Quick Chunky Minestrone

4 slices bacon, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
4 oz cut fresh or frozen green beans
1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken
¼ cup macaroni or any small pasta
Salt and pepper
After freeing/before serving: ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels.

2. Pour off all but 1 tbsp drippings from the pan. Add celery, onion, carrot and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, breaking up with the back of a spoon. Add chicken stock, sage and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add chickpeas, beans, chicken and macaroni; cook for 8 – 10 minutes or until the macaroni is tender but firm. Return cooked bacon t the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Serve 4



The Best Freezer Cookbook; 100 Freezer-Friendly Recipes, Plus Tips and Techniques by Jan Main

Ratatouille

8 cups

Serve hot as a vegetable or cold as a salad. It can also be used an appetizer, a pasta sauce, or a companion to a roast.

¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ cups diced onions
2 cloves garlic
1 eggplant, skin on, cut into ½ inch cubes
3 zucchini, skin on, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp dried basil
1tsp dried oregano
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
½ cup fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until softened.

2. Stir in eggplant, zucchini, peppers, sugar, basil, oregano, tomatoes and juices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.



The Best Freezer Cookbook; 100 Freezer-Friendly Recipes, Plus Tips and Techniques by Jan Main

Cornish Pasty

Makes 4 pies

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Filling
8oz  lean ground beef
1/3 cup grated carrot
1/3 cup chopped potato
1/3 cup chopped onion
¾ cup water
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 9-inch prepared pastry shells, thawed
1 egg
1 tbsp water

1. Filling: In a frying pan, cook beef, carrot, potato, and onion over medium high heat 8 – 10 minutes or until onion is softened and beef is no longer pink. Stir in water, ketchup and Worcestershire. Continue to cook covered 5 – 7 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Cool.

2. Meanwhile, invert each pie shell onto a piece of waxed paper, discarding foil liner. Gently flatten pastry shell and reshape if necessary. Cut each shell in half. Spoon one-quarter of filling onto bottom half of each piece of pastry. Fold pastry in half to enclose filling. Crimp edges together firmly. Transfer to baking sheet. Cut one or two vents in each pie.

3. In small bowl, beat egg with water; brush over pies. Bake in center of oven for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown.


The Best Freezer Cookbook; 100 Freezer-Friendly Recipes, Plus Tips and Techniques by Jan Main

Chicken Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 4

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 lb ground chicken
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp dried sage
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
4 oz light cream cheese, softened
1 egg
4 cups mashed potatoes

1. In a 10 inch ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add chicken; cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, for 5 – 7 minutes or until no longer pink. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in stock; raise heat and cook, stirring, until thickened.

2. Stir in vegetables, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sage and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Meanwhile, beat cheese and egg into potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place pan (covering handle if not oven proof) in the bottom third of the oven and broil for 7-8 minutes or until potatoes are heated through and golden brown.

The Best Freezer Cookbook; 100 Freezer-Friendly Recipes, Plus Tips and Techniques by Jan Main

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with Peppered Potato Topping

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• 13x9 baking dish


2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped onions
¾ cup finely chopped carrots
1 ½ cups prepared tomato pasta sauce
1 cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup vegetable stock
1 ½ tsp dried basil
2 bay leaves
4 cups diced potatoes
½ cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream
¼ tsp ground pepper
¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a saucepan heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions and carrots; cook 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Stir in tomato sauce, kidney beans, chickpeas, stock, basil and bay leaves; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves.  Transfer sauce to food processor; pulse on an off just until chunky. Spread over bottom of baking dish.

2. Place potatoes in saucepan; add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain; mash with milk, sour cream and pepper. Spoon on top of sauce in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses.

3. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until hot.

* The Best Freezer Cookbook; 100 Freezer-Friendly Recipes, Plus Tips and Techniques by Jan Main

Pork and Chickpea Casserole

8 oz Italian sausages (sweet or hot)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 ½ lbs boneless pork butt cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup water or white wine
½  cup rice (preferably brown)
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1. In a saucepan arrange sausages in a single layer. Pour in about `/2 inch water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook about 10 minutes or until sausages are no longer pink inside. Drain and cool. Cut sausages into 1-inch slices.

2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. In batches, brown pork.

3. Return all pork to saucepan. Stir in onions and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until onions are softened. Stir in sausages, tomatoes and juices, chickpeas, water, rice, basil and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until rice and pork are tender. Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley.

* The Best Freezer Cookbook; 100 Freezer-Friendly Recipes, Plus Tips and Techniques by Jan Main

Pork Apple Curry

¼ vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 tbsp grated ginger root
1 tbsp curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 lbs pork butt or boneless lamb cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 cups tomato juice
2 cups sliced peeled apples
1 cup raisins

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, ginger, curry, garlic and cayenne; cook for 10 minutes or until onions are softened.  Stir in pork or lamb; cook for 10-15 minutes or until browned.

2. Stir in 3 cups tomato juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer covered for 30 minutes. Stir in apples and raisins; simmer another 20 minutes or until meat is tender. Add extra tomato juice if sauce becomes too thick.