Stocking the Freezer: Dos and Don'ts

[CaliPoutine]

If you dont want to do a lasagna, you could fancy it up a bit and do a stuffed shell( stuff with spinach, ricotta) and a fire roasted tomato sauce.

I've done a fantastic spinach lasagna that has a bechemel sauce. I've added seafood a few times and it was fabulous. It froze well too.

[bavila]

Baby #2 is due 2 months from today, and I want to start stocking up the freezer to get ready for those sleep-deprived first few weeks. Anyone have suggestions for tasty (and basically healthy) dinners that can withstand the freezer? Any other tips?

I find summer a particularly challenging time to be doing this as it seems most of the things I usually freeze are more cool weather dishes (chili, soups, beans, etc.).

[CaliPoutine]

Baby #2 is due 2 months from today, and I want to start stocking up the freezer to get ready for those sleep-deprived first few weeks.  Anyone have suggestions for tasty (and basically healthy) dinners that can withstand the freezer? Any other tips?

I find summer a particularly challenging time to be doing this as it seems most of the things I usually freeze are more cool weather dishes (chili, soups, beans, etc.).

←

about a month ago a friend( i met her on egullet) and I, did a mass cooking session for freezing. We made 9 things. This is what we made.

Chicken w/sherry vinegar sauce( a new way to cook)

potato cod cakes( cooking light)

green chili chicken( cooking light)

turkey taco filling( everyday food)

chicken tettrazini(cooking light)

spinach stuffed shells( cooking light)

pork tenderloin over cheese grits( cooking light)

turkey meatballs and sauce( everyday food)

seafood curry( how to be a domestic goddess)

We cooked from 10:30am until 5pm with a half hour lunch break. We each had a large casserole and or ziplock bag of food with more than 4 servings each. It cost around 8 bucks per meal. Totally worth it.

I havent eaten the potato cod cakes yet, friend has and said we should have pan sauteed them after defrosting. She said they were a bit soggy. Everything else was great though.

[ingridsf]

First of all, congratulations. Two months, huh? Your baby and I just might share a b-day!

I'm not a mom, so my recs should be considered in terms of how they may affect your milk if you're nursing. But anyway. I've found that variations on chicken thighs/red sauce/soft polenta travel well from freezer to microwave to mouth. I'm not going to give full-scale recipes here but briefly describe 2 everyone I know likes.

The first is chicken puttanesca, with the active ingredients being anchovies, capers, nicoise olives, and balsamic. These pungent, strongly flavored ingredients mellow and blend amazingly well. I always use bone-in thighs, tons of whole garlic cloves and fresh marjoram.

The second is cacciatore, with the active ingredients being bacon, mushrooms, green pepper and vermouth. Ditto on the bone-in chicken and garlic. Basil works well with this, and if very careful, a pinch of cinnamon adds a subtle depth. But be careful, it's easy to use too much and that makes it taste like canned food.

Oh, and the usual culprits, canned tomatoes, olive oil, onion, broth, black pepper, salt are all involved.

If you put a shallow layer of sauce, then the polenta, then the chicken-and-sauce on top into a tupperware thing, the sauce will resoften the polenta when you heat it in the microwave.

Enjoy! And don't be shy about passing these meal ideas on to friends and family when they offer to help -- I've contributed to the stocking of more than one expectant mother's freezer. Lasagna's the great Freezer Favorite, so do suggest alternatives or you might end up oding on the stuff.

[bavila]

I'm bumping this up as both daniellewiley and I are still looking for recipes. Babies coming in a a few weeks! Come to our aid eGulleters!

In another thread, we are lamenting how difficult it is to cook when it's SOOOO hot. We got a break (finally) here in Annapolis last night, and temps should be reasonable for the next week at least. And I expect high temps to be in the mid 80's when baby is born end of August.

So, here's what I've frozen so far:

-2 quarts of ragu

-a few homemade veggie burgers

-raw chicken breasts with onions, lemon, herbs for marinade

-raw lamb (for kabobs) in marinade

As soon as I can get field peas at the farmers' market, they'll go in too. And I suppose I could make some ratatouille. I also plan to hit the frozen food section of Trader Joe's. Other than that, I can only think of salads.

