Ken Hoyt | Writing for Food Day

SUMMARY: Roast an extra bird or two, freeze the meat, then enjoy it later at several meals

The phrase "and one for the pot" describes the practice among cooks of yesteryear of adding a few extra vegetables to the soup pot to stretch the budget.

I like to take this idea one step further and throw an extra chicken or two into the oven whenever I'm making roast chicken for dinner. Chicken is, after all, a menu mainstay for many of us, and by roasting ahead you'll get dual benefits: chicken meat with that delicious and moist roasted character, plus the beginnings of a few more meals for later in the week. Or later in the month, since cooked chicken freezes beautifully.

This double-duty chicken roasting method works so well because chicken is incredibly versatile. With the plan I'm offering here, we start with perhaps the most classic preparation -- a whole roasted bird, stuffed with just a few aromatics to flavor the meat and the pan juices. Using the leftover meat, we move to a filling but fresh-feeling main-dish nicoise salad, to a comforting version of pasta carbonara, to a vibrant Latin-inspired Arroz con Pollo, where the mild chicken pairs with saffron-scented rice, roasted red peppers, peas and tangy green olives.

I like this lineup because these are some of my favorite dishes, plus they use up the dark and light meat in a balanced way. But these recipes are just the beginning, obviously. There are so many dishes that can be built around cooked chicken, from a simple sandwich with butter lettuce and mayo on sourdough to risotto, hash or a spicy vegetable stir-fry with the chicken tossed in at the last minute just to warm it.

Roast like-sized birds, so they cook in the same amount of time.
Don't put more than two chickens in one pan. Though you might be tempted to fill up a jellyroll pan with three chickens, keep in mind the several pounds of very hot chicken that will be lifted out of the oven later. Using a few smaller pans will keep it all more manageable (and safe). Plus the birds need space for hot air to circulate to cook them properly.
After roasting, tuck the extra whole chicken into the refrigerator to cool quickly. After enjoying your roast chicken dinner, the refrigerated bird should be cool enough so you can remove the meat for more efficient storage.
Separate the light and dark meat and store in self-sealing bags. If your next chicken meal is more than a few days away, freeze the meat in freezer-weight bags, with the air pressed out to prevent freezer burn. For best eating quality, use within three to four months.
Deglaze the roasting pans (as described in the recipe) and save whatever pan sauce you don't use that first night to add to the carbonara or the chicken and rice; it will freeze well.

With one master recipe for Roasted Chicken, you can lighten your workload for the entire week. The accompanying recipes are practically meals in themselves and need little else besides a green salad and a glass of wine to round them out.

Roasted Chicken: As long as the oven is hot, why not toss in a separate pan of baby red potatoes? Lightly coat them with olive oil, and salt and pepper them generously. Put them in 30 minutes before the chicken is done and they should be fork-tender in time for dinner.

Salade Nicoise: This counts as a whole meal on one plate. The vinaigrette, potatoes and green beans can be prepped the night before to streamline. You'll find that the lightest meat makes the most attractive salad.

Pasta Alla Carbonara With Chicken: This rich main course would be well-complemented by a tossed salad, so make a double batch of vinaigrette when you make the nicoise salad and you'll be one step ahead. A combination of light and dark meat adds complexity to this dish.

Arroz con Pollo: This classic all-in-one dish provides a balanced meal, but you might enjoy a simple green salad with it, or half of an avocado drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil. This is the perfect dish for using up the dark meat, which adds depth of flavor.

Once you've removed the meat from the chicken carcasses, you may feel a need to heed your inner chef by making a wonderful stock. Simply put the chicken bones into a stockpot with a few onions, carrots, celery, a little bouquet garni (a bundle of fresh or dried bay leaf, thyme and parsley) and water to cover. Bring the contents to a boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature to a low simmer. Cover and cook for about two hours. Don't cool the stock by leaving it on the countertop. To chill quickly, put the entire stockpot in an ice bath (you can use the kitchen sink). When cool, strain the stock and store in pint-sized containers in the freezer.

SUMMARY: The low-fat Middle Eastern dip can easily be varied to suit other ethnic tastes

Hummus is a Middle Eastern workhorse that goes with just about everything. With its smooth texture and tangy flavor, it's perfect for perking up sandwiches, crudite trays and almost anything hot off the grill.

Traditionally, hummus is a puree of garbanzo beans, tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon juice, garlic and a little water and oil. It's a simple combination that packs a lot of flavor.

But the best part about hummus is that it's so easy to make, you can whip up a batch any time the mood strikes and customize it any way you like. It will taste fresher and cost a whole lot less than what you can buy at the store. Homemade classic hummus will set you back about $2 for 2-1/2 cups (20 ounces) of dip. Compare that to about $3.50 for just a 7-ounce tub from the grocery store. It's even cheaper if you buy dried garbanzo beans and cook them yourself.

