In the Kitchen

Tuesday’s Tip

Joy

When I think back to when I was a small child, some of my most vivid memories have to do with gospel preachers visiting in our home, sitting around our cramped dining room table, and enjoying my mom’s good cooking.  You really don’t get to know people until you sit down and enjoy a meal together.  Since George and I have been married, we also have fed many people around our table. Being the wife of a preacher and missionary, there have been numerous occasions when it was necessary to come up with a meal on short notice.

Have you ever had one of those days when you’ve been gone from the house most of the day? It’s almost supper time, there’s nothing in the house to eat, so you end up going through the fast food drive-through.  Uh-oh, there goes the budget! What about those frazzling homeschool days, when you are exhausted by 3:00 and are just too tired to be in the kitchen on your feet for another hour or two to prepare a meal?  Or, there are visitors who came to worship, and you’d like to show them some christian hospitality, but you haven’t planned to feed four more.  Sometimes you can order a pizza, but let’s face it, if we did that every time we were in a pinch, we’d be broke. If you can relate to any of the above situations, then you are a perfect candidate for bulk cooking for the freezer. This method of cooking ahead has saved the day for me on many occasions.  

Think for a moment about all the things that are available in the freezer section of your local grocery store.  You too can prepare tasty foods ahead of time, ready to be pulled out and served in short order.  One of the easiest ways to get started is to start doubling your meals when you cook, and then eat one and freeze one. Even if you only have a small fridge/freezer, you’d be surprised at what you can freeze. For example, make a double batch of spaghetti sauce (no, not out the jar :).  Save out a portion that you will use right away, and the rest, after is has cooled thoroughly, can be put into a sturdy freezer bag and freeze flat. The frozen bags can then easily be stacked, which is a great space saver. Do this a few times and you will start to store up a nice selection of foods which will be a great time saver on those days when it seems like there is just not enough time to prepare a good home-cooked meal.

Here are some other ideas which have passed the test in our home:
Lasagna
Enchiladas
Beans
Taco Meat
Chili
Meat Balls
Pizza
Quiche
Grated cheese
Green Beans (wash, cut, freeze – no blanching needed)
Yellow crook-necked squash ( wash, slice, freeze)
Cooked pumpkin (great for pulling out later to make muffins or pie)
Apple sauce Cookie Dough (watch out for cookie dough snatchers – you know who you are!)
Biscuits (prepare through the cut out stage, freeze on a cookie sheet.  After frozen, put them in a freezer bag. Pull out however many you need when you are ready to bake, just allow a few extra minutes for cooking)
Muffins
Breakfast breads (banana, cinnamon, pumpkin, etc.)
Pecan pie
Fruit pies



This list could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.  There is SO much more that can go in the freezer besides ice cubes and ice cream.

Storing up food in your freezer for those days when you are short on time or have unexpected company will greatly reduce stress in your life. How wonderful it is to be able to invite someone over and pull out a roll of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough, and within 15 minutes have a warm batch of cookies to serve to your guests, with only a couple of cookie trays to wash. 🙂

“Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
1 Peter 4:9


4 thoughts on “Tuesday’s Tip”

  1. Thanks for the reminder, Joy. I used to cook like this all the time, but it is easy to get out of those habits. I need to really gear up for plenty in the freezer for us and workers on the house. I love you friend and always love your encouragement! I hope your day is lovely! xoxo Debbie

  2. I love these keeper-at-home, home making tips!!!! What an AWESOME idea! Cant thank you enough. I have actually done this before. Last year during the homeschool year I did this some b/c I became very overwhelmed at one time. It seems like "overwhelmed" has been the adjective I would use to describe my life a lot lately. Anyway, loved all your ideas! I'm going to try these this week!

  3. I have done this for some time. Have 3-4 quarts of spaghetti sauce in freezer now, plus raw biscuits. Rolls can be baked and then frozen. Heat up in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes after they have thawed. I usually have a meatloaf in the freezer, but am out right now. Cakes freeze well also (without icing, pound cakes do well).

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