Why Do You Need This Cookbook, Becky?

[chefann]

Becky, I picked up the cookbook that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Fix Freeze Feast. You absolutely need this book! Just reading through it, the authors seem to have some of the same food opinions as you regarding processed food (although they do use some in these recipes). The recipes all sound delicious, and they mostly use ingredients from your favorite store, Costco!A lot of the recipes use the multiple-bag system that the PC chicken power cooking recipes do. But most of them don't actually have a starch bagged with them (but how hard is it to throw some rice or noodles on to cook?). And some of the recipes use the warehouse size packages of fresh produce, which you'd have home-grown from your garden!Chapters:
Chicken main dishes
Beef main dishes
Pork main dishes
Meatless mains, sides, and soups
Sauces, marinades, and flavored butters
Breakfast, snacks and sweetsSample recipes:
Cherry Skillet Chicken
Pecan-crusted Chicken Strips
Sweet Chicken Tostada Filling
Mozzarella Meatballs
4 Bs Flank Steak (Black Butte Porter, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, black pepper)
Margarita Pork Chops
Firehouse Pork Skewers
Maple Portobello Mushrooms
Wild Rice and Nut Bake (this one sounds really good, and I'm not a huge fan of wild rice)
Chipotle Roasted-Tomato Sauce
Chili-Lime Butter
PB&J Breakfast Cookies
Beach Day Snack Mix
Lemon-Lavender Butter Cookies

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky, I picked up the cookbook that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Fix Freeze Feast. You absolutely need this book!

Just reading through it, the authors seem to have some of the same food opinions as you regarding processed food (although they do use some in these recipes). The recipes all sound delicious, and they mostly use ingredients from your favorite store, Costco!

A lot of the recipes use the multiple-bag system that the PC chicken power cooking recipes do. But most of them don't actually have a starch bagged with them (but how hard is it to throw some rice or noodles on to cook?). And some of the recipes use the warehouse size packages of fresh produce, which you'd have home-grown from your garden!

Chapters:
Chicken main dishes
Beef main dishes
Pork main dishes
Meatless mains, sides, and soups
Sauces, marinades, and flavored butters
Breakfast, snacks and sweets

Sample recipes:
Cherry Skillet Chicken
Pecan-crusted Chicken Strips
Sweet Chicken Tostada Filling
Mozzarella Meatballs
4 Bs Flank Steak (Black Butte Porter, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, black pepper)
Margarita Pork Chops
Firehouse Pork Skewers
Maple Portobello Mushrooms
Wild Rice and Nut Bake (this one sounds really good, and I'm not a huge fan of wild rice)
Chipotle Roasted-Tomato Sauce
Chili-Lime Butter
PB&J Breakfast Cookies
Beach Day Snack Mix
Lemon-Lavender Butter Cookies

Okay! You've sold me on it!

I have been thinking about it, since your previous post...and the recipes titles you just posted ALL sound really good. PLUS - I would absolutely LOVE to offer Freezer recipes that aren't just a conglomeration of cans and bottles!

 

[esavvymom]

Becky, I picked up the cookbook that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Fix Freeze Feast. You absolutely need this book!

Just reading through it, the authors seem to have some of the same food opinions as you regarding processed food (although they do use some in these recipes). The recipes all sound delicious, and they mostly use ingredients from your favorite store, Costco!

A lot of the recipes use the multiple-bag system that the PC chicken power cooking recipes do. But most of them don't actually have a starch bagged with them (but how hard is it to throw some rice or noodles on to cook?). And some of the recipes use the warehouse size packages of fresh produce, which you'd have home-grown from your garden!

most of the Freeze-bulk cooking methods don't encourage freezing the starch side of the dish (potatoes and pasta) because they don't freeze well...or don't THAW well. So many will have you cook that part of the dish separately, because as you eluded to, it's not that hard to do.

I'll have to look and see if this book is at the library. They have several similar. I have a 30-day gourmet book too, that's very nice, but haven't had time to try out many of the recipes. It's nice though because you can adjust the size of the recipe to the number of servings you need to freeze!

Happy cooking Becky.