[rlibkind]

How about some shrimp. I buy bags of the frozen tiny northern pre-cooked/cleaned shrimp at Whole Foods (other stores have them, too), and they are wonderfully versatile. Although they aren't quite in the "put in the microwave and fuhgedaboudit" category, they are quick and easy. Just three examples:

Do a quick thaw (very low power) in the microwave, then toss with mayo/remoulade, etc., and stuff a tomato. Or chop up celery, sweet pepper, dill and/or sweet pickle and mix with shrimp and mayo for a shrimp salad on a baguette.

Bring water to bil for your favorite pasta. Just a few minutes before it's ready, add olive oll to hot pan, then garlic; before garlic browns, toss frozen shrimp into pan. Finish with capers or whatever herbs you fancy and toss over pasta.

Fill flour tortillas with still-frozen shrimp, Jack or other Southwest/Mexican cheese, a little chopped scallion, maybe a touch of fresh diced jalapeno or other peppers of your choosing, then fold and cook in a non-stick skillet, no oil necesssary, til cheese melts.

Beans are another possibility. In particular I like garbanzos. I cook them from dried beans, then put them in the freezer in portions (making sure to have them covered in the cooking liquid). You can take out a serving, nuke to thaw, add to chicken in a pan and season to taste. Lots of other ways you can use frozen beans.

For a an easily nukable meal, there's this Indian chicken braise with garbanzos. Lightly brown some chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (in both cases, do not use boneless, but they can be either skinless or not, to your preference) in a neutral oil. Remove chicken, add onions/garlic cooking until transparent, then add curry powder/garam masala or any other South Asian style spices, quickily tossing with onions, then returning chicken to pan and adding broth or water to partially cover, stirring and cooking until chicken is cooked, adding more broth if necessary. The finished dish should have enough liquid to still look like a stew/braise. When done, add cooked chickpeas, then freeze into portions. Remove from freezer and nuke for an easy dinner. If you have fresh cilantro leaves on eating day, it's a perfect garnish. Serve as is or, to stretch it even further (and it's a delicious as well as nutritious combination) with Basmati or other fine rice.

Edited to complete messge

Edited July 28, 2005 by rlibkind (log)

[Terrasanct]

Here's what I did--it's easy. Use a slow cooker to make roasts or chicken or whatever, then divide and freeze. You can put the meat in at night so it won't heat up the house during the day. That way you'll have the (seasoned) meat so you can just make a quick salad or veggie with it. I made shredded beef for enchiladas...I can't remember what else just now but I'll look it up on my other computer.

I do recall that I even browned ground beef with onions and garlic and froze it in serving-sized dishes. Makes it easy to make quick spaghetti or nachos. If the meat is cooked, the rest of dinner is usually easy. Also, you might stock up on good curry sauces or spinach sauce, etc. in a jar. Trader Joe's sells them.

Make a huge pot of soup and freeze. You've probably already done that. I'm always glad to look in the freezer at lunch time and find a nice single-serving of chicken soup. This is another thing that does well in the slow cooker. Honestly, I can see why these things have become popular again. Here's a real shortcut--I get a rotisserie chicken at Costco (for about what it would cost me to get a raw one), use it for a few meals, then make a soup in the slow cooker. It's surprising how good the broth is.

Tortillas are a good thing to have around, and they freeze well, too. Take some meat out of the freezer, defrost some tortillas, and you're already halfway to dinner.

Edited July 28, 2005 by Terrasanct (log)

[Terrasanct]

Oh, I just found my list of things I froze last year.

Ham--can get the cheapest cut and it still tastes good. Cook in slow cooker, when defrosted I used for ham and bean soup, scalloped potatoes with ham, ham and broccoli and cheese, etc.

Ground beef--cooked with Mexican spices. Cooked with onions and garlic for spaghetti, soup, chili, nachos.

Baked meatballs and froze. Good for spaghetti, sandwiches, stroganoff, Swedish meatballs.

