Freezing Cooked Chicken, Hamburger, Taco Meat, Rice & Beans for quick meals

 Cook and Freeze plain Hamburger, Taco Meat, Chicken, Rice, and Beans for future meals.  

How many recipes start with "brown the hamburger"? Do it once a month instead of daily.

Years ago an older and wiser mother in the neighborhood (Thanks Brenda) told me that she would buy 5lbs of hamburger at Kent's and just cook the whole batch at once with taco seasoning and then package it up in the freezer for quick meals later. This was genius, I applied it to regular hamburger, chicken, even rice and it has changed my life as a busy young (and now older and busier, haha...) mother who still isn't good at managing time for meal prep. 

I learned that cooked hamburger takes a lot less time to thaw than frozen raw hamburger so it's no big deal to snag a frozen container of hamburger, dump out of the plastic and microwave for a few min to thaw and dinner is almost done! 

A large batch (4 cups uncooked rice & 7 1/2 cups of water, 1/4 olive oil, 2 Tbl Salt) of brown Jasmine rice takes 40 min to cook and freezes really well.  Herbed rice can be minutes away (if you also froze the chopped herbs while they were fresh in the summer.)

Canned beans are expensive and dry beans are cheap, so I buy 50lb bags of dry beans, keep them in a spin top bucket and pressure cook them in large batches, and freeze them in 12-16 oz containers which is just about the same size as a can of beans from the store. 

Buying meat in large quantities and freezing it is also nice when you just need 1lb of meat but don't want it already cooked so I tend to cook most of the meat 3/4 and leave 1/4 of it raw.

16 oz Reditainer Extreme Freeze containers are the ONLY brand I will buy. Others (Ziplock brand containers) will shatter when you drop them frozen. Trust me on this one! I learned the hard way. You can write on them with a sharpie (preferably black as it comes off best) and just rub it off with your finger or a paper towel when you need to re-label. It will also wash off eventually in the dish washer.

When I thaw any of these frozen foods, I either get them out the day before and thaw in fridge (haha.... like that ever happens), put in sick with water when I realized I need them and I'm getting other things ready for the meal, or run water over the container until the food dislodges and turn them out onto a plate and microwave to thaw. The latter is what happens 99% of the time, and it works great.

DO NOT MICROWAVE the plastic containers. I haven't done the research, but I believe heating up food in plastic is bad for you. It definitely ruins the containers if you heat them with food in them that has fat in it, that's what makes the plastic bubble and peel.

Prepping, Freezing, & Cooking Chicken in large batches for quick meals

 Freezing cooked chicken for future use. 2 hrs of prep, months of quick meals!

I used to cook chicken in the crock pot and shred it and freeze it, but I didn't love the texture of shredding it for everything. A few years ago I decided to try baking it (since I previously had not really ever put raw chicken in the oven) and WOW! It changed my life! 

I buy my chicken through a Food & Meat Co-op every few months. It comes in a 40 lb box and I generally find someone to split the order with. Once cooked, the original 20lbs becomes about 15 containers of 1lb each.

This Chicken is amazing quality, always juicy and mostly trimmed. I just separate the breasts,  remove the tendons, pound them flat so they will cook evenly (in a plastic bag to reduce the mess), sprinkle seasoning on them — Montreal Steak Seasoning, Tony's Creole are favorites — and cook on the air fryer setting in my oven (or regular bake setting works too). I use the internal temp thermometer and just watch the setting on my oven and stop when it reaches 165 Farenheit. This takes about 20 min at 400 setting for Air Fry. 

When using my air fry setting, I use the air fryer tray and place a regular cookie sheet underneath to catch juices. This cleans up easily afterwards with water while it's still warm if you let it sit for a few minutes before cleaning.

Once cooked, remove 1 batch of chicken to another tray or platter and let it rest for 10-15 min before cutting so the juices will stay in with the meat. If you cut right away, all the juices will spill out.

