Cooking Marathon Prep

The 1st part of any good cooking day, I'm told, is a list of recipes and a plan. I sat down today and came up with the following items for my cooking marathon:

Spaghetti Casserole
Chili (enough for 2 evening meals)
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Chicken Enchiladas
15 Bean Soup (enough for 2 evening meals)
Cheesy Enchilada Chowder

Blueberry Muffins
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Oatmeal Cookie Bars

I picked these menu items based on what I have in our pantry, fridge and freezer. After reviewing the recipes and our stock, I have a short grocery list for the morning.

In order to get a head-start on my cooking day, I decided to begin this evening. I worked for exactly an hour and did the following:

I put a whole chicken in the oven and baked it. Now it's fully cooked and in the fridge. In the a.m. I'll debone the chicken, cut in cubes and use it in my recipes.

I also began the following items:
15 Bean Mix is soaking in water on the stove.

The spaghetti and the rotini are both cooked.

I went ahead and baked the oatmeal cookie bars. I had a head-start on those since someone had given us a mix in a jar. The cookie bars are now cooled and in the freezer.

And finally while the pasta was boiling, I pulled some pre-browned ground turkey out of the freezer and used it to make the spaghetti casserole.

In conclusion...I have one spaghetti casserole and oatmeal bar cookies already complete and in the freezer. And in the a.m., I'll make a quick grocery run and begin the rest of the list....


My 1st success....a casserole in the freezer!!



Stay tuned....