I need some advise, Chef Paul

[LizStreithorst]

I'm looking for meals that I can cook and then freeze in portions for one. I like to cook and freeze when I have money for ingredients (my animals come first). Right now I'm rotating between Coq au fin made with my own old rooster, red beans and rice, shrimp and grits, and your wonderful chicken recipe.

Please suggest something new for me to try. I would love to make a good lasagna, but I don't want to make one that I don't like because it will be part of my dinner rotation for a long time. Do you have a recipe?

Any other suggestions would also be welcome. I make a good meatloaf (quick cook oats rather than bread crumbs is the secret). I will make that for sure. Lasagna would be nice, but will still need 2 more things.

I have a vacuum food sealer that keep stuff fresh for a long time but still allows the flavors to meld. What a wonderful invention! I even vacuum seal my fish food now when I buy it in bulk.

[discuspaul]

I'm looking for meals that I can cook and then freeze in portions for one. I like to cook and freeze when I have money for ingredients (my animals come first). Right now I'm rotating between Coq au fin made with my own old rooster, red beans and rice, shrimp and grits, and your wonderful chicken recipe.

Please suggest something new for me to try. I would love to make a good lasagna, but I don't want to make one that I don't like because it will be part of my dinner rotation for a long time. Do you have a recipe?

Any other suggestions would also be welcome. I make a good meatloaf (quick cook oats rather than bread crumbs is the secret). I will make that for sure. Lasagna would be nice, but will still need 2 more things.

I have a vacuum food sealer that keep stuff fresh for a long time but still allows the flavors to meld. What a wonderful invention! I even vacuum seal my fish food now when I buy it in bulk.

No problem Liz - always glad to help out. Let me get my thinking cap on & I'm sure I can, & will, come up with at least 2 or 3 recipes that would fill your needs.
Just give me a day or 2 to refine a couple of my recipes - e.g. the lasagna one - to make a smaller portion that will work for 2 meals for you - one fresh baked & the other half frozen for later use.

Meantime though, I'd like to give you a simple recipe for roasting crispy skinned, falling apart duck thigh/leg - recipe with an easy make but delicious orange-flavored sauce. I mention this because I cook this meal for one several times a year since frozen duck thigh/leg portions here cost only about $.6 - $7. cad, less than the cost of a good cheeseburger, or 2/3 KFC chicken pieces, or a small pizza. (And likely only @ $5 USD. so not expensive, but is GREAT for a change of pace.)

If you can get these duck portions somewhere locally, (or duck breast is ok too), let me know & I'll dish out the recipe.

I'll also check out my recipes for other tasty one person meals, or smaller portions having readily frozen leftover parts for a second meal.

If you like pasta, I have a simple but killer recipe for a superb marinara sauce over penne, fettucine, or spaghetti, along with small tender meatballs made with Italian sausage meat (mild or hot).

[LizStreithorst]

Paul, you are so good to me. I adore duck but the only duck I can buy here is a whole mature duck frozen solid as a rock. It must not be a big seller in the south.

As for the lasagna I was thinking of a full baking pan full and cooking it, then cutting it into serving sizes and put each one in the vacuum sealed bag. I do have 6 ramekins, but I don't know it they would work for lasagna.

[discuspaul]

Cooking a full baking pan of lasagna & then cutting it up into serving pieces for freezing is a good idea. In my view, the larger the lasagna, the better the various flavors marry together, so it's tastier. Vacuum sealed bags would be just fine but ramekins may be ok too, especially if they're square or rectangular shaped, rather than round.

[RogueDiscus]

I like a good pot of chili, or spaghetti sauce. Divide it up and go from there. With apologies to the authentic folks out there, we also have an enchilada casserole that we like. I guess our theme is casseroles.

[discuspaul]

Paul, you are so good to me. I adore duck but the only duck I can buy here is a whole mature duck frozen solid as a rock. It must not be a big seller in the south.

As for the lasagna I was thinking of a full baking pan full and cooking it, then cutting it into serving sizes and put each one in the vacuum sealed bag. I do have 6 ramekins, but I don't know it they would work for lasagna.

Liz, perhaps the market where you can get whole frozen duck may be willing to saw it into 4 portions while frozen (i.e. 2 thigh/legs, and 2 breasts)..... or frozen separate duck portions may be available at the Hattiesburg Costco store near you if you're a member there. The only hitch is that if they have them, or can get them, you may have to buy them in 'bulk', say e.g. - 4 portions at a time ?
(I can get the separate portions at Costco stores here).

[LizStreithorst]

It's called "Mature Duck" It's as tough as leather.

I don't believe we have a cosco, but we do have a Chinese market in Hattiesburg that might carry duck.

Steve, I like chili too, and I have an excellent recipe but it's just not the time of year for it. It's hot as hell here in south Mississippi.

[discuspaul]

It's called "Mature Duck" It's as tough as leather.

I don't believe we have a cosco, but we do have a Chinese market in Hattiesburg that might carry duck.

Steve, I like chili too, and I have an excellent recipe but it's just not the time of year for it. It's hot as hell here in south Mississippi.

You should try that chinese market Liz - if anyone has duck in any city, it would be a good Chinese market. Can you call them to check ?
On-line google source indicates there's a Costco in Hattiesburg - perhaps it goes under name of Sam's Club.