Cut to desired size and bag or put in Extreme Freeze Reditainers. Let cool a bit with lids off before freezing so it doesn't heat up your freezer sticking it in hot.

When ready to use, thaw in fridge or run the bottom of the container under water till the contents loosen and put on a microwave safe plate to thaw quickly. You'r chicken is ready for SO many dishes now!

Setting limits for device time and use

I used to curse Samsung for not having the parental controls built into their device like apple products. Now I am changing my tune as I'm seeing the apps I can use to even betters manage screentime for my children as they learn to manage their use of this useful and equally dangerous new technology. I've learned that although Apple has some parental controls built in, it doesn't allow 3rd party apps to do that sort of thing. I found the controls helpful to limit content accessibility, but not time spent. Google play has lots of parental control apps for this purpose ad

What I've Done

First and foremost I have set up opendns to filter Internet content from our internet connection and shut down things after bedtime.

Second step was to find apps that allowed me to limit accessibility of apps, downloads, as well as remote lockdown and tracking of app useage. I'm all about self mastery of these tools, but let's face it, with children, there is a learning curve and helping that curve along by establishing/forcing some good habits, is sometimes necessary. The apps I selected were Timeaway and Screentime.

This is day one, so I may edit this later. For now I have installed 2 apps on our Samsung Galaxy tablets. They May end up conflicting one another, but I'm going to give it a shot. It did seem to matter which one I installed first, so here is the description in order of installation.

Timeaway
This app installs on parent tablet as well as on each child tablet and is controlled entirely on the parent tablet. Timeaway functions based mostly on total time useage. You set a daily limit and which apps contribute to that limit. You can also block apps entirely (like play store and google movies). This app will also show how much time was used in each app over time. It also allows remote locking of the child's device via parent device.

You first install it on your tablet and set up your account using a google account and clicking "parent" account type. Then install the app on each tablet and when prompted to login, use that google account and selecting kid account type and enter the name you want to associate with that tablet. Once you 'have done this. You will do the rest of your setting up on the parent tablet by selecting the name of the tablet you wish to modify.

Screen Time
This app needed to be installed second or it messed up Timeaway installation. It is controlled on the specific tablet it is installed do on.(I believe the paid subscription allows remote access and other features). This app functions on time periods rather than amount of time. It gives you specific and customizable times the tablet and certain apps can be used or even block certain apps altogether. Default schedules include school, bedtime, and Bedtime, school, etc... this all comes with the free version. You can set up bedtime so that select apps like reading or calendar are still available but games are not. Then there is a lights out when the whole tablet is shut down. To access the app, you must login with your 5 digit code. This code can also be used to temporarily lift a restriction and seems to last until the app is closed again. When you try to access an app that has been restricted, you see a screen that tells you why, like its school time, and offers other available apps to pick from.

I anticipate some bugs as I try to use these 2 apps in tandem, but here's to hoping it works! They both have good features so I hope they play nice together.

Responsibility Charts

How do I help my children learn to work and manage money...but without a handout....and without getting paid for what they should be doing anyway? 

This is the dilemma I found myself in.  I wanted then to work for the money they received, but I didn't want to pay them for things they should be doing just because they are in the family.  I don't pay them just for brushing teeth, making beds, or even basic chores around the house. If I did that, it would make the task "optional" if they didn't want to earn money.  I certainly didn't want that.  So I came up with a way to reward them for showing responsibility while doing these chores. When it works, it really reduces how much I have to remind and beg them to do things.

Do 75% of your responsibilities on the chart, and you'll then earn money based on the amount of work you voluntarily did around the house during the week.

Responsibilities:  These are things they have to do, everyday, no matter what.  If they do 75% of their responsibilities for the week without being constantly reminded, then they earn the opportunity to earn money for the other work they did in the week. I base this off 75% because none of us are perfect and I am trying to encourage, not discourage.  If they do get 100% I make sure to praise them!

