Your other main consideration will be the Energy Star rating on the
freezer. You can find plenty of cheap models on the market, but look
at the rating and the running costs of the unit. You will want your
freezer to pay for itself quickly in the short term in reference to
the amount of money that you will be saving on convenience foods,
takeout and eating out. There will be a lot less savings, however,
if the unit eats electricity.
Once you buy it, set it up and wait 24 hours before using, to help
it get 'settled' and start working efficiently. Read all the
manufacturer's instructions carefully before plugging it in.
When it is running properly and sufficiently cold, then you can
start stocking it with all of your great freezer food recipes. So,
let's get started stocking your pantry.
PANTRY STAPLES
There are a number of items you will always want to have on hand in
order to feed your family inexpensively. What follows are recipes
for pantry and freezer staples that can help you save money and can
be used in a variety of ways, including jams and piecrusts.
TANGY PEACH FREEZER JAM
3 lbs peaches
2 T ginger
5 C sugar
2 pkgs (1 3/4 oz) powdered pectin
1 C cold water
4 (1 pint) freezer containers with lids
Peel the peaches and remove the pits.
Chop the peaches up very finely, to make about 4 C.
Place the chopped peaches in a large mixing bowl.
Add ginger and stir together.
Slowly add the sugar and stir until well combined.
Place the cold water in a small saucepan and place over medium heat.
Add the pectin.
Bring to a boil, being sure to stir continuously.
When the water comes to a rapid boil, cook for 1 minute on high
heat, continuing to stir.
Remove from heat and pour into fruit. Stir until all is combined.
Continue to stir 4 minutes until you are sure it is all
well-blended.
Pour mixture into the 1 pint freezer containers and cover with lids.
Leave standing at room temperature for 24 hours, until the jam has
fully set.
Freeze for up to six months.
When ready to use, remove from freezer and allow to come to room
temperature, about 1 to 2 hours.
This freezer jam will stay good in the refrigerator for up to three
weeks.
You can use as is or put it into a crust using the recipe that
follows the jam section in order to make your own 'pop tarts' or
tarts. You can also use it as a topping or a center for a layer
cake.
TANGY STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM
About four 1-pt boxes of fresh strawberries, washed, drained and
hulls removed
2 1/2 C of fresh pineapple, peeled and finely chopped
7 C sugar
2 pkgs (1 3/4 oz) powdered pectin
1 C cold water
4 1-pt plastic freezer containers with lids, or 8 1/2-pt ones
Wash and hull the strawberries (remove the green tops and any rooty
centers).
Place the hulled strawberries in a large mixing bowl.
Crush the strawberries with a potato masher.
Measure out 3 C strawberries and place in a separate bowl.
Add the pineapple to the strawberries.
Slowly add the sugar and stir until well combined.
Place the cold water in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the pectin.
Stir continuously until the water begins to boil.
Boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Pour the water mixture into the fruit.
Stir well to combine.
Continue stirring 4 minutes until it is all combined well.
Pour into the pint freezer containers and cover.
Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
Freeze after 24 hours.
This jam will stay good in the freezer for up to six months.
To use, remove from the freezer and allow to come to room
temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for up to three
weeks.
You can use this jam with the following piecrust recipe to make your
own baked 'pop tarts', jam tarts in your muffin tin, and more. You
can also use it as a topping or a center for a layer cake to add a
bit of fruity goodness. A little bit of whipped cream on top of the
cake as well will transform it into a strawberry shortcake.
HOMEMADE PIECRUST FROM THE FREEZER
2 C sifted all-purpose flour
1 t salt
3/4 C shortening
4 to 5 T ice water
Wax paper
Freezer wrap
Freezer bag
Place the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture become
crumbly.
Add 1 T of the ice water at a time.
After each addition, toss the mixture with a fork. Push the
moistened ingredients to the side. Only add the ice water to dry
ingredients.
Continue adding the ice water 1 T at a time until all the dry
ingredients are moistened.
The dough should be moist enough to hold together, but not sticky.
Flour your hands. Divide the dough in half with your hands.
Roll each half into a ball. Then roll out the dough with a floured
rolling pin. Place on freezer wrap and put into the freezer bag.
Repeat with the second ball.
Wrap tightly in the freezer wrap and freeze for up to two months.
When ready to use bring to room temperature and roll out further, or
cut into shapes as desired.
You can use it to line a pie pan and bake as a shell before filling
with any filling for your pie. You can also use it as the basis for
own pop tarts. Create two rectangles, one slightly larger than the
other.
Place the smaller rectangles on top of the cookie sheet on which you
will be baking them.
Fill each small pastry rectangle with your choice of filling, such
as jam, jelly, chocolate syrup and marshmallows, sliced ham and
cheese, and so on. Place the larger rectangle on top, crimp the ends
of the tart all around with a fork to seal in the ingredients, and
poke the top with a fork to create a couple of steam vents.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes depending on desired
doneness. The pastry should be flaky and golden brown and the
ingredients inside hot and bubbly.
