Once a month cooking

I have been trying to find ways to add more free time to my day so I can work in an exercise program.  With 4 kids, full-time work and a busy life, I have been away from calorie count for a little while.  I lost weight when I was here and faithful.

So my first step back is to make more time for myself and I have started with Once a Month Cooking.  If you have not heard of this fantastic idea, then here it is...

You shop in bulk or for sale items and stock up or do a large grocery shopping.  Then take one day and prepare a bunch of meals or prep them.  They are frozen and then taken out the night before to dethaw and cook for the next days dinner.  You can choose to do a two-week, three-week or whole month cooking...though you need to block out a good portion of a day to do the meals.

I'd like to start this thread and find other people interested in doing once a month cooking so we can swap recipes.  I have just started this month, so I am testing my recipes when I first cook them.  Next month I plan to do some lunch meals to replace Lean Cuisince type meals so I can cut down on the sodium.  If I make them at home in lunch size portions, I can control how healthy they really are.

Post and join me on this quest, let's share some recipes!

Ree

Make your own oatmeal packets at home, save money and they are quick and easy to make!

Here are two recipes:

Cinnamon-Sugar Oatmeal Packets
http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/104872.ht ml

Brown Sugar and Raisin Oatmeal Packets
http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/104873.ht ml

~Ree~

Here's an example of how I did Once-a-month cooking for my family.  I used my lasagna recipe here,
http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/7003.html

But instead, I made a bulk marinara sauce to make three full meal servings (I'll post that recipe later, it's scratched on a piece of paper).  I then made one spinach lasagna, one meat (with 1 lb ground turkey) lasagna, and one cheese stuffed shells meal - 3 family size meals. 

Later when I use them, I'll dethaw overnight, bake meals according to directions and the prep was done on my once-a-month cooking day.  I don't even have to be home, my older kids can turn on the oven and pop in the lasagna.  I keep salad fixings cut up regularly in the frig...so the meal is easy during the week when I'm so busy.

Here's another idea:

Citrus Marinated Pork Chops (6 for the grill) with Spinach Brown Rice.

Here's how:

http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/104880.ht ml

~Ree~

And how did I do once a month cooking for the chops...

Pork Loin was on sale (great deal) so I purchased a large pork loin and had the meat counter slice it into boneless loin chops, about 18-20 altogether.

First meal, Citrus marinated chops (6 to 7 chops)

Second meal, 6 to 7 chops w/my favorite BBQ sauce - threw into a freezer bag, ready to grill or cook stovetop later.

Third meal, 6 chops for Pork chop packs for the grill.  Laid out 6 squares of foil, placed onion slices, covered with pork chop, seasoned chop with seasoning salt and garlic pepper, topped with a dollap of BBQ sauce.  Wrapped up packet and froze all 6 in large freezer bag.  (I'll dethaw overnight and cook on the grill in the foil packets on cooking day.)

3 meals for the month for my family and something my husband will enjoy doing, grilling food that's already prepared, easy for him!

Thanks, Ree, for starting this thread.  I am very interested in doing this too.  I probably won't cook for the month but just try to make several meals a week that I can freeze the extras for those days that I just can't cook because I don't have the time.

I have done this on a small scale already and I so LOVE the nights that I have used those frozen meals.

Here are the ones I have done already.

Curried Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

60 Ounces sweet potatoes

2 pounds ground turkey

Salt

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 T curry powder

1 2/3 cup (1 can) chicken broth

1 1/2 pound carrots peeled and choped

1 1/2 pound sarsnips peeled and chopped

1 med onion chopped

1 T grated fresh ginger

1 pkg (16 ounce) frozen peas

1 cup skim milk warmed

2 T butter or margarine of your choice

1.  Microwave sweet potatoes.

2 Brown turkey in skill and salt with 1/2 t of salt.

3.  Stir flour and curry powder into turkey and cook for 1 minute.  Divide into 2 2/12-3 quart casserole dished and spread evenly.

4.  Preheat oven to 375 *F.  To cleaned skillet add carrots, parsnips and onions and cook covere 15 minutes or until vegetable are browned nd tender.  Stir in ginger, peas and 1/2 t salt.  Divide vegetable between the 2 casseroles.

5.  Scoop flesh from potatoes into bowl.  Msh and add milk, margarine and 1 t salt.  Sread over casserole tops.

To reheat after thawing 24  hours heat in a conventional oven loosely covered 1 hour at 350*F; uncover and heat 30 more minutes.

