Recipe: Investment cooking, chicken and vegetarian

The meals we've presented here are adaptable. Add meat or poultry, use regular cheese instead of soy or soy instead of regular. Do what is best for your family. We realize we are sharing our ideas with all kinds of folks.

Remember, each of these individual recipes will serve 10 people unless otherwise noted! The grocery list here will feed 10 people for 30 days! Halve, third, or do what you need to do to meet your own family's needs!

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CHICKEN CURRY
10 servings

Make 5 of this recipe.

8 Cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
6 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cups tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Cook onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add chicken. Saut briefly.

In separate bowl mix flour, curry powder and salt. Slowly stir in water and lemon juice to make paste. Add tomato sauce and garlic and pour mixture over chicken mixture. Mix.

TO FREEZE:
Freeze in ziploc plastic bag. Freeze rice in separate ziploc bag.

TO SERVE:
To serve, thaw. Place rice in casserole dish. Place chicken mixture over top of rice. Heat through on 350 , about 30 min.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN CURRY DISH
10 servings

Sounds different but is very delicious!

Make only 1 of this recipe:
6 cups cooked chicken, deboned and chopped
4 Tbsp. cooking oil
4 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. finely minced ginger root
4 cups coconut milk
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt (opt.)
4 cups water
8 cups cooked brown rice

Heat oil in frying pan. Saut onion, garlic and ginger until brown. Add coconut milk, curry, chili powder and salt. Stir fry 2-3 min. on medium heat. Add chicken.

TO FREEZE:
Place rice and chicken mixture in separate ziploc bags. Freeze.

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CHICKEN AND DRESSING
Makes 15-20 servings

Make 4 of this recipe, but divide into five portions:
4 cups diced, cooked chicken
12 to 16 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup diced celery
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
18 to 20 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
2 to 3 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in large pot. Saut onion and celery.

In large, separate bowl, pour eggs and milk over bread cubes and toss until completely moistened. Add this to celery and onion and fry until lightly browned. Add chicken.

TO FREEZE:
Freeze in ziploc bags. Freeze broth in glass jars, plastic containers, or ziploc bags.

TO SERVE:
To serve, thaw. Pour mixture into large, heavy pot. Pour half of broth over top. Heat over medium heat until hot all the way through, adding more of the broth as mixture becomes dry.

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EASY CABBAGE ROLL CASSEROLE
Makes 14 servings

Make 5 of this recipe.

1 large head cabbage, shredded
4 c. uncooked rice
3 onions chopped
2 lbs. cooked ground turkey sausage
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
garlic powder
1/4 c. brown sugar or honey
2 qts. tomato juice
4 c. water

In a large dish spread enough of shredded cabbage to cover bottom of pan. Add layer of rice, onions and ground turkey. Repeat layers, starting with shredded cabbage. Sprinkle with seasonings and brown sugar. Pour tomato juice and water over everything. Cover and freeze. To serve, place frozen into 325 oven. Bake 2 hours or until completely cooked.

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ZESTY ITALIAN CASSEROLE
8-10 servings

Make 5 of this recipe.

2 lb. ground Italian turkey sausage
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. Italian seasoning (See Make Your Own)
2 c. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c. sour cream
2 8 oz. cans crescent rolls or enough whole wheat dough to make one loaf of bread
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese

Brown ground turkey sausage and onions. Drain excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce and seasoning. Remove from heat and spoon into ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine mozzarella cheese and sour cream. Spoon over meat sauce. Separate crescent rolls and place rectangles over cheese or spread bread dough across top of casserole. Melt butter and combine with Parmesan cheese. Spread over dough. Cover and freeze. To serve, place into 325 oven while frozen. Bake 11/2-2 hours or until done and bread or roll dough is brown. Check often. If bread dough becomes too brown, cover to finish cooking.

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NACHO CASSEROLE
10 servings

Make 5 of this recipe.

3 lbs. turkey sausage or ground turkey
1 1/4 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. sour cream
8 oz. can tomato sauce
7 oz. can chopped green chilies
6 oz. can tomato paste
4.2 oz. can chopped ripe olives, drained
8 oz. pkg. tortilla chips, crumbled coarsely
12 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Paprika

In large skillet saut sausage. Drain excess fat. Add onions, garlic and saut . Reduce heat. Stir in sour cream, tomato sauce, green chilies, tomato paste and olives. Heat through, but don't boil. In greased 3 qt. baking dish layer 2/3 of tortilla chips, all of meat mix, remaining chips and cheese. Sprinkle top with paprika. Freeze. To serve, place frozen into 350 oven. Bake uncovered 11/2 hours or until hot and cooked through.

