You are here: Home / Archives for Recipes / Make Ahead Mondays

Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches | Make Ahead Mondays

April 23, 2012 by 17 Comments

I’ve been very listy lately. By that, I don’t mean I’m leaning markedly to one side but rather that I’ve been the Queen of List Making. This is how I keep track of what I’ve done and what I have to do. I’ve tried journal or diary keeping several times over the years and ended up destroying them within weeks of having written them because honestly?  I don’t want to read what I was thinking three weeks ago let alone three years or three decades ago. Egads. That’s why time moves on. Onward and upward.  But I was talking about lists…

Lists are the non-journaler’s way to keep track of what is/was/and will be.  They’re impersonal. They’re mysterious. You can enter things on a list like “Go you-know-where with you-know-who and buy you-know-what.” And there’s rarely a concern if someone else stumbles upon your lists. The chances of embarrassing secrets being discovered (like that time you sneezed and blew a giant booger onto the back of that old man’s head in church, hypothetically speaking) are low-to-nil. Ah lists.

I’ve heard it said that control freaks are list makers. I take issue with that. In fact, I have a joke to illustrate my point. Ready?

Me:  Knock Knock

You: (Who’s there?)

Me: Control Freak. NOW YOU SAY CONTROL FREAK WHO.

See? I don’t have any control issues at all. (As long as people do what I say.) Sigh. Lists are practical tools. I keep track of my grocery needs, appointments, assignments for the kids, things that need to be done, books I want to read, books I have read, and more.

But lists don’t have to be practical. That’s right. Sometimes lists are fun. Don’t look at me like that. I’m serious. Take this list, for example.

Things that always go together:

  • Raspberries + Chocolate
  • Peanut Butter + Chocolate
  • Peanut Butter + Jelly
  • Pickles + Ice Cream (Before you ask, let me assure you I’m not pregnant. But they DO go together. Try ‘em.)
  • Potato Chips + Tuna Fish Sandwiches
  • Pizza + Wings
  • Eggs + Spinach
  • Eggs + Hot Sauce
  • Eggs + Toast
  • Eggs + Cheese

It’s true. Those are matches made in heaven. Here on Earth, you don’t always get the best results when you combine these über-couples. I mean you wouldn’t really want Raspberries + Chocolate + Pickles + Ice Cream.  (Think Jennifer Aniston + Brad Pitt + Angelina Jolie. That didn’t go well, did it?) But there are those occasions when the sum of combined heavenly matches is greater than all its parts. I refer, of course, to the supreme combination of Eggs + Spinach + Hot Sauce + Toast + Cheese.

*Insert choir of heavenly angels here. Alison Krauss is an acceptable substitute.*

What you get when you put all those dreamy-on-their-own combos together is the Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Sandwich. This sandwich is not served with a side of hyperbole. It really is superior not only in flavour, but also in convenience and thrift. Let me list the ways:

  1. The most prep you have to do is grate a little cheese and mince a little onion.
  2. What we have here is a wicked cheap recipe that makes a large amount and stores well.
  3. Hey! It’s good for you! Start breakfast out with vegetables, eggs, cheese and whole grain toast. Win/Win/Win/Win!
  4. It takes about ten minutes of hands on time to prepare ten to twelve breakfasts worth of the egg filling for the sandwich.
  5. Those portions, when frozen, keep for up to six months.
  6. …And furthermore, they take one and a half minutes to heat in the microwave while you’re making toast. (Alternatively, heat in the oven on toast for thirty minutes. Your choice!)
  7. I mentioned they were wicked cheap, but I’d like to re-emphasize that. We’re talking about in the neighborhood of ten dollars worth of materials to make ten to twelve very generous servings. So let’s call that one dollar (or less) per serving, shall we? That’s fabulous.
  8. My kids are each capable of grabbing an egg portion from the freezer and heating it in the microwave while making their own toast and rousting out the bottle of hot sauce. In other words, I get longer with my cup of tea because they can do it themselves!
  9. With a stack of these egg portions in the freezer, I don’t have to think in the morning. Believe me when I tell you that is a very good thing. At least until I have the third cup of tea on board.
  10. Finally -and most importantly- they’re just plain delicious and satisfying. They keep you full and happy for hours compared to a bowl of cold cereal or a breakfast bar.

By the way, lists are an extremely helpful way to keep track of your Make Ahead Mondays projects. Did you whip up Soup Dumplings, Pulled Pork, Meatballs, Mini Fruit Pies and Sloppy Joes? Make a list and post it to the front (or top, as the case may be) of your freezer. Cross off each item as you use it or make a note that you’re getting low. Control freak who?

Print
Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches | Make Ahead Mondays

Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches | Make Ahead Mondays

Hearty, healthy, frugal and filling, these simple egg and spinach breakfast sandwiches are the happy combination of a spinach, egg and cheese bake that is made ahead of time and frozen in individual portions. When it's time to eat, just reheat as many portions as you need. What a great way to start the day!

Ingredients

    To Make the Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Bake:
  • 2 dozen eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 cups fresh baby or tender spinach leaves, pre-washed or washed and dried
  • 3 cups grated Cheddar, Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack Cheese (or a blend)
  • 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup finely minced onion
  • freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
  • nonstick cooking spray or softened butter for the pan
    • To Make Each Breakfast Sandwich:
  • 1 piece of the Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Bake
  • 2 pieces of bread, toasted ( English Muffin Bread is an obvious choice! )
  • hot sauce to taste

Instructions

To Make the Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Bake:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Generously butter a 9-inch x 13-inch x 2-inch baking pan or spray well with non-stick cooking spray. Be sure to get the corners and sides well, too.

Evenly distribute the spinach leaves over the bottom of the prepared pan. Scatter the onions over the spinach, then about half of the grated cheese and set aside.

Crack all of the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the 1/2 cup of milk and use a whisk to beat together until the mixture is an even colour. Pour gently and evenly over the spinach, onions and cheese. You can gently shake the pan a little from side to side to get the egg to fill in spaces around the spinach leaves if necessary. Scatter the remaining grated cheese over the top and bake for 22-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the center (no longer liquidy, but they can still have just a little shimmy to them.) and golden brown around the edges and in places on top.

