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Freezer cooking is a method of meal planning and preparation in which a person(s) makes multiple meals at one time and freezes them to use at a later time. These meals can be either pre-prepared or pre-cooked.  Personally, I prepare fully cooked meals and crockpot meals which are mainly pre-assembled but are not cooked until the meal is to be served.

Here are the steps I take in using this process of meal planning:

1.     Pick two different types of meat that my family regularly consumes. It may be the type of meat that is currently selling for a good price at the supermarket that particular week.

2.     Plan your meals weekly, biweekly or monthly, depending on how much you are going to be preparing for your freezer cooking. Try to pick certain veggies, cheese, beans or other ingredients that can be used in several dishes of your meal plan as to purchase in bulk and not waste food.

3.     Purchase the ingredients including spices and marinades that you will need for your meals. Make sure you have enough containers to store all of your dishes.

4.     Take one day or part of your cooking day to cut all vegetables/meat and cook any pasta or rice.  Place them in the refrigerator to chill overnight or until cold. Take this chilling time to go over your inventory and meal plans one last time before the cooking begins. I would discourage freezing hot or warm dishes before chilling regardless of whether the meals are fully cooked or not.  In my experience, the food is better kept if the frozen dishes were chilled before freezing.

5.     At cooking time decide which food items you will cook and completely assemble versus the items you will add in on the day you will eat each particular dish. This would be a good time to assemble any crockpot meals that you will put together and not cook this day. Place the crockpot meals into plasticware or freezable bags until ready to cook and serve. For optimum storage I would suggest to lay the bags flat until frozen, label them with a freezer safe marker and stack them like books in a library.

6.     Let the cooking begin! Fully cook any meats, assemble and cook your remaining dishes. After the meals have been chilled place each day’s dish in the freezer and freeze any leftover veggies in baggies that you may not use for awhile. Chili, soup, stew and casseroles are dishes regularly used for freezer cooking.

If you are up for the challenge I would suggest trying this for at least seven meals and use the meals throughout a two-week period to see how convenient this method is compared to cooking per day. Some benefits of freezer cooking are saving time, money and energy.  Also consider that this method  will result in eating out less thus potentially leading to a healthier lifestyle!

Did you know that 18% of Texans are German descendants? That German heritage can be felt throughout the "German Belt" of Texas, stretching from Houston-Galveston to Kerville-Mason and the Hill Country region. Germans immigrated to Texas in massive numbers between 1830-1890, forming cultural districts and German-language schools, brewing beer and eating spiced sausages (Handbook of Texas Online). Although the descendants of these German pioneers moved to the suburbs and now speak English, Texas' German cultural heritage is still celebrated throughout the state with Oktoberfests and German Christmas festivals. Tomball and its sister city Telgte, Germany sponsor a traditional German Christmas market to celebrate those early Texas traditions. 

It's "Weihnachtsmarkt Texas Style" in Tomball! You will enjoy German "Gastfreundshft" at a traditional Christmas market in Tomball near the train depot, 201 S. Elm. You can sample Christmas Stollen, Kaffee und Kuchen and dance to the sounds of the Tubameisters. Enjoy the fireworks and the lighting of the Tomball City Christmas tree.  Take your camera for those special Christmas photos! 

December 9, 6-10; December 10, 10-10; December 11, 10-6 

Admission is Free.  Parking is free.

Among the glittering sea of corporate owned restaurants with carefully staged interiors located in the Woodlands, Gourmet Café and Bakery, a family owned French bistro, is a small gem offering authentic French food and free Wifi.  Ifel and Yasmina Costa have brought a taste of France to the Woodlands with fresh cuisine, pastries and breads.  This bistro is located at 9950 Woodlands Parkway, nestled in a Sterling Ridge shopping center.  It is open from 6:30-3:30.  The wise diner would arrive early, as the food is prepared when ordered.  The interior is understated, and food is the focus. You will not hear the perfunctory “bon jour” and prerecorded French lessons at this restaurant.  This is an authentic French, family run business serving up a taste of Europe.  

The menu offering has recently been expanded since I last dined there.  On this visit, my friend and I decided to order an early lunch.  I longed to order the Nutella crepes, but decided to order a gourmet breakfast sandwich instead.  It proved to be the perfect choice. I ordered the Texan, a hearty breakfast sandwich filled with applewood bacon, scrambled egg, ham, lettuce and tomato and a Bristot Italian cappuccino.  The Texan was a substantial sandwich with wonderful fresh and savory flavor that left me satisfied and full.  The cappuccino was a perfect blend of froth and espresso at an ideal temperature.  I also ordered a baguette to take home.  The selection of pastries is tempting, and at a fraction of the price of a Paris bakery.  The croissants are flaky little bites of heaven. I'll sample the Nutella crepes on my next visit!

For a perfect lunch date, this petit bijou is worth the short drive down Woodlands Parkway.  Bon appétit!

Have you ever wanted to take a Williams-Sonoma cooking class? Are you still wondering which show stopping side dishes to cook for your Thanksgiving feast? Look no further! Williams-Sonoma will offer a complementary technique class on November 20 & 21.  Class size is limited and reservations are requested. Call 281-298-6915 for reservations. This is a great opportunity to sample a Williams-Sonoma cooking class just in time for Thanksgiving. 

