Challenge: Cook your way through your freezer (part 1)

[Anna N]

16 hours ago, rotuts said:

Im willing to pass along to you

 

@Anna N

 

an eGullet Dispensation.  eGD.

 

Ive just invented this , and thus Claim it as My Own.

 

[ed.: it possible that the new eGD is available for Local Licensing : by PM only !   a tasty RX , an excellent URL , etc  prices vary w content offered. ]

 

as I understand it , you can't just Motor out at any time of your choosing.

 

did I mention to redeem the eGD  you have to at least consider posting a pic of the freezer after its refill

 

it would also be helpful to explain what a Jamaican Pattie is .  One seems to have Moved On.

 

 

 You are incredibly kind.  Jamaican patty.  I used to buy them from the supermarket by the box. When we were in Starsky's I stared into the freezer case at the Jamaican patties but knew I did not have enough room in my freezer for a whole box. Then we went for lunch at the little Caribbean Café and a young lady next to me was eating a Jamaican patty. I absolutely caved. Four of these went home with me and found there way into the freezer.  Apparently they found it very cold in there and within two days three of them had escaped.

[lindag]

13 hours ago, ElsieD said:

Lamb Shanks tonight but nothing starting with an L or an S to go with it, unless salt counts.  Everything was cooked in the IP, 30 second green beans as per @JoNorvelleWalker, mashed potatoes as per @Anna N, carrots cooked a tad too long, some pearl onions added to the sauce as it was reducing.  Just realized that potatoes are also known as Spuds so I guess I'm okay.  Last night we had chicken drumsticks but they don't count because they went into the freezer after the FCO started.

D
DAMN that looks good!!!!

[liuzhou]

4 hours ago, Anna N said:

a young lady next to me was eating a Jamaican patty. I absolutely caved.

 

I would too. When I lived in London I ate them regularly (London has a substantial Jamaican community). But I was fortunate to spend seven months in Jamaica in 1978 and virtually lived on them!

Haven't had one in over 25 years.  But I can still taste them in my memory.

[liamsaunt]

I took a package of Chicken thighs out of the freezer and marinated them overnight in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Cumin and sumac then broiled them and topped with more sumac, sesame seeds and Cilantro.  I served with a fattoush made with tomatoes, bell peppers, Cucumbers, radishes, mache, toasted homemade pita bread, and more Cilantro.  The dressing was garlic, olive oil lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and salt and pepper. Both recipes from NY Times Cooking.

 

 

 

But now I must admit some backsliding.  I roasted a turkey last Monday, and made stock from the carcass.  I got enough to make a batch of turkey tortilla soup, plus three gallon sized ziplocs of stock, which are now lying flat....in the freezer.  I also added three lunch sized portions of the soup to the freezer.  Points off, I suppose, but the soup is really good!

[robirdstx]

I have pulled a half-rack of Pork Baby Back Ribs (already seasoned) and one of three portions of Pinto Beans out to thaw for dinner tonight. Pork and Beans just go together!

 

 

Edited February 18, 2017 by robirdstx (log)

[rotuts]

@ElsieD  

 

I only gave you a ' Like ' on that platting w the lamb shank.

 

didn't want your head to swell up tot much w and ' outstanding '

[ninagluck]

home is where the heart is, my home is in the freezer as there was this heart ;-) I tried, but found nothing to pair with as this a very classical dish in Vienna. I pulled also some dumplings and made this ragout from veal heart, dumplings and deep fried fermented cucumber.

Edited February 18, 2017 by ninagluck (log)

[robirdstx]

4 hours ago, robirdstx said:

I have pulled a half-rack of Pork Baby Back Ribs (already seasoned) and one of three portions of Pinto Beans out to thaw for dinner tonight. Pork and Beans just go together!

 

 

 

 

After thawing, the Ribs spent 90 minutes in a 425F oven and have been sauced, wrapped in foil and put back into a 225F oven for an hour to finish. The Pinto Beans will be made into Spicy Refried Beans.

