Freezer Cooking Day~Finale

WHEW!

I'm pooped!

Here's what I got accomplished...well~in the kitchen at least!

Waffles~enough for the month

Drop Biscuit Dough~3 meals worth

Garlic Knots~3 meals worth

Marinated Chicken(kabobs)- 2 meals worth

Sausage Calzones~2 meals worth + more?

Chicken Cordon Bleu~2 meals worth

Chicken Fingers ~ 2 meals worth (ate 1 tonight)

Layered Enchilada Bake~2 meals worth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meatballs did not get made, nor did the pancakes.  Both will get finished tomorrow!

It's been a long day & I still have this waiting for me...

But I can honestly say; It WAS worth it!!!

Freezer Cooking Day Update

The day started off wonderfully~a perfectly clean kitchen, and a happy 3 year old ready to help out mom in the kitchen!

Cooking began around 10:00ish, since I had a doctors appointment this morning.  I thought for SURE I'd be cleaning up by the time I went to pick up Kelsea at 3:00. 

The day started with me realizing I did not have the right amount of yeast for my garlic knots.  I proceeded anyway, it was too late to turn back, but we have to see if this little 'oversight' is going to result in the garlic knots visiting the garbage.  (they seemed to rise alright, so I'm thinking they'll be alright!)

I realized about 45 minutes into the day, that I had myself cutting chicken, while cooking waffles, I had to slow down a bit.  (or wash my hands 15 times, and take the chance of raw chicken germs~GROSS!) 

It was worth the wait though...these chicken fingers are yummy!

THEN, I realized I was missing an ingredient I needed for my chicken cordon bleu, so I couldn't assemble it as planned.

I finally DID get the cordon bleu finished...

And realized that I have 0 saran wrap to cover it up with!  It's hanging out in the fridge till I can make it to the store.  It looks to wonderful to have it get icicles from the freezer.

I will post pictures of the final product later this evening when I get the calzones done. I'm skipping out on the meatballs until tomorrow, I'm going to quit while I'm still a little bit ahead! And YES, I will include a picture of 'my mess.'  Just because...

And let this be a lesson learned, even a well planned out day, can still make for a bumpy ride! :)

Waffles n Chicken...DO NOT mix!!!

So, I am thinking of the quote I posted in my last blog.  'Think Smarter, not Harder.'  Well, I am not too prideful to admit, that I fell short.  This occurred to me, just as I was cutting my 1st chicken breast, and I heard the beep from the waffle maker.  Um...cutting chicken.  Need to get out waffle.  MUST wash hands thoroughly.  Thus began my every 2 minute cycle.  Cut chicken, hear the 'beep,' wash hands, empty, and refill waffle maker, then back to the chicken.

Needless to say; this lasted about 3 times, before I just had to laugh at the predicament I got myself into.  WHAT was I thinking?  NOT a good game plan.  I assure you this won't happen again!

Here's what's been done:
1) Prepare dough for garlic knots
2)Prepare dough for drop biscuits - FREEZE
3) Prepare waffle mix, and start using waffle iron
4) Cut chicken/ 4 breasts for kabobs/3 breasts for chicken fingers
5) Marinate chicken for kabobs -FREEZE

Up next: (still continuing to finish waffles)
6) Prepare flour-bread mix
7) Fry chicken fingers

We're going to break after I finish up the chicken fingers and enjoy some lunch.  And I'll post some pictures!

March Freezer Cooking Day Plan

Here is a photo of the groceries I picked up from Albertsons.  My total spent was $47.44, and that included the rest of my regular groceries and the list of items I needed for my Freezer Cooking Day.  SO, my total for the week, is right at $70, $10 under budget!

Here's my game plan for my Freezer Cooking Day today.  ('work smarter, not harder'; plan out your cooking day, it saves alot of time and energy the day of!)

1. Make dough for garlic biscuits - let rise
2. Make dough for drop biscuits, roll out, FREEZE
3. Make waffle mix, start waffles (I will continue to make waffles while working on the next steps, since I have to make them one at a time)
4. Cut 3 chicken breasts into cubes (kabobs)
5. Cut 3 chicken breasts into strips (chicken tenders)
6. Marinate chicken cubes, FREEZE
7. Prepare flour-bread mix -chicken tenders
8. Dip chicken tenders, and fry
9. Slice carrots
10.  Assemble Chicken Cordon Bleu
11. Form garlic knots- let rise
12. Chop 1 1/2 onions
13. Shred 3 cups chedder
14. Drain/Rinse Black Beans
15. Brown 1.5 pounds ground beef and onions
16. Assemble Enchilada Bake, FREEZE
17. Assemble Meatballs, FREEZE
18. Brown Sausage
19. Assemble Calzones
20. Make pancakes

Clean, and REST!  Whew!  It. Is. Worth. It.  It. Is. Worth. It!  ;)

I will post pictures and updates throughout the day.  Twitter will be updated more frequently than the blog, so make sure you click the link to the right to follow me on twitter!

March Freezer Cooking Day~Monday

I'll be once again, joining MoneySavingMom, and LifeAsMom, for a freezer cooking day!  It has saved me this month!  I am working part time at Kelseas Elementary School, and the 2 or 3 days that I work a week, I am able to pull something out of the freezer, and be free to spend time with my kiddos, while our home cooked goodness is in the oven.  PLUS~the clean-up is miniscule! 

JOIN ME!!!  I promise, for the work you put into planning, and cooking, you will be rewarded ALL month!

