Quick Dinners, Leftover Lunches EVERYDAY GRANOLA This granola is great with milk or on its own as a snack. It is used in our No Bake Fruit and Nut Granola Bars. 5 cups (1.25 L) old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup (125 ml) canola oil 1/2 cup (125 ml) ground flaxseed 1/2 cup (125 ml) liquid honey 1/2 cup (125 ml) wheat germ 1/4 cup (50 ml) packed golden 1/2 cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped almonds brown sugar 1/2 cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped walnuts 1 tbsp (15 ml) cinnamon 1/2 cup (125 ml) pumpkin seeds 1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger 1/2 cup (125 ml) unsweetened shredded 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla coconut Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Combine oats, flaxseed, wheat germ, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and coconut in a large bowl; set aside. Place oil, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour oil mixture over oats mixture and stir until coated. Spread mixture in a greased large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once, for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. May be frozen. Makes about 10 cups (2.5 L). Nutritional analysis per 1/4 cup (50 ml) serving: 133 calories, 7.6 g fat, 3.4 g protein, 14.2 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fibre, 3 mg sodium NO-BAKE FRUIT AND NUT GRANOLA BARS 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) Everyday Granola or 1/2 cup (125 ml) packed golden granola brown sugar 2 cups (500 ml) crisp rice cereal 1/2 cup (125 ml) white corn syrup 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped dried 1/2 cup (125 ml) almond butter apple slices 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla 1/2 cup (125 ml) raisins 1/2 cup (125 ml) unsalted blanched peanuts Combine Everyday Granola, cereal, apple, raisins and peanuts in a large bowl; set aside. Combine brown sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in almond butter and vanilla, stirring until mixture is smooth. Pour brown sugar mixture over granola mixture and stir until coated. Press mixture into a greased 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking pan. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars. Wrap bars individually in plastic wrap. Store in a cool dry place for up to 1 week. May be frozen. Makes 18. Nutritional analysis per bar: 220 calories, 10.1 g fat, 4.6 g protein, 30.7 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g fibre, 41 mg sodium Safety Matters: Cooking-related fires cause most home fires in Canada. Don t leave cooking food unattended. Even if you re leaving the stove for just a few minutes, play it safe and turn off your stove before you walk away.
MUFFIN CUP MEAT LOAVES 1 tsp (5 ml) oil 1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped onion 1/2 tsp (2 ml) oregano, crumbled 1/4 cup (50 ml) shredded carrot 1/4 tsp (1 ml) freshly ground pepper 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) salt 1 lb (0.5 kg) lean ground beef Dash hot pepper sauce 1/2 cup (125 ml) soda cracker crumbs 1 egg, beaten 1/4 cup (50 ml) ketchup 2 tbsp (25 ml) ketchup 1 tbsp (15 ml) prepared mustard Heat oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Combine onion mixture with next 10 ingredients (beef through beaten egg). Spoon mixture into 8 greased nonstick muffin cups. Spread 2 tbsp (25 ml) ketchup on top of meat loaves. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 30-35 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in centres registers 170ºF (77ºC). Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 8. TURKEY SLIDERS Sliders are mini burgers or sandwiches that are served as a starter or an entree. Slider buns may be purchased from grocery stores. 1 lb (0.5 kg) ground turkey 1/4 tsp (1 ml) freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup (50 ml) ricotta cheese 1 tbsp (15 ml) canola oil 1/4 cup (50 ml) fine dry bread crumbs 10 slider buns 1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard Lettuce leaves* 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh parsley Tomato slices* 1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh thyme Mayonnaise* 1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt Combine turkey, cheese, bread crumbs, mustard, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper until well blended. Shape mixture into 10 patties, each about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Heat oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook patties in batches until browned on both sides and completely cooked, about 4-5 minutes per side. Alternatively, place patties on a grill topper and grill over medium heat on natural gas barbecue until completely cooked. Serve in buns with lettuce, tomato slices and mayonnaise. Makes 10. Cook s Note: If desired muffin cup meat loaves can be sliced in half and used as a substitute for the ground turkey sliders in this recipe. PIZZA SOUP 2 tbsp (25 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cubed pepperoni 1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion (1/2 inch/1.25 cm) 1 cup (250 ml) sliced mushrooms 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) chopped green bell peppers 4 cups (1 L) beef broth 2 tbsp (25 ml) chopped fresh parsley 1 can (28 oz/796 ml) diced tomatoes 2 tsp (10 ml) Italian seasoning 1 lb (0.5 kg) lean ground beef, cooked and Croutons* drained Freshly grated Parmesan cheese* Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms; sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, cooked ground beef, pepperoni, green peppers, parsley and Italian seasoning; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until green peppers are tender and soup is heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve topped with croutons and Parmesan cheese. Serves 6. Cook s Note: If desired, broken up muffin cup meat loaves can be used as a substitute for the lean ground beef in this recipe.
