Stocking the Freezer: Dos and Don'ts

[22tango]

Help! I'm faced with one month left to go until I become a first time MOM, and I'm trying to come up with some GOOD ideas of frozen dishes I can stock up the freezer with for the first few weeks. I'm much more of an a la minute kind of cook, and rarely indulge in casseroles...but maybe I'm missing out on some good possibilities. Or perhaps there are some great ideas for staples that I could easily be frozen and then put together in interesting ways for two exhausted, hungry new parents.

I've thought about whipping up some savory crepes to freeze and fill with quickly sauteed veggies, cheese, etc... Or ye old standby of lasagne, which can just be popped into the oven to bake. But I think my brain is currently too "pregnant" to think of anything better.

One caveat, or challenge if you prefer, my husband is vegetarian (though perhaps I should say "pescetarian" since he'll occasionally eat fish/seafood) so no meat please!! THANKS!

[Rachel Perlow]

Quiche - prep the custard and fillings, freeze flat in freezer baggies. Prep the crusts and store flat separately, an empty pizza box is a good place to store these together.

Pasta Sauce - now is the season for homemade tomato sauce, make a huge batch and store in meal sized portions in freezer bags.

All else that's coming to my brain involve chicken or beef so I'm going to stop for now, I'll post more when I can think veggie.

[Fat Guy]

Soups freeze brilliantly. In another month or so we'll be at the time of year when I typically make several dozen portions of lentil soup, split pea soup, and chili-like bean soup and freeze them in Zip-Locs. These make a great, nourishing, sustaining, warming meal when combined with a few slices of bread.

Right now in the freezer we've still got some Thai-style vegetable curry that I made a couple of months ago.

Costco (and other stores too I'm sure) sells good frozen ready-to-eat-or-serve-with-pasta-or-whatever shrimp and scallops.

Always good to have some bagels and other bread products in the freezer.

Stuffed pastas like ravioli and tortellini freeze well.

Oh, and ice cream.

Mazal tov, by the way.

[Rachel Perlow]

Stuffed twice baked potatoes. Yum. Simple instructions: Bake more potatoes than you need one night - or go to Costco and buy a bag of those really huge potatoes. Bake'm. While they are still pretty hot, cut off the tops (if you are using the huge ones cut them in half) (save tops of regular sized potatoes and make potato skins). Use a teaspoon or mellon baller to scoop out flesh, leaving about 1/3 inch shell. Mash potato innards with salt, pepper, butter, whatever you like (i.e. cream, stock, sour cream). Divide the mashed potatoes into as many bowls as flavors you are preparing, suggestions: broccoli or spinach with or without cheese, taco (just salsa and cheese if not using meat), parmesean and chives. Stuff the potatoes and top with somethng that will remind you of the filling (some chives, a bit of veg) or lable in their individual bags. Place one a cookie sheet or other tray that will fit flat in your freezer - freeze in the coldest spot of your freezer. Individually wrap in plastic bags and then put them all into a large freezer bag.

To eat, from frozen state, heat at 300 F for about 45 minutes. If thawed, about 20 minutes at 350. Or, nuke to defrost and heat long enough to brown the top.

Great side dish for a simple fish meal.

[22tango]

Yum! The Potatoes sound great!

I meant to ask before...wouldn't it be simpler with the quiches to freeze them after putting together (rather than as separate parts)?? Or even to make them and cook them up until the last 15 or so minutes and then freeze?? Does freezing the components avoid some problems (ie. soggy pastry?)

[kelly]

Hi,

I have a few freezer recipes, that I'll try to post today. I have an excellent quiche recipe that I'll dig up . They all will have freezing directions .

If you don't have a crockpot - just adjust the cooking time .

and Mazel Tov.

Chunky Vegetable Chili

1 1/2 cups cubed zucchini ( 1/2" dice, 1 medium )

1 cup coarsely chopped green pepper

1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 - 3 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 14.5 ounce cans mexican style stewed tomatoes

16 ounces of corn

2 1/4 cups black beans ( cooked or canned ) 2/3 cup salsa ( originally 8 ounces )

Place all ingredients in the crockpot, stir and cook on low for 8 top 10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

D: I started this late, so I sauteed the zuchini-cumin in 1 tbs oil until the onions were translucent and the zucchini was partially cooked, then I placed in the CP on high with the rest.

Freeze in individual portions. Thaw and heat to serve, may be done in the microwave.

6 or so adult size servings.

[Suzanne F]

Yup -- frozen quiche never bakes up right. Also, freezing the components separately lets you mix-and-match different crusts (plain, whole wheat, herbed, etc.) with different fillings. And they take up less room in the freezer. AND that way you can just thaw a package of whatever frozen veg you want to add, sprinkle it over the crust, and then pour in the custard, for even more no-brainer mix-and-matches (and no thaw/refreeze/rethaw problems). That is such a GREAT idea! I wish I'd thought of it.