Cooked a big batch of barbecue pork. Lucky to have any left to freeze! Oh, I also made a big batch of chile verde.

Most of these things use inexpensive cuts of meat, so they also save money.

Another thing that worked out well was freezing pizza. Here's the recipe I used for that:

http://organizedhome.com/recipe169.html

[Curlz]

One suggestion I'll toss in the mix: freeze whatever you make in batches appropriate to the # of mouths it will feed! I quickly learned that freezing a huge amount of anything wasn't working well b/c after the 3rd meal of ____, I was sick of it! So I started using smaller containers, and voila! Two meals of anything is fine, and then I can move on to something else. Simple solution, but it took a headsmack.

[bavila]

thank you, thank you

Forgot to mention that I tried a couple of ideas from CaliPoutine -- turkey tacos (I used a Cooking Light version with a chiptole sauce that was YUMMY), of which there were no leftovers to freeze, and pork over cheese grits (only one serving made it to the freezer -- which I plan to eat soon to test the idea of freezing grits).

I like the slow cooker overnight idea. Will look deeper into that.

[CanadianBakin']

There's tons of books on this subject. Once a month, once a week, frozen assets, etc. I haven't checked it out yet but I heard there's a 30 day gourmet website that has lots of ideas as well.

Aside from that, just double whatever you make for dinner and freeze it if it's suitable. Less work at one time since you're cooking anyways and over a couple weeks you'll have lots in your freezer.

Something I found helpful after my twins were born was having good quick breads sliced and individually wrapped in the freezer for eating during the day when I didn't have the energy to even pour a bowl of cereal. Banana, fruit & nut, carrot, zucchini or whatever you like. Use at least some whole wheat and pack it full of good things.

Edited July 28, 2005 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[Malawry]

bump

So now I'm in Bavila's position--almost 34 weeks pregnant, and about to start stocking the freezer for the baby's arrival. We've agreed to bump up our food budget in March to support the frozen-food project, so I'm probably going to hit Costco soon and get ready to start working.

My husband is doing a basic low-carb diet, so the best dishes are those that contain little to no carb content. I can always boil some pasta or rice to go alongside for myself. We already have some things in the freezer--stuffed cabbage, gumbo-rama, some cooked chicken picked off whole stockmaking chickens for things like chicken salad or soup. And other things are no-brainers for me as they are dietary staples for us--turkey chili, meatballs, corned beef, seasoned cooked chicken wings.

I have a huge supply of chicken thighs that I'd particularly welcome ideas for, plus two whole chickens and tons of chicken stock. I'd also like suggestions for some braised type dishes, particularly using beef or pork cuts that I can source from Costco. Are there fish dishes that freeze well? Some good soup ideas would also be welcome, especially main-course type soups that don't rely on beans or grains.

[snowangel]

I have a huge supply of chicken thighs that I'd particularly welcome ideas for, plus two whole chickens and tons of chicken stock. I'd also like suggestions for some braised type dishes, particularly using beef or pork cuts that I can source from Costco. Are there fish dishes that freeze well? Some good soup ideas would also be welcome, especially main-course type soups that don't rely on beans or grains.

←

Rochelle, can you get to the library and check out a copy of Molly Steven's All About Braising book? Tons of ideas in that book that would work very well.

There a whole topic on Braising with Molly!

[nacho]

<snip>

Some good soup ideas would also be welcome, especially main-course type soups that don't rely on beans or grains.

←

My friends are always asking me to make Paul Prudhomme's French Market Soup for them (it's from the Louisiana Tastes cookbook...one of my favorite cookbooks). It's basically ground beef, cabbage, onions, bell pepper, celery, diced tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, garlic, etc. There is 1/4 cup of flour used as a thickener...don't know if that's too much carbs for you. But it's a great one course meal, especially served with cornbread.

Also, I love spicey dishes, but I usually use half the amount of red pepper called for by Mr. Prudhomme the first time I make a dish.

[kutsu]

Hi folks

Kind of inspired by a thread in the general cooking topics forum, I'm looking for recipies that I can throw into a lockbox and throw in the freezer for quick mid-week meals.

