FALL MEALS COOKATHON ~Tuesday & Wednesday Recipes

Bob didn't particularly like funk ... but he liked the meals coming out of the kitchen when I was in there shaking my booty while whipping up Supper to the backbeat of KC ;-)

And that is what I was doing Tuesday and Wednesday – having a Fall Cookathon while shaking my booty. LOL

My freezer meals are low again, so I thought while it is raining …

… now would be a good time to engage in a Fall Cookathon to replenish the freezer. The humidity, as usual here in the PNW, was miserable; so I had the kitchen window opened while cooking.

I cooked up a chicken meal, & 2 beef meals – I made a pot roast Monday night for Supper … and divided up the portions for future meals, so I will use the broth to sip after I have my tooth pulled on the 30th, and my gum is healing.

I know my meals cooked at the moment are not varied by way of meats, but my body is craving beef, so that is what I went with: I can add fish meals later on to balance things out ;-)

The chicken meal comes from my Bon Appetit, September 1986 cooking magazine; and it takes 2 days to complete, so I started that meal first, and put it in the ‘fridge to marinade, while I made the other 2 meals.

The cubed steak meal will be reheated while the meat loaf is baking – and eaten tonight for Supper. The meat loaf will be portioned out and froze for future meals.

The meat loaf recipe is a favorite of ours, and I clipped it from an old 1986 Vouge magazine. This fancy meat loaf is spectacular to see, and tastes wonderful. The meat loaf can be cooked in individual loaf pans … or in one big loaf and portioned out in individual servings – it makes 8 large servings or 16 smaller portions: it is worth every calorie! Serve the meat loaf with side dishes of rich mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach.

I can never find a cube steak recipe in my vast recipe collection … so I have to go online to find one: the recipe I found is found on the Eating Well webpage, and it is simple to make, but packs a tasty punch ;-) I paired it up with oven baked potatoes & broccoli, and a homemade dinner roll.

The tandoori chicken meal wakes up your taste buds and makes the house smell divinely spicy while it cooks. Serve the Tandoori Chicken with side dishes of coconut rice, a cucumber; a tomato, & yogurt salad; onion flatbread; and seasonal fruits.

I kept Supper light, Wednesday when the chicken was fully marinated – I had a busy day in town before I came home and grilled the chicken, so all I ate was a leg, a wing, and a large serving spoon of rice – it was delish ;-)

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==72 MARKET STREET MEAT LOAF~ 8 servings

¾ cup minced White Onion * ¾ cup minced Green Onion * ½ cup minced Celery * ½ cup peeled, and minced Carrot * ¼ cup minced Green Bell Pepper * 2 teaspoons smashed, peeled, and minced Garlic * 3 Tablespoons unsalted Butter * 1 teaspoon Salt * ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper * 1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper * ½ teaspoon freshly ground White Pepper * ½ teaspoon ground Cumin * ½ teaspoon ground Nutmeg * ½ cup Half-n-half * ½ cup Catsup * 1-1/2 pounds lean ground Beef * ½ pound ground Pork * 3 Eggs, beaten * ¾ cups dry toasted Bread Crumbs

Preheat over to 350-degrees. Sauté white & green onions, celery, carrot, green & red peppers, and garlic in butter until softened. Cool to room temperature.

Combine salt, cayenne, black & white pepper, cumin, & nutmeg – stir into cooled vegetables; add half-n-half, catsup, ground beef, pork, eggs, & crumbs: form into loaves (or loaf). Place on baking sheet (or oven rack), and bake for 45-50 minutes … or until no longer pink in center.

While meat loaf is baking, prepare gravy (recipe follows).

Cool meat loaf for 5 minutes. Remove to a cutting board. Heat juices remaining in the baking sheet on top of the stove and deglaze with gravy – scraping up any browned bits of meat loaf that are still on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Strain sauce. Slice meat loaf (individual loaves may be sliced into 8 slices for serving). Arrange on plate with accompanying vegetables and spoon gravy over top.

