Cooking with whine
For the last several months I’ve been thinking about spending one full day making meals to freeze. It seemed like a good idea. In one day I could make meals for two weeks. It would solve all my problems. I would no longer have to feed my family Helper meals (you know, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and Chicken Helper…which (1) aren’t that healthy for you and (2) don’t even taste that great). I would no longer have the excuse that I was too tired to make dinner. No more spending $40 on pizza night. We wouldn’t need no stinkin’ pizza night.
But I seriously underestimated the work that goes in to cooking meals to freeze.
First, you have to grocery shop. I didn’t really think this would be a problem because I’m not the grocery shopper in the family. Lee is. So I didn’t have to scour the store in search of the right ingredients. I didn’t have to stand in line while a slow ass checker scanned my food. I didn’t even have to bring the grocery bags in to the house (that’s why God made teenagers). But I didn’t tell Lee exactly how much of everything to buy so I ran out of stuff. And then I *gasp* had to make a run to the store by myself. The horror of it all.
Second, I sit at a desk ALL day. I plaster my butt in to a rolling chair in the office. And I slip my behind in to it’s indent in the couch at home. I’m not used to standing up. After an hour at the oven my back was killing me. What am I? 60 years old? I can’t even stand for an hour without whining about pain in my back?
Third, it takes a helluva long time to cook. And its boring. And long. And boring.
I declared Sunday Italian night. I made 2 classic lasagnas, 2 veggie lasagnas, and 2 trays of manicotti. In four hours.
Today was chicken day. I made 2 broccoli and chicken casseroles, 2 cheesy chicken bundles, and 2 bags of white chili. In three hours.
Tuesday is hamburger day with a side of soup day. I’m planning on meatloaf, sloppy joes, and broccoli cheese soup. In who knows how many hours.
Now that I’ve cooked 12 out of the many meals I planned, I’m starting to think it isn’t worth it. It’s exhausting. It’s back breaking. It’s boring. Clearly I was never destined to be a chef.
Maybe I’ll change my mind later in the week when I just pop a meal in the oven and call it a night. But right now I’d rather set my stove on fire and take the family to Applebee’s than cook another fucking meal. And I don’t even like Applebee’s.
I’m thinking in the future I’ll just make two or three batches of whatever I’m making for dinner that night and freeze the extra. No more all day cooking sessions unless it involves friends and copious amounts of wine.
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Twenty Four At Heart Said,
February 4, 2009 @ 12:33 am
Damn! I’m impressed. I would maybe cook like that ONE time and be burnt out. Seriously, four hours?
Angie Bailey Said,
February 4, 2009 @ 5:33 am
I think it’s definitely one of those things where you hate it while you are doing it, but the payoff is so much sweeter. Kind of like making Christmas treats.
Angie Baileys last blog post..Extract This, Martha Stewart!
Sunshine Said,
February 4, 2009 @ 10:19 am
Dude. I have a freezer method go-to that is so easy AND totally worth it. Email if interested. I made a chicken pesto ravioli thing we just ate the other night that hubby inhaled.
Seriously. Email me. Freezing meals has been the BEST thing I’ve ever done now that four kids keep me on the verge of insanity.
Sunshines last blog post..The Absolute Shortest Life Story
Kate Said,
February 4, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
When I was growing up my mom would make a huge batch of something on the weekend and that would be our meal everyday. One month she got totally carried away and made a month’s worth of split pea soup. I can’t even look at any green soup without being taken back to traumatic memories.
My solution? I hate cooking, I think if I cooked, it would kill my soul. My husband cooks, I clean. Perfect arrangement for us!
Kates last blog post..Do they let any idiot be a DJ on the radio?
Momilies Said,
February 5, 2009 @ 7:08 am
I tried the once a month cooking thing, and to be honest, I was not happy with the variety of food. I don’t like mushy food, and much of what gets cooked and frozen and rethawed for later is just…mushy. Ick. And there are only so many pots of soup and casseroles a family can eat.
I rely on a lot of fresh ingredients and crock pot cooking to make things easy on myself. We do the -helper thing too, but not really that often. The one thing I do ahead a lot is ground beef. I buy it in big batches and spend an hour cooking and freezing 1 lb. individual portions for later use. I do about half with onions, half with just the ground beef. I then use that to make spaghetti, railroad pie, tater tot casserole, etc. All easy quick meals that take less than a half-hour if you have the meat already cooked. If you need any of those recipe, let me know. Railroad pie is one of our favorites here…it is about the easiest recipe ever and there are never any leftovers.
Christine's Mom Said,
February 5, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
Can you package up some of those delicious sounding frozen meals for your ole’ Mom too
I used to make big batches of zero point soup for the winter. But, I’ve run into the standing while chopping and cooking issue lately and haven’t done much of it this year. But, it is nice to be able to pop out the single serving (for me) bowls from the freezer and heat them up for a week or two after the effort of making them. And, more nutricious for me too! Something to put on my list to get back in the habit of doing.
Mom
Katy Said,
February 5, 2009 @ 10:19 pm
I’ve never found that to work either. When I take out a meal from the freezer, it still feels like I’m eating leftovers.
Katys last blog post..Turn a bad day into a good day
Lori Said,
February 6, 2009 @ 12:39 pm
My question is how did you have so many recipes in your repertoire? And secondly, if you e-mail Sunshine for her method then e=mail me! lol