Frozen take-out
There are those evenings when even the most super of Super Moms needs some help getting dinner on the table.
In most houses, that would mean a call to the pizza delivery guy or a cruise through the Golden Arches.
Not so for Kathy Rickel or Mya Brooks. The two Spokane friends get together every few months and cook up a huge batch of meals. They share the shopping, prep work and cooking, and they split the grocery bills. The end result? A freezer full of meals already cooked and ready to go — for much less money than take-out.
And their home-cooked comfort-food creations are certainly a lot tastier than take-out, too.
“I kind of hoard them, actually,” says Rickel, a 35-year-old mom and art studio assistant, who says she prepares one or two freezer meals each week. “I don’t want to eat all my treasures.”
Search for “freezer meal exchange” or “co-op cooking” online and you’ll find a growing number of people interested in this time- and money-saving practice. It’s sort of a twist on the once-a-month-cooking movement, in which very organized cooks prepare enough dinners in one day to last for weeks.
But, says Brooks, cooking with a friend or two is much more entertaining than going solo.
“It would not be nearly as much fun, and it would be a ton of work,” says Brooks, a 37-year-old mom who works at Whitworth College.
Unlike Rickel and Brooks, who do their cooking together, many dinner-swappers get together with their meals already prepared. With the cooking done, the friends use it as an excuse to get together.
That’s what Mary Tennant and Becki Visser do.
The two Michigan women turned their passion for meal exchanges into a business, called Cooking Among Friends.
“People heard about it and they just loved the concept,” Tennant says. “I think there are two factors — just the efficiency of having food in the freezer and a huge component is the catch-up-with-friends factor. You have this thing that is such a win-win situation.”
Experience with their own meal-exchange group helped the women write the “Cooking Among Friends” cookbook, and they’re working on a second recipe collection. The business (which can be found online at www.cookingamongfriends.com) also sells forms and worksheets for members to complete before starting a group, along with labels and packaging for the prepared meals.
“We believe in making great food,” Tennant says. “We really recommend you cook very current foods, the kinds of things you love to eat.”
Family favorites topped the list of creations Rickel and Brooks cooked up on a recent Saturday. Chicken pot pies with homemade crusts. Cheesy stuffed calzones wrapped with freshly baked bread. Beef stew. Stuffed meatloaves. And a couple of new recipes: Shrimp buns and Jack Daniels chicken.
Brooks finds the recipes and creates spreadsheets detailing all necessary ingredients and cooking equipment. She shops for deals at Costco while Rickel, whose husband is retired from the military, saves money by shopping at the base. They usually prepare eight meals for each family, along with cookie dough and dinner rolls. Average cost: $45 to $60 per family.
The two spend a couple of hours the night before the big cooking day preparing anything that can be done in advance. They chop up all of the veggies, saving time by using the food processor when possible. They pre-cook the chicken for pot pies and get the bread dough ready for the breadmaker. They plan the order in which they’ll cook each meal so production goes smoothly.
The end result is a sort of organized chaos, with two little boys running around while the moms whip from one end of Brooks’ kitchen to the other.
“We were very, very sore,” Rickel says of the end of her nearly seven-hour day of cooking. But, she adds, “I got a whole freezer full of food.”
Think a dinner swap sounds like a good idea? Here are some tips for getting started:
“ First, find some friends. Any sized group can work, but keep in mind the advantages and limitations of group-size. A smaller group will likely produce fewer meals, but a larger group may have more scheduling conflicts or disagreements over food preferences. The “Cooking Among Friends” women found success with a group of six.
“ Next, figure out what foods your families like and dislike. You could do this formally, with a questionnaire, or informally, simply by talking to one another. Decide whether you’ll be making kid-friendly foods, fancier fare or a combination.
“ Agree on how much your group wants to spend and how expenses will be divided. Some groups split grocery bills down the middle, others just decide about how much to spend on each entrée and ask each cook to foot her own bill.
“ Settle on how many entrees each person will be responsible for. For example, in a group of six, each cook would prepare six meatloaves to share. More ambitious groups might cook several meals per person. For the first swap, though, it makes sense to start small. “Start simple; that’s what we preach,” Tennant says.
“ Decide when your group will meet to swap meals. Some turn meal exchanges into a play date for the kids. Others decide to do the exchange in a restaurant parking lot so they can have a night out.
“ Once you’ve got the basics mastered, you can get creative. Consider exchanging cookie dough, sauces, marinades or spice rubs along with your entrees.
“ Shop for deals. If group members have big freezers, you can take advantage of sales. Tennant’s group buys huge bags of chicken breasts on special and passes the savings along to members, sort of like a mini food co-op.
In the end, though, Tennant has this recommendation about meal exchanges: “You’ve just got to do it. So many women really struggle with meal time.”
Brooks does have one last bit of advice. After a day spent cooking all of those meals, nobody wants to think about making dinner.
“One of the tips,” she says, “is order out for pizza that night.”
Well, at least the pizza delivery guy won’t feel entirely left out.
Here are some recipes to get your dinner-swapping started:
Country Chicken Pot Pies
This recipe, from the “Southern Living Complete Do-Ahead Cookbook” has been a hit at the meal exchanges between Kathy Rickel and Mya Brooks. Double or triple the recipe depending on the size of your group.
