Freezing Tips

A lot of people have asked me the best way to freeze certain things. So here are my favorite ways of doing things.

Whenever possible, I like to use freezer bags. Freezer bags work best for things like soups, stews, pasta sauces, mashed potatoes, cooked rice dishes, etc. When preparing, be sure not to overfill the bag. Squeeze the air out of the top as you seal it. When placed flat, it should be no more than a couple inches thick, otherwise freezing and thawing can take a long time. Lay them flat in the freezer (stack them if you need). Then once frozen, you can either leave them stacked, or you can line them up like books on a bookshelf. To defrost throw them in the microwave for about 5 minutes on low, just until the contents can be broken up into big chunks. Then empty into a saucepan and heat slowly. Bags also work well for marinated meats. Put the marinade and meat into the bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze. To thaw, I prefer to put them in the refrigerator the night before since the microwave can cook the edges of the meat. If you forget to pull it out the night before, you can put the bag in a bowl or sink full of cold water.

Flash freezing works well for individual type things such as meatballs, mini-meatloafs, cookies, etc. Place them on a cookie sheet separated by a few inches. Freeze. Then toss into a freezer bag. If you were to throw these into a freezer bag before freezing, they would stick together .

Casseroles are always the most challenging to figure out. Here is what I have discovered works best: line the appropriate baking dish with foil. Leave extra foil hanging over the edge, enough to fold over the top. Fill the dish with your casserole. Fold the foil over the casserole and freeze. Once solid, pop it out of the dish and wrap in a second layer of foil (the two layers help to prevent freezer burn). When you are ready to eat: remove the outer layer of foil and place the casserole back into the same dish that you used when preparing. Put it in the fridge to defrost over night. When ready to cook, remove the top layer of foil and bake. This technique is great because you don't have to lose your dish to the freezer for weeks or months, no buying expensive foil pans, and clean up is a breeze since your dish is lined!

Things like burritos, breakfast sandwiches, and quesadillas do best wrapped individually in foil. These are things that are nice to be able to quickly grab and toss into the microwave. Plastic wrap would work well too, but I loathe plastic wrap. It always sticks to itself and I can't get it apart without a battle. It's just not worth the fight. Just remember to remove the foil before microwaving, unless you are looking for a fireworks show!