We have three upright freezers. I need one of them to be close to empty so I can stick trays for the freeze dryer in there and keep them flat til I’m ready for them. Anything that’s kinda liquid-y needs to be frozen first because of the slant on the freeze dryer. It needs to sit with the front at least 1/4″ but it’s better if it’s close to 1/2″ higher than the back.
Instead of taking everything out and then defrosting the freezer, and putting the stuff back in the freezer, I’m taking things out, one or two things at a time, deciding what I want to keep, what I want to throw out. If I want to keep it, I put it in the fridge to defrost and we eat it in a day or two.
Tonight I had a package of pork chops. I really wanted to make fricot but I don’t have any potatoes and I had pork instead of beef so I stuck whatever I could find in the pot.
Dinner
The pork chops were seasoned and browned, then removed to a plate. Chopped onions and jalapeno peppers were browned, then whole cloves of garlic were added, along with carrots and rosemary.
Dinner
I poured a 32 oz. container of beef broth over the veggies, placed the pork chops on top, put a lid on the pot and let it simmer on low for an hour or so. I wasn’t paying attention to the time.
When it was done, I thickened the gravy with a bit of cornstarch. Meat was done!
Green Beans
There was a bag of whole green beans in the freezer. I boiled those for a couple of minutes, drained them. About 1/4 cup of olive oil was heated in a skillet, the beans were sauteed and garlic was added.
Dinner
That’s the kind of dinner I love. Meat, rice, gravy and a couple of veggies. Once again, we both said “There’s nowhere in town we could get food this good!” Now I’m wishing I had pulled out two packages of pork chops. That gravy is so good!
Dottie says
Looks YUMMY!
Nelle Coursey says
Looks delicious! We had fish at the new Sam’s here. It was good but a lot more food than we could eat!! Wish I had gotten what Pat did. I got the 4 piece meal and it was way too much for me! He got the 1 fish and 5 shrimp and it was plenty for him. The jumbo shrimp are really jumbo!! You can either get it grilled or fried. The meals come with fish and two sides. The only sides they have are Fries, Green Beans, Coleslaw and Red Beans and Rice. We asked for Red beans and rice and got green beans! But they were very good! You also get 2 hushpuppies.
vivoaks says
Looks good to me, but the peppers would do us in. Hubby can’t even eat sweet peppers, let alone hot ones!! Neither of us grew up eating spicy anything, so it’s just not something we eat. He doesn’t like the smell of garlic cooking either, so that’s another thing I don’t use at all. You’d consider my cooking very bland! LOL!!
dezertsuz says
That sounds and looks delicious. I noticed you did this in your cast iron pot. So I have a question. I hadn’t used my 3 qt. pot in a while, but it’s been seasoned, and I always take good care of it. I pulled it out and fixed something in it for Thanksgiving – boiling potatoes first, and the water looked a little black. When I took a paper towel later to dry it, it rubbed off black. Any clues why that is?
treadlemusic says
If you would be able to Google “Caring for cast iron”, there are many scenarios presented with solutions for each situation. The answers are quite good and not complicated (I’ve followed the advice on more than 1 occasion!). LUV my Dutch oven!
Twyla says
It is 6:30am and my mouth is watering. I am trying to use up foods in our small chest freezer and not buy more. But, I am kinda like Vince if it is on sale so good I can not help myself.
Sherrill Pecere says
WHAT?!! No bacon grease in the green beans?! HA I can’t eat green beans without bacon grease in em; just not enough good flavor for me (but also bad for me..sigh). I’m amazed at how you cook, just kinda winging it. I’ve never been that good of a cook.
Tricia says
How mean to show this when everyone else in the US is drowning in turkey leftovers!