"Thanksgiving is less than a week away-but it's not too late to add an amazing side dish to your menu or discover some time-saving tips.  This final Thanksgiving technique class features our favorite recipes plus last-minute tips to make your holiday truly special and stress-free."   From Williams-Sonoma Culinary Activities  

I am already stressed out.  While browsing in Target, Oh Christmas Tree blared from the ornament display! As I shopped for my favorite Woodlands blend coffee at H.E.B., neatly wrapped Christmas gifts of Texas pecans and chocolates beckoned my taste buds.  My eight-year old twin boys have already reminded me that Santa's elves (Yes, they still believe) are working hard and handed me their Christmas wish lists. Time to make those lists and check them twice! With the holiday season approaching, gather your friends and celebrate the season together before Black Monday, Cyber Tuesday and the general Christmas season begins. This year, let's find more Christmas cheer by renewing those old friendships or beginning new ones.  Whether you want to get the girls together for a dinner out, find spiritual inspiration, or enjoy some great entertainment together, the Woodlands offers it all. 

Looking for spiritual inspiration? Get the ladies together and enjoy an evening of scrumptious desserts, coffee, music, laughter and tears with Karen James, journalist and Woman of Faith Speaker. Let Your Heart Find Christmas on December 1, 6:30-9:30, The Woodlands United Methodist Church, $20.00, limited child care available for a $6.00 fee.  

Sample the sounds of jazz, blues and pop with Moonlighting on December 10 at Doesy Doe. Cover tickets are $12.00 each.  Doesy Doe is a live music venue in a 150 year-old Kentucky Barn, 25911 I45 North, The Woodlands.  

For a taste of Louisiana in Texas, take the girls to locally owned Schilecci's New Orleans kitchen. My Louisiana neighbors tell me it tastes just like home. Schilecci's New Orleans Kitchen, 9595 Six Pines Drive, The Woodlands.

Come back for more Relax and Recharge buzz!  I'll get the Woodlands scoop and post it right here, just for you!   

So last time I told you I would tell you about my new obsession. And quite frankly millions of people’s obsession.

Pinterest is a fairly new website that is for the crafty, the chef, the home school teacher, the designer, and of course the photographer. Anyone can use it, you can actually look for anything. It is amazing. 

So here is how it works.

1. Get invited.
2. Start your account.
3. Build your boards according to your own interests – some suggestions are recipes, DIY, Holidays, Photos.
4. Follow your friends
5. Pin and repin photos and things that you like!

So if you aren’t used to pinning, this could be a little confusing. You “pin” things you like and then catagorize them into “boards.” So for example, I have different types of portrait genre boards – maternity, newborn, toddler, family, engagement, etc. Then when I see things on the Internet or on Pinterest that I like, I can repin them into one of my many boards so I can easily go back and find them.

I do this a lot to show my clients what to wear on family sessions or concepts for their next session. Photographers are loving this site for creative exploration as well as a great way to communicate to their base.

But as stated before it is not just for photographers. I have spent hours pinning recipes, room designs, holiday décor, things to occupy a toddler, etc. The sky is the limit. I have 30 boards with over 1300 pins. I go there frequently for gift ideas, dinner, gifts, home decor, stuff to do with my son on a rainy day, etc.

So if you are looking for some creative inspiration or just a way to waste an hour. Check out Pinterest. Once on, find me! I have a ton of pins you’ll love. Enjoy and don’t blame me if you never get anything done again!

So until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one.

Kara Powell

www.karapowellphotography.com

     Jackpot - I have perfected the secret to holiday survival and wanted to share it with all you other Obsessive Parents out there.

    This year we are escaping to the Dixie Dude Ranch in Bandera, Texas.  Why there?  Besides the lovely lodging, meals, shows, etc, we ALL get to go horseback riding in the hill country.  The ranch has been in existence since before the 6 year old minimum-to-ride rule was put in place so my three year old will get the experience as well.   

We are also going in early December, sneaking away for a private family holiday before the stress takes over.  Give your children experiences, not stuff, I always say!  THIS will be an experience.  Two months from now I will be sitting in a rocking chair watching the sunset in the Hill Country.  I will be buckling the bike helmets on my daughters as they go up the mountain on horse-back, my youngest in the saddle with me.  I will be sharing meals (not cooked by me, nor am I responsible for the clean-up) and watching cowboy shows by the bonfire.   

This column is about the Art of Anticipation: something on the horizon to look forward to that lifts your spirits.  I can survive these months for those 15 minutes of peace as the sky changes to hues of orange and pink as evening falls over the hills.  I encourage you all, no matter what you are going through, as a tool for yourself and your children, to put a “good thing” on the horizon.  It can be as small scale as: if you don’t cry when I drop you off at Mother’s Day Out this morning you can have a big bowl of chocolate ice cream when you get home.  It can be as big as a trip to a ranch for the holidays.

