The Dinner Doctor

59 Pages·2003·4.688 MB·English

by  Anne Byrn

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introduction
1
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RREESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
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FFOORR IINNNNEERR
I
t wasn’t long after it felt as if every ounce
the first Cake Mix of creativity had been
Doctor cookbook was drained from my being? I
published that many of the guess they thought that
readers who were pleased anyone who spent so much of
with the recipes for great easy-to- the day creating desserts couldn’t
make desserts started asking me what have a whole lot of energy left over to
I cooked for the rest of my meals. prepare much of anything else.
What soups did I simmer in the win- They were right. Like so many oth-
ter, what salads did I toss in the sum- ers whose days involve balancing
mer, what appetizers did I throw family and career, my time is tight.
together when guests were at my While I enjoy preparing meals, I can’t
doorstep? Did I bake bread? Did I spend lots of time fussing over them.
have speedy pasta sauces that would So, I thought, what better way to
wow company and quick casseroles to answer all those questions than to
feed a crowd of teenagers? What did I gather them up here in The Dinner
prepare mid-week after tennis and Doctor, a collection of recipes that
piano lessons, soccer, school, meet- tackle the rest of dinner head on.
ings—when I was pressed for time and Starting with appetizers and ending
introduction
2
with those cakes and other sweets streamlining favorite but complicated
I love so much, this book brings to recipes exciting.
the whole meal the tried and true For a dish to make it into this
doctoring techniques I used in my book, the final results had to taste fan-
baking books. It will show you how to tastic but be simple to assemble. Take,
turn supermarket convenience foods for example, that mushroom soup and
into dishes that taste so good you chicken combination. We have all
will think they are made totally eaten too many bland casseroles that
from scratch. relied on cream of mushroom soup.
You’ll be able to make the most of But mushroom soup is too handy to
a can of pre-seasoned tomatoes and a ignore. So I asked myself, what if that
package of cheese tortellini, a deli- casserole also included quartered
roasted chicken and a can of mush- jarred artichoke hearts and used the
room soup, a package of frozen corn soup, enhanced with curry powder, as
and a bag of pre -shredded coleslaw. a thickener? Well, the combination
When doctored using the recipes I’ve worked beautifully and the soup did
included, these ingredients become its job, without announcing itself as
stand-out dishes. Cans of white beans canned (the Curried Chicken and Arti-
and diced tomatoes combine with choke Casserole is on page 222—do
fresh zucchini for a quick winter try it and see for yourself).
soup, while chicken and coleslaw This book has been a joy to create,
mix join with ramen noodles for a a real sharing of good food with my
healthy and light summer one. Boxes family that I’m pleased to be sharing
of couscous turn into fast salads; with you. Ideas for family meals take
frozen peeled pearl onions are easily precedence here, but there are plenty
creamed for Thanksgiving; store- of recipes that double up as great
bought cleaned shrimp make a fuss- for guests. Along with full recipes,
free skillet supper—I have found the each chapter contains super-quick
possibilities for delicious dinner doc- suggestions for doctoring pantry
toring endless, and the challenge of items like canned tuna, baked beans,
introduction
3
chicken noodle soup, pasta sauce, my husband arrive home from work
cream cheese, deli potato salad, frozen relieved to know that dinner isn’t
spinach, and much more. going to be a slice of chocolate cake
The savory flavors of the lasagnas, with a side of pie!
sesame noodle salads, fun cornbread- So, here’s my prescription for feed-
wrapped hot dogs, warm cheesy breads, ing the busy, hungry family. It will
and cozy chicken casseroles you’ll find relieve stress and have you feeling
in this book have made my good in no time.
kids more cheerful and
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T
urn to Webster’s Since casseroles first
dictionary and appeared in cookbooks at
you’ll find that the turn of the twentieth
the word comfort has a century, they have helped
variety of meanings, but frugal cooks stretch food
surely it’s “a satisfying or budgets without cutting
enjoyable experience” that’s back on flavor. They really
the comfort in comfort food. The came into their own with the
classic I-gotta-have-seconds dishes— invention of casserole-friendly con-
the smooth and creamy macaroni and densed soups. It was John T. Dorrance,
cheese, chicken and rice, and tuna a nephew of the president of the
and noodles, the potpies, spaghetti, Joseph A. Campbell Preserve Company,
“impossible” pies, even grits with who first came up with the idea. The
cheese—have made for decades of soups became so popular that the com-
contented family dining. And comfort pany changed its name to Campbell
foods tend to be inexpensive. They’re Soup. It wasn’t until 1934, however,
indispensable when you want to feed that cream of mushroom, the king of
the whole neighborhood. casserole soups, made its debut. This
one-dishcomfort food
221
red-and-white can liberated home casseroles now taste more bland than
cooks, making it no longer necessary flavorful. So, I revisited a number of