365 calories per serving (6 servings per casserole)

19g protein

47g carb

1g total fat (3g sat)

9 grams fiber

61 mg cholesterol

630 mg sodium

I thought this might be odd with the sweet potato topping but it was delicious!  I have also made this same recipe and substituted irish potatoes for the topping.  Both are good.

Karen

How To Freeze Rice to use for easy cooking later!  I'd rather have real cooked brown rice, not the quick stuff.

Cook 3 cups rice with water as directed.

When cooked, place rice in strainer and rinse under cold water until cooled to stop the cooking process (if you skip this, the rice can keep cooking and come out dry after reheated from the freezer).

Fill ziplock freezer bags in serving sizes you'd like, family or individual.  Flatten and make sure to remove air.  Seal and label, then freeze.

Take out of freezer when needed for recipes.

Have you heard of a casserole exchange?

Say you have four women - each brings enough ingredients to make 4 trays of their casserole recipe - you spend all day chopping and cooking together and then you swap.  Sounds fun, assuming your friends can cook.

I always have sauces and soups in the freezer but since it's just me, I don't keep a lot of full meals prepped.

Here is a recipe I've used before, and it turned out great:

http://caloriecount.about.com/recipe/104923.h tml

And I'm also considering getting this book, which was highly recommended by a co-worker who is also a busy mom:

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Panic-Dinners-Free zer-Great-Tasting/dp/0800730550/ref=wl_it_dp? ie=UTF8&coliid=ISWZOU3RMRTWT&colid=2H 5OFGAAWOBWZ

(But I suspect that a lot of them would need substitutions to make them healthier...)

I have a feeling I am going to love this thread!  I found this recipe on the internet and I am going to make it next to freeze ahead.

SIMPLE CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

1 onion, chopped
4 ounces green chilies
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can low fat cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 1/2 ounce) low fat can cream of chicken soup
4 cups cooked chicken
12 whoe wheat tortillas, torn into bite sized pieces
4 cups 50%-75% reduced fat Cabot sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (15 1/4 ounce) can black beans (optional)
salsa (optional)
black olives (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Combine onion, green chilis, soups, and chicken together in a large bowl.

Place a layer of flour tortillas (1/3 of the total)on the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 pan. I use a pizza cutter to cut up the tortillas. Spread 1/3 of the soup mixture over the top. Spread 1/3 of the cheese. Layer 1/3 of the black beans, if using. Repeat two more times.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F or until bubbly.

Top with salsa, black olives, and sour cream, if desired.

Great freeze ahead casserole, don't bake first. To use:thaw overnight. Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes about 8-12 servings.

I don't know what the nutritional info is but I will figure it out later.

Thanks for all the recipes!

Karen

What do you all use to freeze casseroles in? I would love to make a bunch to freeze, but I only have a handful of casserole dishes and most don't cover well for the freezer. I suppose I could use the disposable kind, but I don't like disposable things because of the waste factor. I have a few of those Pyrex things that have the snap-on plastic lids, so I guess I just need to get a bunch of those.

A tip I read and included in the recipe I linked to in my above post:

Line a glass dish with aluminum foil, fill, and freeze.  Then take out the frozen casserole wrap in  the foil and place in large labeled freezer bag. When ready to use, just pop back into the original dish to bake.

Thanks for that idea. Sorry I didn't read the recipe. I don't eat meat, so I skipped it.

I haven't tried with that particular recipe, but you could try adding more veggies (eggplant might work), or subbing in some Boca style crumbles or diced tofu.

I'm a big fan of this method of cooking.  I used to do it when I was working.  Now that I'm retired I do a simpler, easier version.  Once a week I make batches of my whole grains and beans and package them in individual servings.  I don't do so many casseroles and stews now. 

I'll post a few of my favorite cook-ahead-and-freeze recipes, so stay tuned.