 

 

 

 

[ElsieD]

4 hours ago, rotuts said:

@ElsieD  

 

I only gave you a ' Like ' on that platting w the lamb shank.

 

didn't want your head to swell up tot much w and ' outstanding '

 

[Okanagancook]

I love pinto beans.  So creamy in the middle.

how do you make your reFried beans, if I may ask?

Those ribs look nice too.

Edited February 19, 2017 by Okanagancook (log)

[TicTac]

8 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

I love pinto beans.  So creamy in the middle.

how do you make your retried beans, if I may ask?

Those ribs look nice too.

You cook the beans once, taste them - freeze them - thaw them and then try them a second time - clearly!

 

....sorry, couldn't help myself

Edited February 19, 2017 by TicTac (log)

[robirdstx]

29 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

I love pinto beans.  So creamy in the middle.

how do you make your retried beans, if I may ask?

Those ribs look nice too.

 

I use a friend's recipe:

Eli's Refried Beans

 

Ingredients:

- bacon or a little ham or salt pork... whatever is in the house
- pinto beans, already cooked
- some of the pinto bean liquid
- roasted jalapeno peppers, to taste
- Crema Salvadorena or Crema Mexicana (sour cream)

Directions:

Cook the pork til it renders and then add beans, liquid and jalapeños, heat up really well, mash the beans, add the crema and taste it....

 

[Okanagancook]

Thank you.

sour cream is something I have not used in reFried beans.

I have some roasted jalapeños in the freezer so I will be trying this soon.

[robirdstx]

Buttermilk Biscuit with Country Gravy from the freezer and Scrambled Egg and Bacon from the fridge for breakfast.

 

 

[gfweb]

On 2/9/2017 at 0:24 PM, rotuts said:

I clearly have no shame.

 

let me take you through the Proof :

 

 

this is Freezer_Temp  .  Its seasonal and an entrance to the basement

 

this is F_{B :}

 

 

A steal @ 100  USD , free delivery.  its job was to help defrost F_{A ,} which you see here :

 

 

I had it in June/July  but Sloth took command.  then there were those Thanikgiving turkeys that needed a home and I succumbed to

 

4.  21 lbs +++

 

here is F_B now :

 

 

its helping out. and I claim that it would have held all the contents of F_{A ,} if those 4 Dreadnaught's had not cruised in there in early Nov.  it is

 

holding one self from F_A. on top of them.

 

F_Temp  just now :

 

 

and F_A starting its slow thaw.   25 F for 2 - 3 days  helps.

 

 

all the food in F_A has been SV'd  and none of the bags show damage.  there are some tasty relics in there !

 

so F_A is more or less a SV reliquary.

 

as I mentioned I have no shame

 

Q.E.D.

 

 

 

We have the same Bilco door @rotuts. Good place to stash stuff,isn't it?

[Anna N]

 Used two small sausages from my freezer this morning for breakfast.  Doesn't begin to make up for my sins and even worse I put a ziplock bag of leftovers in there as I want to experiment with reheating a whole meal Sous Vide.  Some nights pouring the contents of a Ziploc bag into a bowl is about as much as I want to attempt and that's even before my first glass of wine.

[robirdstx]

I have pulled a 5 oz. piece of Pork Tenderloin and 8 large Shrimp out of the freezer to pair with Snow Peas, Red Bell Pepper and other Vegetables from the fridge to stir fry for tonight's dinner. Does not make much of a dent in the freezer but helps to use up some of the already on hand fresh veg.

Edited February 19, 2017 by robirdstx (log)

[kayb]

Last night's red beans and rice (photo on dinner thread) took a package of frozen ham left over from Easter 2015 (thank you, FoodSaver!), a package of frozen dark meat chicken left over from a week ago, and a package of frozen andouille sausage out of the freezer. It returned three one-meal baggies of rice, and a quart and a pint of red beans. At least the quart of red beans will be going home with my child when she leaves Monday.

