(Non-)Fast Food

[Disneyphile]

With my busy schedule, I'm always on the lookout for quick eats. However, I don't really want the crap served at a drive-thru, and I'm honestly getting really tired of the processed frozen or self-stable crap (even canned goods, like soup).

So, I'm looking to spend a few hours every weekend to "process" (read: cook) and portion wrap my own convenience foods for the freezer.

Do any of you have good ideas for foods that freeze well either prepped or pre-cooked?

I've been thinking of making tamales. And, I've done various soups, chili, pinto beans, and pasta sauce. However, I'm looking for more of a variety.

Also, has anyone had success with freezing raw potatoes? I've tried, and they always turn quickly. I'd very much like to slice up a bunch with my mandolin to have ready-made au gratin dishes and such. Would they need to be cooked before freezing maybe?

And, no, I haven't seen nor read "Food, Inc.", but I know what makes me feel like crap and what doesn't. That said, I'd like to work to keep processed junk to a minimum. This "revelation" came from my attempt to eat a crappy instant "gourmet" noodle bowl at lunch today. I'm still feeling gross. I'm just done with it all. I've been moving towards this point for awhile, but that bowl finally stuck a fork in it.

So, any recipes or ideas/tips?

[BarTopDancer]

First - if you haven't already, invest in a FoodSaver vacuum sealer. They make freezing individual portions easy and protect against freezer burn longer than the ziploc system or plain ziploc bags.

I cook full recipes for myself and freeze leftovers.

Lasagna freezes well in individual servings.

I also freeze shredded chicken breasts made in the crock pot for quick to assemble Mexican meals - I like this recipe.

It's not frozen but sandwiches and salads are fast if you portion out the meat/cheese/ingredients. I also like Lean Cuisine spa cuisines. They seem less processed than regular lean cuisines. Same with Trader Joe's frozen stuff.

[Disneyphile]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

First - if you haven't already, invest in a FoodSaver vacuum sealer. They make freezing individual portions easy and protect against freezer burn longer than the ziploc system or plain ziploc bags.

Very cool! Totally didn't think about that, because I've noticed that Ziploc'd stuff usually lasts only a couple months before it's burned. I'll add that to my shopping list.

[BarTopDancer]

I found some lasagna buried in the back of the freezer. It's about a year old and was fine. Same with raw meat - take it out of the package first. Costco has the best deal, usually. Machine + a ton of cut your own size bags.

[RStar]

I got a foodsaver for christmas, it works great!

I freeze soup or stock, stews, chili, pasta sauce, etc. in a plastic container that I can also re-heat it in (ziplock/glad type), then remove it from the container and seal it in a foodsaver bag (it's a lot easier to seal a solid). Then all I have to do is remove it from the bag and place it in the plastic container to cook it in the microwave. Or you can put it in a sauce pot to re-heat if you like.

Also, to freeze potatos:

Boil water and take off heat.

cut potatos and place in hot water right away before they turn brown.

After a 2-3 minutes put in ice water to stop cooking.

Drain well and pat dry, then vacuume seal.

If doing this with shreaded potatos place them in a collander and lower them in the hot water then transfer them in the colander to the ice cold water.

Blanching removes the chemicals that oxidize and change the color, the hot water kills the enzymes, and vacuume sealing keeps it from freezer burning.

One way to do this is to maximize the what you cook on the weekend. I'll cook 2 chickens on the weekend and use the meat in several dishes during the week. You can make pasta sauce and use it for pasta one night, pizza another, and meatball sandwiches another.

[wolfy999]

Pork Roast or Beef Roast cooked in a Slow Cooker, shred leftovers, then freeze.

Meatloaf, make double, then freeze one.

Brown ground beef, portion out, then freeze.

Making the chickens ahead of time is always a great idea, shred or cube for future.

[wolfy999]

We use a Food Saver also, you can pick one up at Target. Don't get the cheapest one though, you'll just end up buying another later that is better anyways.

[Not Afraid]

I usually just make huge base salads then add in different ingredients every day - or I used to when I cooked more.

[Kevy Baby]

Make a huge pot of refried beans and have that handy.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Make a huge pot of refried beans and have that handy.

But lock it up securely if you know Kevy is coming over!