Chopping Vegetables

Photo by Kelly McNelis, New Leaf Wellness

A few weeks before she was due to give birth to her first child, one of my daughters invited me to her house to chop vegetables.  I had been bugging her, asking what I could do to help, so I didn’t question her when she called; just showed up at the appointed time to see what she was up to.

What she was up to was preparing ten meals in advance of the birth that would be super easy to prepare after her daughter arrived.  She was well prepared.  Her kitchen was spotless, so there were lots of empty counter tops and other work spaces.   All the ingredients for the project were on the kitchen table, some fresh, some canned or packaged. She told me that she had taken all the recipes, created a shopping list from them, and made one dedicated trip to her local grocery store to get everything that wasn’t already in her pantry.  In addition, she had these items ready:

• Two Large cutting boards
• Several sharp knives in various sizes
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Gallon-size zip lock freezer bags
• Fine-point permanent markers

At the time I wasn’t particularly curious about the recipes, but set about chopping and slicing onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, parsley, cilantro, celery, etc. and let her deal with filling the bags.

After the vegetables and herbs were chopped and measured into the bags, she took the meat from the refrigerator.  She had partly thawed it, which was perfect for cubing and slicing.  Most of the recipes called for chicken, but one used a pork roast and one sliced ham.

In went the meat, and the dry seasonings, flour for thickening, and sometimes a small amount of broth.

Working together, we had all the bags filled and in the freezer in two hours.  The time went quickly, as we used it to catch up on news and tell funny stories about the other members of our family.  (I should mention that I’m this daughter’s step mom, and our relationship is pretty casual.)

That job done, we celebrated with a glass of iced soda water and I spent the rest of my visit admiring the nursery and gifts from a baby shower the week before.

Grandparents Have Busy Days, Too

At the time of our chopping party, I had no thought that this new mom trick might have  any relevance in my life. However, a few months later, after a tiring day keeping up with 5 year old Bean, I sat in my Adirondack chair wishing someone would make dinner.  Since the only other resident in my house is a Border Collie, who was looking at me as if she were wishing the same thing, I eventually got up and put something together. But at that moment I realized that make-ahead crock pot dinners would be a boon to busy grandparents too.

On my next visit to see my delightful granddaughter, I quizzed her mother on what she had learned since our chopping party.  Which of the meals had they liked the best?  Did she have any new tips?

What I learned was that this family craves variety, so they don’t repeat the same recipe too often. She didn’t actually remember which meals we had made back then Before Baby, but now she looks on Pinterest for ideas, and pins ones she wants to try. She suggested a couple of web sites that she uses for inspiration when she gets stuck.

I did a search on the internet and found a plethora of recipes and suggestions for success.

Here are some of the suggestions made by other cooks:

• Write the recipe and cooking instructions on the bags first, then allow the ink to dry before you start putting in the ingredients.  (If you are squeamish about putting raw meat in with the veggies, use a smaller zip lock bag for the meat and put that inside the larger one.)
• Some recipes will require more than one bag; put the name of the meal and 2 of 2 or 2 of 3 on the subsequent bags.
• Date all bags; plan to eat the meals within three months.
• Use really fresh, ripe but not overripe vegetables.  Wash thoroughly, but only peel if it is your usual habit to do so, or if the skin is stained or tough.
• Avoid cream soups (mushroom, for example) because they ramp up the salt, fat, and calories.
• Put vegetables, herbs, and spices into the bags first, then the meat last (so it goes into the crock pot first).
• You can get little plastic baggie racks from Amazon and several other retailers that hold your zip log bags upright; not necessary but a convenience that speeds up the assembly process.
• Some people like to buy meat and some vegetables from big box stores to save money.  Good idea.  However, it’s important to me to buy my food locally and from organic gardeners and farmers, so my meals cost a bit more.

To cook a meal, take it out of the freezer the night before and leave the bag(s)  overnight in the refrigerator, then pour the ingredients into the crock pot in the morning. Set the crock pot temperature according to the recipe directions.

I have since brought my old crock pot in from the garage and made several freeze-ahead meals for myself.  I usually make enough for four servings, then if I invite a friend or two over there is enough for all of us.

Freeze-ahead Crock Pot Recipes to Try

Here are two of my favorites, the first adapted from Corri Anna Lauritzen of www.femiology.com and the second from Janell at www.savingyoudinero.com.  Check out their websites for many more freezer crock pot recipes.

Teriyaki Chicken

2 or 3 large carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/2 red onion in large chunks
(1) 20-oz can pineapple (undrained)
1 garlic clove, chopped
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of teriyaki sauce
2 cups broccoli florets or edamame

Write recipe name and instructions on freezer bag. Seal bags, mix ingredients, lay flat and freeze.

Directions to write on bag: Thaw overnight or for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Serve over brown rice, cooked separately.

Chicken Fajitas
( 5-6 servings)

2 peppers (your favorite)
1 onion
1 1/2 pound chicken breast
1/2 cup chicken broth
taco seasoning packet
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
You will also need tortillas, cheese, cream, etc.

Directions to write on bag: Thaw overnight or for 24 hours. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.  When the chicken is super tender, shred the meat and add it back to the pepper mixture and serve on warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Post a comment below and let us know your experience with freeze ahead crock pot meals.  Try these recipes and tell us how you liked them!

And don’t miss next week’s post:  Granny Gets REALLY Lazy: Comparing pre-prepped meals that are shipped right to your door.

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