Frozen Assets

Several years ago, Woman’s World magazine did an article about my family and my methods for cooking ahead.  They included a number of recipes with the article that were developed by the Woman’s World staff.  It was recently pointed out to me that all the recipes are now online — someone evidently “borrowed” the recipes from the magazine and posted the set online.

If you’d like to see the recipes, go here:

http://forums.dealhunting.com/campfire-off-topic/28982-co-op-meals.html#post71215

(By the way, “borrowing” a complete set of recipes like this without the publisher’s permission and credit given to the source is a breach of US Copyright Laws!)

Can you imagine a relaxed Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without needing to actually cook a turkey on the big day? You’d be able to enjoy the festivities as much as your friends and family!

Believe it or not, it’s possible to roast your turkey ahead of time and store the cooked meat in the freezer to reheat and serve on the big day. If this sounds a bit too much like eating leftovers, let me assure you that by following these simple freezing and reheating instructions, you’ll have moist, delicious turkey — and not one of your guests will suspect you didn’t spend the entire holiday slaving away in the kitchen keeping watch over a hot oven.

Feel free to use your own favorite turkey recipe if you prefer, and then follow the freezing/reheating instructions at the end of this article (but I personally don’t think you’ll find a tastier turkey recipe!).

TO PREPARE TURKEY:

• 3 onions, quartered
• 6 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups white wine (or water)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 2 teaspoons sage
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 3 cups chicken broth, canned (reserve for freezing process)

In bottom of a deep roasting pan, place two quartered onions, four celery stalks, the carrots, bay leaves and white wine (or water). Remove turkey giblets, rinse bird inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. Stuff turkey loosely with remaining quartered onion and celery stalks. Brush turkey with olive oil mixed with salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Cover turkey loosely with a large sheet of foil coated lightly with olive oil, crimping foil on to edges of roasting pan. Cook according to chart below. During last 45 minutes, cut band of skin or string between legs and tail. Uncover and continue roasting until done. Baste, if desired.

Turkey Roasting Chart (loosely wrapped with foil):
12-16 pounds / 325 degrees F / 4 - 5 hours
16-20 pounds / 325 degrees F / 5 - 6 hours
20-24 pounds / 325 degrees F / 6 - 7 hours

Testing for doneness:

About 20 minutes before roasting time is completed, test bird. Flesh on thickest part of drumstick should feel soft when squeezed between fingers, drumstick should move up an down easily, and meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of leg should read 185 degrees F. (Or follow manufacturer’s instructions.)

- FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS -

DRIPPINGS: Pour liquid and drippings from roasting pan into a bowl. Remove vegetables. Allow bowl of liquid to cool in refrigerator until fat congeals on top. Scoop off fat with a spoon and pour drippings into a labeled freezer bag. Thaw to use for making gravy on serving day.

TURKEY: Allow turkey to cool in pan for 1/2 hour; then place turkey and its roasting pan into refrigerator. Allow to cool completely (several hours). When fully chilled, slice turkey as usual. Remove all meat from bones. Place breast and dark meat slices into labeled freezer bags. Pour canned chicken broth into bags over meat. Freeze.

TO SERVE: Thaw bag of meat and broth, and place into a covered baking dish for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Or place turkey and broth into a microwave-safe dish, cover with plastic wrap, and heat until hot (the time will vary with different microwaves, so check manufacturer’s instructions). Drain off broth (reserve to make more gravy, if needed). Arrange the heated turkey slices attractively on a serving platter. Serve hot.

**Excerpted and adapted from the 10-Day Holiday Meal Plan in the bestselling book, Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month (Champion Press).

~Debi

Do you have an over-abundance of tomatoes right now?  It seems like just about anyone with a garden has their tomatoes all come in at the same time. If you’re looking for a simple and delicious way to use them up before they go bad, try this tasty marinara/spaghetti sauce.

Garden Spaghetti Sauce
Makes about 4 pints

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds (15 - 18 medium-size) fresh ripe tomatoes or 4 large cans (28-oz. each) whole tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 large onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 Tbsp sugar (or honey)
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions: 

1. To peel fresh tomatoes, dip fresh tomatoes in boiling water to cover for ten seconds. Core and peel. Chop fresh or canned tomatoes.
2. Pour olive oil into large frying pan; add onions and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown (about 15 minutes). Add chopped tomtatoes and basil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes. Add sugar (or honey), salt and pepper.
3. Ladle sauce into four 1-pint canning jars or freezer containers. Be sure to leave at least 1-inch headspace to allow for liquid’s expansion during freezing. Cover tightly.  Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in freezer for up to 1 year.

