By ANN STILLWATER Columnist MKRIS7@PSU.EDU Cooking for one person can be a challenge. Most college apartment mates are not eating or cooking together. The average recipe makes four servings, and this is a turn off for the person who is just cooking for one. One tip is to make the usual amount and have the leftovers every other day, so you don’t get tired of it. Many recipes are hard to cut in half. An ingredient that cannot be cut in half, such as a whole egg, requires extra attention and thought. If the end product is a moist one, then perhaps the extra egg will not matter, or other wet ingredients can be decreased. This is a trial and error process. Baked good are trickier, but even here, a recipe for four or more servings can often be cut in half without seriously altering the taste or texture. Meat is often sold in larger packages. Ground meat can be browned all at once, and then portioned into individual containers or small plastic bags. Cooked ground meat will last for about a week in the refrigerator but can be frozen for months. Adding chopped onions or garlic adds extra flavor. These individual serving portions can be quickly defrosted and put in tomato sauce to be served with pasta; on a taco shell or tortilla; added to an omelet filling; or used in many other ways. Another strategy is to have simple meals. The leftovers can be altered and come back to the table as an incarnation. Cook several pieces of chicken in the oven, and have one or two the first night, baked. Remove it from the bone and serve it with a sauce the second time. If any is leftover, mix the chicken and sauce with different vegetables and rice or pasta for a third meal. This same strategy works well with meats such as roasts, Some people save the bones and boil them down for a delicious, homemade broth. Chicken, fish, beef, or pork bones can all be used. Save them up in a bag in the freezer. When chopping onions, celery, or other vegetables, the ends can be saved in the same bag. This adds depth to the flavor, although stronger tasting vegetables such as broccoli can overpower the flavor from the bones. This is ok, if the broth will be used for broccoli soup! Boil everything together in a large pot for one to twelve hours, simmering on very low heat. If you leave or go to bed, be sure there is plenty of water to prevent a charred, smoking mess. Strain, and pour into glass jars or large heat-resistant plastic containers. If there is a lot of fat on top, cool in the refrigerator, and skim the fat off before freezing. The broth will gel as it cools. Using smaller containers makes it easier to freeze and get out only what is needed. Some folks use ice cube trays so that it is easier to use. If using ice cube trays, remove from the trays once frozen and store in plastic bags to maintain freshness. It’s also ok to throw away the bones and just use bouillon cubes or canned broth! Most leftovers will be less detectable if made into soups or casseroles. For soups, choose a base such as broth, tomato sauce, or vegetable juice that will complement the flavor of the leftovers to be used. Saute onions or garlic in a small amount of oil, if using these, then add the base and bring to a boil. Add longer-cooking raw vegetables like potatoes, carrots or celery first. These cook within 20-40 minutes depending how small they are cut. Soup can be seasoned with a wide variety of spices and herbs. A more traditional vegetable soup may have some thyme or savory. Basil and oregano go well with tomato bases. Add A KM/ leftovers towards the end. Cooked noodles or rice only take about 10 minutes of cooking to blend in. Salt to taste and enjoy. Freeze the rest in easy-to-grab containers. You’ll have lunches for several days! Creamed soups or casseroles often start with a white sauce base. There are many ways to make white sauce and it is line to use a different method. Make the basic white sauce below as binder for a casserole of green beans, potatoes, rice, or noodles, or any combination of these or similar items. This sauce can be thinned with milk or broth for a homemade creamy soup. Grated cheese can be added for scalloped potatoes or macaroni and cheese. Herbs, curry powder, a few tablespoons of salsa or a teaspoon of hot sauce varies the flavor. When making casseroles try to have a starch, at least one vegetable, and a protein. A milk white sauce has some protein already. Tomato sauce can be added to starch but does not have protein so