Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [3]
We find it helpful to divide shopping lists further according to food type: meat, dairy, vegetables, seasonings, dry goods, canned goods, and so on. Keep in mind that some warehouse stores get thousands of shoppers on a weekend day. If this is the only time you can shop at the warehouse, we recommend that you divide your list according to food type so that you can move more efficiently through the crowded aisles.
Don’t forget to keep those shopping lists even after you’ve finished all your shopping. They will be useful as you gather everything for your cooking session.
2. SELECTING INGREDIENTS
Our recipe ingredients usually begin with the tray pack meat or other warehouse product. We have found that the various warehouse clubs across the country sell their meat in similar size packages. In our recipes we give a weight approximation in case package sizes vary or you decide to buy your meat elsewhere. Try to begin with total weights close to the amount called for in the recipe, but don’t worry if you’re bit over or under. The recipes are flexible enough to accommodate small differences.
All other ingredients can be found at the warehouse or the supermarket. Buy ingredients at the warehouse only if you can use the entire amount before the expiration date; otherwise, buy smaller packages at the grocery store. There is no sense in buying more of an ingredient than you will use. It isn’t a bargain if it’s wasted!
Both warehouse clubs and grocery stores offer ingredients in various states of preparation to make things easier on the cook. You can buy shredded cheese instead of bricks of cheese, peeled garlic cloves instead of whole heads of garlic, and chopped onion instead of whole onions. Before you choose an item, you’ll want to consider the quantity you need, the preparation time you’ll save, and how much more you’ll pay for the convenience. Choose what will work best for you and your budget without compromising quality.
If an ingredient sounds unfamiliar and you are unsure if your local grocer carries it, call ahead and save yourself the trouble of running from store to store. Ask a service clerk to help you locate an item; it may be in an unexpected area. Occasionally one of our recipes calls for a specialty ingredient. When that is the case, we will let you know in the recipe directions how you can obtain it or what you can substitute.
Some common ingredients are available in several forms. We have chosen to list them one way throughout the book. Following is a list of common items with our preferred form and possible substitutions.
CHICKEN OR BEEF BOUILLON GRANULES: There are several ways to buy bouillon; we prefer bouillon without monosodium glutamate (MSG). Our recipes call for 1 teaspoon of bouillon granules to equal 1 cup of reconstituted broth. Some bouillon cubes and base are more or less concentrated, so read labels carefully to determine the correct amount to use depending on the form you’ve selected.
GARLIC: We prefer the freshness and flavor of mincing fresh garlic cloves. Use a chopper, food processor, knife, or garlic press. Bottled minced garlic is an acceptable substitute and is easy to measure out in large quantities.
GINGER: Peel and chop fresh gingerroot before mincing it in a food processor or mini chopper. It’s well worth the effort of using fresh ginger for the superior flavor it imparts to the recipes.
ONION: In our recipes, “onion” refers to fresh onion, peeled and chopped, or minced in a food processor or mini chopper. If the recipe requires any other form—dried onion flakes, for example—the recipe will so indicate. Our recipes call for fresh onion to be chopped, diced, or minced. Chop and dice onion with a knife or food processor. Chopped pieces are roughly double the size of diced. Mincing is best done in a food processor, as it cuts the onion very fine, just short of a purée.
BREADCRUMBS: Our recipes using breadcrumbs all call for dry bread crumbs.