Frozen dinners

At this time of year, I obsess about what I can make and freeze so my husband doesn't starve over the summer. Now there actually aren't any pilots (ahem! Captains) at Big Giant International Airlines who have starved to death when their wives departed the sandlands for the summer, that we know of...

But, I am really good at having things to obsess over and I've discovered these small aluminum baking dishes with lids you can get here in the supermarket for about 10¢.

Soooo what are we assembling then?

Green chili chicken enchiladas with pumpkin

Red chili beef enchiladas.
Sautee 1lb of ground beef with cumin, coriander, garlic and onions. Spoon mixture into soft corn tortillas. When dish is filled with rolled tortillas, pour enchilada sauce (this is a nice recipe for home-made sauce, otherwise, I think Old El Paso Sauce is just fine) over the top of the dish. Sprinkle with green onions and fresh coriander leaves. Top with grated colby or jack cheese. Cover in foil- freeze.

Bean and cheese enchiladas.
Same process as above, if you have them, its nice to layer the beans with roasted peppers and other veg. 

Spinach Canneloni or lasagne. Just follow package directions here, Barilla brand pasta has a good recipe on the box.

Chicken pot pies.
This is the easiest dish. Fill your baking dish about 1/3 with frozen mixed vegetables. Bake 6-8 chicken thighs until just cooked (@ 30 min). Cut up one or two potatoes and add them. Add cream of chicken soup mixed with milk. When ready to cook, bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and top with frozen puff pastry sheets. Bake 15 minutes more or until puff pastry is browned.

Chicken curry.
Cook one cup of brown basmati rice. Bake 4 seasoned chicken breasts and two chicken thighs in the oven until just under- cooked (15min). In a large sauce pan, cook one onion in 1tsp neutral oil, until beginning to brown. Add two tbsp mild Thai Yellow curry paste. Cook the curry paste until it is well blended with the onion and oil. Add one clove of garlic, finely chopped. Slice your chicken and add it to the curry mixture with any chicken pan drippings. Cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is cooked through (5min). Add one 8oz can cocoanut milk to the chicken. Add broccoli florets, one green pepper, some zucchini and some frozen peas. Continue to cook until the vegetables turn bright green. Fill your baking dish with rice, pour curry over. Top dish with chopped green onion, fresh cilantro and holy basil (sometimes called Thai-basil). Cover and freeze. This dish is best 1st defrosted, then emptied into a pan for re-heating. (Veg tends to overcook in the oven).

A to Z Challenge- X,Y, Z

 X,Y and Z are just not for things I come across very often.

So I fell apart on X,Y, and Z. I took the kids to Rome for a few days, that's a decent excuse, don't you think?

X
The Chinese use lots of X's so watermelon transliterates to Xigua, but I dont think this precisely counts.

Xylocarp is the scientific name for a coconut or any other woody-exterior fruit that grows on a tree.

Evidently, there's a fruit called the Ximenia which produces and essential oil that can be used for preventing parasitic infections, so that's nice. It tastes like a plum.

Y
Y is for Yam. I've always wondered about the difference between a true Yam and a Sweet Potato. From the Library of Congress- More than you ever wanted to know about the difference between Yams and Sweet Potatoes.

This extremely groovy website of Nigerian Recipes can tell you what to do if you get your hands on a true yam!

Z
The jujube is technically called the Zizyphus jujuba. No sh(%!

Zucchini is a vegetable I actually dont really find worth eating. To my taste, it has no flavor whatsoever. My husband likes to sautee zucchini in about 45 cloves of garlic and a liter of olive oil with some tomatoes. Which will pretty much make anything taste good. I like to mix the leftovers of this concoction with eggs and scramble it. Tasty!

A to Z Challenge- W

W is for Watermelon and Watercress

Yeah! Comprehensible foodstuffs...Sorry, U was horrible and I know X is virtually impossible... plus I'm supposed to be on Y by now....

Watermelon cooler

In a blender, combine 1tbsp agave or sugar syrup, about three cups of de-seeded watermelon chunks and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Give it a quick whirr, just to mix it and get the watermelon to release its juices. You can pour it through a strainer if you don't like the texture or just drink it as is. This is delicious with a splash of white rum.



Watercress sandwich

So, you've got a watermelon cooler, you might as well eat something with it. Cut the crusts off some good home (or bakery)-made white bread. Generously spread with mayonnaise. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add watercress. Cut into triangles. Serve with watermelon cooler, preferably on a porch located below the Mason-Dixon line...

A to Z Challenge - V

V is for Vanilla and Vidalia Onions

Vanilla Panna Cotta 

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, slowly cook 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup light cream, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 vanilla beans (split) until just beginning to simmer. Pour the mixture through a strainer and whisk in 1 oz gelatin until fully dissolved. Set aside until cool to touch (1/2 hour). When cool, fold in 2 cups of strained yogurt.
Pour mixture into lightly buttered, 10" tart pan (removable bottom is easier) or about 1 dozen jelly glasses.
Lovely served by itself or with fresh fruits.



Vidalia Onion Dip
 

Martha Stewart likes Vidalia Onions, I mean a LOT. A search for 'Martha Stewart Vidalia Onions' will give you 300,000 hits without dupulicates.
Her dip is a massive improvement over dried onion soup based dips (which I love, BTW). The onion flavor is richer and stands out so well against the creaminess... Now I have to go buy some potato chips, sigh!
Martha Stewart's Vidalia Onion Dip

A to Z Challenge- U

U is for Ugli Fruit and Ulluco

I've never eaten or cooked either of these foods and cant really find much by way of recipes. Which is kinda good, this corresponds with my general falling apart in the A to Z Challenge... sigh!

Ugli Fruit
Ugli fruit is actually a brand name under which the Jamaican  Tangelo is sold.






Ulluco
Here's some info about a S. American vegetable called Ulluco, it looks suspiciously like a potato.