beans, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or meat can be added. Cheese or breadcrumbs make a nice topping. Bake at about 350 degrees for about half an hour or until warmed through. Basic White Sauce 1 Tablespoon butter, margarine, or oil 1 Tablespoon flour 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste dash of pepper (optional) 3/4 cup milk (broth may be substituted) In a small saucepan melt the fat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper, and stir constantly until it smells or looks slightly browned (only a few minutes on medium heat). Add milk all at once while continuing to stir. It helps to have a whisk, but it can be done with a fork. Blend smoothly and heat until thickened. Ciimv'dOatendar National African American Read-ln Feberuary 5, 12:30pm Oliver LaGrone Center W-132 Dr. Joy Leary February 6,6 pm Student Center, CUB E-Baby-Slam Poet February 7, 9:150m Stacks Stage Sankofa February 8, 12:30pm Gallery Lounge Karamo Brown February 15, 9:3opm Community Center Kurt Knobelsdorf Art Exhibit Location: Morrison Gallery, Li brary Details: The display entitled “Paradise” is Tilings Mfk fk #1 To You WCd»Know Beginning February 1, Penn State faculty, staff, or students who have not changed their Penn State Ac cess Account password since Aug. 1, 2006 will be prevented from logging into Web Access (Penn State’s Web single sign-on service) a requirement to access many Penn State Internet services includ ing ANGEL, Web Mail, ITS Train ing registration, the University At tendance System, and more. It is imperative that all students, faculty, and staff go to http://its.psu.edu/ password/ to change their Access Account passwords now, if they have not already done so. Individuals who change their passwords by Feb 1 will be eligible to win a $99 Computer Store gift certificate or a “clip and go” iPod Shuffle. The college is offering an ambitious schedule of events to celebrate Black THE CAPITAL TIMES Knobelsdorf’s first large-scale solo exhibit in Central Pennsylvania. This young artist, a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, has already won numerous prestigious awards, fellowships, and grants. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. Free and open to the public. THON February 16-18 University Park See SGA for details Viktor Terechko Art Exhibit Location: Main Central Hallway, Olmsted Building Details: Harrisburg resident Terechko is a self-taught artist who originated a style of carving which involves the delicate removal of layers of acrylic-coated birch wood, often History Month in February. The celebration begins Monday, Feb. 5 with the National African American Read-In on campus. Read about all the events at http://www.hbg.psu. edu/news/BlackHistory2oo6.html. Applications are being accepted through March 1, 2007 for the Har risburg Semester public service leadership internships in the state capital this summer. An offering of the college’s School of Pub lic Affairs, the Harrisburg Se mester provides students with the opportunity to live, work, study, and academic credit in the capital city over the sum filer. For information, visit the Web at http://www.hbg.psu.edu/hbg/ hburgsem/, phone Continuing Educa tion at 948-6510, or contact Dr. Ste ven Peterson, program coordinator, at 948-6058. February 5, 2007 in difference colors MAEP Location: Oliver LaGrone (W-132) Speaker: Kathy Brode Topic: Plagarism: What is it? Capital Times Meeting Mondays and Tuesdays at 12:30 Room E-126 Olmsted Fencing Club Mondays at 7-9 pm Fridays 4pm-6pm Second Floor CUB Sports Women’s Bball Vs. Penn State February 5,6 pm CUB Men’s Bball Vs. Penn State York February 5, Bpm CUB The college Learning Center offers a variety of services to students. Drop by the office at C-216 Olmsted or schedule online for writing and math tutoring at http://www.richls. com/psuh . For other courses, e-mail tutorrequest@psu.edu. Visit http:// www.hbg.psu.edu/LearningCenter, or contact Janice Smith, coordina tor, at jess7@psu.edu or 948-6475 with questions. Faculty Research/Scholarship Award Nominations are being accepted for the 2007 Penn State Harris burg Faculty Research/Scholarship Award. For more information, forms, or criteria, contact Cyndi Morris in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, C-114 Olmsted, at cqms@ psu.edu or phone 948-6303. Dead line for nominations is Wednesday, Jan. 31 and supporting materials are due by Monday, Feb. 12.
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