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before using a knife or thin spatula to run around the edges and loosen the cooked egg. Lay a cutting board on top and invert the pan and board carefully together. The egg should come out (mostly) in one piece. Allow it to cool for 10 more minutes before slicing into 10 to 12 pieces. I like bigger sandwiches, so I tend to cut it into 10 pieces. For a more delicate sandwich, cut into 12 pieces.

To Eat a Sandwich Right Away:

Place one piece of the egg bake on one piece of toast, drizzle with hot sauce to taste, top with the remaining piece of toast and eat! These are nice and moist, so you may wish to wrap one end of the sandwich with a towel or paper towel.

To Freeze the Supreme Spinach and Egg Breakfast Bake:

Place a single layer of plastic wrap down on a tray or pan. Use a spatula to arrange the pieces of egg bake on the plastic wrap with a little space between them. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set in the freezer until solid. When they are firmly frozen, wrap each piece of egg bake with plastic wrap.

Transfer the wrapped pieces to a resealable freezer bag. Mark the date and contents and freeze for up to 6 months.

To Reheat the Frozen Egg Bake and Make a Sandwich:

Unwrap one piece of egg bake, place on a plate and cover loosely with the plastic wrap that contained it in the freezer. Heat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on HIGH in the microwave. Remove plastic wrap, carefully move the egg bake to a piece of toast (because it will be hot!), drizzle with hot sauce, and top with the remaining piece of toast. Happy Breakfast!

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/04/23/supreme-spinach-and-egg-breakfast-sandwiches-make-ahead-mondays/

 

 

Filed Under: Breakfast Foods, Component Foods, Eggs, Freezer Pleaser, Happy Healthy and Wise, kid food, Make Ahead Mondays, Rebecca, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Dijon Cheddar Scallion Puffs (Gougères) | Make Ahead Mondays

April 9, 2012 by 7 Comments

Nicolas Sarkozy has banned cheese from the Elysée Palace? Woah.

That, my friends, is trés, trés scandalous. The French meal -such as is my experience with it- revolves around the cheese course. Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin -the French gastronome extraordinaire- is widely quoted as saying, “A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman who is missing an eye!” To put it in other words, France runs on cheese.

All politics aside, the man is off his nut.

In a nation so brimming with luscious and unique cheeses, how could he possibly eschew such glory? Such possibilities. Oh, Nicolas, tsk… tsk…

…Because if he has pronounced, “Pas de frommage!” he has tossed out not only cheese plates, but also a list of delights longer than my arms and legs put together: tartiflette, quiche, fondue, tartine, soufflé, and gougères, just to name a few. And it’s that last one that we’re going to talk about today because- Qu’est-ce un miracle!- gougères are perfectly suited to Make Ahead Mondays.

One day last week, my friend, Pamela, sent me the following text:

“I think you should do gougères for a Make Ahead Monday. Freezable comfort food? Yes, please.”

I know a good idea when I hear one, friends. I was on it. What could possibly be better than crispy, airy, chewy, cheesy, versatile gougères within minutes? Nothing, I tell you! Nothing could be better! (Except maybe for eating them while actually sitting -oh, say- IN FRANCE. But I digress.)

Here’s the thing… if you’ve never had a gougère or perhaps never heard of them, I should tell you why you’re going to want these so badly. It’s like a cross between a hand-held souffle but far less delicate, far less difficult to mess up, far more versatile as an accompaniment, and far more fun to say. Try it. Gougère (GOO-zhair!) vs. Soufflé (SOO-flay!) Alright. They’re both fun, but the edge goes to gougére for that fun zhhhhhhh sound in the middle. It just feels so Frahnsh to say it. N’est-ce pas?

It’s time for a little food nerd interlude. Don’t worry! It all applies to the end deliciousness…

Gougères are made from that ubiquitous French building block pâte à choux, or for ease’s sake, Choux pastry. It is a simple concoction to whip together, but somehow manages to pull off as versatile a collection as eclairs, cream puffs, gougères, Paris-Brests, croquembouches, profiteroles, and more… Holy. I’m telling you, if you master choux pastry, the culinary world is yours. A plain choux pastry, unadorned, piped onto parchment and baked can be used filled with ice cream or crab salad. As if that isn’t enough, the choux pastry itself can be dolled up, studded with all manner of sweet or savoury add-ins. Today’s choux pastry adventure is the savoury puff known as (duh) gougères but with a TWEEST. I’ve replaced the the traditional Swiss or Emmental cheese with a good, hearty American extra-sharp Cheddar (yes, I know Cheddar is originally English, but people, we make good Cheddar these days!), some of the water with a pungent Dijon mustard and tossed in a few finely minced scallions for good measure.

While choux pastry must be piped or scooped out immediately after being made, it can be frozen in that form and then transferred to zipper top bags or tightly sealed containers for up to three months before baking. That’s right. Cheesey, pouffy, scallion-studded, crisp-exteriored, crackly, golden brown, moist-in-the-center French comfort food baked straight from the freezer. Can I get an amen?

Is anyone out there wondering what to serve alongside these little beauties? (Because these do rather steal the show…) Any good brothy soup or stew would love to play second fiddle to a plate of fresh, hot gougères. Serve alongside roasts, braises, or a simple salad. Give your kids the best after-school snack of their lives. Serve with a cup of tea for a quick breakfast. But for the non plus ultra, serve with cocktails or a glass of wine: something you know that deep in his French heart, Nicolas Sarkozy desperately wants.

I’ve heard it said that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels, but I disagree violently. Skinny doesn’t taste as good as cheese. C’est vrai. C’est carrément vrai!

Pauvre Président Sarkozy, (Sad violins) we shall have to eat his share. (Insert Gallic laugh here.)

Print
Dijon Cheddar Scallion Puffs (Gougères) | Make Ahead Mondays

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: about 72 puffs

Dijon Cheddar Scallion Puffs (Gougères) | Make Ahead Mondays

These cheesy, pouffy, scallion-studded, crisp-exteriored, crackly, golden brown, moist-in-the-center puffs are French comfort food baked straight from the freezer. Serve with soups, salads, roasts, braises, for snacks or for breakfasts with a cup of tea. These also make the perfect accompaniment to the cocktail hour or a glass of wine.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), cut into pieces
  • 5 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons strong Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature (you can hasten this by putting chilled eggs into warm -not hot- tap water for 10 minutes.)
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 4 scallions, dark and light green sections only, thinly sliced (put the white parts- about 2-inches worth, root end down, in a glass of water. The greens will re-grow!)

