Freezer Sessions 2018...

[AuntJamelle]

I do both ALL the time! My freezer is never without!

I wash the lemons well with soap and warm water- then I microwave them for 15-20 seconds - roll them hard under my hands on the counter and then slice in half. That gets more juice out of them! I juice them with my juicer (glass container with screw on plastic top with juicing apparatus).

Juice from lemons gets measured out in tablespoons into ice cube trays. Once the trays are frozen I pop the cubes out and store them in Ziploc bags.

The empty rinds get tossed into another Ziploc bag and frozen. When I need zest I take out the frozen rinds - sometimes they stick to each other but can be easily broken apart. I have a microplane type grater - produces a very fine grate - I use that right on the frozen rind. The fact that it is frozen actually makes it easier to zest I think. For one it is hard, not floppy, and the zest just seems to come off easier.

If there is any frost buildup on the rinds I just knock if off on the counter or a cutting board before zesting.

This approach makes it very easy to always have quick access to "fresh" lemon juice or zest.

The cubes of juice get popped into a small glass ramekin and in the microwave on defrost for about 20 seconds or so until they are liquid again.

This entire method works exactly the same way for limes and it would work for oranges too!

 

[luludou]

AJ you rock!

 

[AuntJamelle]

Awww, shucks! I'm sure I learned ALL of that along the way online in this forum or back on the OC

Wanted to share that I have come to a conclusion about my list of planned cookies for this year.

The list is too short.

Seriously? Yes, seriously!

As I make these batches of cookies I am looking at how many cookies I am really getting out of them - and thinking about all the tins to ship and platters to send in to work and to give to family locally and ... I'm gonna need more!

So I've already made 2nd batch of Gobs and Lemon Snowballs - which I've mentioned - and I'm going to increase to two batches of the Sea Salt Butterscotch Pretzel cookies too.

Then I'm adding 3 more recipes:

Malted Mocha Chocolate Cookies - They use Ovaltine in the dough! So excited to try these! I am debating adding chopped up malted milk balls to the dough on one batch...worried that the result would be too crunchy? I'd chop them pretty good but not sure...

Buttery Spritz Cookies - I've tested these and they will be a great, simple and colorful addition to my cookie lineup! I plan to glaze and sprinkle with colorful sprinkle dots before freezing.

Chocolate Cutouts - I'm going to use a basic Gooseberry Patch recipe and cut out with tree shaped cookie cutters. Then I will take inspiration from Pinterest and press colorful M&M's into the dough - looking like ornaments on the tree shape. Then I'll bake, cool and freeze.

I've added a task to my to do list this weekend (you know - my 3 day long list for my 2 day weekend!) for ruthlessly going through freezers and getting rid of anything super old - anything I saved because we "might" eat it - etc.

I hate to do it but I just HAVE to make room for all the things I am making and still plan to make. I've scheduled myself to defrost and cook the turkey I have in the chest freezer too to accomplish the same goal.

My master plan is to get the chest freezer to the point where it is mainly full of cookie dough and freezer meals. I wanted to make and freeze cinnamon rolls this year too and I will not be able to if I can't find the space. Which would be kind of ridiculous with all of my freezers!!!

 

[Holiday_Mom]

LOL! AJ, you are so funny. More cookies? You've made a ton already. But I understand. I made up the dry mixes for some of the cookies and I'm wondering what else we need to add. I have two more dry mixes to do but I think I need more than that.

Thank you for the details to freezing lemon juice and rinds. I just looked to see if we still have ice cube trays but all I have are Popsicle molds. I'm going to stop by Walmart on my way to work tomorrow to pick up some items and I'll add ice cube trays to the list. I love the idea of doing that for limes and oranges too.

 

[AuntJamelle]

I guess I'd rather have some extra than not enough!

Last night I made up a new recipe - Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls

You mix different seasonings, egg and breadcrumbs into pork sausage and put that in puff pastry...I have the little packages of buttery pastry goodness flash freezing. Will pop into a Ziploc tonight.

I also stopped by Dollar Tree and got the foil lasagna pans I need for upcoming freezer session and all of the 9x11 foil pans I'll need for the cinnamon rolls this year!

 

[Myron's Mom]

The sausage rolls sound good. Anything puffed pastry
Pork butt is on sale this week so I'll be grinding pork this weekend for cabbage rolls. I need to get my cabbage leaves pickled for them too. I can't wait, I've been hungry for them- I'm not waiting until Christmas Eve. Once they are finished I'll start my cookies.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Phew, so many things that I would like to try. This thread is so inspiring.
Adding to the whole lemon thing. I have lemon juice stored in 2 litre plastic bottles in the freezer at the moment. Soon I will thaw it and with a simple sugar syrup and water have litres of lemonade for the Summer. It is also handy for making lemon curd/butter for gifts.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

With some help from my dh, I cooked up 9 lbs of pulled pork and 11 lbs of shredded chicken. They'll be used for youth group dinners and a few nights of dinners for us this fall.

I am trying something new. I made a brine for 4 lbs of pork chops and then froze them.

 

[AuntJamelle]

Despite all my plans the only thing I added to the freezer this weekend was two big pans of lasagna. But they take quite a bit of work so I guess I didn't do too badly! lol Wrapped them up in several layers of heavy duty foil and wrote on them in sharpie marker - directions for thawing and cooking, etc. Have them tucked away in chest freezer downstairs until it is time to gift them!

Will be cooking and then freezing two more lbs of pork sausage tonight (fingers crossed!). Having the cooked meat will make it easier for several dishes I have planned for the holidays - quiche, sausage strata, pizzas, etc.

