EASING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS November 21, 2007 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

According to the merchandise I'm seeing in stores, it's official - the holiday season has begun. Do you ever feel the season is more of a holly-daze? When there's just too much to do in too little time, try these ideas for easier holiday meals.

When preparing food, think dry to wet for easier cleanup. For example, you can reuse your measuring cup if you measure dry ingredients before moist ones. Ditto with the food processor. Chop dry ingredients, such as breadcrumbs or nuts, first, then just empty the work bowl and use it - without washing - to process wet ingredients.

When you have extra time, chop and freeze half-cup portions of bell peppers and onions to speed up future food prep. If your response to this idea is ha-ha instead of ho-ho, skip the chopping and purchase prepackaged frozen chopped onions and peppers.

Do take advantage of prepared products for easier meals. Don't think of this technique as cheating but as being a relaxed hostess without bags under your eyes.

For an entrˇe, try frozen mac n' cheese. Bake the frozen casserole in its original container to the point you can transfer the macaroni to your own baking dish to continue baking. Then toss the container and let people think your mac is homemade (well, it was cooked at home). If you must confess, you did not make the dish from scratch; say the elves did it.

Many convenience foods can be dressed up for the holidays. After the frozen mac n' cheese has completely cooked, stir in chunks of ham and some garden peas - or maybe some cooked Italian sausage - or try chunks of cooked chicken and broccoli florets. If your add-ins made the macaroni and cheese dry, stir in a bit of sour cream.

Wild rice mixes are good candidates for dressing up. After preparing the mix according to package directions, stir in flavor enhancers, such as pecans and dried cranberries.

Brownie mixes can be glamorized into luscious desserts. Mix up the batter as directed and stir in chopped candy canes, white chocolate chunks, or toffee bar bits before baking. Or you could spread half of the batter in your baking pan, top with a layer of Symphony brand candy bars, and then add the rest of the batter. Once baked, your brownies will have a gooey good center.

Use this technique from Taste of Home magazine to turn brownies into totally chocolate petit fours. Make brownies as directed on the package for a 9-inch square pan. A good trick is to line your baking pan with aluminum foil extending it over the sides of the pan. When brownies are done, allow them to cool completely in the pan. Then use the edges of the foil to lift the entire brownie from the pan. This is much easier than trying to cut out that first brownie.

Then for easier cutting, place your giant brownie in the freezer for 30-40 minutes (do not freeze completely). Cut brownie into bite-sized pieces. (A pizza cutter works well for this.)

Melt two cups of semisweet chocolate pieces with two tablespoons of shortening and stir till smooth. Using a fork, dip brownie pieces into the melted chocolate, coating tops and sides. Place on a cooling rack set on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper to catch the drips.

When the chocolate coating has set, let the decorating begin. You can decorate the brownies with chopped nuts, chopped peppermint candy, candy corn, or drizzles of melted peanut butter.

With all these easy cooking ideas, you may produce so much food that storage becomes an issue. To free up refrigerator space, designate one day a week to clean out old leftovers and expired items. The day before trash day is a good choice for this job.

And if you eat, you get dirty dishes. During a party or special family meal, a sink full of dirty dishes is not attractive. So before the meal, fill a large cooler with soapy water. As the meal ends, quickly scrape plates if needed and place your dirties in the cooler. (Be careful putting sharp knives in the cooler.) Close the cooler lid and go enjoy yourself ... for a while. Unfortunately, the cooler does not wash the dishes.

For a real recipe, here's an easy version of cassoulet. Cassoulet is a classic French dish of white beans and various meats, such as sausages, pork, and preserved goose or duck depending on regional preferences. Unlike the original dish, which was cooked a long time to develop its flavor, this version cooks in a jiffy. Serve it to your family and they, too, will think you are a holiday kitchen wizard.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. (If you do not have an ovenproof Dutch oven, transfer mixture to a baking dish before placing in oven.) Add onion and sausage to pan; saute for 5 minutes or till browned. Add garlic and continue sauteing for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in brown sugar, tomato paste, thyme, black pepper, red pepper, and beans. Bring mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, place bread in a food processor and pulse 10 times or until you get 1 1/2 cups coarse crumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over bean mixture, and lightly spritz crumbs with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or till browned.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 11/27/07