Freezer Sessions 2018...

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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Hmmmmmm on freezing raw potatoes...let us know what you decide!!!

I have frozen mashed potatoes before - the kind with lots of yummy things mashed in - cream cheese, butter, cream. When thawed they do tend to be a little watery - I have found that adding just a touch of instant potatoes solves this beautifully. I do not use instant mashed potatoes normally but they are a great thickener for this and for soups in a pinch!

Camping this weekend meant no freezer cooking! Wine trail this Saturday decreases chances of getting anything in the freezer on Sunday! We'll see!
 
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Holiday_Mom

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I prefer to can those, but my sister says she cut up potatoes and put in freezer bags to freeze. When I tried to freeze uncooked potatoes in the past they turned black. I've frozen cooked mashed potatoes and they were fine. Anybody ever tried to freeze uncooked potatoes? I think I should take the time to can them.

LOL! Yes, I did and they turned out black too. I grated some potatoes for hashbrowns and froze them immediately. Thankfully, my children were helping me and saw that they turned black when I pulled them out. We had a great laugh. They tasted fine. We use store bought hashbrowns for company now.
 

Holiday_Mom

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I made another batch of creamed spinach and a batch of stuffing.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oh, Mary! Nothing says YUM like black potatoes right?

If I remember right, the trick to the hash browns is baking the potato first, then shredding? I'll have to go look for my notes on that!

Buying them from the store is SO much easier though!
 
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horsemama

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Jun 22, 2011
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Ok, so here's what I decided to do about the potatoes. I peeled and chunked them, then cooked them - almost done - let them cool, then packed into freezer containers. If they come out a bit mushy I can always make mashed potatoes with them. :) I just wasn't in the mood to get the canner out. :rolleyes:
 

Cindylouwho

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Nov 4, 2007
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Cindylou I did several pioneer woman recipes last year. Let me go find some recipe links for some of my favorites...

https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/sour-cream-noodle-bake/

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/chicken-spaghetti-recipe-2108829

I also made one up of my own using the concept of the chicken spaghetti. It was basically a Tuna Tettrazini. I used the same sauce as the chicken spaghetti, but added some pimentos, Parmesan and Tuna. I just played with it a bit and it was super yummy.

Those are the three that come to mind. Here's how I would whip out 3 meals at one time. I'd basically double each recipe. Have one for dinner when I prepped it and then I'd use two 8x8 pans to fill up the rest. Each recipe calls for a 9x13 pan, but baking a double batch I get 3 pretty full 8x8 pans or 9x13 pans. I hope that all makes sense..if not let me know and I'll clarify.

Thanks MinnieCo, I'm getting more serious about cooking now. Great looking recipes! I have been pondering recipes for whole chickens as well so the Pioneer Woman one is perfect. I don't use whole chickens that much and want to change that. Costco's come in 2-packs so need to have a plan -- if they go in my freezer they never come out. In fact, I need to completely defrost the freezer and find out what all I have in there. We had a bear in the garage last night, he must have sensed I was thinking about loading the garbage cans! :) He was late though -- trash went out the day before!

I need to get on baking too. I had a lot of frozen cookie dough left over from the holidays. We went on a health kick in January (darn it!) and didn't eat it all. Will have to work harder at eating cookies this year! Thinking I might just do dry mixes this year to save space in my freezer. That way they are in my pantry where they are easier to see and don't get lost amidst the frozen steaks, berries, etc.

You guys are cruising on all of your freezer cooking and I'm so envious -- I'm almost there. I have to be in the mood and right now I'm distracted with....ugh... other stuff. Once I'm in the mood I'm all in! But I'm very close. Close enough to be dragging out recipes! (Is that my son I hear cheering?) ;)
 
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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Have really been focused on filling the freezer!

I was able to get out the cookie dough I didn’t have time to bake and get it all baked up and then the cookies flash frozen, bagged and back in the freezer again! Did this for:

Gingersnaps

Batch of Cocoa Kiss Cookies

Batch of Sea Salt Butterscotch Pretzel Cookies

Chunky Chocolate Gobs

Then I have gotten the following cookies made, baked and frozen too:

1 more batch of Cocoa Kiss

1 more batch of Sea Salt Butterscotch Pretzel

Pecan Sandies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Chocolate Cut Outs

Kieflees

Brownies

Finally, I cooked up and then froze 3 lbs of ground beef! This all puts me very near the end of my list for freezer cooking!

Have some bacon, chicken and sausage left to cook and freeze. A few more batches of cookies and that is pretty much it!
 
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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Shoot, totally forgot - baked 4 loaves of Cheese, Garlic and Herb Bread yesterday and those are in the freezer now too.

3 of them are for Italian Gift Baskets and 1 is for us! :)
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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AJ, you rock! You must be pleased to have all that stocked in the freezer. Sure will make life easier when you need it.
Freezer inventory is on the to do list...just got to do!!!
 
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luludou

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Dec 28, 2007
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I cooked one meal and froze another of: chicken-rice casserole and veggie soup. Also got chicken cooked and chopped for Christmas sandwiches.
 
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Holiday_Mom

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There was a sale on boneless ham that was hard to pass up so I portioned it out for 4 meals and froze it.

My chest freezer is full until Thanksgiving. I'm eating out of the other freezer. After Thanksgiving, our chest freezer will be empty and I will be baking and freezing. Then I will be cooking and freezing for our Christmas Eve party.
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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Pork is going to be selling cheap over the next few weeks. I will buy bulk pork and process it for meals over the next few weeks. Will keep an eye on ham and bacon too. Good time to keep an eye on grocery catalogues for their specials.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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AGREED, Katrina! I'm all stocked up on butter but I'm going to keep buying at these prices and freeze it. I do a LOT of baking for school fundraiser in May and flour, sugars and butter will all keep until then! But truly, there are so many great grocery deals right now it pays to stock up what you can!
 

Holiday_Mom

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I took out my turkey from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator today. That freed up some space for me to freeze butter that's on sale.

Anyone see any good prices on Vanilla Extract? The prices have jumped up considerably since last year. The best price I've seen so far is at Aldi - $4.25 for a 2 oz bottle.
 
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Myron's Mom

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Holiday mom, I know vanilla prices are crazy. The prices I think are related to weather issues if I remember correctly. I wish I would have stocked up when King Arthur had it on sale the beginning of the year.
I made another batch of chicken soup, I had parsley root left over and didn't want to waste it due to the cost. I also made zuppa Tuscana (sp?) and froze a little of that - we kinda powered through that before it reached the freezer.
 

Ahorsesoul

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Oct 13, 2007
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Oh my. I haven't bought vanilla extract in years. I started making my own after listening to others here doing so, I probably should order a few new beans to put in my bottle of vodka just to freshen it up.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Vanilla prices are CRAZY! I am SO VERY fortunate to have a wonderful friend that brings me back bottles of Mexican vanilla every year - last year she brought me a pretty hefty bottle. She thought it was hilarious I'd used it all up! Just heard that she sent in 3 bottles for me today (our husbands work together) - so excited!!!

Freezer has been added to!

3 lbs of cooked, shredded chicken
2 lbs of cooked, chopped bacon
1 lb of cooked, crumbled sausage

Also baked another batch of brownies that I will cut and freeze tonight.
 

Holiday_Mom

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These last two weeks I've added some more food to the freezer:
  • Several bags of leftover turkey
  • Two trays of Chicken Florentine
  • Several bags of Christmas cookies
 
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luludou

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I've added veal sausages (4 bags) and Italian sausages. An italiansausage rice maple casserole. Las tweekend got skors squares, fudge in the freezer and a pound cake
 
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