Question Liz, do you have a barbeque grill of any kind, and if so, do you use it & like to use it ? I have several simple one meal recipes for bbq grilling. And can you get ground lamb locally, fresh or frozen ?

[discuspaul]

And Liz, for a starter of one meal recipes, may I remind you to look up my recipe for pork cutlets with spanish sauce - located on page 2 of my Lasagna thread. Simple & great-tasting.

[LizStreithorst]

I should be shot, Chef. I totally forgot about the lasagna.

And no for the grilling. I have a small grill, but I've tried grilling twice and I suck at it.

[slicksta]

Hey Liz
Not sure if you need this for yourself or looking to take care of someone else but in the winter I do some large batches of chili, soups and so on that I freeze in one portion dishes for future use.
But for the summer I do quick easy dishes that I make from frozen ingredients.
I did a lot of them on the grill before but recently I got a small air fryer and they truly do work faster with excellent results... I think it was $40
I keep some chicken and various types of fish in the freezer and you can easily air fry/broil in 15 minutes or less... and while that's going I make a simple salad or some frozen vegetables which I nuke
Let me know if you think this can help and I'll pass along some more details.

[discuspaul]

Hey Liz,
Here's my first recipe for you:



Chicken and Poblano Quesadillas with Guacamole

The Ingredients you'll need:

- 1 boneless, skinless medium-sized chicken breast - sliced lengthwise into 2 fairly even sized portions approx. 1/2-3/4" thick (about 6 oz. each)

- 2 soft taco size flour tortillas (6"-8")

- 1 avocado, pitted & skin removed

- 1 Poblano chile pepper - stem removed

- 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

- 1 lime

- 1 jalapeno pepper

- 2 garlic cloves

- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

- 1 Tbspn finely chopped fresh cilantro

- Kosher salt & ground pepper

- 1 Tbspn or more of olive oil

- Optional - 1 tbspn tequila


Paste mixture for marinating chicken slices:

- Mince 1 garlic clove & jalapeno pepper (ribs & seeds removed)

- Add this to a small food processor along with the fresh basil leaves, some kosher salt & ground pepper, and sufficient olive oil ( & tequila if using), to process to a smooth paste.

Smear paste on all sides of chicken slices - place in a suitable dish, cover & refrigerate for 3-4 hours.


Making the Guacamole:

- In a medium bowl mash avocado with back of a fork & mix in 1 tbspn of fresh lime juice - mince the other garlic clove - add salt over it & crush to create a smooth paste, add it, some pepper, and the finely chopped cilantro to the bowl & mix well.

Finishing:

-Slice the poblano pepper lengthwise into 2 pieces, remove ribs and seeds, and broil in the oven in a suitable metal dish until skin sides are well charred. Cool a bit and peel away the charred skin - roughly chop the chile flesh into bite-sized pieces.

Grill the chicken slices on stove top in a non-stick fry pan on med-high heat turning once, until slices are fully cooked - 10-15 minutes or so. Remove from pan, cut each slice on the somewhat diagonal side to make 3 fairly even sized pieces.


Lay the tortillas in a single layer on a work surface. Evenly divide the chicken pieces, the poblano chile pieces, and the grated cheese over half of each tortilla - then fold the empty half over the filling half creating a half circle, & press down firmly.

Grill the tortillas in your freshly cleaned stove top non-stick pan until somewhat well browned & the cheese has melted (4-6 minutes), turning once.

Allow to cool for a minute or two, and cut into wedges. Serve warm with the guacamole spooned on top of each wedge.

Enjoy!

[discuspaul]

I should be shot, Chef. I totally forgot about the lasagna.

And no for the grilling. I have a small grill, but I've tried grilling twice and I suck at it.

OK - but too bad - I have several great one person meals - mostly kebabs that should be BBQ grilled, but could be oven broiled if you're ok with that.

[LizStreithorst]

I've been tempted to try my little Smokey Joe again, Paul. Perhaps I should give it another go. I also have a cast iron pan with ridges on it that mimic the scorch marks you get from the real grill, as well as the cast iron uses specifically for warming tortillas. Believe it or not, a have a molcajete, lol. I also cheat and use liquid smoke when I can.

I need to print out your recipes so I can save them in one place for use in the future. I don't want to forget another like I forgot about the lasagna.

[discuspaul]

I've been tempted to try my little Smokey Joe again, Paul. Perhaps I should give it another go. I also have a cast iron pan with ridges on it that mimic the scorch marks you get from the real grill, as well as the cast iron uses specifically for warming tortillas. Believe it or not, a have a molcajete, lol. I also cheat and use liquid smoke when I can.

I need to print out your recipes so I can save them in one place for use in the future. I don't want to forget another like I forgot about the lasagna.

Hey, you have a cast iron pan with ridges that mimic bbq sear marks - wow, that's great - that's all you need to produce the kebab recipes I'm going to pass along soon.
I don't have one of those pans, but have been wanting to get one for quite a while now - so I'll get off my butt & buy one.

One of the recipes calls for ground lamb kebabs - if you like lamb & can get it, I'll provide the recipe which has a simple, but very tasty cold dipping sauce to go with it that's excellent.

I use liquid smoke too.