(Let me preface
this post by saying this is my third month doing OAMC so I am by no means an
expert!)
About a year ago I started recording Rachel
Ray's Week in a Day. I was fascinated by the idea of only cooking one day a
week. Fast forward a few months to my discovery of Pinterest. I stumbled upon a
pin claiming to have a plan for Once-A-Month-Cooking. Needless to say I was
intrigued! After checking out a few books from the library, talking to a few
friends who claimed to have 29 nights a month free from cooking, and doing
oodles of googling I gave it my best attempt.
I just finished my third month worth of meals
marathon and I think it was my most successful attempt yet.
Here is what I did...
Step 1
Make a Menu - This is the most important part of
the entire process. There are hundreds of great recipes out there but if you
fill your freezer with stuff you or your family do not really want to eat then
this won't work.
Step 2
Make a Grocery List - After I have my menu
created I go through each of my recipes and list the ingredients. Since I have
lots of duplicate items (lots of recipes I make call for onions for example) I
just use tally marks for the number of recipes that use that item.
Before you go to the store, check your pantry
and freezer! Don't buy canned corn if you have a bag of frozen corn in the
freezer and vice versa!
At the grocery store I can then estimate how
much of something I need. For example, this month I had twelve recipes that
called for ground beef. Since I use about three quarters of a pound of meat per
recipe I bought nine pounds of ground meat, five pounds of lean hamburger and
four pounds of turkey.
Step 3
The day before Cooking - Get your food prepped.
In our house, we eat quite a bit beans (they are cheap and healthy). So the
night before I cook I have to soak the beans. I also chopped bell peppers the
day before, just because I had an extra thirty minutes.
Step 4
Cooking Day- Now it is time to get down to the
nitty gritty. One cooking day I make a list of every meal I'm going to make. I
usually start with all the bean dishes. I cook all bean dishes (including
chili) thoroughly so that all I have to do is reheat them on the day we are
going to eat them. Then I start baking the chicken for the meals that require
cooked chicken. While the chicken is in the oven I prepare all the crock pot
meals. These are by far the easiest. I put all the ingredients for that meal in
a freezer bag. On cooking day I just have to dump the ingredients (including
raw meat) into the crock pot in the morning. After. I've finished that then it
is on to the last of the chicken dishes and any remaining
stragglers.
Step 5
Cool and Freeze- Hot food has to be cooled
before it goes in the freezer. It's also important to make sure you lay freezer
bags flat or else it might not all fit in your freezer.
Step 6
Make a List- I make a list of meals I'm going to
prepare before I start cooking. However, by the time I'm done cooking that list
is usually covered in splatters, written on, and basically a mess. So I make
another list. This way I can cross off meals as we eat them and Brandon has a
list of options to choose from for tomorrow night's dinner.
Step 7
Small Victory Party- This is a serious
undertaking and it is a lot of work. So, when you finish, celebrate. Have a
glass of wine, or a cup or hot tea, or my personal favorite a cranberry diet
coke, and RELAX. This is usually the point where I collapse on the couch, tell
Brandon my feet hurt and give him the exhausted wife look until he rubs my back.
Step 8
Clean Up- okay, maybe this should be step 7, but
let's face it, it's not. I do try my hardest to get back to the kitchen before
I go to bed though so I can face the day the next morning.
Now that you know my basic process, let me share
just a few of my ideas and recipes, to help get you started in your own OAMC
adventure!
Lasagna- This is one of the easiest make ahead
meals. Use any recipe you like, vegetable lasagna, five cheese, Italian
sausage, you name it. Prepare your lasagna just like you would any other
time. You can put it in a disposable pan or a regular glasses or metal
pan. Then, instead of popping it in the oven, cover it and pop it in the
freezer. When you are ready to eat it throw it in the oven. If you have the
lasagna in glass then do NOT preheat the oven.
Lasagna (This Makes 2 Lasagnas)
1 Box Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
2 Jars Pasta Sauce (Any Kind)
3/4 Pound Hamburger Meat
1/2 Cup Grated Carrots (I use this for two
reasons, cheap filler and hidden veggies!)