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EASIEST BEEF STEW
10-12 servings

Make 4 of this recipe, but divide into five portions.

1 1/2 lb. beef cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
4 medium potatoes, cubed
2 turnips or rutabagas, peeled and chopped small
3 c. green beans
salt, pepper to taste
2 c. stewed tomatoes
2 c. peas

Put beef cubes in crock pot or large Dutch oven. Cover with onion, carrots, potatoes, turnips or rutabagas, green beans. Season with salt, pepper. Pour tomatoes over ingredients. Bake 300 F. for 31/2 hours or overnight. Add water if needed. Approximately 1/2 hour before end of baking time, add undrained peas.

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CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
10-12 servings

Make 5 of this recipe.

4 cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 cups cooked rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup (Or substitute Mushroom Gravy - recipe follows)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. minced onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
8 oz. cheese grated
4 to 6 cups crushed nacho chips

Prepare rice according to directions. Mix all ingredients except chicken, cheese and nacho chips. Layer ingredients in 3-quart casserole in following order: 1/2 of nacho chips, 1/2 of chicken, 1/2 of sauce, and 1/2 of cheese.

Repeat layers. Cover. Freeze. Place in 325 oven while still frozen. After 1 hour, uncover. Bake 1/2 hour more or until cooked through and cheese has melted.

MUSHROOM GRAVY:
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
1 Tbsp. water
1/4 cup flour

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STUFFED VEGETABLES
Serves 8-10

Make 5 of this dish.

8 large green peppers (or tomatoes or onions if you prefer)
4 cups cooked grain, rice, barley, millet, quinoa
4 tsp. parsley
2 tsp. thyme
3 cups tomato sauce
1 cup jicama, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 peeled cucumber, chopped
4 green onions, chopped (use entire onion)
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup sunflower seeds

Hollow peppers (or tomatoes or onions); steam until semi-soft. Steam by placing colander in heavy pot over 2-3 inches of boiling water. Put green peppers in colander. Mix remaining ingredients; use half of tomato sauce. Stuff vegetables. Place in ziploc bags to freeze. Freeze remaining sauce in ziploc bag. To serve, thaw. Place stuffed peppers in oiled casserole dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Cover dish. Bake at 350 degrees, just until hot. This is very good. It is true that the cucumber becomes watery through the freezing-thawing process but that is a benefit in cooking, adding to the moisture of the mixture in the pepper. Tastes great!

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VEGETARIAN FRIED RICE
Serves 10.

2 lb. tofu or tempeh (steamed 10 min. and cooled)
10 cups cooked brown rice
3 Tbsp. oil
6 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 bunch shredded spinach leaves
6 eggs (optional), well beaten
3 Tbsp. tamari

In large heavy skillet or wok brown sesame seeds in oil. Add tofu or tempeh and brown. Now stir in onions, celery, and spinach leaves. When cooked through, (a few min.), add rice. If you use eggs, make well in center of rice and drop in beaten eggs. When eggs are thoroughly cooked, mix with rice and vegetables. Add 3 Tbsp.tamari; mix. Freeze in ziploc bags.

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NONDAIRY MACARONI AND "CHEESE"
Serves 10

10 cups whole wheat or vegetable macaroni, cooked firm (do not overcook)
2 1/2 cups cashews
3 green peppers, chopped
3 chopped onions
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
7 cups water
1 to 2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. parsley

Blend cashews in blender or food processor to make fine powder. Add peppers, onions, lemon juice, garlic, water. Blend. Pour sauce over noodles in large pan. Heat through, stirring constantly. Freeze in ziploc bag. Saut bread crumbs in oil; add parsley. Freeze in separate ziploc bag. To serve, thaw; pour into casserole dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Tastes a lot like macaroni and regular cheese but contains no animal fat.

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SLOPPY JOES (VEGETARIAN)
Serves 10

1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
6 cups cooked black turtle beans
4 Tbsp. Amino Acids
1 tsp. oregano
2 to 4 Tbsp. chili powder
2 cups tomato sauce
10 slices whole wheat bread or whole wheat rolls

In large skillet or pan, saute onions and peppers in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients. Freeze in ziploc bag. To serve, thaw. Heat through. Serve on bread or rolls.

