Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [5]
• Lemon zester (This tool is helpful for removing the colored part of citrus rind from the fruit without getting any of the white pith underneath. There are many versions of this tool that work well. The very small holes on a box grater will do in a pinch.)
• Cookie scoop (Use for both cookies and meatballs.)
• Pot holders, hot pads, and/or trivets
• Extra dish towels
• Countertop disinfectant
• Tape and permanent fine markers
PREP YOUR INGREDIENTS
Our recipes call for ingredients in a “ready-to-go” state. This means the ingredient list includes brief instructions for readying the items to be added to the dish. In the Teriyaki Chicken recipe, for example, the phrase “skin removed” is in the ingredient list, directly after the chicken thigh listing. Further down, the recipe calls for minced garlic and minced ginger. These recipe ready cues indicate that you should remove the skin and mince both the garlic and ginger before you begin making the recipe.
It can be helpful to make a list of preparation steps for each recipe on the back of the shopping list. One consolidated list helps to readily identify opportunities to combine tasks wherever possible. For instance, if two recipes call for chopped onion, combine the quantities and chop enough onion for both recipes at once. Having one sheet of paper with both shopping and prep lists is also convenient. It’s available for quick reference out at the store and then again back in the kitchen.
5. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
You’ve made it! You’ve planned, shopped, and chopped. You’re almost ready to begin with the first recipe you selected. Now is also the time to create labels for the food you will be preparing. After completing your preparation tasks, get out the number of freezer bags you’ll need and label them all before moving through each recipe. It’s much easier to label flat bags than filled ones. Labels for baking dishes can be affixed to or written directly on the wrap. Labeling your entrées is the only way to avoid “freezer surprise”—that dreaded freezer meal without a name or date to indicate how long it has been in there. There are different labeling options available to you; some are listed below.
• The appendix contains sample labels for your convenience. You can photocopy the labels you need and tape them to your freezer containers. Our labels are printed with baking instructions, times, and temperatures. For easy reference, we have also noted any additional ingredients that you’ll need to have on hand. Use permanent markers to write the date on the label or directly on the freezer bag.
• If you know you’ll be keeping all the meals for yourself, use a permanent marker to write the date, recipe name, and page number on the bag. This allows you to refer to the book for the cooking instructions.
• You can also go to the Fix, Freeze, Feast page at www.storey.com and mix and match the labels you need to make Avery label templates. Create your templates online, then print them on sheets of standard Avery labels. The online templates work with Avery labels (types 5163, 5263, 5923, 5963, 8163, 8253, 8463, and 8923), available wherever office supplies are sold.
With all your freezer bags labeled and your ingredients prepped and ready in the kitchen, you can put it all together. In preparing our recipes, we encourage you to experiment. If you want to use less liquor than what’s called for, do so. Add more garlic. Use more vegetables. Try to incorporate some of your family’s preferences into your preparation. While you do so, make notes so you can remember what you did in order to duplicate your successes.
Second Generation Recipes: You will notice that several recipes in this book are grouped together and marked with our Second Generation recipe stamp. These meals are intended to be eaten without being frozen first and are the offspring of a few of our favorite recipes.
For example, Dave’s Swamp Blues Barbeque Chicken is a typical tray pack