Things I learned recently and made my life easier

[user1471523870]

This place is awesome for finding out new tricks!

What I learned so far that I have also implemented successfully:

• you can buy chopped frozen onion. Revolutionary! I then discovered I can buy chopped shallot (feels very posh) and that I prefer the M&S chopped onions as cut finer than others.
• you can buy mashed potatoes and it tastes really good. Not as life changing for me, but super useful for when my toddler decides he wants his tea now, not in 20 minutes after I boil the potatoes.
• on the same trend, I now buy sliced frozen sweet peppers. Great for my fajitas. I always keep frozen chicken and a box or two of Fajitas kits for emergency.
• my latest frozen discovery is stir fry veg. We have a stir fry every other week-ish but I have to make sure to plan it carefully as the bags of fresh ready made veg only last few days. Not anymore now! Frozen veg, frozen salmon, packs of sauce/noodles and ta-daaaa.

Any other suggestions that work for you?

@Dogissue

If a recipe calls for melted chocolate and your chocolate comes in a plastic wrapper, just put it in a pan of water, wrapper 'n all. No need to mess around with Bain Marie type efforts. Melts perfectly uniformed and then just squeeze it out like a tube of toothpaste.

That's genius

Dogissue - just noticed I'm a day late with my praise

nora 'tis fine, I didnt specify a time limit! I did feel revolutionary when I thought of that. So much faffing about to melt it in water. I guess if your chocolate comes in a paper wrapper you could still put it into a zip lock bag and do similar.
Some fab tips on here. I'm definitely going to try the freezing leeks one too.

Iceland paella. Amazing

@drspouse

Garlic paste in a jar is much cheaper and you get more than a tube. Plus you can recycle the jar.

And if you need to stretch out the garlic in the jar when running low, just add in some olive oil.

3 ingredient brownies?

600g jar Nutella
4 eggs
175g SR flour

Mix, bake 180 for 30 mins.

White cabbage lasts forever in the fridge and is perfect for making your own coleslaw (I love the pinch of nom recipe) which is much healthier. It uses Greek yoghurt which again lasts forever so in these days of limiting shopping trips I can have fresh coleslaw for a month!!!!

It's also perfect for making your own stir fry mixes with carrots / peppers / leeks / onion. Again, all veg which last ages if stored correctly rather than the 2/3 days you get out of a bag of chopped veg.

Ooooh and have a 'soup bag' in the freezer. Leek ends / broccoli stalks / too small for roasting parsnips / leftover veg at the end of a meal / parsley stalks etc etc all gets thrown in.

When it's full I dump it into a pan of hot vegetable stock ( using bouillon powder as described above!) white pepper and 2 handfuls of red lentils.

Boil for 30 mins and blend.

Ta dah - fresh, nutritious soup from waste!!!

Fusion, definitely going to try that.

Eggs. If you are making meringue, freeze the yolks in a large ice cube tray and use when required. Can do it vice versa if using yolks for a custard or hollandaise by freezing the whites.

Always have milk in the freezer.

Quick and easy guacamole, just blend or crush avocado with a fork then mix in salsa. Home made nicer but shop bought will do.

@relievedlady

Yes to the frozen chopped onions,red and white and frozen sliced peppers. Also buy garlic paste chilli paste and freeze pesto.

Buy the frozen fajita chicken mix from Aldi and then Chuck more frozen peppers and onions into it.

I've yet to find a way of keeping salad fresher and although we get through a ton of it a week we also end up throwing out loads

I stir fry salad now when we need to finish a bag. I did it tonight with spring onions, peppers and rice

Bach cooking - or even cook double and freeze - is a lifesaver and I use pour'n'store bags that stack neatly in the freezer

I freeze all herbs. If you buy thyme in a bag you can take the leaves off the stalks once it's frozen by rubbing the bags and then just open it and remove the stalks when you're done. You can do the same with rosemary and sage too (with sage, snap leaves off individually or they break.

And I cut chillis straight from the freezer too - I keep a couple of different kinds then you've always got the right chilli for the job.

I top my shepherd's pie and fish pie with frozen mash...I don't even defrost it, I lay the frozen blocks directly on top.

@relievedlady open the salad bag and put in a piece of kitchen roll inside; it absorbs moisture and helps it last longer. Also agree with @littlebillie re adding past-it’s-best salad to stir fries; can also add to soup.

Not sure if I'm allowed to mention reheating stuff, as this all seems freezer based? Roast potatoes are really good reheated, they don't go soggy or anything.

If you have leftover chilli, place it in the center of a tortilla, fold sides over to cover. Sprinkle with grated cheese, grill till bubbly.

Sweet potato, onion, parsnip, passata and carrot made into a soup and blended tastes exactly like Heinz tomato soup.

You can freeze eggy bread!

@OhioOhioOhio

You can freeze eggy bread!

Does it affect the texture? Seems like it might be soggy on defrosting?

I haven't done it yet. I read it on the nook Ice Kitchen the other day.

You can freeze beaten eggs. I use silicon muffin trays.
The texture goes a bit weird once defrosted, but is fine for stir fries.

Oh and to get fine strands of egg in your stir fry, add it through a tea strainer or sieve.

I make frozen cubes of cheese sauce. They microwave back easily and are good for quick pasta.

Secret recipe - Microwave brownies.

100g butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 cup cocoa
1tsp vanilla

1. Melt butter high heat, 1m30s
2. Stir in eggs, sugar, vanilla
3. Fold in dry ingredients
4. Spread in lined microwaveable dish 15x20
5. Microwave on high 4m30s

Leave to cool, dust with icing sugar. Eat.

Super easy and tasty!