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+---- Thread: Prep, freezing, etc (/thread-4923.html)
Prep, freezing, etc - fredtoast - 01-23-2016
For years i have had a tradition of cooking a large dish on Sunday that i can eat from at least a couple of more times during the week. This often expands to the point that i make even a larger batch and freeze some for later. I want to make the most efficient use of the time it takes to shop for the fresh ingredients and do all prep (washing, chopping, sauteing, etc). There are not a lot of dishes that freeze well, but there are enough to create a decent variety like chili, pasta sauces, burritos, meatloaf, and chicken casserole.
I also sometimes just do one step at a time like sauteing the combination of onions and peppers I use in a wide variety of different dishes. I started doing this because of bell peppers. I like the taste of bell peppers, but only in a small amount. So i would often buy a whole one, use half of it, and then have the other half wilt away in my fridge. And if you try to freeze a bell pepper it ruins to mush. So I started sauteing more onions at the same time and freezing some for later.
I realized that used basically the same ratio of peppers and onions in almost all of my dishes (3 large onions, one bell pepper, two large sweet banana pepper, two jalapenos). So now I do large batches at a time and freeze the rest in small portions. That eliminates most of the prep time for my meatloaf and pasta sauces.
So any of you have any tips for making cooking easier. I think the work involved in eating healthy is overlooked. I guess no one wants to admit they are too lazy to cook, but when you include the clean up it does add another substantial demand to our already busy lives. I live by myself now, but I remember what it was like when I had kids full time.