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It took me a long while to figure out cooking
portions once my kids were out of the house. Back then, there was never
enough food to satisfy their hunger and I learned to add ingredients to
recipes to stretch out my budget and still feed their bottomless pits.
When it's just the two of
us, there never seems to be too LITTLE food. We are endlessly eating the
same meal, it seems, either because supermarkets don't sell small enough
cuts of meat, or my wallet insists I have to buy specials which always
come big (You know - two pounds for the price of one kind of deal.)
It's worse with holiday
meats like corned beef for St. Patrick's Day, which you better buy when
it's on the shelf because once it's gone, you probably have to wait a year
to see it again.
Soon we'll be cooking ham
or beef or lamb for the Easter and Passover holidays. But since I am
always looking for easy ways to frugally use meats for second and third
meals, I offer the following suggestions. Each recipe is inexpensive,
cooks slowly in one pot - saving stove time and cleanup, uses up a lot of
leftover meat and can be frozen if necessary.
If your leftovers are less than called for
in the recipes, don't worry. Cut back on the other ingredients and still
save time and money. These recipes are flexible
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HAM AND SAUSAGE KRAUT
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1 can
sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained (14 oz.)
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1- 1 1/2
lb. (total meat) of cooked ham, cooked Kielbasa (Polish sausage),
AND/OR sweet sausage cut into 2" pieces
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3-4
medium-sized tart apples, peeled and cut into eighths
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1/2 cups brown
sugar, packed
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1/8 tsp.
pepper
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3/4 cup apple
juice OR cider
Brown sweet sausage in
frying pan. Place half of the sauerkraut in an ungreased Dutch oven or
crockpot. Top with sausage, Kielbasa and ham, apples, brown sugar,
and pepper. Top with remaining sauerkraut. Pour apple juice or cider
over all. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours in crockpot, or at
325 in oven, or until apples are tender. Serve with slotted spoon.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: This dish can be made with chicken
in place of the ham.
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LAMB AND POTATO STEW |
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- 3 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut
into 1/2 inch slices
- 2 lb. cooked lamb, cut into
2-inch cubes
- 2 onions sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 cups water, red wine, stock
or any combination of these
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
Set half the potatoes aside in a pot of
water. Combine the remaining potatoes, lamb, onions, salt, pepper and
2 cups of the liquid in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over
high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 30 to 40 minutes.
Add the reserved potatoes and additional liquid if the mixture is dry.
Simmer, covered, until the second batch
of potatoes is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Makes 4-5 meals. Serve with a
warm, crusty bread. |
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SWISS STEAK STEW |
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1 1/2 lbs.
cooked beef brisket or roast, cut into 6 serving pieces OR cubed
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1/2 tsp.
pepper and salt
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6 to 8 small
potatoes, cut into fourths
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1 1/2 cup
baby-cut carrots
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1 medium
yellow onion, sliced
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1 can diced
tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano, (14 1/2 oz.) undrained
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1 jar beef
gravy (12 oz.)
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chopped fresh
parsley, if desired
Sprinkle beef with
seasonings. Layer potatoes, carrots, beef, and onion in 4- to 5-quart
Dutch oven or slow cooker. Mix tomatoes and gravy; spoon over mixture
in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting on crockpot, or at
325 degrees in oven, for 4 to 5 hours or until beef and vegetables are
tender. Sprinkle with parsley if desired. Yields 4-6 servings.
Note: Stretch this
dish by serving over cooked, buttered, wide-style egg noodles. |
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Share your favorite recipes with
everyone!!
If you send a recipe, please include a phone number should there be any
questions about it. We might use the recipes in a future column or post them
on our website.
Email your creations to:
cookscorner@newtownpress.com
or newtownpress@comcast.net
Send recipes by mail to:
Cooks Corner
The New Town Press
421 Stone Meeting House Rd.,
Woolwich Twp., NJ 08085
Send recipes by fax to: 856-467-3364
THANKS for SHARING!
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