Guest guest Posted December 28, 2001 Report Share Posted December 28, 2001 HI everyone.. I'm been overwhelmed with life, as probably many of you are as well especially over the holidays.. Trying to cook interesting and healthful fresh recipes every night on top of working and cleaning etc..... And I think I need to get a better routine- such as using crockpots, pressure cookers, and especially freezing meals ahead of time.. have any of you seen the busy cooks website? It is not vegetarian but it's full of good ideas. I was hoping on of you may be an expert on freezing vegetarian foods? I'm not sure which foods freeze best, etc.. any of you out there do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2001 Report Share Posted December 28, 2001 It's not really a recipe, but my favorite freezing-food trick is to take whatever leftovers I have, wrap them in a flour tortilla, wrap that snugly in plastic wrap, and toss it in the freezer. Most one-dish meals make great leftovers when packaged this way -- everything from stirfry to falafel to taco slop turns out way better than most packaged lunches. I don't label my leftovers... so lunch or a quick dinner is always a surprise. I have a one-dish taco slop recipe that's particularly good for this at home -- I'll try to remember to send it this weekend. -Sara. - " Jamie Orozco " <jamie_orozco <Veg-Recipes > Friday, December 28, 2001 1:17 PM freezing foods > HI everyone.. > > I'm been overwhelmed with life, as probably many of you are as well > especially over the holidays.. Trying to cook interesting and healthful > fresh recipes every night on top of working and cleaning etc..... And I > think I need to get a better routine- such as using crockpots, pressure > cookers, and especially freezing meals ahead of time.. have any of you seen > the busy cooks website? It is not vegetarian but it's full of good ideas. > > I was hoping on of you may be an expert on freezing vegetarian foods? I'm > not sure which foods freeze best, etc.. > > any of you out there do this? > > > > **************************************************************************** *** > To post to list via e-mail: send e-mail to " Veg-Recipes " > To post to list via website: Veg-Recipes/post > To contact List Owner: " Veg-Recipes-owner " > Subscribe or Un through site: / > OR Un via e-mail: Veg-Recipes- > Calendar: Veg-Recipes/calendar > Bookmarks: Veg-Recipes/links > Read or search old messages: Veg-Recipes/messages > **************************************************************************** *** > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 28, 2001 Report Share Posted December 28, 2001 At 04:17 PM 12/28/2001 -0500, Jamie Orozco wrote: >And I think I need to get a better routine- such as using crockpots, pressure >cookers, and especially freezing meals ahead of time.. Jamie, I'm no expert, but I do keep lots of food in my freezer. Most soups, stews, and chilis freeze very well, but avoid freezing dishes that have potatoes in them. They get an icky, mealy texture after thawing. If potatoes are integral to the soup/stew/whatever, just cook and freeze it without them, and add the potatoes when you reheat it. Legumes freeze wonderfully, also. I usually cook at least 5 lbs of Cuban-style black beans at a time and freeze them in 2-cup portions. Rice freezes well, too, and not just plain old rice! You can even freeze rice pilafs! And of course, tomato-based sauces like marinara sauce, spaghetti sauce, etc. One easy way to start getting your freezer stocked is this: whenever you're cooking something that will freeze well, double or triple the recipe. It's just as easy to cook the larger amount, and then you have another dinner or two in the freezer for when you need it. I know that's not a lot to go on, but maybe it will get you started. Good luck! Jeri Burdett TerraWeb Technologies--Solutions that fit your style Website hosting, design, & domain registration at down-to-earth prices http://www.twtek.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2001 Report Share Posted December 31, 2001 Hi again all! OK- so I'm going to make a spinach-pesto lasagna today- and I figured I'd make an extra lasagna to freeze for a future dinner..( i'm learning huh? lol) So my question is- when making lasagna to freeze- It seems to me it would be futile to actually bake it first- since i'll only have to defrost and bake anyway, right? So , once I cook the noodles, layer the fillings, etc... should I bake it fully and then freeze? or should I bake for only some time and then freeze, or skip the baking altogether? ( it ofcourse has no meat in it.) Also- I'm making this dairy free- so i'll be using tofu instead of ricotta cheese- will that freeze and defrost ok? also- the recipe calles for ricotta mixed with egg.. do you all think i should keep the egg in it? ( i have no qualms about it- whatver tastes best...) I was also going to freeze extra pesto sauce for other uses. oddly- my pesto recipe says if you are going to freeze the pesto to make it without the parm cheese and then add it when you defrost it.. Do you know why? and would this affect the lasagna with pesto sauce ( that includes parm) that I'm going to freeze? Thank goodness for you folks! one day i'll get MC and you'll never shut me up! Jamie Jeri Burdett [jeri] Friday, December 28, 2001 5:27 PM Veg-Recipes Re: freezing foods At 04:17 PM 12/28/2001 -0500, Jamie Orozco wrote: >And I think I need to get a better routine- such as using crockpots, pressure >cookers, and especially freezing meals ahead of time.. Jamie, I'm no expert, but I do keep lots of food in my freezer. Most soups, stews, and chilis freeze very well, but avoid freezing dishes that have potatoes in them. They get an icky, mealy texture after thawing. If potatoes are integral to the