 

The rest of the ham went into a quiche, along with a bunch of grated fontina, which is presently residing in the refrigerator. It'll serve for dinner tonight, and most likely breakfast tomorrow.

 

[Dejah]

All the kids and kidlets were home to celebrate our oldest son's 39th birthday. That helped quite a bit on the freezer challenge.

Baked up a dozen of the Moroccan Spiced Cigars I had made and froze for Xmas. Still have 6 pieces left, but the dozen cleared up the space taken up by the Tupperware.

I got rid of 8 x 500g packages of snow Crab (stock-piled specifically for this day), a bag of tater tots, and a bag of potato wedges.

Grandson's gf does not eat shellfish, so I also roasted a 5 lb boneless sirloin roast. Eleven-year-old granddaughter is now vegetarian by choice (saw the piggies going to market), so I bought a bag of roasted cauliflower ravioli for her.

Didn't take a picture of the roast as grandson & gf came later due to work schedules. We do have roast beef leftover for sandwiches today.

The second letter C was Cauliflower, broccoli, radish stir-fry.

Dessert was Chocolate Oreo Cookie Blizzard Cupcakes and Strawberry Shortcake Blizzard Cupcakes,  which had only been in the freezer for 1 hour.

                                  

Edited February 19, 2017 by Dejah (log)

[Okanagancook]

Although I have not been playing along I have been busy at looking to the freezer first for prepared meal components thanks to this thread.  I do get pretty well all my meat from the freezer but I have loads of sauces, vegetable sides, breads, pastas, fruit from the summer and stocks too.  These are the worst to keep track of AND to stack neatly in the freezer.

Today I bit the bullet on some old stuff that is likely not good, I.E. prepared salt cod that I was going to make those potato thingies with.  They have been in there for two years.  They are vac sealed but I don't fancy them now.  I truly hate throwing out food.

 

Everyone  is doing a great job and are inspirational.

Keep up the good work.

 

 

[scubadoo97]

I failed.   I have a fresh chicken spatchcocked and marinating in the fridge while bags of frozen chicken parts lay dormant in the freezer.   It was just easier to split a fresh bird then defrost the sum of its parts.  Hanging my head in shame 

[Okanagancook]

It takes discipline!  And a commitment to see the back wall or floor of your freezer.

[Anna N]

29 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

Although I have not been playing along I have been busy at looking to the freezer first for prepared meal components thanks to this thread.  I do get pretty well all my meat from the freezer but I have loads of sauces, vegetable sides, breads, pastas, fruit from the summer and stocks too.  These are the worst to keep track of AND to stack neatly in the freezer.

Today I bit the bullet on some old stuff that is likely not good, I.E. prepared salt cod that I was going to make those potato thingies with.  They have been in there for two years.  They are vac sealed but I don't fancy them now.  I truly hate throwing out food.

 

Everyone  is doing a great job and are inspirational.

Keep up the good work.

 

 

One of my failings is picking out a package from the freezer knowing as I look at it that I will NEVER eat it and then putting it back. Some part of my brain seems to think that stuff in the freezer will age like fine wine. The "never waste food" ear worm has infested every neuron. 

[Anna N]

21 minutes ago, scubadoo97 said:

I failed.   I have a fresh chicken spatchcocked and marinating in the fridge while bags of frozen chicken parts lay dormant in the freezer.   It was just easier to split a fresh bird then defrost the sum of its parts.  Hanging my head in shame 

And so you should be.  I am guessing that most of us got into this pickle by doing just that.

[Okanagancook]

3 minutes ago, Anna N said:

One of my failings is picking out a package from the freezer knowing as I look at it that I will NEVER eat it and then putting it back. Some part of my brain seems to think that stuff in the freezer will age like fine wine. The "never waste food" ear worm has infested every neuron. 

I hear you about procrastinating with regard to binning food.  But today I just asked myself, "are you going to eat this? No, that's why it's still here.  Enough."

Have a cocktail and go back to the freezer with garbage bag in hand.