dinners that i can freeze in preparation for the arrival of No 2

[mckenzie]

Hi

I've searched the Food topic for ideas and so already have on my list..

Curry
Beef stroganof
Beef bourg...... (cant spell it, you know what i mean don't you?)
Chilli
Bolognese

what else can I make now and freeze?
and how long can i keep these meals frozen for? New baby is not due until end of Feb.

Thanks all.

and if anyone has a particularly nice and simple receipe for the Beef ones I'd be grateful.

[popsycal]

i was thinking about posting a very similat thread...will watch with interest!

[hoxtonchick]

lasagne (more beef though!)

[hunkermunker]

Bolognaise:

One large onion, chop it and fry with herbs
Pack of lean mince, add to onion
Stock cube, add once browned
Tbsp tomato puree/tin of chopped tomatoes, add next
Cocoa powder, about a teaspoon, add next
Mustard powder, again, about a teaspoon, add next
Splash of milk (makes it less acidic IMO), dash of red wine if you fancy it
Garlic - either add now or with the onions
Vinegar, splash (tenderises the meat)

Sorry it's not laid out like a recipe, but I was thinking of how I do it. The cocoa makes it richer, the mustard powder gives it a bit more flavour, use whatever herbs you fancy.

It'll keep about a month in the freezer (well, it'll keep longer, but I'd use it within a month).

Also beef casserole:

Large onion, chopped and fried with herbs as before
Lean diced casserole steak, one pack, brown this with the onion (roll in plain flour first to thicken the sauce)
Stock cube, add next
Chopped tomatoes, one tin
Any veg you fancy, carrots, celery, mushrooms, etc, add next.
Pearl barley, if liked, one small handful added now.
Again, splash of vinegar, bit of cocoa, mustard powder (or mustard itself - a tsp of grainy's good in this one), splash of milk, bit of red wine (or white wine or fruit juice!).
Let it brown off and cook for a while, then top it up with boiling water and put it in the oven for a couple of hours at gas mark 3.

Lovely with jacket potatoes or mash! I'm making myself VERY hungry now

Can you tell I'm not a follower of recipe books?

[hunkermunker]

Ooh, if you put cloves of garlic in the casserole, they go all tender and squidgy and savoury. God, I'm STARVING now!

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

instead of wine you can put guinness in the beef casserole

[Hulababy]

Pasta Bake
Cottage/Shepherd's Pie
Fish Pie
Sausage and mash, with onion gravy
Casserole

[Angeliz]

Beef stew i make is gorgeous, (though i say so myself), only i can't do quantities, i just do enough to fill a big casserole pot and there's usually enough for the next day too.

Diced beef (nice stuff)
turnip,
carrots,
new potatoes,
green beans,
glass of red wine,
pint of beef stock,
spoonful of mustard,
big squeeze of tomato puree

brown the beef and place in casserole pot with all very chunky cut veg, (apart from green beans which i add about half hour before it's ready), leave in oven on about 180 for about 2 hours,


MMMMMMMMMMMMM

By the way mckensie, great idea and i'll be following this thread too, (due in Feb )

[GreatBigFatHeiferEnid]

pies, chicken and mushroom pie, sheperds pie etc

[mckenzie]

thanks very much all, keep 'em coming. I think I'll have to leave it another few weeks before I start stocking up though otherwise they might end up being in the freezer for too long.

[Gobbledigook]

Errr, personally I just made sure I had a stack of take away menus handy!

[popsycal]

and frozen microwave meals....


btw does anyone have a nice but easy fish pie recipe pls

[hoxtonchick]

the way i make fish pie is to poach some cod in milk, then use the milk to make white sacue. add some prawns to the cod & white sauce, & some smoked haddock if you want. mash some potatoes & put them on top, then cover with cheese & cook in the oven (prob 180 deg C for about half an hour).

[hoxtonchick]

hmmm, don't think you have to cook smoked haddock beforehand, not 100% though.

[Angeliz]

Gobbledigook, that sounds good too, especially as every mouthfull won't give me BLOODY heartburn.

(Mind you, tonight i thought Sod you heartburn and have eaten 4 pickled onions!!
(I'll be the one cursing in the middle of the night!!!)