Easy Ways to Overcome Summer Time Blues in the Kitchen

So You Think You Can Cook

Since you opted for the staycation this summer because of high gas prices, wild fires on the coast and poor exchange rate with the Euro, you invariably ended up with a plethora of leftover barbecued tri tip beef and chicken quarters. Luckily you had the forethought to bag and freeze these tasty tidbits for a later meal. There are so many secondary uses for leftovers. Coming from very frugal parents, I’ve heard the story how they grew up in the wake of the great depression, had to walk to and from school in a freezing rain regularly and took baths once a week. The use of leftovers was perfected to a science on my family. It wasn’t strange for that roast beef dinner on Sunday to end up as roast beef sandwiches for school, beef stroganoff with short egg noodles, chef salad with grilled beef and cheddar and then beef barley with vegetable soup. Now I’m not implying that you need to go to that extreme but with good planning you can stretch your grocery dollar. And if all else fails… dine out! Downtown Visalia has a vast selection of great restaurants. Of which, one is mine.

To help you get in the right frame of mind. Here is a list of helpful hints that will make the cooking chore quicker and simpler.

1. Plan your menus for the week and chop all the veggies and meats you will need. If you have a chopper, get the kids helping and make it a family project. Label and store all the ingredients in small containers, then place everything in a larger plastic bag, with the meal and prep date prominently noted. Cooking will be a breeze all week long!

2. When seasoning your meats blend seasonings in bulk! Make a batch of your spice blend to keep on hand so you don’t have to recreate it each time. Your personalized blend can also make a fun gift when going to outdoor gatherings with friends.

3. Use an egg slicer to slice mushrooms and strawberries in a flash.

4. Freeze 1/2 cup measures of ingredients such as onions and peppers to make quick soups and stir fries with less chopping. This makes putting together a recipe fast and easy. When you use the same ingredients for spaghetti and sauces, they can be added in seconds!

5. Buy meats in bulk and freeze portions with marinade inside a plastic zip lock freezer bag. As it defrosts, the meat will become infused with the marinade and stay moist. And your thawing time becomes your marinade time as well. Ready to be grilled, baked or roasted when you arrive home.

6. Ice cream scoops do double duty–use them to remove seeds from squash, scoop melon balls or make uniform sized drop cookies. (but don’t forget the best use is always a scoop of your favorite cold treat)

7. For fresh ginger flavor on hand anytime, peel a large hunk of ginger and immerse in a glass jar filled with vodka. When you need fresh ginger, just grate off what you need and pop the rest of the root back into the jar and seal.

8. Bagged cole slaw mix isn’t just for slaw! Use the pre-shredded mix of cabbages and carrots in stir-fries, soups and other savory sides. I use it in a pasta salad and the kids don’t think about the veggies they are eating because they love the pasta!

9. Don’t throw out your leftover rice or mashed potatoes! Use the rice to make fried rice, rice cakes or quick rice pudding. The potatoes make a great creamy potato salad adding mayo, sour cream, deviled egg, onion and some spices. The kids love the mashed potatoes turned into potato pancakes as a side dish! They like to add cheese and a little garlic.

10. To get the maximum amount of juice out of lemons and limes, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds. This will break down the fibers inside allowing juice to flow. Plus it makes it quicker to squeeze!

Now for the leftover ideas.

For chicken I have selected two ideas for you. One suggestion that requires no recipe, is to use the cooked chicken as a salad topper to create an entrée salad such as a taco salad, or Caesar salad. Next, is a Curry Chicken Pot Pie; the recipe provided below. Both with a variety of ingredients on hand to make a satisfying and healthy meal for a summer evening.
Curry Chicken Pot Pie
– using left over chicken

2 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 cups frozen vegetable mix, peas, carrots
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon curry powder
Cayenne pepper or your favorite spice blend to kick up the recipe
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 package puff pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss frozen vegetables with canola oil and spread evenly onto a sheet pan. Place into oven and cook until golden brown. In a saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sweat the onion and celery. In another saucepan, heat the broth and milk. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the celery mix and cook out the water. Add the flour and curry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook until thickened. Add the parsley, salt and pepper. Toss the browned vegetables and the chicken. Pour into a shallow baking pan, or a large terra cotta pot base, lined with foil, and top with 6 to 8 circles of puff pastry. Place into the oven and cook until puff pastry has browned and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

I hope you are enjoying your summer and we look forward to serving you in the near future…I know that you will eventually get tired of summertime cooking and we’ll see you at the Café.