I found my freezer

Growing up, my Mum taught me to be a bit of a food snob. For that I thank her. One thing that I did not do while I was growing up, was eat frozen meals. So now that I have moved out of home, it took a long time before I cottoned on to the idea of making my own frozen meals. I know that this is neither an earth shattering nor new concept, but for me, this has changed my entire way of looking at the food I cook.

So what do I love so much about freezable meals?

• They typically use cheap cuts of meat
• They can be made in bulk, further saving money
• I am only ever 15 minutes away from a hearty meal
• And most importatly - If done right, they can taste every bit as good as the original!

Beef and Guiness Stew

Brown about 1.5 kg of diced chuck steak in large saucepan. Add a couple of cups of stock, a can of Guiness, a few cloves of crushed garlic and a few shallots. Simmer for an hour.

If you like to add dumplings to it - I definately do - mix a cup each of self raising flour and breadcrumbs. Rub a good sized knob of butter through this, until an even texture is formed. Mix in an egg, a tablespoon of mixed herbs, and just enough milk to bring it all together. Form these into balls and drop these into the simmering beef mixture. Continue to cook until beef is tender (at least another hour).

Meanwhile, boil a kilo of peeled potatoes and sweet potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with a splash of milk and a big tablespoon of butter. If too dry, add another splash of milk.

To freeze: Get yourself some plastic takeout containers. Fill one third with stew, another third with mash, and the remaining third with frozen peas.

To reheat: Give it about 10 minutes in the microwave, then let it stand for about 5 before eating.

Absolutely brilliant...

Give it a go and let me know what you think. I would particulary love to hear from anyone who has used an alternative (read: cheaper) beer...