Freezer meals and planning ahead

For those of you who know me well, it's no surprise that I love to cook, but cook for just one. That being said, there are lots of ways to cope. Most involve planning ahead. Even though I love to cook, I don't do it all the time. Sometimes I just want to throw something together. Unless you eat a lot of prepackaged foods that are expensive and full of things that are not good for you, you have to make those things yourself.

Yesterday I had such a cooking session. I started by chopping an onion (which goes into most everything I cook.) Next I sauteed the onion along with a few Italian Sausages I had stored in the freezer. The sausages went into some marinara (one into a bun for lunch) and the other two in some corning ware for another meal or two this week.

That same pan with the onions was de-glazed with chicken stock and used for a roasted chicken dinner I made in the oven. Start with high heat (400 degrees) and after 20 minutes turn down to 325 for an hour basting with butter in 10 minutes after reducing temperature and then with pan drippings 3-4 times during cooking. Turn the bird over into the juices with the brown side and revealing the white underside to finish the last 15 minutes. This makes it all juicy.

A rack is useful but not necessary. Cut Carrots and potatoes go under there nicely but I had some rolls, cranberry sauce, and broccoli planned as side dishes last night.

Left over chicken will become both taco meat and served in gravy on toast or with mashed potatoes this week. Once the chicken is chilled I will slice and shred.

I freeze taco meat in single serving size portions for those nights I just need food now. The liquid I store separately so I can handle the chicken more easily and remove the remaining chicken fat before making gravy with the pan juices.

While the chicken is roasting you have lots of time in between to make side dishes and clean up the kitchen. Today I am making a ham (I had the butcher cut it in half, so part goes to the freezer) while roasting some sweet potatoes and doing the chicken slicing (for the gravy) and shredding to cook with some taco seasonings.

Hmm maybe I'll have time to make more taco seasoning. Look for that recipe tomorrow.

One woman's explanation of doing this on a large scale for months at a time, for a family
http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2011/06/freezer-meals-on-cheap.html