Prepping the freezer

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Cindylouwho

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Thanks Minta! I just copied that into my Paprika App. Started a whole new category for Marinades. Should have done this forever ago. This will be so handy! And I added that suggestion about the marinade ice cubes too cuz that is downright brilliant. I've been meaning to order 1/2 cup ice cube trays (or 1 cup if I can find them) -- had planned to use them for bone broth. I could use that for marinades too for larger batches of meat.
 
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Minta

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Thanks Minta! I just copied that into my Paprika App. Started a whole new category for Marinades. Should have done this forever ago. This will be so handy! And I added that suggestion about the marinade ice cubes too cuz that is downright brilliant. I've been meaning to order 1/2 cup ice cube trays (or 1 cup if I can find them) -- had planned to use them for bone broth. I could use that for marinades too for larger batches of meat.

You're welcome. I just use 2 regular ice cube trays to freeze broth and marinades in.
 

luludou

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I think it's time to start stocking... ham is on sale this week. I'll buy 2 - one for next weekend (our Canadian Thanksgiving) and one to cook and freeze (cubes + small pieces for Christmas sandwiches).
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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I need to find turkey breasts, I buy one for Christmas and one to put away for early in the new year.
Need to stock up on ice creams etc. Not sure if DH and I will just go and do a big freezer shop or if it is easier if I just pick things up.
 
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luludou

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Bought 2 hams last week. will cook one next weekend for Thanksgiving and cook the other one in a few weeks (expiration date is in december) and will cut it up to put in the freezer for Hams Sandwiches for NY's eve buffet.

Made 1 big and 1 medium lasagna also in the freezer. The big one will be for Thanksgiving.
 
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Minta

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I have a double batch of taco meat in the freezer and a since batch of homemade spaghetti sauce in the freezer.
 

Minta

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I need to find turkey breasts, I buy one for Christmas and one to put away for early in the new year.
Need to stock up on ice creams etc. Not sure if DH and I will just go and do a big freezer shop or if it is easier if I just pick things up.
I find it cheaper to pick up the items when they are sale and now things will go on sale more frequent for the holidays.
 

AuntJamelle

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Finally got started on the freezers this weekend! Emptied 3 of the 4 of anything that needed to be tossed but still need to check the chest freezer!

Also made 2 batches of cookie dough, shaped and flash froze. Will bag them up tonight. Going to wait for a day DH is working on a Saturday and bake them then - then freeze baked ones. It's hard for him to smell the baking cookies on his diet!
 
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Minta

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I picked up a bunch of red peppers that were pretty cheap and I need to chop them and then get them into the freezer this week.
 

Minta

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Finally got started on the freezers this weekend! Emptied 3 of the 4 of anything that needed to be tossed but still need to check the chest freezer!

Also made 2 batches of cookie dough, shaped and flash froze. Will bag them up tonight. Going to wait for a day DH is working on a Saturday and bake them then - then freeze baked ones. It's hard for him to smell the baking cookies on his diet!

Great job, I would love to be able to make and freeze cookie dough but I never have enough space in my freezers for that. Besides if I had the room in the freezer for that I don't think they would be in there long once the kids found out about them lol.
 

AuntJamelle

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Ah yes, that is the trick isn't it? Luckily, DS is still oblivious and other than an occasional treat he isn't really into sweets. He's not a big eater :( We keep trying to get some more weight on him but he's a bean pole.

If you had the room by some chance and could make the dough up when they were asleep or not around, you could put them in a box and label it as something they don't like. CEO's classic suggestion was Liver and Onions - LOL!
 

Minta

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Ah yes, that is the trick isn't it? Luckily, DS is still oblivious and other than an occasional treat he isn't really into sweets. He's not a big eater :( We keep trying to get some more weight on him but he's a bean pole.

If you had the room by some chance and could make the dough up when they were asleep or not around, you could put them in a box and label it as something they don't like. CEO's classic suggestion was Liver and Onions - LOL!