Instructions

To Make and Freeze:

Line two baking sheets with parchment or silpats. Set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk, butter, water and salt to a full rolling boil. Add the Dijon mustard and return to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the flour- all at once. Stir vigorously with a sturdy spoon until all is combined then return the pan to medium-low heat, stirring vigorously still, until the dough comes together- balling up slightly around the spoon, and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan. Stir hard for 1 minute. The dough should seem cohesive, but still soft enough to break apart with the spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed. After 10 minutes, you should be able to stick your finger -up to the first knuckle- into the dough and hold it there for several seconds before it becomes uncomfortable. In other words, it should be hot, but not blisteringly so.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer or a sturdy spoon and some serious effort). Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. After the last egg is added, beat the dough for 2 minutes before beating in the grated cheese and scallions.

You can use spoons, dishers or a pastry bag to portion out the pastry, but it must be done immediately! I prefer to use a disher (cookie scoop) or pastry bag to pipe out mounds that are about 1-1/2 tablespoons in size. Leave enough room between the mounds so that they are not touching. Immediately put the pan into the freezer and freeze until firm, about 6 hours. When they are hard to the touch, you will use a spatula or your hands to transfer all of the mounds to a re-sealable plastic freezer bag or container with a tight fitting lid. Keep frozen for up to 3 months, baking as many gougères as you need at a time.

To Bake from Frozen:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat and arrange desired number of frozen gougères so that there is at least 2 inches of space around each one to allow for expansion in the oven. Bake for 12 minutes, lower the oven heat to 375°F, rotate the pan(s) and bake for another 12-15 minutes, or until the gougères are puffed, firm, and deep golden brown. Serve warm for most pronounced flavour, or at room temperature.

To Prepare to Bake Immediately:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silpats. Set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk, butter, water and salt to a full rolling boil. Add the Dijon mustard and return to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the flour- all at once. Stir vigorously with a sturdy spoon until all is combined then return the pan to medium-low heat, stirring vigorously still, until the dough comes together- balling up slightly around the spoon, and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan. Stir hard for 1 minute. The dough should seem cohesive, but still soft enough to break apart with the spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed. After 10 minutes, you should be able to stick your finger -up to the first knuckle- into the dough and hold it there for several seconds before it becomes uncomfortable. In other words, it should be hot, but not blisteringly so.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer or a sturdy spoon and some serious effort). Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. After the last egg is added, beat the dough for 2 minutes before beating in the grated cheese and scallions.

You can use spoons, dishers or a pastry bag to portion out the pastry, but it must be done immediately! I prefer to use a disher (cookie scoop) or pastry bag to pipe out mounds that are about 1-1/2 tablespoons in size. Leave 2 inches of space around each mound to allow them to expand in the oven.

Bake for 12 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F, rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back, and bake another 12 minutes, or until they are puffy, firm, and golden brown. Serve warm for most pronounced flavour, or at room temperature.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/04/09/dijon-cheddar-scallion-puffs-gougeres-make-ahead-mondays/

“The pleasure of the table belongs to all ages, to all conditions, to all countries, and to all eras; it mingles with all other pleasures, and remains at last to console us for their departure.”

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Appetizers & Snacks, Bread, Breakfast Foods, Comfort Food, Freezer Pleaser, kid food, Make Ahead Mondays, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Pasties and Beef Gravy | Make Ahead Monday

March 26, 2012 by 18 Comments

Way back in 2008, one of the first recipes I ran on Foodie With Family was for my beloved pasties. (Pronounced PAH-steez, not PAY-steez, thankyouverymuch!) Today’s Make Ahead Monday recipe is a feature of those absolutely wonderful meat pies along with a (tada!) printable recipe and another for *gasp* beef gravy. Read on for why I’m all a-twitter over the gravy.

I was talking with my stepmom, Val, on the phone the other day when she said, “Oh no! Beccy! I have to go!” I said, “Are you alright, Val?” She responded, “I forgot I have to pick up our pasty order from the church. They’re going to close in a couple of minutes.”

All my sympathy and concern that I had queued up for her flew right out the window.

She got to scoot half a mile down the road to pick up a half dozen of the finest Finnish grandmother produced, hand-made, Yooper pasties. I got to drool.

I indulged in a certain amount of self-pity and then roused myself to action. I wheeled on my heel when my husband entered the room and announced, “There WILL be pasties. And it WILL be soon!” imperiously.

While on the whole I find it against my nature to march around making pronouncements, pasties warrant a massive exception. I queened it up big time.

“You must find me a rutabaga! A big one!”

My husband looked at me askance.

“…And we’ll need ketchup!” I added in my most royal tones. Then I said, “You know, Val eats her pasties with gravy. I love her anyway.”

That is where he revolted. “Hey. I know you Yoopers eat ‘em with ketchup and everything, but why? I’d give anything for some gravy with a pasty.”

My every fiber screamed, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”*

 *And here, perhaps, it is time for a brief cultural lesson. People who live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are referred to –both by themselves and those below the bridge- as Yoopers. Yoopers love pasties. But even more than Yoopers love pasties, they love ketchup on pasties. Why? I haven’t the foggiest idea, but we do. And the quickest way to find out whether someone is a Yooper by passing them a gravy boat and a ketchup jar. Watch them carefully. A moment’s hesitation, a feint for the gravy boat, and you know without a doubt that you are not in the presence of a honest-to-goodness Yooper.

It was my turn to look askance. And askew. And aghast. “What do you MEAN you want gravy?”

He responded, quite reasonably, “I’m not saying YOU can’t have ketchup, but really, we’re talking about a meat pie with potatoes and stuff. What could be better on that than gravy?”

I had to admit that I didn’t have anything other  a traditional leg to stand upon in the argument.  There was no way I could deny him gravy. I’m not ashamed to admit, though, that my head spun a bit as I whipped up the beef gravy. Through my head whirled jokes family members had made about gravy-on-pasty eaters. I remembered a story my dad told about being at a county fair and overhearing some folks talk about being from the U.P. He then approached the couple and said, “Excuse me. I just have one thing to ask. Ketchup or Gravy?” They clapped him on the shoulder and said, “KETCHUP!” They became fast friends.

