The Joy of Roasting

When I was growing up (in the 50's and 60's...OMG that was a long time ago!) "cooking" usually referred to food that was braised, sautéed, steamed, or broiled. Except for the occasional holiday turkey or well marbled slab of meat, not too many foods were cooked with dry heat, A.K.A. roasted. Lately, however, it seems, everyone is talking about roasting things other than meats....especially veggies. I tried roasting broccoli for the first time a couple of years ago and was astounded at the interesting and unusually complex favors that the dry heat imparted. The little browned, nay, burned, bits at the ends of the flowerettes are intense, caramelized, crunchy and really delicious! Roasted asparagus or cauliflower are, to me, much more interesting than the boring steamed versions. (To roast any veggie, arrange in a single layer in a shallow pan, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 475 degrees or so until it's cooked to your liking.) The thing about roasting foods is that it gets rid of much of the water, an undesirable result if you're roasting a slab of lean meat, but lovely in a vegetable, since it intensifies the favors. (Of course, if you hate the veggie in question, that may not be a good thing!!!)

Tomatoes are one of the most waterlogged vegetables out there, so roasting is a particularly nice way to prepare them. Below I've combined my new favorite way of cooking tomatoes with one of my all time favorite foods, pasta, to create a Roasted Tomato Sauce. The caramelized onions and the basil are flavorful garnishes, though the pasta with just the sauce is also great.

Roasted Tomato Sauce
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1 to 1-1/2 pints grape tomatoes
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large or 2 medium onions
salt & pepper, to taste
6 oz. penne, or other short cut pasta
fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
Parmegiano or Romano cheese, optional

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper and roast, tossing occasionally, until tomatoes wilt and begin to brown, probably 15 minutes or so. While the tomatoes are roasting, thinly slice the onions and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in another shallow baking pan. When the tomatoes are done, remove them from the oven and set the pan aside. Turn on the broiler, broil the onions 4 inches from the element and allow them to brown, tossing them every few minutes until all of them are soft and some of them are very brown, nearly burned. Just before the onions are done, put the tomatoes back into the oven on the lower rack for a minute or so just to warm them. Meanwhile, cook pasta and drain well, reserving about a half cup of the starchy pasta cooking liquid. Using blender, puree about 1/3 of the roasted tomatoes until they are almost completely smooth. If necessary, add some pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time to make the desired sauce consistency (you probably won't use it all). Toss the puréed tomatoes with the cooked pasta to coat everything with the sauce, divide into individual plates, top with the remaining roasted tomatoes, broiled onions and torn basil leaves and serve.

Notes & Pointers:
Parmegiano or Romano cheese is optional, but I prefer the delicate taste of the roasted tomatoes without it.

A Quick Meal Sometimes Takes All Day!

I define a "quick meal" as one which cooks quickly start to finish, or, alternatively, one which has only a little hands-on time and spends the next hour(s) merrily cooking away with little or no attention on the part of the cook. A slow cooker takes care of the second option. While I don't have a countertop slow cooker, my oven does have a slow cook setting (which I found out about inadvertently when one of our cats accidentally turned it on). Osso Buco is a particularly flavorful and delicious slow cooked meal. While it is ideal for an elegant dinner party, it's also easy enough for an everyday meal. It's made with the cross cut (usually) veal shanks, a cut which includes a large marrow filled bone in the center.

The hands-on part of the dish requires simply browning the veal shanks well in a combination of butter and olive oil. While that is working, carrot, celery and onions are diced, then added to the pot for a quick sauté. Then everything is covered with white wine, chicken broth and diced tomatoes. It is at this point that the cook's work is done, for the entire thing goes into the slow cooker for the next few hours while the cook gets to decide what to wear for the dinner party, visit with guests, have a glass of wine, whatever. It is also very forgiving as it can cook for three hours or even four or five, only getting more succulent with the passage of time.

Right before you serve the Osso Buco, prepare the gremolata garnish. All that's left to do is cut up some crusty bread and toss a salad. Outstanding!

