Share the wealth, so to speak. I am alone and find it difficult to

[Paper Roses]

prepare meals for just me. It is just not in my nature to build wonderful goodies for myself. It has gradually come to pass that my daughter and I, every once in a while, will make a big batch of- something-and exchange a meal or two worth of the meal. Share some, freeze some)

She works every weekday and cooks on weekends. Right now, I have time to cook for more than just myself. We decide who is doing what and each of us will make something in a large enough quantity to exchange one or two meals worth. It is an economical as well as time saving way to approach the cook for one problem. It is also less expensive. (plus-she is a better cook)

Her boyfriend joins the fun too. It is a great help for all of us.

[The empressof all]

1. I just made deconstructed stuffed cabbage in the crock pot

I layered shredded cabbage, fried onions, browned ground meat (I used turkey, pork and beef with a little TVP) and a fairly spicy tomato sauce. I let it go 6 hours on high. I'll serve it with rice but it's also good with noodles or potatoes It's better the next day and freezes really well

[Kali]

6. oooo that sounds really good!

and freaking easy!

[japple]

2. I live alone, too, but my whole family comes over for dinner on Sunday

and I cook for everyone. I really enjoy cooking, so this give me an outlet and gives all of us some leftovers. The rest of the family all work longer hours than I do, and it helps them to come home one night and not have to cook. On the weekends my sister comes for visits, she makes several different kinds of cookies, enough to share with everyone in the family.

We have discussed doing a cooking exchange like you mentioned. It's a great idea.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. I'm living alone now, too .........

...... while Sparkly is doing some studies in Geneva, Switzerland for the next 30 .... uh .... now 29 days.

I love to cook. I hate eating alone. Tonight is frozen pizza.

I really like your idea!

[hippywife]

4. Check out Ptah in action.

He does this all the time with different meals and freezes them. :hi:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=9277313&mesg_id=9277313

[Paper Roses]

5. While I admire the efforts of Ptah, I can't fill my small freezer with

large quantities of the same thing. My exchange program with my daughter gives me things that I would never make for myself. If I had a free standing freezer, things might be different but right now our little exchange works great. We just exchanged 2 meals worth of pulled pork for 2 meals worth of chicken croquettes. Both are simple to make and are great to exchange. I don't want a freezer full of spaghetti, there is no room. She would never make my croquettes and I certainly would ever make pulled pork for myself.

We're trying to find other exchange meals. This was just the latest.

[pengillian101]

8. Good idea exchanging and sharing meals!

What a great idea! The closest thing I can relate to is that I have a pal who will bring over a ham and ask me to make pea soup. It makes a ton and then we split it up. She buys the ham, I do the vegies and the soup-making. Works for us!

***************************

Revised 1969 Betty Crocker's cookbook Split Pea Soup (*my variation in parenthesis) I usually double this recipe and it freezes well.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups dried split peas (*one plastic bag is 2 cups).
2 quarts water (*that is 8 cups and I add chicken bouillon
to that 8 cups of water so it is chicken broth. Or just
start out with 8 cups of chicken broth)

1 lb smoked ham shank or ham hocks or 1 ham bone (*I start
with a real bone-in ham. There will be more than enough
ham for your soup, and the leftover extremely tender ham is
wonderful for sandwiches, etc.)

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) (*I use a
lot more onion and you don't need to chop anything so
fine.)

1 cup finely chopped celery (*my celery usually is beyond
usable before I use it, so I normally skip it)

1 sprig parsley (*I use dried parsley)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced (*my very original Betty
Crocker recipe didn't call for carrots - but my notes say I
always added 1-1/2 cup of sliced carrots). They will cook
down.

(* IMPORTANT * my little additions - a bit of chopped garlic in a jar, 1/4 tsp thyme, a bay leaf or two, and a generous pinch of cayenne pepper.)

DIRECTIONS

In large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat peas and water (*bouillon) to boiling; boil 2 minutes.

Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour.

Add bone-in ham, onion, celery, parsley and pepper; heat to
boiling. (*add carrots and my additions - chopped garlic in a jar, 1/4 tsp thyme, a bay leaf or two, and a generous pinch of
cayenne pepper.)

Reduce heat; cover and simmer (*at least) 1-1/2 hours.

Remove ham and bone.

(*If you want a really creamy variation, use a hand blender in the pot before adding the ham back in. Or if you don't have a hand blender, put the soup through a regular food processor or blender Personally, I like the un-creamy version best.)

Trim meat from bone and add meat to soup.

[Paper Roses]

9. Great recipe, I think I'd pick up a ham when I shop next week.

This would be great to share. I'd leave whatever bits and pieces in the soup and after removing the ham from the bone, throw chunks back in. I prefer soups with chunky meat and veggies.

I notice you didn't soak the peas. Not necessary? I usually soak dried beans, peas, lentils etc in water overnight.

[pengillian101]

11. I don't soak overnight.

Just boil for two minutes and let sit with a cover for an hour. Then they will simmer again for at least 1-1/2 hour, so they are plenty soft and mushy - and if not, just simmer longer :-)

[hippywife]

10. Sounds like the two of you

have a really great system going. :D

[supernova]

7. Curries are good by the batch

Chicken or turkey freeze well. It also gives you a zing of a different flavor that we don't eat a lot of in the west.