Cook Once Eat Twice™---how to freeze food properly (part three).

When I freeze my Cook Once Eat Twice™ meals, I freeze the food in individual portion sizes, but if you prefer, freeze the entire dish in one amount. You need to have a few containers in various sizes to give you options. Once the filled container is thoroughly frozen, take it out of the freezer and either leave it on the counter for a few minutes or put it up side down, in the sink, and run water on it for a few seconds. The food will easily pop out of the container. You may have to encourage it to release by pushing on the bottom of the container with you fingers.

As soon as the frozen food has popped out of its container, put it into a sandwich baggie or gallon size plastic bag, squeeze out all of the air and close it tight. Then take the label off the container and place it on the bag. Put the frozen food into a second plastic bag, again squeeze out all of the air, seal it tight and put it back in the freezer. You now have an empty container to wash and reuse. Without the container, the frozen food takes less room in the freezer as well.

Always squeeze as much air as possible out of the plastic; air is what damages frozen foods. I like the sandwich baggies and gallon size bags that come with wire twist ties because they are flexible and I can get the plastic to conform tightly to the frozen food thus preventing any pockets of air. Always double wrap your food to give it another layer of protection. When you label it, be certain to put the date on the label and make a habit of eating the older food first. Nothing lasts forever in the freezer.

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes.

Simple cooking idea: Put bacon on a plate between paper towels. Microwave 1-2 minutes per slice. The towels will absorb the grease and the bacon will be crisp.

Copyright ©2010 by Gigi Centaro. All Rights Reserved.