Endless Chicken

1 large roasting chicken
1 cup combined, chopped onion, celery and carrot
salt and pepper
1 lemon, sliced
1 small bunch of fresh parsley with stems
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 cups of chicken broth

Wash and pat the chicken dry and season inside and out with salt and pepper.  Put the lemon, parsley and garlic into the cavity.  Spread the vegetables out in the bottom of a roasting pan and add 1/2 cup of chicken broth.  Place the chicken, breast side down, on the vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Place the pan in the oven and roast 10 minutes to the pound. baste with more chicken broth, and don't let the bottom of the pan scorch.  Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken over.  Continue roasting for an additional 5 to 8 minutes to the pound, or until a meat thermometer reads at least 165 degrees F.  Take out of the oven and tent with foil.  Let rest, in the pan, for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Meal 1 - serve a roast chicken dinner that night.  Remove all the meat from the bone, remove the skin and package the meat in 3 to 4 ounce portions, and freeze

Meal 2 - soup to be frozen - place all the bones, skin and scraps into a soup      pot, with the vegetables and drippings from the pan.  Add enough water to cover at least 2" over the top of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours.  Let cool.  Strain out and discard the solids.  Cool the broth and place in the refrigerator for the next day.  The fat will solidify on top and you will be able to remove it completely.  Use half of this as the base for a rich soup, adding diced vegetables of your choice.  Season with herbs of your choice.  Serve with rice or noodles.  Freeze the other half of the broth in 1/2 to 1 cup portions, to be added to other dishes.

Meals 3 - 5 or 6 - Use the reserved chicken to make tacos, enchiladas, add to spaghetti sauce, make chicken noodle casserole, or anything you like.

My recipes suitable for cooking ahead and freezing, either in meal size or individual size portions

• Claire's Abruzzo Style Tomato
• Claire's Action Packed Vegetable Soup
• Claire's All White Meat Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Claire's Apricot Pork Chops
• Claire's Beef and Root Vegetable Soup
• Claire's Beef Barley Soup
• Claire's Best Ever Apple Cake (original recipe)
• Claire's Best Ever Apple Cake (reduced calorie)
• Claire's Black Bean and Beef Chili
• Claire's Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
• Claire's Bolognese Sauce
• Claire's Braised Rutabaga  
• Claire's Butternut Squash Soup
• Claire's Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry
  
  • Claire's Chicken Corn Soup
  • Claire's Chicken Mexicana
  • Claire's Chocolate Cookies
  • Claire's Classic Roast Chicken
  • Claire's Cocktail Meatballs 
  • Claire's Creamy Broccoli Chicken Soup
  • Claire's Creamy Cauliflower Soup 
  • Claire's Curried Chickpeas & Spinach with Tomatoes
  • Claire's Dr. Bird Cake 
  • Claire's Eggplant Pizziaola
  • Claire's End of the Garden Soup
  • Claire's End of the Garden Stewed Vegetables

 

Wow!  Thanks Clairelaine!  I want to make the Dr. Bird cake NOW!  Do you ever use whole wheat flour?  It sounds delicious!  So do the soups and the currys and I have to try the Eggplant Pizzialoa ASAP.

Karen

Thanks clairelaine for all the recipes. 

skwinkle - I do freeze a lot of my items in Ziploc freezer bags.  And the hint from santonacci is good too.  I did purchase some foil pans for lasagna that I am going to wash and use again (though they will only last a few times until needing to be thrown away).  I recycle and try to conserve and eliminate waste but in some areas, I just go for convenience such as using ziplocs and throwing them away.

I may purchase some plasticware to freeze in for my work lunches, but I'll probably try to mostly freeze in ziploc...I hate using plastic in the microwave.

Now I'm off to check out all this links to recipes!

~Ree~

My husband and I have been doing this for quite some time now.  We started because we were going to Europe for 2+weeks and didn't want our sitter to have to worry about making dinners that our kids would eat.  We've been doing it ever since.  And, since he enjoys it, we do it together - can't beat that!

This may be "cheating" but I use www.savingdinner.com for my weekly and monthly menus.  They have already done all the shopping lists and everything.  Saves even MORE time.  There are some free menus on there but most cost a small fee.  They have menus for heart health, budget helpers, kosher, gluten free etc., etc.  too. 

We may alter recipes to make them more kid friendly or healthier but, for the most part, they are great.  I printed them out and put them in a binder in sheet protectors. 

I never thought I'd ever be so organized.  It does help with calorie counting from the standpoint of being prepared.  No reason to "just go out" because you don't have anything prepared. 

I would recommend the website to people who need a little extra boost to get started with this.

 

 

 

Thanks tracyaudette, that's a great link.  I signed up for some of the newsletters to get free recipes but may sign up for some of the small fee freezer ones, looks great!

~Ree~