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Freezer burn
Published: 2/4/2011 2:18 PM
Last Modified: 2/4/2011 2:18 PM

I'm jealous of all those people who are smart enough to have homemade meals frozen and stashed away in their freezers.

Weather like this is good incentive to do it, so we'll all be ready for the next snow storm.

Even if you don't make entire freezer meals, you might consider having some staples frozen for convenience during a storm or just for a busy weeknight.

Here are some examples from Susan Nicholson's book "7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies."

Keep these foods handy in the freezer:

Chopped onions
Green beans
Corn
Peas
Ground beef
Chicken breasts
Nuts

If you're cooking for just one or two, individually wrap those chicken breasts so they're easy to defrost. Also, freeze your walnuts, pecans or almonds in small bags for individual recipes.

And here's a good recipe from the Pioneer Woman for a freezer-ready casserole. Make two, so you can eat one the same day and the other for later.

Chicken Spaghetti
2 cups cooked chicken
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cans cream Of mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 jar (4 ounce) diced pimentos, drained
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 teaspoon) cayenne pepper
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

2. Place mixture in one large casserole pan or two small casserole pans and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).


Reader Comments 1 Total
JettBlack (2 years ago)
Great tip-I think I need the 7 Day Planner for Dummies. The casserole soundgs good, too!
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Taste

Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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