A Little of This A Little of That

New Rice Sides from Knorr -  Buffalo Chicken, Baby Back BBQ
and Steak Fajitas perfect for quick sides to go with your BBQ meats or as a side for pork.

Glassware on the cheap, buy it by the case and pick it up at the store.

Chocolate Souffle The Easy Way

How good does this look, just fifteen minutes prep time. Make the day before company comes for dinner. Quite impressive for the amount of time spent making them.

photo from meals.com

Easter Shopping List Q&E

Deviled Eggs What You Need Directions

Scalloped Potatoes
Recipe	Amount
Scalloped Potatoes Scalloped Potatoes Scratch	Box of Scalloped Potatoes 2lb potatoes 1 large onion 8 oz. Swiss cheese 2. oz. of Parmesan cheese 3 cups half and half salt and pepper parsley and chives (optional)

Macaroni Salad
Recipe	Amount
Macaroni Salad	1/2 lb dry macaroni pasta Salt 1 stalk of celery 1 green bell pepper Fresh chopped parsley Small onion Mayonnaise (1/3 to 1/2 cup) Paprika for garnish Black pepper

Deviled Eggs
Recipe	Amount
Deviled Eggs	6 eggs Mayonnaise Mustard White vinegar Salt & Pepper Paprika for garnish

Cold Asparagus with Dressing
Recipe	Amount
Cold Asparagus with Dressing	1 1/2 c. asparagus 1 med. tomato 1 large red onions 2 ribs of celery Italian dressing Garnish parmesan cheese

Orange Shebert Cake

Perfect ending to a wonderful meal

Orange Sherbert Cake
What You Need	Directions
1 (18.25 ounce) package Orange Cake Mix 2 (3 ounce) box orange-flavored gelatin 2 eggs 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 cup water 1 (9 ounce) pkg coconut 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream 2 cups sugar 1/4 cup frozen orange juice 1 (12 ounce) thawed container of whipped topping	Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 9x13” pan. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, gelatin, eggs, oil, and water. Beat well with an electric mixer. While the cake is baking, prepare the remaining package of orange gelatin using half the amount of water. When the cake is done, remove from oven and  let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. With a wooden skewer or fork poke holes in the cake  Pour gelatin over the layers into the holes.  Refrigerate  for about 45 minutes to allow gelatin to set. In a medium bowl, combine the coconut (reserving about 1/2 a cup), sour cream, sugar, and orange juice concentrate for the topping. Stir well.  Spread the filling over the  cake.  At this point you can refrigerate it till the next day. When ready to serve spread the whipped topping on top and sprinkle with reserved coconut.

Easter Decorations - Q&E

Who else could do Easter the way she does? Martha Stewart has some great ideas.



Easter Home Decorations

How to Decorate a Table for Easter Dinner

Southern Living has colorful Easter Decorations

Easter Table Toppers

Table Decorations

Decorating Ideas


Celebrate Easter

Enjoy the weekend and I will see you back here on Monday with a new post.

Garden Salad with Dressings

Start with an empty bowl and the skies are the limit. Don’t
have a certain ingredient, leave it out or substitute another ingredient for it. Plan on about two cups per serving.

Tossed Greens Salad
What You Need	Directions
Try to use several varieties  of Assorted Greens in your salads Look for interesting textures and colors in your greens. Onion (red or yellow) optional Tomatoes Cucumbers Shredded carrots Celery Radishes	If you bought pre-washed  mix, you don’t have to worry about cleaning the greens, otherwise they should be  washed. Make sure they are dry before starting to make the salad, otherwise you will have a soggy salad. If you don’t have a salad spinner you can wrap your greens in a clean dish towel  and pat dry.

A few non veggies items that can a salad the star are crumbled bacon, crumbled cheese, croutons, chopped hard boiled egg and brine cured olives

Dressings
A basic vinaigrette
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red vinegar
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Whisk ingredients together or  may be  prepared in a food processor or blender.
Small amounts of fresh herbs can add a whole new flavor dimension to salads and salad dressings.

Side Vegetables Q&E

Asparagus
Prep - The bottom portions of larger asparagus spears can be tough. They  need to be snapped off. Bend the bottom portion of the stalk until it breaks off. Cook the tender stalk that is left.
Boiling - Place a strip of folded aluminum on the bottom and up the sides of the pan, extending over the edges this is for lifting the asparagus out when cooked. Bring water to a boil; add asparagus spears and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

Options:
Heat  olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add teaspoon of minced garlic until soft. Pour over asparagus and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Pour melted butter over asparagus.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees,wrap several asparagus with prosciutto and bake the bundles for 15 minutes in the oven, until asparagus is tender.

String Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
What You Need	Directions
1 family size steam in bag  string beans 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional) salt and pepper	Put oil and garlic into a large frying pan and let cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add tomatoes and  cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Add steamed string beans and toss. Add vinegar, salt and pepper and serve.

Savory Potatoes Many Ways

Potatoes can be prepared in so many ways. You can even use boxed products to speed up preparing your meal. Scalloped potatoes in the box can be doctored with an addition of a 1/4 cup sour cream or cream cheese and sprinkled with paprika and chives , even bacon
or
Both recipes can be made the day before and the scalloped potatoes reheated while the ham rests.

Scalloped Potatoes
What You Need	Directions
3 Tbsp butter 2 lbs (about 4 medium sized) Russet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick 1 large yellow or white onion, thinly sliced 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional) 8 ounces grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese) 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese 2 1/2 cups to 3 cups of half-and-half (half milk, half cream) Salt and pepper	Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large casserole dish with 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter. Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer on 1/2 of the sliced onions and 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese. Layer on 1/2 of the parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Repeat by layering on 1/3 of the potato slices, sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Layer on the remaining sliced onions, 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese,  parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Top the casserole with the remaining potato slices. Add the half and half. Dot the potatoes with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour. After an hour, remove from the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for an additional 30-40 minutes. When done, the potatoes should be tender, but not mushy, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed. Yield: Serves 8.

Grandma's Potato Salad
What You Need	Directions
6 potatoes 2 eggs 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon celery salt ground black pepper to taste 1/4 cup mayonnaise	Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Remember to salt the water well.  Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion, , garlic powder, celery salt, mustard, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix together well and refrigerate until chilled.

Easter Menu - Q&E

Glazed Ham* Scalloped Potatoes* Fresh Spring Peas Asparagus* String beans with Cherry Tomatoes* Garden Salad* Choice of Dressings Yeast Rolls Carrot Cake

Glazed Ham* Potato Salad* Macaroni Salad* Baked Beans Cold Asparagus with Dressing* Diced Fresh Fruit Orange Sherbet Cake*

Ham and Glazes The Q&E Way

A precooked ham does not have to be cooked, preheat oven to 325°F Place the ham in the 325°F oven (163°C). It will take 12 to 15 minutes per pound for a whole or boneless ham and 18 to 20 minutes per pound for a half ham. Baste often and glaze half way through heating. When removing ham from the oven. lightly cover your ham with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes before you serve it. Hams may be decorated with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries. Glazes may be made the day before and reheated before basting. Honey Glaze What You Need Directions 1 cup light or dark corn syrup 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons prepared mustard 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 dash ground cloves In 2-quart saucepan combine all ingredients. Stirring constantly, bring to boil over medium heat and boil 5 minutes. Brush frequently on ham during last 1/2 hour of baking. Mustard Glaze What You Need Directions 1 cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider 1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 1/4 cup honey Spread mustard evenly over fat layer on ham. Pat brown sugar over mustard coating, pressing firmly. Drizzle honey evenly over. Spoon any mustard and sugar glaze that slides into roasting pan back over ham.

Brandy Peach Glaze
What You Need	Directions
1/4 cup raisins 1/4 cup brandy (not flavoring) 1/4 cup peach or pineapple preserves 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon corn starch 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon prepared mustard Makes approximately 1 cup	Combine peach (pineapple) preserves, orange juice, raisins, and brandy in a small sauce pan. Cook over low heat until smooth and well combined. In a separate bowl mix mustard, brown sugar and corn starch. Add mixture to sauce pan and combine. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat. Spread glaze on ham during the last 30 minutes of baking. Reapply during the last 15 minutes, if desired. Put extra gravy in a small gravy boat and serve along side of ham.

Easy Easter Dinner The Q&E Way

I am working on two menus for your Easter entertaining. One will feature hot foods with make a heads, the other menu is a cold one and would easily make a great buffet and can be expanded for unexpected guests.

The menus will feature recipes to make the menu and shopping lists, stay tuned, as the series starts on March 22 to give you plenty of time to shop, decorate and prepare.

Summer Salad Q&E

Cool and fast just perfect for the warm days.

