Tuesday 20 November 2012

I was supposed to be emptying the freezer......

 
I was supposed to be emptying the freezer but I've just about given up.   I seem to be filling it more and more every day, in fact the large chest freezer is virtually full to the top.  In my mission to use up everything that is fresh and tasty whilst it still is fresh and tasty I am freezing all sorts of things.  The other day I made up these handy 'stew packs' whilst I was making a Lamb Stew for Lovely Hubby's tea.
 
 
I was chopping up carrots and onions and I suddenly thought why don't I just use up all the carrots and potatoes and half of the onions that I had in store while I already had my knife and chopping board at the ready.  After all it's just as easy to keep chopping while you are in the mood and if it saves time and washing up at a later date when perhaps you might not be in the mood why not just carry on with the job in hand!!
 
 
 
So ten minutes later I had enough veggies chopped for the Lamb Stew and enough extra chopped to make up five tubs of Stew Mix.  Simply popped in the freezer after labelling they are all sat ready for action to be turned into whatever takes our fancy.  Of course they are labelled Stew Mix, but they can also be thawed, whizzed briefly in the food processor to chop them a bit more finely and then quickly cooked into a tasty soup.  There is a myriad of uses for a tub of basically prepared potato, onion, celery and carrot. 
 
What would you turn one into? 
 
If you leave a comment with a really inspiring idea I'll give it a go, write a post about it and send you a little something just to say thank you!!


 
Of course the Lamb Stew also produced three good sized portions so two of them went into the freezer once they had cooled down.  There's really not a lot of space in there and in lots of ways I am very relieved.  Next years main Challenge and yes, I am giving that a capital 'C', is going to need every bit of food we have in store.
 
I almost can't wait to begin, but in the meantime I am making good use of everything we have in stock, and carefully building some supplies of basic necessities  I also have an Approved Food order about to arrive so that will bulk out the supplies a little bit more (and I might have accidentally ordered a few chocolatey bits for Christmas....big happy grin lights up my face!!).
 
Sue xx

21 comments:

  1. I have chopped onions, potatoes and carrots in individual bags in the freezer - good idea to have them all together in stew-size portions though! The diced potatoes I add to stews, or microwave for a few mins then saute them in oil/butter, or toss in oil and herbs and roast from frozen, or even just boil for mash when I'm pushed for time.

    When I make pastry I always make at least double the quantity required, then bag up and freeze the extra. Pastry trimmings left over from making a pie/quiche/whatever are also bagged up and frozen, extra trimmings from the next pie making sessions added to the bag, until I have enough to squish together and roll out for another pie. Nothing gets wasted, if there's a small bit left when the defrosted trimmings are used, then I'll make a couple of jam or mince tarts or a mini quiche for husband's packed lunch.

    I like the no-nonsense comment for spammers! (and quite right too!)

    Sooze xx

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  2. Oh yes, you wanted another idea for the mixed stewpack veg.....steam or microwave for a few mins, fold in cheese sauce & herbs and put in a pie, or make pasties. Or drizzle with honey and grainy mustard, or olive oil and smoked paprika, and roast.

    Sooze xx

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  3. Love the idea of the stew mix. It's just so simple.

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  4. Do you blanch your vegetables before you freeze them?

    Great idea of making the stew packets.

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  5. I think I would add a bit of mince and make a nice pie ... Hubby P loves a nice pie.
    Good idea .. the chopping .. all nice and ready for a qick healthy meal.

    Vicky x

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  6. Oh that just says curry, I would use two packs made into a Rogan Josh style with tomato, then eat half with rice and home made flat bread. The other half I would blitz slightly in the processor and turn into pasties.

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  7. That is such a simple but brilliant idea! No inspiring ideas, I would also use them for stew.

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  8. My goodness, you have been industrious. Those pre-prepared veggies might also make a great portion of veg curry that could be easily made in little time. Just prepare a quick curry sauce, tossing the veggies into it(frozen or defrosted), then cook until the veg is tender. Might only take 25 mins, depending on how chunky the veg is. That`s plenty of time also for making your rice. Dinner in half an hour!

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  9. Do potatoes freeze OK?

    Sounds like a good idea, one of my favourites is lamb stew in the slow cooker, so if I ever make any room in my frezer I'll give this one a try.

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  10. I would add a creamy sauce and a pastry pie top or turn them into pasties!

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  11. I would make veggie curry, or a beef bourguignon.....I really need a chest freezer!

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  12. I roll up bits of leftover pastry into balls, bag them up and freeze and then have instant "dumplings" for winter stews

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  13. I would add a cheese sauce and top with a savoury crumble topping (crubmle mix without sugar, with added herbs and bit of cheese).

    Donna

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  14. I would add vegetable stock, a handful of red lentils, whatever beans I had to hand or perhaps pearl barley, a dollop of tomato ketchup, a spoonful of horseradish, maybe a tin or just half a tin of chopped tomatoes, simmer until smelling gorgeous and then a nice big vegetable suet dumpling on top mmmm..... xxx

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  15. I do a similar thing but add a chilli to my bags. They get whizzed up & added to the base of a lasagna or chilli.

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  16. I'd roast them with a little garlic and rosemary, add some leftover meat from a Sunday roast with a bot of gravy, put in a pie dish and top with Approved Foods suet pastry mix because I've got a ton of it!

    This is basically what we had last night, lol.

    Clare x

    www.imperfectdomesticity.blogspot.co.uk

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  17. I didn't know you could freeze potatoes! Do you blanch them first? I would use the packages in veg soup, beef stew or a stir fry of some sort.

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  18. I'd add some apple, mustard, herbs and diced pork with a splosh of cider !

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  19. Hello Sue, how do you freeze the potatoes? I didnt know you could freeze whole pieces of potato, do you blanche them first? In fact did you blanch any of the veg, and could you add other veg with them like celery or leeks or turnips etc? Love your blog, by the way!! Regards, Lynda xx

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  20. I'll eat the results-does that help? :)

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