Food Prep Party

Rainy weekend afternoon? Get to work!

Fall is kicking in and that means more time indoors. And since you finished all your remodel projects last spring during the COVID-19 lockdown… We ask - What’s a culinary enthusiast to do? Make some food for later, of course.

Acquiring a small freezer several years back to use during our various tours around the Pacific Northwest in the car, it now plays a role in holding prepped food for up to 6 months in the living room. This specific freezer, made by EdgeStar is unique in that it will run on both 12-volt DC and 110-volt AC. When it ‘s not touring in the car, it lives in the living room, just across from the kitchen.

Cooking for one, cooking for two – those are all great ideas, but there are some things you just don’t make for one or two. Like chicken stock, cookies, or sausage patties. For that you need to make larger amounts, then portion them out and perhaps freeze them in that dedicated food prep freezer for later.

To that end, I pass on to you some ideas for what to prep this fall for your own personal pleasure, so you’re ready for the holidays with less hustle and bustle, or don’t want to cook during times of illness like a cold or the flu.

Basically, take a rainy weekend day and have fun in the kitchen. Plan it out while the rain pours in the morning, shop at lunchtime and get to work in the afternoon. I’m suggesting a lot of things here. Pick two or three and roll with them. Split duties if you’re a couple. Maybe someone makes the chicken stock while the other makes the Paleo pot cookies. You decide.

It goes without saying, but I’m going to say it – The more organic products you include in your cooking, the better for your health and the overall flavor of the food. You’re worth the extra costs.

Now, let's start with breakfast.

• Sausage Patties – If you’ve got a food processor and a knife, that’s about all you need to make your own sausage patties at home. But - I like to use a falafel stamper to portion them out and then freeze them until I’m ready to enjoy. You can simply place a few frozen patties in the fridge the day before and they’ll be ready for re-heating the next day. For larger patties to use in breakfast sandwiches, use a burger press with a slider option.
  
  We have a recipe!
  
  
• Maple Bacon – Do you get tired of cooking the bacon you need each time you want it? Cooked bacon holds well in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can condense your cooking and cleanup time a lot by cooking your bacon in batches. But you can take it one step further. Make Maple Bacon. For a typical ½ pound package of bacon, place two tablespoons of maple syrup in a ramekin and coat the bacon using a silicon brush before placing it into the pan. Coating one side is all you need to do. Be sure to cook the bacon at medium low heat, about 300-325 degrees to keep it from shriveling up during the cooking process. Then reheat the slices you want for 10 seconds in the microwave. This process is superior in flavor to cooking bacon from raw to cooked entirely in a microwave.
  

  Simple recipe! Need a little quickie lunch option? Toast two slices of bread, spread almond butter across them and add 2-4 slices of the maple bacon. When someone asks you – “what is that you’re eating?” you can watch their jaw drop when you tell them it’s a maple bacon almond butter sandwich.



• Pancakes – Most pancake recipes are designed to make 8 or more hot cakes. But what if you only want to eat one or two? Simple. Whip up the fixings for 8, cook them up and allow the ones you don’t want right then to cool. Then place them in a zipper lock bag and store them in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them for up six months. The next time you get the urge, thaw out a few and place them in the toaster for 1-2 minutes. Breakfast made simple. Enjoy them with a few slices of that maple bacon while you’re at it.

  We've got a recipe!

Check back next month as we explore a few lunch ideas and getting ready for the holidays.

Sussie Hammacher/October 2020