Helper Jobs:  These are the jobs that they do to help out the family.  As in responsibilities, they only get to mark them if they do them of their own accord or with only being asked once.  If I have to remind them, no mark.  I've toyed with the idea of highlighting a square once I've asked more than once, then they know they can't mark it.  In reality, this is more time consuming than I will probably do, but if there is a problem with dishonest marking, the tactic could become useful.

The Job of the day is a reference to the other house cleaning schedule I posted earlier: Cleaning Schedule

The amount of money earned can be adjusted by family. Starting out, I used the simple % to dollar strategy  if they did 50% of the possible jobs, they would get  50 cents.  If they did 75% and up, they would get their dollar.  If they earn the whole dollar every week for a month, they get a bonus based on age or whatever I decide to set.

The following Scripture is what inspired this method.

Doctrine & Covenants 58:26-29

26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

 27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

 28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

 29 But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.

If I remember, I like to read this scripture each day before I pay them.

**UPDATE 2017**
It's been a few years. Here is what the chart looks like now.

It's streamlined to 1 chart per child instead of separating the helper jobs to responsibilities. I still have the 75% to get paid, but if they meet 75% they get the full amount. It's just easier math and for now this is accomplishing what I needed it to do. I now use a sheet protector and a grease pencil (do they still make these?) to mark it. Hot glued a magnet to the grease pencil and stuck it right to the fridge. I rub hard with an old sock to remove last weeks marks. To keep up, I sometimes have to take a picture, and erase it without writing paychecks and write them later. If I don't get the chart cleared on Monday, when I do clear it, I put lines through the missed days and the kids get them as freebies.

I write a "paycheck" on a post-it note with their name and date, I leave this note with their payment on their desk because I usually figure all this up while they are at school. If they save up 4 in the row they can cash it in for a bonus equal to 1 weeks pay. It's their responsibility to save and cash those in though. I've also upped their pay after a lengthy discussion with my kids over feeling like they were underpaid compared to other kids. I told them if we up the pay, it reduces the "extra" things I'm willing to foot the bill for out of my pocket and lack of earning their pay and having no money does not necessitate my paying for those things later on. The opportunity was theirs to be had.

For the most part I'm pleased with the results of our current system. Only difficult part is helping remind them to mark. The older ones should be doing this on their own as a responsibility of "punching the clock" to get paid. The younger one, really does need reminders to mark even when he is doing his jobs.

Zones: Instead of a daily job, we just have "zones" that change weekly. In our house the zones are Kitchen, Living Room, Bathroom. They are required to do something in that zone, and then help out as needed or asked throughout the day in that zone. I cut out small strips of paper and wrote each child's name on one in a different color. Laminated it with clear tape and used that tacky wall stuff to stick it to the light switch in their "zone". I rotate names every Monday, which is also payday.

Lettuce can keep for 2 weeks + Truth

Wrap it in tinfoil and lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery can last for much much longer than normal in the fridge.  Just be sure to keep it tightly wrapped.

I washed and dried lettuce leaves, stacked them and wrapped in tin foil on a Tuesday and used them 1 1/2 weeks later and they were still fresh & crisp.  Very cool.

Defrosting a stand up Freezer

Defrosting a stand up Freezer

It was this full last time it stopped... sigh.

Maybe the door wasn't shut tight, something was in the way & pushed it open, or somehow the freezer just stopped working, but at least once a year I've had my freezer die on me.  I've gotten it down to a science now.  Here is what you do.

1st buy a freezer alarm!  This would save me a lot of headache, and will from now on. After extensive research I bought the cheapest one I found and it works great. (CDN) When the freezer goes above or below zero by 15 degrees, it will start beeping and stop when it returns to zero.  This means when I'm loading the freezer from a big shopping trip it will probably beep before I'm done, but it will stop when it cools back down.  Love it.  Not loud enough to hear very well on upper level of house, but loud enough that I'll probably hear it in less than 20 min if I'm home.  This has been tested.   Volume was a universal complaint on all freezer alarms even the expensive ones, so I'm happy with the $17 I spent.