Osso Buco

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 thick slices veal shank (about 8 to 12 oz. each)

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 carrot

1 onion

1 stalk celery

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained, or 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded & diced

salt & pepper (to taste)

grated zest of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley

Instructions:

In a stovetop safe crockpot insert or other large pot, heat the butter and oil over high heat until quite hot, but not smoking. Arrange the shanks in a single layer in the pot and allow them to brown well on all sides. (You will know when the bottom is brown when the meat easily releases from the pan. If it sticks, let it cook a few minutes more.) While the meat is browning, dice the carrot, celery and onion. Once the meat is well browned, remove it to a large plate and add the diced veggies to the pan. Sauté them quickly over high heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned bits of meat. When the veggies are tender, stir the wine, chicken stock and tomatoes into the pot, again scraping the bottom to be sure all the browned bits make it into the sauce. Return the shanks (along with any juices which have accumulated) to the pot in a single layer, nestling them into and under the veggies. At this point, the whole thing goes into the slow cooker for the next several hours. If you'll need to serve in only 3 hours or so, set the slow cooker to high. If you have more time, say 4 or 5 hours or even more, set the temp to low. Alternatively, this can be done in a conventional oven at 300 degrees for a couple of hours (if you use a conventional oven, place a piece of parchment paper over the pot before tightly covering with the lid. The extra thickness of the paper will ensure that the lid seals completely and the juices won't evaporate.) When cooked the meat should be falling off the bone. Taste the pan juices and adjust seasoning.

Just before serving, prepare the gremolata; mince together the lemon, garlic and parsley either with a blender, food processor or a sharp chef's knife. Using an extra large spatula or large slotted spoon, carefully transfer each shank to its own deep dinner plate. Spoon the veggies and sauce over and around the meat. Serve each portion of the veal with a spoonful or two of the gremolata sprinkled over the top.

Notes & Pointers:

This is one of those dishes which should really be seasoned right at the end, as there's no way to predict how much the juices will cook down by the end of the cook time. Though classically made with veal shanks, beef shanks can be substituted, but cooking time should be extended by about 25% to allow for the coarser texture of the beef. When serving, provide your guests with demitasse spoons for retrieving the delicious marrow in the center of the bones. This gelatinous morsel is prized for its flavor. While this dish needs no stirring during the slow cook process, you might want to check once to see if you need to add more stock, especially if your slow cook lid isn't particularly well sealed or if you leave it for the longest cook times.

The Leftover Makeover

Often by Thursday or Friday night, I find myself with an assortment of leftovers from several different meals, none of which is enough for a dinner. Fortunately, my husband actually likes leftovers. Occasionally we'll have a tasting menu, with half a dozen tiny plates arrayed before us, each holding a couple of tablespoons of something, none of which "go" together. Sometimes, however, I prefer to repackage the same foods in a new form to relieve the boredom of the leftovers. Omelettes fit the bill exactly. You can put practically anything into an omelette, cheeses, meats, veggies, starches, and end up with something new and (hopefully) improved. Here's this week's Thursday night inventory of leftovers:

Few broccoli flowerettes (leftover from our Super Bowl crudités platter)
About 3/4 of a red bell pepper (ditto)
A couple of cups of plain ziti (from a choose-your-own-sauce dinner)
Some broiled onions (from the same dinner)

Here's the process: I diced and quickly sautéed the pepper and broccoli with some olive oil in an oven safe skillet until tender and beginning to brown. I chopped the onions into smaller bits with my chef's knife, so they would distribute more evenly through the eggs and added them to the pan after the rest of the veggies had cooked. I cut the ziti in half (again, so they would combine better) and stirred them in just before adding the beaten eggs, salt and pepper. (I usually use 4 eggs per person for a dinner, but discard 3 of the yolks. I find that the one remaining yolk is enough to make the eggs still taste like eggs, but substantially reduces the fat and cholesterol in the dish. However, use whole eggs or egg whites if that is your preference.) Once the eggs are added, I transfer the skillet to the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until my instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees and everything is lovely and browned. Serve directly from the skillet, or loosen the bottom with a wide metal spatula and carefully invert onto a platter for serving.

