Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Bulk Cooking for One

Monday Dinner
Saturday, I went grocery shopping.  I posted my grocery list here

I cooked the pound of ground beef, made half of it into spaghetti sauce, kept the other half for something else, cooked the two salmon steaks, and boiled some pasta on Saturday night.

I was going to cook the chicken drumsticks and pork chops on Sunday, but cooked them on Monday, instead.  I made chicken curry and teriyaki pork chops (which is a fancy way of saying I sauted the pork chops with some teriyaki sauce!)  I also cooked some rice and steamed broccoli and carrots.

I kept all the spaghetti sauce in the fridge because I was planning to have spaghetti for lunch several days during the week, but I think I will freeze some of it.  I kept one salmon steak (enough for 2 portions) in the fridge for the week and froze the other, larger one (4 portions) for another time.  I kept two of the curried chicken drumsticks in the fridge and froze the remaining four, in two packages of two drumsticks each.  I froze two of the pork chops, as well, kept one in the fridge for this week and had half of the 4th one for dinner, last night and the other half for my lunch, today.  They are large pork chops and each is sufficient for at least two meals for me.  But now that I've made this week's meal plan, I think I'll freeze the 3rd pork chop, as well.  That's the main entrée for a dozen or more future meals, where all I'll have to cook will be the sides!  Bulk cooking for one!

So, here's how this week's meal plan is shaping up:

Saturday: 
Brunch - waffle with syrup, bacon, orange
Dinner - spaghetti, carrot sticks; ice cream for dessert

Sunday:
Brunch - spaghetti, orange
Dinner - shrimp curry (the last of the 2 lb. shrimp I bought in mid-February), rice, sauted cabbage

Monday:
Brunch - spaghetti, orange
Dinner - half of a teriyaki pork chop, rice, steamed broccoli and carrot sticks; ice cream for dessert.

Tuesday:
Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - remaining half of pork chop, rice, steamed broccoli and carrot sticks; orange
Dinner - chicken & vegetable soup

Wednesday:
Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - spaghetti, salad, mango or apple
Dinner - Salmon (or chicken curry), rice, tomato chutney, sauted cabbage

Thursday:
Breakfast - Granola bar
Lunch - Same as Wed. dinner?  Spaghetti & salad?  mango or apple
Dinner - Curry puffs (ground beef filled puff pastry turnovers; planning to make them on Thursday night)

Friday:
Brunch - Curry puffs
Dinner - Chicken curry, rice,  cucumber salad

I've granola bars, a variety of nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts, etc.) and cookies for snacks.

Of course, I might just change my mind and decide to have scrambled eggs and fried potatoes for dinner, one night, because that's what I'd be wanting!  LOL. 

Do you do bulk cooking?  Do you think this is a good way to do things?  Or should I buy less when I grocery shop? 


6 comments:

  1. When I lived by myself in my apartment I used to cook like you describe. I got paid every 2 weeks and when I got my pay I would immediately go to the grocery store and buy a few different kinds of meat and whatever else I needed. Then I would spend one whole day (usually a Sunday) making several different meals. I would keep out enough of the food I cooked to get me through the week and the rest would go into the freezer, portioned out into single meals (I had invested in several reusable containers for this purpose.) Throughout the next couple of weeks I would have the convenience of simply opening the freezer and taking out a container with a meal to bring to work for lunch and on the nights when I didn't want to cook I would take out a container for dinner. It made my week really easy to not come home tired, hungry and have to cook for just myself. Your meals sound delicious! :)

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    Replies
    1. It's good to have pre-cooked meals in the freezer, isn't it? Usually, I just prepare two main dishes and alternate them. But this time, I bought and coked more. Hope things are slowing down for you and you are getting some time to rest.

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  2. I do the same cooking for two. Usually cook 4 lg pork chops or Pork Loin Roast at a time since 4 fits casserole dish, fry pan or bake pan. I pull 2 out 10 minutes before due time to slice and freeze portioned in zip bags for future meals.

    Bake, roast, or crockpot a small, whole chicken or chicken parts if cheaper by weight and portion out in bags labelled for specific meals like Spanish Rice, Paella, Stew, Pot Pie, casserole etc. Likewise have some cut of beef roasted or BBQed frozen in portions.
    Having these at hand has allowed me to create meals with 1 cup each of a meat, frozen veg, potato, rice, or pasta + sauce, green salad and jello or custard for dessert.
    That's about all I can manage as RX for cold has ghastly side effects and ear infection is so painful.

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    Replies
    1. Hon, sorry to hear you have an ear infection as well as a cold. Hope you can rest. If you can, make some chicken soup, as that's good for colds, etc.

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  3. What great meals you have made up..
    I do a little bit of extra cooking... and freeze it..

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    Replies
    1. Judy, thank you! :) I am visiting my daughter this weekend and I brought most of the frozen portions up for her! LOL.

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