Stir until smooth.
Pour into the boiling mixture.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and discard.
Pour over the chicken and stir well.
Allow to cool completely.
Flour a flat surface.
Roll out both of the piecrusts.
Divide each crust in to two parts.
Place 1/2 of the crust into the bottom of one of the foil pans.
Fill with chicken mixture.
Cover with the remaining crust.
Pinch to seal all the way around.
Put the lids on loosely.
Wrap in freezer paper.
Freeze for up to three months.
To bake preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Unwrap each bowl and remove the lid. Place each foil pan on a cookie
sheet.
Cut a slit in the top of each to vent the steam.
Bake 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
If you have any leftover chicken from this recipe, particularly the
dark meat, use in the burrito recipe above. Even the pickiest eaters
will not mind its flavor when combined with so many delicious
seasonings.
You can also make this recipe with any leftovers you might have from
an oven-stuffer roaster chicken dinner. Use chicken or vegetable
broth or reconstitute cubes in order to get the right amount of
liquid for the pies.
FISH AND SEAFOOD DISHES
Fish and seafood are a tasty alternative to meat or poultry, and
packed with protein for very few calories. The whole family will
love these meals, or you can save them for special occasions such as
inviting dinner guests you want to impress.
SCALLOP CASSEROLE
4 C (about 2 lbs) fresh small scallops
1/4 C butter or margarine
1 medium size green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 C whole wheat breadcrumbs, dry
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 C light cream
1 C shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
6 small foil pie pans
Aluminum foil
Place the scallops in a large saucepan.
Just cover the scallops with water.
Place the saucepan over medium heat.
Bring the water to a rapid boil.
When the water reaches boiling, rapidly remove from the heat.
Drain the scallops well.
Place the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
When the butter has completely melted, add the green pepper, onion
and celery.
Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are
fork-tender.
Place the scallops in a large mixing bowl.
Add the vegetables.
Put the breadcrumbs in a small mixing bowl.
Add the salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs and mix together well.
Add the breadcrumb mixture to the scallops and vegetables.
Stir to combine well.
Place the scallop mixture into the 6 foil pie pans.
Allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, pour 1/3 C of the light cream over the scallop mixture
in each pan.
Wrap the pie pans tightly in aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to 1 month.
To cook, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Do not thaw the casseroles.
Place them wrapped on a cookie sheet.
Bake 45 minutes.
Unwrap and sprinkle each with cheese.
Continue baking for 15 minutes or until cheese has completely
melted.
You can also use Parmesan cheese. For an extra presentational
feature, you can use large scallop shells to serve this dish. Just
put them in the bottom of the foil pie pans and fill carefully.
SEAFOOD STEW
1/2 C olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
24 ounces of tomato sauce (see recipe in the
pantry
section)
1 3/4 C burgundy or other red wine
1 T parsley
2 t oregano
1/2 t thyme
1/2 basil
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 bay leaf
3/4 C water
1 1/2 lb halibut steaks, lightly grilled and then cut into 1 in
pieces
1/2 raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined
12 ounces of real crab meat such as Dungeness or peekytoe (which has
a more delicate flavor, but a little goes a long way)
Aluminum foil
Place the oil in a large soup pan over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the garlic, both types of onion and the
green pepper.
Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste to the cooked vegetables.
Slowly add the burgundy, being sure to stir well
Mix in the parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper.
Once it is all is mixed together well, pour in the water.
Add the bay leaf.
Bring the mixture to a rapid boil.
Reduce the heat to low.
Simmer uncovered for about 2 minutes.
Add the cooked halibut, shrimp and crab meat.
Cover and simmer 12 minutes. Check to make sure that everything is
cooked and tender, or continue to heat in 1-minute increments to
desired doneness. Avoid overcooking so that nothing gets rubbery.
Since you will be heating this again if you freeze it, undercook
rather than overcook. (If you are going to eat this recipe right
away, cook through and serve piping hot).
Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Line a large bowl with foil, being sure the foil extends at least 6
inches over the side of the bowl.
Pour the cooled stew into the bowl.
Fold the aluminum foil over the top of the stew, being sure to
secure it tightly so that no air from the freezer can damage it.
Freeze until firm
Remove from the bowl.
Wrap again tightly with foil.
Freeze for up to three months.
To cook, remove the foil.
Place in a large soup pan.
Add a small amount about 1-2 C water.
Cover and cook on low until thawed and heated through.
MEATLESS DISHES
For those of you who like to keep an eye on how much meat you eat,
or who observe meatless Mondays or have vegetarians in the family,
here are some meatless dishes to try.