 

[chefann]

Here it is on http://www.amazon.com/dp/1580176828/?tag=pfamazon01-20.It gets good reviews from readers there, who mention a few more of the recipes in their reviews.I also stopped at Penzey's today to get some lavender to make those cookies. My sister says she can't keep them in the house.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Here it is on http://www.amazon.com/dp/1580176828/?tag=pfamazon01-20.

It gets good reviews from readers there, who mention a few more of the recipes in their reviews.

I also stopped at Penzey's today to get some lavender to make those cookies. My sister says she can't keep them in the house.

Micah is growing his own little pot of lavender this year, (his idea) and he adores anything lemon - I bet he'll love those!

Shoot, I'm just going to order it from Amazon, and be done with it!

 

[chefann]

I only ended up getting it today because my Penzey's wasn't open when I got there (even though it was 35 minutes past their opening time), and there's a Borders at the end of the shopping center. And then, as I was browsing through the book at home, it mentions several of Penzey's seasoning blends. No wonder my sister likes this book! (She's already dreading the lack of Trader Joe's and Penzey's at her new location, and hasn't even moved yet.)

 

[legacypc46]

Thanks for sharing this Ann. I just added the author's blog to my list of favorites.

Also, is the lavender cookie recipe posted on here somewhere already?

 

[janetupnorth]

That is TOO funny Becky! Kyle is growing a pot of lettuce this year!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That is TOO funny Becky! Kyle is growing a pot of lettuce this year!

Micah is also growing a Patio Tomato plant. In fact, his is the only one that has yielded any tomatoes so far. This weather is really sloooowwwing my garden's growth.
It was cute, because he teased Rick and I all day one day about sharing his tomatoes. We were supposed to be having BLT's for dinner, and he kept telling us we would just have to have BL's. (he shared though, and the tomatoes were delicious!)

 

[KellyTheChef]

OK...you ladies need to share these recipes once you test run them! They sound great!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

OK...you ladies need to share these recipes once you test run them! They sound great!

Hey Kelly! Good to see you here, Girlie!

 

[chefann]

Thanks for sharing this Ann. I just added the author's blog to my list of favorites.

Also, is the lavender cookie recipe posted on here somewhere already?

Here's the lavender cookies.

Lemon-Lavender Cookies
Makes approximately 7 dozen cookies. (My sister uses the PC small scoop to divide up the dough, and gets more than 7 dozen from this recipe.)

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup lavender sugar (see note)
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons lemon extract
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 1-quart freezer bags, labeled

Topping
1/2 cup lavender sugar

On hand for baking
parchment paper

Using an electric mixer, cream butter, granulated sugar and lavender sugar in a large bowl. Beat in eggs, milk, and lemon extract. In a separate large bowl, mmix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat well. Beat in remaining flour mixture.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Pour topping into a small bowl. Roll dough balls in lavender sugar and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Place in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove dough balls from freezer. Place a dozen into each freezer bag.

Seal and freeze.

To bake one dozen cookies:
Place frozen cookies 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until tops crack.
Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes; transfer to a cooling rack.

Lavender sugar
It's cheaper to make your own than to buy it. Pour 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon edible lavender flowers into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 30 seconds. Remove any large pieces of lavender by hand or by pouring the sugar through a strainer. Cure the sugar in an airtight container at least 1 week before using.

 

[legacypc46]

These sound amazing! Now to go find where I can buy some lavender flowers.
THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[chefann]

If you can't find them locally, check penzeys.com. That's the online equivalent of where I got mine. I'm not sure if they have them online, though - I had to ask at the store, and the staff got the bottle from the back room.

 

[ShellBeach]

This book looks interesting! I have it on hold from my library. Thanks for the post!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I went to Amazon, and looked through the pages that were available there - and ordered it! It was only $9.52! What a deal!

I also ordered Carpe Phonum, and Go For No.

But I"m most excited about the cookbook. I was reading through the index, and every recipe sounds so good!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

That is TOO funny Becky! Kyle is growing a pot of lettuce this year!

I'm just growing a pot...

 

[crystalscookingnow]

I'm just growing a pot...

a pot? or just pot?