Freezer Foods Friday Guest Post - C. McKane

My guest today is C. McKane of opinionated ant.  She has some great tips, and has given you a few good resources at the end of her post.  She calls herself a "lazy blogger", but I'm not exactly sure any blogger can really be called that LOL.  Her site, Opinionated Ant, is her glorified concoction where two fictional characters blog.  Interesting, isn't it?   Be sure to check out her blog and say "hi"...  Without further adieu, here she is!

Hi, I'm C.McKane and I'm a lazy blogger. I'm not a food blogger, although I absolutely love food and love reading food blogs pretending that I'll attempt some of the truly scrumptious recipes on them. I'm so excited to guest post for Sweet Jeanette today...my first time! If you like bizarre or mundane tidbits check out my site Opinionated Ant where two fictional characters blog, bicker and rarely bake.

Bulk cooking for the sloth in you

Working nights, when every week is a different schedule, leaves me little time or energy to cook, day in and day out. Okay, it is mostly laziness but now that I’ve been following a specific food plan I’ve found a way to reward the sloth in me. Bulk cooking. Although bulk cooking can be very time consuming in its own right, I find it takes the stress out of making my brown bag while flying out the door and will continue to use it whether I’m on my “specific” food plan or not.

Some Foods I Cook in Bulk

RICE     POTATOES     CHICKEN      EGGS

These are main staples in my diet I cook up enough to last a week although the eggs and chicken are usually gobbled up by family members long before that. I also make batches of salad and side veggies every 3-4 days.

At first I was worried there wouldn’t be enough options and that it would get really boring, very fast. Instead, I found myself trying combinations I never thought of before and loving them, mostly. Here are a few ideas to add bulk cooking into your weekly routine.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces for on the go protein.

I usually cut chicken breast into 2-3 oz. pieces and after marinating broil or cook on the stove. This is a lifesaver in my house because it is so versatile. Shred it for a taco or add it to soup. Put it over pasta, make it a sandwich, top a salad; see the list goes on. I love it with a dipping sauce and potatoes.

Boil a dozen or two eggs.

(photo by WoodlyWonderworks)

Another quick protein source, I usually boil 3 dozen a week. They are perfect on their own but added to salad, magical. If I’m really ambitious I’ll peel them all at once, typically while watching TV, so it really is just a grab and go snack later on.

Rice.

(photo by Tamiki)

I always make too much rice but instead of wasting it, recently I started freezing it into smaller batches and defrosting as I run out. Add it to soups, stir-fry’s, beans, scrambled eggs or as a side to your main dish.

Potatoes

(photo by FotoosVanRobin from Flickr)

A 3 pound bag of red potatoes goes like French fries in my house. Originally, I was boiling my large batches but it took too long, made my kitchen hot and that makes me cranky. Now, I microwave them, it still takes a while but I’m washing dishes or chopping vegetables while I wait. Home fires, roasted root vegetables, French fries, baked, in a soup, mashed… I’m getting very hungry.

All in all, these are basic ways to add some variety to your diet. It is also a great way to avoid the fast food and takeout route because you’ll always be able to whip something up.

These will get you Bulk Cooking

Don’t have hours free on the weekend to cook? Read Five-Day Freeze: Batch Cooking for the Rest of Us.

http://www.wisebread.com/the-five-day-freeze-batch-cooking-for-the-rest-of-us


Like challenges? There are plenty online like Two-Week Cooking Project or you could make up your own.

http://www.savingandgiving.net/category/two-week-cooking-project/

Brave enough to try once-a-month cooking? Freezer Cooking Basics is a good place to start.

http://lifeasmom.com/2010/02/freezer-cooking-basics.html