Yes, this post is about cooking. I know, some of you are expecting cute little scrap fabric inspirations that I mentioned I’d be blogging about Aug 1 in this month’s BOM lesson.
Weeeell, let just say I’ve been recently “distracted” (if you’ve been following my blog for any time at all, you probably know why)…so the scrap inspiration post has been slightly delayed. ;) Stay tuned as I’ll be posting it later this week.
Ok, back to cooking.
When I found out 2 months ago at my 22 week appointment, that I was pregnant with twins, I was completely overwhelmed…with shock, with joy, with excitement, and, with an intense urge to PREPARE! Things, MANY things, needed to happen! I switched rooms around to make space, hit consignment stores, interviewed doulas, joined a moms-of-multiple group, sought breast-feeding support, and now, finally, the cooking.
Despite good advice, I never did any freeze-ahead cooking for either of my previous births, but this time, I knew things would be different. I had to buckle down and get some meals in the freezer…the new freezer…yes, I bought a 7 cubic foot deep freezer just for the occasion! But beyond the freezer, I was clueless. When do you bake things- before or after you freeze? What’s the best way to package it all? Do I cook straight from the freezer or thaw first? I found some fantastic blogs like Once A Month Mom to help make sense of it all, and offer some freezer-friendly recipes. (I won’t even attempt to relay all the helpful info- check it out if you’re interested in embarking on a cooking extravaganza of your own!)
Thank goodness for our Costco membership. I made excellent use of it this week, especially for purchasing all the items I’d need to properly prepare, package, and store all of my treasured meals!
I’ll admit, my game plan maaaay have been a tad too ambitious for this first go out the gate. Things got a little hairy at times (this was one of the cleaner moments).
What all did I make? Ok, fine, you twisted my arm so I’ll tell you (just because I’m so proud!).
- 2 pans of Chicken Enchiladas
- 2 pans of Chicken Pot Pie
- 1 pan of Traditional Lasagna
- 1 pan of Eggplant Lasagna
- 1 pan of Baked Ziti
- 1 pan of Spinach & Chicken Penne
- Cheddar Stuffed Portobello Burgers
- Turkey Jalapeno Burgers
- 12 marinated Salmon Filets
- 8 assorted Quiches
- Quinoa & Kale Mini Quiches
- 3 batches of Roasted Root Soup
- 2 batches of Ham & Pea Soup
- 24 Breakfast Burritos
- 24 Beef/Chicken Burritos
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
- 3 Lbs of Baked BBQ Chicken Nuggets
- Maple Glazed Carrots
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Balsamic Glazed Green Beans
Wish I could link to all of the recipes for you, but some are just in my head…favorites that I’ve picked up here and there.
The burrito assembly line was the best! Sent my hubby to go pick up a quart of green chili from his favorite Mexican restaurant, while I made a ton of scrambled eggs and hash browns. Voila! A breakfast I can throw in his bag as he runs out the door late for work (or brings to me in bed as I’m trying to nurse two babies!).
Whew! 1 day of shopping, 2 intense days of cooking…but when I open the lid to my freezer, I know it was all worth it! Now I can get back to to the fun stuff, like meeting Anna Maria Horner this weekend, and making a cute new diaper bag in the Multi-Tasker Tote class she’s teaching to my guild this weekend!!!! SO EXCITED!!! I’ll keep you posted on that!!!
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