The Lazy Cook

[cjsmith]

Last weekend I made several batches of different vegetable soups. (Those are convenient campus food, as I can bring them in a thermos without worrying about reheating.) I also made two and a half pounds of chicken breasts simmered in Italian-herbed tomato sauce. None of this took much effort at all.

I ♥ my crock pot.

And this weekend I walked out to my chest freezer and pulled out a week's worth of homemade food that is legal for my current diet. I don't have to go to the grocery store this week if I don't want to. I don't have to cook this week if I don't want to.

I ♥ my deep freezer.

(This is almost like being a normal person who can do things like eat out. Almost.)

Comments

Cream-of-Something Soup

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I have one true winner so far, and it's a cream-of soup. I'm typing from memory here, so I hope I don't goof anything too badly.

1.5 lb vegetable of your choice, washed and chopped up into chunks
About 1 large onion, chopped
6 Tbsp butter (I often omit this)
1 tsp curry powder
3 cups chicken broth (vegetable would also work)
A big handful of dried basil (fresh if you have it)
1 cup half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sweat the veggies, onion, and butter for an hour on HIGH. (I often skip this step entirely.)
2. Add everything up to the basil and cook for 6-8 hours on LOW.
3. Blend the resulting lumpy glop using a stick blender or multiple runs through a regular blender. (This recipe is MUCH easier with a stick blender.)
4. Add the half and half and heat it all up again, about 20-30 minutes.
5. Mess with the salt and pepper and enjoy.

So far I've done this with zucchini, asparagus, butternut squash, celery, and tomato (for tomato omit the broth). It freezes well. It keeps well in a thermos for four hours. It's even somewhat filling; there's a lot of fat in half and half.

Got any to share? I'll take anything I can get! :-)