soup/stew/whatever, just cook and freeze it without them, and add the potatoes when you reheat it. Legumes freeze wonderfully, also. I usually cook at least 5 lbs of Cuban-style black beans at a time and freeze them in 2-cup portions. Rice freezes well, too, and not just plain old rice! You can even freeze rice pilafs! And of course, tomato-based sauces like marinara sauce, spaghetti sauce, etc. One easy way to start getting your freezer stocked is this: whenever you're cooking something that will freeze well, double or triple the recipe. It's just as easy to cook the larger amount, and then you have another dinner or two in the freezer for when you need it. I know that's not a lot to go on, but maybe it will get you started. Good luck! Jeri Burdett TerraWeb Technologies--Solutions that fit your style Website hosting, design, & domain registration at down-to-earth prices http://www.twtek.com **************************************************************************** *** To post to list via e-mail: send e-mail to " Veg-Recipes " To post to list via website: Veg-Recipes/post To contact List Owner: " Veg-Recipes-owner " Subscribe or Un through site: / OR Un via e-mail: Veg-Recipes- Calendar: Veg-Recipes/calendar Bookmarks: Veg-Recipes/links Read or search old messages: Veg-Recipes/messages **************************************************************************** *** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2001 Report Share Posted December 31, 2001 ramblings.... I haven't done this freezer thing in a long time; not since I cut way back on dairy. So I don't know what today's wisdom on the topic would be. The main reasons I prebaked were all the dairy and texture. Prebaking and reheat keep the sauce together. Another reason was time: It can take 2 hours to bake a raw one from frozen block in conventional oven at around 350F -- AND monitoring the moisture the last hour. But you could speed this up by freezing individual servings. Another advantage --- if things are precooked! You can thaw the lasagna up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Like take it out of the freezer in the AM and bake it when you get home from work. anyway -- If you aren't using egg or things that might spoil or curdle or separate or weep when thawed -- then I imagine it's okay to assemble and freeze. Use the oven to both thaw and bake it. Monitor the moisture! Use foil to cover it until it's ready to be browned. Or if most of the ingredients are precooked, yes, sure. go ahead and assemble and freeze. What I'm used to doing is to use the oven to reheat a baked casserole. I generally use the microwave for the first stage. Cover it. Place the frozen dish in micro for about 25 minutes. Then use the conventional oven (375F+/-) to brown it for 10 to 15 minutes. For lasagna and other casseroles topped with cheese, I might add fresh cheese before browning it. FOR YOU and a spinach basil pesto ..... both spinach and basil get bitter when frozen uncooked then thawed and cooked. So.... I recommend baking first. But -- if you can, try it both ways -- assemble a single serving unbaked. test it .. .. .. and report back. double spaced, etc ;-) I can't wait till you get mc! pat At 12/31/2001, Jamie Orozco wrote: >Hi again all! > >OK- so I'm going to make a spinach-pesto lasagna today- and I figured I'd >make an extra lasagna to freeze for a future dinner..( i'm learning huh? >lol) > >So my question is- when making lasagna to freeze- It seems to me it would be >futile to actually bake it first- since i'll only have to defrost and bake >anyway, right? So , once I cook the noodles, layer the fillings, etc... >should I bake it fully and then freeze? or should I bake for only some time >and then freeze, or skip the baking altogether? ( it ofcourse has no meat in >it.) > >Also- I'm making this dairy free- so i'll be using tofu instead of ricotta >cheese- will that freeze and defrost ok? also- the recipe calles for ricotta >mixed with egg.. do you all think i should keep the egg in it? ( i have no >qualms about it- whatver tastes best...) > >I was also going to freeze extra pesto sauce for other uses. oddly- my pesto >recipe says if you are going to freeze the pesto to make it without the parm >cheese and then add it when you defrost it.. Do you know why? and would this >affect the lasagna with pesto sauce ( that includes parm) that I'm going to >freeze? >Thank goodness for you folks! > >one day i'll get MC and you'll never shut me up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2001 Report Share Posted December 31, 2001 Jamie, here's what I've done. I would leave out the egg, since my personal feeling is that using tofu, you don't need it. Moreover, you can freeze an uncooked lasagne for a longer time without a raw egg in it. I'd freeze it raw and thaw the way you've already been advised, either partly in the microwave, or by taking it out in the morning. Yes, there will be more water from freezing the tofu. However, I'd cover the whole thing with foil for the first half hour, then uncover it for the second half hour to cook off excess moisture. This is going to be a trial-and-error thing, depending on your oven, your personal preferences, etc. Make sure your lasagne noodles were only cooked to a very al dente texture, since the water will cook them further. The thing with freezing Parmesan--I'm not sure if this holds true for grana or " common " Parmesan. But for reggiano, it takes on a " musty " flavor when frozen. Moreover, freezing pesto without the cheese, then adding fresh cheese when using for a dish " freshens " the whole thing. It doesn't taste like frozen pesto that way, IMO. Good luck! Hope _______________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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