Cook for the Freezer

A big time saver is to double what you are cooking and put it in the freezer for another time. Or, take some time on a day off and cook specifically for the freezer. The night before you want to serve your freezer food, place it in the refrigerator to defrost. It is so convenient to come home and put a dish in the oven. Then you have extra time for laundry or decluttering! Generally, freezer food should be consumed within three months. Do not freeze dishes containing potatoes. It is best to undercook pasta slightly (1-2 minutes)to prevent it from becoming mushy. I am now freezing cookie dough in small batches, formed into individual cookies, so they are ready to bake. (The dough is easier to shape if placed in the refrigerator for a little while.) The taste is better and it is less expensive than buying prepackaged cookie dough. If I freeze food in glass/plastic containers, I tear off a piece of masking tape to make a label. The masking tape comes off easily with no residue and it is cheaper than buying labels. Include the baking temperature and time on the label, so you do not have to take time to look it up when preparing the food.

Make a Freezer List

The last few months I have kept a list of the contents in my freezer (located in the garage). I keep a pad of paper stuck to the side of my refrigerator with a clip/magnet. This small idea has made such a difference, particularly when it is cold! I'm not running back and forth and, more importantly, not wasting food. It's so convenient to stand in the kitchen and know every item that is located in my garage freezer. Consistency is the key with this concept to mark off the used items and add the new ones after grocery shopping. Even if I have a box of steaks, I keep a count of how many are in the box.