Summer Shrimp Salad
What	Directions
1 lb. of cooked Shrimp 3 cups cherry tomatoes 1 stalk of celery chopped on the bias 1  bag arugula 1 TBSP Balsamic vinegar 3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt and Pepper to taste	Defrost shrimp. In a bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil untill smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Combine shrimp. arugula, celery and scallions. Add the tomatoes with dressing, toss until evenly coated. Four servings

New Grilling Equipment

Came across some new items for the grill and wanted to share them with you. Picture from Sur La Table

Q&E Weekend Links

Want something different to cool your cocktails?
Some ideas for spring decorating
Multi colored popcorn
Napkin Folding
More napkin folding

Enjoy the weekend and I will see you back here on Monday with a new post.

Q&E Tip Martini Glasses

Purchase plastic or glass martini glasses and use them for serving shrimp cocktail or a fresh fruit medley.

Q&E Crepes Not Just For Dessert

Crepes are not just for desserts. They make very good quick and easy entrees for lunch, brunch and dinner. They make guests dropping by, easy peasy. Just grab a handful of crepes from the freezer and pair them with chicken, shrimp, ham, or mushroom. Your imagination is the limit. Whip up a batch of crepes when you have time. Freeze them with a piece of wax paper between each crepe. Store in a freezer plastic bag. They will be ready at a moments notice and provide a quick and elegant entrée or have a crepe brunch buffet with both savory and sweet crepes and let guest make their own.

Basic Crepe recipe:

Ingredients:
4 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 ¼ milk
¼ cup (½ stick) melted butter or margarine

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and eggs while gradually adding in the milk, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.  The first crepe never comes out, just toss it and move on.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Cool and wrap for freezer. When removing from freezer, wrap them in foil and warm in a 325-degree oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.

Fillings
There’s nothing better than crepes filled with meats or vegetables and covered with  cheese sauce.

Chicken (frozen cooked from freezer, cream of mushroom soup, frozen peas.l Make cream of mushroom soup using half the milk, heat then add chicken and peas. Lay each crepe on the serving plate, put 1/4 cup chicken mixture, fold in half and sprinkle with cheese (optional). Serve. These can also be filled with shrimp, substituted for chicken.

Hard cooked eggs in cream sauce or cream soup.

Grilled veggies in a cheese sauce.

Spinach, Bacon and Mushroom Filling

Maple Breakfast Casserole

I watched them prepare this casserole on the Cooking Channel and thought it would make a great dish for entertaining  over night guests. Make the dish the night before and  follow the directions at the bottom of the recipe. Serve with fresh fruit and steaming cup of coffee.

Say good morning to a great breakfast recipe with this delicious breakfast casserole. Using Jimmy Dean® Sausage and eggs. It's a great foundation for a great-tasting breakfast.
Ingredients

• 2 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 8 eggs
  
• 3 cups milk
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 8 cups French bread cubes (¾-inch pieces)
  
• 1 pkg. Jimmy Dean® Maple Flavor Pork Sausage Roll, cooked, crumbled, drained
  
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
2. Beat eggs, milk and vanilla in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add bread cubes, sausage, apple mixture and 1-½ cups cheese; stir gently until evenly coated.
3. Spoon into lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining ½ cup cheese.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 12 squares to serve.
Cook’s Tips: Make-Ahead Maple Breakfast Casserole: Assemble casserole as directed. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, uncover and bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with warm maple syrup.

Yield:

12 servings (1 square each)

Q&E–Tips for Freezing Desserts

Follow a few rules for successful storing and thawing
Label your desserts with the date they were made, stuff starts to look the same after being in the freezer.

Cool the dessert completely to prevent condensation before wrapping it and freezing it. I put the item in the freezer till it is semi-hard to make wrapping easier. Items like cookies, bar cookies, brownies and cup cake I like to freeze on a cookie sheet until hard. Pack them together in a freezer bag.  This way you can remove only the amount you need.

Wrap the dessert in two layers of plastic wrap and put in to a freezer  bag. Zip the bag almost closed, leaving about one inch open. Push out as much air as possible, seal and label with content and date.

Unwrap and gently cover the top of the dessert with plastic wrap. Thaw the dessert in the refrigerator or on the counter. Being careful in it has cream filling or whipped topping.

Q&E–Tip - Spices

Spices can really make the meal, here are a few of the spices I keep on hand. If you don’t use a spice often, keep them in a air tight bag and freeze them.

