What's for dinner?

[John61CT]

link to the bakable jars? I thought had to be pyrex

 

[AMGS3]

I always use Ball or Kerr brand jars. You need flat sided ones like these half pint jars- https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/canning/jars/62495
or these pint jars- https://www.shopko.com/product/Ball-Wide-Mouth-Pint-16oz-Jars-12-Pack/18413.uts

It is important NOT to get the curved sided jars if you are planning to ever use them for freezing food in them.

And while you could use the half pint regular lid jars, I find the shorter wide mouth half pint jars easier to clean.

Here's a few links for examples of recipes. (I haven't actually tested these recipes - these are just examples I could find quickly)

https://foodinjars.com/recipe/breakfast-baked-eggs-in-half-pint-jars/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/baking-cakes-in-canning-jars-305229

Also. Please note that I have not bought things from the two links above, and I'm not recommending these retailers. These links are just so you can see what I'm talking about. Buy jars from wherever you want. Most of the time you can find them in whatever store you buy your toilet paper and laundry supplies from [emoji16] You do you.

~angie

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EDITED TO REPLACE A LINK TO AN INCORRECT PRODUCT, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

 

[Dingfelder]

In a mobile context, space is so much more limited, I prefer doing the cooking up front then freezing.

I like cooking and then freezing better, too.  If not, it's best to blanch the vegetables first, and that adds quite a bit of extra time and effort, especially if you have more than one veggie involved.  Some enzymes can survive ordinary home freezing and still rot food right in the freezer, so the blanching stabilizes things.

But also I cook in big batches, so if I have a freezer filled with prep stuff, there will be no place to put the leftovers, and I usually don't want to eat something five days in a row or more.  

Plus, so many things shrink dramatically on cooking them, from meat to veggies like carrots, onions, mushrooms, etc.

I also love having 5-8 choices available, choose what I feel like at the time.

My favorite way to live.  I'd much rather eat what I want to eat than what I "have" to eat.

 

[AMGS3]

As a follow up to my last post...
It's important not to shock the jars if using them for freezing or baking. Avoid shattered jars by avoiding anything that rapidly changes the temperature of the glass.

So don't pull the frozen jar out of the freezer and put it directly into the microwave. Don't put frozen fruit in it, cover the fruit with crisp and pop the jar in to a hot oven. Don't soak your jars in boiling water and then add ice cubes to them. Change the temp gradually, from room temp to freezing or baking, not from one extreme temp to another.

When using them for baking, be aware that expansion of the batter will happen and leave space in the top of the tall jar for that to prevent overflow. Put them on a baking sheet just in case of overflow or breakage. (I've not had either)

When using them for freezing leave proper space in the top of the jar for expansion of the liquid as it freezes. This will prevent expanding liquid from breaking the glass.

Wide mouth half pint jars work well for me for making cupcakes in.

And yes, most mobile dwellers have to be aware of the space and weight issues that come with deciding what materials to choose. Glass is a lot heavier, more fragile, and takes up way more space than a box of Ziploc freezer bags. I use jars because they're reusable, sturdy (with my disability I drop them all the time and in the past 20 years I've only broken maybe 2), airtight, multi purpose, easy to label, rodent proof (good for storing granola bars in my vehicle), and I can drink out of them. Basically, their versatility to me makes them worth their weight.

~angie



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[WanderingRose]

Have you seen this cookbook, Angie?

https://www.amazon.com/Meals-Jar-Ju...ocphy=9060013&hvtargid=pla-449475032094&psc=1

I bought it some years back, but vacuum seal ingredients rather than using jars.

I just can’t get around the weight of glass for traveling, nor the space needed, where vacuum sealed take up only the space of the ingredients inside.

Tho the reusable glass is certainly better.

 

[John61CT]

Darn, hoping to go direct from freezer to oven

I think I'll just stick to freezer ziplocs, then transfering the contents to the relevant heating container.

 

[AMGS3]

^^WR I hadn't seen that one. I'm going to have to check it out. Thanks!