1/3 Cup Chopped Bell Pepper
1/4 Cup Onion
1 Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
2 Eggs
10 Ounces Low Fat Cottage Cheese
Pinch of Parsley
Pinch of Basil
2 Pounds Italian Cheese
* Boil noodles
* Sauté
meat and veggies together and then add sauce
* Add
cottage cheese, eggs, basil, and parsley to the food processor and blend until
smooth
* Layer
the sauce mixture, noodles, cottage cheese mixture, and Italian cheese
* Cool and
freeze
* Bake at 350 degrees for and hour or so
Texas Lasagna
(This Makes 2 Meals)
A South of the
Border Twist on an Old Favorite
10 Tortillas (Works
with Both Flour or Corn)
3/4 Pound Hamburger
Meat
1/2 Cup Grated
Carrots
1/3 Cup Chopped
Bell Pepper
1/4 Cup Onion
1 Can Rotel
I Small Can Green
Chiles
1 Chopped Pepper (Jalapeño
or Whatever You Have on Hand)
4 Cups Cooked Pinto
Beans
2 Pounds Cheese
(Cheddar, Mexican, Colby Jack, Whatever you Like/Have)
* Soak beans the night before, rinse beans, return to pot, cover with
water
* Layer meat, tortillas, beans, and
cheese
* Cool and freeze
* Bake at 350 degrees for and
hour or so. Simple and Delicious!
Chili (This Makes
2 Meals)
3/4 Pound Hamburger Meat
1/2 Cup Grated Carrots
1/3 Cup Chopped Bell Pepper
1/4 Cup Onion
2 Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Package Chili Seasoning
1/2 Pound Small Red Beans
1/2 Pound Kidney Beans
1/2 Pounds Black Beans
* Soak beans night before Rinse
beans, return to pot, cover with water
* Sauté meat and veggies
* Add meat mixture, tomatoes, and
seasoning to beans
* Cook all day
* When beans are tender, turn off
burner, and cool chili
* Pour chili into freezer bags
* When your ready to serve thaw and
heat in microwave
*Note: Beans thaw
better quickly in the microwave than over night in the refrigerator.
Red Beans and Jambalaya (My Own Random Mix Between Red Beans Rice and
Jambalaya) (This Also Makes Two Meals)
1/2 Cup Grated
Carrots
1/3 Cup Chopped Bell Pepper
1/4 Cup Onion
1/4 Cup Celery
1 Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Pound of Shrimp
1 Package Turkey
Sausage
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Pound Mix of
Small Red and Kidney Beans COOKED
2 Cups Stock (It
Doesn’t Matter What Kind)
2 Cups Water
Pinch of Cayenne
Pepper
Pinch of Paprika
Pinch of Black
Pepper
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Curry
Powder
Pinch of Onion
Powder
Pinch of Thyme
* Cook all the ingredients together for several hours
* Cook and cool
* Pour into freezer bags and freeze
flat
* Thaw in microwave
* You can eat it like this or serve
over rice
Pork Verde (This
Makes Two Meals)
3 Pound Pork
Tenderloin (Trimmed of Fat) RAW
2 Cans Chopped
Green Chiles
2 Cans Green Chile
Enchilada Sauce
Chopped Potatoes
* Peel potatoes and chop into cubes
* Cube pork tenderloin
* Mix all ingredients together in large bowl
* Pour half of mixture in each of two freezer bags
* Freeze flat
* The night before you are ready to eat put the bag
in the fridge to thaw slightly.
* In the morning dump the contents of the bag into
your slow cooker.
* Cook on low for about 8 hours.
* Serve mixture in tortillas or over brown rice.
Chicken Nuggets
with Mashed Potatoes
This is a family
favorite. Let’s face it, what child doesn’t love chicken nuggets. But as a mom
I don’t feel great about feeding them the preservative laden option you buy in
the freezer section of the grocery store.
Chicken Nuggets
4 Chicken Breasts
Handful of Whole
Wheat Bread Crumbs
Handful Grated
Parmesan Cheese
* Cube chicken breast.
* Toss bread crumbs, Parmesan, and chicken in a
large freezer bag until the chicken is thoroughly coated.
* Bake until the chicken is fully cooked.
* Cool completely and the put the cookie sheet in
freezer and flash freeze for about 30 minutes.
* Transfer the frozen chicken nuggets into a freezer
bag.
* On serving day just throw how many you want into
the microwave or reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes.
There really is no
secret to make ahead mashed potatoes. Use your regular mashed potato recipe,
cool, place in freezer bags and freeze flats. When you are ready to serve them
thaw them in the microwave and serve!
Vegetable Beef Stew (This Recipe Makes Two Meals)
1 Pound Hamburger
Meat
1 Cup Chopped Carrots
2 Cups Chopped
Potatoes
1/2 Head Cabbage
Chopped
1/2 Cup Onion
2 Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Cans Peas
1 Bag Frozen Corn
1 Bag Frozen Lima
Beans
Salt and Pepper to
Taste
* Brown hamburger meat
* Put all ingredients into a large stock pot, cover
with water, and cook for several hours.
* When the vegetables are tender, cool the stew, and
then put into freezer bags.
* Freeze flat.
* Thaw in microwave and serve with yummy cornbread.
