In fact, as the financial crisis continues, here’s the best way to save money: we all have to eat, but here’s the way to save money and make your family come back for more — prepare “pro cook” meals at home!

Boston Market Corporation, based in Golden, Colo., is a leader in the fast-casual restaurant category, providing chef-inspired meals in a number of convenient ways. When still known as Boston Chicken, stores specialized in rotisserie chicken and a variety of side dishes, but in 1995 the chain expanded its menu to include turkey, meatloaf, ham, and sandwiches, and changed the name to Boston Market to reflect this. The chain later added roasted sirloin and made ham a seasonal offering.

In their own words, “Boston Market Corporation recognizes that in an increasingly fast-paced world, more and more people are pressed for time and looking for ways to make their lives easier. Many consumers want an alternative to cooking that allows them to slow down and spend more time with their family and loved ones. Boston Market restaurants offer fresh, delicious, home-style meals just like you would prepare and serve at home if you had the time–without the hassle of preparation and clean-up.”

–Boston Market Dill Potato Wedges–

7 or 8 new red potatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

1/4 pound butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. celery salt

2 tsp. dried dill weed

Wash potatoes well and boil until barely soft. Drain, and cut potatoes in wedges. Melt 1 stick of butter, in large frying pan (use only real butter) and saute garlic for about one minute.

Add potatoes and the rest of the seasonings. Pan-fry the potatoes until they are lightly brown.

–Boston Market Meatloaf–

1 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

dash garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together the tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until it begins to bubble, stirring often, then remove it from the heat.

In a large bowl, add all but 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce to the meat. Mix the sauce into the meat, then add the remaining ingredients. Mix again.

Pack a loaf pan with the meat mixture, cover with foil, and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and drain fat. Cut the meatloaf, while in the pan, into eight separate slices. Pour remaining sauce over the meatloaf.

Return to oven and cook for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Allow to cool slightly before serving…

–Boston Market’s Sweet Potato Casserole–

3 large sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 stick butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Crunch Topping:

1/3 cup melted butter

1/3 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tblsp. cinnamon

Boil potatoes until tender. Take skin off when cooled and able to handle. Put in a large bowl and whip them until fluffy. Add all other ingredients.

Pour into a greased casserole and top with the crunch topping. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

–Boston Market Stuffing–

10 Ounce Can sliced carrots; undrained

4 Ounce Can sliced mushrooms; undrained

14 Ounce Can chicken broth

2 ribs celery; cut 4-5 pieces

1 Tbl. Rubbed sage

12 Tbl. Poultry seasoning

1 Tbl. Chicken bouillon powder

3 Tbl. Bottled liquid margarine or melted butter or margarine

3 English muffins; cut into 1/2″ cubes with crumbs

8 Ounce Bag unseasoned croutons

1 Tablespoon Dry parsley; minced

2 Tablespoon Dry minced onion

When you open the can of carrots, run the blade of a paring knife through them right in the can so that you’ve reduced them to tiny bits without mashing them. Empty it then into a Dutch oven. Add the mushrooms; set aside.

Empty the cam of broth into the blender and add the celery along with the sage, poultry seasoning, bouillon powder and margarine. Blend a few seconds on high speed, only until celery is finely minced.

Meanwhile, add the English muffin cubes, (crumbs too), croutons, parsley and onion to the Dutch oven. Pour blender mixture over and stir to combine with rubber bowl scraper until completely moist. Cover with a lid and bake at 350* about 45 minutes to an hour or until piping hot.

Refrigerate leftovers to use within a week. Freeze to use within 4 months.

–Boston Market Chicken–

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tbl. honey

1 Tbl. lime juice

1/4 tsp. paprika

4 chicken breast halves, washed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine canola oil, honey, lime juice, and paprika. Place chicken, skin side up, in a 7X11 inch baking dish. Apply mixture to chicken pieces in a single layer. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes, basting every 8-10 minutes, until well browned and juices run clear when you cut into the thickest part of the chicken. Remove from oven.

Cover with foil for 15 minutes.

This softens the chicken and keeps it hot until served. Serves four…

Brian Alan Burhoe has cooked in Atlantic Coast restaurants for over 30 years, and holds provincial and national certificates in the culinary trade.  See more recipes and food-related articles and advice at A CULINARY MYSTERY TOUR: A Literary Chef http://www.brianalanburhoe.com

Bon Appetit!

Al dente – This term is often used with pasta and literally means “to the tooth/bite”. Boil the pasta until is is tender but still has some “bite”, not soggy and falling apart. Packet pasta usually takes 5-10 minutes in boiling water.

Baste – This term is often used when roasting chicken or cooking meat in a marinade. You will need to regularly “baste” the meat with the juices or sauce to keep it moist. For more details www.tailgating-recipe.com .You can use a spoon to spoon the juices or sauce over the meat or you can use a “baster” which is a bit like a syringe or bulb.

Beat – A term often used in cooking or baking. You may be instructed to beat and egg – simply crack an egg into a bowl and beat (stir rapidly) with a fork or whisk to combine the yolk and white. In cake recipes, you may be instructed to beat the margarine and sugar together – use an electric whisk or beater for ease.

Blanch – A recipe may call for blanching vegetable. This simply means to plunge them into boiling water for about a minute.

Chop – self explanatory but use a good sharp knife and try to chop vegetables etc. so that bits are uniform in size and thickness. Onions often have to be chopped finely so chop them as small as you can.

Cream – Cake recipes often instruct you to cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat them together either with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until they are well combined and the mixture has turned a paler colour.

Dice – If you are instructed to dice meat or vegetables, it means that you should chop into uniform squares.

Fillet – This word can either be used as a noun or a verb. A meat fillet is a good quality piece of meat which has been “filleted”, had the bones removed. If a recipe asks you to fillet a piece of meat or fish, it means you need to remove the bones. This is tricky so buy fillet meat or ask your butcher or fishmonger to do it for you.

Fold – Cake recipes often tell you to fold in the flour after creaming the margarine and sugar and adding eggs. For more details www.apples-recipes.com .Add the flour a bit at a time using a metal spoon and a figure of eight movement to “fold” the flour into the mixture while retaining the air added by creaming or beating.

Julienne – This term is used with vegetables. Julienne carrots are carrots which have been chopped into matchsticks or strips.

Marinate – To coat a piece of meat or fish in a sauce usually overnight or for a few hours in the fridge. The meat will take on the flavours from the sauce.

Pare – Remove the skin from fruit or vegetables.

Peel – Remove the skin from fruit, vegetables or prawns.

Poach – To cook in liquid. Poached eggs are cooked in boiling water and poached fish is often cooked in hot milk.

Puree – To puree a vegetable or fruit is to blend it until it is as smooth as baby food. Use an electric blender.

Saute – You can saute vegetables and this means to fry in hot oil over a high heat for a short amount of time.

Season – To flavour with salt and pepper.

Simmer – This term is often used with sauces or recipes like curry or chilli. It means to bring a sauce to boiling and then turn down to a level where the sauce is bubbling but not boiling.

Stiff peaks – If you are instructed to beat cream or egg whites until stiff peaks are formed, then you need to whisk or beat until the mixture forms peaks which do not collapse and you could even turn the bowl upside down without the mixture immediately falling out.

Stir-fry – To stir-fry is to cook meat and/or vegetables in a wok at a high temperature. Stir-fry packs can be found in supermarkets and all you have to do is fry them briefly in hot oil in a wok, add sauce or spices and serve with noodles or rice.

Whisk – Use an electric whisk or a hand whisk to beat something like cream.

Hopefully these explanations will help you to feel more confident when using recipes.

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