Kitchen Focus

A common question I get from cooks everywhere is, "Can I freeze it?" In general, the following tips will lead you to good results with your freezer:

• Cook and freeze stews, casseroles sauces, and pastries up to three months.
• Fully cooked dishes will lose moisture when frozen, so slightly under cook casseroles such as lasagna or macaroni and cheese. Do not thaw these before reheating.
• You can also steam frozen vegetables without thawing them.
• Baked cake layers, breads and cookies freeze very well; keep these goodies in the freezer for two to three months.
• Remember, all foods need to be frozen in air-tight containers to prevent freezer burn.

Use the "make one and store one" process: as you make casseroles or one of the recipes in this article, make enough for dinner that night and a second batch to freeze for a later date. For quick homemade breakfasts, freeze homemade pancakes and waffles to pop in the toaster instead of buying prepackaged ones.

Remember to label your meals, including date prepared. Have an inventory list attached to your freezer to remember what you have and to aid anyone else who is preparing dinner.

Watching your budget? Freeze meals based on sales. When your local store has a sale on hamburger meat, make and freeze meals containing hamburger or freeze browned hamburger for quick meal add-ins. It can be an excellent way to stretch a dollar.

Now, before I leave you for the month, let me share a recipe that is perfect for freezing and saving time, money and effort. Enjoy!

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