==MEAT LOAF GRAVY ~Makes 1-1&½ cups

1 Tablespoon peeled & minced Shallots * 2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter * 1 pinch dried Thyme * 1 Bay Leaf * 1 pinch finely ground Black Pepper * 1 cup dry White Wine * 1 cup Veal OR Beef stock * Salt & Pepper to taste

Sauté shallot in 1 tablespoon butter, until softened, with thyme, bay leaf, & fresh black pepper. Add wine. Cook over high heat until reduced to a glaze. Add the stock and boil until reduced by half – then swirl in remaining tablespoon of butter. Use this gravy to deglaze meat loaf pan as directed above. Season gravy to taste with salt & pepper – be careful as commercially prepare stocks are often very salty already.

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==CUBE STEAK WITH MUSHROOM-SHERRY SAUCE: 

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252334/cube-steak-with-mushroom-sherry-sauce/

3 medium potatoes cut in quartered pieces, and broccoli florets sprayed with Olive Oil cooking spray and placed in a 350-degree oven to bake about 45 minutes.

Oven Baked Potatoes & Broccoli.

I pan-broiled the cubed steak earlier and placed it in the ‘fridge – then placed it in the oven with the meat loaf; to reheat for my Tuesday Supper; they had the same cooking timeframe.

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==TANDOORI CHICKEN ~6 servings

Indian cooks add red dye to this dish to give it the traditional russet color (I didn't use the red dye ... and I only used half a chicken/halved recipe because there is only me to cook for - and my chest freezer - where I keep my make-ahead meals - is a small one).

TWO 2-1/2 to 3-pound Chickens, cut into serving pieces * ½ cup fresh Lime juice * 4 teaspoons Salt * 2 teaspoons Coriander seeds * 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds * 1 cup plain Yogurt * 1 Onion, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces * 3 garlic cloves, chopped * 1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh Ginger * 1 teaspoon Cinnamon * ½ teaspoon Turmeric * 1 teaspoon (or more) dried Red Pepper flakes * ½ teaspoon Red or Orange food coloring (opt) * ¼ cup (1/2 stick) Butter, melted * ¼ teaspoon Saffron threads, crushed * Vegetable Oil

Pat chickens dry. Using a small sharp knife, cut several ½-inch-deep slits into each piece. Combine lime juice and salt; rub mixture into chicken. Place in a large nonaluminum bowl. Pour remaining juice over – let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Heat small skillet over medium-high heat. Add coriander & cumin seeds and toss 1 minute. Transfer seeds to a blender: add ¼ cup yogurt, onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon & turmeric – blend to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in remaining yogurt, 1 teaspoon dried pepper flakes & food coloring. Add more pepper flakes & food coloring if desired. Remove chicken from marinade. Blend yogurt into marinade. Return chicken to bowl, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Tandoori Chicken Yogurt Sauce

Bring chicken to room temperature. Prepare barbeque grill (high heat). Position rack 6 to 8 inches above coals. Combine butter & saffron. Drain chicken. Brush grill rack with oil. Place dark meat on grill and cook 10 minutes; brush with butter mixture. Add white meat to grill. Cook chicken until springy to touch; turning and brushing with butter mixture occasionally – about 10 more minutes.

I CHAR my meats - that is the way I LIKE it ...

Coconut flakes, Bamboo Rice & Spices.

==COCONUT RICE ~6 servings

3 cups boiling Water * 1-1/2 cups shredded fresh OR unsweetened dry Coconut * 3 Tablespoons Butter * 1 Onion, chopped * 1-1/2 cups long-grain Rice * 1 teaspoon Salt * 1 teaspoon ground Cardamom * Toasted Coconut

Pour boiling water over coconut – let stand 20 minutes; strain through double thickness of cheesecloth, squeezing to extract as much liquid as possible: reserve coconut liquid.

Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion & cook until golden, stirring occasionally – about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir until beginning to color – 3 to 4 minutes.

Add coconut liquid and bring to a boil; blend in salt and cardamom. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed – about 20 minutes. Garnish with toasted coconut and serve.

Wednesday’s Supper; Tandoori Chicken w-Coconut Rice. YUMMY!