CRISPY CHEESE TOPPED FISH Any type of white-fleshed fish can be used in this recipe. This recipe can be doubled so that the leftovers can be used in fish tacos. 1 lb (500 g) fish fillets 1/2 tsp (2 ml) dry mustard Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tbsp (25 ml) chopped fresh parsley 3 tbsp (40 ml) butter 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) fresh bread crumbs 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 cup (125 ml) shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 tsp (2 ml) Worcestershire sauce Arrange fish in shallow greased casserole. Season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in saucepan; add onion and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread topping over fillets. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Serves 4. FISH STICK TACOS 16 frozen fish sticks 2 dashes hot pepper sauce 1/4 cup (50 ml) mayonnaise 4 cups (1 L) coleslaw mix 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice 1 cup (250 ml) medium salsa 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard 1/2 cup (125 ml) diced peeled mango 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) salt 8 flour tortillas (8 inch/20 cm) Bake fish sticks according to package directions. Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and hot pepper sauce until blended. Combine coleslaw mix and mayonnaise mixture. Combine salsa and mango. Spoon about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of coleslaw mixture on one side of each tortilla. Top each with 2 fish sticks and some of the salsa mixture. Fold tortillas in half. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6. Cook s Note: If desired, leftover Crispy Cheese Topped Fish may be substituted for the fish sticks in this recipe. In addition, taco shells may be substituted for the flour tortillas in this recipe. HERB AND GARLIC BAKED PORK TENDERLOIN 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil 1/2 tsp (2 ml) freshly ground pepper 1/2 tsp (2 ml) rosemary, crumbled 1/4 tsp (1 ml) garlic powder 1/2 tsp (2 ml) thyme, crumbled 1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt 1/2 tsp (2 ml) paprika 2 pork tenderloins (1 lb/0.5 kg each) Combine all ingredients except pork in a heavy plastic bag. Add pork and squeeze bag to coat pork with seasoning mixture. Remove pork from bag. Place pork in a small roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425ºF (220ºC) for 35-40 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160ºF (71ºC). Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serves 6-8. GREEK SALAD WRAPS 1/2 cup (125 ml) shredded dry pack 4 flour tortillas (8 inch/20 cm) feta cheese 8 lettuce leaves 1/4 cup (50 ml) mayonnaise 1 large tomato, thinly sliced 1/4 cup (50 ml) chopped pitted 2 cups (500 ml) diced seeded kalamata olives English cucumber 2 tbsp (25 ml) chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup (50 ml) sliced pickled pepperoncini peppers Combine cheese, mayonnaise, olives and parsley. Spread cheese mixture evenly over tortillas, leaving a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) border. Layer lettuce, tomato, cucumber and pepperoncini evenly on top of cheese mixture. Tightly roll up each tortilla jelly-roll fashion. Serve immediately or wrap individually and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Serves 4. Cook s Note: If desired, left over Herb and Garlic Baked Pork Tenderloin can be sliced thinly and added to the Greek Salad Wraps.
