Vacation!

So we're going to be taking a week's vacation at our family house, and there's a full kitchen!  Hooray!!!  I can cook!!

Wait a minute...hooray?  Cooking?  It's vacation - why on EARTH would I want to cook?

But, if you know what I know, that's not really a bad thing - and we can save a lot of money by eating in most nights.  But do I really want to cook?  Yes - and no.  Cooking, I don't mind, because when you know how to freezer cook, then it's just a matter of planning and organizing our meals ahead of time, freezing them before we leave, and then transporting them pre-frozen via the cooler.

Who wants to cook when all you have to do is reheat?  NOW we're talking!  Of course, we'll be picking up fresh fish, steaks, corn on the cob, and other foods while we're there to prepare - but with me I'll be bringing @ 5-6 meals of "basics" - baked chicken, chicken wings, grilled chicken, brown rice, spaghetti sauce, meatballs, chicken tenders, pork tenderloin, pulled pork, sloppy joes, meatloaf, casserole bases, soup, even stuff like cookie dough that I can pop out of the freezer and onto a cookie sheet when we feel like having cookies midweek.

I'd much rather stay an extra hour at the beach than have to get home to cook dinner.  Wouldn't you?

Quick dinner

It's summer, and I really don't like cooking in the summer...meaning, the grill rules!  We spent the day at the Hartford County 4-H Fair, so by the time I got home, I realized I hadn't pulled anything out of the freezer for dinner.

Glen stopped on the way home and grabbed some ears of corn at a roadside stand.  I pulled a few boneless skinless chicken breasts out of the freezer and thawed them gently in the microwave.  All I have to do is season them (which tonight will be Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ Sauce) and grill them over indirect heat for @ 15 minutes.  Then I'll make a salad.  Got any better summer meals on the run?

How to make yummy roast chicken & potatoes in the same pan

This is what we're having for dinner tonight!  Let me know if you try it and how it comes out!

1 whole chicken (4 pounds)
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
5 medium potatoes, washed and diced, peel if desired

extra virgin olive oil
garlic powder
black pepper
salt

Preheat oven to 450.  Place chicken in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Brush chicken with olive oil on both sides. Mix the salt, pepper, oregano, basil, paprika and cayenne together and rub all over chicken.  Roast the chicken for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temp to 400, continue roasting for another 20 minutes.  Remove chicken from oven, place diced potatoes around chicken, drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Continue to cook another 40 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180. Let sit for 15 minutes before carving.

Cream of Everything Soup

Dinner was so great last night - steak, baked potatoes, grilled zucchini, corn on the cob.  As is frequently the case in my house, there were a few miscellaneous leftovers.  1 cooked ear of corn, 1/2 piece of grilled zucchini and 2 baked potatoes.  My first thought - chowder!

First I slowly sautéed 1/4 cup of finely diced onion in 2 tbsp. of butter so it wouldn't brown.  Then I added 1/4 cup of flour, cooked that for @ 30 seconds, and then added 1-1/2 cups of chicken broth, 2 cups of milk, and salt, pepper, celery seed and paprika to taste.  I heated this until it became bubbly and thicker, then I added @ a cup of diced American Cheese (including a slice of white cheddar I had leftover), the kernels from the ear of corn, the zucchini I chopped, and the 2 baked potatoes I peeled and diced.  I let it sit on low heat for @ 10 minutes so it got heated through.

The result?  Delish!!!!  Granted, it could have used more corn, and next time I may throw in some bacon, and even more cheddar for a sharper cheese flavor - but it was really, really good!  What a great way to use leftover veggies!

Seriously, if you make the base of the soup with the cheese, you could add almost any vegetable.  Adjust the quantities to your own family's taste.  I'm going to try freezing some tonight and see how it comes out.

Happy cooking!!