way of thinkin', here you have a freezer full of meals, all dated the same day, which means they need to be used sooner, rather than later.
For families with children, this wouldn't present a problem, and in fact, would be quite handy.
For the two of us, I've adopted a different method that seems to me to be less work, and the end result is I always have something in the freezer that is closer to fresh. When I make one main dish, I simply enlarge the recipe and make two. One goes in the freezer, in its pan, with the date and cooking instructions written on the foil covering; the other, we eat at the next meal. I've expended very little more time and energy than it took to make one meal. Plus, I have a great variety of foods from which to choose, waiting in the freezer.
Fall is in full regalia, and comfort foods are calling me. It's time for thick, hearty soups, stews and chili; and for savory pot pies (made two tonight) and meats. It'll soon be time to prepare the Thanksgiving turkey!
Our sweet daughter-in-law, Erica (everyone needs one like her!) cooks her bird the day before. She debones it, then submerges the meat in the cooking juices overnight. Next day, all she has to do is warm it up, still in the juices, then they're used for making gravy. You've never tasted really GOOD turkey till you've eaten it prepared this way! It's sooo moist and flavorful!
She educated us a few years back, and now all our turkeys get this same treatment. We're not big on presentation, can you tell? :-) Getting the food to the table is what it's all about at our house!
Okay, let's talk about preparing turkey. To make a really flavorful turkey, I use the same seasonings that I've always used, just changed the method to Erica's.
In a small bowl, I combine a stick of butter, about 1/2 c. worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon or so of liquid smoke, and about that much garlic powder. . Park your bird in the pan, brush on the seasonings, then salt and pepper to taste. Cover with foil. I bake mine at 250-300, for an hour per pound, plus about one additional hour. Test with a meat fork to determine if it's tender. That's when you're done.
Next day, drain off the juices into a saucepan. Bring them to a boil. Add 1 t. worcestershire, 1 t. Liquid Smoke, and if you'd like, 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Stir till bouillon cubes have dissolved. In a small jar, place 3 Tbs. cornstarch, and 1/2 c. cold water. Shake well till cornstarch is dissolved. Pour slowly into boiling turkey juice mixture and stir continually till thickened.
You may want to use some of these juices as the liquid in your dressing, to add a bit more flavor to it, too. I don't make stuffing. I just can't eat something that's been crammed into a bird's backside! Well, there you have it! So, I make dressing....in a pan.
I ran across a good recipe for making a dressing mix, something akin to the boxed Stovetop Stuffing Mix:
STOVETOP STUFFING MADE FROM HOMEMADE MIX (from Cook's Country Magazine)
THE MIX: 24 oz. stale white bread, cut into 1/2" pieces. Place on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Switch and rotate sheets halfway thru baking. Cool completely. Place in a plastic freezer bag. Add: 2 T. dried onion-1 t. garlic powder-1 1/4 t. dried sage-1 1/4 t. dried thyme-3/4 t. salt-3/4 t. pepper
TO USE: In large saucepan, melt 1 stick butter. Add 2 finely chopped ribs of celery-1/2 finely chopped onion, and saute till tender. Add 1 1/2 c. chicken broth, heat through. Add other ingredients. Stir well. Heat only till stuffing is heated thoroughly. More broth may be necessary.
You can make up several batches of these: for the holidays cooking, and to give to friends who are stressing over all the cooking that they need to do to feed all the folks heading their way!
Okay, enough for tonight.
Enjoy each moment. God creates each one unique, and when it's gone, it'll never return again. Course, that's also true of the tough times...once that moment has passed, it's done, and we can reach forward to the more peaceful moments ahead. :-)
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