4&4 ~ Wednesday, August 19, 1992 - North Shore News

What to do

SURE IT’S a good buy, but what ever would I do with
that much of it? — Overheard in a supermarket as two

shoppers discussed a 10-pound sack of f lean ground beef.

I know what they meant but a
little forethought can make meal
planning for a family very easy.

Resist impulsc-buying when it
comes to a hig sack of ground
beef. The meat is very perishable
and must be dealt with the minute
you bring it home. It must be
rushed directly home and not
allowed to sit in a warm car.

By checking the flyers, the
smart shopper can plan ahead to
purchase everything needed io
deal with the entire lot — season-
ings, onions and casserole/sauce
ingredients, grab the beef and
hurry home.

Don’t forget the freezer bags
and wrappers.

Then, aiiow a planned hour to
prepare the meat for the freezer.
The easiest way, of course, is to
chop it up into lumps, bag it and
toss it in. That’s quite alright if
-you enjoy fiddling around with a
.stony lump. (of indiscriminate
size!) any time you want to have it
for dinner. I don’t.

My first step is to flatten the
bag of meat into a regular rec-

. tangle. Doing this while the meat.

is still bagged saves a lot of mess...
Next, with the blunt side of a
knife, mark it in half lengthwise

hi
BUDGET BEATERS

and then cut each half into five
equal portions. Each is roughly a
pound of meat — -the amount

usually called for in casserole rec- -

ipes.

_Now is a good time to form
patties. Split open the bag and
spread it out. Each square, divid-
ed in- four, makes a good-sized

-hamburger.. Use ‘a knife to divide
the meat and wet your hands with

Bring. out the beans
for summertime meals

AF. YOU'RE itching to get out of
_ the. kitchen, there’s no better time
: then. right .now.- Thanks to the
. barbecue, summertime cooking is
as much-a part of. back-yard .ac-
tivities as lounging by the pool or
playing tennis. - .
_. The. main goal of any summer-
_time’ meal is ease of preparation.

With ‘the main ‘course sizzling on.

the. barbecue,” all you have to
worry about . are the - finishing
touches. Thankfully, some. of our
. favorite comfort foods are natural
| additions to any barbecued meal
— including canned baked beans.
-Nutritious and inexpensive,
baked beans need not be forgotten
as. the temperature rises...
They can also add:a.- welcome
:mote of fibre to summer meals.
. Canned beans are one of the
higest sources of dietary fibre, and
"@ one-cup serving provides 19
grams of fibre.
'.. Quick Tips for Baked Beans
“Try the following summer
favorites from the Canadian Bean
Council.

THE PARENTING
RESOURCE CENTRE

Childbirth, Newbor Care,
Parenting Education

Workshops, series, one day seminars and
’ individual instruction o|
For more information and a ree brochure
call 922-6470 .

#5 - 659 Clyde Avaruc
° West Vancouver, 8.C.,, V7T 1Ca

Bean dogs — Heat baked beans
with mustard and relish and spoon

‘onto hot dogs.

Stuffed ‘tortillas — Heat baked
beans with chili sauce, chopped
green. pepper and chopped green
chilies. Spoon onto centre of tor-
tillas, sprinkle with grated cheddar
and roll up.

Barbecued beans — Saute finely
chopped onion and green pepper
until tender. Stir in one can baked
beans, .a spoonful of barbecue
sauce and orange marmalade and
heat through.

Htalian sausage and beans -- Slice
Italian sausage and brown well.
Stir in baked beans and a dash of
basil; heat through.

Sweet'n sour beans — Heat baked
beans with drained pineapple tid-
bits, chopped green pepper and
brown sugar.

For more quick and delicious
recipe ideas using canned baked
beans write: Great Bean Dishes,
20 Eglington Avenue West, Box
2040W, Toronto, Ontario M4R
1K8

FREE BOOKLET

One often hears Canadians com-
plsining about the high amount of
tax they pay. What many individuals
do not realize is that simply by
structuring their investments
carefully, they can pay far less

tax. This guide will provide you
with ideas for saving tax through
your investment program:

Call today to receive your com-
plimentary booklet.

Mark Osachoff
661-7433

ScotiaMcLeod

Lustedonestment ance seice 1921

FOOD

cold water before forming the
patties. Set the patties on a non-
stick cookie sheet and fast-freeze.

Bag as soon as they are frozen.
This way, you can use as few or
as many as you need. The patties
will thaw quicky if you want to
prepare a casserole and four of
them equals # pound, Easy.

