This is the first time I return to the South Arm Seniors Kitchen after the summer break and South Arm kitchen renovation. I think I missed at least one kitchen due to my trip to Beijing. The new senior kitchen facilitator is Michelle Li.
Stella, the South Arm seniors program coordinator decorated the table with a Christmas theme since this is the last kitchen in December. Michelle also prepared some festive recipes which can utilize leftover food from the holiday feast.
Here is some tips that Michelle shared with the seniors on food safe regarding leftovers. The excerpt is adapted from dietitian Heather McColl.
- Ensure the fridge is at the correct temperature, 4 degrees Celsius or colder; a fridge thermometer is a great tool to have.
- Refrigerate leftovers immediately after dinner or within 2 hours of cooking
- Cool food quickly by storing in shallow containers on your refrigerator’s wire shelves to promote maximum airflow and even cooling.
- Quickly cool a large pot of hot food like soup or stew by chilling in an ice bath and stirring frequently before storing in the refrigerator or freezer
- Chill large pieces of mat or poultry quickly and safely by deboning and dividing into small portions before storing in the refrigerator.
- Date your leftovers and use within 3 to 4 days or store in the freezer for up to 6 months
- When heating leftovers, be sure to heat foods to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or bring liquids like soup to a rolling boil
- Since you cant tell the safety of food by its look, smell or taste, a good rule of thumb is “when in doubt, throw it out”.
The main course for this kitchen is Swiss Turkey Broccoli Bake. This is a good recipe to encourage kids to eat vegetables with the incorporation of a cheesy creamed sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken or turkey
- 3 cups broccoli florets or asparagus, cut into 1″ pieces, steamed
- 1/2 cup grated swiss, chesddar or parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups milk, half and half or light cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- pinch of nutmeg
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey and already cooked vegetables. Leftover can be packaged into individual portions and freeze for enjoyment later.
Source: via Michelle Li
Serve 4 to 6
Instructions
 Preheat oven to 400C degrees (375 degrees for convection oven).
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and cooked with a little oil. |
 Steam the broccoli florets. |
 To prepare the creamed sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add flour and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in chicken broth and then whisk in milk or cream, a little at a time, making sure the flour paste dissolve nicely and not lumpy. Return to burner and increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Cook for another minute or until beginning to thicken. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. |
 Butter a 9×13″ baking pan.
Place steamed vegetables in the bottom of prepared casserole dish. Top with cooked chicken or turkey. Drizzle creamed sauce over the chicken or turkey. Season with ground pepper if desired. |
 Top with grated cheese. |
 Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.
If the top brown too fast, cover the casserole with an aluminium foil. Serve hot. |
chowtimes.wordpress.com 