No matter how many freezer dinners I make in advance, I have to be in the kitchen at least a little to be happy. It’s quite a predicament, because cooking ahead is so practical and it’s sometimes the best to just have a glass of wine and pop dinner in the oven. On the other hand, I’ll become grumpy Tessa very quickly if I’m not losing myself in the kitchen making something yummy or experimenting with a new recipe. I’ll attempt to find balance this week, because Steve is busy at work and won’t be needing dinner, I’m busy putting together a week long dinner plan eBook to release this Friday, and I have a freezer packed with homemade veggie burgers and at least three different types of soup…and more.
I didn’t have to sacrifice an entire weekend to end up with this supply of dinners in the freezer. Once or twice a week, I made extra of a more freezer-friendly dinner (soups are a home run), and after a few weeks I end up with this “freebie” week! It’s an approach that’s kind of evolved over time, but it’s second nature now. If you’re curious, my upcoming dinner eBook will have one dinner specifically geared to make extra, so you can go back for seconds over the weekend or build up your freezer supply for a busy week. It’s also a great way for me to test the “freezeability” of different dinners (besides just soups) for my clients, and it helps save money on groceries. I just have to pick up a few snacks, filler items, and missing ingredients for whatever treat or recipe experiment I undertake–much lower cost than my typical weekly grocery bill.
So here’s the plan!
- Monday: fresh batch of wine glazed lentils, leftover chicken sausage, and roasted carrots from a bag I need to use.
- Tuesday: broccoli soup (freezer) and leftover wine lentils from Monday
- Wednesday: cheesy squash and black bean hot dish (from freezer–recipe coming soon to the blog!)
- Thursday: squash and fava bean soup, veggie burger (both freezer), and fresh made simple guacamole
- Friday: TBD
Showing off a little, but pictured is my new, birthday Le Creuset Dutch oven, which I’m totally in love with and have already used three times since I got it last week. Thing gets HOT!
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