I have mentioned freezing food quite frequently and wanted to share my favorite gadgets for keeping those meals from getting freezer burn.
Reynolds has a motorized vacuum sealer called the Handi-Vac. Ziploc aslo has a sealer simply called the Ziploc Vacuum. I have both and they both work very well. I have found food lasts up to twice as long as it would if frozen in normal freezer bags.
The only catch is that each brand has its own set of bags that must be used with the sealer.
The Reynolds Handi-Vac is powered by a battery. With the press of the button, the device pulls out the air. The Reynolds starter kit cost $7.48 and comes with 3 quart bags. A refill of quart bags will cost you $2.84 for 14 bags.
The Ziploc Vacuum is a hand pump. It has a powerful suction and is much quieter. The Ziploc starter kit costs $1.50 and comes with 3 quart bags. Refills cost $2.68 for 12 quart bags.
I prefer the Ziploc Vacuum simply because it is quieter. My son is a light sleeper and the only time I can spend freezing my meals is while he is sleeping. The Reynold's Handi-Vac is way too loud for our house. But, both sealer systems work very well. I have been very pleased with the results. Recently, I found a loaf of homemade bread in the back of the freezer. Usually, bread is consumed within a month but this had been in there for almost three months. It looked and tasted just like fresh bread.
I use the vacuum sealers for everything but soups. They don't work too well with soups. They tend to pull the juice out instead of the air.
Showing posts with label Meals to Freeze. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meals to Freeze. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Soup, Soup, and More Soup!!
Last cold spell, I made Mama's Stew. This time I decided to go for the soups. I like hearty soups so up first on the menu is Squash and Yam Soup. This is one of my absolute favorite soups. One bowl will satisfy you, and it is easy and cheap. I think I spent $6, and got 5 or 6 servings out of it. It is hard to count since Snugglebug's doesn't count as a full serving. My intention was to freeze the extra but Snugglebug and I just couldn't get enough. We ate on it for four meals in a row!! Now that's eating on the cheap.
The second soup was classic Chicken Noodle. Not so classic was the use of my own recipe. I had never made Chicken Noodle from scratch and searched for a decent recipe. There are a lot out there but none that seemed appealing so I made my own. I roasted two chickens ($4 each) using Christine Ferrare's marinade ($5--for lemons, herbs, and mustard, but you could leave out the lemons and save some money). After deboning the chickens, I tossed the bones and carcasses into my crockpot, covered the bones with water, added a couple of bay leaves, some onions, and celery, and left it to simmer overnight. In the morning, my crockpot chicken stock was smelling wonderful. I strained it into a pitcher and placed it in the fridge to cool. Once cool, I skimmed off the fat, poured the remaining stock into a pot and added carrots and celery. Lots of carrots and celery--a 1 pound package of each ($4 total). I let the carrots and celery cook in the stock. Once the vegies were cooked, I added half the chicken from the roasted chickens.
Wait a minute, you say! No, I didn't forget the noodles. I am gluten intolerant so only rice noodles for me, and regular for my hubby. I cooked those separate so as not to contaminate the soup itself. All leftovers go into single serving freezer bags for those days when the cold or a cold really gets the cook down and out.
This cheap meal cost me less than $20 once you add in the cost of the noodles! It would also be great with rice! My hubbie's idea! I'll have to try that next!
The last soup wasn't really a soup, but came from the leftovers of the same two roasted chickens. It is Robin Miller's Penne with chicken, wild mushrooms, and peas. Mmmmm....
I have enough chicken for one more dish. I haven't decided yet, but maybe Chicken Pot Pie. That's not really a soup either but just as good if not better!
The second soup was classic Chicken Noodle. Not so classic was the use of my own recipe. I had never made Chicken Noodle from scratch and searched for a decent recipe. There are a lot out there but none that seemed appealing so I made my own. I roasted two chickens ($4 each) using Christine Ferrare's marinade ($5--for lemons, herbs, and mustard, but you could leave out the lemons and save some money). After deboning the chickens, I tossed the bones and carcasses into my crockpot, covered the bones with water, added a couple of bay leaves, some onions, and celery, and left it to simmer overnight. In the morning, my crockpot chicken stock was smelling wonderful. I strained it into a pitcher and placed it in the fridge to cool. Once cool, I skimmed off the fat, poured the remaining stock into a pot and added carrots and celery. Lots of carrots and celery--a 1 pound package of each ($4 total). I let the carrots and celery cook in the stock. Once the vegies were cooked, I added half the chicken from the roasted chickens.
