Rosh Hashana Cooking and Freezing

cbg

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 8:20 am

Anyone here started.
I have a few trips coming up during Elul so I wanted to get a head start.

Any tried and true recipes that are super yummy and freeze well.The type of foods that taste better when you reheat them.

Also, how soon would you make your challahs if you were in my situation.
Should I concentrate more on the food and wait for the challahs or should I get them out of the way.

I was planning to prepare breaded fish, morroccan fish (not spicy), chicken, roasts, stuffed veggies,basically all my proteins, between this week and next. Should I add challahs to my list.

PinkFridge

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 9:28 am

Sounds like you have it under control.
You know the saying perception is reality? What would give you the greatest menuchas hanefesh to know you have done, and what is the least stressful/more enjoyable cooking/baking that you can leave for closer, or if/when you run out of freezer space?"
Hope your trips are safe and productive.

cbg

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 11:14 am

PinkFridge wrote:

The most enjoyable and least stressful is not to have cooking or food prep erev chag, so I can concentrate on getting myself ready for Rosh Hashana, B' ruchniut and B'gashmiut. But I know that this year is not going to be possible, since chag is Sunday night. I like to always serve a lot of fresh salads. If I pull an all nighter Motze Shabbat, I know I will not be able to function well the next day,BTDT, I ll be cranky and it will ultimately be counter productive. Also, I want to be able to go to shul as early as possible, so I don't want to be in the kitchen too long R"H morning.

Any yummy recipes that taste better when it is reheated would be appreciated.

Culturedpearls

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 11:21 am

IY"H we are traveling for a family simcha & will only arrive back a week before YT. I'll be very busy at work that week .
I've been cooking for weeks.
I have frozen challah & chicken soup.
Chicken , meats, schnitzels , various kugels, side dishes, cake, desert & salmon.
Still planning a few desserts, coconut ice cream , fish & another challa batch.
I'm almost out of freezer space though.
I just did a full inventory & I only have enough to cover RH & YK ( with all the family & guests).
Maybe I should skip the challa & cook more food as challa takes up lots of freezer space.

ra_mom

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 11:27 am

Unless you have enough space in your freezer for food and challah, concentrate on the food now.
Dishes that freeze and heat well are orzo, cabbage and noodles, potato blintzes, various sliced roasts, chicken soup broth, noodles for soup, soaked cholent beans, frozen pies and the like.
Chicken I freeze seasoned, raw and ready to bake fresh. Fish I make before Yom Tov.

mha3484

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 11:50 am

My plan for this week is to season two pans of chicken and freeze raw and 3lbs of plainish meatballs so I can use whatever sauce im in the mood for at the time. I have an okay sized freezer if I organize it well.

momX3

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 12:36 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Dishes that freeze and heat well are orzo, cabbage and noodles, potato blintzes, various sliced roasts, chicken soup broth, noodles for soup, soaked cholent beans, frozen pies and the like.

How do you freeze cabbage and noodles? Do you freeze the whole dish or freeze the cabbage separately and make the noodles fresh. I usually make a simply cabbage and noodles but would love to make it in advance. I basically sautee cabbage and onions and salt and pepper and then mix with bow ties. Is it as good after reheating?

mfb

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 12:48 pm

momX3 wrote:

I'm not ra-mom but I also freeze cabbage noodles when its all cooked and mixed. I make a big batch, and then divide into small containers that are meal size.

ra_mom

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 1:13 pm

Yes like mfb says it can be frozen fresh and reheats well. I personally like to freeze the cabbage separate from the noodles, defrost fully, then mix and reheat over double boiler on the plata. But tastes great frozen already mixed together too.

ra_mom

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 1:53 pm

mha3484 wrote:

Has anyone frozen cabbage and noodles using GF noodles?

I don't have experience but suspect it might get gummy.
I would suggest freezing some of your pasta from a meal this week, and then defrosting and reheating next week for a test run.
If it doesn't work out, you can still saute the cabbage and freeze, at least half the work will be done.
Also, if you use uncle ben's white rice, it freezes and reheats nicely, unlike other brands which become mush.

ABC

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 4:13 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Hey ramom! Can I have detailed recipes for the following?

Orzo
Cabbage & noodles
A frozen pie or two that freeze well

Also, is there a way of freezing concentrated chicken soup so that it doesn't take up all my freezer space? I never understand how so many people freeze chicken soup, unless you have a small family it's just too much space.

And can you give me some examples of chicken you freeze raw? What kinds of chicken and what exactly do you put on it? How do you freeze it, in ziplocks?

Thank u!

ra_mom

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 6:05 pm

ABC wrote:

Orzo: Cook al dente, rinse, drain, coat in drizzle of oil, freeze in ziploc bag. Separately, freeze chopped sautéed onions with still frozen peas and carrots. Defrost on Yom Tov, toss together, season with salt and pepper, and warm on double boiler on plata.

Cabbage and noodles: Saute package of shredded white cabbage in oil on super low flame for one hour in a large covered skillet. Cook, rinse and drain large bow tie noodles. Combine and season with 2-4 tablespoons sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. (I often season cabbage with half of seasoning and noodles with other half and freeze separately.) Defrost and reheat as above.

Frozen pies to follow.

ra_mom

Mon, Aug 10 2015, 7:41 pm

For chicken soup, you can measure out the cooled broth, freeze in good quality storage size ziploc bags. Zip shut with no extra air. Lay flat in freezer to store. You can store stacks of chicken soup like this without taking up much storage space.

For chicken, I stuff and season capons, freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, store in ziploc bags. Same for breaded cutlets. And seasoned chicken bottoms. Marinated dark boneless cutlets stored straight up in ziploc bag with marinade. You can do meat or potato bourekas this way and freeze with the intent to bake fresh. Also stuffed cabbage and many other dishes.