CHILLY PICKLES
6 cucumbers, sliced thin
1 lg red onion, sliced thin
2 T salt
1 C white vinegar
3/4 C sugar
Freezer containers in any size you like to portion out this recipe
Place the cucumbers and onions together in a large mixing bowl,
Add the salt.
Fold all together.
Let stand 2 hours at room temperature.
After the 2 hours, rinse the cucumbers and onion in cool water.
Drain them well.
Place them in the freezer containers.
Mix the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar is completely
dissolved.
Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and onions.
Freeze for at least three weeks before eating to let the flavors
set.
When ready to eat thaw in the refrigerator overnight or run the
container under cold water if you want it to thaw faster.
This will make a perfect side dish for hamburgers, hot dogs and
more. If you want to make your own relish, chop up the ingredients
finely.
SPICY AND FAST TOMATO SOUP
About 64 ounces canned tomatoes or your own fresh tomato sauce (see
recipe in the
pantry section)
1/2 C butter or margarine
1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
sprinkle of dried oregano, basil and/or marjoram, to taste
or dried thyme, to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray or a little extra butter for greasing
Freezer containers appropriate in size to hold a serving of soup
Pour the tomatoes into a large pan.
Add the butter, Worcestershire sauce and your seasoning/s of choice.
Over high heat, bring to a rapid boil.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
Spray the freezer containers you plan to use with a light coating of
cooking spray, or grease them with a little extra butter.
Place the cooled soup in the prepared freezer containers and freeze
for up to three months.
To reheat, remove the soup from the freezer container by running
under some warm water. The grease should allow the frozen block of
soup to just pop out and not ruin your containers with unsightly red
stains.
Cover the bottom only of a large saucepan with water.
Place the frozen soup block/s in the pan.
Heat on medium until boiling, stirring occasionally.
Serve in a bread bowl, or in a regular bowl, with sour cream and
sprinkled cheddar on top, with some croutons or those great tasting
little oyster crackers.
You can also use this as a soup base for any minestrone, bean soup
or other tomato-based dish.
This recipe is great for soup for one, or more, depending on how
many blocks you defrost. For a bit of added zing, try adding some
celery seed or some chili powder.
F
RESH TOMATO SAUCE
YIELDS APPROX. 32 oz.
20 cored Roma or Plum tomatoes with skins and seeds
1 T Olive Oil
1/4 t celery powder
1-2 t dried seasoning of choice (oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram or
ready-mixed Italian seasoning)
Optional:
1/4 C each cut up carrots and celery
Chop cored tomatoes as little or as much as you like. A few pulses
with your food processor will yield a chunkier sauce. Letting it run
until everything is completely pureed with give you a smooth sauce.
Put Olive Oil in pot.
Add the tomatoes and seasonings (and cut-up carrots and celery, if
desired).
For a chunky sauce:
Over high heat bring to a rapid boil. Boil 2-3 minutes while
stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool completely.
For a deeper, richer sauce:
Over high heat bring to a rapid boil. Then leave it to simmer slowly
for 2 to 3 hours until it cooks down.
Your seasoning choices will include oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram
or the ready-mixed Italian seasoning. Usually 1 to 2 teaspoons of
dried oregano or basil will work well, less if you are using fresh.
Another seasoning that adds depth to your sauce is bay leaf. A
little goes a long way. It is usually used in leaf form, fresh or
dried. The fresh leaf will have a stronger taste, so use less of it.
Dried ground bay leaf will be even stronger, so use sparingly.
Generally speaking, the leaf itself should not be eaten as it can
cause gastric upset.
We sometimes like to add a dash of dried red pepper flakes for a
more spicy sauce, or a half-teaspoon of dried fennel if we want to
capture the flavor of Italian sausage but without adding the meat.
Some people put wine in their sauce to give it more body, while
others add a couple of teaspoons of sugar.
Twenty cored plum tomatoes or Romas with skins and seeds will give
you about the same amount as you would get in one large can of
tomatoes, but without having to worry about the potentially
dangerous lining in cans and the metallic taste that often
accompanies canned tomatoes.
Tomato sauce will freeze well. Make 3-4 batches at a time in order
to have plenty on hand to use in all your recipes. Just remember to
oil your containers to stop deep staining.
BREAKFAST IDEAS
These are handy ideas that you can use for breakfast on the go in
your house without resorting to the drive-thru. They can be cooked
ahead of time and defrosted and/or re-heated in a matter of minutes.
HANDY HEAT AND EAT PANCAKES
2 1/2 C milk
2 eggs
1/3 C canola oil
1 T of vanilla
1/4 t salt
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C wheat flour
4 t baking powder
Enough all-purpose flour to thicken batter to your liking
Cooking spray
Wax paper, cut up into small, pancake sized pieces
Freezer bags
Place the milk, eggs, oil and vanilla into a large mixing bowl.
Whisk until just blended together.
Add the salt and sugar.
Beat until smooth.
Add the wheat flour and baking powder.
Beat until smooth.
Add just enough all-purpose flour to thicken batter to your liking.
Let the batter stand for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator to let
the liquid start absorbing into the flours.