I put pasties on plates. I put ketchup and –horrors- a gravy boat on the table and watched quietly as all my offspring and my husband poured gravy on their pasties. I reached for the ketchup and scooped a generous portion onto my plate. (Another argument, but one for another day, is whether you put your ketchup on the side or on top of the pasties. What can I say? It’s cold and very rural. We do what we can to keep things interesting.) And then. Then they looked at me and used on me the argument I always use on them, “Aren’t you even going to try it?”

I sensed my authority hanging in the balance and said, “Oh ALRIGHT. Gimme the gravy boat. I’ll try it.” (I was less than gracious about it, but there’s only so much going back on tradition a woman can take with equanimity.) I poured a bit on the corner of my pasty and took a hearty fork full. And then I about died.

It really was not bad. In fact, it was pretty alright. Oh dang. It was good.

Rats.

I won’t have you believe I chucked my Yooper card and ate it wholesale with gravy. Oh no. I still had my ketchup, too, but I grudgingly admit the gravy will be on the table every time I make pasties.

Darnit.

Yoopers, look away.

In this fresh printable version of the old Yooper Pasty post, I’ve included a lovely beef gravy recipe. Just in case, ya know, you wanna freak out a Yooper you love. Or eat a pasty with it. Sigh.

 

 

Print
Pasties and Beef Gravy | Make Ahead Monday

Yield: 16 large pasties

Pasties and Beef Gravy | Make Ahead Monday

This is comfort food at its finest; hand held meat and potatoes pies with rutabaga, carrots and onions. Traditionally, these pasties are served with loads of ketchup, but folks have been known to love (read:inhale) them when covered with good beef gravy, too.

Ingredients

    For the Filling:
  • 1 large rutabaga and 1 small rutabaga
  • 2 large carrots
  • 2 medium onions
  • 8 medium potatoes, preferably a waxy variety like Yukon golds or reds
  • 4 pounds lean ground beef
  • salt and pepper to taste
    • For the Crust:
  • enough sturdy pie dough for eight double crust pies (or eight boxes prepared refrigerated pie crusts) I use a double or triple batch of this pie crust.
    • For the Beef Gravy:
  • 4 tablespoons butter or beef fat drippings
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons browning sauce
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • a pinch of thyme and granulated onion
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Slice a sliver off one end of the rutabaga so that it stands sturdily on your cutting board. Then use your biggest, sharpest knife to lob it in half. If it’s freaking you out too much to try to hold a slippery, wax covered, round and really hard vegetable while trying to cut it, feel free to whack it in half with a hatchet or an axe. Just don’t do it on your kitchen counter!

Once you have the brute opened, lay it on the flat side and dismantle it further so your original sphere is in quarters. Take another little bit off the bottom so you can stand the quarters up on their ends and use another sharp knife to remove the peel from the sides.

Cut the rutabaga into 1/4? slices and stack them like a deck of cards. Slice them into 1/4? strips that will then be cut into 1/4? cubes.

Peel and dice the carrots, onions, and potatoes in the same way. Combine all diced vegetables in a gigantic mixing bowl. Break the lean beef over the top, add salt and pepper, and use your hands to mix thoroughly.

Roll out a piece of pie crust to a diameter between 8? and 10?. Lay on a pie plate with the crust hanging over the lip of the plate by about 1/4?. Use your hands or a large spoon to transfer as much filling onto the crust as you can, mounding and pressing down lightly with your hands, to fill the half of the crust that is hanging over the plate.

Now fold the empty part of the pie crust over the filling, pinch the seams together, transfer to your countertop and crimp the edges with a fork.

Transfer to a parchment lined pan and slice a couple of small vents into the top of each pasty.

Slide those pans into the oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Since pasties don’t traditionally get an egg glaze, they won’t be a shiny brown when done, but a deep crispy looking golden brown.

Serve immediately with beef gravy (see below) or cool completely, wrap with foil and freeze for later use.

To Reheat from Frozen:

Place foil wrapped pasty in a preheated 350°F oven on a rimmed baking sheet for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, open the foil so the top crust of the pasty is exposed and heat for an additional 10 minutes, or until hot all the way through.

To Make the Gravy:

Melt the butter or pan drippings in a heavy skillet or saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking often until bubbly and fragrant smelling, at least 2 minutes. Whisk in the cold beef stock, thyme and granulated onion and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Taste the gravy, adjust the seasonings and serve hot.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/03/26/pasties-and-beef-gravy-make-ahead-monday/

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Comfort Food, Freezer Pleaser, Instructional, kid food, Make Ahead Mondays, Meat, Rebecca, Recipes Tagged With: ,

Make Ahead Mondays Highlight | Cincinnati Chili

March 19, 2012 by 6 Comments

For this week’s Make Ahead Monday, I want to feature a recipe from the  Foodie With Family archives; Cincinnati Chili.  This is one of my favourite items to stock in the freezer. Cincinnati Chili is a meat lover’s dream. Served up in the intended way (see the original post for all of the various ways Cincinnati Chili is served), it is a go-to dinner. But why stop there?

Cincinnati Chili is also the perfect topper for a chili dog. Because it is most akin to the chili sauce (meaty, saucy, spicy, and fragrant) served over hot dogs in places like Nick Tahoe’s in Rochester and American Coney Island in Detroit, it is perfectly suited to the task.

Bonus Make Ahead Monday points to you if you make your own hot dog buns and freeze them! And still, though, we’re not done with the good things we can do with a freezer full of Cincinnati Chili. How about Cincinnati Chili Empanadas? Excuse me while I drool on my keyboard. This is seriously crave-able food.

How about a look inside those?

Are you with me? I look at those and I’m instantly hungry. The spicy, meaty Cincinnati Chili stuffed into empanada dough and then deep-fried (or baked) is just about enough to send me into a tizzy, especially since I didn’t eat before writing this post. Note to self: don’t look at empanadas when hungry.