~Debi

Freezer Meat Loaf
2 meals – 6 servings each

• ½ cup dry bread crumbs
• 3½ cups milk
• 1 cup minced onion
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 3 pounds ground beef

To Prepare:

1. Mix together first 7 ingredients.
2. Combine thoroughly with ground beef.
3. Divide in half. Form into two loaves.
4. Wrap with foil; label and freeze.

To Serve:

1. Thaw completely; unwrap.
2. Place in loaf pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 2½ hours, or until done.
4. Drain fat.
5. Serve sliced with brown gravy or catsup.

(This recipe can also be used to make meatballs. Cook meatballs before freezing.)

One of the easiest ways to save money on your family’s grocery bill is by purchasing foods in bulk when they go on sale. When ground meat goes on sale, rather than just stocking up to store in the freezer “as is,” many cooks find it helpful to prepare meat mixes for using later in their favorite family recipes.

By preparing this recipe for All-Purpose Ground Meat Mix, you’ll be ready to fix any number of tasty ground meat recipes without needing to brown the meat, onions and spices each time you cook. Not only will this technique save you money, it saves time too.

The following recipe is from the book Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month by Deborah Taylor-Hough (ISBN: 1891400614).

(more…)

This tasty recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen for a simple dinner on one of those “too-busy-to-cook” days we all have from time to time.

And before you ask, yes, this recipe really is cheese-free and vegetarian. 

Enjoy!

Tofu and Spinach Vegetarian Lasagna (8 servings)

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 (16-oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (8-oz) can tomato paste
• 2 additional cups water

Filling:

• 1 pound medium tofu
• 2 bunches fresh spinach (or 10-oz. package frozen spinach)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• pinch of sage
• 1 (16-oz.) package lasagna noodles, uncooked

To prepare sauce, in large saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, green pepper, onion and garlic. Heat to boiling. Turn down heat to medium-low and simmer until soft, stirring frequently. Stir in crushed bay leaves, basil, tomato sauce, tomato paste and 2 cups water. Simmer for 15 minutes.

To prepare filling, rinse fresh spinach in cold water. Cut off thick stems. Keep the water clinging to the leaves. Place in large stockpot. Heat covered over high heat, stirring frequently until spinach is soft. Drain spinach and squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.

Drain tofu slightly (don’t squeeze out excess water). Place in blender container or food processor. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape sides of container frequently. Spoon blended tofu into mixing bowl. Add spinach, oregano and basil. Mix well.

To assemble, spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 9×13-inch pan. Top with 1/3 of the uncooked noodles, then 1 more cup of sauce. Spoon the tofu mixture by dollops over top of sauce. Add a second layer of noodles, followed by 1 cup sauce, and then spooning in the remaining tofu mixture. Add a third layer of noodles, pressing down firmly all over the lasagna. Spoon the remaining sauce over noodles, making sure that the noodles are completely covered with sauce. If preparing to freeze for eating later: wrap, label and freeze.

To serve: If frozen ahead, thaw completely. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover lasagna and continue baking 15 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares to serve.

~Debi

To get you started on the road toward simple breakfasts, here’s a recipe for easy Breakfast Burritos … definitely one my family’s all-time favorite make-ahead meals. Recipe used with permission from my book Frozen Assets: How to cook for a day and eat for a month.

Breakfast Burritos

• 12 eggs, beaten
• 1 pound bulk sausage, cooked (or crumbled links)
• 1/2 cup chunky salsa (your choice of heat)
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 24 flour tortillas (you can also use whole wheat)

1. Scramble eggs in large skillet until done.
2. Stir in cooked sausage and salsa.
3. Warm tortillas in microwave 20 - 30 seconds or until warm and flexible.
4. Place 1/2 cup egg mixture into tortilla; sprinkle with cheese; roll burrito-style.
5. Freeze burritos in single layer on lightly greased cookie sheet.
6. When fully frozen, wrap burritos individually; place wrapped burritos in large zip-top freezer bags; freeze.

