Preparations for Kitchen Renovation

[FauxPas]

Host's note: this post and the first several responses were split from the Freezer Friendly Meals for My Grandpa topic. Some refer back to that topic.

 

 

We are redoing our kitchen plus repainting the whole house, new flooring. We just had a sheetmetal team creating ductwork throughout the house to support a whole-house heat pump. We also have just started installing irrigation on the yard and have a landscaper cleaning up and redoing beds and plantings. This house was a decent buy, but we knew it would need work. 

 

Things are a bit crazy and the next thing is having the existing kitchen ripped out. We will be without a kitchen for up to 3 weeks. We had a laundry room with a sink in our last house when we redid the kitchen, but nothing like that here, so we will be washing dishes in the bathtub, which I absolutely despise. 

 

We may have access to our induction range but the microwave and toaster oven are going to be our mainstay. I was not well prepared during the last reno and I don't want to repeat that. So I've started making freezer meals that i know can be reheated easily. We have an upright freezer in our garage. Today I made a Mexican chicken with Spanish rice and beans dish. This will freeze and can be reheated in M/W. The containers can be reused or recycled. If necessary, we'll wash them out on the deck. 

 

Here's an example, it's a Mexican chicken dish (chicken thighs with peppers and onions in a tomato sauce), Spanish rice and some mixed pinto and kidney beans. 

 

 

I want easy because it turns out my husband is scheduled for minor surgery in the middle of this mess and am looking for any suggestions. 

 

I can do meatloaf, chili, meatballs, etc but am interested in other things. 

 

I should definitely do some soups. 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by FauxPas
Added host's note, with link (log)

[kayb]

Lasagna freezes well. I’ve done potatoes and ham with cream sauce that do ok. Eggplant parm or moussaka.

 

Since you have a toaster oven, don’t underestimate the value of flatbread “pizza” topped with stuff from the deli.

Edited March 21, 2022 by kayb (log)

[curls]

I used to make a potato empanada recipe from one of the Moosewood cookbooks that freezes well. I would bake, cool, and freeze. Other items that freeze well: egg rolls, spanakopita, chicken pot pie filling, bread, sous vide meats, shredded beef/chicken/pork bbq, enchiladas.

[Kerry Beal]

Quiche?

[FauxPas]

2 hours ago, kayb said:

Lasagna freezes well.

Do you like to freeze your lasagne before or after baking? I usually use smaller pans which make 4 or 6 servings, so never freeze it, just keep it in the fridge and M/W, so I am unexperienced, ha. I think it's tricky to separate unbaked portions (messy), so it makes sense to me to mostly bake it, then freeze and try to thaw before reheating. 

 

 

[FauxPas]

3 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Quiche?

 

Yes, also thinking of crustless quiche/egg muffins. Your earlier post in this thread was quite helpful, also! (And some other good ideas there, too.) Thx!  🙂

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by FauxPas (log)

[Kerry Beal]

22 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

 

Yes, also thinking of crustless quiche/egg muffins. Your earlier post in this thread was quite helpful, also! Thx!  🙂

 

I just had a good old read through the earlier thread - I was a bit more loquacious the last time around wasn't I! But quiche was still in there. 

[Kerry Beal]

44 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

 

Yes, also thinking of crustless quiche/egg muffins. Your earlier post in this thread was quite helpful, also! Thx!  🙂

 

Eggbites! Those suckers freeze well. 

[blue_dolphin]

Thanks a bunch for resurrecting this thread.  Just read back through it - so many good ideas!  
Please consider snapping some “before” photos for the kitchen reno thread you’ll be sharing with us…..you will be sharing, right? Please and pretty please 🙃

[gfweb]

Ditto re taking lots of pictures (over the 6 weeks it will take)

[weinoo]

2 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Ditto re taking lots of pictures (over the 6 weeks it will take)

 

I can't wait to see the pictures over the next 9 weeks.

[kayb]

21 hours ago, FauxPas said:

Do you like to freeze your lasagne before or after baking? I usually use smaller pans which make 4 or 6 servings, so never freeze it, just keep it in the fridge and M/W, so I am unexperienced, ha. I think it's tricky to separate unbaked portions (messy), so it makes sense to me to mostly bake it, then freeze and try to thaw before reheating. 

 

 

I’ve done both ways. I think freezing pre-bake or par-baked is better, but I’ve successfully frozen leftover lasagna, too. Tends to dry it out a bit.