At the moment, my partner and I both work 9-5 and then pick our child up, meaning that some times it can be a pain in the backside to cook, although I DO cook fresh every night (no bottled sauces past my lips in over 5 years!)

I want the best for my child and ourselves, hence I will never buy a frozen ready meal - NEVER.

But it does mean that freezing fresh food to reheat is something I consider quite handy. I normally make double batches of pizza dough (from American Pie cookbook), double batches of ragu or bolognese sauce. Other than these though, I'm at a loss as to WHAT I can actually freeze that wont turn to mush when I reheat.

What are you favourite foods to freeze double batches of, and what if any special reheating conditions are needed?

Cheers all

John

[Lori in PA]

One thing I often make in big quantities for freezer meals is stuffed peppers, done one of two ways:

1. Traditional -- I like to add an italian tomato sauce to the top -- more moisture if being frozen to protect from dry rice. Just before serving, I usually add more grated cheese to the top.

2. "Unstuffed Peppers" -- Make favorite filling and add bell peppers cut into big-ish strips. Freeze in gallon ziploc, pour thawed mixture into baking dish to bake and serve.

[jgm]

Hi folks

Kind of inspired by a thread in the general cooking topics forum, I'm looking for recipies that I can throw into a lockbox and throw in the freezer for quick mid-week meals.

At the moment, my partner and I both work 9-5 and then pick our child up, meaning that some times it can be a pain in the backside to cook, although I DO cook fresh every night (no bottled sauces past my lips in over 5 years!)

I want the best for my child and ourselves, hence I will never buy a frozen ready meal - NEVER.

But it does mean that freezing fresh food to reheat is something I consider quite handy. I normally make double batches of pizza dough (from American Pie cookbook), double batches of ragu or bolognese sauce. Other than these though, I'm at a loss as to WHAT I can actually freeze that wont turn to mush when I reheat.

What are you favourite foods to freeze double batches of, and what if any special reheating conditions are needed?

Cheers all

John

←

This probably isn't exactly what you had in mind, but do give it some consideration:

Season chicken quarters (wing/breast or leg/thigh) with whatever you like; herbs, a spice rub, etc., wrap, and freeze. The night before, remove from freezer and place in a baking pan, and return it to the fridge to thaw. Upon arriving home, put chicken in the oven and begin whatever sides you want to eat.

This may not sound like a freeze-ahead meal; but consider that you don't have to remove the packaging, rinse the chicken, dry it, season it, put it in a pan, (and most importantly) clean all that up. Under good conditions, all that can take 10 minutes or so; after a stressful day at work, when you're tired and frazzled, it can stretch to 20.

You can do the same thing with fish and other meats. With fish, don't freeze it for longer than 6 weeks. Again, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can cook it as you usually would.

Also, it can be helpful --if you aren't pulling something out of the freezer-- to do as much prep as you can for your meal, the night before. You can at least portion things out. Sometimes you can peel vegetables and put them back into the refrigerator in a plastic bag, or put all of the vegetables you'll need, portioned out and together in the fridge. You can measure spices or herbs, rice, or any other dry ingredients, and leave them ready to go in a prep bowl covered with plastic wrap. If you do this, the important thing to remember is that when your prep is done, the cleanup for the prep is done, too, and that streamlines things immensely. The more you do ahead, the faster the meal will come together. And when I'm working ahead like this, I just run soapy water in the sink, and put measuring cups, spoons, etc. in it as I go. Most of the time all I have to do is rinse them, set aside to dry, and put them away.

[jayt90]

A lot of the excellent suggestions above can be preserved in a Food Saver or sous vide bag, and reheated by boiling in bag, rather than microwaving.

I recently made four hailbut entrees, by stuffing each bag with cooked rice, raw halibut steak, and a mornay sauce on top. They were shrink wrapped and reheated when needed in boiling water for about ten minutes. The low pressure boiling produced great results.

One portion done one a microwave was not nearly as good.

