Your BEST Homeschool

The art and heart of homeschooling

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • About Us
  • Art Lessons
  • Blog
  • Tricia’s Book
  • Homeschool
  • Recipes
  • Shop
Home » Blog » Back to School Big Cook

in HomeCooking· Simple Strategies

Back to School Big Cook

I always like to have a few favorites socked away for back to school time. This past Saturday turned into an impromptu back to school big cook. What is a big cook? Simply a deliberate attempt to make several batches of family-favorite recipes and freeze them for future meals. It sorta went like this…

Because Middle Girl had requested black-eyed peas, I thought I’d go ahead and cook the whole 2 lb. bag. I did the quick soak in the pot on the stove, rinsed, then put them all in the slow cooker for the day. That’s a whole big crock pot full of black-eyed peas. Plenty to compliment several future veggie nights. Plus that’s what we were having Saturday night. Veggies and cornbread. So supper was taken care of by the big cook. More details and recipe in Batch Cooking Black-Eyed Peas in the Slow Cooker.

Then I remembered that I had planned to have pimento cheese sandwiches for lunch. So I got out the cheese grater attachment for my stand mixer and took care of that. Remembering that this time I was going to make an allergy-free version so that Lil’ Buddy could enjoy it too. Big hit! More details and recipe in Pimento Cheese: Allergy-Friendly Living.

Then we went to the pool. When we got back, I pulled weeds in the front and back yard while Hodgepodgedad and Eldest boy mowed. Got everybody cleaned up. Then, I remembered I had planned for Italian Stuffed Shells for Sunday lunch. I was looking forward to more family joining us – five extras. So, I enlisted the stuffing help of Middle Girl and we got it all taken care of and in the casserole dishes for the next day. Normally I would flash freeze the extras on a baking sheet in the freezer for future meals. Details and recipe in Italian Stuffed Shells.

The Results:

  • Black-eyed peas. Enough for our family of seven for six meals.
  • Pimento cheese. Enough for Hodgepodgedad to take to work in his lunch box and to feed us a few lunches.
  • Italian Stuffed Shells (two boxes). Enough to feed 12 plus have leftovers for supper Monday night!

All fit and folded into a regular Saturday. Maybe an hour and a half total labor actually invested. For many a future meal.

 How about you? What favorite recipes would you fix for a back to school big cook?

Related

Filed Under: HomeCooking, Simple Strategies Tagged With: batch cooking, Big Cook, simple strategies, southern, Southern Recipes

About Hodgepodgemom

Tricia faces a daily dose of chaos homeschooling five children. The biggest lesson she’s learned? At the end of the day – when the dishes are put away and the children are tucked in bed – truly what matters is each child’s relationship with the Lord. Raising children is a God-given privilege and, folks, the time is short.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Previous Post: « Homemade Pickles: Cooking Fun
Next Post: Fear Not, Trust, and Rejoice »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy @ House of Hills says

    July 28, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    Those are my favorite big cooks – the impromptu ones. They just seem more fun and less work. 🙂 I shall be investigating the stuffed shells recipe. I love to have those in the freezer.

    Reply
    • Hodgepodgemom says

      July 28, 2011 at 8:10 AM

      I agree Kathy on the more fun and less work. Those I have planned make me feel like I HAVE to get all done on my list. I like this way – when I’m already making a mess anyway 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting! I'm Tricia and I've been homeschooling since 2000. I share the art and heart of homeschooling and help you bring joy, fun and freedom to your days. It’s a Hodgepodge! Read More…


Free Homeschooling Downloads

 

 

{FREE} Download, ebooks and subscriber-only art tutorials

Success! Please check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.




Get Tricia’s book!




Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Our Sister Websites





Art for All Ages



Categories

Follow Tricia Hodges | Hodgepodge's board Best of Hodgepodge on Pinterest.

Recent Comments

  • Hodgepodgemom on How to Host a Jane Austen Movie Night for Homeschool Moms
  • Dawn on How to Host a Jane Austen Movie Night for Homeschool Moms
  • Hodgepodgemom on Mama Ann’s Morning Bars Recipe
  • Joy on Mama Ann’s Morning Bars Recipe
  • Hodgepodgemom on A Stitch In Time…
  • Contact us
  • Best of Hodgepodge
  • Parenting
  • Healthy Mama
  • Essential Oils
  • Recipes

Copyright © 2008–2025 · Your BEST Homeschool, a Southern Hodgepodge, L.L.C. site. | DMCA Notice