A food processor makes quick work of the dip. Just throw the ingredients in and blend. If you like it a little tangier, add more lemon juice. A little spicier? Add Tabasco. For a creamier puree, blend it longer or thin it out with a bit more water or oil. If you like it a bit chunkier, don't blend it as long or add some diced roasted vegetables such as eggplant or red bell peppers.

You can also play around with changing the flavor profile. Add depth with roasted garlic or mix in some olive tapenade. And since tahini is like a nut butter—it even comes in a jar and is often located next to the peanut butter at the supermarket—you can substitute peanut butter or cashew butter for the tahini and completely change the personality of the dip. That simple switch, plus a few other complementary ingredients, can turn the Middle Eastern staple into a dip with Southwestern, Asian and even Indian flair.

And you can feel good about indulging in this delicious spread because it's low in fat and calories, and has fiber and protein to boot. One ounce of creamy hummus has 79 calories, 5 grams fat, 2 grams fiber and 2 grams protein.

Not a lot of dips can make such a claim. After all, many popular dips—such as ranch, French onion and dill—are essentially flavored sour cream and mayonnaise. That means they're high in fat and calories but not much else.

Canned beans save time, but dried beans save money. Preparing dried beans isn't hard, it just takes a little planning. You can soak them in water overnight before cooking, but if you're crunched for time, try this method: Cover the beans with water and bring them to a boil. Turn off the heat; allow the beans to soak for 1 hour. To cook soaked, drained beans, cover them with fresh water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 11/2 to 2 hours, until tender. Do not salt the water as it will toughen the skin of the beans.

SUMMARY: A slab of flavored ice cream, a tasty cookie and guests making their own: It's party time

Lucy and Desi, love and marriage, oil and vinegar . . . Great combos can be more than the sum of their parts.

So it is with the classic ice cream sandwich. Americans clearly love their ice cream, consuming more than 20 quarts a person each year. And cookies are the perfect, portable dessert. Put them together and you get an enchanting juxtaposition of creamy and crunchy that's nothing like the versions sold at the supermarket.

For the ultimate ice cream sandwich, start with homemade ice cream. Unless you're a purist, forget the ice, salt and self-cranking and opt for an easy-to-use and inexpensive electric ice-cream maker. KitchenAid and Cuisinart are two brands that will do a fine job for well under $100. For substantially more money there are machines with compressors that will self-chill, but the end products will be indistinguishable from one another.

As for the flavor, it's strictly up to you. Vanilla ice cream goes with just about any cookie, so we've included a super-simple recipe that doesn't even need a cooked base. Try it with the subtle flavor of the Toasted Almond Macaroon Cookies, or the bolder Almond Blondie Bars.

If you want to choose your own cookie recipe, be sure to consider the ratio of crispiness to creaminess. A really crispy cookie can explode when chomped, with unpleasant results. And if the texture is too dense, you might squeeze the ice cream out.

Size is another factor. While it's fun to make super-sized cookies, they can be awkward to fill and messy to consume, especially if the center has had time to melt. Smaller cookies make cute sandwiches that are easier to handle and can be dispatched in one or two bites, perfect when you want only a taste of dessert.

If you like the idea of gourmet ice cream sandwiches but don't want to make your own cookies, ice cream or both, you can always buy the fixings and assemble them yourself. For added swank, go for premium ice cream, especially with adults who are more likely to enjoy the upgrade. The cookies should be high-quality and on the soft side, or else thin enough that they are easy to bite through. Or consider refrigerated cookie dough for that fresh-from-the-oven taste.

Assembling the sandwiches is as simple as placing a scoop of firm ice cream (not softened) on the bottom of one cookie and gently but firmly topping with another. For the easiest preparation, make them a few hours ahead and pop them in the freezer. For best results, work fast and wrap the cookie sandwiches separately in plastic wrap.

If you're planning on letting guests assemble the treats themselves, you might want to make the ice cream patties yourself. Think hamburger patty that's temperature-sensitive.

Fast-track the process by placing perfect scoops a few inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Top the scoops with another piece of wax paper and gently press the ice cream into patty shapes. Return them to the freezer until it's time for dessert. To serve, put the patties on a plate, but don't stack them. A small spatula can help your guests maneuver mess-free.

Kids are genetically programmed to love ice cream sandwiches, and involving them in the making can be a lot of fun. Make plates of cookies and put out small tubs of ice cream (there's less chance of melting, and you can always replace the tubs frequently). To avoid a massive cleanup, do it outside on the deck where you can hose off any sticky mess, including the kids.

Whether your guests are kids or grown-ups, homemade ice-cream sandwiches make the perfect summer dessert. If you're ready to answer your inner gourmet and crank up some compliments, the accompanying recipes will not fail to delight.

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