You can also make up some basic sauces, like Indian korma or everything for avgolemono except the eggs, and then when you want to use them thaw them and add eggs, cooked beans, cubed potatoes, chopped veg, etc. Cook some rice, and bingo! (Or dare I say it, just buy some canned or jarred Patak's sauces.)

You and the baby should continue in good health. Kinnehorra.

[torakris]

I have been through this 3 times in the past 6 years, unfortunately I have a small freezer so casseroles where out of the question. I did do a lot of pasta sauces, especially pestos (using various nuts and herbs) because they took up the least amount of space. I also made curry pastes, just saute some fish and veggies add a can of coconut milk, some of the curry paste to taste, S and P and serve over rice or even noodles if you want. A meal in mere minutes.Purchased curry pastes also work great. Frittatas also make great meals, they are fast and can be made with anything you have on hand.

Don't worry to much about it, the pizza guy will get to know you pretty well anyway!

Of course you could also have ababy like my second daughter who slept 23 hours a day. She was always sleeping so I never went anywhere and ending up spending most of my time in the kitchen. 5 course meals for my husband , 10 layer cakes for friends who came to see the baby. I have never spent that much time in the kitchen in my whole life!

[kelly]

This might be a good thing to make just for you--it will reheat quickly and you'ld only need one hand to eat it.

Bierocks

1 (3 lb) pkg frozen white bread dough

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium head cabbage, shredded

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

oil for coating

Thaw out frozen bread dough; cut each roll into 3 pieces and set aside.

Brown beef and cabbage in a large skillet, seasoning with allspice, garlic,

salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out bread dough

and cut into squares. Place a spoonful of the beef/cabbage mixture onto the

center of each dough square. Sprinkle cheese on top, fold over and pinch

sides to seal. Rub a bit of oil on the outside of each pastry. Place in a

9x13 inch baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes,

or until golden brown.

Notes:

*You can add in any kind of cheese-my favorite version is Swiss cheese with

mushroom.

*If you want to simplify the whole process put a layer of dough in the

bottom of the 9x13 pan, spread the filling over that, then top with the

other half of the dough. Bake as above.

*Either way this freezes very well.

posted to ff@yahoo 9/4

[mixmaster b]

If you need dessert:

I saw Jacques Torres making individual almost-flourless chocolate cakes (molten center type) on TV this past week. He says you can stick them in the freezer before baking them, and pop them into the oven when they are needed. He didn't specify if thawing was necessary--I would guess a few extra minutes of baking would do the job.

The recipe is on the Food TV site:

http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255...5,20379,00.html

Congrats on the new arrival!

[22tango]

Yummy! I love molten chocolate cakes! Nice idea. After all, who says just because you're a new Mom you can't have good dessert!

Vegetarian Chili is always a good idea -- and I could mix up some cornbread batter to cook quickly in the waffle iron for nice crispy corn cakes on the side! The Bierocks sound intriguing...kind of like an empanada?? I could also do a spicy potato-veggie samosa-like filling for my husband.

I'm not sure I'd try the MasterCook freezer quiche recipe -- I'm partial to the more traditional french style tarts. I've been re-reading my "Art of the Tart" for good ideas now that Rachel has me thinking about pre-prepped quiches!

MMmmm...and reading back through some of the suggestions makes me want to make a Thai vegetable curry for dinner tonight! I can just see that it may be easiest for me to make some of these ideas for dinners this month, and triple or quadruple the amounts so I can start storing.

Thanks for the great brainstorming guys!

[snowangel]

I've got three kids (each 18 months apart), so by #3 had this figured out. I never did the "stock the freezer" thing because I don't like casseroles, and could never remember to pull things out of the freezer early enough.

Standbys:

Soup -- especially cream of potato and corn soup (Barbara Tropp's 1st book has a wonderful recipe). These two prep and cook really fast.

Pasta, pasta, pasta, with pesto, tomato sauce, just plain butter and romano, etc. Depending on what you put on it, can be good leftover, sometimes cold.

Baked potatos. Cook in microwave, split open, top with left-over cooked veggies, cheese, whatever, stick under broiler.

Eggs. Fritta is great, and you can put in whatever you have on hand.

Salmon. Poach, broil, grill, etc. far more than you need because it can be great in fritta, baked potatos, mixed with pasta.

Good bread, cheese.

Let's face it, someone is going to have to get to the grocery to get fresh veggies, fruit, milk, eggs, so it's pretty easy to pick up the stuff you'll need for other things. Add a salad and/or veggies and fruit to the above, and you are set.

Many of these are great leftover (warm or cold), and I quickly learned the value of being able to grab something out of the fridge during the day and eat, all while nursing a baby without laying her/him down.

