Batch cooking

September is usually batch cook month here at Gravy Grange.

Due to the weather and commitments it was delayed this year and I have just finished.

In one freezer drawer I have multiple single and double portions of the following

Chilli-con-carne
Lasagne
Ragout
Chicken curry
Coq-au-vin
Cottage Pie
Mash potatoes
Sausage rolls

I find in the dark cold days of winter when I just cannot be bothered it is good to have a home cooked ready meal. Not a fan of shops ready meals other than Cook.

I’m the laziest cook ever, I can’t stand it, so I have a tall freezer in my garage, I batch cook everything I can.

I make what GrannyGravy13 makes too, I think chilli and curry always taste better after they have been frozen for some reason.

I also make fish pie, using the frozen fish pie mix from M&S
Lamb curry, which is my favourite
Biryani
Dhal
Casseroles of various kinds
Soup - whatever I make in the soup maker I always make enough to freeze extra portions
Fajita mix
Rhubarb and apple crumble
Oat breakfast bars for when I’m out first thing
Gluten free bread - I don’t eat a lot of bread, so I use the breadmaker, slice and freeze for future use
I also double cook rice, and freeze half, it tastes fine if you microwave it.

Bolognaise sauce is the only thing I batch cook, I can eat it with any kind of pasta, rice or baked potato.

I do a basic beef mince, but with red lentils and a lot of finely chopped onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, etc.
It then turns into
a) bolognaise (lots of tomato purée and Italian herbs added,

b) chilli, tomato purée, plenty of chilli powder and paprika, a tin of kidney beans,

c) shepherds pie, probably just a beef stock cube and a tin of (drained) baked beans added before the mash.

Most of what GG does.

Not pasta as gf pasta doesn't freeze well but the sauces do. As well as the basic Italian type sauce, I make a sausage meat pasta sauce.

I make sausage, red onion and balsamic casserole, a creamy chicken casserole, butter chicken and paprika chicken.

I freeze everything in small portions and just use more packs if I am catering for more than just DH and I.

Have you tried gluten free pasta cooked for only two minutes for freezing macaroni cheese kittylester, that’s worked well for me, as long as I pour cold water over the pasta before I put the cold cheese sauce over it. The pasta then seems to finish cooking when I reheat the macaroni cheese, it’s really good and doesn’t go mushy that way. For every other pasta dish I do as you do, but somehow macaroni cheese with the pasta added to the sauce immediately before you reheat it doesn’t taste as good.

Most of the aforementioned, plus macaroni cheese is successful too. I'm afraid I use tubs of cheese sauce (from Waitrose!), and also add fried onions and pancetta.

It’s a great way to prepare for cold days when you want a warming meal (which takes a bit longer prepare than a summer salad).
I do what Witzend does 😊