Feed the freezer recipes - Page 6

[Sandrine]

I'm getting lots of great ideas!!!

I mostly just can spagetti sauce. I wonder if we can do the same for chili?

[umami_mommy]

Originally Posted by moms3kids

ok so what i would love is to see some menus for the month/week/two weeks that you have the in freezer now... i need some insperation to get cooking! LOL

here's a blog forma woman on my nutrition list:

http://freezeitwhole.blogspot.com/

[Adasmommy]

Originally Posted by Amys1st

Good question. I do something my very different that SIL suggested. For once I actually agreed with her (Love her to death but we soo do not agree on so many things! another thread!)

When making a dish that you freezer for later to cook: Line the pan you are using with AL foil. Make the dish, freeze. The next day lift it out in the shape and pack it to freeze. When ready to cook, get the pan, spray it w cooking spray, unwrap the dish and discard foil. Place in pan, bake!
You get your pan back.

Sometimes I freeze in a al foil line circle/pie shape pyrex so its the shape of my pots. Then I stick it in the pot and reheat.

For things like pulled pork, meatballs etc I use ziplocks.

This is so genius I almost couldn't breathe when I read it!
This whole thread has been great for me (new to freezing, but totally interested in saving myself time and effort) but that piece of advice wins hands down!

[umami_mommy]

Originally Posted by rachelagain

Can someone post their meat ball recipe please?

I'm really enjoying this thread!

italian meatballs:

1 pound ground meat; whatever you use as long as it's lean (i use buffalo, but you use what you like)
1/3 cup dry plain bread crumbs
1/3 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried italian spice mix
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

mix in a large bowl with a light hand, overmixing will make the meat tough.

roll into small balls, place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350* for 15 minutes, turning once. cut one open to make sure it's done inside.

cool, freeze on a big plate or cookie sheet and then place in a plastic bag or freezer container.

to eat, defrost and cook in a big pot of good tomato sauce until hot through, and serve over pasta.

[umami_mommy]

ideads i haven't seen yet:

fresh roasted tomato puree for making into soup or sauce
stuffed bread or calzones
multi grain waffles
quick breads already sliced


and my favorite:

moussaka!... i usually replace the potatoes with rice for freezing.

[umami_mommy]

Originally Posted by Sandrine

I'm getting lots of great ideas!!!

I mostly just can spagetti sauce. I wonder if we can do the same for chili?

you may need to use a pressure canner for something with beans or meat in it.

check your local cooperative extension or the blue ball website.

[Sandrine]

Originally Posted by honeybeedreams

you may need to use a pressure canner for something with beans or meat in it.

My spag sauce has meat and it does fine.

check your local cooperative extension or the blue ball website.

My what?? never heard of these.

[umami_mommy]

Originally Posted by Sandrine

My spag sauce has meat and it does fine.
My what?? never heard of these.

since you are in canada you my not have cooperative extensions around you. here in the US mostly every county has them, esp. rural counties. you can contact them for info on everything from canning safety, what to feed a pregnant goat or 4-H clubs for kids. "the blue book" is kinda of the bible of canning. it is published by ball canning jars. they now have a website you can check out there info on.

here's their site: http://www.homecanning.com/USA/ALPro...CAT=479&P=1472

i checked and it recommended that anything with meat or beans be pressure canned. the reason for this is that the temp inside a jar that has been water bath processed doesn't get hot enough to kill all the germs that might be in meat or beans (and other things too). that's why you have to make sure that waht is water bath processes is sufficently acidic. it makes an unfriendly enviroment for bacteria to grow. meat and beans are not.

so they must be pressure canned to reach a high temp to kill any bacteria that might be in there. here's an example.

the trick to not getting sick from your own canning is to make sure you are doing it right.

CHILI CON CARNE


2 quarts crushed or whole tomatoes
3 cups dried pinto or red kidney beans
5-1/2 cups water
3 lb. ground beef
1-1/2 cups chopped onions
5 tsp. salt (separated)
3 to 6 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup chopped peppers of your choice (optional)
Yield: 9 pints
Procedure: Wash beans thoroughly and place them in a 2 qt. saucepan. Add cold water to a level of 2 to 3 inches about the beans and soak 12 to 18 hours. Drain and discard water. Combine beans with 5-1/2 cups of fresh water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and discard water. Brown ground beef, chopped onions, and peppers, if desired, in a skillet. Drain off fat and add 3 teaspoons salt, pepper, chili powder, tomatoes, and drained cooked beans. Simmer 5 minutes. Caution: Do not thicken. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Recommended Process
1) Dial-gauge Pressure Canner
Pints—75 minutes 11 PSI

2) Weighted-gauge Pressure Canner
Pints—75 minutes 15 PSI

[Sandrine]

Thanks for the info.

[umami_mommy]

i found this link on about.com... lots o' links about cooking and freezing!!

http://busycooks.about.com/od/freezingfood/

[umami_mommy]

found this whole section on cookinglight.com!!

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/...547544,00.html

[Amys1st]

please share the mousaka recipe!!

I am adding Italian beef (a chicago staple) to the freezer this week.

Anyone have a recipe for it??

[umsami]

I've never frozen moussaka because I've been worried about the bechamel and the texture of the eggplants. I do freeze the tomato-ground beef-spice mixture because I can use it to make moussake or this Egyptian dish called penne bechamel. (Basically pasta instead of eggplant).

[Kleine Hexe]

I just made apple rolls for the freezer. You could experiement with the ingredients. The basic ingredients are: 1 cup grated apples, 1/2 cup oil (I think I'll use less next time), 3/4 cup pure maple syrup. Boil those three ingredients until desired consistancy and remove from heat. Add 3 cups quick oats and combine. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool. Roll into balls and put in fridge or freezer. No baking. Ready to eat as is.

I rolled some balls in wheat germ and sprinkled some with cinnamon. If I had crushed nuts I'd use that too. I think nutmeg would be good and maybe some type of nut butter.

Super easy and endless possiblities.

[ashleyhaugh]

does sausage gravy (the white gravy to eat with biscuits ) freeze well?

[moms3kids]

my guess woudl be gravey would come out lumpy??? but not sure if it was reheated well and stired up well, ect milk added it might work... good question!

[Amys1st]

I have some frozen gravy now in there..

[ashleyhaugh]

well i just added 14 cups of pumpkin puree to the freezer, and i have another one to cook down tomorrow

maybe i'll make some kind of soup or stir fry too

[ruhbehka]

Originally Posted by Amys1st

I feed the freezer w/:
crab cakes

When do you freeze them? After you form them but before frying? Do they taste as good when they're fried again? And do you thaw before frying?

I love crab cakes but never make them because we have to buy a full pound of fresh crab, and then we have crab cakes coming out our ears! But if I could freeze them...

[Steady101]

Subbing. Loving this thread.