Batch cooking ideas please

redmel1621

WOW quick replies.
I think I will give it a try this week with the spaghetti sauce first that way it would be just pasta to sort out when I get in on wed....

Might also give chicken casserole a go too....

By the way how do you make the sauce without using a jar of dolmio, is it just tinned tomatoes and puree and garlic?

Mel x

Racklen

i use tinned tomatoes a beef stock cube to take the edge of the tomato taste, herbs, seasoning, garlic,onion

but im not that good at making this sauce so im sure someone else has a better recipe

Irisheyes648

Shepherds pie
Curry
Spag bol
Chilli
Stews
Casseroles
Pasta sauce
Fish pie

Basically you can freeze almost anything, I normally take it out the night before to defrost then re heat in a really hot oven to make sure its properly heated through. I always blast rice in the microwave though to make sure its piping hot!!!

redmel1621

What about frozen meat...sorry if this is a silly question.....

Can I buy, lets say, frozen chicken breast then defrost it, cook it up in a sauce and then freeze it again. I know on the side of packets they usually state DO NOT RE-FREEZE ONCE DEROSTED....what do you think????

Mel x

samf1971

for the pasta sauce I use 2 tins value chopped toms (which I blitz with hand blender to remove all the bits and turn them to passata)
1 onion chopped, mushrooms ('bout 250g) 1 pepper

you can add to mince or quorn or whatever you fancy, then all I do is cook the pasta fresh, heat the sauce & hey presto

soappie

redmel1621 wrote: »

By the way how do you make the sauce without using a jar of dolmio, is it just tinned tomatoes and puree and garlic?

My bol recipe (which does for spag and lasagne) for the 500g pack of mince:

Lightly fry a chopped onion with some chopped (or crushed if you prefer) garlic.
Add the mince and let it brown
Add a touch of red wine, a tin of value chopped tomatoes and bring it up to boil. Lob in a tablespoon of tomato puree if you want
Then throw in some water (don't ask me how much - I cook by sight!) to come to the top of the mince.
Crumble in a veg stock cube and a bit of mixed herbs and a good few twists of fresh ground black pepper.
Then let it bubble away for about 30 mins or so (the extra liquid will evaporate).

If I'm preparing for another day, I'll then let it cool and freeze.

If I'm eating it that day, after 30 mins or so (or about 20 mins before I want to serve it) I'll add diced fresh green pepper and sliced mushrooms.

I'll also, on occasion, add anything else I've got lurking around the back of the fridge - like courgettes (diced) or some thinly sliced celery).

lisadupreez

Bolognaise recipe:

Fry onions til soft (about 3 mins). Fry in mince - if you want to cheat - add water so that the mince mooshes instead of sticking in clumps.

When mince is brown add about 3 squirts of tomato puree, a tin of tomatoes (or like me - 2 tins to make it go further), a stock cube (I usually only have chicken), a desert spoon of sugar (don't ask why), a splash of worchestershire sauce and to make it salty without adding salt - soy sauce. Then add veggies... yum yum

Hapless_2

redmel1621 wrote: »

What about frozen meat...sorry if this is a silly question.....

Can I buy, lets say, frozen chicken breast then defrost it, cook it up in a sauce and then freeze it again. I know on the side of packets they usually state DO NOT RE-FREEZE ONCE DEROSTED....what do you think????

Mel x

As long as it has been thoroughly cooked in the sauce it should be fine. As long as it is defrosted/re-heated properly.

Irisheyes648

redmel1621 wrote: »

What about frozen meat...sorry if this is a silly question.....

Can I buy, lets say, frozen chicken breast then defrost it, cook it up in a sauce and then freeze it again. I know on the side of packets they usually state DO NOT RE-FREEZE ONCE DEROSTED....what do you think????

Mel x

All of my meat is frozen raw and defrosted ready for cooking, you can re freeze it if it has been cooked

redmel1621

Thanks for all of our replies....

I have a sausage casserole cooking away in the oven at the moment, looking around the cupboards I realise i am going to need some more equipment for cooking and storing......

I have also been chopping onions and carrots bagged them up and stuck them in the freezer, I am starting to get the han of this.

Mel x