Frozen from Scratch

Kitsune Udon! Arguably, my favorite iteration of udon. Would you believe in the picture to the left, the only fresh ingredient is the scallion? It's not that I didn't make it all from scratch (well, not the noodles anyway and I buy the aburaage already fried, but I do flavor it myself), but I made it from scratch weeks ago. I love that I can enjoy homemade food that is better for me (and cheaper!) than a store bought frozen entree, but just as easy. Maybe even easier!

When I make the Udon Soup Base, I make enough for 4 servings (well, 6 really - there is always enough for lunch the next day!) Scott and I are only two people, though. So the other half? I freeze it! I just pop it into a quart sized container and it freezes like a dream. When I want to use it, it is as simple as putting it into a pot and bringing it up to a simmer! The aburaage come in a pack of 10 - they don't keep for very long and flavoring them takes the same amount of effort if you are doing a few or if you are doing the whole package - may as well do them all! I just pop the extras into zip-top bags in serving portions and keep them in the freezer for when I need them! One day I will make my own udon noodles, but for now, the fresh noodles come in handy serving size packs and can live in my fridge awaiting the next udon night. The wakame udon comes dried so there is no worry about spoilage (so long a you don't store it like an idiot) and the kamoboko - more specifically, naruto - come frozen, you just need to slice off what you need.

And even though I prefer to chop my scallions fresh, I will admit that I have prechopped scallions in my freezer for those nights that I want udon but I can't bear to go to the store.

I like that I can have a delicious, healthy meal in less time than it would take to call out for a pizza, that I can prep a large batch of ingredients all at once saving time and preventing waste and that I can make the most of my meager dollars. And it really turns out great - you would never be able to tell that it took less effort to put together than making a sandwich!