It can also be a medicine to heal a hurt like no other.  My mother passed away in March of 1992.  A few weeks later during Spring Break my whole family, aunts and uncles too, went out to the Dixie Dude Ranch.  We got away from the grief and the stress.  We had a wonderful experience and were able to let some of our sadness go.

In 2007, my marriage was stressed almost to the breaking point.  We took a vacation again, got away just the three of us at the time (my oldest was 2), and spent a week at the Dixie Dude Ranch.  We INVESTED in happy times.  We came back with a shared joyous memory, one to count on the “happy” side of the list, countering the “unhappy” ones.  We’ve been married for ten years now and are so excited to be returning to the ranch with our youngest daughter.

I cannot tell you how much the Dixie Dude Ranch means to me.  I encourage you to look into it, or another destination vacation for your family this year.  Our own hometown has many options for adventure and fun, but decide now or soon and put it on the calendar.  Print a big sign and put it on the fridge, “Look what we have to look forward to!”  The Art of Anticipation, something to look forward to and having my own personal alternative holiday this year…. It means the world to me.

Stay tuned to hear how the trip went and to see pictures.  Send in your own holiday plans and survival secrets to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and let us know if you have any parenting questions you need help with.  Best of luck as the season finally changes to Fall and Happy Obsessive Parenting! Here's their website: www.dixieduderanch.com 

I'm a little worried about my 4 year old.  She's a copy-cat.  When she's playing with friends, she does everything they do, copies their behavior and how they talk.  It bothers me that she's such a follower.  What should I do? -Amanda from Shenandoah

Dear Amanda,

First, it's not a bad thing for your daughter to want to follow her peers for now.  She'll need fellowship and good social skills in life.  It's just imperative that you monitor who her peers are and how they behave.  Schedule playdates with the kids who have manners and keep your distance from the mouthy ill-behaved peers.  Program her NOW, (and keep it up for the next 14 years), that we don't drink, smoke, use drugs, or have sex until she's 40 (haha).  In the mean time, start building Leadership skills for your daughter.  She follows now because she's not comfortable in the role of Leader either by design (shyness) or by lack of experience.

Does she like "Dora the Explorer"?  Go for an "Adventure hike" with your daughter as "Dora" and you as "Boots" (husband and siblings can be "Backpack", "Map" and the rest of the gang).  Ask her where she wants to go, which path she wants to go down and let her lead.  Praise her leadership skills.  Pretend to be lost and let her guide you home.  Feigning ignorance is a fantastic parenting tool.  "What would you do without her help?"  Pick a meal a week that she's allowed to plan and let tell which groceries she'll need for the meal.  In the grocery store, let her push a kid sized basket.  Slip in compliments to others about her leadership skills when she can overhear you say it.  Our children will either rise to our expectations or fall to our discriminations.  I told everyone who would listen that my oldest daughter was the best big sister on the planet, and you know what?  She is!  I heard a mother openly tell people that her youngest was her "difficult child", with the little girl standing right there, and, you guessed it, she was difficult!

The Obsessive Mother's Guide applauds you for recognizing this behavior and addressing it now.  The only way to get parenting wrong is to ignore a short-coming in your own child.  The more you guide her now, the easier her life and yours will be.  The more you ignore now, the more hellish the teenage years will be when she's too big to put in time out.  When she starts Kindergarten, get her into Girl Scouts.  You may have to start a troop to get her into a troop, but the friends both you and she will make in the troop are priceless. 

Keep us posted on your progress! 

Sincerely,

The Obsessive Mother's Guide to Parenting

If you have a parenting question you'd like answered, send it to us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and look for your answer in upcoming columns!

So school has started. Yeah!

Oh. Maybe I shouldn’t be so excited. J But I am!

And I know you all took those first day of school photos. We all do it. And most of you probably started early like I did with pre-school. Hopefully you do it in the same place every year. However, if you don’t (like me), don’t worry! I have a solution for you.

I personally can’t even remember from year to year where we did them. So when I saw this idea, I was thrilled. It was on Pinterest. It is my new obsession. If you haven’t checked it out, you will have to go on and look. My next article will be all about it and how you as a budding photographer can use it.

Anyway, someone “pinned” this idea one day. You can see an example with Caden’s school photo below.

Not only do you get a cute photo out of the deal, but for busy moms like me, you get a quick summary all about what he is into at the time. Perfect for keeping track of the kiddos throughout the years. And all I had to do ask was him what he loved and write down what he told me. Easy as that. Then I went into Photoshop and did some text overlay in a layer. But if you don’t have Photoshop, you can do the same thing in Elements or Picassa. Many of the free photo manipulation tools will easily do text overlay. It is very simple.

Then you can flatten the image, save as a jpeg and print. Or send it to everyone.

I have also seen this for older children with three photos on the left side of the page and an in-depth interview on the right side. Usually done for birthdays but I think it would be super cute for the beginning of each school year. And so much more informative than a single photo that sits in a box. I think I’m going to print Caden’s and hang it in his room. Then switch it out at the beginning of every school year.

So what are you waiting for? You probably have the image. Just go make it fine art for your child’s memory and history books.

Until next time. Keep clickin’ because sometimes it takes 1000 photos to get 1 good one.

Kara Powell

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www.karapowellphotography.com
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