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LAZY WOMAN'S VEGETARIAN CABBAGE ROLL CASSEROLE
Serves 10

4 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 head cabbage, shredded
4 cups tomato juice or tomato puree

In deep, heavy pot, saute onion, pepper, and mushrooms in oil until tender. Add garlic and seeds. Add rice. In large pan layer 1 c. juice or puree, then 1/3 of cabbage (approx), then 2 cups rice and vegetable mixture. Repeat twice. Pour remaining juice or puree over top. Cover and freeze. To serve, place directly into 350 oven from freezer. Bake 11/2-2 hours or more until cooked through.

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TACO BAKED POTATOES (VEGETARIAN)
Serves 10

Have 10 potatoes on hand
Have salsa on hand (3 to 4 cups)
2 cups yogurt or soy yogurt
Cooked red or black beans or any cooked beans, i.e, reds, whites, pintos, 4 cups

Store salsa and cooked beans in separate plastic ziploc bags in freezer. To serve, bake potatoes in oven in skins 40 minutes or until soft. Thaw beans and salsa. Heat beans through. Slice potatoes down center; spoon beans, salsa and yogurt over potatoes.

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TAMALE CORN CASSEROLE
Serves 10

3 cups corn meal
8 cups water
6 cups whole kernel corn
2 cups chopped olives
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup green chilies (opt.)

Boil water. Add corn meal. Cook until the consistency of mush. Cook corn, olives, onion and chilies in tomato sauce over medium high heat until onion is transparent. If mixture boils down too much, add water. In casserole dish, place half of mush. Pour vegetable mixture over this. Top with remaining corn mush mixture. Cover; freeze. Place directly into 350 oven from freezer. Bake 2 hours or until hot and cooked through. This is very good!

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MY FAVORITE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD RECIPE:
Actually, this is Marilyn Moll's recipe from GS Vol. 3, No. 9, simplified a little. It is delicious every time and is our everyday bread. Maybe you'll want to use it for the bread and bread dough required by some of the 30 meals recipes.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

1 1/2 cups warm water (120 degrees F)
1 c. yogurt, buttermilk, or milk soured with 2 Tbsp.lemon juice
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey or molasses
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
2 tsp. salt
6 to 8 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour; use Montana Hard Spring White wheat if possible! (Order from some of the bread supply dealers in this issue.) Otherwise use 3 to 4 cups whole wheat and 3 to 4 cups all purpose or bread flour.

Mix 4 cups flour and dry yeast in mixer bowl. Add warm water and yogurt (or substitute); mix 1 minute. Allow mixture to sponge 15 minutes. (Just let it sit there!) After 15 minutes it should be all bubbled up; if not, the yeast is probably not good. Now add oil, honey, salt. Turn on bread mixer or stir until well-blended. Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time until dough forms ball and cleans the side of the bowl. Knead six minutes with a bread machine or 10 minutes by hand. Oil hands. Divide dough into two portions. Shape into two 41/2 x 8" loaves. Place in greased bread pans. Raise in warm place until almost double, 25-60 min. (I raise on top of my stove which I've turned on to 350 ; the heat from the oven makes it nice and warm on top of the stove.)

Bake in 350 oven 30-35 minute. Remove from pans when top and sides of loaves are nicely browned and allow bread to cool on cooling racks so moisture may escape.

Wheat Seed Bread Variations:
Add 3 Tbsp. sunflower seeds, 2 tsp. sesame seeds, 2 tsp. millet, 2 tsp. poppy seeds after the bread sponges, if you like. Prepare and bake as directed.

I double this recipe and can easily make four loaves in my bread mixer.

My family eats four loaves of homemade bread each day! (This is all 11 of us plus Joci when she is here with Roland working, which is often.) That being the case, I am very happy to have a bread mixer!

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MAKE YOUR OWN

ITALIAN SEASONING:
1/3 cup dried, crushed oregano
1/3 cup dried, crushed basil
2 Tbsp. rosemary
1/4 cup thyme
1/4 cup sage
1/4 cup marjoram

Mix everything together. Store in tightly capped jar. Makes about 1 1/4 cups or a little more.

CHILI POWDER:
2 Tbsp. cumin seed or ground cumin
1 Tbsp. cayenne
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. oregano

Mix together. Store in tightly capped jar. Makes about 1/3 c. or so.

