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

[Arey]

  I've been emptying old stuff out of my freezer to make room for an order from here  as recommended by @huiray The order came yesterday, two 1lb links of andouille, a package of "kitchen sink" sausage", a package of veal bockwurst, and two  smoked pork chops all tucked away in the freezer except for one of the andouille links, and one of the pork chops which was dinner last night along with sauteed red cabbage, a baked yam, and Stonewall Farms classic chutney.  Part of the unfrozen andouille will turn up in saffron rice with green lip mussels, for Sunday dinner and the rest will be frozen.

Saturday night's dinner will be an Italian sausage sandwich using the very last link of Italian sausage which I'm sure is no more than 9 or 10 months old. Then it's back to Bagliani's market in Hammonton to stock up on sausage, Hot Italian sausage on top shelf, right front, sweet Italian sausage on the bottom shelf right front.  (This is helpful when somethings been knocking  around in the freezer so long the labeling on the carefully labeled package is no longer legible). Bockwurst, and other sausages on the top shelf rear, chicken parts, bottom shelf front left and center, frozen Chinese dumplings bottom shelf rear, frozen spring rolls bottom rear and then stuff just starts getting crammed in where ever it will fit, and then I open the freezer door and there's an avalanche, and all that orderliness is shot to hell, and I'll end up emptying almost an entire shelf onto the counter looking for something I know is in there but can't find, and find something I should have used months ago. But what's a little freezer burn matter?


*The pork chops come completely cooked , but need to be seared. How would you warm up the pork chops so they can be seared without cooking them more.

Edited February 3, 2017 by Arey (log)

[Anna N]

@Arey

 

if you have a Sous Vide set up then you can simply reheat them for about 30 minutes at around 54°C which should not over cook them.  Failing a Sous Vide set up you can do just as well by filling a large bowl with some hot tap water, putting the pork chops into a Ziploc bag, pressing out as much air as you can, sealing it and then clipping the bag to the side of the bowl so the seal is above the water level and in about 30 minutes, assuming they are thawed out, they should re-heat just fine. 

[Anna N]

 

 

Two small previously SV'd strip loins and a few vegetables tossed with avocado oil, salt pepper and a little maple syrup and roasted until nicely caramelized.   I cannot alliterate on anything.  

[Dejah]

Using up the second half of the package of ground pork left from last night's supper. Chopped up some shrimp, Chinese mushrooms, and Chinese cabbage. Mixed in the ground Pork and seasonings (salt, white pepper, pinch of baking soda, cornstarch, and a dash of oyster sauce). Stuffed the mixture into Pepper wedges. I was given some fresh tofu skin. I've never used them before, but I've had them at dim sum. The skin is thicker than what I've had, so the "sealing" of the edges was not possible. Both stuffed items were steamed.
I also caught a chicken trying to escape from the freezer. Rubbed the skin with salt, and stuffed Kaffir Lime leaves under the skin and in the cavity. It was roasted at 400F for 45 minutes. Parts of everything were eaten with steamed green beans with fermented tofu (fu yeu)
                            
                             The tofu skin was the perfect foil for the flavourful filling. It also served to replace rice.

                            

                             Fourth day sans shopping! There should be a shaky emoticon!

[liuzhou]

On 03/02/2017 at 2:04 PM, Thanks for the Crepes said:

It used to be assembled at home and then carried to the bakery's bread oven after the bread came out, where the cook paid a fee to use the oven.

 

I'm willing to bet it still is.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

18 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

I'm willing to bet it still is.

 

Yes, that's what the researched article said, but having not been there, and without a date on that article, I was reluctant to repeat it.

 

I just saw they are making efforts to stamp out honor killings, so yes, the baker's oven rental tradition probably still continues. Former horrible, latter good, IMO. Good dish, though, and that's what I had for dinner tonight, and probably for two more days.

 

There will be no more freezing of things in giant lumps, and I'll split them into single servings now that I'm a lone eater. I just need to work through the stuff that was frozen before my husband's debilitating stroke without wasting it first, if I can. Like many, I get tired of leftovers, but I'm learning new ways to get around that. And if all else fails, I can get over my waste guilt by feeding the coons that live in my yard. I always do it well before sundown now, when they become active, after one of the little ones became too eager for his dinner one night. I wasn't hurt, but the little bugger scared me right proper!

 

Nothing is truly wasted around here.

[Anna N]

@Dejah

 Your meals look terrific. I am pulling for you on getting through the withdrawal symptoms.  

[Anna N]

I am definitely on the ball this morning. Sausages from the freezer for breakfast!   Did I mention that I like my eggs sunny or at the very worst over easy? Apparently the kitchen gods were not on my side this morning.  That is HP sauce on the sausages.

 

[ninagluck]

from the drawer with the sausages: crispy black pudding, with roasted potatos and sauerkraut, comfort food on a cold evening

[chromedome]

You'll see very much the same combination along the south shore of Nova Scotia, my home province. Lots of King George's German subjects came to his Canadian colony in the late 18th century, and many families still make their own sauerkraut (a few make black pudding, too, but that's rarer). Many settled around the town of Lunenburg (famous as the home port of the schooner Bluenose), so blood pudding and blood sausage are often called Lunenburg pudding or Lunenburg sausage. 

[Anna N]

 

 Two small lamb chops did not make much room in the freezer but every little helps as the old lady said……  Alliteration of accompaniments is not apparently my forte.   Sweet potato purée and cauliflower rice "pilaf".  I set up the Joule to cook the lamb chops but when I read the label on them they had already been through that process. So I just reheated them in the water bath.  

