Dear Heloise: After baking for a big party, the party was canceled. It's all been put in my freezer.
Please tell me if I can invite my family to eat this food: chicken soup, meatballs, lasagna, etc.-Dolores in California
Dear Dolores: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, freezer times are as follows:
- Cooked poultry-four months
- Uncooked poultry parts-nine months
- Cooked meats-two to three months
- Uncooked steaks or chops-four to 12 months
- Uncooked ground meat-three to four months
Check the food for freezer burn, and when in doubt, throw it out!-Heloise
HERE'S A CLEVER IDEA
Dear Heloise: I keep a jelly glass of flour and one of sugar in my cupboard so that if I need just a small amount of either, I don't have to take out the whole canister.
It's very handy!-Barbara Z., Highland, Ind.
Barbara, that is a good idea, and I'm sure it's one that some of my readers will use.-Heloise
ONE-POT CHICKEN
Dear Readers: One of my favorite dinners is a one-pot dinner. They're easy to make and very nutritious. The ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced potato
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped celery
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1 cup peas
2 3-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Heat a heavy skillet and add onions and potatoes; cook over medium heat while stirring until they begin to brown. Add the remaining ingredients as listed except for the peas and chicken. Stir and bring to a boil. Place chicken in sauce; reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for about 12 minutes, then add peas and continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced. This is about 5 minutes or so.
To serve, place one chicken breast on each plate and spoon the sauce over the top.
It's always nice to have a go-to recipe that's easy to prepare and tastes as though it took hours to make.-Heloise
SUPER SOUP
Dear Heloise: I like to buy the 19-ounce size can of soup. It usually has about four or five cubes of meat, about 1/2 can of vegetables, and the rest is broth. I usually buy a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, cook it, then freeze in small containers and add as needed to the soup. Works great!-Doris G., North Little Rock, Ark.
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