Category: Grub Garage
Has anyone ever tried this?
If you have no clue what I'm talking about, it's basically a method of food prep where you do an entire month's worth of cooking in one or two days and freeze it. I've always wanted to try it but can't ever seem to get well organized enough to actually make it work.
About as far as I've gotten is buying produce like onions and peppers in bulk, chopping them, vacuum sealing them, and freezing for use later. That's worked really well and saves me allot of time both in the kitchen and in the produce isle, as well as money from waisted produce that goes bad before I have an opportunity to cook it. I have one of those chopper thingies they sell on QVC - gotta love having a kitchen gadget gooroo for a mom - that has a grid of blades over a bowl. You put the onion or whatever on the grid, smash down the top part and there ya go, an onion chopped perfectly in half the time and without the tears. Oh yeah, you have to cut off the stems.
So, anyway, backk to my original topic of freezer cooking. What kinds of things do yall cook and then freeze for later use? I've tried pasta dishes but the pasta always comes out soggy and gummy in the thawing and heating to serve process. I've tried to freeze leftover veggie and beef stew but the veggies didn't come back to life like I thought they would. I guess I won't be earning the title of Mrs. Stoaffer any time soon. lol
My latest idea has been to blanch my fresh carrots and potatoes, vacuum seal them separately, and then freeze. My theory is that I can thaw them out the night before and then make a crockpot stew. I've done the blanching and freezing part. Now all I have to do is try the thawing and cooking part. lol That's not really a good summer dish though so I'm waiting for a cold snap.
I have wanted to try doin this too. However when I tried planning out meals that far ahead of time it just didn't seem to work for the people in my house. Some days its harder than others to have dinner and then they might not want a certain thing. I may try it again though. Would sure make cooking dinners easier I think.
I have tried this with a couple of dishes but the same thing happen to me too, it just don't taste the same. I have been using the Gourmet Cupboard mixes and love them so much I now am a consultant. They are easy, tasty and afordable. If you decide you would like to try something, please pm me and I will give you my contact info.
I have done a little research on how to freeze foods. I want to freeze my chicken soup. I have read if you freeze dishes with potatoes or pasta you should put them in the back of the freezer. Putting them to close to the front can make them unthaw some when yo open the door. that can make your dish mushy when you go to reheat it.
Hmm, that's interesting and makes sense.
I've frozen things like meatloaf and cubesteaks in tomato gravy, but the gravy isn't nice and smooth anymore once I thaw it back out.
I've never done a month's worth, but I've done easily a week at a time. I'll make a slow-cooker full of food, keep some out for the week, and freeze 2-4 servings. I recommend batch cooking, so long as what you're freezing will keep well. For example, soup broth doesn't always freeze well and raw meats run the risk of freezer burning.
Meatloaf
had left over canned sweet potatoes and froze them in a container. Don't make that mistake. They were absolute mush when i tried to heat them up.
I make meatloaf and mashed potatoes with frozen vegies, and they work very well frozen. So does my chili, stir fry, and chicken alfredo (though make sure you use thicker pasta like bow-tie or penne). Bean soup works well, and it almosts tastes better post-thaw.
My husband and I cook about a month's worth of lunches (or dinners when we're lazy) in about four hours on a saturday. It just takes some planning. An example is like this:
Start by making crockpot chili (takes about four hours from start to finish)
Prep meatloaf and bake for 1.5 hours
About halfway through meatloaf's cooking, prep the mashed potatoes, boil and mash (hubby usually does this)
While hubby is doing the potatoes, I chop vegetables for chicken alfredo and stir fry (in separate bowls)
Meatloaf is now done, so prep chicken alfredo in dutch oven, to bake for 45 minutes, including the vegetables
While alfredo is baking, use pre-chopped vegies and chicken for stir fry.
DONE!
Obviously, sometimes it doesn't go like clockwork, but it works great, and we get tons of yummy food!
Very cool. Thanks for the ideas!
I dont' freeze a months' worth at a time, but I do freeze lots of food. I've frozen cooked hamburgers, fish, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, lasagna, alfredo, cookies, cakes, pies, cherries, strawberries, peaches, fresh sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, enchiladas, tamales, brownies, chili, stews, turkey, chicken, stuffing, sausage, soups, and the list goes on.