Notes & Pointers
In this case, the peppers and onions were very flavorful, so I wanted them to be the predominant taste. If my fridge was harboring veggies that were more bland (like spinach, eggplant or peas), I might add some crumbled feta, grated extra sharp cheddar or even a sprinkle of Romano or Parmegianno cheese (all of which I always have in my freezer) to liven it up. If I had leftover rice or potatoes, I would use that instead of pasta (if I have no leftover starch, I quickly microwave a potato or two until barely done, dice and sauté in the pan until brown before adding the remaining veggies). Leftover herbs would add a ton of flavor, either mixed into the beaten eggs or sprinkled over top of the cooked dish. Bits of bacon, ham, sausage, chicken or other meats would be lovely additions. Pretty much anything goes....my Mom tells me that her mother used to make Omelettes with leftover spaghetti including the tomato sauce....I haven't tried that yet, but one of these days I will....I'll keep you posted!

Look! Up On the Table....It's a Side Dish! It's a Meal! It's RISOTTO!

I love having recipes which are adaptable to changing needs....that can be molded to fit the requirements of the day or the moment, or varied according to seasonal ingredients or to whatever leftovers are threatening to go south in my fridge. Risotto is a prime example of such a recipe. At its most basic, it is a hearty, delicious, comforting and elegant side dish. But the real beauty of this easy workhorse recipe is that it can morph into a main course with only a few variations. The basic recipe can be made with any kind of flavorful stock, chicken, beef, veggie, seafood or even plain water if you have no stock handy. The cheese that finishes the dish can be Parmigiano Reggiano, Romano, Grana Padano, or even a combination.

Various meats or seafoods can be added to enrich the rice as can many different kinds of vegetables. Some of my favorite variations are listed below the recipe, in the Notes & Pointers section but these are only the beginning! Let your creativity soar. If you have any other leftover cooked vegetables or meats, stir them in....it will be delicious!

Don't be intimidated by the thought that the rice must be attended each and every minute. All told it should take about 20 to 30 minutes to cook the rice to the al dente stage (still with a tiny bite in the center of the grains) but you don't have to be a slave to the process....an occasional stir every 3 or 4 minutes when you add another half cup or so of stock will do the trick. The additions should be fully cooked before being stirred into the risotto during the last minute or two of cooking, just to heat through. All you need to complete the meal is a crisp green salad.

Risotto
Serves: 4 to 6 (or more, depending on the additions)

Ingredients:
1 small onion, minced
1/4 cup butter or extra virgin olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
5 or more cups hot beef, chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, Romano or Grana Padano cheese

Instructions:
Over medium-low heat, sauté onion in butter or oil until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice to the pan and sauté for an additional few minutes or until the rice looks opaque around the edges. Keep the stock hot in another saucepan and add it to the rice a half cup at a time, stirring every few minutes over medium-low heat. Wait until each half cup of stock is completely absorbed by the rice before adding more. Stir frequently until the rice is just barely cooked. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, it’s OK to add a bit of plain water at the end. When the rice is cooked, stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano, Romano or Grana Padano cheese and serve immediately.

Notes & Pointers:
The frequent stirring makes the rice very creamy. Traditionally risotto is made with arborio rice which is a short grain, very starchy rice, but regular long grain rice seems to work fine in a pinch; just don’t use converted rice which has had most of the starch removed.

For one delicious variation, prepare roasted vegetables as follows before you start the risotto:

2 lbs. of the following in any combination: red & green peppers, zucchini, yellow squash,
    eggplant, asparagus, mushrooms, red onion, all cut into 1 inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

Toss all vegetables with olive oil and garlic. Roast vegetables in a single layer in a baking pan (in batches if necessary) at 425° for 35 to 40 minutes until cooked and beginning to caramelize. Prepare risotto as usual, then stir roasted veggies in a few minutes before rice is cooked. Taste for seasoning…you may want to add a bit more cheese.

Another option is to add bits of cooked ham along with some green peas (frozen peas are just fine). Sautéed shrimp is another way to go. Or add the grated rind and juice of one or two lemons (to taste) just before rice is cooked for a lovely Lemon Risotto.