to prepare a white sauce of flour, familiar recipes and lightened some
butter, and milk to bind casserole of them up. I streamlined them and
ingredients. With the help of cream of used lower-fat and fresher ingredients
mushroom soup, chicken and rice whenever possible. I shortened the
casserole, tuna noodle casserole, and cooking times by baking at a higher
the ubiquitous green bean casserole temperature. You’ll also find a batch
became mainstays of the dinner table. of new family-friendly dishes to try.
The challenge in putting together Chili Dog Pie, Mock Cassoulet, Pork
this chapter was how to present cher- Fried Rice, Turkey Hash in a Flash—
ished dishes in such a way that they dig into these casseroles, pies, and
retained their identity while becoming “bakes” anytime. You can always use
a snap to prepare. Many of the original a little more comfort.
one-dishcomfort food
222
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P TO PREP:
lucked from my mother’s tips for cooking rice quickly on
15 MINUTES
recipe box, this casse- TO BAKE: page 354), a green salad, and a
role brings back so many 32–35 MINUTES chocolate dessert. Add good
fond memories of dinner parties in the friends and conversation and you’ll
1960s. My sisters and I anticipated my have a memorable evening.
parents’ parties as much as their
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
guests did, for my mother was an
(see box, page226)
accomplished cook and hostess. But
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts,
with three little children under foot, I
drained and quartered
am amazed she actually pulled dinner
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts,
parties off! We ogled the “grown-up”
drained
food as it was prepared, then were fed
1 can (7 ounces) mushroom pieces, drained
our own meal and rushed upstairs out
1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of chicken soup
of sight before the guests arrived. Of
(see Tips)
course, we managed to sneak back
1 cup sour cream (see Tips)
down to the kitchen after dinner was
1⁄2cup mayonnaise (see Tips)
served and enjoy the leftovers. This
1 teaspoon curry powder
chicken and artichoke casserole was a
1⁄4cup pre-chopped pecansor slivered
mainstay, and I’ll bet it gave
almonds
me my first taste of curry.
1.
Serve it with basmati or Preheat the oven to
jasmine rice (you’ll find 400°F.
one-dishcomfort food
223
2.
Place the chicken, artichoke hearts, soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, and
water chestnuts, mushrooms, chicken curry powder in a large mixing bowl and
stir until well blended. Transfer the mix-
ture to a 13-by-9-inch (3-quart) glass or
tips Unlike the casserole recipes of the
ceramic baking dish and scatter the nuts
sixties, this one is baked uncov-
over the top.
ered and at a higher heat (400°F
3.
instead of 350°F). But although it’s Bake the casserole until it is bub-
been sped up, the flavors still have
bling throughout and the nuts are
enough time to mingle and cook down.
toasted, 32 to 35 minutes. Remove the
To reduce the amount of fat in
casserole from the oven and serve at
the casserole, use reduced-fat cream
once.
of chicken soup, sour cream, and
mayonnaise.
SERVES8
Casserole Toppers
— —
▼
Casseroles tend to be smooth ◆ Canned French-fried onions
DINNER
DOCTOR and creamy, so the topper—
◆ Crumbled crackers, such as Ritz
SAYS
the brooch on the lapel, the
or soda crackers
icing on the cake, the crunch, the
fun—provides the contrast needed ◆ Toasted white bread crumbs
to make a dish memorable. Here are
◆ Crumbled potato chips or crushed
some traditional toppers. They
tortilla chips
should always be added just before
baking, so they stay crisp. If you are ◆ Nuts, such as sliced almonds or
planning on assembling and then finely chopped pecans (you don’t
freezing a casserole, leave off the have to toast these; they’ll toast as
topping until baking time. they bake)
one-dishcomfort food
224
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EETTRRAAZZZZIINNII
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W TO PREP:
hen I was growing soup provides a creamy back-
20 MINUTES
up, chicken tet- TO BAKE: drop for pieces of chicken,
raz zini for dinner 25–30 MINUTES thin noodles, crunchy pecans,
meant that company was coming. and salty olives. Not only is it easy to
Making this fancy fare was a time- double the amounts, if you’re feeding
consuming process and only worth a crowd, but the dish freezes well, too,
the trouble for special occasions. My so you can cook it ahead of time.
shortcut version is every bit as good as
Salt (optional) for cooking the pasta
one made from scratch; my husband
8 ounces vermicelli, broken into thirds
thinks it’s even better. Com bining
1 container (10 ounces) refrigerated
Alfredo sauce from the super market
Alfredo-style pasta sauce
with a can of cream of mushroom
(see page 277)
1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of mushroom
tips The preparation time here includes soup
cooking the vermicelli, so you can
3 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
shorten the time it takes to assemble
(see box, page 226)
this casserole if you boil the pasta the
1 cup pre-shredded Parmesan cheese
day before (see the box on page 286).
If you make this dish well in advance 1⁄4cup drained pre-sliced pimiento-stuffed
and wish to freeze it before baking, green olives
leave off the pecans. Sprinkle on the 2 tablespoons golden or dry sherry
nuts after defrosting the casserole and 1⁄4cup pre-chopped pecans
right before you put it in the oven.
1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.