Help Wanted: Ricotta Bake, Freezing, and Make Ahead Lunches

http://juliasalbum.com/2015/01/cauliflower-alfredo-sauce-recipe/

I did Spaghetti Squash in the instant pot last night! Easy Peasy!

How can you roast in the Instant pot?  This is magic voodoo!

First I steamed it for about 5 minutes with 1c water. It made it easy to pull apart the "spaghetti" part... Then dump out the water and use the sautee setting to add in the goodies--olive oil, Parmesan cheese, green onions, white onions, and bacon bits!

Hmm, I'm trying to kick out a bunch of "excess dairy" from my life too! Here is what I have so far: 

My sous vide egg bites were just as good on Day 2 as Day 1! I made up 6 little mason jars, so I basically have a week's worth of breakfasts. I don't think you need the machine--it would be a little trickier without it, but I am pretty sure you can just put them in a big pan at a very very very low boil for about an hour.

I'm also eating a lot of sliced turkey breast from Trader Joes. It's not deli meat--it's real thick sliced breast meat, so it's heavier and more hearty/filling. It keeps in the fridge for a week and is easy to portion out ahead of time and grab. Same with Mason jar chef's salads (cup of lettuce with chopped chicken, bacon & hb egg), which I make ahead sometimes when I have my act together on weekends. Tuna is another very easy grab and go.

Grim taught me that Italian Sausages are ideal foods to make ahead and reheat. They stay juicy enough on reheating, and last awhile in the fridge after they are grilled.

When I read about your success with sous vide eggs, I convinced hubby to buy me the IP Sous Vide wand. LOL Yay for Valentine's Day gifts that ARE NOT a giant box of hand crafted chocolates!!! Those eggs will be the first thing I try. :)

Yay! Enjoy! It will not disappoint :)

I don't have Trader Joes near me but I do think thick cut turkey would be a great idea.  The regular deli slice stuff just doesn't fill me up. Thicker is better! Got it.

do you have Costco?  They have a Kirkland oven-roasted turkey breast sold by weight.  they are vac-pack, so have a pretty far out date.  it is super good & filling. It even has suggest slice direction for thick or for thin. Good thick sliced & warmed.  Good thin with a low carb wrap for 'sandwich'.  Good cubed on salad.  Also slice & freeze -- then take the baggie out night before in frig and take for lunch - it's just like new. If no Costco, I bet Sam's Club has similar.  I like that you slice yourself for thickness and it's real turkey breast. If you don't have any of those, the Jennie-O chunk turkey breast you slice yourself I have found at Target or at any local grocery. 

I loved Daisy's instructions about buying/cooking/freezing (and you are adorable). I can barely cook - I'm a baker, so I needed all this help, too.  Over time, I have learned that you can freeze just darn near Anything. Like, a whole loaf of bread - just in the bag. Pop it out weeks later on the counter a while and it's just like new. Whaat? But it works. Of course loaves of bread aren't in my life anymore, but I was amazed you could freeze a whole bag like that! Things that may not freeze well because their "consistency" is mushy when they thaw are things we don't really eat anymore -- rice & noodles. They freeze fine as part of a recipe they are In. But not so great by themselves.  But you probably don't eat them anyway. Chili from the freezer is almost better than the original. Longer for flavors to meld.  And because you didn't have to do all the work to make it that day, yet you still have great chili to eat -- even better!  I'm sad you've thrown away chili in the past. But no more!

You go girl. Your Sunday plan/cook/prep sounds awesome. Please provide tips back later after you do it a few times and we can all learn from your success!  Thanks!  -Monica

I don't know if it was the brand of ricotta I used (TJ's) but after I portioned, froze and thawed them, I had a square of ricotta bake and sitting in about half inch of liquid. It tasted fine, but it threw me off for freezing it again.