Freezer Sessions 2020...

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sweetpumkinpye

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I think this current climate will make us become very innovative and frugal with our food supplies. I have frozen some milk in ice cube trays and will use that if the milk supply stops. We will use up all the little things in the freezer and leftovers are to be used up and not wasted. I need to be more careful on storing fruit so it does not go bad. I am also been much more careful on telling people, eat the yogurt before the cheese as the yogurt will spoil first.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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YES Katrina! Totally agree! I need to go through fridge and note items that expire first so we can focus on using them before other items!

Also tried a new "freezer" recipe to use up some of the milk:

Fudgesicles

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2/3 cup Sugar
2 tbsp Corn Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cup Milk

Instructions

Whisk together cocoa powder and sugar in a pan.

Add corn syrup and vanilla and place over low heat.

Add milk while whisking constantly until every thing is dissolved and blended.

Pour mixture into 6 popsicle molds and freeze until solid. If you don't have popsicle molds you could use small paper cups with a plastic spoon stuck in at an angle - get creative! DH and DS really LOVE these!
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Tonight I am using up old tortillas that I will coat with dried parmessan and oven bake. WiIll make nice chips I think.
 

AuntJamelle

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That sounds yummy!!!

I am going to review exp dates on the packages of tortillas I have and then freeze some. I think if I separate each one with a sheet of wax paper and then slip into a large Ziploc freezer bag they should be fine.

I've also looked up recipes for making them - ones that use shortening, lard, butter or olive oil in turn. I need to check exp dates on the lard - might need to freeze it too...
 

sweetpumkinpye

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My freezers are really full at the moment for which I am grateful.. Luckily with the freezer prep we do I have quite a few meals in the freezer to call on.
 

Holiday_Mom

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The other day I reorganized the kitchen freezer and the deep freezer so I knew exactly what I had left with regards to the meats and vegetables. That helped in choosing which meats and frozen vegetables to purchase at the store. That usually isn't an issue but these days, it is. There was a very nice selection of meats but we are still being encouraged not to buy more than two per item. I got one spiral cut ham, one family pack of chicken breasts and one family pack of ground beef. The frozen vegetables were very limited. I was able to get 2 bags of green beans and 1 bag of broccoli.

The ground beef was made into hamburger patties. I seasoned and froze the chicken breasts. The ham will be used for Easter dinner and then portioned out later for other meals. Currently, both freezers are filled.
 
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AuntJamelle

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Our "new" upright freezer downstairs is FULL - there is still room in the upright in the pantry and in the smaller freezer under the fridge.

I've added bags of milk and buttermilk - measured out into amounts I know I'll use in recipes - and also a few more lbs of ground beef I picked up at Meijer.

We're definitely using things up out of the freezer too - we've sworn off any eating out of any kind for the duration...
 

Minta

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Store had turkey breasts on sale for 99 cents/lb I already had one in the freezer but planned on roasting that next week so I picked up 2 more for the freezer. Also picked up a spiral ham that was on sale for the freezer. Trying to make sure I have a good supply of meats in the chest freezer. We cut out all the little stops .. coffee, sandwiches on the weekends etc for now too.
 

AuntJamelle

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I found a blog that claims you can freeze several different things I didn't think you could - and under normal circumstances I wouldn't try - but times are a'changin!

Cream Cheese - the blocks - just take them out of the cardboard box but leave in the wrapper. Put in a freezer bag, squeeze out all the air and that's it. Defrost in fridge overnight. Heat 30 seconds and stir if it looks separated or frosty....I may try it!!!

https://www.loavesanddishes.net/how-to-freeze-cream-cheese/

Sour Cream!
https://www.loavesanddishes.net/how-to-freeze-sour-cream/

Celery!
https://www.loavesanddishes.net/how-to-freeze-celery/

Take a look around her recipes - lots of good ones focused on typical pantry ingredients!
 

Holiday_Mom

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I will have to take a look at that blog. I read recently that you can shred and freeze cheese if you're planning to cook with it or bake with it. I love that idea. I'll pick up blocks of cheese for dinners and write my name on it so the family knows not to eat it. However, if I could shred it, toss in corn starch so it doesn't stick so much and then freeze it, it would simplify things for me in planning meals while in a shut-down.

We've been eating ham the last few days. I cubed the leftover ham, portioned out slices for future meal and froze it. I have a ham bone that I froze as well for a broth one day.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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If you flash freeze the cheese before transferring to ziplock bag that will help with sticking too!

I have a ham bone in the freezer too - I'm the only one that "really" likes ham and bean soup though :(
 
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AuntJamelle

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Cut up a bunch of bell peppers last night to use in our meal and frozen half of them - had a nice big bag for next time!

Freezing around here has been mainly limited to "saving" things. Leftover cooked rice, half a can of green chiles, bread, etc.

Although I DID make a batch of Chili and freeze that!!! :cool:
 

Minta

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If you flash freeze the cheese before transferring to ziplock bag that will help with sticking too!

I have a ham bone in the freezer too - I'm the only one that "really" likes ham and bean soup though :(

Our kids don't like ham and bean soup either so we freeze left overs in single serve batches in freezer bags. they freeze well and will last a while in the freezer.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Apr 23, 2008
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Mum and ! are doing a modified freezer session next week. We were going to make chicken pot pies, chicken strogonoff and french onion pasta. We will modify
as we cannot source some ingredients and we don't have a lot of spare room in the freezers. We will make a double batch of strogonoff and the pasta and just have those for meals through the week. If we like the recipes we will add them to our cooking sessions later in the year.
 
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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Marinated steak for dinner last night, split the marinade and poured half into bag of steak still in freezer. That will save me some steps next time we want steak!

I've been toying with the idea of doing some freezer cooking - maybe just browning some burger, cooking up some sausage
 

Holiday_Mom

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We are entering an unprecedented era of recipe substitutions....:D
That made me LOL! So true...

Chicken and pork chops are added to the freezer but our freezer space is lightening up. A lot of times I bought frozen battered chicken, french fries, pierogies, tortellin in addition to the frozen vegetables or frozen fruit. They were my quick dinner standbys on our busy school nights. I haven't looked for any of those foods except the frozen vegetables and fruit. Both are still out of stock at the grocery store. :( On the flip side, we are eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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We got some bulk steak from a restaurant that will need cutting and packaging. DH is a butcher by trade so the cutting is not a problem. Finding room in the freezer at the moment will be the challenge.