When you make a single, double, or triple (you laugh, but we eat a lot of chili!) batch of Cincinnati Chili, you are just minutes away from any of these meals. In the time it takes to boil spaghetti, grate cheese, chop an onion and heat some chili beans, you can thaw and heat a bag of Cincinnati Chili from the freezer. In the time it takes you to roll out empanada dough (or run down the road to get Goya discos from the store), you can thaw a batch of chili and get some oil or the oven heated for Cincinnati Chili Empanadas. And in the time it takes to grill a few hot dogs, you could thaw and heat some Cincinnati Chili for chili dogs!

If you’re anything like me, you’re feeling very peckish now… By peckish I mean ravenously hungry. Let’s talk nuts and bolts on how to freeze this meal so you can have it ready for just such a moment as this. I’ve titled them freeze and reheat Cincinnati Chili, but the method remains the same for any old homemade chili. If Cincy Chili isn’t your thing, try it out on your favourite.

To Freeze Cincinnati Chili:

  1. Transfer freshly made chili from a pot into a container with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate until completely chilled through, preferably overnight.
  2. Decide how you would like to use the chili -chili dogs, chili meal, empanadas- and divvy the chili accordingly into clearly labeled resealable zipper top freezer bags. I like to do a couple chili meal sized bags and a couple of chili dog sized bags. I can thaw two chili dog bags for a small batch of empanadas or do a big batch of them from a “meal sized” bag. Be sure you’ve labeled which type of meal you intend to make from the bag.
  3. Squeeze as much air from the bag as possible and seal it. Lay the bag flat and squish the contents until you have a flat bag. (See lead picture above.) This helps the chili to freeze AND thaw more quickly.
  4. Lay your stack of bags flat in the freezer and store for up to eight months.

Methods of Reheating Cincinnati Chili:

  1. Remove a bag of chili from the freezer, snip the top from the bag and break the contents into a microwave safe dish. Cover the dish, venting one side, and use defrost on the microwave to thaw the chili, then heat on high. Alternatively, you can just go straight to heating the chili as long as you stir it every minute or so.
  2. Remove a bag of chili from the freezer, snip the top from the bag and break the contents into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan along with 1/4 of a cup of water. Put the lid on the saucepan and heat over low, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thawed and heated through.

Just in case you missed the links above, here they are again, for your eating pleasure:

Ah, Cincinnati Chili. I love you so.

Pssssst. Come back here tomorrow. You are not going to want to miss the recipe I post. I’ll give you some hints. It involves my Amish neighbors and cookies.

Filed Under: Make Ahead Mondays, Rebecca, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: , , , ,

Slow-Cooker Cola Pulled Pork and Carnitas Rice Bowls | Make Ahead Mondays

March 12, 2012 by 13 Comments

Let me tell you about last week. It was busy. Oh, it was biz-ay. B to the HOLY-COW-HOW-WILL-I-GET-ALL-THIS-DONE to the U-S-Y, man. Or wo-man. Woah, man.

I was hauling my rear (and a bunch of children to boot) all over this stretch of God’s country in my big ugly purple van. I drove people here. I drove people there. I dropped people off. I picked people up. In fact, I went one place with my five boys and came home with seven, only three of whom I had birthed. I balanced brooms in the kitchen to show off the awesome wackiness of the solar flares. I spent the entire week wondering how we could possibly make it to all of our commitments.

On the subject of solar flares, I’d just like to say one word. WEIRD.

Okay, I have a couple more words. Did you balance your broom? I’m not even kidding. Did you know that during solar flares you can take a broom –even a raggedy old angled one like mine- and balance it with no support? Go on. Test it. All the cool kids are doing it. You know you want to. (As a homeschooling mom, I have to practice my peer pressure skills so my kids don’t have to miss out on all the good stuff.)

I’m still not entirely sure how we did it, but we did manage to get to everything we had on the schedule and threw in a big family get together on Saturday for good measure. The biggest yeehah of them all, though,  the icing on the cake, was when the entire family (including those who had come to visit earlier in the day) went to watch a battle of the bands in which my fourteen year old bass-playing eldest son and my eight year old “Animal” drummer participated. It started at eight o’clock at night.

Did you catch that?

As in the same night as the time change. In other words, my  husband and I and our fourteen, twelve, ten, eight and six year olds were in a large auditorium full of big, loud, boomy amplifiers and microphones and screaming rock guitars (and some screaming vocalists) along with my sister, her husband and their eight, six and two year olds, and my mother. Nana was banging her head. At least I’m fairly certain she meant to and wasn’t being thrown back against the wall by the sub-woofer.

This brings me to another point. Can I talk about how much I despise this time change? They are taking an hour from me! Who decided that was a good idea? Do they not know how much I’m trying to cram into a day?

When we were in the process of moving to where we live now, I joked with friends that in order to buy the home, we had to convert to the Amish faith. Since moving here, I’ve gotten to know many Amish and one of the most fascinating things I learned was that they don’t  “do” the time change. Well, hallelujah. I think I’ll convert after all.

Solar flares, time changes, extra kids, battles of the bands, and go, go, GO! I hit my freezer food bank pretty hard this week. And on the subject of a stash of food…

You all know I love me some pulled pork. In fact, one of the all-time most popular posts ever here on Foodie With Family is my Cuban Pulled Pork recipe. It tastes wonderful and it makes enough to stash away three or four meals worth of food (even for a family our size!) It is so good. So good, in fact, that for a very long time (longer than I care to admit), I didn’t make pork shoulder in any other way. Why?

Because IT WAS SO GOOD!

You know what? It’s still that good, but I realized something really crucial. Expanding the pork shoulder repertoire does not mean I love the Cuban Pork any less. It just means I have more opportunities for eating pork!

Pork shoulder is the busy person’s best friend. You wouldn’t think it to look at that massive cut of meat, would you? You look at the marbled hunk of meat with that bone down the center and think, “All that work! Who has time?” You do! I promise. It is one of the most economical cuts of meat and requires so little hands-on time that it’s almost criminal not to take advantage of it.

For this Slow-Cooker Cola Pulled Pork, we begin with the same method used in the Cuban Pork recipe; cook overnight in the slow-cooker, chill during the day, shred the pork, reduce the pan juices, and pour it over the pork. Instead of our well loved Cuban spices and juices, we add cola, onions and chipotles in adobo. Rawr. Then we diverge a bit more… Instead of baking the pork, we press a goodly amount of the shredded pork into a super hot pan until it’s crispy brown around the edges. Flip it over, make it crispier and then? And then. Oh, then.