[Sararwelch]

My work schedule is about to become very hectic, and this weekend I'm planning to do a lot of cooking to get the freezer stocked with meals or components that I can put together to create meals. Here's what I'm planning so far:

Pureed vegetable soups (carrot ginger and maybe one more)

Manicotti

Marinara sauce

Homemade ravioli

Homemade bread

Pizza dough

Meatballs

Turkey burgers

Any other ideas?

[Dasha]

These are a few things that I always like to freeze, basic as they are:

Chili

Spicy black beans (serve with rice)

Beef stew

Hungarian goulash

Lasagne

Chicken soup (make it without noodles or rice and add those when you make it)

Ah, winter is such a good time to make meals that freeze well!

[Mottmott]

I’m not a fan of frozen meals and have the luxury of avoiding them. But I do keep some frequently used elements of recipes on hand in the freezer to speed up cooking a meal.

For me, one of the principle difficulties of frozen foods is retrieval! Mystery foods - so keep a sharpy marker in easy reach. And just as bad, the "I know it's got to be in there somewhere." So, for quick and easy retrieval, I freeze soups and sauces flat in ziplock bags in 1-4, etc. cup quantities. This makes it possible to group these together in a larger ziplock or filed upright in a plastic box container. There’s a good chance you can do this with any favorite basic sauce. I’ve seen people suggest doing this with white sauce/bechamel, though I’ve not yet tried it. I addition, if you freeze something really thin in a ziplock, you can break off a couple Tbs of stock or sauce when you need it, returning the rest to the freezer.

To your list, I'd add other basics such as chicken/beef stock, tomato sauce, some soups. I routinely keep such things as mirapoix/soffrito, caramelized onions, duxelles, etc. on hand, parceled out in usable amounts. This allows you to start with, say, fresh fish or chicken, and put together an interesting dish, that tastes freshly made, quickly. (For me, most food that’s been totally prepared and frozen tastes like something from the freezer, but dishes incorporating frozen elements can taste like something freshly made.) You could also make ahead and freeze crepes to fill and heat at the last minute. (Just be sure to separate them with parchment/plastic/wax paper.)

I find some baked goods freeze well. Pound cake works really well and allows you to slice off a few servings without defrosting first. Scones, rugelach, sables and other cookies work well frozen before baking, then baked just before serving. (note these tend to be high butter content goodies). Key here is to freeze them on a sheet pan, then bag or box them up. As I live alone, this allows me to have home made, freshly baked treats when they taste like something worth eating.

I keep frozen dough on hand. You can roll it out, seal it well, then store it flat or shaped ready to bake (in something like a pizza box to protect it from being broken up). Otherwise, you need to remember to take it out the night before. You can, for example, put together quiche filling the night before and simply take it out when you get home and assemble it while the oven preheats.

As a completed dish, Lasagna works well for me, too, when I bake it partially, then finish baking it from the freezer.

[Fat Guy]

Kugel aka noodle pudding freezes quite well.

We make a chicken stew, similar to beef stew, that freezes well.

[JohnRov]

So I'm going to have a baby in a week or so. I'll be taking about a week off and was planning on cooking some dishes that I can freeze and then my wife can thaw and reheat them when I go back to work. Any suggestions on what dishes would freeze well? I think soups might be a candidate but would appreciate any other suggestions.

[cooleen]

So I'm going to have a baby in a week or so.  I'll be taking about a week off and was planning on cooking some dishes that I can freeze and then my wife can thaw and reheat them when I go back to work.  Any suggestions on what dishes would freeze well?  I think soups might be a candidate but would appreciate any other suggestions.

←

Lasagna (veggie, meat or cheese), stews, pulled pork for sandwiches or burritos, marinaded grilled chicken breasts for salads, meatloaf, sauce with meatballs: these are some things I have in my freezer right now, to get us through until BBQ season starts! In addition to many quart containers of leftover homemade soups, which can always be bulked up with rice and/or beans after thawing.

Edited January 24, 2007 by cooleen (log)

[Cleo]

Brisket freezes really well. In September I had my second child and right before he was born, I make a big brisket and then froze it in smaller portions.

Edited January 24, 2007 by Cleo (log)