Anyone try OAMC?

[SHERRY]

I have recently been reading about Once a Month Cooking, I have been wanting to try something like Once a Week cooking and was wondering if any of you have tried this with Cooking Light recipes. What is the best way to get started and what entrees freeze well? I would love any recipes that are tried and true...I have MC, so no need to type recipes, title works great! Thanks everyone! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif



[This message has been edited by SHERRY (edited 03-27-2001).]

[SHERRY]

just wanted to bump this back up....I am really interested in learning more about this topic, with two toddlers, dinner time is crazy for us...thanks for any input http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[clairea]

When I was working with 2 small children, I used to cook and freeze a lot. Most casserole-type dishes and soups froze pretty well (just be sure to slightly undercook pasta), except those with potatoes (the texture gets weird). A couple of CL recipes that worked well for me that come quickly to mind are the Chicken Enchilada Casserole and the Florentine Chicken Lasagna. Let me know if you want me to post either of these. If I think of any other things I used to do this with, I will post again. Also, if you search for terms like "freezer meals" or "make-ahead" you will probably come up with a lot more ideas -- I know there have been a lot of threads on this topic lately.

BTW, I always froze meals in those disposable foil loaf pans -- that way, not only is there no cooking, but also no cleanup http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[ama47369]

I have started doing this on a weekly basis. Wow! How great it is to have your meals already prepared when you get home from work!
And, I have a blast on Sunday when I cook all the food. I have had luck with the Merlot Pot Roast, Veggie Lasagne, Mock Calazones, Meatloaf,Chicken Tortilla Soup, Bbq Ckn Potpie filling, and I usually make some red bean and rice tortilla wraps(mixed with salsa, chopped red & yellow peppers, cilantro,& cumin)to take for lunch. They freeze really well. Also, I usually make some kind of dish for Sunday and Monday(if there will be leftovers) that doesn't freeze well-if there is something I really want to try but don't want to make during the week.
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SHERRY]

Thanks for the ideas...I am going to try a week long cooking tomorrow...I am making speghetti sauce, superfast salisbury steak, pot roast for dinner tonight, which I can use leftover for beef and noodles tomorrow, and i was considering making the creamy parmesan pasta with turkey meatballs...but, do you think the creamy sauce will freeze well...I would love to hear more menu's as you all try them...I can't wait to see how this works out...DH is afraid it will be like eating leftovers everynight.. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

oh, I am also going to make the veggie lasagna...and one more question, what method to you tend to use to reheat the entrees without them drying out or being over cooked? thanks again http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by SHERRY (edited 03-28-2001).]

[ama47369]

As for the question about the pasta dish...I think maybe the cream sauce would be o.k., but I have heard that pasta doesn't freeze well. The one time I did freeze noodles, it took just as long to defrost them as it would have taken to boil them. And, they weren't a good texture.

I just microwave most of the dishes. But, you could put each dish in the fridge the morning that you will have it for dinner to defrost a bit. Does anyone else have any other methods?