This, my friends, is the stuff of dreams. Crispy pork carnitas.
We can serve that crispity yet juicy, delectable, slightly spicy and sweet, flavour-packed pork on tostadas, pizza, in tacos, or like we’re doing today on Carnitas Rice Bowls. You cannot possibly imagine a meal that is this easy to throw together can taste this incredible.

This is good enough to bump itself into the rotation with my beloved Cuban Pork.

And much like Cuban Pork, it makes enough to feed a massive crowd ~or~ sock away several meals worth of already cooked meat. With that in the freezer, like all of our other Make Ahead Mondays recipes, dinner is just minutes away.

Print
Slow-Cooker Cola Pulled Pork and Carnitas Rice Bowls | Make Ahead Mondays

Rating: 51

Slow-Cooker Cola Pulled Pork and Carnitas Rice Bowls | Make Ahead Mondays

Slightly spicy, smoky and a little sweet, this slow-cooker cola pulled pork is so easy to make you'll be shocked and is so good that you'll be thankful it yields enough for several meals-worth to be stored in the freezer. One of our favourite ways to use it is on Carnitas Rice Bowls; hot cooked rice piled with the crispy "little meats" and a variety of flavourful toppings. Go wild and really pile it high. This meal pleases all ages and is easy on the wallet.

Ingredients

    For the Slow-Cooker Cola Pulled Pork:
  • 3 large onions
  • 6-9 pound bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt
  • 2 small cans of chipotles in adobo
  • 2 (12 ounce) bottles or cans of your preferred cola (I like Mexican Coca-Cola.)
    • For Each Serving of Carnitas Rice Bowls:
  • ½-3/4 cup slow-cooker cola pulled pork
  • 1 teaspoon canola, peanut or vegetable oil
  • 1 to 1 ½ cups hot, cooked rice
    • Optional, but oh-so-tasty:
  • salsa
  • shredded pepper jack or Cheddar cheese
  • Smoked Paprika and Chipotle Sauce
  • sour cream
  • sliced or diced avocado
  • finely diced red onion
  • chopped cilantro or parsley
  • lime wedges

Instructions

To Make the Slow-Cooker Cola Pulled Pork:

Cut the stem and root-ends from the onions, cut the onions in half and remove the peels. Arrange the halved onions over the base of the slow-cooker. Position the pork roast –fat layer facing up- on top of the onion halves. Pour the cans of chipotles in adobo (with all the sauce) over the pork shoulder then pour the colas over the chipotles. Cover the slow-cooker and cook on ‘LOW’ for 8-9 hours.

Cool the pork roast (still in its juices in the slow-cooker insert) completely until the pork fat congeals around the roast on top of the cooking juices. Scrape away and discard the fat. Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board and pour the remaining contents of the slow-cooker into a sieve positioned over a saucepan. Push the contents of the sieve with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Set the saucepan over medium high heat and bring it to a boil. Let it boil and reduce until it is about ¼ of the original volume.

Pull the cooled pork roast apart and scrape excess fat from the meat. Use your hands or two forks to shred the pork. To get smaller pieces of pork, you can chop through the pile of shredded pork with a large knife a couple of times. Put the pulled pork into a large mixing bowl, pour the reduced pan juices over the top and toss until the juices are evenly distributed.

To Freeze to Serve Later:

Divide the pulled pork between zipper top bags in meal-sized portions. Try to squeeze as much excess air from the bag as possible before sealing. Try to flatten the bag so that it takes up less room in the freezer. Freeze for up to 8 months.

To Serve from Fresh:

Put a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat and add the oil to the pan. Swirl to coat, then pile the pulled-pork in the center of the pan. Use a spatula to press the pork into the pan. Fry until the pork is brown around the edges. Use a spatula to flip the pork until crisp on the other side.

To Serve From Frozen:

Thaw the pulled pork in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Put a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat and add the oil to the pan. Swirl to coat, then pile the pulled-pork in the center of the pan. Use a spatula to press the pork into the pan. Fry until the pork is brown around the edges. Use a spatula to flip the pork until crisp on the other side.

To Assemble the Carnitas:

Put the hot, cooked rice in a bowl, use a spatula to place the crispy pork on top. Pile any or all of the toppings on the crispy pork.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/03/12/slow-cooker-cola-pulled-pork-and-carnitas-rice-bowls-make-ahead-mondays/

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Comfort Food, Component Foods, Freezer Pleaser, kid food, Kitchen Techniques and Hints, Main Dish, Make Ahead Mondays, Meat, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, slow-cooker, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Southwestern Egg Rolls | Make Ahead Mondays

March 5, 2012 by 20 Comments

My love of all foods Southwestern is deep and abiding. From tacos to burritos (breakfast and otherwise), quesadillas, nachos (grande or humble), tortilla soup and everything in between, I can’t resist. Well, maybe I can resist, but I’ve honestly never tried because I don’t want to give up any opportunity for any of those heavenly goodies.

These Southwestern Egg Rolls are currently the top of the heap of the goodness that is southwestern food for me right now. And most conveniently, they’re as easy and delicious when cooked from frozen as they are when you first roll them up. That makes them the perfect subject for today’s Make Ahead Monday feature.

I can’t think of anything I like much better than bright, festive onion, corn, red bell and jalapeno peppers, spinach, parsley or cilantro, melted pepper jack cheese, mild and moist chicken, substantial and creamy black beans and smoky spices wrapped up in a crunchy, crispy, dark brown egg roll wrapper. Hubba hubba. Or should I say ‘arriba!”? No really, should I? I have no idea if that’s even appropriate here.

All I know is this. These egg rolls make me happy. Very, very happy. They make my husband happy. Extremely happy. And they make my two eldest sons so insanely happy they’re almost weepy. The middlest son? Well, he loves the chicken, corn, black beans, spinach and cheese, but he’s on the fence over the bell peppers and onions. The gruesome-twosome anti-veg contingent? They’re not going anywhere near this many vegetables all mingled together even if it is in a deep-fried, hand-held package. Oh well. More. For. Me.