[SerenityH82]

Well I don't know if this helps much but you can freeze fresh herbs, grits, dehydrated herbs, cheese. Thats all I know can freeze right now. Hope that helps.

[Rachel Perlow]

I can just see that it may be easiest for me to make some of these ideas for dinners this month, and triple or quadruple the amounts so I can start storing.

That is the easiest way to go about "freezer cooking." Whenever you make anything, make three or four times what you need - it's just as easy to make 3 meatloaves as 1 (uh, salmon loaves?).

Last recipe, I have  lots of cook for the freezer recipes- you can  send me a pm or whatever they have here,(sorry ,Rachel) I don't want to clog up the list.

No need to apologize, this is why I sent you the link. For those reading along, "Kelly" is a friend of mine that I met through Yahoo Group's Friendly Freezer bulletin board. I knew she'd have a wealth of recipes.

Tango, here are a couple links to give you some more ideas:

Friendly Freezer YahooGroup - everything you ever wanted to know about cooking for a day and eating for a month. Most of it is not for the gourmet minded or vegetarian, but a lot of the ideas and recipes can be adapted.

Purple Dragon Recipe Swap YahooGroup - Purple Dragon is an organic produce co-op, kind of like a CSA (community sponsored agriculture). "Kelly" and I moderate the YahooGroup where people post recipes and ideas of how to use the fruits and vegetables in the bi-weekly orders.

[LindaJ]

I am in the family way and due round about October 15th. One of the things being pounded into my head is to cook and freeze ahead of the stork's delivery.

Most of the meals I've seen for freezing are very, shall we say, frozen dinner like. I'm reminded of the 60s when my Dad would throw some Swanson's foil thing in the oven for a few hours.

Any ideas for healthy, appetizing meals that will freeze well? Links to recipes would be super duper.

Thanks so much.

[Chris Amirault]

I am in the family way and due round about October 15th.  One of the things being pounded into my head is to cook and freeze ahead of the stork's delivery. 

Any ideas for healthy, appetizing meals that will freeze well? Links to recipes would be super duper.

←

You a fan of mexican food? One of our dinner staples freezes extremely well: pozole stew. It is also a very forgiving dish.... I'm winging this but trust me, if you pull the ingredient list out of the instructions, this is a snap and it's good.

1. Saute a pound or so of cubed pork (salt and pepper first) in olive oil over medium heat. Brown it as best you can, in small batches if you pan demands.

2. Now saute a chopped onion or two, and add a minced garlic clove or two when the onion is translucent. Don't let 'em brown.

3. Add a tablespoon or two of ground cumin, some ground ancho, some black pepper, maybe some cayenne if you likes it hot, definitely some mexican oregano if you've got it -- and saute that for a minute or less.

4. Add a big can of diced tomatoes (drained) or two or three fresh ones, diced. Toss 'em around a bit to warm them through.

5. Add a big can of pozole (drained) and toss 'em around, too.

6. Dump in a quart or more of chicken stock, or beef stock. Let it simmer calmly for 20-30 minutes, tasting to adjust heat, salt, and other flavors.

You ought to throw some chopped cilantro on it when you serve it, and a squeeze of lime is nice -- but those two don't freeze well, so save 'em until your happy event!

Let me know if you try it. Of course, should someone else besides an eight-months-pregnant mom-to-be slave over a hot stove? Hmmm?

[Kim WB]

I bought one of those vacuum bag thingys...not the super industrial model, just a Sears $50 one..WOW! pesto packets. leftover grilled tuna ( for tuna salad) manicotti, baked ziti....chicken broth. packets of cooked chorizo and langasta, ready to be added to pasta. Don't even get me started on desserts...its now worth baking, and serving a bit, then individually wrapping the left overs for indulgent moments. I wouldn't freeze a quesadilla..however, I have packets of marinated cooked pork, so after a day of work ( either at theoffice or with a newborn ..) the most you need to do is manage to buy a few flour tortillas and shred some cheese..I also freeze onion confit . I find most thing suffer in texture...less so in the super vacuum thingy, but still suffer..but the taste is still vivid. And those traditional freezer friendly things are nearly perfect...chili in a bag, with the air vacuumed out,and then the fancy seal thing...its like the army rations...seems like it could last forever.

And GOOD LUCK...enjoy...and don't be afraid to eat chinese for a month or two! It's not a time to be superwoman...its only a time to be super mom. There will be plenty of opportunity to be super mom..just wait until you come across the all encompassing FRIDAY FOLDERS

Edited September 14, 2004 by Kim WB (log)

[snowangel]

If you freeze any one thing, make chicken stock. DOn't know where you live, but soup is great.

