Money-Saving Main Dishes

Cooked and canned meats and poultry ...

Reading edition

You can often save time and money by purchasing meat that will serve for two or more meals. Buy a smoked pork shoulder, a pot roast, or a stewing hen and plan your menus for several days around it.

Since meat is one of our more expensive foods, you may want to economize by reducing the size of meat servings. But meat is one of our best-liked foods. We want to keep the savory meat flavor in main dishes and provide enough protein in the family diet, too. Fortunately, both economy and sturdy meat servings can be achieved by wise use of meat-extending main dishes, using cooked and canned meats.

Least expensive of the meat extenders are the cereal foods—breadcrumbs in meat loaf, biscuit topping on a chicken pie, macaroni with meat in Italian-style dishes, rice cooked in chicken stock as in chicken risotto. The meat protein supplements the protein in the cereals and the result is a nutritious main dish.

Or you may want to extend a comparatively small amount of cooked meat with other high-protein foods such as milk, eggs, or cheese. These are the makings of such main dishes as creamed lamb, ham and egg scramble, or a beef and vegetable casserole with grated cheese on top.

When there is too little meat left for the basis of a main dish, use these small amounts for flavor and whatever protein they give. Try bits of cooked meats or poultry to season scalloped potatoes, macaroni, soups, salads, or sandwich spreads. Chop crusty brown chicken or turkey skin and add to gravy or a casserole mixture.

Some of the cooked luncheon meats are relatively low-priced and are as protein-rich as many of the more expensive meats. For example, a pound of bologna has as much protein as a pound of smoked ham and even a little more than a pound of beef with a moderate amount of bone and fat. Some of the canned meats provide economical main dishes, too, especially when extended with other foods.

Cool quickly any leftover meat, broth, or gravy (set pan in iced or very cold water); refrigerate at once. Store in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Cooked meat loses flavor quickly; cover or wrap loosely and plan to use within 1 or 2 days. Broth, gravy, and sauce made with meat are highly perishable. Store these covered and use within 1 or 2 days.

On the following pages are suggestions for extended dishes using cooked and canned meat and poultry. Other recipes will be found in the section on cereal foods.

Browned hash

1½ cups chopped cooked meat 3 cups chopped cooked potatoes 1 onion, finely chopped Broth or milk Seasoning to taste

The meat, potatoes, and onion may be chopped by hand or put through the food chopper, depending on the texture desired. Mix meat, potatoes, and onion thoroughly. Moisten with a little broth or milk, if desired, and season to taste. Spread mixture in an even layer in a lightly greased fry pan.

Cook slowly until browned on the bottom. If desired, turn and brown on the other side.

Turn hash out on a platter and garnish with parsley.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with cream of tomato soup, cooked green cabbage with grated cheese, and baked apple.

For Variety

Hash Cakes.—Make the meat and vegetable mixture into flat cakes and fry slowly on both sides until crusty.

Pork and Potato Fry.—Chop 1½ cups canned cured pork loaf and brown it lightly in a fry pan. Add 3 cups sliced or diced cooked potatoes and cook until brown on one side. Turn and brown on the other side.

Chop suey

1 medium-sized onion, sliced thin 1 green pepper, cut in slivers 1½ tablespoons cooking fat or oil 1½ cups celery, cut in slivers 2 hard tart apples 1 cup thin gravy or broth 1½ cups cooked and diced lean pork Soy sauce and salt

Brown onion and green pepper in fat or oil.

Mix in the celery and the apple cut into small thin slices.

Add gravy or meat broth. Cover and cook 5 minutes.

Add meat and season to taste with soy sauce and salt. If desired, thicken with a little cornstarch mixed with water.

Heat thoroughly.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with flaky cooked rice, beets, lettuce salad, almond or oatmeal cookies.

For Variety

Cooked chicken, turkey, or beef may be used in the chop suey instead of pork.

Other vegetables may be used—carrots, radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, bean sprouts. Brazil nuts, thinly sliced, are also good.

Fried noodles may also be served with the chop suey mixture to add crispness.

Chicken a la king

3 tablespoons chicken fat or butter or margarine 2 tablespoons flour ½ cup milk 1 cup chicken broth Salt and pepper ½ green pepper, diced ½ cup mushrooms, cut in pieces 1 egg yolk 1½ cups diced cooked chicken 1 pimiento, chopped

Make white sauce: Melt 2 tablespoons of the fat and stir in the flour. Add milk and broth and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of fat, add green pepper and mushrooms and cook a few minutes over low heat.

Beat egg yolk, stir in a little of the sauce, and add to rest of sauce. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until mixture is hot.

Serve in patty shells or on crisp toast, mashed potatoes, or waffles.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with green peas, carrot and raisin salad, and lemon chiffon pie.

For Variety

Cooked turkey, giblets, ham, veal, pork, or tuna fish may be used instead of chicken.