The Ultimate Comfort Food -- Casual or Elegant

Well, it finally happened! After weeks of being spoiled by above normal temperatures here in the Northeast, winter finally arrived in the form of 5 inches of snow last weekend. Right about now some comfort food would be soothing, and I can't think of anything more comforting than a plate of creamy Mac & Cheese. I present two amazing versions below. The first is a quick, delicious, one pot wonder, easy to make for a weeknight-after-work dinner (if you splurge on pre-grated cheese, it's virtually as quick as the powdered stuff in the blue box and SO much tastier!). The second recipe is a more refined version suitable for an elegant dinner party. It's slightly more involved, but well worth the effort. Serve either version with a crisp green salad to complete the meal. I'm feeling better already!

Just an aside; I recently ordered Mac & Cheese for dinner at a chain restaurant. I ate only half of it, more because I was afraid of the calorie count than because I was too full to eat the whole portion. When I got home, I pulled up the nutrition info on the restaurant's web site and was shocked to see a calorie count of 1000 calories. OK, I thought to myself--I only ate half of it, so the damage isn't TOO bad. Then I noticed the tiny print where it indicated that what was served was considered TWO portions!!!!! First, I don't know many people who order a plate at a restaurant to share--to me the fun of eating out is that everyone can order exactly what he or she desires at the moment without compromise. Second, I am hard pressed to figure out exactly what they could have done to the dish to inflate it to 2000 calories!!!! If my iPad calorie counter is to be believed, the Everyday Macaroni & Cheese recipe below yields 4 hearty portions at approximately 700 calories per person. Obviously not diet food, but less than half the calories of the restaurant version and, frankly, a whole lot tastier! I'm just saying.....

Everyday Macaroni & Cheese
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 tsp. salt
pinch each paprika, ground cayenne pepper, & white pepper
1 lb. elbow macaroni
4 Tbs. butter
2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 Tbs. milk

Instructions:
Bring the water, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper and white pepper to a boil in an 8 quart saucepan over high heat. Add elbow macaroni and reduce heat to very low. Simmer about 8 to 10 minutes stirring frequently until macaroni is al denté. Turn off heat and stir in butter, cheddar cheese and milk until cheese is melted. 

Notes & Pointers:
This recipe seems like it can’t possibly work because you start with a measured amount of water for the pasta and don’t drain it at the end, but it really does work. It’s delicious!

Three-Cheese Pasta Gratin
Serves: 4 to 6
Oven Temperature: 400°

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. butter
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
3 Tbs. all purpose flour
4 cups milk
10 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
8 oz. hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2-1/2 cups)
1-2/3 cups grated Romano cheese, divided
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1 lb. short cut pasta (such as cavatapi, rotelli or penne)

Instructions:
Melt butter in heavy 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until just fragrant, about 1 minute (don’t allow it to brown!). Reduce heat to low and add flour; stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cover partially; simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheddar and Jack cheese, 1-1/3 cups Romano cheese (reserve remaining 1/3 cup Romano cheese) and hot pepper sauce. Whisk until sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Whisk over very low heat to rewarm before using.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter bottom and sides of 13” x 9” x 2” baking dish. Blend remaining 1/3 cup Romano, almonds and breadcrumbs in food processor until nuts are coarsely ground. Add 1/2 cup almond mixture to prepared dish. Tilt dish to coat bottom and sides. Return any loose almond mixture to processor. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain well. Return pasta to pot. Add sauce; stir to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining almond mixture evenly over pasta.
Bake until almond mixture is golden and crunchy and sauce bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes.

Notes & Pointers:
Don’t be concerned if it looks like there is way too much sauce for the pasta. It all works out in the end! Once it’s baked, the pasta absorbs lots of the sauce. As far as the amount of hot sauce, you can use less or even none and just pass the bottle of hot sauce at the table for those who like everything 5 alarm!

Meaters and Vegans and More--Oh My!

Among our friends and family, we have all variety of eating preferences: omnivores who eat everything, "meaters," (meat and potatoes, no veggies please!), some who eat chicken but no red meat, pescetarians, vegetarians and vegans. How to feed everyone at the same table? 'Tis a puzzlement!!! I've developed some practices to ease these situations. Before guests come to my house for the first time, I always ask if they have any dietary restrictions. As a general rule, I always make two different entrees at every dinner party so my guests have a choice. Because I want all my guests to experience the same dinner, I never single anyone out by serving them a dish that was clearly made for them alone (like plopping a veggie burger on a plate when everyone else is eating Chicken Marsala). Instead I plan menus where I can make two versions of the same dish--one that suits meat eaters and one that will be palatable to my meat-free guests. 

