A Day of Cooking
In the book, Little House in the Big Woods, Caroline Ingalls used to say, “Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, Churn on Thursday, Clean on Friday, Bake on Saturday, Rest on Sunday.” They had a day in which to tackle a big chore.
Some days it feels as if all I do is stay in the kitchen. I make coffee, then breakfast, and do the dishes. We clear the table and get school started. Then I make lunch and clean up. Before I know it, the kids are asking me, “Mom, what are we having for dinner?” It has to be one of the most annoying questions on earth. I tire of having to choose what we eat at each meal even though for the most part I love to cook.
We live a long way from a good grocery store so when I go, I buy for two weeks. Of course, I make a good list of all the items we need because I cannot just run in and grab what we need. I simply cannot recall everything at that moment.
Since school began in my house, it is even more important for me to spend less time in the kitchen. I value my time with my children, and I don’t want to feel trapped in the kitchen cooking. My answer is freezer cooking. It is a great tool that I use throughout the year.
Some weeks I cook like normal, which means that I cook a meal each evening. This approach works well when you are home and when you have time. Weeks like this also remind me how wonderful freezer cooking is.
Most of us have recipes that freeze well. Dishes like chicken spaghetti, lasagna, green and/or red chicken enchiladas freeze splendidly. When you eat them, you cannot tell that they were once frozen. Some dinners have components that you can freeze. For example, you can cut up and marinate teriyaki chicken or marinate flank steak and freeze. Then you simply thaw out the meat and cook. Soups freeze well, too. Serve with a fresh salad and you are good to go.
In the past I have recommend the book Once-a-Month-Cooking by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. It is still my go-to cookbook when I am looking for a new dish to try for freezer cooking. I do not find it difficult to convert their recipes to gluten-free ones.
Whether you are working for hours on your homestead away from your kitchen or home-schooling your nine children, freezer cooking will work for you. Simply set aside one day to go grocery shopping. Then the next day, you will prepare your meals. Some people make a month’s worth of dishes, but I choose to cook for two weeks. Either way, you will have a well-stocked freezer with delicious, homemade dishes.
One of the perks of freezer cooking is spending the day with my children in the kitchen. I include them in the process. From choosing our menu to chopping bell peppers, my children play an active role in freezer cooking. Instead of cooking by myself everyday, we cook together on one day. They are learning to cook and I am getting help. It is a win-win for everyone involved!
If you find yourself, hating the question, “What’s for dinner?” Then you need to try freezer cooking. It is a wonderful method of cooking to utilize in your home. If Caroline Ingalls had had a freezer, I bet she would have changed the saying to “Freezer cooking on Monday.”
Just think…if i shopped like that my grocery store would go into shock and have to close down!! Guess what..I did NOT go to the grocery store at all yesterday. I am so proud.