Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been trying to practice the responsible, organized adult task of cooking a large batch of a meal on the weekend. It results in easy, tasty, and most importantly, homemade lunches and dinners on the busier days of my week.
this is what kept me busy yesterday. happy hour martinis at bamboo 52 [far more stylish than the website would imply].
Last night, Katie and I met for a long-overdue post-work drink, and thus, it was a prime evening for a pre-made meal. Our gabbing over ginger martinis meant I didn’t arrive home until nearly 9 PM, and there was no way I was breaking out the pots and pans. But my fridge was full of tupperware, so I easily pulled out three containers, tossed it all together with olive oil, and dinner was born in under two minutes.
leftover potluck fennel and pears, chickpeas, roasted potatoes, evoo
On Sunday, I cooked for three hours in the early evening, simmering tamarind lentils for the week, prepping a batch of rice and a pot of chickpeas, and cooking my two dishes for Monday’s potluck. None of this stovetop slaving involved that evening’s dinner, and so, when the time came, I was happy to pull last month’s chili and cornbread out of the freezer, hit defrost on the microwave, and sit down with little extra effort to a home-cooked meal. With a stack of dishes piling up and a messy counter, I didn’t really want to become involved in more preparation [and more mess].
midway through eating, i decided i should write a blog post about this. and so the camera captured a halfway-devoured meal.
Growing up, I remember days when my mom would “cook for the freezer.” My parents have a second freezer in the basement, stocked with an ever-replenished supply of labelled soups and stews, cooked rice, and much, much more. [Occasionally, you might find leftover brownies hidden in there, although my dad would know the location of those best]. When life, as it often does, becomes too busy for my mom to cook a meal, the freezer always serves her well.
It occurred to me that this is why most people turn to the freezer aisle in the grocery store: no time nor desire to cook results in a cardboard box and a microwave. Sure, there are healthier frozen options, but I find it truly beautiful that my mom creates her own personal freezer section, produced, packaged, and labelled by her own two hands. I love this idea, and as I work on that tricky balance between the personal life I want to maintain and the full-time job I’ve just begun, I am realizing the importance of my mom’s concept.
Tonight, I’ll actually have the time to cook one of the two new recipes I’ve recently dreamt up and have been dying to try. I suppose that means I’ll be putting a couple containers of leftovers into the freezer. In a few weeks, I know I’ll be thankful.
What’s your stance on frozen food? Do you buy the packaged ones? Do you make your own?
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Freezers are brilliant- storing leftovers or like you said making your own “frozen meals” for those days when you’re too busy or just don’t feel like cooking. It’s the most annoying thing ever not having a freezer here at university- I’m thinking of buying a mini one if I can for next year- it’s much more economical this way too, cooking up big batches and freezing individual portions.
Also frozen veggie and fruits are brilliant:)
smoothies, quick additions to dishes, perfect.
Honestly, every time I put leftovers in the freezer, they end up sitting there forever. I think I just like to cook too much :) I don’t want to pull something out of the freezer, I want to make something NEW.
On another note; this made me want a martini. It’s 10 AM.
It’s funny, because my mom used to make me frozen “homemade” meals when I was in college. For years I used to be a frozen meal addict until I realized how not-so-good they were for me. Now I do what you do – mostly with soups, chilis and curries. I take any leftovers from dinner that I will not be eating for lunch and freezing them. It is really the best to still have a homemade meal waiting no matter what! :)
I love having leftovers in the freezer- also so much more fun than eating them for 5 days straight. I keep a few Amy’s meals in my freezer, but it’s mostly things like frozen vegetables so I can throw a stir-fry together when I am pushed for time. I’d take a homemade meal over 99.9% of frozen dinners anyday!
Such a good idea!! I do buy already packaged frozen foods but my freezer is also full of homemade soups, burgers, chilis, bread, etc. So convenient!
I’d go for one of my or your fresh cooking creations any evening; however, I’d really be adrift if I didn’t have the freezer. When will you be making those tamarind lentils and coconut kasha for me?!!!!!!!!!