Cooking food in batches

• se-alum

  

  Iliketurtles;1552086 wrote:FIFY
  
  I very rarely ever cook anymore. But I do agree that crockpots, George Forman, and a rice cooker/steamer are awesome for cooking. The rice cooker/steamer is pretty underrated can't believe I never got one in college. Cooks rice perfect and is great to steam veggies in.

  I would add a nice griddle as a good piece of cooking equipment. I use mine for turkey burgers, chicken, eggs, and pork chops. Just wipe it clean and leave it on the counter.
• sportchampps

  My wife and I usually go to Anderson's on Sundays. We pick out protein for each meal usually steaks, crab cakes, smoked sausage, salmon, and pork chops. This usually costs us about 20-30$ for the week. We leave whatever we're cooking out that morning to defrost. When we get home I usually cook up the protein for the night which usually only takes about 10 minutes in a grilling pan. While it's in the pan I usually whip up a sauce to put on the meat or just season it as I cook. For a side on Sunday we usually make a weeks worth of pasta salad with cheese and pepperoni and vegetables in it. When we don't want the pasta salad we usually make some Mac n cheese or mashed potatoe to go with it. Our cooking time is usually less then 15 minutes and that includes cleanup. We go out to a new place every Friday night but that's the only meal we eat out each week unless something randomly comes up.
• Iliketurtles

  

  se-alum;1552177 wrote:I would add a nice griddle as a good piece of cooking equipment. I use mine for turkey burgers, chicken, eggs, and pork chops. Just wipe it clean and leave it on the counter.

  For sure. I have an electric griddle and a regular griddle pan. Both are awesome.
• se-alum

  

  The frozen steamer bag vegetables are great two. Can find them in single servings, and only takes a few minutes to cook in the microwave.
• Iliketurtles

  

  se-alum;1552194 wrote:The frozen steamer bag vegetables are great two. Can find them in single servings, and only takes a few minutes to cook in the microwave.

  Yeah those are really great. I always try and stock up on them when they go on sale for a dollar.
• Belly35

  

  sportchampps;1552182 wrote:My wife and I usually go to Anderson's on Sundays. We pick out protein for each meal usually steaks, crab cakes, smoked sausage, salmon, and pork chops. This usually costs us about 20-30$ for the week. We leave whatever we're cooking out that morning to defrost. When we get home I usually cook up the protein for the night which usually only takes about 10 minutes in a grilling pan. While it's in the pan I usually whip up a sauce to put on the meat or just season it as I cook. For a side on Sunday we usually make a weeks worth of pasta salad with cheese and pepperoni and vegetables in it. When we don't want the pasta salad we usually make some Mac n cheese or mashed potatoe to go with it. Our cooking time is usually less then 15 minutes and that includes cleanup. We go out to a new place every Friday night but that's the only meal we eat out each week unless something randomly comes up.

  
  would that be Anderson in Maumee, sp , ohio? When the wife and I lived in Perrysburg we love Anderson that was back in the early 70s
• vball10set

  Belly35;1552207 wrote:would that be Anderson in Maumee, sp , ohio? When the wife and I lived in Perrysburg we love Anderson that was back in the early 70s

  One and the same (even though there are Anderson's in Columbus now as well)
• HitsRus

  

  Yeah, I cook a lot in pots and freeze things....Chili, stuffed cabbage, chicken and beef stews, turkey rice or potato soup. You can load up the stews and soup with lots of veggies...typically whatever you have laying around in the fridge and need to use up. My chili is not some weak gruel of thin sauce beans, and ground meat...it's a serious thick, stick to the ribs meal. I usually add some sausage or kielbasi chunks or pepperoni slices as well as ground meat...use two or three types of beans....Butter, kidney, and black....load it up with peppers, onion and celery chunks...and add a hlaf a cup of elbow pasta or orzo to thicken it up.
  Any of those you can make in a dutch oven or stock pot. Eat some now...put some in tupperware for lunches for the week...and freeze the other half for a week or two down the road.
  