MANICOTTI
Manicotti pasta shells, cooked
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
1/4 C olive oil
1 cup spinach or green pepper
2 C ricotta cheese
1 C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
6 T butter
6 T all-purpose flour
3 C milk
2 C shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
Freezer wrap
Cook the manicotti according to the directions on the box.
Drain and allow to cool.
Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic.
Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the spinach and stir; allow to wilt. Or, if using the peppers,
stir well, cooking for another 5 minutes or until tender.
Then add the ricotta cheese and blend well.
Remove from the heat. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 C of the Parmesan cheese.
Place the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
Cook until the butter becomes foamy-looking.
Carefully stir in the flour.
Cook 3 minutes until it begins to bubble.
Be sure to stir continuously so the flour doesn't burn.
Carefully pour in the milk.
Stir continuously until the sauce begins to thicken.
Stir in the mozzarella cheese until smooth.
Place 1/4 of the cheese sauce into the ricotta mixture and stir.
Fill each manicotti with the ricotta mixture.
Place enough cheese sauce to cover the bottom of a large glass
baking dish.
Place the shells in the cheese sauce.
Pour the rest of the cheese sauce over the top of the pasta shells.
Place in the refrigerator to cool.
Once cool, wrap with the freezer wrap and freeze for up to two
months.
When ready to cook, thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator.
Uncover and cover with the 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake the casserole for 1 hour or until completely heated through.
Serve with crusty Italian bread, a side salad, or some olives and
artichoke hearts.
If you find the manicotti noodles too fiddly to fill, try boiled
lasagna noodles cooked according to the package instructions and
then cut in quarters. Spread the mixture on one end of each noodle
by spoonfuls, using the back of a spoon, and roll up. Continue with
the rest of the recipe.
You can also use jumbo shells. Cook and allow to cool, spoon in the
mixture to fill, and arrange in the pan according to the recipe and
continue as follows to the end of the recipe.
VEGETABLE POT PIES
8 red or golden potatoes, peeled
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T parsley
1 bay leaf
2 t salt
12 ounces baby carrots, cut into eight pieces each
12 ounces fresh green peas
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
4 C vegetable stock (recipe to follow)
1 C light cream
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t celery salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 freezer piecrust, defrosted (see recipe in
Pantry
section
)
4 foil pans (5 x 1-inch) with lids
Place the water in a large pot over high heat. Add the bouillon
cubes to create the broth.
Add the potatoes, celery, onion, parsley, bay leaf and salt.
Bring to a rapid boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Cover the pot and simmer 1 hour.
Allow the mixture to cool in the broth.
Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon.
Dice into cubes.
Add the carrots, green peas and mushrooms. Cook until carrots
are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the potato chunks.
Place 1 C of broth into a small saucepan.
Using the remaining 4 cups or so of broth still in the large pot,
stir in the cream, nutmeg, celery salt and pepper and bring to a
boil.
In the small pot, combine the C of broth and the flour, stir over a
low flame until smooth and not lumpy.
Pour into the large pot carefully, avoiding splashing and any lumps
or clumps.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and
discard.
Allow to cool completely.
Flour a flat surface.
Roll out piecrust.
Divide each crust in to two parts.
Place 1/2 of the crust into the bottom a foil pan.
Fill with chicken mixture.
Cover with the remaining crust.
Pinch to seal all the way around and put the lids on top.
Wrap tightly in freezer paper.
Freeze for up to three months.
To bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Unwrap each tin and place it on a cookie sheet.
Cut a slit in the top of each crust to vent the steam.
Bake 40 minutes or until crust on top is golden brown and the
ingredients inside are heated through.
Homemade Vegetable Stock
Vegetable stock
1 to 2 onions
2 to 3 carrots
3 to 4 celery stalks
4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch parsley (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Optional vegetables depending on your style of cuisine:
leeks (especially the green parts-wash well as they can be very
sandy)
tomatoes
mushrooms
mushroom stems
parsnips
turnips
Alternative Herbs:
oregano
marjoram
Or 1 bouquet garni per 4 cups of ingredients
Recipes here: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Bouquet-Garni
Simmer all the ingredients for at least an hour. Strain into
containers or another pot using a sieve.
Discard the bay leaf and bouquet garni if you have used one.
Discard the vegetable or pulverize them in a food processor and add
them to any soup or stew you plan to make with the vegetable stock.
They might not have that much flavor but will certainly add fiber to
help you feel fuller, and body to any dish such as soup, stew or
vegetable lasagna.