(makes 24 breakfast burritos)

To serve, unwrap burritos from foil or plastic wrap that you used for freezing. Wrap in a paper towel. Cook in microwave until heated through (about 2 minutes). Or thaw burritos (remove plastic wrap if used in freezing), wrap burritos in foil, and bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes.  Serve with salsa or hot sauce, if desired.

Optional Ingredients:

• 1 green pepper, finely diced
• 6 potatoes, shredded and fried until cooked through (or use hashbrowns)
• Jalapeno slices
• Small can chopped green chiles
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tomato, peeled and chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced with tops

 I’ve even taken these frozen burritos with us when we’ve gone camping. I just place the bag of frozen burritos into the ice chest, and by the time we’re ready for breakfast the first morning, the burritos are fully thawed. Then I simply reheat them in a large skillet over the campstove or fire grate.

~Debi

In many families, morning is a hectic and hurried time. Frequently parents feel fortunate just to get everyone out the door fully dressed each day. Serve a hot cooked breakfast every morning? Not a chance. Breakfast (if it’s served at all) often consists of grabbing a toaster pastry and a quick glass of juice as the family runs out the door racing headlong to work and school.

I’ve discovered that taking an hour or two on an occasional weekend to prepare breakfast items for the freezer, takes much of the insanity out of the weekday morning rush.

Waffles, Pancakes, French Toast

To prepare waffles, pancakes and French toast for freezing, cook until lightly browned. Don’t overcook. Then freeze individually in a single layer on a cookie sheet or flat pan.

When frozen solid, stack together in a freezer bag. By freezing these items separately, they won’t stick together. You can remove only the amount needed for today’s meal whether it’s one waffle or a dozen.

To reheat, just pop them (still frozen) into the toaster on the pastry setting (low) just like you would do with the boxed frozen waffles from the store. Heating in a toaster keeps them firm, rather than limp and soggy which often happens when these breakfast items are reheated in the microwave.

Muffins and Quickbreads

Make muffins and quickbreads ahead of time to serve for easy breakfasts. Just bake your favorite recipes as usual, cool completely, wrap in foil, label, and freeze.

You can also wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped muffins into large zip-top freezer bags. Muffins can be easily reheated in the microwave. Serve with fresh fruit and juice for a delicious and easy breakfast.

~Debi

Basic “Use-It-Up” Quiche Recipe
(Serves 6)

You can use almost any leftover vegetable or meat in this recipe. If you have eggs, milk, rice and cheese, you can practically clean out your fridge right into your quiche pan. I always add the cheese last when making this quiche. The cheese makes a beautiful mellow-brown crust on the top. I usually add a bit of chopped onion to my quiches for flavor, and broccoli makes an especially nice vegetable quiche.

Crust Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice, cooked (white or brown)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb any leftover vegetable, chopped (single vegetable or a mix)
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk, or light cream
• 1 cup cheese, grated (your choice: Swiss, Cheddar, Jack, etc.)
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• Dash nutmeg, or ground mace

Crust Directions:

1. Mix together cooked rice, egg and soy sauce.
2. Spread evenly to cover well- buttered quiche pan or pie plate.
3. Bake rice crust at 350 F for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven.

Filling Directions:

1. Place chopped vegetable in bottom of crust.
2. Mix together: eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over broccoli.
3. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes, or until set.
4. Remove from oven, and let sit ten minutes before slicing, if serving fresh; or wrap pie pan, label and freeze.
5. Quiche can be served cold after thawing for a yummy hot weather treat; or heat the thawed quiche at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

~Debi

A friend of mine shared this recipe for make-ahead apple pie filling that I plan on using when the apples ripen later this year. You might want to keep it in your recipe files until apple season, too!

Make-Ahead Apple Pie Filling

• 18 cups peeled apple slices

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 4 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 cup cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 10 cups water

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice; set aside. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch. cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add water; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add apples; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until the apples are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Ladle into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cool at room temperature no longer than 1-1/2 hours. Seal and freeze; store up to 12 months. Yield: 5 1/2 qts. (enough for about five 9-inch pies).

~Debi