 

[Myron's Mom]

I finished my cabbage rolls today. (They are actually called sarma. ) They are safe in my freezer, otherwise I think we would eat the whole roaster full of them tonight. One item for Christmas Eve dinner finished.
I'm still on the lookout for a good deal on chickens for soup. I want to make our traditional soup for Christmas, some wedding soup and the potato soup like you get at Olive Garden ( name fails me right now).
As for cookies I think I'll start baking next week.

 

[AuntJamelle]

The cabbage rolls sound yummy!!!! Great job!

Cooked and froze 2 lbs of pork sausage last night!

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Good job on getting more freezing sessions in, ladies. That potato soup sounds good! Getting that sausage cooked up is great idea too. I should do that more often.

For last night's dinner we had those pork chops that I put in a brine and froze last week. Pork chops is a dreaded dinner around here because it is just dry. Well, not last night! Every one really like it how juicy it was. I'll be searching for more pork chops on sale.

There was a sale on bulk pork loin so I cut the 10 lb piece into 6 sections, put it in a brine, and then froze them. I also cooked up 4.5 lbs of ground beef and froze it. I made up the sausage, cranberry & apple stuffing and froze that for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[Myron's Mom]

Holiday Mom, what kind of brine are you using? That sounds like a good idea. I do a lot of pork and sauerkraut and just plain chops. I just bough bulk pork loin too.

 

[AuntJamelle]

I would love the brine recipe as well! DH is not a fan of pork typically - because he thinks it cooks up too dry - I've never really made it for him - he's basing this on his mom's cooking

I made pulled pork for a part once and that turned out great - but I don't think I brined it - just let it sit in fridge in dry rub - I think.

In any case, I would love to learn a way to cook chops that he would eat!!!

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Here's the brine recipe. I got this from Hallmark;s Home and Family. I also included my notes from using it.

Brine
4 cups water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons black pepper
4 boneless pork chops, 1 inch thick, about 2 pounds

1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of the water to a boil. Add the salt and sugar to the boiling water stirring over high heat until they are dissolved. Chill the remaining 3 cups water in the freezer or with ice cubes. Add the salt and sugar mixture to the cold water. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, and black pepper. Chill the brine in the refrigerator.
2. Place the pork in a stainless steel bowl, a glazed ceramic dish, or a resealable plastic bag big enough to fully submerge the pork in the brine. Pour the brine over the pork, making sure the pork is completely covered in liquid. If you’re using an open dish or bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and weigh it down with a plate if necessary to keep the meat submerged.
3. Chill for at least 1 hour, or for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Discard brine when finished.

My notes: I have to watch my sugar and salt intake so I didn't use the sugar and I reduced the salt to 1/8 of a cup. I microwaved the water and salt and mixed the boiling water until the salt dissolved. I also used cold water and lots of ice cubes. I had garlic powder on hand, dried rosemary and black pepper. I had 4 lbs of pork and was able to use the 4 cups of water for the 4 lbs. I actually froze the pork chops in the brine right away. I had so much going on that day that it was easier to do that. When I took the pork chops out for dinner a week later, I let it defrost and then dumped the brine down the sink. The consensus from the family was that the amount of salt I used was fine with them.

When I did the 10 lbs of pork loin, I did things a little differently. I doubled the recipe (with the exception of no sugar and used 1/4 cup of salt total). I put the sectioned pork in freezable 1 qt. bags and then poured the brine into the bags and sealed them. I kept the bags upright in a Pyrex baking dish and let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. I poured the brine out of the bags, resealed the bags and then froze the pork loin. I haven't tried the pork loin yet to see if there was a difference in freezing the pork still sitting in the brine versus freezing the pork no longer sitting in the brine.

 

[MinnieCo]

Good news, my husband told me our cow is being cut this week. I was getting worried about having meat to prep some meals coming up in the next few weeks, but I think I'll be good. I won't have time to make a bunch of stuff, but at least some of the basics with ground beef again.

 

[Miss JoDee]

I made a pumpkin cake and chocolate chip cookie dough and froze it. Will bake the cookies the week of the wedding for us to take with us for lunch on Sunday. It's a start. Hope to do a couple more dishes this week. Waffles and Egg sausage casserole.

 

[AuntJamelle]

I cooked the turkey this weekend and will strip and freeze most of the meat tonight - and the bones of course!

Ran out of time to get any other freezer cooking done! Will have to try and make up for lost time somehow!

Thank you so much for the brine info/recipe Holiday Mom! Saved it and we're going to try it!!!

Glad to hear you've got a new supply of beef coming in MinnieCo! Will feel nice to have that stock on hand!

Miss JoDee your goodies sound so delicious!

 

[Myron's Mom]

Thanks Holiday Mom, maybe this weekend I can give it a try.
I made halupkies ( cabbage rolls with tomato) and froze them. I think we have plenty of all things cabbage at my house!
Cookie wise I froze 2 batches of chcolate chip cookie dough in balls, one with nuts. We like those fresh baked!
Yesterday I mixed up my mother in laws cut out cookies and baked them this morning. I froze and vacuumed sealed them. They will be frosted at a later date when needed.
I also managed to get the walnuts ground for my mom's walnut torte and my grandma's Christmas cookies. I need to get eggs. Between the 2 recipes I think I need a 1 1/2 dozen eggs. We should be in good shape for cookies.
Pecan turtles have been on my mind. I could make them closer to christmas. They would make nice gifts. Something to consider because neither one of us needs them and I know we would be in them all the time

 

[AuntJamelle]

You have been doing awesome, Myron's Mom!!! I'm going to be grinding up pecans, myself, for kieffles that I'll be baking and freezing. I really will have to eat one too - just to make sure they are ok.

Made cheesecake crust last night and have it chilling. Will make the cheesecake tonight and then get that in the freezer!