With one of my kids, I did a boatload of cooking and freezing, but problem was, that post child-birth, you just may be like me "can't make change." LIterally. Couldn't make change, couldn't remember to take anything out of the freezer. So, Paul would get home, I'd hand baby over (welcomly at that point ), and cook something quick. Frittata. Pasta with garlic and oil. A salad. None of this took very long. A pot roast. Quick to get in the oven when baby is asleep and still have time to nap. While in the hospital, have someone stock you up on good cheese, bread and sliced deli meat. Other thing is that you don't know now what you will want to eat then!

Better yet, if anyone at all says "if there is anything I can do to help," repond with "why yes, could you please come over and do a load of laundry and bring dinner with you?"

I quite frankly found cooking less of a chore than the Other Stuff -- laundry, cleaning, etc.

The real time to fill the freezer is before you go back to work (if you are going back to work).

But, if you do want to cook ahead, stock (as I mentioned before). Chili. Baked pasta dishes (if you like them). Posole (as mentioned above; it's much better later than the day made). Pie crust (I often make a huge batch, roll and freeze between waxed or parchment paper) for quiche. Tomato sauce. If you make stock, save the worthwhile chicken and cover it with the fat that comes to the top of the stock after fridging and it will be OK; thaw, drain/blot fat and add to soup. Not great, but OK for adding to stuff.

Keep tortillas, prepared salsa and cheese on hand for nuked "quesadillas." Assuming that Dad will be working outside the home, more important is stuff that you can grab and eat while nursing and taking care of baby.

Good luck! Hope you are feeling OK and not too huge.

Edited September 14, 2004 by snowangel (log)

[Malawry]

I stock my work freezer with beef stew, coconut chickpea curry, chicken and rice casserole, soups (tomato, French onion, chicken), vegetarian and beef chilis, premade precooked beef and turkey meatballs, precooked beef and beans for tacos or burritos, and lasagna. This way when the girls have a special event that requires extra work or when I have to take time off, there are lots of ingredients that are quick and easy to assemble (or even for my boss to throw in the oven for me). This is in addition to the vegetarian and chicken stocks, dessert sauces, and puff pastry and filo dough I always keep on hand for making ordinary soups and desserts special.

[Toliver]

You should PM eGullet member SethG. He just went through the arrival of a baby and blogged here ("Home for a couple months, How should I get my cooking fix?") about his cooking during his stay at home when the newborn came home. While most of his blog won't answer your questions since he used the time to tackle bread baking, etc, but he did, towards the end of his stay-at-home time, began cooking with freezing in mind because he knew he would have to go back to work.

He may have some suggestions for you and be able to tell you what worked well and what didn't.

[CanadianBakin']

I think this is my first post on the other side of "the great divide". My strength lies mainly in baking but I have been asked to prepare a number of freezer meals for a lady who is expecting her third baby. I have not met her but a group of ladies are paying me to do this as a shower gift for her. From the sounds of it she is quite well off and eats quite well. They aren't looking for run of the mill casseroles. My cooking skills are pretty good but I work best from recipes.

So, first, I'm wondering if you have any ideas for great tasting meals that you know freeze well.

Second, I tried a great recipe from Fine Cooking for chicken breasts that are stuffed, fried 3 minutes per side and then baked. I'm wondering if it would be safe to make them up to the point of being fried and then freeze them, leaving her to thaw and finish baking. Leaving them partially raw makes me a bit nervous but if I begin with fresh meat would this be ok?

Edited May 15, 2005 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[WHT]

Cook all food fully and freeze a quick as possible. Meatballs (Swedish, Italian or other can be frozen and reheat well in a pot or the oven. You can freeze almost all cooked food but some need to be done in parts, like sauce separate from the meatballs if it is cream based and deviled eggs also come to mind.

Most vegetables can if blanched first and stored in an airtight containers. Those deli to-go cups and lids can be obtained from a restaurant supply cheaply and in many sizes and I use a lot of them for such things. Pasta freezes well; stuff with mayo tends to separate. Stuffed fish can be done in a raw state and cooked later just be sure it was not previously frozen the exception would then be to cook the item and then freeze it. Have fun at it, it is not as big a challenge as it may seem. When I used to work a lot of long hours I would make up food and sides and freeze them to be nuked later in the week when I did not feel like cooking.

[CanadianBakin']

Just bumping this up in the hope of more input. :)

[Rachel Perlow]

Soups and stews freeze very well. I see you don't want "run of the mill" casseroles, but what about moussaka and lasagna, both freeze well.

[Catherine Iino]

Chili. Curried lamb or chicken (dark meat only. And I wouldn't do the frozen chicken breasts; too much chance they'll end up dry). Chicken or turkey pot pie. On all of these, I'm talking about tasty comfort foods, not haute cuisine. And if you think she'd go for it, really good, hearty soup and bread, both of which freeze easily.