Freeze!

Cooking on the Go
By Janet Groene, F47166
June 2005

When you cook double batches of a meal at home and freeze some for future road trips, you save time, mess, and money. Here are some offbeat recipes that can be made in large amounts and then frozen in portions appropriate for your family.

Chicki-basa Stew

1 pound kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, partially thawed and cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 large onions (2 heaping cups), diced
1 large green sweet pepper, diced
1 small red sweet pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 cups water
1 cup flour

In a large kettle, sizzle the kielbasa and chicken in hot vegetable oil, gradually stirring in the garlic and vegetables over high heat. Reduce heat; stir in the seasonings and 5 cups of the water; cover; and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the chicken thoroughly cooked. Gradually add the remaining cold water to the flour to make a thin paste and pour it into the stew over high heat, stirring constantly until the stew boils and thickens. Add more water if necessary to thin to the desired consistency. Cool, then package in batches and freeze. To serve, heat thoroughly, spoon over hot rice, and pass the hot sauce.

Think you hate beets? You might change your mind after tasting this sweet stew. This recipe makes a big batch of 12 portions that can be divided into smaller batches. Or, bring out the entire kettleful for a campground potluck.

2 15- or 16-ounce cans diced beets
1 pound carrots
1 pound turnips
1 large red onion
3 pounds lean, boneless beef for stew
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4-teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 quart chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 medium head red cabbage, coarsely shredded
Salt, pepper to taste
Sour cream
Snipped fresh dill (optional)

Drain the beets. Peel the carrots, turnips, and onion and chop them. In a large, heavy kettle, brown the beef in hot vegetable oil. Add the cloves, brown sugar, chicken broth, bay leaves, and vegetables. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is falling-apart tender. Remove the bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste. The meal is now ready to serve or it can be cooled, packaged, and placed in the freezer for later. Serve the borscht hot in shallow soup plates with a dollop of sour cream, a drift of fresh dill, caraway rolls with sweet butter, and sweet cinnamon coffee for dessert.

Cook this hearty meal all day in a slow cooker and have one hot dinner at home, then freeze the leftovers for future trips. Use leftover coffee or stir a teaspoon of instant coffee into a cup of hot water until it dissolves.

3- or 4-pound boneless, lean beef roast, such as well-trimmed rump
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 large onions, diced
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-cup olive oil
1/2-cup vinegar
1/4-cup brown sugar
1 cup coffee

Place the roast in a slow cooker. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the meat. Cook on high for six hours or on low for eight to 10 hours. Remove the meat, slice or shred it, and serve with pan juices over rice or mashed potatoes. Slice or shred the leftover meat and place it in freezer containers, dividing the remaining juice evenly among each.

Make a big batch of this one-dish meal and freeze it in smaller portions suitable for your family. Plan on 2 cups per large portion; 1-1/2 cups for medium appetites; and 1 cup for small appetites. This stew goes well with hot, crusty biscuits. Large restaurant-size cans of vegetables are an excellent buy. Find them at large supermarkets and bulk food stores.

1 pound lean sausage
2 pounds lean ground beef
6 large potatoes, peeled and diced
3 large onions, diced
#10 can (approximately 100 ounces) whole kernel corn, with juice
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
Small can diced jalapenos, drained
Family-size can (26 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted

In a large kettle, fry the sausage and ground beef, gradually stirring in the potatoes and onions. Reduce heat; cover; and cook until the potatoes and onions are tender. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring every few minutes to mix well. Note that this recipe doesn’t call for salt and pepper; the seasonings in the sausage and soup are sufficient for most tastes. Remove from the stove and measure into freezer containers. To serve, reheat and spoon into soup plates. Complete the menu with a crisp salad, biscuits or crackers, and apple Betty for dessert. Variation: For a change, substitute canned cut green beans for the corn.

Reconstitute this soup when you’re ready for a hot and hearty bowl of homemade comfort. If you prefer a meatier meal, use two pounds of ground turkey and only two cans of beans.

1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 bunch parsley, finely minced
1 can large white beans
1 can red beans such as pinto or kidney beans
1 can black beans
4-ounce can tomato paste
29-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
2 bouillon cubes, chicken or beef flavor

In a roomy kettle brown the ground turkey in hot oil. Over high heat gradually stir in the onion, celery, garlic, and carrots until everything begins to brown. Reduce heat; cover; and simmer until the carrots are tender. Stir in the parsley, beans, tomato paste, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; stir in the bouillon cubes; and turn off the heat. Cool and divide equally into three freezer containers. To serve, thaw a container of the soup and heat with 1 cup water. Each batch makes four servings.

