A few of my favorite freezer meals:
CHICKEN CURRY – serves 6
½ c butter
¼c chopped onions
¼ c chopped celery
½ t salt
1-2 T curry powder
½ c flour
1 ½ c milk
1 ½ c chicken stock
1 c heavy cream
2-3 c diced cooked chicken
1 ½ c milk
1 ½ c chicken stock
1 c heavy cream
2-3 c diced cooked chicken
Melt butter in pot; add onions, celery, sautee until onions are clear-ish. Add salt, curry powder and flour, mix it all together, keep it over medium heat. Add milk and chicken stock gradually, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly. Stir until thick and smooth. Add cream and chicken. Let simmer 30 minutes. Serve over white rice. In our family we always put condiments on the table with the curry, usually it’s raisins, coconut and sliced almonds. ENJOY!
MARTHA STEWART'S MAC & CHEESE (w/ my notes in italics)
Serves 12
6 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces (or you can use panko, just cover the whole top)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I don’t use this, fyi)
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar (or any cheddar in my opinion)
1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano (this cheese can usually be found at Costco)
1 pound elbow macaroni
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. Set cheese sauce aside.
4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.
Serves 12
6 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces (or you can use panko, just cover the whole top)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I don’t use this, fyi)
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar (or any cheddar in my opinion)
1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano (this cheese can usually be found at Costco)
1 pound elbow macaroni
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. Set cheese sauce aside.
4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.
CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP (or any veggie)
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk (any kind works, skim is fine but of course 1%, 2% or whole is delicious)
¾ teaspoon salt (I usually add a little more, just do it to taste)
Dash pepper
Dash nutmeg
1 10 oz package frozen chopped broccoli, THAWED or FRESH broccoli (I just steam it before hand and eye ball how much I want to use)
Grated parmesan for garnish
Melt butter and cook onion until soft but not browned. Blend in flour until smooth. Add milk, broth, salt, pepper and nutmeg; stirring until thick and smooth. Add broccoli, and here’s where you would puree it in a food processor if you want it thin, but I just steam the brocc and chop it up and stick it right it. Heat in pan for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cheese in bowls.
Same recipe with other veggies is great (carrots, asparagus, cauliflower) just adjust seasonings to taste.
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk (any kind works, skim is fine but of course 1%, 2% or whole is delicious)
¾ teaspoon salt (I usually add a little more, just do it to taste)
Dash pepper
Dash nutmeg
1 10 oz package frozen chopped broccoli, THAWED or FRESH broccoli (I just steam it before hand and eye ball how much I want to use)
Grated parmesan for garnish
Melt butter and cook onion until soft but not browned. Blend in flour until smooth. Add milk, broth, salt, pepper and nutmeg; stirring until thick and smooth. Add broccoli, and here’s where you would puree it in a food processor if you want it thin, but I just steam the brocc and chop it up and stick it right it. Heat in pan for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cheese in bowls.
Same recipe with other veggies is great (carrots, asparagus, cauliflower) just adjust seasonings to taste.
CHICKEN POT PIE
Yield: 2 pot pies (6 to 8 servings each)
4 cups cubed cooked chicken (ham, shredded beef or turkey)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups sliced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1½ cups milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
pastry for two double-crust 9-inch pies
Boil potatoes and carrots in a large stockpot. In another pot, boil cubed chicken for 8 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain vegetables and chicken and set aside.
In a large skillet, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, corn, potatoes, and carrots. Remove from heat.
Line two 9-inch pie plates with bottom pastry; trim even with edge of plate. Fill pastry shells with chicken mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pies. Cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and style the edges. Bake one pot pie at 425ºF for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
Yield: 2 pot pies (6 to 8 servings each)
4 cups cubed cooked chicken (ham, shredded beef or turkey)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups sliced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1½ cups milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
pastry for two double-crust 9-inch pies
Boil potatoes and carrots in a large stockpot. In another pot, boil cubed chicken for 8 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain vegetables and chicken and set aside.
In a large skillet, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, corn, potatoes, and carrots. Remove from heat.
Line two 9-inch pie plates with bottom pastry; trim even with edge of plate. Fill pastry shells with chicken mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pies. Cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and style the edges. Bake one pot pie at 425ºF for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
