One of the most requested demonstrations I’ve shared with my customers over the past 47+ years has been my amazing Freezer Tricks. With Pesach just behind us, it’s a great time for a refresher on this subject.
Have you experienced any “summer blackouts” in your bungalows, or summer homes due to excessive power surges? Did you end up throwing out all or some of your freezer food? It can happen any time of the year. How about the “blizzard” our tri-state area just experienced after Purim? Most of us locally, baruch Hashem, had no blackout issues, or big snow amounts, but many areas around us certainly did!
Our busy lives can take a toll on much more than time to get dinner on the table. We are forced to spend money needlessly on “takeout” food when we can have our own food – “takeout from your OWN freezer.” When you fill your freezer ahead of time, especially when preparing food for Pesach, you won’t feel stressed out.
Any day you arrive home from a stressful day, exhausted, you will be able to go to “Mom’s Diner” – Your freezer and pull out a great meal! Or if you’d prefer a meal with fresh fish, you don’t have to run to the store and purchase it.
The average American spends more than $600 a month on food. Take a bite out of your budget with these tips from Beth Moncel, author of the Budget Bytes cookbooks and the popular blog of the same name.
* Freeze leftover juice from canned fruits (like canned pineapple) in small containers or Tupperware sealed ice cube trays for smoothies.
* Only using half an avocado? Leave the rest in the skin and sprinkle lemon juice on the cut side before wrapping in plastic wrap and placing in a Tupperware airtight container.
* Get your beef fix on the cheap by buying super-lean flank steak. Cook to medium at the longest, and slice thinly against the grain to avoid toughness.
* To get the most juice out of limes or lemons, roll them on the counter while applying pressure before cutting. Then, twist a spoon into the flesh to get every last drop.
* Freeze baby spinach in Tupperware Fridgesmart containers you won't be able to use, before it goes bad, to toss into smoothies and soups.
* Always buy the smallest head of cabbage you can find because once it’s shredded, the yield is much higher than anticipated. Freeze any leftover shredded cabbage for soups or stir-fries later (don’t use in fresh salads).
Try the following tip for fish:
Buy fresh salmon, tilapia or flounder and freeze them raw side by side, covered in water, in a 9×13 Tupperware container. You will never get “freezer burn.” (Foil, nor cheap plastic containers do not keep food as well in the freezer. They get freezer burn.)
It freezes like an ice cube tray, into a block of ice. When you need one or two pieces of fish, twist the container, the “sheet of fish-encased in ice, will pop out when loosened with water. Run lukewarm water over the pieces required, the rest goes back in the freezer until the next time! When you cook frozen fish, you cook it semi-defrosted. It will taste like you just “caught it!”
More Tips For Your Collection
At my Tupperware demos, I often give out this sheet with many freezer tips and tidbits – clip and save for future reference!
* Always leave ¼”-½” at the top of the container to allow for food expansion.
* Never “burp” before freezing – seals will pop off quicker when food expands due to reduced air space.
* Your freezer runs much more efficiently if packed full – (check previous month’s tips).
* Save money by buying in bulk and flash freezing vegetables and meats – pull out only the number of pieces of amount that you need.
* Add cornstarch to shredded cheese and then freeze – cheese will not freeze together.
* Put coffee in freezer in Tupperware and it will not freeze solid and retains the natural oils in the bean which make for a better cup of coffee. One pound of coffee will brew 40 to 50 cups.
* Use (Tupperware) Jelring for homemade ice cream cakes (layer whatever you please – try adding flavored liqueurs….!).
* Use (Tupperware) Ice Tups for baby’s boo boos and teething; and don’t forget frozen pops for yourself!
* More ice crystals form on cheaper brands of ice cream, therefore buy the best!
* When you remove a Tupperware container from the freezer, wipe the inside of the seal before replacing the container – air temperature change will cause condensation that will drop back onto food causing ice crystals.
* Always let food cool down before sealing and placing in freezer – because the steam will form condensation which will drop down onto your food and form ice crystals.
* Make freezer jams and put into 12 oz. tumblers – no cooking or processing needed and tastes like fresh fruit.
* Freeze juice, iced tea, milk in tumblers for minimum of two hours and then put in cooler or lunch bag – they will serve as your ice packs (no others needed – perfect for Pesach/Succos trips!)
* Put an onion in the freezer for several minutes before slicing “for no more tears.”
* Put a block of cheese in freezer for a half hour and it will not crumble when grating.
* Cook soups, stews, spaghetti sauce, etc., in bulk and freeze in smaller quantities – it’s cheaper and much easier to clean up one big mess than to clean up five little messes!
* Make extra batter when having waffles or pancakes – cook while you’re eating, then flash freeze on a foil-lined tray and place in large rectangle container. You’ll always have a quick “nosh” ready to heat and serve!
* Freeze candles to make them burn more slowly and last longer. Works great for tapers—very thick candles may crack.
When preparing either meatballs or stuffed cabbage, ahead of time, for Yom Tov, remember to flash freeze them. Line them up on foil which acts as a conductor, and quick freezes food placed on it in the freezer, for about 1½ hours. When done correctly, you can take out the amount you really need, and not a full container of frozen food that is stuck together!
So now, you can about freeze 60 meatballs or matzah balls or chicken cutlets without them sticking together! Watch for my “trick” on how to “slice” soup or sauce and how to trick your freezer into working more efficiently when it’s half full? What to do when you lose power in a blackout? Until then, have fun cooking and cleaning for Pesach! (It’s not too late to have a Tupperware Freezer Class to learn more—contact me for information.)
This recipe can also be used for Pesach. Enjoy!
Zoodles with Stir Fry Chicken and Veggies Ingredients
1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons potato starch
3 skinless halved boneless chicken breast in chunks
2 tablespoons oil divided
1 zucchini cut into matchsticks
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup quartered carrots
1 onion cut into large chunks
1 large green zucchini spiralized to desired length
1 large yellow zucchini spiralized
1 tablespoon oil
And any other veggies that you love
Directions:
Combine salt lemon juice, and potato starch in a small bowl stir until smooth. Mix ginger, garlic into sauce; coat chicken with marinade and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir fry chicken until slightly pink inside about 4 minutes per side.
Remove from pot add another tablespoon of oil and stir fry vegetables in the same pot. Return stir fried chicken to pot and combine vegetables and reserved marinade to skillet. Bring to a boil and stir chicken until juices run clear and vegetables are tender 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve. In same frying pan heat one tablespoon oil over high heat sprinkle with garlic. Toss in spiralized zucchini and cook for 4 to 7 minutes until zucchini is al dente.
Add chicken and vegetable to zoodles combining everything for a delicious one dish meal. Adjust taste with your favorite spices, serve immediately.
