Pots and Pans

I've learned many over the years of cooking for the family and the marathon cooking I've been doing of late because of that blessed deep freeze.  Here's a list because I love lists. 

• You need a plan!! That's why I include my menu plan fo the next 2 weeks including 'extras' to make so we're good and stocked up. 
• Make sure you have all the ingredients on hand that you will  need. I know I make my menu plan with extras and then grab the notebook and make my list based on that.  It's a cumbersome task to start with but planning a wedding is costly time wise and $ wise, but you wouldn't have one without careful planning.  To me this is no different. 
• Have all your supplies. I fyou have to invest in more utinsels or pans or whatever, go for it.  This is a long term plan for me to cook lots and lots until my kids leave the house. The rate at which they are eating and the time I invest in just the food maintenance, I need to work smarter, not harder.

This last bullet leads me to the purpose of this post.  I GOT 2 NEW PANS.  Yeah, exciting for me; others, perhaps not so much.  It cost me $20 for these 2 pans but I save myself time and effort when I can cook 4 things at one time instead of 1 item at a time, washing everything after use so I can use it again. I have been working with 1 big pan and 2 sauce pans, 2 skillets and 1 set of measuring cups.  I bought more measuring cups and THE PANS!!  I am so excited.  At the same time today I am going to prepare chili to freeze and mashed potatoes to freeze. I found a BIG bag of tatoes at a good price so them in the car.

In addition to the chili and potatoes I've made breakfast burritos, pudding pops, pizza pockets (2 cheese and 2 with pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and green pepper) and 4 dozen pigs in a blanket.  My freezer is smiling because it's fulfilling its freezer destiny and my feet hurt.  Hopefully I can talk my sweet youngin' into a food rub later.

Happy cooking! What did you cook today or over the hot weekend!?