Freezer tips
Freeze meals in plastic bags that can be put directly into boiling water. That way you can warm up the meal in the motorhome without having to wash a pot. If you do not have a vacuum sealer and the bags that go with it, try using Reynolds roasting bags. Be sure to vent the bags when reheating so steam can escape.

Make frozen foods more space-efficient by putting filled bags in square or rectangular containers so the food freezes in easy-to-store shapes. After the food is frozen solid, you can remove it from the container and pack it back into the freezer.

Freeze casseroles in pans lined with heavy-duty foil. Once the food is frozen it easily can be removed from the dish and put back in the freezer, wrapped in the foil. This allows you to use the casserole dish again and again. When you’re ready to reheat the food, place the frozen casserole in a same-size pan to bake and serve. It’s best not to foil-wrap casseroles made with tomatoes and other acidic ingredients, which can react with aluminum.

Thanks for this recipe go to Jeanne Moesly, who is not an FMCA member but is an experienced motor coach traveler. She and her husband, Carl, sailed around the world twice and then took to land traveling. This recipe should not be frozen, but it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Don’t add the pizza sauce and other toppings until just before baking. It’s wonderful with chunks of crusty bread or crisp vegetables.

8-ounce brick cream cheese
1/2-cup sour cream
1/2-teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-teaspoon red pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1/4-cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2-cup chopped onion
1/2-cup chopped pepperoni
1/2-cup pizza sauce
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and spices and spread evenly in the bottom of a 6-inch-by-10-inch baking dish. Top with the pizza sauce, chopped vegetables, and pepperoni. Sprinkle 1/2-cup of the mozzarella cheese over top and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2-cup of cheese and bake for another five minutes.

The Trailside Cookbook by Don and Pam Philpott ($15.95, Firefly Books) is written primarily for backpackers and kayakers, but some RVers will like its provisioning lists, Dutch oven recipes, and super-simplistic approach. Also of interest are two-step recipes that tell you what to prepare at home and how to finish the dish in the campground. The book’s sturdy binding will hold up well on the road. It is available at bookstores, through online booksellers, or by calling the publisher at (800) 387-5085.

It’s the last three words in the title of Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time ($16.95, Que) that make this book of interest to cooks who are on the go. Learn to prepare healthful foods that are fast and easy. Written by Charlene Bolstad, a registered nurse, this book is filled with luscious recipes, brilliant tips, and a complete breakdown of each serving’s nutritional values. Those who are on cardiac, carbohydrate-counting, diabetic, and other diets know the importance of this information. Other topics in the “In No Time” series of books include how to prepare quick family meals, how to learn Spanish, and how to start a home business. Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time can be found in bookstores, at online booksellers, or through the publisher at (317) 581-3500, www.quepublishing.com.

The newest book in the “Best” series from Robert Rose, 125 Best Rotisserie Oven Recipes by Judith Finlayson ($18.95), is filled with great recipes and ravishing photos that will keep your rotisserie turning out new and exciting dishes day after day. Simply set up your electric rotisserie on a table under your awning and forget it until it’s time to serve Rack of Baby Lamb with Green Sauce, a crusty Double Mustard-Coated Prime Rib, or one of the author’s many roast chicken ideas. The book can be purchased at bookstores or through online booksellers.

The All-American Cowboy Grill cookbook ($16.99, Rutledge Hill Press) is a collection of rib-sticking recipes rustled up on the range from real cowboys “” well, at least by folks who play cowboys on TV or in the movies. One of the authors is Cheryl Rogers Barnett, who is Roy and Dale Rogers’ daughter. Devotees of the Old West will love the photos and cowboy lore as well as the food. Choose an entire menu from appetizers through desserts. The book is spiral bound to open flat on your galley counter and comes from the same company that published Granny’s Beverly Hills Cookbook and Aunt Bee’s Mayberry Cookbook.

People from a small, Jamaican farm community gathered in a kitchen more than 20 years ago to start a business and create jobs. That marked the beginning of Walkerswood products. Now a major food purveyor, the company buys farm produce from all over the island to create a large selection of sauces, spices, and other ingredients. If you love authentic jerk, pepperpot soup, and other Jamaican favorites, purchase the Walkerswood Caribbean Kitchen cookbook ($12, Simon & Schuster), written by Virginia Burke, as well as other authentic Jamaican products from Walkerswood. The 80-page book has a good variety of recipes, from soups to desserts. Best of all, it unravels the mystery of the complex tastes of Jamaican food for beginners and experts alike. To order, call (800) 827-0769 or (305) 556-4715 or visit www.walkerswood.com. The book also is available at bookstores or through online booksellers.