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[RoamerRV428]

NY strip steak on the grill with sipping on beef broth thru the day. my kind of wonder food

 

[Almost There]

My favorite way to live.  I'd much rather eat what I want to eat than what I "have" to eat.

That is precisely why I designed and built my van interior to accommodate both a 65qt fridge and a 65qt deep freeze. Yes, it took extra battery and a larger charger/generator etc. etc. but preparing to live full-time on the road I absolutely knew that for my long term happiness I was not going to be happy eating either one meat for 4 days to use up a package or having to choose what was for dinner by what was going to spoil first.

I do the same thing as I did at home - think about what is in the stock and decide what I want for dinner tonight.

 

[Dingfelder]

That's pretty cool to get all that into a van. I love a big freezer, a lot. Gives you so many options when meal-planning.

Right now I'm going to try to make 10-minute pasta in a rice cooker using its sautee function. It's around 40 degrees out so I don't want to open the windows much at all, but wow that was an eye-watering onion I just sliced up and I think I'll have to air the place out.

 

[AMGS3]

Tonight is steak, eggs, broccoli, and a raw tomato.

Someone gave me several large tomatoes. Now I have to come up with ways to eat them in the next few days.

Does anyone know if you can freeze a raw tomato? Maybe I should just throw them into a soup.

~angie

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[Almost There]

Tomatoes don't freeze well at all.

Easy Cream of Tomato soup - Make a medium thick white sauce. With fresh tomatoes you'll want to scald them to get the skins off. Then dice and add to white sauce with all the juice you can save. Need about equal amounts of white sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, use potato masher to get the diced tomatoes down in size. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

I do the cream of tomato soup usually with a can of diced tomatoes but fresh would be even better.

 

[Almost There]

Oops, came to this thread to post dinner and got distracted...  

Pork chops, smashed white and sweet potatoes and braised red cabbage....yummy!

 

[WanderingRose]

Tomatoes should keep at room temperature a few days.

I agree not to freeze them. I like the sound of that cream of tomato soup, and may have to try it.

I have a little immersion blender that would smooth it right out.

I had an MRE from my freezer...beef and noodles, with baby portobello mushrooms in it.

 

[Almost There]

I have a little immersion blender that would smooth it right out.

The masher leaves the soup with little chunks in it which makes it taste and look much better than a smooth soup that you'd get after using the immersion blender.

 

[B and C]

Beef fajitas tonight that I grilled for the bunch here. Mmmm

 

[bullfrog]

Bean dip (two cans of black beans, one can of Rotell diced chillies and tomatoes, one 15 oz jar jar of Cheese Whiz, heated and stirred slowly over low heat till warm) and a big bag of Tostitios cantinna chips.

 

[John61CT]

Someone gave me several large tomatoes. Now I have to come up with ways to eat them in the next few days.

First world problems

Need good chewy dense crusty bread.

Slice tomato thick, salt & pepper then butter / mayo and/or cheese to taste, beautiful sammich.

Or Brushetta version, soak the slices in virgin olive oil, salt & pepper, maybe warm it a little.

Pesto sauce in a jar gives intense basil taste if you can't get fresh basil.

Thick-slice your good chewy dense crusty bread, layer the above, dash of balsamic vinegar, add some mozzarella and heat up open-faced. Sprinkle some basil on top.

Or just melt the cheese on the toast and scoop up the tomato mixture like a dip.

All the best things are messy

You may have noticed, roots of pizza are there, get a high-tensile strength flatbread, add some sausage or pepperoni. . .

In all cases it's good chewy dense crusty bread that makes these ideas work, standard 'Murican style will not work.

 

[RoamerRV428]

sipping on beef broth thru the day (my coffee, since I despise coffee actually!)

bacon cheese omelet tonight...yummy

 

[Dingfelder]

Leftover ham and such from a christmas party the last couple days. Tonight, probably take some chili out of the freezer.

For lunch today, some soup I made from lots of onions and carrots in home-made chicken stock, with some chicken thrown in to make it a real meal. Good for cold days like these!