  When you are preparing a main dish it often takes little more effort and time to make enough for several meals. You can freeze it all in meal-size packages, or serve part of it the same day and freeze the rest. The following recipes yield enough for 16 to 25 portions of the size indicated. For these larger-than-usual quantities you may need to check the size of your cooking utensils. As a guide to the size of utensil needed, multiply the number of portions by the size of portion to find out the total quantity of food that the recipe makes. Recipes include directions both for serving the food immediately and for reheating the frozen food for serving. POULTRY COMBINATION DISHESCreamed chicken and chicken a la king are two favorites for freezing. Recipes are also given here for chicken and turkey in appetizing casserole dishes that freeze well. If chicken broth is not available, you can substitute 1 cup canned chicken bouillon or 1 chicken bouillon cube and 1 cup hot water for each cup of chicken broth called for in a recipe. Creamed chicken16 portions, ¾ cup each
Melt the fat and blend in the flour and salt. Add broth and milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add the chicken and heat to blend flavors. To serve immediately. Heat the mixture thoroughly and serve on rice, toast, or biscuits. To freeze. Cool the food quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). (Pint containers are preferable to larger ones because large blocks of creamed chicken are difficult to thaw.) Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Without thawing, heat frozen creamed chicken in the top of a double boiler, about 30 minutes for 1 pint. Menu suggestion. Serve with snap beans and shredded carrot and raisin salad. Have fruit sherbet and crisp cookies for dessert. Chicken a la king16 portions, ¾ cup each.
Melt the fat and cook green pepper and mushrooms in it about 5 minutes. Blend in the flour and salt, then add broth and milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add pimiento and chicken. Blend well. To serve immediately. Heat the mixture thoroughly and serve on biscuits, hot, buttered toast, or in timbales. To freeze. Cool the food quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). (Pint containers are preferable to larger ones because large blocks of chicken a la king are difficult to thaw.) Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Without thawing, heat frozen chicken a la king in the top of a double boiler, about 30 minutes for 1 pint. Menu suggestion. Serve with asparagus and stuffed tomato salad, and upside-down cake. Turkey-macaroni casserole25 portions, ¾ cup each
Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water 15 minutes or until almost tender; drain and rinse with water. Combine the melted butter or margarine with the flour, stir in the milk, and cook until thick. Add seasonings, cheese, pimiento, macaroni, and turkey. To serve immediately. Place enough for one meal in a greased casserole and top with grated cheese if desired. Bake uncovered at 350° F. (moderate oven) for 30 to 40 minutes. To freeze. Cool the food quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Bake uncovered at 400° F. (hot oven) until food is heated through, about 45 minutes for pints, 1 hour for quarts. A topping of grated cheese may be added to this dish the last 5 minutes of heating. Menu suggestion. Serve with broiled tomato halves and julienne snap beans. Steamed cranberry pudding would make a good dessert for this meal. MEAT STEWS AND MEAT PIESAlmost any type of meat stew, ragout, or goulash—beef, lamb, pork, or veal—can be frozen. Most vegetables in these combination dishes freeze well. Frozen potatoes may not be of the same quality as fresh-cooked potatoes, but they are acceptable if the stew or meat pie is not stored for more than 6 months. Add a rich, flaky biscuit or pastry topping to a good meat and vegetable stew and you have a delicious meat pie, a family treat that freezes well. The biscuit or pastry topping may be added before freezing or made fresh and added to the pie when reheating for serving. It is best to freeze meat pies and turnovers unbaked. Lamb or beef pie24 portions, 2½ by 2¾ inches
Brown the meat in its own fat. Add the water and one-half of the salt. Simmer until meat is tender. Add celery, potatoes, onions, peas, and remaining salt and cook until vegetables are almost tender. Drain the broth from the meat and vegetables. Add water to the broth if needed to make 3½ cups. Add ½ cup cold water to the flour and stir until smooth. Slowly add the flour mixture Combine the thickened broth with the meat and vegetables. To serve immediately. Pour stew for one meal into a greased baking dish. Top with a pastry crust. Bake at 400° F. (hot oven) for 30 minutes. To freeze. Cool meat mixture quickly. Place in ovenproof baking dish and top with pastry. Wrap in freezer packaging material. Or package stew in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). Seal and freeze. To prepare for serving. Bake meat pies frozen with pastry topping at 400° F. (hot oven) about 4-5 minutes for pints, 1 hour for quarts, or until stew is piping hot and crust is golden brown. If stew is frozen without pastry topping, transfer it to a greased baking dish and place in hot oven. After stew is almost heated through (about 30 minutes), top with pastry crust. Bake until crust is golden brown. Menu suggestion. Your favorite fruit salad will add zest to the meal. For dessert try chocolate fudge cake or pistachio ice cream with chocolate sauce. Pastry topping for lamb or beef pie