Cooked rabbit meat may be used. Add ½ teaspoon grated onion and ½ tablespoon lemon juice to the recipe for chicken a la king.

Chicken timbales

1½ cups cooked rice 1½ cups diced cooked chicken 1 tablespoon finely diced onion 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup milk ⅓ cup chicken broth or milk ½ teaspoon salt Pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Divide mixture among custard cups or individual baking dishes.

Place cups in pan of very hot water and bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of timbale comes out clean.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with glazed carrots, spinach with lemon, pear salad with cream or cottage cheese and nuts, and gingerbread for dessert.

For Variety

Cooked ham, pork, turkey, fish, or rabbit may be used in place of the chicken.

If you have less than the 1½ cups of chicken (or other meat) the recipe calls for, stretch the meat with sliced hard-cooked eggs and cooked peas. For a company meal, add mushrooms, fresh or canned.

Mushroom sauce may be served on the timbales.

Cooked macaroni, spaghetti, or noodles may be substituted for the cooked rice.

Luncheon-meat cups

2 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk Salt and pepper 2 cups cooked peas, seasoned 1 tablespoon cooking oil or fat 8 thin slices luncheon meat

Make white sauce: Melt the butter or margarine, blend in the flour, and add milk slowly. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add peas to sauce and heat.

Heat fat or oil and brown luncheon meat, allowing edges to curl to form cups. Put 2 cups together for each serving and fill with the hot creamed peas.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with hash browned potatoes and a mixed fruit salad, with baked custard or whipped gelatin dessert.

Other Ways to Use Luncheon Meat

Broiled.—Brush luncheon-meat slices with fat. Broil lightly. Serve with broiled tomato slices sprinkled with grated cheese.

“Birds.”—Place stuffing on thin slices of luncheon meat, roll, and fasten with skewers or toothpicks. Brown lightly and cover the pan until the birds heat through.

Salad.—Mix diced luncheon meat with chopped pickles, celery, and carrots. Add salad dressing.

Curried lamb

1 cup diced celery with tops 1 small onion, diced 3 tablespoons cooking fat or oil 2 cups diced cooked lean lamb ¾ cup brown gravy Curry powder 2 drops tabasco sauce Salt

Brown celery and onion slowly in the fat or oil.

Add meat, gravy, and seasonings. Use ⅛ to 1 teaspoon curry powder, as desired.

Stir over low heat until well mixed and hot. If too dry, add boiling water.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with flaky cooked rice, snap beans, coleslaw, and for dessert sweetpotato pie or pineapple chiffon pie.

For Variety

To make a savory meat pie: Omit the curry powder and tabasco sauce. Pour heated meat, vegetables, and gravy into a casserole and top with crisp, golden-brown baking-powder biscuits just before serving.

Green peas and small potatoes may be added to or used in place of the onions and celery in the meat pie.

Serve crisp tossed lettuce salad with the meat pie, and for dessert have a pineapple and orange fruit cup and oatmeal cookies made with raisins and peanuts.

Frankfurter and potato soup

2 cups diced potatoes 1 small onion, sliced 1½ cups boiling water 4 frankfurters 1¾ teaspoons salt Pepper 2 cups milk 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Cook potatoes and onion in boiling water until soft. Put through a ricer or mash slightly.

Cut frankfurters into ¼-inch slices.

Add frankfurters, seasonings, and milk to potato mixture.

Heat thoroughly, add parsley, and serve.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with a salad of chopped lettuce, tomato, and celery. Have dried-fruit upside-down cake for dessert. Cooked apricots and prunes make a colorful cake.

For Variety

Salami or other luncheon meat, cut in pieces, may be used instead of frankfurters. Allow one slice per person. Or sprinkle the soup with chopped cooked ham before serving.

Fresh sausage also may be used. Dice or crumble the meat and fry until crisp before adding it to the soup.

Pork souffle

2½ tablespoons butter or margarine 2½ tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 3 eggs, separated 1⅓ cups finely chopped cooked or canned pork 1 teaspoon finely chopped onion, or onion juice 2 teaspoons finely chopped green pepper ½ teaspoon salt

Make a thick white sauce: Melt the butter or margarine, blend in the flour, and add the milk. Stir and cook over low heat or hot water until thickened. Cook a little longer, and cool slightly.

Beat the egg yolks and blend into the cooled sauce. Stir in the meat, onion, and green pepper.

Add the salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff but not dry. Blend the meat mixture into the egg whites.

Turn into a shallow greased baking dish set in a pan of hot water.

Bake at 325° F. (slow oven) about 50 minutes, or until set and lightly browned. Serve at once.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with brussels sprouts or panned cabbage, lettuce salad, and hot apple cobbler for dessert.

For Variety

Stuffed Green Peppers.—Fill 4 parboiled peppers with chopped pork mixed with onion, salt, and enough gravy, broth, or cream to moisten. Set peppers in water in muffin cups and bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 20 to 30 minutes.