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GOOD WHITE SAUCE SUBSTITUTE:
Boil diced, peeled potatoes and onions (number depends upon how much sauce you need.) When tender, blend in blender. This comes out very thick and creamy. Use this in your recipe which calls for white sauce. You can add any spices or other steamed vegetables you like. Also, add rice milk to thin, salt, pepper, or corn. (To add color interest, throw in a handful of finely chopped fresh or dried parsley or dillweed. Five large potatoes boiled with 1 chopped onion and blended will make about 3 cups of white sauce or more, depending on how much milk [rice or other] you add to thin it. Ed.) -Submitted by Bev Eshleman, Indiana

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Note: These quantities will make the recipes in the quantities described in this issue, each of which serves at least 10! (See under recipe title to learn how many of each meal to make.) Modify quantities and recipes according to your family size! Also, quantities are deliberately generous to enable you to freeze what is leftover for lunches, soups, etc. If you make the "Make It Yourself" recipes, you will have to add those ingredients to your shopping list.

Grains:
18 lbs. long-grain brown rice or 15 lbs. rice and 2 lb. barley, quinoa, or millet
Five loaves whole wheat bread (for chopping up)
3 lb. tortilla chips
3 lb. nacho chips

Seeds:
5 cups sunflower seeds (shelled)

Dairy:
1 lb. butter
1/2 gallon milk
1 qt. sour cream

Vegetables:
6 turnips and/or rutabagas
15 cups green beans
5 jicama
1 bunch parsley
3 bunches green onion
4 cups mushroom
30 large onions
5 large garlics (30 cloves)
45 green peppers or
5 green peppers and a mixture of 40 onions, green peppers and/or tomatoes for coring, steaming and stuffing
1 small ginger root
1 large bunch celery
5 heads cabbage
2 lb. carrots
50 potatoes
5 small cans green chilies
1 (#10) can stewed tomatoes (6 lb. 15 oz.)
5 cups tomato paste
10 qt. tomato juice
1 (#10) can tomato sauce (6 lb. 15 oz.)
2 large cans chopped olives
10 cups peas
5 cucumbers

Cheese:
2 1/2 cups mozzarella (7 cups)
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
5 lb. Monterey Jack cheese
1 lb. cheddar (sharp)

Meat/Poultry:
24-30 lbs. of chickens (8-10 whole chickens)
28 lb. ground turkey, turkey sausage, or turkey Italian sausage, whichever kind of ground turkey you prefer
6 lb. beef cubes

Eggs:
2 dozen

Spices:
curry
salt
pepper
chili powder
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
brown sugar or honey
thyme
paprika
flour
lemon juice

Miscellaneous:
2 cups coconut milk (from health food store)
10 (8 oz.) cans crescent rolls or 5 recipes whole wheat bread dough
5 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup
5 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup

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First Plan!
Plan your meals if you don't use ours.

Prepare shopping list from the meals you plan. Choose 6-7 or more recipes, more if you're experienced. Multiply ingredients of each recipe by the number of times you'll have that meal, then make a shopping list accordingly.

Two Days Before 30 Meals Day:
-- Shop! Or coordinate your cooking with the day you receive your co-op order. (See food co-op information in this issue.) Don't, by all means, attempt to shop and cook on the same day!

Day Before 30 Meals Day:
Prepare beef stew: Chop vegetables; assemble stew and cook overnight in crockpot or oven
-- Soak beans
-- Cook rice and/or grains
-- Cook rice
-- Boil chickens
-- Chop bread for bread cubes
-- If you plan to make your own mushroom gravy and/or white sauce or whole wheat bread, this should also be done on this day. (See "Make Your Own.")
-- Place any frozen vegetables in the regular refrigerator before going to bed.

30 Meals Day:
-- Bag stew in four-five ziplock bags; 4-5 meals done already!
-- Cook Beans
-- Debone chicken
-- Saut turkey and turkey sausage
-- Chop onions
-- Chop peppers, saving 40 for steaming
-- Slice celery
-- Chop parsley
-- Peel and chop jicama
-- Peel and chop cucumber
-- Chop green onion
-- Slice mushrooms
-- Crush nacho and tortilla chips
-- Mince garlic
-- Shred cabbage
-- Grate mozzarella
-- Grate Jack cheese
-- Steam remaining green peppers

Assembly Order:
-- You've already assembled Beef Stew.
-- Assemble Chicken Curry
-- Assemble Southeast Asian Curry Dish
-- Assemble Chicken & Stuffing
-- Assemble Chicken Enchilada Casserole
-- Assemble Easy Cabbage Roll Casserole
-- Assemble Zesty Italian Casserole
-- Assemble Nacho Casserole
-- Assemble Stuffed Vegetables

You're all done!