Biggest time suck for me is actually cooking meats so I generally cook up a big 3 lb package of ground beef with fresh garlic, onion salt & pepper and freeze it in 1 lb packages. Same thing with chicken breast so I get a big pack, slice off the top layer and put into a ziplock to refreeze for quick fried cutlets & then I pre bake the bottom halves then refreeze those for things like gyro, pot pie or enchiladas. I keep fresh spices frozen and things like leeks, scallions, peppers and shallots cut up and in ziplocks to make things move quickly. The other big thing that speeds things long is doing time consuming stuff like boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes the night before or early in the morning. I try to be my own sous chef
Cooking fresh is easier if the labor time suck stuff is done.
Sunday - Rachel Ray Sunday Braciole recipe was restaurant quality & made with the thin slice beef from costco, it is cooked in a can of tomato sauce on the stove 2 hrs, which makes it's own sauce & everyone raved. I put extra sauce fin the freezer for another meal
Monday - Chicken gyro, marinate sliced chicken in ziplock 1/2-1 fresh lemon & 2-4 tabs frozen crushed garlic, salt & pepper 1 hr, saute then serve sort of like a taco on pita bread, layer store bought tatziki, lettuce, tomato then chicken.
Tuesday - Burgers (on sale) with fresh mushroom and a quick asparagus soup - saute' sliced 3 leek, bunch scallion, bunch asperagus, salt pepper, 1/2-1 tsp savory or thyme add 1 large container chicken broth, user immersion blender then add 1 cup half & half. Lots of veggies on sale this week.
Wednesday - BLT (bacon was on sale)
Thursday - Freezer Friendly shepherds pie From Joanne Ozug of Fifteen Spatulas from Pioneer Woman website with Ree Drummonds Cream Cheese mashed potatoes. Going to defrost the extra from the original batch I made a few weeks ago, it came together quickly and was just so good.
Friday - I'll make a big batch of meatballs which I freeze 3 lbs at a time, and for Friday I'll pull some aside for a nice meatball hero with some tomato sauce and cheese on rolls. 3 lbs ground beef, 3 eggs, 3 - 6 cloves frozen fresh garlic, about a cup of frozen fresh parsley (when It is frozen I find it is really easy to work with and I just use kitchen sheers to let drop into the bowl), a medium onion grated (makes it so much more flavorful and easier on the stomach), squirt ketchup, about a cup of grated parmesan, salt, pepper, a little frozen fresh oregano and 4-6 cups of seasoned bread crumbs. Roll them out to roughly the size of the circle made with thumb to middle finger, bake 20 min at 350-400 until golden, let cool and freeze.
Saturday - Probably Lipton Souperior Meatloaf or Ree Drummond Chicken pot pie, easy and yum - I tend to use store bought pie crust, crescents or biscuits for the topper
Breakfast meal prep: smoothies
Lunch meal prep: turkey and cheese sliders, grapes and boiled eggs for snacks.