For Pot Pie:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup diced potatoes, cooked until just tender, drained
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
4 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
For basic pastry:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
11/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon shortening
1/3 to 1/2 cup cold water
Sauté first 3 ingredients in butter in a skillet over medium heat until tender. Add flour; stir until smooth. Add potatoes. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and half-and-half; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken, peas, salt, and pepper.
To prepare pasty, mix flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour until the size of peas. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix gently. (This can be done in a food processor.)
Divide Basic Pastry into 8 equal portions. Roll portions of pastry to 10-inch circles on a floured surface. Place in four 6-inch disposable pie pans. Divide chicken mixture over pastry in pans. Roll remaining 4 portions of circles over filling; fold edges under and flute. Cut slits in tops to allow steam to escape.
To freeze: Cover tightly and freeze up to 1 month.
To serve: Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until crust is brown and filling hot.
Yield: Four 6-inch individual pot pies.
White Chicken Chili
From “Cooking Among Friends,” by Mary Tennant and Becki Visser
2½ pounds dry white beans or 9 pounds canned white beans (equal to 6 cups cooked beans)
10 cups chicken stock or canned broth, divided
9 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 medium onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon garlic, pressed or minced
1 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups half and half
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
16 ounces canned chopped mild green chilis
5 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1½ pounds sour cream
If using dry beans, cover with water and soak overnight in large stockpot. Drain and rinse. Return to stockpot, cover with water and simmer 1 hour or until desired tenderness. Drain and set aside.
If using canned beans, drain and rinse. Set aside.
Working in batches as necessary, puree half of the beans with 2 cups of the chicken stock in a food processor or blender. Set aside. Reserve other half to return to chili.
Working in batches as necessary, heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onions, pepper and garlic until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add chicken stock and half and half, stirring constantly until well-blended. Whisk over medium heat until thickened. Stir in sautéed vegetables, chili powder, cumin, Tabasco sauce and green chilis. Add pureed beans mixture and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large container to combine ingredients. Stir in shredded cheese and sour cream. Add remaining beans and cooked chicken and stir until evenly combined. Cool. Divide evenly among freezer bags or aluminum tins. Press out excess air. Freeze.
To reheat: Defrost in refrigerator. Transfer to saucepan or microwave-safe dish and heat thoroughly. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh tomato and grated cheese, if desired.
Yield: Six meals, 24 1½-cup servings
Black Bean Burritos
From “Cooking Among Friends”
3½ pounds dried black beans or 13 pounds canned black beans, rinsed and drained
olive or vegetable oil
7 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons garlic plus 1 teaspoon garlic, pressed or minced
7 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
7 pounds canned diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 lemons, sliced and seeded
2 teaspoons salt
48 ounces mild salsa or picante sauce
6 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Co-Jack cheese
36 10-inch flour tortillas
In a large stockpot, soak beans overnight (if using dried beans). Drain and rinse. Return to stockpot, cover with water and simmer 1 hour or until desired tenderness. Drain and set aside.
Work in batches as necessary. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers until tender. Stir in drained beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, lemon slices and salt (omit if using canned beans) and bring to a boil at high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove cover and simmer until slightly thickened (approximately 20 minutes). Remove lemon slices. Working in batches as necessary, puree half of bean mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add unblended bean mixture to blended and stir thoroughly. Cool.
Package salsa in snack bags (1 cup per meal or ¼ cup per serving). Package cheese in snack bags (1 cup per meal or ¼ cup per serving).
Assemble burritos by placing ½ cup bean mixture onto each tortilla, folding ends in and rolling. Place 6 burritos (or 1½ per serving) in each aluminum tin. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing down to cling to food. Place a package of salsa and a package of cheese in each tin. Apply board lid (or foil). Freeze.
To reheat: Defrost in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove lid, salsa, cheese and plastic wrap. Transfer to baking dish, if desired, or bake in tin. Spread salsa over burritos. Cover loosely with foil to prevent drying. Bake until bubbly around the edges and hot in the center (about 30 minutes). Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese during last 5 minutes of baking. Let stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: Six 4-serving meals, 1½ burritos per servings
Sausage and Bean Casserole
From “Everyday Food” magazine
12 slices white sandwich bread
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 packages (1 pound each) smoked Polish sausage, halved lengthwise, cut into 2½-inch pieces
2 large onions, chopped
8 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cans Great Northern or cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
In a food processor, pulse bread until large crumbs form (you should have about 6 cups); season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 6-quart heavy-bottom saucepan, cook sausage, onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and sausage is starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add tomato paste, broth, wine, thyme and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; add beans. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, but still soupy, about 10 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups of the breadcrumbs. Divide sausage mixture between two 3-quart shallow baking dishes or eight 10-ounce ramekins. Top with remaining breadcrumbs.
If you’ll be freezing the casseroles, cool completely and cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze up to three months.
Otherwise, bake, on a baking sheet, until topping is golden, 30 minutes.
To cook frozen casserole: Bake without thawing in a 375 degree oven, covered with foil, until bubble and hot in the center, about one hour. Remove foil; continue baking until breadcrumbs are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Yield: Two casseroles, each serves 4 to 6