^ I feel like I have to throw in some "gangsta" to balance out the overwhelming amount of Betty Crocker in the remainder of this post. I feel like I should post some Gucci Mane or Rick Ross video. If it was 2004, I could just enunciate everything with a Lil Jon style "YEAH" or "OKAY." Because, YEAH, it's THAT domestic. OKAY?
I have turned into the freezer queen.
I suppose it's Pinterest inspired. I don't know. But I've been preparinig freezer meals like crazy. And not just meals either. Things like french fries (did you even KNOW you can freeze oven fries? I totally didn't! I thought you couldn't freeze potatoes) and onion rings and summer fruits and veggies and beans.
We bought a deep freeze several years ago, back when we still lived in Texas. Other than occasionally - and not often enough - stocking up on meat found at a good price, we haven't really made the most of it. Honestly, it's generally been used to store frozen pizza and popsicles. No more, though! I have all kinds of things stocked in there these days -- lasanga and chicken enchiladas and chicken taco soup and breakfast burritos and pancakes and mozarella bites. Just to name a few.
Since this whole freezing thing has gone so well for me, I thought I'd share a few tips and hints and websites I've found that have helped me out.
1) Pickyourown.org has a FABULOUS tutorial on freezing squash and zukes. I've developed a love affair with both here lately and the thought of not being able to have roasted squash in the winter was giving me a serious case of the sads. I bought extra last time I hit up the grocery store and blanched and froze more than half of what I bought. I plan on doing the same thing the next time I go to the grocery store too -- I want to have as much as I can stored up for winter.
2) I used this tutorial when it came to freezing my peaches. Most tuts I found involved canning and that sort of thing -- I don't have the time nor do I have the want to. This way of freezing peaches was pretty simple and not very time consuminig.
3) Meals4Moms is an ahhhhmazing website and their potato plan changed my life. Dramatic much? Probably. But. I love oven fries. We have them often. But as much as I love them I kinda hate making them. Washing the taters and cutting them into fries and blah, blah, blah. It's not something you can do if you need fast, quick, and in a hurry. Frozen fries are so much more convenient. Which is why I'm so so so so glad that you can, in fact, make your own frozen fries! Now, whoever wrote the potato plan bakes her fries much longer and at a higher temperture than I do. Maybe she cuts them much thicker (and I thought my fries were pretty thick!). I don't know. But I baked mine for half an hour at 425 before freezing. From the freezer, I baked them for an additional half an hour and also at 425. They baked up perfectly! Super yummy. Now I just make up a bunch of fries as soon as I buy potatoes. It's time consuming but it's a one time thing, you know? The next several times I make oven fries, it only takes half an hour!
4) Ya'll. Can someone please explain to me why I've been buying canned beans all these years? Dry beans are the way to go! The hands on time to cook them is practically nothing and they go so much further than canned beans. And! They tast better too! Budget Bytes has a tutorial on cooking them if you're a dry bean virgin, as I was. I now have black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and lima beans all stocked in my freezer. It'll be a while before I have to make any again.
5) If you're on Pinterest, I know you've seen the frozen breakfast burritos so this one is probably nothing new to you. I decided to give them a try so we could have an easy and filling breakfast for school mornings. She only made eight in the tutorial but I was able to stretch the filling (I used sausage, egg, and cheese) to make 12. Jaidan and Eddie both love them! Another breakfast favorite that can be frozen is pancakes. I can't remember the website I used as a guide but these were pretty much a no-brainer. The past few times I've made pancakes, I've made some extra. After the extras cooled, I did a flash freeze on them. Once they were frozen, I wrapped them in plastic and put them in a freezer bag. They can be reheated in the microwave or toaster and still taste delicious.
6) Life as a Mom has tons - tons - of tips on freezer cooking. Seriously. What you can and can't freeze, various tips, storage, etc.