Some good ones to keep on hand are herb de provence, paprika, oregano, basil, rosemary, chili powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, thyme, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, ginger, cumin, whole nutmeg, dry mustard, curry powder, cinnamon, garlic and onion powder  and coriander.

When using fresh herbs an spices, use 3 times the amount of the dried.

Most dry herbs last between one and two years. I throw most of mine away after six months, because they add so much to your recipe you don’t want to chance ruining a dish.  Spices should be stored in airtight containers away from sources of light and heat.

Extracts
almond extract
pure vanilla extract
vanilla beans

Q&E Weekend Links

Enjoy the weekend and I will see you back here on Monday with a new recipe.

Setting the table for Easter
Tableware and Serving Pieces
Joy Entertaining 
 Empty Bowl

Q&E Freezer Desserts Part 2

One of my best strategies for easy hassle-free entertaining is to make a few desserts and freeze them. To serve a great frozen dessert try not to keep them more then a  month give or take. Give them a thaw and you are on your way to a perfect ending to your meal.

Remember cakes are better frozen unfrosted. Frost them when you remove them from the freezer.

How about making crepes? These can be made ahead and frozen with wax paper between them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for sweet crepes)
  

Directions

Whisk together the flour and the eggs in a large bowl. Slowly add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.  Add vanilla if using. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Chocolate Crepes
Variation: 1/4 cup cocoa powder added to the basic recipe for chocolate crepes.

Fillings:

2  pkg 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup mashed fresh strawberries

Whole strawberries for garnish

In bowl of mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream, sugar, strawberries and vanilla. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Put about 1/3 cup filling in each crepe and fold. Garnish with whipped topping and whole strawberries.

Filling: Soften Ice Cream

Hazelnut Filling:

• 1 jar of Nutella
• 5 bananas, sliced
• 1 tub of whipped topping

Spread Nutella on crepe top add banana slices and a dollop of toping.

This is a crepe cake from Martha Stewart’s website. Try it, it isn’t as hard as it looks.

Q&E Tip

You might want to try Kraft’s cooking crème. It is a good thing to have in the refrigerator.

Q&E Pantry Items

These items are great to stock up on and create magic with.  I want to share some of my slight of hand tricks. How many items are in your pantry?

Cream Soups		Noodles
Chicken & Beef Broth		Rice
Canned Meats Tuna Salmon		Canned Tomatoes & Tomato Paste
Beans, Baked and White		Canned  Vegetables
Bread  Crumbs, plain		Olives
Asst Instant Pudding		Various Pasta
Salad Dressing		Croutons
Hoisin Sauce		Mushrooms
Artichoke Hearts		Pesto
Roasted Peppers		Peanut Butter
Powder Sugar		Pie Filling
Ready Made Cookie Pie Crust		Chocolate Semi-sweet & itter-sweet
Sweetened Condensed Milk		Mixes ie: muffin, waffle
Chocolate Syrup

Cooked chicken from the freezer combined with canned cream soup of choice. Boil noodles, drain and serve over noodles.

Cookie Pie Crust filled with instant pudding and topped with whip topping from the freezer.

Cook pasta top with tomato sauce made from the canned tomatoes. Serve with meatballs or sausage from the freezer. Add a loaf of French bread from the freezer.

Antipasto serve black and green olives with artichoke hearts, mushrooms and roasted peppers drizzle lightly with olive oil. Add some provolone or cheddar cheese and serve with  bruschetta.

Take frozen chili and defrost, serve over rice.

Powder sugar sprinkle over many desserts make them look elegant.

Q&E Freezer Desserts

Easy Peasy Frozen Coconut Cake
Ingredients
1 box Duncan Hines butter cake mix
1 (12 oz.) pkg. frozen coconut
1 (16 oz.) sour cream
2 c. Cool Whip
2 c. white granulated sugar
Directions
Mix coconut, sour cream and sugar. Refrigerate for 1 day. Bake cake according to directions, making either 2 thick layers or splitting layers to make 4 thin layers. Fill layers with coconut mixture, reserving 1 cup of coconut mixture for the icing. Mix the cup of coconut mixture with Cool Whip and spread on top and sides of the cake. Keep in the refrigerator for 3 days before serving.
TIP - If you aren’t a baker, keep a commercially baked pie in your freezer. Remember your guests are here to see you!

