Time saving stuff and soup instructions

I am time saver.  I start my day early, multi task, and never put off what I can get done right then.  Consequently, I do a lot of things all in one day.  For instance, I wash and iron all in one day, and I marathon cook in one or two days.  When my freezer begins to dwindle in its homemade stash, I cook up tons and tons of food.  Like yesterday was my soup and chili making day.   I made a huge pot of both and after they cooled, I put them into quart and pint size freezer bags.  I usually lay them on a cookie sheet until they are frozen solid and stack them in the bottom of my freezer for easy access.  I also, dice all my vegetables for the week to avoid having to do it when I am in a hurry.  Therefore, yesterday, I diced five huge bell peppers and a sack of carrots. (I freeze them too)  Now, if I need them for something, they are all ready to toss in.  Today, I cooked about ten gallons of homemade sauce for noodles and I froze it in quart baggies.  Tomorrow, I am putting roast, two, in my crock pot and letting them cook all day so I can freeze them for later use.  I also freeze cooked beans and peas; although, I don’t always do that.  Anything that I make a lot of, I freeze.  Another great time saver is making broths and skimming off the fat and freezing in small bags for use in making sauces or just having to throw in a pot of vegetables to add flavor.  I’m sure many of you do the same thing as I do—especially those of you who live alone or are like DH and me.  So, I thought I’d pass along my favorite soup recipe.  It freezes really well and makes a ton. 

Vegetable Soup:

1 large onion diced

1 large bell pepper diced

2 or 3 stalks of celery diced small.

1 or 2 cloves of garlicIn a big soup pan,

I put a little olive oil and throw in the above ingredients.  When they are cooked, I add chopped soup meat and about a full pot of water, a couple of bay leaves, and let coo****il the meat is fork tender.  It might take hours or it might take less.  When the water has cooked down to about a half a pot, I add about four or depending on how much you like, diced potatoes and diced carrots.  I let this coo****il the carrots and potatoes are done and then I add a large can of tomato sauce, a large can of tomatoes diced and if I don’t have diced ones, I take the whole ones and break them up, and about a tablespoon of tomato paste, a dollop of worsteshire sauce, and a can of drained corn, green beans, and throw in some fresh or frozen broccoli.  Truthfully, I use whatever canned or frozen vegetables that I have.  Sometimes I throw lima beans in sometimes chick peas.  Just depends on what I have in the cabinet.  I use this same method to make chicken soup, vegetable soup, hamburger meat soup, and turkey soup.  In my chicken soup, I slice, very thinly, frozen wontons so that they become the noodle and when I make it with hamburger meat, I throw into the pot some elbow macaroni and a little chili powder. 

My favorite potato soup: Peal and cube a bunch of potatoes.  Set aside.In a large heavy pot, I fry in olive oil some bacon until crisp and set the bacon aside.  In the grease, I sauté about half of good diced onion, three or four stalks of celery, a little garlic, some carrots diced.  When the onions are translucent, I add about a quart or two of chicken broth.  I usually have it homemade in the freezer but store bought works too.  I also add some water and the potatoes and more carrots that are not diced but sliced.  When the potatoes and carrots are done, I add a can of corn, a bit of heavy cream, not a lot though, about a half of cup, the bacon that was cooked and I usually crumble it, and a cup or so of shredded cheddar.  At this point you are watching it and simmering it.  Once you put the cream in, you want to stir and before you put the cheddar in, you want to make sure the flavors have married and add your salt and pepper.  I salt as I go, but add the real stuff at the end.  Then, turn off the stove and throw in the cheese and let it melt.  This is good with Mexican corn bread or crackers.Mexican Cornbread:Mix up your corn meal mix like you are going to make regular cornbread. 

Then add the following: one small can of green chillies, one small can of drained corn or hominy, about a cup of shredded cheddar.  I sometimes add cooked and patted sausage.  Then fold into the cornmeal mix and pour into a well greased hot iron skillet and cook in the oven until done.

 

Thanks for sharing these recipes, Jeannie. I love reading new recipes and often use a few of them and combine them into one really good one. I also like to look at what I have in the fridge and the pantry and make up my own recipes. I use to do that much more than I do now.

Thanks again for sharing.

Jeanne,
Thank you so much for these recipes; I copied and plan to use them.  Your ideas of short cut methods is fantastic!!  When I cook a meal, I freeze leftovers for another meal.   Again, Thanks,

JOY

Wow!  You are organized.  It's no wonder that you have been so successful at weight loss.
I need to become better organized or win a few million in the next lottery and hire someone to cut my vegetables for the week for me.
Thanks for the recipes.

Thank you for the ideas!

You and I do a lot of the same things. I too do the freezing thing....love to have all my peppers and onions etc all cut up and ready to go. I always have red, orange, yellow and green peppers diced and in the freezer. I found out when all the veggies are cut up in advance you tend to use them more. It makes cooking that much faster and easier!
Your recipes sound wonderful...thank you!

Love ya....hugs....connie d

If I have carrot and celery sticks already cut up and waiting, I will eat those with peanut butter instead of bread.  While I am still trying to gain a little of the weight back, I don't want to get out of the habit of doing the right thing. I am so afraid that when I hit the magic number, that I won't stop.  So, I take two giant steps forward and three back.  I'm back to eating fresh vegetables and fruit to stav off hunger. 

Thanks Jeanne, your ideas do save alot of time.
Your recipes sound real good,will have to try them. 
 
Carol

Oh man Jeannie.  I'm hungry right now and was just thinking that I should get up and get something for lunch.  Then I read your post.  The potato soup sounds just wonderful.  Maybe I'll just have to open a can and heat it up since I've got a can in the pantry.
We both love soup and I make a lot of it and freeze it too.  I've got cabbage soup frozen, but I guess it's too soon to be trying that.  I'll make due. 
Thanks for sharing.
Jan