Not so long ago I ate dinner at Co., the New York pizza place owned by Jim Lahey (he of the Sullivan Street Bakery and No-Knead Bread). There’s a pie on the menu called The Popeye that comes with a mountain of crispy, leafy spinach on top. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it in the weeks since that dinner, so what’s a pie-loving gal to do but make her own version at home?
During my first year of marriage we spent over $500 a month to feed the two of us, the same amount I spent 15 years later to feed eight of us! Yikes!
Clearly, I’ve reformed my ways since then — and my freezer has played a big part in the process.
Whether you have dedicated cooking sessions to stock your freezer, or it’s a landing zone for leftovers, I think we can all agree that freezer meals are beyond amazing. During busy weeks when I simply don’t have time, and on the nights I’m too tired to cook dinner, pulling a home-cooked meal from the freezer feels like a gift.
We’ve shared a lot of our favorite freezer meals with you, but today we’re taking a look at your favorite freezer meals. Perhaps you’ll see one of your favorites on the list, and maybe you’ll even get some new ideas.
Q: My fiancé and I teach after school hours and aren’t able to have dinner until about 9:30 or 10 p.m. Because of this, we like to use the slow cooker, so the food is ready when we get home. That was great for a while, but then we decided we didn’t want to eat big hunks of meat that late at night.
Picture this: You mix up a batch of pancake batter (because pancakes sounded so amazing 15 minutes earlier when you were in bed), only to find yourself in front of the stove, spatula in hand, thinking, “I really don’t have the patience for this.”
I experienced that scenario this morning, so I turned to an idea from last year to help me out.
Tying the knot? Congratulations! One of the first (of many) questions you’ll be asking yourself as you plan for the big day is where to register. Our advice? Make it easy for your guests and round up all your registry items on Amazon—you can even add items from other sites with their Universal Registry. To get you started, we’ve put together a checklist of our favorite kitchen items that we think should be on every registry. Also, Amazon is offering you a $20 Amazon gift card if you sign up for a new registry using The Kitchn’s special link.
Renters, rejoice! There’s a fun way to give your kitchen a little chalkboard love without painting a wall, drilling holes, or spending a lot of money. A trip to the craft store will provide you with the tools for this fun, easy DIY chalkboard, perfect for scribbling grocery lists, menu plans, or notes to your housemates.
Like many of you, I grew up eating pot roast on a (very) regular basis. And while I will always love my mother’s old-school version, I felt it was time for a little upgrade. I’ve nixed the “pantry helpers” and replaced them with Dijon mustard, maple, and balsamic for delicious take on a classic.
The Freezer Cure Week 2: Saturday, February 14
Assignment: Now that you’ve cleaned out your freezer, devise a strategy or system to organize what’s left. Buy new containers if need be.
Sign Up: Sign up here for The Freezer Cure
Happy Valentine’s Day! If you’ve been on the outs with your freezer, today is the day you’re going to kiss and make up. After today there will be no more secrets between you, no more mysteries, no more lies. When you thaw a package labeled “taco meat” you will discover it is taco meat. When you reach into a container for frozen fruit, you will find that, yes, it contains frozen fruit. After today, unlike U2, you will always find what you’re looking for.
After today you will know — truly know! — your freezer, in a deep-down, deep-freeze kind of way. You both deserve a second chance at love, so let’s get started.