Wait a minute, you say! No, I didn't forget the noodles. I am gluten intolerant so only rice noodles for me, and regular for my hubby. I cooked those separate so as not to contaminate the soup itself. All leftovers go into single serving freezer bags for those days when the cold or a cold really gets the cook down and out.
This cheap meal cost me less than $20 once you add in the cost of the noodles! It would also be great with rice! My hubbie's idea! I'll have to try that next!
The last soup wasn't really a soup, but came from the leftovers of the same two roasted chickens. It is Robin Miller's Penne with chicken, wild mushrooms, and peas. Mmmmm....
I have enough chicken for one more dish. I haven't decided yet, but maybe Chicken Pot Pie. That's not really a soup either but just as good if not better!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Stew Days!!!
It's cold outside!! In case you hadn't noticed, I thought I would let you know!! I think you have to go all the way to Brazil to find some warmth.
So, I was thinking I would share with you my favorite cold winter day recipe. My mother's stew has kept my syblings and I warm on many a cold day. She would make big pots of her stew and store it in gallon glass jars. If we were at the Fort Worth Stock Show, she would pack the stew, jar and all, in an ice chest and rewarm it one bowl at a time for us. If we were at home, she would return it to the pot to reheat.
These days, I like to make a big pot and freeze it in one serving packages. On days like today or days that I just don't want to cook, I drop a bag or two in a pot, and in ten minutes, dinner is served.
This stew can be slow cooked in the crockpot for 3-4 hours on high or 8 hours on low or you can cook it on the stovetop.
Mama's Stew
1-3 to 4 lb. Rump Roast
2 mediums onions, diced
1 lb. carrots, diced
3 lbs. potatoes, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 package frozen corn
Beef Fajita Seasoning
12 ounces tomato paste
3 Tbs Pace Picante Sauce
Cut roast into large chunks and place in pot. Add onions, potatoes, carrots and salt. cover all with water. Simmer 1 1/2 hours. When carrots and potatoes are cooked, add picante sauce, tomato paste, and frozen corn. Season with Fajita seasoning to taste. Cook another 30 minutes to an hour or until roast is cooked.
Variations: For a faster cooking stew, replace the roast with 1 lb. of ground round and 1 lb. of ground sausage. If you don't have frozen corn on hand, you can also add canned cream corn, but add it 10-15 minutes before serving.
Serve hot from the pot or crockpot or freeze in freezer safe bags to serve over the next 2-3 months.
My thanks to Mama for allowing me to share her recipe with the world!!
So, I was thinking I would share with you my favorite cold winter day recipe. My mother's stew has kept my syblings and I warm on many a cold day. She would make big pots of her stew and store it in gallon glass jars. If we were at the Fort Worth Stock Show, she would pack the stew, jar and all, in an ice chest and rewarm it one bowl at a time for us. If we were at home, she would return it to the pot to reheat.
These days, I like to make a big pot and freeze it in one serving packages. On days like today or days that I just don't want to cook, I drop a bag or two in a pot, and in ten minutes, dinner is served.
This stew can be slow cooked in the crockpot for 3-4 hours on high or 8 hours on low or you can cook it on the stovetop.
Mama's Stew
1-3 to 4 lb. Rump Roast
2 mediums onions, diced
1 lb. carrots, diced
3 lbs. potatoes, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 package frozen corn
Beef Fajita Seasoning
12 ounces tomato paste
3 Tbs Pace Picante Sauce
Cut roast into large chunks and place in pot. Add onions, potatoes, carrots and salt. cover all with water. Simmer 1 1/2 hours. When carrots and potatoes are cooked, add picante sauce, tomato paste, and frozen corn. Season with Fajita seasoning to taste. Cook another 30 minutes to an hour or until roast is cooked.
Variations: For a faster cooking stew, replace the roast with 1 lb. of ground round and 1 lb. of ground sausage. If you don't have frozen corn on hand, you can also add canned cream corn, but add it 10-15 minutes before serving.
Serve hot from the pot or crockpot or freeze in freezer safe bags to serve over the next 2-3 months.
My thanks to Mama for allowing me to share her recipe with the world!!
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