If I'm in a rush, | may stop
right there but | like myself a
whole lot better if I prepare the
entire mixture into sauces, meat
loaves, meat balls and casseroles.
Isn’t it a pleasure to come home
to meals that need only be tossed
in the oven?

Here are a few basic recipes —
don’t be afraid to have several
pots on the stove at the same
time. Chop all the vegetables at
once. Open ali the tins at the same
time. Re-use mixing bowls — they
don’t need washing in - between.
Cook several lots of pasta in the
same pot.

Line dishes for casseroles and
meat loaves with foil. When the
dish is frozen, you can lift out the
contents, bag and freeze. None of
us can afford to tie up our dishes
until we want to cook the

caserole. .
Basic Meat Loaf

This wiil serve eight. If you
form the whole mixture into one
dig loaf, you'll have lots left over
for sandwiches if your family. is
small. Or, cut leftover meat. loaf
into thick slices and re-freeze. To
re-heat, thaw slightly, dip each
slice into beaten egg and coat with
crumbs. Fry crisp — maybe not
low-fat but delicious.

2 ths. lean ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

1 egg, lightly beaten

% cup fine crumbs —
oatmeal, if you like

% cup ketchup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce

Salt and pepper :

Granulated garlic, if you like.

Mix everything togetiier with
your hands — rinse them under
cold water before you begin.
Form into one big loaf, two small

part

loaves or one flat, .9** x 12’? rec-.

tangle. The rectangle is for stuffed
meat loaf — recipe foilows. Bag,
label and freeze.
Stuffed Meat Loaf

1 rectangie-skaped meat foaf, as
above (if frozen, thaw carefully in
the microwave — watch that the
corners don’t cook, er about eight
heurs la the refrigerator will do
the job)
{ package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed aad drained well
1 egg, lighily beaten
1 cup grated white cheese — jack,
Edam, etc.
2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Optional: sliced black olives

Combine ingredients and spread
over meat. Roll up lengthwise like
a jelly reli. Place seam-side-down
on a baking sheet and bake | hour
and J5 minutes at 350°F. Cut lef-
tovers in slices and re-freeze.. .

These are icleal for the egg and
crumb treatment mentioned
earlier.

Basic Meat Sauce for Pasta

Freeze this in 160z. containers
— you'll have about three. Use
over fresh pasta or as the same
sauce for lasagne.
2 Ibs. ground beef

"1 large onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped :
1 - 28 oz. tin stewed tomatoes —
1 - 28 02. tin crushed tomatoes

1 ‘ablespoon mixed, dry Ktalian

herbs

“Granulated garlic to taste OR

crushed garlic cloves -
Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons suger (this is optional

but I fiad that it cuts any acidic
taste that the tomatoes ray have)

Ina large pot, cook the meat:

with the onions and pepper (and
crushed garlic, if you’re using it)
until grey and vegetables limp.
Add. remaining
simmer, stirting often, ‘until thick.

Spoon into freezer cartons, label ;

and freeze.
.Hint: you can also turn this into

acceptable chili by adding . to one’:
container a drained ‘tin of kidney —
beans and a tablespoon” of. chili”

powder.
The Easiest Chili Recipe Ever

My family insists that I ‘print -

ingredients and.

this recipe — I’m rather ashamed
of it as any chili-contest’ freak
would scoff. So what? My family

eats double helpings. To lift it out °
of the mundane, I serve it with 2 -
big side plate of chopped tomato

shredded lettuce, grated cheddar

cheese, sour cream and salsa. Add ;
black and green olives and? :4%
guacamole if you've got them

Crust bread, of course.
3 Ib. lean ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 mediuzn green peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder (ase
your own judgement!)
2 teaspoons ground garlic or the ©
equivalent granulated
3 + 14 oz. tins red kidney beans,
drained :
3 tins tomato soup- a :
salt and pepper a
% cup white vinegar

In a deep kettle, cook beef.
onions and peppers until meat: is
no longer pink and onions are.
limp. .
Add remaining ingredients an
simmer, stirring often, until. thick:
— about. an hour. This -is: even;
better re-heated. It” freezes ° bu
you may find the beans are softs

‘THIS IS THE BIGGEST MAC SALES EVENT OF

THE YEAR!

ADVANTAGE

4664 Lougheed Hwy
Across from ,
Brentwood Mall

Tel: 299-3413

Computers Lid.

DON'T MISS IT!

Cd

©1991 APPLE COMPUTER INC. APPLE, THE APPLE LOGO AND MACINTOSH ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OP APPLE COMPUTER, INC.

with 10 lbs of ground beef:

ee