About the dishes I made and froze over the holidays--

[devin_chain]

We will run out next week, just two weeks shy of Spring Break. Filling the freezer works. I conserve energy after the commute -- drive = 1 hour, 15 mins. minimum, 1 hour, 30 mins. max on clotted freeways -- by tossing frozen food in sauce pans with about 8 oz. of water on medium high and letting them go.

Foods still taste fresh. Coq au vin and Italian chicken still wonderful. Tortilla soup good, though tortilla strips not as good. Will withhold them next time and fry and add them at thaw. Pot roast not as good. Might as well use crock pot rather than freezing. We loved the artichoke and tomato basil soups. Minestrone a hit. So, too, baked mustard chicken.

I expect to cook my way through Spring Break. I need this. I just can't cook when I get home anymore. Not with this communte becoming more ridiculous. Too stressed. Too tired. And I hate to fight the restaurant crowds and deal with the fat and salt in restaurant foods every night.

Experiment result: Success.

Comments

[adcougar.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!
*Cheers*

[devin-chain.livejournal.com]

*bows*

Thank you, sir.

[deadlychameleon.livejournal.com]

I recommend chili and hot and sour soup. Both seem to freeze reasonably well. Glad to hear it's working out for you!

[chicklet-girl.livejournal.com]

Pot roast not as good. Might as well use crock pot rather than freezing.

Crock pots for the win! One of the best inventions ever, kitchen-related or otherwise. And since they're trendy again, there are tons of recipes out there on the internet and in those whatchamacallems... oh, yeah: books. *g*

And I hate to fight the restaurant crowds and deal with the fat and salt in restaurant foods every night.

Yeah, hwmitzy's mom has been in the hospital for a couple of weeks, and she thinks eating at restaurants all the time made her dad's edema flare up. Salt is good, but in small amounts, and a lot of restaurants use a ton of it.

[devin-chain.livejournal.com]

Good suggestions. I've never made hot and sour, but I make a great chili.

Do you mind sharing your hot and sour recipe? *eyebrow wiggle*

[devin-chain.livejournal.com]

I love my crock pot. I also have a pressure cooker. *swoons* I got the latter on HSN. *g* Had to stop watching HSN kitchen gadget shows. Bought my deep fryer there, too. No more money goes to HSN, but -- Gadgets for the win!

I've gone to ground sea salt, but I use little of it.

[deadlychameleon.livejournal.com]

Recipe from cooks.com, with modifications from my boyfriend (he's made it quite a few times). It's good stuff. ;-)

He also suggests adding possibly rice, spam, garlic, ginger, and/or onions.

SIMPLE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Total time: 20-25 minutes


[edit]
Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock or broth (or 4 cups water and 4 chicken bouillon cubes)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3-5 oz pork, shredded or finely cut

1/2 cup mushrooms, diced

1/2 tablespoon garlic chili sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts

6 oz block of tofu, cut into 1/4 inch dice

4 tablespoons cornstarch and 4 tablespoons cold water

1 egg, beaten

2 green onion stalks, diced (including tops)

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
[edit]
Recipe

Prep work: Cut up pork and mushrooms, and optionally bamboo and tofu - bamboo & tofu can be cut during step 3 as well.

1. Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan.

2. Add soy sauce, shredded meat, mushrooms and garlic red chili paste.

3. Simmer for five minutes.

4. Add white pepper, white vinegar, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, tofu.

5. Simmer for five minutes.

6. Combine 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water in a cup. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to soup and stir well.

7. Simmer for five minutes until soup is thickened.

8. Beat egg in a cup until yolk and white are combined. Pour beaten egg slowly, in a fine stream into soup. Stir soup several times.

9. Wait 30 seconds.

10. Add green onions and sesame oil to soup. Stir well. Remove from heat.

11. Serve hot. Serves 3-4.

[devin-chain.livejournal.com]

Mmmm. Sounds delicious. Thank you!

[postcardsfrom.livejournal.com]

Wow. I wish I had a freezer full of delicious healthy homemade food. I am so impressed. Are any of the recipes secret, or are you willing to share them?

[devin-chain.livejournal.com]

I don't recommend freezing this one, but it's original:

Baked Chicken with Gnocchi

1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins
Chopped prosciutto or ham for flavor (not necessary, but delicious)
10 oz. (or thereabouts) boiled gnocchi (boil no more than 3 minutes)
1 cup Chianti
Extra virgin olive oil
4 – 6 cloves chopped garlic
1 can or bag of artichoke hearts
1 bag green peas
2 cans crushed or diced tomatoes (I used one of each)
Basil to taste
Oregano to taste
Paprika
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Layer chicken, cooked gnocchi, artichoke hearts, and peas. Pour wine over combined ingredients. Spread garlic, basil and oregano over these. Layer tomatoes over top. Sprinkle with olive oil and grate Parmigiano-Reggiano over whole. Cook covered at 375 degrees 1 hour, 15 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and more Parmigiano-Reggiano and cook uncovered the last 15 to 30 minutes.

If you have a convection oven, convection bake while uncovered to roast ingredients on top.

[postcardsfrom.livejournal.com]

That sounds really good, and not too hard for a not very good cook. I might actually try this!