Calling experienced cooks and food safety experts please.

[Graphista]

I'm trying to make the most out of what I have in but honestly I’m out of practice and I also have ocd mainly germophobia which one way it manifests is worrying about food safety.

I have some fresh items I need to use up but which I can’t eat necessarily in next few days, anxiety is messing up appetite too but I don’t want to waste food.

So I would really appreciate advice/guidance on cooking, storage and reheating (I don’t have a micro)

What doesn’t freeze well?

Tips on finding recipes that freeze well?

I have some plastic containers which I think I’ve got matching lids for a few will these be ok for freezing batch cooked dishes?

I’d need to probably get out the day before I’m planning to use to defrost as can’t cook it in the plastic tub in oven, defrost on side or in fridge?

I have a small amount of foil containers which are a little more suited to my circumstances but can these be washed and reused? I don’t think it will work for the lids! So I was wondering whether I could use regular cooking foil as lids?

Best way to reheat and how to know it’s been heated enough? (Yes I’m regretting not having a cooks thermometer right now!)

What about labelling? I’ve got marker pens and post it notes but nothing else I can really use for this any ideas most welcome.

How long are home made things good in the freezer for?

What doesn’t freeze well?

I’ve some creme fraiche needs used up which I’d normally use in creamy pasta one pots or pasta bake or creamy casserole type dishes (but generally add towards end) but it’s not something I’ve frozen and reheated before.

Feeling overwhelmed.

Oh gawd the bolds gone a bit mad sorry

The pasta is fine - the fresh filled stuff is gas flushed. You have a good 4 or 5 days safety margin!

Pesto is dead easy to make. It doesn't have to be the traditional Basil and pine nut type.
Any kind of nuts, seeds or even brown bread, something like kale, bagged salad, spinach, carrot tops ( if you get the type with the leaves still attached), celery tops etc. garlic, oil, bit of salt, bit of cheese if you have it, just wizz it all up together.

Wild garlic and walnut pesto - I picked some while my walk the other day!

I briefly cook cauliflower and put into ovenproof dish (or pie dishes if I'm making single portions. I then fold through a mixture of creme fraiche and grated cheese. More cheese on top and freeze. Remove from freezer in the morning of the day I want to eat it and then cook for about 15/20 mins in a hot oven. Often eat with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes

@Weedsnseeds1 oh wow really? That's good to know (but it's what I fancy anyway but good to know for future reference)

I don't have a blender at the moment. I'm really out of the habit of proper cooking and would probably have carried on having the same 3/4 meals each week (stir fry and pasta at least twice a week each) if this current crisis hadn't happened

Do you have a pestle and morter at the back of a cupboard somewhere - harder work than a blender, but same result.

I do chicken breast in the slow cooker with creme fraiche and a tin of condensed mushroom soup, you could do similar with the quorn. Add mushrooms / leeks / peppers.

Jamie Oliver had a cooker programme a couple of days ago, he made a pesto with frozen peas.

Just ask yourself if X dish is available as a frozen food?

If yes then you can freeze it

No pestle and mortar my kitchen is seriously under equipped thanks to a few years of very poor health meaning I've avoided cooking as much as possible. I can't stand for long periods and a stool isn't an option as I wouldn't be safe and kitchen too small. I cant handle anything too heavy either so I have to work around that.

The quorn chicken is getting close to date so I'm thinking a casserole of that of some description which recipes/ingredients/flavourings would people recommend?

I have stock cubes, herbs tend to the Italian with a few more traditionally British, I think I've veg gravy in.

Tarragon is great with chicken if you have any, otherwise sage or mixed herbs? Tarrogon, quorn and creme fraiche ( was if you that had that? Would be lovely

Yes I have tarragon (I think) quorn chicken and creme fraiche.

Would the creme fraiche work ok with a tomato based sauce?

Thinking maybe quorn chicken, peppers, shallots, mushrooms, Passata, tomato purée, herbs, creme fraiche cooked as a casserole?

Thinking sauté off shallots and garlic, until translucent, then sliced peppers and mushrooms and quorn chicken. Transfer to casserole dish, make up in a jug/bowl a sauce from the Passata, purée, creme fraiche and herbs and cook...

How long and at what temp?

@Weedsnseeds1 what would you advise here in terms of food safety bearing in mind will then freeze in portions.

@Graphista please feel free join our frugal foodies thread! Lots of hints and tips, menu ideas and inspiration for using up all those bits and pieces without any waste.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3857078-Food-thread-Favourite-leftover-dishes-avoiding-waste-menu-ideas

(And anyone else who needs help/guidance or can offer it)

We use plastic takeaway tubs (all identical as we usually go back to the same takeaway!) so the lids fit all the tubs. I use a permanent marker to write on the lids (it comes off with a good scrub and/or a bit of Cif). That avoids accidental defrosting of mystery dinners.

I do have a food thermometer but I do ensure everything is piping hot and has been bubbling for a while before serving.

You could also cook two meals on one day, one to eat and one to freeze. We freeze leftover bolognese, chilli, stew/casserole and curry. We have been known to just make a slow cooked one of the above and freeze all of it in portions because we have things going out of date.

I think the cream will split as the tomato is acid. But as long as its cooked thoroughly and cooled ( room temperature first, then fridge once tepid, or stand pan in cold water and stir, then fridge) you can freeze it.

@Weedsnseeds1 that's the first note of caution from you! You're right of course. I may stick to a creamy style sauce then just stock, herbs and creme fraiche as the Passata can last a bit longer.

I’m craving a really simple straightforward meal like southern fried chicken burgers. Haven’t got any though and we don’t want to go out for a while yet if at all avoidable. Mind you I do have some boneless chicken thighs in the freezer...and a packet of tex-mex breadcrumb coating that I found at the back of the cupboard...might do that tomorrow - we have two leftover brioche buns in the fridge waiting to be used.

Oh, thought I was posting on the other thread! You were probably wondering why I’m talking about chicken burgers on your vegetarian thread... sorry!

Split cream won't be harmful, it will just look a bit.... vomit like!
No safety issues, just a quality one!

Ninkanink it's more a " will I poison myself if I eat this?" thread, rather than vegetarian
I had a look at your thread, some great ideas on there.

True - I just meant that OP had mentioned being veggie. But reading back I see people have been talking about meats and so on too so I feel better now.

I would not mix creme fraiche with tomato sauce. It's likely to separate and in any case isn't needed. Tomato sauce works with just about anything!

Creme fraiche is lovely if added to some soups, e.g. broccoli or pea soup.

You can roast peppers and store them in oil for up to a week. Lots of recipes online. Don't worry if you don't have fresh herbs or garlic - just add a teaspoon of dry herbs if you have them:

allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/9728/roasted-peppers-in-oil--peperoni-arrostiti-sott-olio-.aspx

If you are not a confident cook, try good old Delia. Her recipes are usually simple and nearly always work. Her website has a great function where you just input the main ingredients you have to hand - et voila, recipes pop up!

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient

@Graphista I use this recipe as a guide for ratatouille (usually chop and change, add or take away according to what I have or what I need to use). It’s really delicious:

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/classic-ratatouille/

Also you can freeze it just fine, in case no one has answered that yet. I either freeze in a big lot or in small individual portions.