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening until the mixture is granular. Add water and mix lightly with a fork. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or pastry cloth, roll to about ? inch in thickness, and cut to fit the baking dish or freezer container. Ham turnovers25 portions, 1 turnover each
Combine ham, onion, tomato sauce, parsley, pepper, mustard, and horseradish. Make pastry as follows: Sift flour and salt together. Cut in shortening until the mixture is granular. Add water a little at a time and mix lightly with a fork. Roll out dough on a lightly floured board to ?-inch thickness. Cut into rounds or squares about 5 inches across. Place about 2½ tablespoons of ham mixture on each piece of pastry. Fold pastry over from center, forming a half-moon or triangle. Crimp edges of pastry together with a fork. To serve immediately. Bake at 400° F. (hot oven) for 25 minutes. Serve peas or celery in cream sauce over the turnovers. To freeze. Wrap unbaked turnovers individually in the freezer packaging material and pack in cardboard cartons. Or pack in layers in moisture-proof freezer containers, separating the layers with two sheets of cellophane or other moisture-vapor-resistant material. Seal and freeze. To prepare for serving. Remove the wrapping, place turnovers on a baking sheet, and bake at 400° F. (hot oven) for 30 minutes. Menu suggestion. Serve peas or celery in cream sauce over the turnovers. Assorted raw vegetables, baked sweetpotatoes, and cinnamon apples might complete the menu. Pork savory25 portions, ¾ cup each
Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in the fat or oil, add water, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender. Cook the carrots in a little water until almost tender. Combine flour and sour cream; beat until smooth. Combine with meat and broth. Add the vegetables and salt and blend well. To serve immediately. Bake covered at 375° F. (moderate oven) for 1 hour; remove the cover and continue baking for about 30 minutes to brown the top. To freeze. Bake covered at 375° F. (moderate oven) for 1 hour. Cool quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Bake uncovered at 400° F. (hot oven) until the food is heated through, about 45 minutes for pints, 1 hour for quarts. Or reheat in a saucepan over low heat, or in the top of a double boiler, stirring as needed to prevent sticking. Menu suggestion. A tossed green salad, spiced crabapples, and peach betty go well with this main dish. MEAT LOAVESYou can make a meat loaf that is to be frozen by any good meat loaf recipe. Just make enough for several meals instead of one and freeze the extra loaves. For a change from the usual meat loaf, try this cheese meat loaf or jellied ham loaf. Cheese meat loaf25 slices, each about ¾ by 1½ by 4 inches
Mix the beef, cheese, green pepper, onion, crumbs, and seasonings thoroughly. Combine eggs and tomatoes, and blend into meat mixture. To serve immediately. Place meat mixture in loaf pan. Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) for about 1 hour. To freeze. Meat loaf may be frozen unbaked or baked. Wrap unbaked meat loaf in moisture-resistant packaging material. Or put mixture in metal freezer containers or loaf pans; cover with lids or wrap in packaging material. Seal and freeze. For frozen baked meat loaf, bake mixture in metal freezer containers or loaf pans at 350° F. (moderate oven) for about 1 hour. Cool quickly. Cover or wrap as above. Seal and freeze. To prepare for serving. Bake frozen uncooked meat loaf uncovered at 350° F. (moderate oven) for about 1½ hours or until done. Cover frozen baked meat loaf with tomato sauce or gravy made from meat drippings and reheat at 400° F. (hot oven) for about 1 hour. Or, if preferred, thaw frozen baked meat loaf in the refrigerator, slice, and serve cold. Or cover slices with gravy or sauce and reheat in a saucepan over low heat. Menu suggestion. Serve with tomato or mushroom sauce, parsley potatoes, baked spinach, and cherry tarts. Jellied ham loaf25 portions, 1 by 4 by 4 inches
Soak gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. Place over hot water until dissolved. Combine all ingredients. Mix well. To serve immediately. Place in a loaf pan of desired size. Garnish with sliced hard-cooked eggs. Chill until firm, slice, and serve on crisp salad greens. To freeze. Place in loaf pans or freezer containers. Chill until firm. Cover with lids or wrap in freezer packaging material. Seal and freeze. To prepare for serving. Thaw, without unwrapping, in the refrigerator. Garnish with sliced hard-cooked eggs, slice, and serve on crisp salad greens. Menu suggestion. Serve with buttered lima beans and sliced tomatoes, and apple pie a la mode for dessert. HEARTY BEAN DISHESCooked dry beans freeze especially well. Because freezing, like cooking, softens beans somewhat, cook them until barely tender for the best quality frozen product. Baked beans25 portions, 1 cup each