#2.  Now if you just found this and haven't yet done step #1 and you have dead freezer because door was left open, all is not lost.  At least mine has started back up every time so far.

Empty contents of freezer into coolers. If most things are still frozen, they should keep themselves cold in the cooler for the couple hours till things are working again. If not, maybe add some dry ice on top.  Be smart about what you re-freeze, if it's totally thawed and warm, you'll have to throw some things out. My large freezer can all fit into one giant white cooler, and 2 smaller ones.






#3.  Boil 2 large pots of water. Place a drip pan on bottom of freezer and 2 pans on shelves.  Now start chipping off the ice with a PLASTIC ice scraper or equivalent tool.

When you've got all the ice melted and out, dry it up with towels and close the freezer.  Let it sit for about 30 min-1 hr.  Plug it back in and if it starts up, you're in business.  It's optimal to wait for an hour to refill the freezer so it can cool down before adding the food back.  If it was all still frozen, it's not such a big deal.

This whole process  took me about 2 hrs start to finish & reloaded.

Update: Now that I have a freezer alarm and a thermometer in my freezer, when it has gone off and I find it quickly, and temp hasn't dropped below 40 and most things are still frozen and not a lot of ice buildup. I've just locked the freezer door (This is the same effect as putting it all in a cooler), unplugged the freezer and put a fan facing the condenser (bottom side where it's really warm). Wait an hour or 2. When freezer feels cool to touch on outside where it used to be warm, plug it back in and see if the condenser starts back up. This has worked every time. It's just a matter of letting the condenser cool off and start back up. If a lot of ice has built up, it's best to move on to the cooler method and start fresh.

White Shirts White Again!

White Shirts White Again!  No more Yellow!

Method 1 - fast, spot cleaning, less expensive ingredients

Method 2 - Large load whitening

Method 1 

2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)

1 Part Dawn Liquid Dish Soap

1 Part Baking Soda

Mix well and put in a container with lots of head room because it will foam and settle during storage. Massage into stain with an old toothbrush. Let soak for 1 hr (caution on khaki, may lighten), wash normally. Repeat if necessary. I haven't tried this without the baking soda, but it may work good that way too and without foaming. 

Method #2

It really works.  I tried it on White Stafford Dress shirts 60/40 Poly/cotton blend.  Amazing!  Also great for getting out other stains, but I'm most impressed with removing the yellow stain in the armpit area.  Also worked on old yellowed white T-shirts.

Formula:   2 gallons HOT water 
                 4 small scoops oxy clean powder (about 2TBl each) 
                 (1 scoop if you have the large scoop that measures 4 at a time)
Fill 5 gallon bucket with 1 gallon HOT WATER.  In a smaller container (like old peanut butter jar) mix oxyclean powder and 1 qrt or so of HOT water.  The key here is to completely dissolve the powder! Add solution to 5 gallon bucket.  Add clothing, not too many.  Let sit for at least 24hrs if stains are old and set.  I let it go 1 1/2 days.  May take less time for fresher stains. (I use it on newborn yellow diaper stains that had been washed and dried, it worked in 1 hr)  I stir it and push clothing down occasionally when I happen to walk past it.  After soaking transfer clothing to washing machine and launder & dry as usual.

What's really funny is that this formula is right on the box in itty bitty print, but I've never followed instructions to a T, once I did it worked wonders.  The key really is to dissolve the powder before adding it.  Do this when you add it to laundry as well.

Grease Stains

For Greasy stains the best solution I've found is one from Humdrum Hero.  She's such a smart cookie. :)
1part Liquid detergent (Tide), 1/4 part water.  Mix this in a spray bottle.  Squirt it on stain and rub together, soak, or throw back in laundry basket.  Be careful on Khaki, it's prone to blotch if you let stain remover of any type dry on it.

This works great even on old laundry stains that have been washed and dried repeatedly.  It may take more than one application, but it will come out.