When it comes to leftovers, your freezer can be your best friend, especially when you're talking about the leftovers from a large meal. But, you needn't relegate it to the mere task of tackling Thanksgiving leftovers. If you plan it right, you can split your meals often and enjoy them again after a few weeks have passed.
Here are some hints and tips for freezing leftovers to save time in the future. Think of them as "frozen assets" just waiting for you to need them!
Always label package with important information such as contents, number of servings, date frozen, and special instructions.
If you're freezing a dish that's known for staining containers -- such as spaghetti sauce -- carefully spray the container with cooking spray before you add the food. No more stains!
If you package your food in freezer wrap, foil or plastic bags, press out as much air as possible before sealing the package.
If a meal is to be frozen in a baking dish, wrap the dish in heavy foil and seal with freezer tape. If the dish contains an acidic ingredient such as tomatoes, cover the dish with plastic wrap first to prevent a reaction between the foil and the food during storage.
When freezing liquids, leave enough headspace in your container for the food to expand as it freezes.
You can save yourself lots of time by keeping prepared rice and pasta on hand in your freezer. Simply make up additional amounts next time you prepare either and place 1/2 cup per serving into a freezer bag. Then you can seal, label and freeze the bags. Pasta and rice will keep in your freezer for about 6 months if prepared this way.
To reheat the pasta, remove the pasta from the freezer bag and carefully lower it into a saucepan filled with boiling water. Boil about 1 minute per 1/2 cup serving.
To reheat the rice, remove the rice from the freezer bag and place it in a saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of water per 1/2 cup serving of rice. Cover and heat for about 5 minutes or until hot.
To reheat either in a microwave, place frozen rice or pasta in a microwave-safe dish covered with waxed paper. Micro-cook the dish on high until it’s hot. Allow for 1-2 minutes per 1/2 cup serving.
The recipes included in this article are just a sampling of the wide variety of dishes that can be prepared with freezing in mind. Included in each recipe are directions for freezing and reheating. And, now, here's dinner:
Bring the broth to a boil in a large stockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. To serve, remove and discard bay leaf.
To freeze, place 3 cups soup into each of 4 labeled airtight containers. Freeze up to 1 month.
To reheat, thaw 1 container (2 servings) in the refrigerator or microwave. Place soup in a medium saucepan and cook, covered, over medium heat until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