MY DS is the same way .. bean pole (tall and skinny). I started stocking up on snacks that he like such as yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese sticks and hard boiled eggs oh and loves anything peanut butter so I always have several jars on hand. He is slowly filling out a little.

Well the liver trick wont work as the kids know that my DH and I hate Liver LOL. With 5 of us in the house plus the kids friends or an in-law popping over for dinner a couple times a week I try to keep the freezers stocked up with as much meats as possible.

Our house has somehow been designated as the hang out house by my kids and their friends.
 
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Cindylouwho

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You're welcome. I just use 2 regular ice cube trays to freeze broth and marinades in.

Okay here a question I'm going to throw out: I have been struggling with frozen chicken lately because I don't have batches currently frozen IN marinade which I prefer. I've been thawing and then cooking in the marinade (I really want to try this method of THAWING in the marinade that you describe). For some reason chicken seems to hold a LOT of water and when thawing then all that water dilutes the marinade I'm cooking it in. It just dumps buckets of water. Where is it all coming from? Am I cooking it on too low a temperature? What is the deal? This doesn't happen with beef.
 

Ahorsesoul

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For some reason chicken seems to hold a LOT of water and when thawing then all that water dilutes the marinade I'm cooking it in. It just dumps buckets of water. Where is it all coming from? Am I cooking it on too low a temperature? What is the deal? This doesn't happen with beef.
A lot of brands of chicken are now injected with water to increase the weight. I've seen labels that say 23 to 24% water or broth injected. Around our area (WI) even the beef is having extra water added. I now am trying to buy uninjected meats. I read that even live animals are injected with something that causes their tissue to absorb water. ICK
 

Minta

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Okay here a question I'm going to throw out: I have been struggling with frozen chicken lately because I don't have batches currently frozen IN marinade which I prefer. I've been thawing and then cooking in the marinade (I really want to try this method of THAWING in the marinade that you describe). For some reason chicken seems to hold a LOT of water and when thawing then all that water dilutes the marinade I'm cooking it in. It just dumps buckets of water. Where is it all coming from? Am I cooking it on too low a temperature? What is the deal? This doesn't happen with beef.


I agree that most chicken is injected with water or broth. Try increasing the amount of everything in the marinade except for the broth. You can also poke fine holes into the chicken so the marinade will get into the chicken. Another option is mix corn starch with the marinade to made it thicker.
 

AuntJamelle

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Cleaned out the last of the freezers last night, the chest freezer in the utility room in the basement. It's about half full now - plenty of room for make ahead appetizers and cookies!!! :)
 
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tanya

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MinnieCo

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So my kitchen freezer is full of miscellaneous veges and such. My friend had a good crop of squash so I have a nice supply of frozen peppers and squash of all sorts. I also buy veges and fruit from a local co-op every week or two and when I can't eat all the fruit and veges I freeze them. It gives me the opportunity to put together fruit bowls real quick...or make fruit crisp or other desserts with fruits too. This is going to help on the budget for sure come December and January when I'm low on funds. It also toss my ripe bananas and shredded zucchini in their so I can always whip up a loaf of sweet bread when I need to take a snack somewhere. That part I really love! It comes in super handy at church activities where I need to supply a group of 20 with snacks. This gives them something sweet and something not sweet for those who don't want carbs or gluten.
 
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luludou

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Cindylouwho

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A lot of brands of chicken are now injected with water to increase the weight. I've seen labels that say 23 to 24% water or broth injected. Around our area (WI) even the beef is having extra water added. I now am trying to buy uninjected meats. I read that even live animals are injected with something that causes their tissue to absorb water. ICK

Are you KIDDING me? ICK is right! So it IS a conspiracy! Alright -- well that explains everything! I'm going to search the labels for that. I've gone organic grassfed with my beef but not with poultry yet. That was just the push I needed to make the jump.