Since I started this site people assume I am a domestic goddess and spend all my time in the kitchen. The truth is very different and I have never hidden the fact I am a very lazy cook and will avail myself of anything that helps me make food quicker and easier. I do give my kids processed food and I truly believe as long as my kids are eating a balanced diet of fresh fruit, veg, meat etc they can also have ready made stuff too. It makes me more relaxed and I get to spend more time with them if I am not chained to a cooker. Today I thought I would share with you my favourite frozen kitchen “cheats”. These makes my life in the kitchen easier and quicker and in my eyes that’s a huge bonus!
There are two things I hate to do most in the kitchen. One is frying fish or meat (so I bake or roast most of our meals) and the other is chopping vegetables. In particular I REALLY hate chopping onions and garlic. They make my hands smell and my eyes water and I would prefer to just never do it if I don’t have to. So when I discovered frozen chopped onions and garlic honestly my life was changed for the better. Most supermarkets here in the UK sell them (and I presume you can also get them in supermarkets all over the world) and I always have a few bags sitting in my freezer. I use them in most dishes I make and they are just so easy as all i do is pour some into the pan and thats that!
You can also buy lots of other different frozen vegetables and spices and I have recently discovered ready sliced mushrooms, chopped chilli and basil. So useful!!
(I probably wouldn’t use these for a dish where the frozen item is one of the main ingredients (e.g. fresh sliced mushrooms taste much better in a fajita than the frozen ones) but they are an essential in my kitchen.)
Another thing that I always have in my freezer is frozen mashed potato. Yes I know it takes less than 10 minutes to make mashed potato if you cook the potato in the microwave and yes I know that in my last post I said how I always have homemade mashed potato in my freezer but sometimes I run out of it and I don’t always have a potato in the kitchen or the time to cook one. So this is a great last resort when you are making something with mash.
I have also recently started making pies and tarts but have never in my life made my own pastry. I have friends who are amazing bakers and make their own but honestly the whole thing just scares me so I buy frozen pastry. This makes making a pie or a tart pretty much fool proof and I feel very grown up “making” pastry!
Something else I discovered when weaning both my kids was ready chopped frozen spinach. I love fresh spinach and it does take only a few minutes to cook but the frozen stuff comes in little “lumps” ready to pop into a sauce. Little Lady loves anything with spinach in it and as The Boy won’t eat anything with spinach in it I just get one “lump” out of the freezer and put it in her meals without contaminating his!
I hope these have given you some ideas and let me know if you have discovered any other frozen “cheats” I haven’t mentioned!!