Save time in the kitchen by making large batches of your favourite dishes that freeze well. Many comfort foods such as soups, stews and casseroles taste even better the second day.
These recipes can easily be doubled so one can go in the freezer for a future meal when time is limited.
Sour cream Noodle Bake
- 1 1/4 lb. ground beef 615 g
- 1 15 fl. oz. can tomato sauce 500 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz. egg noodles 250 g
- 1/2 c. sour cream 125 mL
- 1 1/4 c. small curd cottage cheese 310 mL
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 c. sliced greenonions 125 mL
- 1 c. grated sharpcheddar 250 mL
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain the fat, and then add the tomato sauce, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, and then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
Boil egg noodles in salted water until al denté. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and cottage cheese. Add freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add to the noodles and stir. Add the green onions and stir.
To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, and then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat and then a final layer of cheese. Bake until all the cheese is melted, about 40 minutes. Serves four.
To freeze: Assemble the sour cream noodle bake in an aluminum oven-proof pan and seal the top of the container with the lid or heavy foil. Seal the edges to prevent freezer burn and place in the freezer.
To cook from frozen: Place directly in a 375 F (190 C) oven and bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake until lightly brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes more.
Pastitsio
For the meat sauce:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil 30 mL
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef 500 g
- 1 lb. ground lamb 500 g
- 1/2 c. dry red wine 125 mL
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon 15 mL
- 2 tsp. kosher salt 10 mL
- 1 tsp. dried thyme 5 mL
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground oregano 7 mL
- 1 tsp. ground blackpepper 5 mL
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 mL
- 28 fl. oz. crushed tomatoesin puree 875 mL
For the cream sauce:
- 1/4 c. unsalted butter 60 mL
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 60 mL
- 1 1/2 c. whole milk 375 mL
- 1 c. heavy cream 250 mL
- 3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese 175 mL
- 1 tsp. kosher salt 5 mL
- 1 tsp. ground blackpepper 5 mL
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 mL
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2/3 c. plain Greekyogurt 150 mL
For assembly and serving:
- 1 lb. ziti pasta 500 g
- 3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese 175 mL
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, for garnish 30 mL
Make the meat sauce: In large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook four to six minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add beef and lamb. Cook eight to 10 minutes or until meat is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of wooden spoon as it cooks.
Add wine. Cook two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, cinnamon, salt, thyme, oregano, black pepper and cayenne. Cook five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in tomatoes. Heat mixture to boiling over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the cream sauce. In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook one minute, whisking constantly.
Gradually pour in milk and cream while whisking constantly. Cook five to seven minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and whisk in cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Allow sauce to cool for 10 minutes, then whisk in eggs and yogurt.
Heat large pot of salted water to boiling over high heat and cook pasta one minute less than package instructions for al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.
To assemble, preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Spread pasta evenly into large, well-greased baking dish. Top that with the meat sauce. Then spread cream sauce over evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. Transfer to oven and bake one hour or until golden brown and bubbly around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving garnished with parsley. Serves six to eight.
Braised Lamb Shanks
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 lamb shanks
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice 1.2 cm
- 3 celery ribs, cut into1/2-inch dice 1.2 cm
- 4 cloves garlic
- kosher salt
- 6 fl. oz. tomato paste 200 mL
- 1 large Spanish onion or 2 small yellow onions, cut into 1-inch pieces 2.5 cm
- 2 c. hearty red wine 500 mL
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped rosemary leaves 30 mL
- 10 to 12 thyme branches tied together in a bundle
- 3 – 4 c. water 750 mL – 1 L
- 4 bay leaves
Gremolata:
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 c. finely chopped parsley leaves 60 mL
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp. freshly grated horseradish 30 mL
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven generously with olive oil and place on cooktop on medium-high heat. Season the shanks generously with salt and add them to the pan. Brown well on all sides. This is an important step. Do not rush it.
Remove the shanks from the pan and set aside. Discard any excess fat from the pan. Add the carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt, to taste. Sauté the veggies until they are brown and aromatic, about 20 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and brown for five minutes. Stir in the wine, chopped rosemary and thyme bundle. Stir frequently and cook until the wine has reduced by about half.
Add the shanks back to the pot and pour in three to four cups of water. The shanks should be submersed. If they are not, add more water. Add the bay leaves to the pan, cover and put in the preheated oven. The cooking time will be about 2 1/2 to three hours. Turn the shanks over about halfway through the cooking time. Check the shanks every 45 minutes. If the liquid has reduced too much, add more water.
Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking time for maximum browning. When the shanks are done, the meat should be tender and flavourful. Transfer to a plate. Discard the bay leaves and bundle of thyme, then pour the vegetables and liquid from the pot into a blender and puree.
Make the gremolata by stirring all ingredients together to combine evenly.
To serve, place some of the pureed sauce on the plate and top it with a lamb shank. Garnish with gremolata, if desired. Serves four.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and avid supporter of local food producers. She has been a market vendor, grew up on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan and is a member of TEAM Resources.
