I do this slightly nutso thing about 2-3 times a year. I spend an entire day in the kitchen cooking a ton of food. This round I did spaghetti and chili, and then separated and froze lamb shanks, pork chops, and salmon.
I kid you not--I cooked for 12 hours today, with a small break to have a group of ladies over for dinner.
For me it's worth it to be able to come home and grab a bag of spaghetti, cook up some noodles, and have a truly delicious dinner in under 30 minutes. I also love giving them to friends and neighbors when they are sick or have had babies and need food in a jiffy.
Plus, I get to use our FoodSaver, which I LOVE. There is something slightly comforting about watching the air being sucked out of the bags. Weird, I know. Kind of like watching the 'Snuggie' commercial over and over again. Who doesn't want that piece of junk? A blanket with sleeves that's also good for sporting events? Where do I sign up?
Here's the drill:
Toss in the green peppers:
Add the onions, garlic, and mushrooms:
Add the browned beef, tomato base, and then split into two pans, simmering them on a low heat for hours so the flavors have time to develop and meld:
Take a break so Dobbie can investigate a suspicious noise. Have I mentioned that he is super-protective of me? He is the best personal guard dog around.
Combine the two pans into one pot and let it cool for a few hours:
Check on the chili cooking itself in the crockpot. I had to be a little lazy with this one. Cook little pot, cook!
Bust out the FoodSaver and start bagging all of the spaghetti and chili:
Measuring out the vittles:
The result--bags and bags 'o' goodies.
I'm not from one of those Mormon 'canning' families, but I think of this as modern-day canning. Right?
Take a break so Dobbie can investigate a suspicious noise. Have I mentioned that he is super-protective of me? He is the best personal guard dog around.
Combine the two pans into one pot and let it cool for a few hours:
Check on the chili cooking itself in the crockpot. I had to be a little lazy with this one. Cook little pot, cook!
Bust out the FoodSaver and start bagging all of the spaghetti and chili:
Measuring out the vittles:
The result--bags and bags 'o' goodies.
I'm not from one of those Mormon 'canning' families, but I think of this as modern-day canning. Right?
5 comments:
Nice work! You are amazing!
That is fabulous and impressive. I envy your food sealer thing. I love recipes that I can double and freeze some for later, but they never last long in the freezer bc I cannot resist the urge to reheat something rather than cooking again. Nice Snuggli reference. Who buys that thing!?!
You can use some of your freezer food for Alie--she had her baby last evening!
The most impressive part of this story is that you had ladies over for dinner in the midst of all this. I'm like AShley, nothing stays in my freezer because who wants to cook something new when I can just heat something up from the freezer?
That looks awesome. Thanks for sharing. I was so excited about the food sealer thing after your dinner last night that I was bugging Kevin about freezer meals we should make at midnight last night... if we buy one. He thinks I'm insane. You should teach cooking club every month. Such good ideas and you are always a superb hostess. I really want to make the creamed corn on Sunday... and Kev wants me to make him the chili too. You are fabulous!
I loved using my mom's sealer growing up. I should put one on my wish list. But then I would also have to put a freezer on my wish list. Hmmmm... I think when the pandemic strikes I'll just run over to your house. I can eat chili and Dobbie can protect us.
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