January 31, 2011

Well I guess I'm not very organized for this blog.  I should have posted this BEFORE the recipes, but oh well....hehehehe....here goes. 

You really don't have to cook "once a month" you can cook for a two week cycle.  Or even  a week.    In fact, probably for newcomers, one of those are probably the preferable way to "learn".  Also for the summer cook or the "griller" you can do marinating for the freezer and that will cut down on time and help that way too. 

So..now onto the shopping. 

The great thing of the big grocery trip is that you can avoid the need for many stops for "just a few" items the rest of the month. Those little trips blow your food budget.  Now I know you will be greatly annoyed if you get into the swing of your cooking day and find you are missing an ingredient, so this will help you form a complete shopping list.  If you can, plan to shop the or evening before you cook; you won't have the time or energy to do both on cooking day. 

Step #1 toward this is to check the items that you already have on hand.  The "Pantry List" is a guess at items you already have.  Check and see if you're missing some, or low on some, add them to your shopping list. 

Step #2  Make you Shopping list by categories.  It will help you whip through the grocery store without a lot of doubling back.  Supermarkets predictably display the necessities - meat, dairy, bakery, and produce - along the walls of the store. 

REMINDER if you are a "coupon" or "sale" shopper who like to buy meats and poultry on sale, remember that it is not wise to thaw meat or poultry, create an entree, and refreeze it unless the meat or poultry is cooked before it's refrozen. 

I usually mark the item on my grocery list to indicate that the item will not be used until the day the entree is served.  When the items is fresh produce, such as a tomato, I usually purchase it close to the day when I'll serve it.  List these on the menu Chart so you won't forget to purchase them before they're needed.  Make these into a weekly grocery shopping list so that you can continue to minimize trips to the store.  

#3  Using and Assembly Order, you will prepare your entrees in the order listed, beginning with your chopping, slicing and grating tasks.  As I've mentioned before, I do this the night before our cooking day.  Don't be discouraged with the time this step takes.  Once it's complete, the dishes will come together quickly. 

Keep the vegetables, cheese, etc that your process in ziploc bags or containers on the counter, refrigerating them if they will be sitting out more than an hour or two.  Refrigerate all meat, poultry, and fish that you process (slicing, cubing, etc.) until it will be incorporated into a dish. 

A few days before cooking cleaning out your refrigerator and freezer.  Toss items from the refrigerator that have passed their expiration dates, and clear space for food you'll need to refrigerate between your grocery shopping trip and completion of your cooking day. 

The night before you cook, spend a few minutes preparing your kitchen.  Remove from the counter tops all appliances, canisters, and decor items that you won't use on your cooking day.  Set out all items from the pantry list on a counter close to the stove.  Then add the items from your list that don't need refrigeration...canned items, fresh fruit, vegetables.  Make sure you have your labels ready and have them on a table close to or in the kitchen where you can sit a few minutes while you prepare the foods for the freezer. 

Equipment you'll need

Crock Pot; food processor, Mixer &/or blender; baking sheets; large pot with lid; pizza pan; roasting pan; saucepans; skillets; freezer containers; ziploc bags; mixing bowls; Aprons; clean sponges, dish clothes, kitchen towels; colander; coolers and ice; cutting boards - one for nuts, fruits and veggies and another for meats and poultry; indelible marker; comfortable shoes; hot pads; oven mitts; kitchen shears; knives; labels and freezer tap; ladle; meat thermometer; mixing spoons; spatulas; tongs; vegetable peeler; whisk.  Also have a music source. 

Okay...more later.