One day they will be filled with bitter regret for all the delicious vegetables they passed up at the table. In the meantime, I will continue to eat what is left on their plates, much to my waistline’s chagrin, to better absorb the unavoidable body check that will be used to knock me out of the way when they finally realize how delicious these things are.

Let’s get down to some nitty-gritty customization options in this dish, shall we?

  • Use whichever leftover chicken you have whether it’s dark or white meat. I had a combination of leftover thighs and chicken breasts, so I picked the meat off and coarsely chopped it. Rotisserie chickens, leftover roast chicken, or almost whatever you have on hand will do the job. Just try not to toss something that is too strongly flavoured or overly saucy (for instance, chicken tikka masala or some such) into the mix.
  • If you’re sensitive to spicy foods, you can omit the jalapeno pepper and swap in Monterey Jack for the pepper jack.
  • You’ll note the recipe calls for ‘cilantro ~or~ parsley’. In short, use cilantro if you like it, use parsley if you don’t!
  • You can deep-fry or bake these. It’s entirely up to you. Regarding this…

If you want that shatteringly crispy exterior, you are going to want to take the plunge and deep-fry these. There’s just no way to get the same effect from baking them. I’m not going to say don’t bake them, because they really are tasty when prepared that way, too, it’s just they’re different.

I shoved two of these under my husband’s nose; one baked, one fried. He looked at both and went for the fried one first. He gobbled that down then tried the baked one and it was gone in a trice, too. When I quizzed him afterward about which he had preferred, he said, “I don’t know! They were both good, just different!” So there you have it. Both good, just different. If it helps you to decide, he ate the fried one with his hands and the baked one with a fork.

Print
Southwestern Egg Rolls | Make Ahead Mondays

Southwestern Egg Rolls | Make Ahead Mondays

These crispy Southwestern egg rolls are filled with bright, festive onion, corn, red bell and jalapeno peppers, spinach, parsley or cilantro, melted pepper jack cheese, mild and moist chicken, substantial and creamy black beans and smoky spices.

Made and frozen in advance, these make dinners a snap on busy nights and are eagerly anticipated by all.

Ingredients

    To Make and Freeze the Egg rolls
  • 6 cups cooked, cubed chicken (or shredded chicken)
  • 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 2 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded and diced
  • 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced (omit if you prefer milder, less spicy food)
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
  • 12 ounces, about 2-3 cups, depending on how coarsely you grate it, pepper jack cheese (use regular Monterey Jack if you prefer less spicy food.)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 40-50 egg roll wrappers
  • water in a bowl to moisten and seal the egg roll wrappers
    • To Cook the Egg Rolls:
  • canola, peanut or vegetable oil (for deep frying)
  • ~or~
  • non-stick cooking spray or oil (for baking)

Instructions

To Make and Freeze Egg Rolls:

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add the green onions, onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and garlic cloves along with a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cook over medium high heat for about 2 minutes, or until the peppers and onions are crisp tender. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large mixing bowl. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients except for the egg roll wrappers and water.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper.

Lay one egg roll wrapper out like a diamond with one tip pointing at your stomach. Scoop between ¼ and 1/3 cup of the filling neatly near the center of the egg roll wrapper, just a little bit closer to you than the center.

Pick up the corner closest to you and lift it, draping it over the filling. Use the wrapper to help compress the filling and distribute it so you have a tube of filling.

Fold the left corner over toward the center.

Do the same with the right corner.

Dip your fingers into the bowl of water, moisten along the edges of the top corner, then roll the bottom of the egg roll up toward the top, tightening the roll as you go.

When you roll it up and over the top corner, press lightly against the work surface to help seal it.

Place your sealed egg roll onto the lined pan. Repeat with the remaining filling and egg roll wrappers, trying to leave a little space between the egg rolls on the pan to prevent them from sticking together.

Cover the pans with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until the egg rolls are frozen through, about 4 hours. Transfer the frozen egg rolls into a re-sealable zipper-type freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 6 months, using them as needed.

To Deep-Fry the Prepared Egg Rolls Before Freezing:

Heat about 2-inches of canola, peanut or vegetable oil in a high-sided heavy-bottomed pan until the oil is shimmery. If you have a deep-frying thermometer, you want the oil to be at 350°F. Carefully lower the desired number of egg rolls into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pan. If necessary, fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry the egg rolls, flipping once if necessary, for about 4 minutes, or until the egg roll wrapper is deep golden brown and the filling is hot all the way through. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate or pan and let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

To Deep-Fry Frozen Prepared Egg Rolls:

Heat about 2-inches of canola, peanut or vegetable oil in a high-sided heavy-bottomed pan until the oil is shimmery. Preheat oven to 350°F. If you have a deep-frying thermometer, you want the oil to be at 350°F. Carefully lower the desired number of frozen egg rolls into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pan. If necessary, fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry the egg rolls, flipping once if necessary, for about 6 minutes, or until the egg roll wrapper is deep golden brown and the filling is hot all the way through. Transfer to a paper-towel lined pan. Cut one open to test the heat in the center. If they are not hot, you can remove the paper towels from the pan and put the pan in the oven to finish heating through. Alternatively, you can heat the fried egg rolls for 30 seconds to 1 minute after frying if the centers are not hot. When the filling is hot in the center, let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

To Bake the Prepared Egg Rolls Before Freezing:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray the desired number of egg rolls all over nonstick cooking spray or brush with oil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping occasionally, or until the egg roll wrappers are golden brown all the way around and the filling is hot all the way through. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

To Bake the Frozen Prepared Egg Rolls:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray the desired number of egg rolls all over with nonstick cooking spray or brush with oil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping occasionally, or until the egg roll wrappers are golden brown all the way around and the filling is hot all the way through. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

These are best served hot with a selection of sauces, like Ninfa’s Green Sauce , Smoked Paprika and Chipotle Sauce ,Roasted Red Pepper Sauce , or your favourite commercial or homemade salsa.
http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/03/05/southwestern-egg-rolls-make-ahead-mondays/

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Comfort Food, Freezer Pleaser, kid food, Main Dish, Make Ahead Mondays, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes | Make Ahead Mondays

February 20, 2012 by 19 Comments

WARNING: Downton Abbey Spoiler Alert! I’m  putting this on in an excess of caution, but given that last night was the season finale here in the US, I just want to be certain that you have a chance to see it before reading. I don’t actually give anything away, but I don’t want you to draw conclusions and then hate me forever.

