Reverse Meal Planning

Primrose

Yes, freezer space a real problem at this time of year with home grown crops at their heaviest. .  We,re trying to identify a few large frozen items like ham hocks we can remove and cook to make a little space but that brings its own dilemmas in that they can sometimes produce meals which  can last for several days and if we don,t want to refrigerate them spare portions end up needing to go back in the freezer.

I suppose it's a nice problem to have really but does still need to be managed. 

joedenise

Have got some sausages and diced pork out of the freezer, along with half a can of chickpeas.  Have cooked some dried haricot beans and this lot will be used along with a can of chopped tomatoes or two to make a sort of sausage cassoulet for dinner tomorrow night's dinner.

EssexHebridean

Reverse meal planning is exactly the way I've done things for ages Suffolk_Lass, so I'm delighted to find it now has recognition and its own thread! Also entirely identify with those mentioning hg produce gluts, and especially the courgette situation. We too have crazy numbers of them, and the plants must have a sense of humour as they are still producing flower after flower...it's never ending - we only have 4 plants!   

Also need to evaluate what is heading our way in next week's veg box with a view to decide what definite needs using up soonest. We've been away all weekend so essentially did a shop for the vital bits (milk, fruit) that we knew we needed on Friday - everything else needs to come from what we already have ideally. I do know there is some lettuce, rocket and half a cucumber in the fridge though - and I have a cauli & cheese pasta bake sitting in the freezer which would feed me tomorrow evening while himself has something different...I could do a "sorta-salad" with that, at least. 

Joedenise - your sausage cassoulet sounds glorious!

I think I'm going to have to face pasta two nights on the trot though as this evening needs a quick meal solution, and one that uses courgettes...

RT fancy finding you here! I don't envy you no fridge even for a few days...do you have a cold box and ice packs though? Amazing how well stuff keeps cold like that! 

greenbee

I'm most put out that I don't have a glut of courgettes I've got a fabulous courgette curry recipe and had plans to freeze lots. Maybe I should have watered more. 

Primrose

Can you post the recipe on here please?    A surfeit of courgettes is something a lot of us have to contend with and quite honestly it,s sometimes a problem finding any  tasty way of dealing with them, especially when they,ve lurked hidden under leaves and become a marrow overnight ! 

greenbee

Can you please post me some courgettes in exchange?

https://www.teaforturmeric.com/pakistani-zucchini-courgette-curry-toriyan-torai-ki-sabzi/

Brambling

Thanks for the curry recipe Greenbee I also have a courgette glut 🙄

for those with glut I make this a a loaf cake and skip the icing, it freezes really well 🙂

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/carrot-courgette-orange-cakes

Primrose

"Reverse meal planning is exactly the way I've done things for ages Suffolk_Lass, so I'm delighted to find it now has recognition and its own thread! Also entirely identify with those mentioning hg produce gluts, and especially the courgette situation. We too have crazy numbers of them, and the plants must have a sense of humour as they are still producing flower after flower...it's never ending - we only have 4 plants!   "

I smiled at this comment, and although  not relevant to this thread  couldn,t help remembering young neighbours of ours with no growing experience who were thrilled to finally get their first allotment.  They  asked me " do you think 14 courgette plants will be enough?"
I decided you can,t beat personal experience so smiled and said I thought that number  would be more than adequate !!!    They gave up their allotment after the first season . Probably suffered from courgette poisoning ! 

Suffolk_lass

Welcome @EssexHebridean - lots of kindred spirits here. 

We call it courgetteageddon in this house. I managed to squeeze three more prepped bags in the meat chest freezer but now have this season's butternut squashes and yet more tromboncinos I will need to keep using. I still have a paper bread sack in my larder with a load of last Autumn's squashes in. Just tomatoes and raspberries to process and onions (already plaited) to bring indoors

My go-to cake recipe is a courgette and lime cake, which freezes well. I make it in a loaf tin with a liner, and also don't bother with the frosting (or make half, if I do). It was originally a Nigella recipe but I can't find it online. I have, naturally, changed it, as I do.

Courgette and feta fritters might be on the menu this week. We are off or another couple of days in our van before the weekend (when DH has another bike thing on) and I think a batch to snack over a beer with our friends might be nice.

Primrose

Butternut & similar winter squashes are very winter storage friendly arn't they?  

Our last couple  stored for  months in a cool garage.  I find the smaller ones are better asonce they're cut open the flesh is liable to deteriorate although tightly sealing all surfaces with clingfilm helps.