For instance, I may make 2 versions of chili, one with meat, and one that is chock full of vegetables, beans, brown rice and tempeh. We can all enjoy some crusty bread and flavored dipping oils. Or I'll make sweet and sour chicken, along with sweet and sour tofu. Everyone can share in the brown rice. Another good technique is the "make your own" scenario. I've done this with pizza. Just make (or buy--I'm not judging!) a batch of pizza dough, roll out individual portions of dough (around 6 or 7 ounces each) on non-stick aluminum foil squares and have bowls of toppings laid out on a large table or counter. Be sure to have lots of veggies, vegan cheese and some meat free sauce as well as bowls of meat sauce,  pepperoni, anchovies and mozzarella and everyone will be happy! Let your guests design and build their own pizzas, then bake them for 10 minutes while you enjoy a drink. I've also done a pasta bar, where I cook up a large pot of pasta and offer 5 or 6 different sauces: plain tomato sauce, bolognese sauce, Alfredo sauce, vodka sauce, clam sauce, pesto, and maybe even an uncooked fresh tomato sauce laden with basil and raw garlic. Everyone chooses their sauce and we all share some herbed focaccia and the dinner experience.

Another good option is Pad Thai. This recipe is unique in that each protein is cooked separately and it is left to each diner to customize their meal.

Pad Thai
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. fettuccine-width rice stick noodles
1 Tbs. peanut or canola oil

For the sauce:
4 Tbs. tamarind paste
1/2 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
2/3 cup honey
4 Tbs. rice vinegar

Choice of 1 or more protein:
1 lb. chicken breast, cubed OR
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, patted dry & cubed OR
1 lb. shrimp, cleaned & deveined OR
1 lb. any firm fleshed white fish, cubed

For the stir fry:
2 Tbs. peanut or canola oil
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs, beaten (optional)
1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded
12 oz. pkg. mung bean sprouts

For garnish:
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, chopped
2 limes, quartered

Instructions:
Cover noodles with boiling water in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until barely tender. Drain, toss with one tablespoon of oil and set aside. Simmer tamarind paste, fish sauce, honey and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 2 minutes and set aside. Press on tofu (if using) with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. In a small frying pan (or several pans if making more than one protein), sauté chicken, tofu, shrimp or fish in one tablespoon of oil over medium heat until lightly brown; stir in some of the heated sauce, simmer covered 2 minutes or until cooked through and set aside. Sauté scallions and garlic in a large skillet in one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the beaten eggs to the pan and scramble until just done (if your guests are vegan, you can easily leave this step out). Add cabbage and bean sprouts and continue to cook until cabbage begins to wilt, then add drained noodles to pan along with the remaining sauce. When noodles are warmed through, serve noodles topped with your choice of protein, garnishing each dish with the chopped peanuts, cilantro or parsley and lime wedges.

Notes & Pointers:
This recipe requires a few items that you may not find in your local grocery store, but they are worth tracking down at an Asian market. The recipe gives quantities for one kind of protein.  If you make more than one, you will need to use a tablespoon of oil to cook each protein and increase the quantities for the sauce.

My Freezer, My Friend

When my husband and I first married, we lived in a small studio apartment with a tiny kitchen and a minuscule refrigerator. It was a 6 cubic foot model that fit under the counter and held hardly enough food for the day's dinner. It was so small that the egg holder on the door didn't even hold a dozen eggs and the ice cube tray in the freezer made special miniature ice cubes (guess the full size cubes would have overwhelmed the tiny ice box!). Entertaining guests was a challenge, to say the least. The party menu was determined solely by what I could find in my local supermarket the day before the dinner party, as I had no way to store food long enough to plan ahead. Forget about taking advantage of supermarket sales! After a few months of dealing with grocery shopping on the way home from work nearly every day, we decided to invest in a small deep freezer.