Chicken Enchiladas and Beef
Enchiladas
Use any recipe you
like for this. Roll the enchiladas and freeze them in a freezer bag. When you
are ready to serve them pull them out of the freezer and place them in a baking
dish. Then put your favorite enchilada sauce over the frozen rolled enchiladas.
Black Bean Stew
1 Pound Hamburger
meat
1/2 Cup Grated
Carrots
1/2 Cup Chopped Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Onion
1/2 Cup Celery
1 Can Rotel
I Chopped Pepper
2 Pounds black
beans COOKED
I Box Stock
(whatever you prefer)
Salt and pepper to
taste
* Sauté meat and veggies together and transfer to
stock pot.
* Simmer, meat and veggies, and stock (along with
enough water to cover the beans by an inch or two) for a few hours.
* Cool and freeze flat.
* Thaw in microwave and serve over rice.
Breakfast Casserole
(This is a family
favorite in our house; we eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner around
here. Plus, it is super easy!)
10 Eggs
1 Cup Chopped Ham
1 Cup Grated Cheese
2 Cups Peeled Diced
Potatoes
* Beat all the eggs and pour into a baking dish.
* Mix in ham, potato, and grated cheese.
* Freeze.
* On serving day pop your dish into the oven and
bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
Wild Rice Meatloaf
I make my meatloaf
with wild rice instead of oatmeal or breadcrumbs but the recipe is not really
important. Any meatloaf can be made ahead and frozen. On serving day pull it
out of the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
Swiss Steak
1 pound cube steak
Two cans petite
diced tomatoes
Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped
onion
2 tablespoons olive
oil
* Dredge steak with flour and fry in oil with until
browned but not fully cooked.
* Cool the meat, and then add all ingredients to a
freezer bag
* In the morning dump the
contents of the bag into your slow cooker.
* Cook on low for about 8 hours.
* Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.
Chicken and Rice
(This Recipe Makes Two Meals)
1 Pound cooked,
shredded chicken
2 Pounds cooked
brown rice
2 cups grated
cheddar cheese
1 package frozen
corn
2 cans peas and
carrots
I box Imagine
Harvest Corn Soup (This is a fabulous alternative to the traditional cream of
chicken soup)
1 cup chicken stock
* Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
* Spread half the mixture into each of two baking dishes.
* Freeze.
* On serving day pop your dish into the oven and
bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
Tortilla Soap
(Makes Two Meals)
3/4 Cup Cooked
Chicken
1 can Rotel
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup corn (fresh
or frozen, whatever you have)
1 cup black beans
(cooked or canned)
1/2 cup diced bell
peppers
1/2 cup chopped
carrots
1/2 cup chopped
onions
2 cups stock
(chicken or vegetable or what you have on hand)
1 can green chile
1 can red enchilada
sauce
* Mix all ingredients together and dump into two
freezer bags.
* The night before you are ready to eat put the bag
in the fridge to thaw slightly.
* In the morning dump the contents of the bag into
your slow cooker.
* Cook on low for about 8 hours.
* Top with all the great things that go on tortilla
soup.
Quiche
Quiche freezes
fabulously, any kind. Prepare, bake, and freeze. When you are ready to serve
just pull it out of the oven and microwave. Couldn’t be easier.
Steak and Beans
1 pound thinly
sliced steak
2 pounds cooked
black beans
1 cup sliced bell
peppers
1 cup corn (fresh
or frozen)
1 jar salsa
* Mix all ingredients together and dump into a
freezer bag.
* The night before you are ready to
eat put the bag in the fridge to thaw slightly.
* In the morning dump the contents of the bag into
your slow cooker.
* Cook on low for about 8 hours.
Fiesta Spaghetti (This is a
healthier version of the velveeta-y chicken spaghetti that I loved as child)
1 can Rotel
1 cup Greek yogurt
8 ounces fat free cream cheese
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1 cup cooked black beans
1 cup cooked corn
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar,
mozzerella, colby jack are all great options, just use what you have)
* Mix all ingredients together and heat and simmer
until well blended.
* Thaw in the microwave on serving day and serve
over cooked spaghetti.
Other foods
that freeze exceptionally well:
Muffins and
Pancakes
Unfrosted
Cupcakes
Pot roast
with all the veggies chopped and put into a freezer bag.
Spaghetti
sauce
Taco meat
Almost any
kind of soup or stew
Breakfast
sandwiches and burritos
Stuffed Pastas (manicotti, raviolis,
etc...)
Marinated meat
Meatballs
Mac and Cheese
Sloppy Joe Mix
Marinated or Fried Chicken Wings
BBQ Chicken Legs
Homemade Burger Patties
Stir Frys
Fried Rice
Spanish Rice
Brownies and
Cookies
These are just a
few of my favorite recipes and ideas. Hope you enjoy them! Happy cooking!
