How to prep and store 6 pounds of jalapenos
We’ve discussed how I go through food phases, right?
Well at some point, my “Let’s cook lots of spicy foods” and my “Buying in bulk is awesome!” phases overlapped.
And somehow, that meant I absolutely needed 6 pounds of jalapeños.
So what do you do with that many peppers? You deseed, slice, chop, puree, and gut dozens of them for whatever purpose that might show up in the next few months.
The whole ones, I ended up stuffing for some delicious pepper poppers. The sliced and diced ones got put in the fridge to be used for various casseroles, Mexican dishes, and just adding to whatever the girls wanted to spice up. Because each one liked a different level of heat, it wasn’t uncommon for one to want lots of peppers that night on something completely random and the others not want to touch ‘em at all.
I have no idea how long that can of peppers stretched….many, many months, no doubt. It was such a cheap way to add flavor to just about anything.
Please wear gloves if you’re going to handle this many jalapenos at once, though. Ouch.
Facts about Food Friday – Chicken stock ice cubes
Mmm, appetizing, right?
That large roaster I love so much is also great for cooking big turkeys or multiple chickens at once. And that much poultry, uh, goodness, means a whole lot of stock can be made at once, too.
You never usually don’t know which recipes you’re going to use in 3 months and how much stock/broth they’ll call for, so a really easy way to store it is to freeze in ice cube trays.
Cool it in the fridge like you normally would, pour into trays, freeze until solid, and then toss them all into gallon sized bags so your trays aren’t monopolized with soup base.They don’t stick together, so later, you can simply pull out a couple for a quick sauce or a couple handfuls for a soup.
Chili for a crowd – 21 quarts for under 10 bucks
2 bags (32 oz. each) pinto beans - $3.50 (Aldi)
3 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, turkey…whatever you feel like) - $3-6 (Catch it on sale)
Several cans tomato products (sauce, paste, diced, stewed, fresh) - $3?
Spices, weee! – Do you really need a price check on this?
Total — $10-$15
This is another reason I don’t do these sorts of posts. I have no idea what was put in that particular pot of chili. Those were complete guesses and vary a lot based on how it’s made each time.
What I do know, though, is that whether you prefer mostly meat and no beans….soupy or thick….tomatoes or no tomatoes…chunked meat instead of ground…. spicy or mild…
No matter what, 21 quarts of chili is a lot of chili. O.o
Based on a cup serving, that’s 84 servings…
Which means a large roaster pan of chili like this (or soup, meal, whatever) will not only feed you tonight and tomorrow….but once frozen, you’ll have meals for months for those lazy nights where you don’t feel like cooking. Add it into your OAMC rotation and you’ll be set for a while.
And for potlucks, fundraisers, etc, it’s a great way to push out a lot of food for a small amount of money. Turn it into chili dogs for something more substantial or serve with corn chips, crackers, or bread. It can easily be turned into a chili casserole, too, to stretch it even farther and get more bang for your buck.
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