What a change! Suddenly we could plan meals days, weeks, even months ahead of time! I could purchase meats and other staples in bulk when the prices were low instead of being at the mercy of the supermarket each week. Just as importantly, I found I could make large batches of freezable foods and have quick dinners any day of the week. What a luxury! And we were no longer resigned to eating leftovers from a dinner party each and every day until they were gone or they spoiled...we could eat what we felt like and freeze the rest in portions to be consumed later, when they had become novel again! Additionally, I found my freezer to be a good weight control tool, as when a dinner party leaves me with a ton of irresistible desserts. I know if I spend the next week gorging myself, I will be laden with guilt and probably 5 extra pounds by Friday. However, by portioning the desserts into individual servings (a task best approached when not hungry!) I can happily enjoy the goodies over several weeks thus appeasing both my frugal and healthy sides.

I quickly began to find and test recipes for the freezer.....large pots of soup, (chicken, turkey, split pea, fagiole, stracciatelli, lentil, vegetable), big batches of chili (con carne and vegetarian), large quantities of tomato sauce (the Italian cook's secret weapon for unexpected guests), even beef bourguignon and stews. Along the way, alas, I also learned about foods that DON'T freeze well, those that change texture, lose taste, or flat out get yucky when frozen.

Here's what I've figured out. Most soups freeze well, provided they are broth based (like chicken or turkey soups--though I always leave the pasta, noodles, or rice to be cooked and added just before serving); I have had less success with milk or cream based soups (like potato soup or cream of mushroom). Most meats that are slow cooked in lots of liquid freeze well (like braised dishes and stews); meats that are dry roasted, broiled, or BBQ usually don't. Most cookies, breads and unfrosted cakes come out of the freezer tasting like they've never been frozen; however, cookies or cakes that have fillings or frostings are better eaten fresh. Cheeses change texture when frozen, becoming dry and crumbly. However, cheeses that are grated and frozen to be melted in recipes (like cheddar cheese for Mac & Cheese or pepper jack for quesadillas) work just fine. Pastas sometimes get pasty when frozen (though I have occasionally had lasagna survive the freezer unscathed when I was absolutely desperate). The most important thing is to wrap food well, in several layers of foil and plastic so all the air is pressed out (try using a clean straw to suck the air out of plastic bags before sealing). And label everything! No matter how sure you are that you will remember what is in a package two months from now, trust me, you won't. It only takes one incident of almost putting what you thought was chicken stock and turned out to be clam broth into a gravy to teach you that!

This is also a good time to mention storage guidelines which can be found at http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/348/348-960/348-960_pdf.pdf. This pdf file indicates a freezer as being 32 degrees. A deep freeze actually keeps food at zero degrees, so your storage times may be even longer. Either way, a refrigerator/freezer thermometer can be purchased for under $10 and  is always a good investment. Meanwhile, try this recipe for Stracciatelli.....it makes a large amount, so have some tonight, then freeze some for a night when you don't feel like cooking.

Stracciatelli
Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients for meatballs:
1-1/2 lbs. chicken breast, ground
2 Tbs. grated Romano cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 to 1 cup cold water

Ingredients for soup:
16 cups chicken stock
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach
1-1/2 lbs. any small pasta like alphabets, orzo or acini di pepe

Instructions:
Combine all meatball ingredients in mixer bowl with flat beater or in a large bowl using your clean hands. Meat mixture should be somewhat soft, but still hold its shape when formed into balls. Using wet hands, form small meatballs on cookie sheet. Broil 4 to 6 inches from broiler element until well browned. Turn the meatballs over and brown the second side.

Bring the chicken stock and the minced garlic to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer for an additional 15 or 20 minutes. Add the spinach and simmer just until the spinach is defrosted and hot. Boil the noodles in a separate pot of boiling salted water, drain and stir into the soup just before serving. Serve with Romano cheese.

Notes & Pointers:
This is a very large recipe, so I usually freeze half of the meatballs just after I broil them. Then I use only half the stock, garlic, spinach and noodles with each half of the meatballs. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can freeze the meatballs after cooking them in the broth with the garlic and spinach. Either way cook the pasta on the day you serve.