All you need is some imagination

March is National Canned Foods month. From artichoke hearts to zucchini, there are more than 200 varieties of foods packaged in cans. Along with traditional canned favorites such as tomatoes, and peaches, there are many newer canned foods that we didn’t have a number of years ago.

You can make a complete Chinese dinner from canned ingredients in the ethnic food aisle in most grocery stores. You can open a can of boned chicken, tuna or canned meats, add canned veggies, a cream soup and come up with a good casserole or a hearty soup for dinner. All you need to have is a little imagination to put a good meal on the table.

Let’s see what kind of meals we can put together using canned foods along with other ingredients.

CAN-CAN

CASSEROLE

1-5 oz. can evaporated milk 

1 can each, chicken with rice and cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

1-5 oz. can boned chicken, or 1 c. cooked diced chicken

1-1/2 c. chow mein noodles

1-4 oz. can mushrooms, drained

1 c. coarsely crushed corn flakes, potato chips or cheese crackers

Grated cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, combine milk and soups. Fold in next 3 ingredients. Turn into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Top with crushed corn flakes or other chips. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes four servings.

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This salad is a “good keeper” full of fiber.

FIVE-BEAN SALAD

Salad:

1-15 oz. can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. can red kidney, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. can each, wax (yellow) beans and green beans

2 small onions, cut in rings then cut in halves

Dressing:

1 c. vinegar

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. canola oil, or vegetable oil

1/2 t. each, salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Makes 15 servings.

Note: Put leftovers in a container with a tight fitting cover and it will keep 3-4 weeks. It’s a great salad to bring to a potluck meal.

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KIELBASA AND

BEAN STEW

1 lb. kielbasa (Polish sausage), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4” slices

1-15 oz. can each, kidney beans, great northern beans and black beans, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. can tomato sauce

3 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 small onions, sliced into rings

1/2 c. beef broth or red wine

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; turn into a 3-qt casserole dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Makes nine servings.

Note: You can use turkey kielbasa and low-sodium broth if you wish.

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CREAMY FRUIT SALAD

1-15 oz. can each, sliced peaches and pears, cut in chunks, drained well, save juice

1-20 oz. can pineapple tidbits or chunks in its own juice, drained, save juice

1 small pkg. vanilla cook’n serve pudding mix

1-3/4 juices from fruits

1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans

1/3 c. flaked coconut

In a saucepan, combine juices and pudding mix. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; turn into large bowl. Cool completely. Combine fruit, pecans and coconut. Fold into pudding mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Makes six-eight servings.

Thought for the Day: In every winter’s heart, there is a quivering spring, and behind the veil of each night there is a smiling dawn.

March is National Canned Foods month. From artichoke hearts to zucchini, there are more than 200 varieties of foods packaged in cans. Along with traditional canned favorites such as tomatoes, and peaches, there are many newer canned foods that we didn’t have a number of years ago.

You can make a complete Chinese dinner from canned ingredients in the ethnic food aisle in most grocery stores. You can open a can of boned chicken, tuna or canned meats, add canned veggies, a cream soup and come up with a good casserole or a hearty soup for dinner. All you need to have is a little imagination to put a good meal on the table.

Let’s see what kind of meals we can put together using canned foods along with other ingredients.

1-5 oz. can evaporated milk 

1 can each, chicken with rice and cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

1-5 oz. can boned chicken, or 1 c. cooked diced chicken

1-1/2 c. chow mein noodles

1-4 oz. can mushrooms, drained

1 c. coarsely crushed corn flakes, potato chips or cheese crackers

Grated cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, combine milk and soups. Fold in next 3 ingredients. Turn into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Top with crushed corn flakes or other chips. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly. Makes four servings.

This salad is a “good keeper” full of fiber.

Salad:

1-15 oz. can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. can red kidney, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. can each, wax (yellow) beans and green beans

2 small onions, cut in rings then cut in halves

Dressing:

1 c. vinegar

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. canola oil, or vegetable oil

1/2 t. each, salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon. Makes 15 servings.

Note: Put leftovers in a container with a tight fitting cover and it will keep 3-4 weeks. It’s a great salad to bring to a potluck meal.

KIELBASA AND BEAN STEW
1 lb. kielbasa (Polish sausage), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4” slices

1-15 oz. can each, kidney beans, great northern beans and black beans, rinsed and drained

1-15 oz. can tomato sauce

3 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 small onions, sliced into rings

1/2 c. beef broth or red wine

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; turn into a 3-qt casserole dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until carrots are tender. Makes nine servings.

Note: You can use turkey kielbasa and low-sodium broth if you wish.

1-15 oz. can each, sliced peaches and pears, cut in chunks, drained well, save juice

1-20 oz. can pineapple tidbits or chunks in its own juice, drained, save juice

1 small pkg. vanilla cook’n serve pudding mix

1-3/4 juices from fruits

1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans

1/3 c. flaked coconut

In a saucepan, combine juices and pudding mix. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; turn into large bowl. Cool completely. Combine fruit, pecans and coconut. Fold into pudding mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours. Makes six-eight servings.

Thought for the Day: In every winter’s heart, there is a quivering spring, and behind the veil of each night there is a smiling dawn.