Basic Recipes

Basic Beef Gravy
Makes 2 cups
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups water
2 tsp. Redi-Base Beef Base
3 drops of gravy darkner, Kitchen Bouquet (optional)
Directions: Melt butter in sauce pan. Blend in flour to form a roux. Slowly whisk in water, stirring constantly. Add Redi-Base Beef Base and gravy darkner. Bring to a boil. Whip to blend. Serve.

Basic Chicken Sauce
Makes 2 cups
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups water
2 tsp. Redi-Base Chicken Base
Directions: Melt butter in sauce pan. Add flour and blend until paste forms. Slowly whisk in water to form roux. Add Redi-Base Chicken Base. Bring to a boil and whisk until Redi-Base is well blended. Remove from heat and serve.

Basic Vegetable Dip
Makes 1 cup
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. Redi-Base Vegetable Base
Directions: Whip together the sour cream and the Redi-Base Vegetable Base with a whisk. Allow to stand 10 minutes. Serve with chips, fresh vegetables, and crackers.

Basic Seafood Dip
2 cups sour cream
2 tsp. Redi-Base Seafood Base (or RC Lobster, Clam or Shrimp Base)
1 small can seafood, drained and patted dry with paper towel (choice of clams, shrimp, etc.)
Directions: Hand whip Redi-Base Seafood Base into sour cream. Fold in choice of seafood. Garnish with parsley. Serve.

Basic Chicken Soup
Serves 4
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 cup celery, diced small
1/4 cup carrot, diced small
1/8 cup onion, minced
4 cups water
4 tsp. Redi-Base Chicken Base
1 cup cooked chicken meat, diced
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Sauté celery, carrot, and onion in butter until onion is soft. Add water, Redi-Base Chicken Base and parsley. Bring to a boil. Allow to simmer until vegetables are tender. Add meat, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve. Add pre-cooked noodles if desired.

Basic Rice Pilaf
Serves 4
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
2 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
5 tsp. Redi-Base Vegetable Base
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. In a heavy, wide, lidded skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and red pepper. Sauté onion and peppers until aromatic, stirring constantly. Add the rice and stir to coat and until rice smells nutty. Dissolve Redi-Base Vegetable Base into water. Add stock to rice. Bring to a boil. Stir once, then cover with lid and simmer on low until rice has absorbed the stock. Place in oven, about 15 minutes or until stock is completely absorbed. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Serve.
Change the stock: Redi-Base Chicken, Beef, Seafood, Turkey, Ham Base, RC Mushroom Base, and RC Pork Base.
Change the flavor to match the entrée: Add vegetables (carrots, peas, celery.) If the vegetables are raw — add them to the sauté process; if the vegetable are cooked — stir the vegetables in at the end of the cooking process. 

Basic Beef Stew
Serves 6
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1-1/2 lbs. stewing beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
3 cups water
3 tsp. Redi-Base Beef  Base
2 carrots
2 medium potatoes
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 jar (12 oz.) small white onions, drained, or about 1 dozen frozen, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. cold water
Directions: Brown the beef in a large saucepan. When ready, toss in the chopped onion and celery. After about 5 minutes, pour in the water and Redi-Base Beef Base. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, lower heat, cover the pan, and leave to simmer for about 1-1/2 hours. Add the carrots and potatoes, then simmer until the vegetables are tender. Then add small onions and corn. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add flour dissolved in a little water to thicken the stew. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with corn bread or hot biscuits.