There are so many reasons to love Ina Garten, that it’s hard to choose just one. Her recipes are always a win, and they’re practically foolproof. She also makes entertaining look easy and makes cooking look fun. But one of the lesser-known reasons that we love Ina is because so many of her recipes can be made ahead of time and frozen for later. You know, like those days when each kid has three after-school activities, you have a migraine, and the last thing you feel like doing is going home and making a meal? That’s when those make-ahead recipes from Ina really shine.
Related storyIna Garten's Easy Sticky Buns Are the Perfect Easter Breakfast
The key to delicious frozen meals is to let them cool before you store them in an airtight container to freeze. That way, you won’t get any excess moisture gumming up your food, making it soggy on the reheat. Whether you’re looking for something to eat next week or next month, make one of these freezable Ina Garten meals. They’re guaranteed to impress.
Baked Rigatoni With Lamb Ragù
Similar to lasagna, this baked rigatoni freezes well and can even be reheated in the microwave when you’re ready to dig in.
Truffle lovers, rejoice! Ina really appeals to the mushroom lovers with his easy (and freezable) comfort dish. You can also substitute whatever pasta you have on hand if you don’t have cavatappi.
You can either make the entire dish and freeze it, or for optimal freshness, make the sauce ahead of time and freeze it, then just cook your pasta when you’re ready to serve it.
Soup is one of the best make-ahead meals because it freezes so well. This zucchini basil soup from Ina Garten is simple, yet flavorful and it will last at least a couple months in your freezer.
How about the same old comforting chicken soup you love but with a Mexican twist? Even better, you can use your leftover Costco rotisserie chicken to make this recipe even easier.
Winter might be long this year. Make a big batch of this beef stew for the freezer, so that cozy meals are easy and you can get back to hibernating as quickly as possible.
If you’re in the mood for pot roast but only have a few mouths to feed, freeze the leftovers! Everyone knows leftovers taste better the second time anyway.
Ina would definitely want you to eat this soup with grilled cheese croutons. Or if you prefer a full-sized grilled cheese sandwich, you may want to try one of these recipes.
Whether you’re in need of a side dish or a vegetarian main, this root veggie gratin will satisfy. Make it ahead, and thaw the whole thing in the oven when you feel like something meatless and cozy.
You can cook and freeze it ahead of time and then use it for meals like spaghetti and meat sauce, shepherd's pie, tacos, and more. It's not always about freezing the whole meal but instead freezing the parts that take the longest to make to save you the most time.
Wrap solids foods like meats and baked goods tightly in foil before you bag them. Use rigid containers with an air-tight lid and keep the sealing edge free from moisture or food to ensure proper closure. Secure wrapped packages and containers with freezer tape, and write the dish and the date on the tape with a marker.
Using containers: Divide cooled leftovers among plastic containers, leaving enough room at the top for swelling. Cover with plastic wrap (this helps prevent freezer burner), then the lid. Label and date top and side of container. Using sealable bags: Place sealable place in a bowl to help stabilise.
Cool the food quickly after cooking and before freezing. One way of doing this is to split the food out into smaller portions. One of the simplest ways to approach batch cooking is to make one base recipe which can be adapted into different dishes.
How to Store Freezer Slow Cooker Meals. We recommend laying the bagged meals flat in the freezer until they've frozen solid. That way, you can stack several prepared meals on top of each other or store them standing up in a plastic magazine file. Here are more products that make freezing food so much easier.
Freezer burn is the worst that could happen, and that's more cosmetic than anything else. Overcooking food is NEVER a positive thing. Meats can be frozen either raw or cooked. Vegetables and some fruits are blanched before freezing to inactivate enzymes that will gradually cause some deterioration.
Yes you can. You can freeze mashed potatoes made with plenty of butter and cream, and then reheat them on the big day using one of four methods. Here's how to ace the time management portion of prepping your thanksgiving dinner.
Rigid containers and flexible bags or wrapping are two general types of packaging materials that are safe for freezing. Rigid containers made of plastic or glass are suitable for all packs and are especially good for liquid packs. Straight sides on rigid containers make the frozen food much easier to remove.
You can't really freeze a whole boiled egg, as the whites will become rubbery. However, you can freeze cooked egg yolks to use for garnishes, extra-yolky egg sandwiches or devilled egg filling for up to 3 months. Cooked eggs are easiest to freeze when they're folded into other, more easily-frozen ingredients.
These include anything with both a high water content and a cell structure that will burst from the expansion of the freezing water. Examples include cucumbers, grapes, and all but the firmest vegetables. Some cheeses freeze well but others like ricotta or even sour cream tend to get gritty.
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