Freezer tips

After several requests, for tips and advice, on the once a month freezer cooking I've been doing, I have decided to start a blog! I am not a blogger, nor am I a website designer by any means! Here I am, sitting at my computer, just trying to help you all, by letting you learn from my mistakes and successes. Hopefully only successes...

Here are the things I have figured out so far.

Freezer tips! 

• For crock pot meals, soups, stews, really anything you can, use zip top freezer bags to store your food. Lay them flat to freeze, then you can stack them neatly upright.

• Label, label, label.- Sharpie works best, because you don't have to worry about labels coming off in the freezer, and being left with a mystery meal.

• Keep an inventory of what is in your freezer. Trust me! If you can't see it, you don't know you have it, and you will never use it. Simple as that!

• Soups, stews and casseroles freeze best. You can freeze almost anything. Most things I have read say you can't freeze potatoes. I have found you can! Use red or yukon gold wherever you can. If they won't be in some type of sauce or soup, I like to blanch them for 2 minutes. 

• COOL EVERYTHING before freezing. If not your whole freezer will heat up and your foods will not freeze fast enough to ward off freezer burn. 

• To freeze casseroles: Use foil pans from the dollar store. They are so worth it. I get 2 for $1. The alternative is to line your casserole dish with plastic and foil. Freeze the meal in that dish, then pop it out, wrap it up, then thaw and bake in the dish you froze it in. You can also freeze casseroles in the zip top bags and pour into a casserole dish to bake. (If you remembered to thaw it) Of course if you use the foil pans, you don't have to wash one! Lazy girl bonus!  
• Also put a layer of plastic wrap over the food in the foil pan, before you put the foil on top. It will protect against freezer burn. Don't forget to remove before baking!

• Try to freeze everything you need with the freezer meal (tortillas for fajitas or tacos, cheese or breadcrumbs to top a casserole, etc). You can bag it together in a bigger bag or add in your casserole dish (in a bag), with instructions to remove before baking.

• Write full instructions on the meal in case someone else cooks the meal. For instatnce, your husband/wife/child has to cook it, or if you give the meal away for a friend in need. Also don't forget intructions to remove plastic wrap, or meal extras (tortillas, cheese, etc)

• Remember you will always lose moisture in the oven, especially with casseroles containing rice or noodles. Add more sauce/liquid than you think you will need, and only half cook your rice or noodles.

I'll be sure to add more tips as I think of them. Watch for my next post. I'll be adding a list of things that we have tried and liked, or not liked, with tips on how to fix those that didn't go well! Feel free to leave me a comment or question. I'll do my best to answer questions quickly. Also I'd love to know what you would like to see in this blog! Happy Cooking!