[Dejah]

@Anna N: Thanks for the encouragement! (as I trudge along on this challenge)
I DID go to the grocery store yesterday, but only to pick up raspberries (for granddaughters coming to spend the day) and a cauliflower. NO PROTEIN...Should have a "Proud emoticon".
Supper tonight was chicken "drumettes" purchased  in Dec.to make canapes which didn't happen.

Pulled out the Best of Bridge - First Efforts cookbook, which I haven't used for ages. Always loved the Drumsticks Canapes on page 65 for potluck when I was just learning to cook. I made these for the 2 and 4 year old granddaughters, and used a spicy Keto- friendly BBQ sauce for hubby and myself. Roast cauliflower and bok choy accompanied our plates while the Princesses had raw veggies and tater tots.
                       
                       

 

[quiet1]

This thread is so inspiring, although I haven't been able to participate due to after-effects of the illness that stuck me in the hospital before Christmas. I'm on a Bland and Boring diet for another couple of weeks yet, it isn't inspiring. (Low fat, low fiber, no dairy, no hot spiceiness, no strong acid... Housemate and kiddo had spaghetti sauce and ravioli from the freezer for dinner and the sauce smelled so good I was tempted even though I know I'd regret it.)

 

I did discover that adding a good chicken broth in a small amount to a baked potato helps make up for limited butter, but I'm getting pretty bored of stuff like chicken and rice.

[Anna N]

 

My daughter gave me some smoked salmon in individual portion sizes so that when I removed one of them from the freezer this morning it barely occupied the space of a "wafer-thin mint".  Still, as I said yesterday, every little helps. So breakfast this morning was scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, scallions and my first attempt at a low carb "muffin".  The less said about the latter the better.  My knife skills were rusty this morning as evidenced by the scallions.

[Dejah]

@Anna N: I know you said "less said about the latter the better"
What was your recipe for the low-carb muffin? Almond flour? Coconut flour?

[Anna N]

16 minutes ago, Dejah said:

@Anna N: I know you said "less said about the latter the better"
What was your recipe for the low-carb muffin? Almond flour? Coconut flour?

Don't do it! Click.  And if I get rushed right off eG for my gullibility I will know exactly who to blame. 

Edited February 5, 2017 by Anna N (log)

[Anna N]

 I have  just put away a grocery order (2 weeks worth more or less)  and the only thing I added to the freezer drawers was a packet of frozen peas.   They are one of my main food groups.

If @rotuts is keeping count  I reckon that is good for 10 bonus points.

[TicTac]

I was wondering what the consequences were if we added into the freezer vs. retrieving from it....

 

Frozen peas are also a staple in my house (my 1 year old loves them!), so those get added at least every week or two.

 

And I will admit to also adding 4 vac packs of chicken legs - I was at Cumbrae's and cannot help myself.  Some red meat might have also made it's way in...

[Anna N]

19 minutes ago, TicTac said:

I was wondering what the consequences were if we added into the freezer vs. retrieving from it....

 

Frozen peas are also a staple in my house (my 1 year old loves them!), so those get added at least every week or two.

 

And I will admit to also adding 4 vac packs of chicken legs - I was at Cumbrae's and cannot help myself.  Some red meat might have also made it's way in...

 You will need to attend twice as many support meetings to bring your freezer hoarding tendencies into line.  You bought meat at Cumbrae's?  So maybe one and a half times as many meetings.

[rotuts]

even Ive heard of Cumbrae's

 

3 X meetings .

 

did you call ahead and pick up at the curb ?

 

http://www.cumbraes.com/locations.html  

 

did you wear dark glasses ?

 

these are some of the early signs .

Edited February 5, 2017 by rotuts (log)

[ninagluck]

today I took some homemade gnocchi from the freezer, cooked a simple gorgonzola sauce and served a salad on the side. tasty, but extremely ugly, so no pic :-(

[TicTac]

 

23 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 You will need to attend twice as many support meetings to bring your freezer hoarding tendencies into line.  You bought meat at Cumbrae's?  So maybe one and a half times as many meetings.

It's almost like that warm blanket feeling knowing you have a freezer full of goodies.  Call me odd...

 

Yes, I only buy our meat at Cumbrae's these days.  Such a discernible difference and to be honest Chicken is not that much more expensive than elsewhere.  Especially for dark meat (which is 90% of what we eat, chicken wise).  ((The Rib eye w/ mostly deckle I had last night from them was stupendous!))

 

Edit for Rotuts -

 

I have done that before, but my excuse is I had 2 boys under the age of 3 in the car with me and no visual inspection of meat was necessary (I was only getting chicken, ground beef and bacon - mmmm their bacon).

 

 

Edited February 5, 2017 by TicTac (log)

[ElsieD]

I took out some ham croquettes today that were made from the Christmas ham.  As you can see, the H  and/or C is sorely lacking.  So maybe that is worth half a point?  Or does the H in H&P sauce that John had with it count for something?  Or my Roasted Pineapple and Habenero Sauce which is my preferred go-with?  Or maybe I am in a minus position because 3 packages of jumbo chicken wings went into the freezer with a fourth to come later today?

 

On the other hand, I have a pork tenderloin thawing for dinner tonight.

[ElsieD]

Is Cumbrae's really that good?  If it is, I'll have to stop in there next time we are down that way.

[TicTac]

4 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Is Cumbrae's really that good?  If it is, I'll have to stop in there next time we are down that way.

The best steaks I have had on this continent.

 

Many of the top restaurants in the city source from them.