MUSTARD GLAZED HAM STEAK 1 lb (0.5 kg) ham steak, 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) 1/2 cup (125 ml) Dijon mustard thick 2 tbsp (25 ml) balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup (125 ml) sieved apricot jam 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) cayenne pepper Trim excess fat from ham steak. Do not cut into ham. To prepare sauce, combine jam, mustard, vinegar and cayenne pepper. Reserve half of sauce to serve with ham; use remainder to baste ham. Broil ham for 4-5 minutes per side, basting occasionally with sauce. Alternatively, ham may be grilled over medium heat on natural gas barbecue. Cut ham into serving pieces. Serve with reserved sauce. Serves 3-4. ORZO SALAD 3 tbsp (40 ml) balsamic vinegar 3 cups (750 ml) cooked orzo, rinsed and drained 2 tbsp (25 ml) olive oil 1 cup (250 ml) frozen peas, thawed 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 3/4 cup (175 ml) shredded dry pack feta cheese 1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt 1/4 cup (50 ml) chopped fresh parsley 1/2 tsp (2 ml) freshly ground pepper To prepare dressing, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add orzo, peas, cheese and parsley; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until serving or for up to 24 hours. Serves 4. Cook s Note: If desired, 1 cup of cooked cut up leftover ham can be added to this recipe. HERB BAKED CHICKEN 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) fine dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup (125 ml) mayonnaise 1/4 cup (50 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt 1/4 tsp (1 ml) basil, crumbled 1/4 tsp (1 ml) sage, crumbled 1/4 tsp (1 ml) oregano, crumbled 1/4 tsp (1 ml) cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp (1 ml) paprika 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and paprika in a pie pan; set aside. Stir together mayonnaise, salt, sage and cayenne pepper. Spread mayonnaise mixture over both sides of chicken. Coat chicken with crumb mixture. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a greased jelly-roll pan. Do not overcrowd pan. Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serves 8. TURKEY CAESAR WRAPS This delicious filling also works nicely in pita bread. 1/2 cup (125 ml) creamy Caesar dressing 2 cups (500 ml) julienned cooked turkey 4 flour tortillas (8 inch/20 cm) Grated Parmesan cheese 4 cups (1 L) shredded romaine lettuce Spread dressing evenly over tortillas. Place 1 cup (250 ml) lettuce down the centre of each tortilla. Top lettuce with 1/2 cup (125 ml) turkey. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Fold bottom edge of each tortilla 1 inch (2.5 cm) over filling. Fold sides of tortillas to centres, overlapping edges. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Serves 4. Cook s Note: If desired leftover Herb Baked Chicken or deli chicken can be used as a substitute for the cooked turkey in this recipe. Food Safety for Freezing Combination Foods ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen does not recommend freezing combination foods such as casseroles and soups that have been prepared using previously frozen cooked meat, fish, poultry, stock or vegetables. Combination foods that have been prepared using freshly cooked meat, fish, poultry, stock or vegetables may be frozen for up to 6 weeks. Freezer storage times are based on storage in a chest or upright freezer and not a refrigerator freezer compartment. To retain quality, all foods to be frozen should be packaged in freezer bags or rigid food-safe plastic containers.
