Planning ahead
You might remember our wedding spreadsheet. There was another spreadsheet which kept our move on track. Of course there is one for the baby!!
Yes, Werner and I are planners. For special events, we pull out all the stops, but even for fairly quotidien events we plan ahead and make lists and give ourselves lots of time in case something doesn't go according to plan. When we fly to Germany, we arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure. (It gives us time to have lunch.) Luckily, we're equally wound up about these things. In fact, at our wedding reception, one of his colleagues remarked to me, "I thought Werner was organised - but you're even more organised than he is!" I take that as a compliment, being more organised than a German!
I also love to cook. Strangely, that's one arena in which I don't really plan all that much. I love that I can run out to pick up missing ingredients (yeah, I know that will change after kleines Bärchen joins us, so I'm enjoying it while I still can) and whip up a meal without much forethought. (Admittedly, I still have to get going on tonight's meal...) Baking takes a bit more planning, and cake decorating may require work spread out over several days, but everyday cooking is fairly ad hoc. For now.
I know I won't be able to cook as I like once the baby is born. Baking especially is my playtime (and also relieves stress), so this could get interesting. And since I prefer to eat and serve homemade food and generally avoid processed foods (although I'm not dogmatic about it), I want to make sure we aren't relying on packets of frozen entrées (like the couple - carrying an infant - I just saw stocking up on Lean Cuisine in the frozen aisle at Shopper's Drug Mart). My plan, then, is to do a lot of cooking in advance and freeze the portions. Convenience of, well, convenience foods, but (largely) meeting my standards of wholesomeness.
I am anxious to get going on this; the bigger I get, the more tiring it will be to cook. (This much is already clear.) During strawberry season, I made a ridiculous volume of strawberry jam (in case I don't have time next year), and froze a few strawberry rhubarb pies (in case the baby comes before I can make apple pies). I plan to do the same during raspberry, peach, and apricot seasons. That's all well and good, these things are meant to keep. (Ok, the pies not so much, but they won't stand a chance anyway!) Entrées are a different story. I know I should make them as late as possible to maintain quality and freshness, but I don't want to wait to long because I'll be huge.
In the meantime, I plan.
Here's the list so far of things I think I'll make:
There were some other ideas, too, but preggie brain wins again. (That's one of the reasons I'm publishing my list - so I have it recorded somewhere!)
There are some things we enjoy that I wish would freeze well: potato soup (now burbling on the stove for tonight's supper), squash and shallot stew, beef stew, corn chowder. But I'm not going to take the chance.
I'll buy a bunch of those foil containers with lids (probably best for the lasagnas, since I'll want to do a number of smaller lasagnas rather than a couple of bigs ones; same for ). For other things, like the soup, Bolognese, and chili, I'll use the plastic containers I already have. With the macaroni and cheese, and maybe the cod au gratin, I may try something I've read about somewhere or other: line a baking dish with foil, spread in the prepared food, freeze in the baking dish, remove the frozen food from the dish and overwrap for storage. (This way, the dish won't be lost to the freezer for months on end.)
Just a few thoughts. If there's anything I'm missing from the "must cook and freeze" list, please let me know!
Yes, Werner and I are planners. For special events, we pull out all the stops, but even for fairly quotidien events we plan ahead and make lists and give ourselves lots of time in case something doesn't go according to plan. When we fly to Germany, we arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure. (It gives us time to have lunch.) Luckily, we're equally wound up about these things. In fact, at our wedding reception, one of his colleagues remarked to me, "I thought Werner was organised - but you're even more organised than he is!" I take that as a compliment, being more organised than a German!
I also love to cook. Strangely, that's one arena in which I don't really plan all that much. I love that I can run out to pick up missing ingredients (yeah, I know that will change after kleines Bärchen joins us, so I'm enjoying it while I still can) and whip up a meal without much forethought. (Admittedly, I still have to get going on tonight's meal...) Baking takes a bit more planning, and cake decorating may require work spread out over several days, but everyday cooking is fairly ad hoc. For now.
I know I won't be able to cook as I like once the baby is born. Baking especially is my playtime (and also relieves stress), so this could get interesting. And since I prefer to eat and serve homemade food and generally avoid processed foods (although I'm not dogmatic about it), I want to make sure we aren't relying on packets of frozen entrées (like the couple - carrying an infant - I just saw stocking up on Lean Cuisine in the frozen aisle at Shopper's Drug Mart). My plan, then, is to do a lot of cooking in advance and freeze the portions. Convenience of, well, convenience foods, but (largely) meeting my standards of wholesomeness.
I am anxious to get going on this; the bigger I get, the more tiring it will be to cook. (This much is already clear.) During strawberry season, I made a ridiculous volume of strawberry jam (in case I don't have time next year), and froze a few strawberry rhubarb pies (in case the baby comes before I can make apple pies). I plan to do the same during raspberry, peach, and apricot seasons. That's all well and good, these things are meant to keep. (Ok, the pies not so much, but they won't stand a chance anyway!) Entrées are a different story. I know I should make them as late as possible to maintain quality and freshness, but I don't want to wait to long because I'll be huge.
In the meantime, I plan.
Here's the list so far of things I think I'll make:
- Lasagna
- Canneloni
- Macaroni and cheese
- Soup (minestrone, pasta e fagioli...)
- Turkey chili
- Cod au gratin
- Bolognese sauce
- Cookie dough (cream cheese and walnut cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies....)
- Muffins
- Bread?
There were some other ideas, too, but preggie brain wins again. (That's one of the reasons I'm publishing my list - so I have it recorded somewhere!)
There are some things we enjoy that I wish would freeze well: potato soup (now burbling on the stove for tonight's supper), squash and shallot stew, beef stew, corn chowder. But I'm not going to take the chance.
I'll buy a bunch of those foil containers with lids (probably best for the lasagnas, since I'll want to do a number of smaller lasagnas rather than a couple of bigs ones; same for ). For other things, like the soup, Bolognese, and chili, I'll use the plastic containers I already have. With the macaroni and cheese, and maybe the cod au gratin, I may try something I've read about somewhere or other: line a baking dish with foil, spread in the prepared food, freeze in the baking dish, remove the frozen food from the dish and overwrap for storage. (This way, the dish won't be lost to the freezer for months on end.)
Just a few thoughts. If there's anything I'm missing from the "must cook and freeze" list, please let me know!
posted by Melanie A at 6:18 p.m.
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