I know I have been needing to do some bulk cooking, but I just really have had no energy or motivation. Well, after a wonderful invitation to dinner last night by my mom, we soon discovered her extra fridge on the porch had stopped working and everything in the freezer had thawed. I can’t believe a fridge would stop working after 24 years, what are these things made of! No, I guess it was time.
So as she cooked some fried fish, a beautiful cob salad, rice, and broccoli for dinner, we began cooking. Here she is with the fish.
So 1st, we had the thankfulness that our large cooler was still at my mom’s house. So we immediately unloaded the freezer into either the garbage bag or the cooler. We decided to save the meat, any frozen deserts or process food that was under the meat was tossed. We put the meat into the cooler and was able to take inventory of what we had and how we would cook it.
We decided to cook the meat to be ready for the meal. This way we are not running around to get the required ingredients for each meal. This is a fast and dirty way of doing it. Our meat will be all prepped and then the meal can be made and the meat thawed and included. Most of all the budget and the anguish of loosing a freezer full of BOGOs would not be loss.
So we first made a pork roast in the crock pot. The plan is to crock pot it and then create a gravy from the sauce, split this into 2 bags. So it will be a pork and gravy meal, with only rice and a veggie needed to be made.
I attacked the chicken wings. Marinated and got them ready for the oven. Oh, I am excited about them. I cooked them on a rack to dry them out as they cook. Most times when I bake them, they tend to be greasy by cooking in their own fat. Unintentionally, I made them healthy.
Stroganoff is a favorite of ours. So with 4 London broils, we got them ready. We just seasoned them and baked. Maybe not the most typical way to make them. After they cooked, we were going to let them cool and then slice and freeze. This way, we only need to sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms, make the rue add the cooked beef and continue as normal.
We had 2 more London broils and another favorite is to make oriental noodles, that my mom learned from a good friend of mine that is Vietnamese. I finally got to sit down and shave the meat to allow it to marinate. Here I am after about 3 hours and over 39 weeks prego, looking a little rough.
YES! Her kitchen is that awesome! We still have more to do. The menu for Mother’s Day has been determine by the 2 honey baked hams we have. Next week, we plan to make cooked scallop potatoes and ham and a ham and potato chowder with the left-overs.
We still have a bit left in the cooler under 2 bags of ice, but it is no longer an overwhelming amount. She will be on her own for cooking that. I am heading to the doctors today, so she will be working with my 3 kids under feet. I will say after this event, I had my first big contraction that lasted about 5-8 minutes and then minor ones every hour. After 4 hours, it stopped and I slept like a rock.
~trish
Haven't you had that baby yet? Thanks for the comment. You are so sweet. You are welcome to borrow the pattern anytime.XO, Mimi
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