  But WTF do I know....I'm a baby boomer that believes in God!
• Commander of Awesome

  

  sleeper;1551977 wrote:Pasta could work. Its calories dense, cheap, etc. What kind of veggies do you put in there?

  Broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers, turkey sausage, green beans
  
  Usually some combo/all of of that. Might throw in rando veggies depending on what I got.
• sportchampps

  Yeah we go to the Anderson in Columbus. It's considered a general store but they have an awesome butcher shop. Usually when you get to the counter you have to take a number and wait for about 30 people before you because it's so popular. They always have some good specials like 6oz bacon wrapped filets for 3.99 or premade sliders for 1.00
• hang_loose

  dlazz, I love those things!!! sleeper, boil in bag is way to easy after you've prepared and frozen everything.
• Ironman92

  

  We crock pot cook around 3 days a week. You can make about anything in them. Roast (pork or beef), stew.....can go healthy, fatty, whatever you prefer. I suppose your key would be foods you enjoy that you don't mind to eat multiple days in a row and they heat up well.
  
  Roast with onions, potatoes, carrots and celery is GOAT with me and it might actually be even better the next couple days.
• Tiernan

  Raw Dawgin' it;1552056 wrote:So you're Jewish?

  Probably not...but you're a bigot.
• Midstate01

  

  sleeper;1551955 wrote:I'm currently trying to avoid eating out at restaurants partially due to the concern that it just straight up is not healthy(and expensive). However, the problem is I don't have a lot of time to cook when I get home from work. How does the OC handle making dinner and work lunches on low amounts of available free time?
  
  Lately I've been using the crock pot to make shredded pork and then stir frying a few vegetables(mostly onions and peppers) but I'm looking for more variety. What are your tips? What are your recipes?
  
  : thumbup:

  We just started cooking all our meals for a week on sundays and then freezing them and eating them throughout the week. Makes for long 3 hours on sunday. But worth it throughout the week. We were eating out too much as well and mostly because we'd come home at night and be tired or need to start school work. So it made sense and has worked really well.
• gut

  se-alum;1552194 wrote:The frozen steamer bag vegetables are great two. Can find them in single servings, and only takes a few minutes to cook in the microwave.

  Yeah, this is my route. Veggies are really low in calories (well except for the carb variety like corn and potatoes)...and most people don't eat enough...a bag that "serves" 4 should be fine for 2 meals for a guy. Actually pretty quick - takes 10 to 20 minutes to prepare and cook dinner.
  
  Cook up some fish/chicken/pork/steak or whatever meat, and mix in some veggies or just nuke the veggies. I don't do anything with sauces - usually I just get a little marinade in bottles and use sparingly to add a bit of flavor (most of these are high in sodium, especially soy-based for stir fry).
• Zombaypirate

  cheap buy bags of dried beans, add veggies and spices for flavor. Presoak the beans the night before then cook and add veggies and spices you can add meat if you like. I can feed a family of four for a month for $100.00 easy Beans and rice are the secret to success.
• Ironman92

  

  Zombaypirate;1552658 wrote:cheap buy bags of dried beans, add veggies and spices for flavor. Presoak the beans the night before then cook and add veggies and spices you can add meat if you like. I can feed a family of four for a month for $100.00 easy Beans and rice are the secret to success.

  Teacher....Hey Billy, what did you have for dinner last night?
  
  Billy....CRIES UNCONTROLLABLY
• Zombaypirate

  Ironman92;1552692 wrote:Teacher....Hey Billy, what did you have for dinner last night?
  
  Billy....CRIES UNCONTROLLABLY

  F*ck Billy LOL!
• justincredible

  

  Commander of Awesome;1551965 wrote:I do salads, quick easy, healthy. I use hummus instead of salad dressing bc salad dressing is disgusting and horrible for you.

  Olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar. Not disgusting. Not horrible for you. But, the hummus idea is interesting.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  justincredible;1553044 wrote:Olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar. Not disgusting. Not horrible for you. But, the hummus idea is interesting.

  I'm not a huge fan of Balsamic or red wine vinegar. Really weird, wish I didn't dislike it so much as when I go over a person's house etc I have to ask them to make me a side salad.