This Sunday was a memorable one. Two of my boys had their first ever band practice. I stood in the kitchen listening to the guys jam, sneaking glances as often as I could without looking like a nutty backstage mom. I walked by and took as many surreptitious photos as I possibly could and tried desperately not to cry lest they think I didn’t like it.

Now, if you have a house full of teenaged boys, it doesn’t matter how distracted or otherwise occupied they appear, you’d best get some food going. Thank heavens I practice what I preach with Make Ahead Mondays. I had a freezer full of last minute options. I went with the easiest of the clean up options for dinners.

Why?

Lately, on Sunday nights, I’ve done the world’s fastest tucking-in of the kids. We’re talking smooch, pray, blankies-yanked-up-to-the-neck, find lost stuffed animals, pat the head and then a soothing and sincere, “If you come downstairs and interrupt Downton Abbey I will be crankier than Voldemort.”

Then I run back downstairs -wild horses aren’t in it, people… I fly-  to make a pot of tea and plant my backside firmly on the couch, remote-in-hand. Mercifully, DVRs exist, because I am quite clearly not an effective deliverer of threats. Either that, or my children are not good receivers of threats. Because they descend the stairs more often than the staff of Downton.

Forget the Superbowl. I sit here watching Downton Abbey saying things like,

“SHUT UP, THOMAS!”

“NO, Mr. Bates! NO!”

“I really like Anna’s hat.”

“Poor William.”

“Poor Daisy.”

“The Dowager Countess is my favourite person in the whole world.”

“Well, you did it NOW, didn’t you, Thomas?”

“Oh, Anna!”

“YES! Matthew socked him!”

But most importantly, and most frequently I scream, “SIR RICHARD IS A JERK!”

Can I get an amen?

Or a subdued, “Very well.”

In fact, I’m so devoted to Downton Abbey, I believe that The Dowager Countess (THREE CHEERS FOR VIOLET!) has a quote for just about everything, including Make Ahead Mondays.

“Oh, is her cooking so precisely timed? You couldn’t tell.”

Okay, so maybe I stretched that quote just a bit. But this last one comes from me talking to Lady Grantham about Make Ahead Mondays:

Lady Grantham: “You are quite wonderful the way you see room for improvement wherever you look. I never knew such reforming zeal.”
Rebecca: “I take that as a compliment.”
Lady Grantham: “I must’ve said it wrong.”

Well, alright, that wasn’t quite right, either.  I’m sorry. I’m just so obsessed.

Here’s the point, though…

I got a meal for ten on the table in thirty minutes and cleaned up in just thirty more. The sloppy joes in the freezer made it possible. And that in turn made it possible for me to clap like a seal and start singing, “Mary and Matthew sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G.”

Let this be a lesson to you. Cousin Violet loves sloppy joes.

Er.

Or something.

~~

You’ve never really had sloppy joes until you’ve had homemade sloppy joes. Go on, didn’t some of you curl your lips a bit when you saw “sloppy joes” in the title? Don’t go there! This might be “below the stairs” food, but it’s darned good! When you make them from scratch, they’re an entirely different story! When you take browned beef, luscious tangy sauce, loads upon loads of vegetables and simmer them for hours upon hours their flavours mingle and marry. Kind of like Sybil and Branson. Sigh. Pile that onto soft homemade rolls and you are in heaven. Make no mistake. They are sloppy. You’re going to want a goodly pile of napkins nearby. Or a footman with finger bowls. The choice is yours.

Either way, this stash in your freezer makes dinner a breeze.

A while back, I ran this recipe as a classic Foodie With Family Record-Eagle column. I hope you enjoy this printable version!

Print
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes | Make Ahead Mondays

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes | Make Ahead Mondays

You've never had a sloppy joe until you've had a sloppy joe made from scratch. Crammed full of veggies, big on flavour and huge on comfort, these sloppy joes are a great way to get your daily vegetable servings into picky eaters. As if they weren't wonderful enough, they're kind to the wallet and half-your-brain-tied-behind-your-back easy.

If you're feeding a big family, I highly recommend doubling or tripling this recipe (most slow-cookers can handle the upsize with no difficulty) and freezing the extras for last-minute meals.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 large ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped or grated
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 3 6-oz. cans tomato paste
  • 1/3 c. cider vinegar, plus extra for adjusting flavor after cooking
  • 1/3 c. firmly packed light brown sugar, plus extra for adjusting flavor after cooking
  • 3 t. paprika
  • 2 t. dry mustard
  • 2 t. salt
  • 2 t. chili powder, more or less, to taste
  • 1 t. fresh ground black pepper, more or less, to taste
  • ½ t. hot pepper sauce

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the beef with the onions, bell pepper, celery, carrot, and garlic, breaking up meat with a fork or wooden spoon until meat is lightly browned. Drain meat mixture and remove to a slow cooker, adding remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly combined, cover and cook on low for six to seven hours. Adjust flavor by adding additional brown sugar and vinegar to taste, if desired.

Serve filling loosely piled on rolls with choice of toppings.

To Freeze:

Cool the leftovers completely, scoop into a pre-labeled (with contents and date) resealable zipper bags in one-meal-portions. Close the zipper partway and squeeze as much air from the bag as you can without spilling the contents. Finish closing the zipper and lay the bag flat, gently squishing the bag to evenly distribute the sloppy joe filling. Lay the bags on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer until solid.

To Reheat:

Snip the top from the freezer bag and empty the contents into a microwave safe bowl or a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid. If microwaving, cover bowl with plastic wrap, venting one side. Thaw first, then microwave on high, stirring every 2 minutes or so, until the filling is hot through. If using the stovetop, add 1/4 cup of water, lid tightly, and warm over low heat, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the filling is hot through and through.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/02/20/slow-cooker-sloppy-joes-make-ahead-mondays/

Filed Under: Comfort Food, Freezer Pleaser, kid food, Main Dish, Make Ahead Mondays, Meat, Rebecca, Recipes, slow-cooker, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: , , , ,
Newer Posts»