At LetsGoDine.com, we believe in cooking fresh food, but when time is at a premium or ingredients are in abundance, there's no better solution than to double up the recipe and freeze it.
What we have in our freezer
Homemade Pasta Sauce Make a batch on Sunday afternoon and store in containers (be sure to leave a little space at the top for expansion). Cream sauces do not freeze well.
Very Ripe Bananas For an instant protein-rich smoothie, store ripe bananas in the freezer, peeled, in freezer bags and blend them with skim milk and soy-protein powder.
Pizza Dough It thaws quickly at room temperature. Also, when you make pizza, cook an extra pie or two, let cool without cutting, wrap, and freeze for later. Just pop the pizza in a 400°F oven until hot, then cut and serve.
Vegetable Protein Burgers When in a pinch, it's easy to defrost some Burgers, cook them in a cast-iron skillet, slide them between a whole-wheat hamburger roll and pile on the lettuce and tomato.
Bacon Raw bacon, wrapped side-by-side in pairs in parchment or waxed paper and then enclosed in foil, is great for keeping portions on hand.
Peeled Deveined Shrimp Thaw shrimp quickly under cool running water to make a tasty meal in a snap.
Frozen Potatoes Look for organic shoestring, shredded, or crinkle-cut fries or hash browns without additives. You can cook them quickly in the oven or in a skillet and top with browned ground beef and cheese or serve them with eggs.
Soups and Stews Simmered and braised dishes freeze well. Many recipes provide a large enough yield that you can freeze at least a quart to serve later. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
How to Freeze
You can freeze myriad foods: cake, cheese, bacon, berries, and other fruit. Sauces, broth, and pureed baby food can be stored in ice-cube trays and frozen. Here are some tips on how to ensure your foods don't end up tasting of freezer burn.
• Slice breads before you freeze for easier removal.
• Freeze in small portions, so you can just defrost a serving fast and easily.
• Wrap well. Use containers and plastic wraps that were designed specifically for the freezer. Make sure there is no excess air in bags and wraps. If you are storing sauce or soup, keep room at the top of the container for expansion of the liquid.
• Be sure to label the package with the name of the item and the date of preparation and storage.
• Place newer things in the back of the freezer and older items in front.
How to Thaw
Overnight thawing in the fridge is best, but if time is of the essence, you can immerse foods in cold water—bag or container and its contents—and keep changing the water until it reaches room temperature. Transfer soups, sauces or stews to a saucepan and heat slowly, covered, until the mixture comes to a boil—be sure to stir often. For other individual portions, defrost uncovered in the microwave and cook and serve as soon as possible.