Here's my plan:

(trying out some new recipes this time around, so we'll have to see how they thaw, and cook out!  PLUS, I still have some freezer meals left from the January freezer day, so we will be WELL stocked up after this!)

pancakes doubled (using up a mix, will try made from scratch next time)

waffles doubled

Chicken Cordon Bleu x 2 meals worth

Calzones x 2 (recipe coming in a seperate post)

Marinated Chicken x 2 meals worth~cut for kabobs

Layered Enchilada Bake x 1.5 (enough for 2 meals)

Meatballs (1 recipe =app 48 or so=enough for 3 spagetti dinners, & meatball subs x 2!)

Chicken Fingers ALOT!!!

Garlic Knots doubled

Drop Biscuits doubled (garlic knots work great frozen, so I'm going to try out the biscuits)

*my crew eats bread like its going out of style*

By Sunday, I will add my 'to-do' list, including the order in which I will handle all the cooking/baking.  Make sure to check back on Monday, as I will be posting updates, (and adorable pictures of my 'little-man' helper!), during the day!

Freezer Cooking Day~The Finale

WOW!  I'm pooped!  I managed to get everything except the corn dog muffins crossed off the list, and I ended up making home made french fries for dinner tonight.  So here's the final:

10 Whole Wheat Waffles (-2 that we ate for lunch)
20 Garlic Knots
2 Loaves Banana Bread
Ground Turkey (enough for 3 Spaghetti Dinners)
20 Chimichangas (2 dinners, and 1 lunch)
Chicken Tettrazini x 3 dinners worth
Chicken Ziti x 2 dinners worth
Marinated Chicken Breasts
Chuck Roast x 3 dinners worth (1 will be BBQ sandwiches for tonight)*this did not make it into the picture...oops!

Freezer Cooking Update

Well we are making progress, a tad slower than I had hoped, but progress none the less. 

So far, we have:
-chuck roast cooking in slow cooker
-garlic knots rising
-10 whole wheat waffles (minus 2 that we ate for lunch!)
-2 loaves banana bread in the oven
-ground turkey cooked
-ground beef cooked

Next up:
-re-group kitchen for 2nd half
-'knot' the garlic bread and cook
-cut veggies/shred cheese
-assemble Chimichangas

So far...mushing the bananas wins the award for the most exciting part of Bradys day!  The only casualities are 1 banana, and 2 waffles...we're doing good...

And We're Off

Freezer cooking day has officially begun!  Here is the 'before' picture of my kitchen.  Stay tuned as the day progresses for cooking updates, and a couple of photo ops, just for fun!

First up:

Crockpot Beef

*My regular Meal Plan Monday post, as well as all the deals you are used to seeing throughout the day, are being put on the 'back burner' during todays festivities!  I will update with the deals, and what we're eating this week, this evening, so make sure to check back!

Feb. Freezer Cook Day Game Plan

You check out my post HERE for a list of the recipes I'll be using.  Here is what I 'think' my day is going to look like.

The best Freezer Days are well-planned out!  I made my recipe list, made my master ingredient list, did my shopping, and now I have my recipes pulled, and ready to go, along with the sequence that I'm going to follow to try to maximize my time.

Bradys motto for the day:  'Can we do it?'  'YES WE CAN!!!' 

Sunday: chicken thighs already going in the slow cooker

Monday:
- chuck roast in slow cooker
- make dough for garlic knots (leave to rise)
- make batter and start cooking whole wheat waffles
- prepare and cook banana bread x 2 - then freeze
- brown ground beef
- brown ground turkey - then freeze

- Stop for picnic lunch outside, and some time to play

- Chop veggies, onion/green pepper/celery/carrots
- Shred Chedder cheese blocks
- Assemble Chimichangas -then freeze
- Knot up the Garlic Knot Dough, bake- then freeze
- Marinate Chicken Breasts -then freeze
- Shred cooked chicken from Sunday
- Assemble Chicken Ziti -then freeze
- Assemble Chicken Tettrazini -then freeze
- Assemble Corn Dog Muffins- cook- then freeze

-Clean up, and RELAX, hopefully my month of cooking will be drastically cut down by the effort I'm putting in!  I will post pictures at the very least, a before and after, so make sure to check back for those!

Freezer Cooking Day

I am participating in a freezer cooking day!  I will be joining Money Saving Mom, and Life As Mom, as well as many other bloggers!  I'd love to have you join in too!

A freezer cooking day, is just what it sounds like.  A day devoted to cooking things that will stock up your freezer!  It requires some extra planning to make sure you have your recipes, groceries, and 'to-do' list in order, but it is WELL worth the effort!

I will be doing my cooking on Monday, but plan a day that is convenient for you, and stock yourself up for the month of February!  I am aiming to have some quick grab meals, and breads made, to help out with those nights, when I just can't pull something else together.  (did I mention that I am working as a part-time teacher at Kelseas Elem. School?)

Here's what I will aim for:

Slow Cooker Chuck Roast-3 meals worth

Ground Turkey (cooked ahead for spaghetti sauce/pizza topping)

Chimichangas- 2 meals worth

Chicken Tettrazini -3 meals worth

Chicken Ziti- 3 meals worth

Marinated Chicken Breasts

24 Corn Dog Muffins
Garlic Knots Doubled

Whole Wheat Waffles Doubled

Banana Bread x 2

YES, Brady will still be home; there will be some play-doh, some V-tech, some coloring, some napping, and some helping keeping him busy!  Yes, all of the groceries for this day are coming out of our regular grocery budget.  Yes, I will post pictures, and update my progress as I go.  Hopefully the final picture will be one that I can be proud to share!

Check back to see my progress!  I plan on posting a breakdown of what my freezer cooking day will look like on Sunday afternoon!