Mud Puppies
1 small package Oreo cookies
1/2 cup butter
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 jar fudge topping
1 small container Cool Whip
Crush Oreo cookies and mix with soft butter. Press 3/4 of mixture into 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread softened ice cream over crumb mixture and freeze.
Spread with fudge topping and Cool Whip, then remaining crumb mix. Freeze and serve. This keeps well.
Chocolate Cherry Bombs
Makes 16 (1 1/2-inch) cherry bombs.
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries with stems
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (7.25-ounce) bottle chocolate shell topping
Drain cherries. Remove stems and save them to complete the recipe. Place cherries and 1 cup ice cream in electric blender. Pulse to combine. Combine cherry mixture with remaining 1cup ice cream in a medium bowl; mix with a spoon. Divide between 2 small (8-ounce) bowls. Cover and freeze overnight or until firm.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Shake chocolate shell topping 30 seconds; divide between 2 custard cups or small bowls. Remove 1 container of ice cream from freezer. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop 1 (1?-inch) ball; place on fork. Spoon chocolate shell topping over ball while holding over custard cup. Place on baking sheet; quickly insert 1 reserved cherry stem in top. (To remove ball from fork, push off gently at base with knife). Repeat with remaining ice cream. Work quickly so ice cream does not get too soft. Place cherry bombs in freezer. Repeat procedure with remaining bowl of ice cream. Freeze until ready to serve.

Tip: If blender is unavailable, finely chop cherries and stir into ice cream.
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of National Cherry Growers Foundation.

Q&E Appetizers From The Freezer

Defrosted crab meat add minced shallots, a little tarragon and  lot of parsley and enough mayonnaise to bind. Serve on crackers or bruschetta.



As you can see I love puff pastry. It has saved me more time then I can remember. The pastry can be sweet or savory. It can be thawed, baked and topped with a variety of items. 

Remember when working with the pastry to keep the pastry covered when not working with it or it will dry out. Cut puff pastry into small squares when finished baking  Mix cream cheese  with herbs and a little milk.

Puff  pastry shells can make a do ahead appetizer to keep in the freezer. Bake shells and fill with any of the following: little meatballs in pizza sauce, when reheating top with a little shredded mozzarella, fill with  caramelize onions and shredded cheddar cheese or a buffalo chicken mixture.

Freeze individually and place in plastic bag or container when hard.  Defrost and reheat in 250° oven for about fifteen minutes or until warm.

Parmesan Star Puffs
Recipe from Cooking Basic
Parmesan Star puffs are a fast and light appetizer for any occasion. If you have a flavored olive oil, I highly suggest you use it. I brushed garlic olive oil over a few of mine and it gave them a very nice hint of garlic without being too overwhelming.
Ingredients

• 1 Sheet of puff pastry
  
• Grated Parmesan cheese
  
• Olive oil
  
• Ground pepper
  
• Flour, to dust your surface with

Directions
Cut a sheet of puff pastry with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Arrange the stars on a parchment lined baking sheet; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with grated parmesan
I freeze them on a cookie sheet and when they are frozen transfer to a plastic freezer bag.  Reheat in 250° oven for about fifteen minutes or until warm.

Q&E Freezer Sides and ETC

Here are some Q&E items to keep on hand for unexpected guests or to incorporate in to company dinners. In the coming weeks I will be posting frozen menus for your convenience with recipes.  Be sure to watch for the Easter entertaining ideas.

C=cooked		R=raw
Asst Potatoes		Pound Cake
Asst Veggies		Puff Pastry*
Pizza Ready Made		Fruit
Peppers, Green*		Ice Cream*
Onions		Waffles*
Onions, Chopped		Whipped Topping
Pasta Sauce		Pie Crust
Butter/Margarine		Bread/Rolls
Ravioli*		Mini Puff Pastry Shells.
Coconut, Flaked		Egg Roll Wrappers
Nuts

*Peppers and onions added to Italian sausage and pasta sauce served on hoagie rolls. Add a relish tray and chips or fries for a quick menu to serve friends over to watch the game.



*Puff pastry can be baked early or even just before serving and topped with ice cream or fruit for a quick dessert.


Sherbet Parfaits
Ingredients:
2 pint s different flavor sherbets, slightly softened
1 cup Whipping cream  or topping
cookies (vanilla wafers or shortbread) crumbled

Preparation:
In 8 parfait or tall glasses, layer sherbet alternating flavors sorbet and cookie crumbles. Refreeze until firm. When ready to serve, When ready to serve top with whipped topping on each parfait. Serves 8

*Ravioli can be deep fried for a quick appetizer and served with jazzed up pasta sauce or served the traditional way with pasta sauce.

