Supper swap

Southern Living, Sep 2003 by Jones, Scott, Betz-Essinger, Ruthann, Waters, Vivian

Cook only one night a week. We'll show you how.

You want to prepare exciting, nutritious meals throughout the week, but busy schedules often mean the same ho-hum recipes. Wouldn't it be nice to have a fresh, home-cooked supper delivered a few nights a week? A cooking co-op could be the answer, and it's easier to set up than you might think.

"The idea is pretty simple," says nine-year co-op veteran Leigh Fran Jones of Indian Springs, Alabama. "You cook a big meal once a week to share with your co-op and, depending on the number of people in your group, you get two or three in return. That means you save trips to the grocery store and really only mess up the kitchen once," she says with a big smile. For the rest of the week, Leigh Fran and fellow co-op member Ruthann Betz-Essinger take advantage of leftovers or prepare simpler meals.

"The co-op meals usually consist of a main dish, vegetable, and starch. Sometimes we include dessert," explains Susan Franco of Atlanta, who, along with a couple of friends, formed the Supper Sisters two years ago. In addition to saving money, Susan believes the co-op has allowed her family to consistently eat a wider variety of foods.

"Learning to cook for 10 to 15 people took some getting used to," Susan remembers. "However, I picked recipes I could handle and that easily doubled [such as the ones featured here]. In no time at all, my confidence grew, and my time spent in the kitchen dropped dramatically."

All of these recipes are from readers, many of whom use them in their own co-ops. We've also included handy tips on starting a co-op, as well as reheating instructions and serving suggestions.

CRISPY CHICKEN-AND-RICE CASSEROLE

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

PREP: 30 MIN., BAKE: 30 MIN.

Deliver with a tossed green salad and French bread.

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 (3 1/2-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup crushed cornflakes cereal

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

COOK rice according to package directions. Stir together cooked rice and next 10 ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cereal.

BAKE at 350[degrees] for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Garnish, if desired.

RUTHANN BETZ-ESSINGER

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

NOTE: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw casserole in refrigerator overnight. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350[degrees] for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 15 minutes more or until thoroughly heated.

CALZONES WITH ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 30 MIN., COOK: 10 MIN., BAKE: 30 MIN.

Deliver with potato chips and fresh fruit.

1 pound lean ground beef

3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 (6-ounce) can low-sodium tomato paste

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 (10-ounce) cans refrigerated pizza crust

Olive oil

Italian Tomato Sauce

COOK ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain.

COMBINE beef, 2 1/2 cups cheese, and next 3 ingredients.

UNROLL each pizza crust, and cut each crust into thirds. Roll each portion to a 5-inch circle. Spread 3/4 cup of meat mixture evenly over half of each circle. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over, pressing or crimping edges to seal. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and cut slits in tops to allow steam to escape. Brush with olive oil.

BAKE at 375[degrees] for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Top with Italian Tomato Sauce; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Melt cheese under broiler, if desired.

Italian Tomato Sauce:

PREP: 5 MIN., COOK: 5 MIN.

1 1/4 cups tomato sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

COOK all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

RUTHANN BETZ-ESSINGER

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

NOTE: Freeze baked calzones up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Wrap calzones in aluminum foil, and bake at 300[degrees] for 1 hour or until thoroughly heated.

BEEF-AND-PEPPERONl CALZONES:

Substitute 1 (3.5-ounce) package pepperoni slices for spinach.

SALISBURY STEAK WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN., COOK: 20 MIN., BAKE: 25 MIN.

Deliver with mashed potatoes (for convenience, we prefer frozen) and a vegetable.

1 large onion, chopped and divided (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 garlic clove, minced

2 pounds ground beef

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

SAUTE half of chopped onion in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until tender. Add garlic, and saute 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and let cool.