Page:Meat for Thrifty Meals.djvu/7

 your own garden or window box. If you cannot get the seasonings suggested, try what you do have available, or they can, of course, be omitted entirely.

Regardless of seasonings which you may or may not be able to get, combine meat with other foods, as in croquettes, or hash, or meat pie. Skill in combining foods plus knowledge of food values is the key to interesting, appetizing, balanced meals. Meat is a very flavorful food. Make it go as far as possible in toning up bland foods.

Save all left-over meat, gravy, or drippings. Make broth of the bones. Keep left-over cooked meat cold, and serve as sliced meat or in salad. Or use left-over meat with other foods in appetizing hot dishes such as stuffed peppers, chop suey, curry, browned hash, croquettes.

Recipes included here are typical of hundreds of others that might be given. Those recipes in which definite quantities are stated are planned to yield five to six servings, unless otherwise noted. Other recipes are in the form of suggested combinations, with quantities left to the judgment of the cook. All measures given are level. only simple equipment is called for, and top-of-stove cooking is given the preference because of economy in fuel. No distinction is made in the method of cooking fresh meat that has been chilled and thawed, frozen meat—both are cooked slowly with moderate heat.

ORK shoulder and spareribs, lamb shoulder and breast all make excellent roasts in the moderate price range. If you bone the shoulder, the roast will be as easy to carve as a loaf of bread. With shoulder and other bony cuts, allow from ¾ to 1 pound of the untrimmed, unboned cut for each person to be served. However, a worth-while roast should weigh at least 3 pounds before it is trimmed and boned.

To roast a tender cut evenly, use a shallow pan with a rack in the bottom of the pan. The hot air moves more freely around the meat than in a pan with high sides. The rack in the bottom of the pan keeps the meat from sticking. Any cheap rack will do.

Start a roast with the fat side up so that it will be a self-baster. Do not add water to the pan and do not cover. Turn the meat from time to time so that all parts will cook evenly.