* Waffles aren’t just for breakfast. serve them hot with fruit or top them with a big scoop of ice cream.

Q&E Weekend Links

Enjoy the weekend and I will see you back here on Monday with  Freezer Sides.


Remember when I said to purchase white china, take a look at these place setting Scroll down the page about half way and see the great things you can do with it.

Q&E Entrees

These are  suggested entrees to have on hand in the freezer. Add a salad and bread to some of these entrees and you will be one smart host/hostess.Your guests will never guess how you did it.  I will be adding additional frozen entrée recipes and suggested menus.

C=Cooked		R=Raw
Chili		Lasagna
Chicken Spaghetti		Meatballs cooked+
Sweet and Sour Chicken*		Beef Cubes for Kabobs
Pizza		Shrimp C&R
Taco Filling		Cube Steaks
Salmon Fillets		Bacon
BBQ Chicken+		Hamburger

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, cut in cubes
1 can pineapple chunks (save juice)
one garlic clove, minced
1/4 Cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
l teaspoon ginger
1-2 carrots cut in small pieces
1 green pepper cut in pieces
Directions
Add all ingredients together in a ziplock bag. Freeze. In frying pan add chicken and vegetables  and allow to cook on low for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Cook frozen rice to go with the meal.

For dessert serve vanilla ice cream with chopped almonds and fortune cookies.  Fortune cookies can be stored in the pantry for just such an occasion.

+Flash freeze the meatballs and store in a zip lock bag when frozen.

+ Chicken cooked and shredded can be thawed and mixed with bbq sauce, serve over rice or on a bun.

Hamburger can make quick tostados, taco salad, nachos for unexpected company.

Q&E Freezer Meat/Fish

This chart is not complete I will be adding to it from time to time. Not everyone will want all the items or have room for them. It is a pick and choose for your life style.

I will be adding recipes for pulling items from the freezer and coordinating them into a full dinner.

C=cooked  R=raw

Chicken c&r		Hamburger
pulled Pork c		Meatballs c
Cooked Pork Chops*		Breakfast Sausage
Cubed Steak		Bacon
Meat loaf c		Italian Sausage
Shrimp c&r		Salmon filets

	*Baked Pork Chops
	*Sweet Potato Fries or *Rice
	* Vegetable
	* Dinner Rolls
	* Apple Pie
	Frozen from the freezer *

Freezer Pork Chops
Ingredients
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon dry sage
8 bone-in pork chops 1 inch thick
2 cups Italian dried breadcrumbs
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and sage and let stand 15 minutes. Flatten each pork chop (avoiding bone) between two pieces plastic wrap to a 1/4-inch thickness.

Put breadcrumbs in a pie pan and season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture onto another pie pan. In batches, season pork chops with salt and pepper and coat in egg mixture. Shake excess, then dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Freeze pork chops

To serve, pre heat oven to 350°. On sheet pan lightly spread oil for frozen chops. Cook chops turning over half way through for twenty to twenty five minutes until heated through.

Q&E Ice Cubes 101

Boil water before freezing to have crystal clear cubes.

Save leftover coffee and tea and freeze in ice cube trays. Put them in your ice coffee or tea and your drink won’t dilute.

Prepare your favorite  punch recipe and  pour into each section of a muffin tin. Freeze, then add to rest of punch just before serving. Prevents punch from diluting.

Freeze ice cubes with fruit in them for a festive touch. Maraschino cherries, one to each cube, are very appropriate for garnishing.  Lemon slices sand mint leaves are good additions.

When fruits are to be frozen in the cubes, fill the tray one-third full with water, then partially freeze. Add the fruit then freeze. This will hold the fruit in position. Then add water until the tray is about three-fourths full and finish freezing.

Garnished cubes should be frozen slowly to prevent expansion and cloudiness.

Freeze spaghetti sauce  or gravies in ice cube trays for quick sauces or Spanish rice.  Chicken stock can also be frozen for a quick flavor boost to rice and potatoes by replacing some of the water with cubes.

Q&E Entertaining from the Freezer

What could be better then having unexpected guests drop in and you have a complete meal or hors d'oeuvres, ready in the freezer.

Over the next several days, I will be posting menus, recipes and tips for reaching in your freezer and pulling out food items to delight your guests.

We’ll make a shopping list and get your recipes together so when you have a little free time you can prepare your go to meals and appetizers. This way you will really be experiencing the Quick & Easy way to entertain.What would you like to see more of? Entrees or appetizers?