Kati Neville

So many times dinner time rolls around and we are stuck standing in the kitchen like a deer in the headlights wondering what to make. With Fix, Freeze, Feast, 2nd Edition, you will have meals ready in the freezer to warm up and eat at any time.

The overall premise of the book is that you would purchase in bulk to save money and then make multiple portions of each recipe. You would then individually package each meal into freezer-safe containers, freezing them for use later.

The beginning of the book starts with The Beauty Of Make-Ahead Meals which explains why you might want to try this method. Not only can you save time, money, and frustration but it explains the myriad other benefits as well.

In the brief explanation About Our Fix And Freeze Recipes, the author explains how this book differs from conventional cookbooks. You will also see recommendations about where to start and how to proceed.

Next comes Planning For Success. This section offers the steps you’ll need to take for an organized batch cook. The level of detail involved is excellent, it covers everything from how to shop for your ingredients all the way through to how to fix some cooking mistakes.

Using the information in the first section of this cookbook you could easily adapt your own recipes for use with this method. However, if you want to start with something that is tested, or you want to try something new, they have included several categories of recipes you might want to try.

Recipe categories include:

Chicken Main Dishes
Beef Main Dishes
Pork Main Dishes
Veggie And Seafood Mains, Sides, And Soups
Sauces, Marinades, And Flavored Butters
Breakfast, Snacks, And Sweets

Each of the recipes includes the quantity information, how many meals it makes and how many servings each meal provides. A brief introduction is followed by the ingredients and directions. The directions start with the batch cooking information and then have a separate section for the instructions for preparing one frozen meal. The Pack It Up information also gives you the required freezer containers and quantities you needed to store and freeze the recipe.

Some of the recipes also give tips or further information about the recipe. Only about a quarter of the recipes have a picture, but those pictures are full page and beautifully done.

Impressive Variety And Detail

I was very impressed with the sheer variety of recipes in this book. It would not have been unexpected had 90% of the recipes been ground meat used in different ways.

This book gives you a lot of really good recipes to start with. It also provides you with the means to use your own recipes which is invaluable. Everything is here right from the shopping list to the end product.

It has been my experience that whenever I try to make enough to use as leftovers somehow they always get eaten. There’s nothing to freeze or only one portion left. The FFF method will ensure you have leftovers and that people aren’t overindulging (because everything is portioned).

One thing I thought was particularly ingenious is the photocopiable freezer inventory table included. You can record what is in the freezer available for your meal. On their website, you can find labels with preparation instructions for your recipes. You can print them onto Avery labels and attach to your freezer meal. This will definitely help in keeping your labels correct and legible.

After all of the recipes comes a section called Branching Out. You get information about adapting your own meals and how to work with a cooking club or cooking co-op.

A Quick Reference Guide at the end covers information on which recipes can be cooked directly from frozen, and the freezer shelf life of various foods.

See the full review and the recipe for Caribbean Pork Tenderloin at The RecipesNow! Reviews And Recipes Magazine. This review is written in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.… (més)

I was excited to read this new cook book by Kati Neville and Lindsay Ahrens. I belong to a co-op and shop at a local market, so I am familiar with preparing ahead and freezing. Fix, Freeze, Feast takes this experience to a new level. The dishes are varied with some more complex to fix than others. Some are quick and easily to put together. Once you prepare and freeze the meals, the cooking is easy. When you are having guest over, you can spend your time enjoying your guest, until the meal is ready . At he beginning of the book you will find instructions on getting started. Their are several great tips and ideas through out the book on purchasing in bulk and using the ingredients listed. Some may be new to you. The photography is excellent. You can picture the dish and know how it will look, especially if it is one you have not made before. If this is a new concept to you, start slow. Don't be overwhelmed and try to prepare for the entire month. Make one recipe a weekend and see how it frees up your time. Start a cooking club with a few friends, as was suggested. I know I will use this cook book often and I highly recommend it.… (més)