Add beans to boiling water and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak in the hot water 1 hour. Or if more convenient, soak overnight after the 2-minute boil. Drain beans and heat the drained liquid. Place beans in beanpots or other covered baking dishes with a slice of salt pork in the center of each. Top with slices of salt pork. Combine seasonings, onion, and molasses and pour over beans. Add hot bean liquid. Additional water may be needed as the beans bake. To serve immediately. Cover and bake at 300° F. (slow oven) for 6 hours or until the beans are tender. To freeze. Bake the beans covered at 300° F. (slow oven) for 5 hours or until nearly done. Cool quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Add a small amount of water to the beans and reheat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent Menu suggestion. Serve with coleslaw, brown bread, and lemon sponge pudding. Barbecued lima beans16 portions, ¾ cup each
Add beans to boiling water and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak in the hot water 1 hour. Or if more convenient, soak overnight after the 2-minute boil. Boil beans gently in the soaking liquid until almost done (about 40 minutes). Brown the salt pork or bacon, onion, and garlic. Add mustard, salt, worcestershire sauce, chili powder, tomato soup, vinegar, sugar, and beans and bean liquid. To serve immediately. Pour into greased baking dish or pan. Bake at 400° F. (hot oven) for 30 minutes. To freeze. Cool the beans quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Proceed as for baked beans, page 15. Menu suggestion. Serve with asparagus salad garnished with pimiento strips, and orange bavarian cream for dessert. Ham and bean scallop25 portions, 1 cup each
Add beans to boiling water and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak in the hot water 1 hour. Or if more convenient, soak overnight after the 2-minute boil. Cook beans in the soaking liquid about 1½ hours (slightly underdone). Heat the fat, add onion, and cook until golden brown. Add flour, worcestershire sauce, mustard, and salt, blending to a smooth paste. Stir in the milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Combine cheese, ham, and beans with the sauce. Remove from heat. To serve immediately. Pour enough of the mixture for one meal into a greased baking dish or pan. Top with ½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs and bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) about 20 minutes, or until crumbs are golden brown. To freeze. Cool the food quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Reheat in the top of a double boiler, stirring occasionally to speed thawing. Or, if food is frozen in an ovenproof container, uncover, top with fine dry breadcrumbs, and bake at 400° F. (hot oven) about 45 minutes for pints, 1 hour for quarts. Menu suggestion. Serve with brussels sprouts, stewed tomatoes, and celery sticks, have sauteed peach halves for dessert. Beans and sausage, Mexican style25 portions, 1 cup each
Add beans to boiling water and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak in the hot water 1 hour. Or if more convenient, soak overnight after the 2-minute boil. Cook beans in the soaking liquid about 1 hour (slightly underdone). Drain; save the liquid and if necessary add water to make 1 quart. Combine onion, green pepper, garlic, and sausage. Cook until sausage is light brown, breaking it up as it cooks. Add beans, bean liquid, salt, chili powder, and tomatoes, reserving ½ cup tomato liquid. Blend flour with reserved tomato liquid and add to bean mixture. Blend well. Simmer until thickened (about 30 minutes), stirring frequently to prevent sticking. To serve immediately. Simmer until beans are tender. Serve on mounds of fluffy rice. To freeze. Cool the bean and sausage mixture quickly. Pack in freezer containers, leaving head space (p. 4). Seal and freeze immediately. To prepare for serving. Add a small amount of water and reheat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Or reheat in the top of a double boiler. Or bake at 400° F. (hot oven) until the food is heated through, about 45 minutes for pints, 1 hour for quarts. Menu suggestion. Serve plain or on rice, with tossed green salad and french bread, and for dessert have pineapple sherbet. Cooked salad dressing for jellied ham loaf
Mix sugar, flour, and seasonings. Stir butter or margarine into the dry ingredients gradually. Slowly blend in the milk, then the vinegar. Cook over hot water until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir a little of the hot mixture into the egg and add to rest of mixture. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. |
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