OVEN BARBECUED CHICKEN 1/3 cup (75 ml) barbecue sauce 2 tbsp (25 ml) Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup (75 ml) orange marmalade 8-10 skinless chicken thighs 2 tbsp (25 ml) fresh lemon juice Combine barbecue sauce, marmalade, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a greased baking dish. Do not overcrowd pan. Pour barbecue sauce mixture over chicken. Bake at 425 F (220 C), basting occasionally, for 45-50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serves 4. CHICKEN NACHO PIZZA 1 baked (1 lb./454 g) Italian bread shell 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) shredded barbecued 1 can (14 oz./398 ml) kidney beans, chicken rinsed and drained 3 tbsp (40 ml) chopped canned green 2 tbsp (25 ml) water chilies 2 tbsp (25 ml) barbecue sauce, divided 1/4 cup (50 ml) sliced green onion 2 plum tomatoes, sliced 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese Place bread shell on a heavy greased pizza pan. Mash beans with water and half of barbecue sauce. Spread mixture over crust to within 1 inch (2.5 cm) of edge. Top with tomatoes and sprinkle with 1/2 cup (125 ml) cheese. Toss together chicken, chilies and remaining barbecue sauce. Sprinkle mixture over pizza. Top with remaining cheese and green onion. Bake over low heat on a natural gas barbecue, with lid down, for 15 minutes or until heated through. Slice and serve. Serves 4. Cook s Note: Alternatively, pizza can be baked at 400 F (200 C) for 20 minutes or until heated through. PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH 3/4 cup (175 ml) warm water 2 tbsp (25 ml) extra-virgin olive oil (100ºF/38ºC) 1 3/4 cups (425 ml) all-purpose flour 1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated sugar 1 tsp (5 ml) salt 1 pkg (8 g) instant yeast All-purpose flour, optional* Combine warm water and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir yeast mixture. Drizzle in oil and stir to combine. Place 1 3/4 cups (425 ml) flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a dough blade; process to combine. Add yeast mixture and process just until dough comes together and forms a ball, about 1 minute. Dough will be soft. If dough is too sticky, add additional flour, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, and process until dough comes together and forms a ball. Using greased hands, shape dough into a ball. Dough may be prepared to this point and frozen in an airtight container. If frozen, thaw dough in refrigerator before proceeding. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl; turn dough to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 5 minutes if fresh and 15 minutes if thawed from frozen before rolling out. Makes enough dough for 1 large or 2 small pizza(s). Cook s Note: Follow recipe directions for baking pizza or use the following general method. On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough and roll out to fit a greased 14 inch (35 cm) pizza pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Transfer dough to prepared pan and pat onto pan. Spread pizza sauce evenly over dough. Top with toppings. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 500ºF (260ºC) for 9-10 minutes or until cheese is melted, pizza is heated through and crust is golden brown. Slice and serve. Nutritional analysis per 1/8 serving of dough: 138 calories, 3.7 g fat, 3.2 g protein, 22.8 g carbohydrate, 0.9 g fibre, 292 mg sodium *Ingredient not included in nutritional analysis. Safety Matters: Don t store items on the stovetop or toaster oven, as they could catch fire. Don t use the oven as a storage bin; forgotten items may ignite the next time you preheat the oven.
LUNCH BOX SAFETY AND FOOD TIPS Use a variety of tasty and visually interesting breads for sandwiches. Examples may include pitas, mini bagels, English muffins, hot dog rolls, hamburger buns or tortillas. Set out washed vegetables like a salad bar and let kids build their own salads. Include vegetables such as snap peas or snow peas, red or yellow peppers, jicama, beans, zucchini or young asparagus. Choose low-fat and fat-free milk. White or chocolate, it provides key nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D. When shopping choose an assortment of ripe and less ripe fruit. The less ripe fruit will be ready to eat in a few days. Fruit slices such as apples, nectarines, peaches and pears are great for dipping but darken after they are cut or peeled. To minimize darkening, slice fruit into a colour protecting solution made of one of the following: 2 tbsp (25 ml) Fruit Fresh in 4 cups (1 L) cold water or 2 tbsp (25 ml) bottled lemon juice in 2 cups (500 ml) cold water Let sit in solution for five minutes. Drain and store in sealed container. Trail mixes are easy to make and store well in a sealed container. Include mini-crackers, yogurt-covered raisins, pretzels, cereal, popcorn, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruits like raisins or dried cranberries. Kids often prefer mini-muffins. To make mini-muffins, spoon 1 tbsp (15 ml) of batter into each of 24 greased or paper-lined mini-muffin cups. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 10-12 minutes or until muffins test done. Remove from pan and cool on a rack. When preparing school lunches, use an insulated lunch box. Place perishable items such as meat, poultry or dairy products next to a freezer ice pack or frozen juice box. After lunch, any leftover perishable food should be discarded. Use the 2 Hour Rule both at home and while shopping. The 2 Hour Rule states that all perishable foods must be refrigerated or frozen within 2 hours of purchase or preparation. If the weather is hot ( over 80 F/27 C), reduce that time to 1 hour and use a cooler for perishable foods. Any perishable foods that have been left at room temperature for longer than these times should be discarded. 2016 ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen. All rights reserved.