cooked or 2 - 10 oz. pkgs. frozen broccoli, cooked. (broccoli must be well-drained)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) low-fat condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup low-fat (lite) mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt or equivalent in mayonnaise, if the calories don't matter to you
1/8 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup low-fat shredded medium cheddar cheese

1. Arrange broccoli in a 9" x 13" baking pan; sprinkle chicken or turkey evenly over broccoli.
2. Put all remaining ingredients, except cheese, in a medium size bowl. Using a wire whisk, gently whisk until mixture is smooth and well combined.
3. Pour mixture evenly over broccoli and poultry; sprinkle with the cheese.
4. Cover casserole with foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until sauce is hot and bubbly.

Tip: When using frozen cooked broccoli, squeeze out extra moisture by wrapping in paper toweling and press gently. Extra moisture always cooks out of broccoli.

Easy Chocolates

Oh, the joy of chocolate! These chocolates would be a great hostess gift to take if you were invited to someone's home for a meal or time of fellowship. Hostess gifts are a wonderful way of saying, "thank you for inviting us into your home". When we offer a little gift to the hostess for her thoughtfulness we are acknowledging all of her hard work and time in preparing for us. It is a very thoughtful thing to do. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon almond extract, or other flavor of your choice

dash of salt

1/3 cup finely diced maraschino cherries

finely ground pecans to roll chocolates in, about 1 cup.

1. Place chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave safe bowl; microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir to combine and microwave for another 30 to 60 seconds, or until melted. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to burn chocolate.

2. Add extract, salt and cherries and stir well. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until mixture is firm enough to roll into balls.

3. Form mixture in 1" balls and roll in pecans. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: You don't have to use cherries. If you choose to add extract only, you may want to roll the chocolate in coconut, or chocolate sprinkles, or something else.

Tip: Please don't refrigerate chocolate unless it is made with a dairy product such as cream cheese or whipping cream. The flavor of chocolate is greatly diminished by being chilled.

Quick Hamburger Soup

I have seen many variations of this soup, in fact, my mom has made her version for as long as I can remember. I love my version because it is very fast and easy to make on the busiest of days. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 lb. 4% ground beef

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 envelope dry onion soup mix (from a 2 oz. package)

7 cups water

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 cup thinly sliced celery

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup elbow macaroni

1. Brown meat in a large soup pot.

2. Add spices, soup mix, water, tomato sauce and soy sauce.

3. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

4. Add celery and frozen vegetables. Bring soup back to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for another 15 minutes or until veggies are fork tender.

5. Add elbow macaroni and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until macaroni is tender but firm. Do not overcook as macaroni will fall a part.

Yield: 10-1/2 cups
132 calories per cup.

Tip: When using dried herbs, if you will rub them between your fingers as you add them to the pot, the flavor is released and makes a much better tasting dish.

Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

A "quick" bread is so nice to bake because of the ease and simplicity of not needing yeast. This one is great for breakfast with fruit and tea, and the extra loaf freezes beautifully for future needs. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2-1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 cups low-fat buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

2. In a small bowl, combine oil and 1-1/2 cups of the sugar.

3. Add buttermilk and eggs to the oil and sugar mixture; mix well.

4. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

5. Fill two greased 8" x 4" loaf pans about one-third full.

6. Combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle half over the batter.

7. Top with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar.

8. Swirl batter with a knife and sprinkle 1 tablespoon nuts over each loaf.

9. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

10. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Tip: For ease in removing the bread from the pans, run a bread and butter knife around the perimeter of the pan to loosen, then using a spatula, lift the bread up from the bottom of the pan. Carefully turn the bread out onto the rack to cool completely. Place unused loaf in a freezer bag for storage in the freezer.