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What's your best freezer "secret"

180 replies

Cratchit · 27/10/2006 21:04

Probably everyone already knows this but ... mine is that you can freeze whole chillis. Red ones retain the heat better than green ones, but both work. It also means you can buy those little packets in the supermarket, which are often cut price down our way, and not waste any... Sometimes I defrost them in the microwave too. Ohmagawd I'm so 21st Century, or tight and desperate ...

OP posts:
moondog · 28/10/2006 10:06

I make all my kids' ice lollies.Costs nowt and they love them.

PumpkinMilkshake · 28/10/2006 10:07

Oh and cheese sauce can be forzen too. I make a load with grated carrot, courgette and potato, peas and sweet corn in it. Then freeze it in poritions. Defrost and add to cooked pasta, with grated cheese on top and bread crumbs, then bake for a cheese and veg pasta bake.

princessmel · 28/10/2006 10:23

We always freeze our milk. We buy those little bottles and get one out as we need it.
V worried now though about the full fat becomes semi-skimmed etc. theory . I've never heard that before. When we defrost the milk , the ff always tastes like ff and the semi , semi iykwim. The ff looks creamy too. I'm sure ( I hope) it stays its normal fatness( made up word!!)
Worried as my dd has ff and should not be having semi.

I freeze the extra cheese sauce from lasagne in pots for dd to have with pasta and home made chicken nuggets. Also I make shepards pies in little dishes. They are great for the child I look after as he's the only one who likes it.

Love the lemon slices idea. Ice cube and lemon in one go.

moondog · 28/10/2006 11:19

PrincessMel,it's impossible for milk to change like this!
It might separate,but nowt that a good shake won't sort out.

princessmel · 28/10/2006 11:20

Thanks moondog, I thought it was odd too. You have reassured me

hooOOooleymama · 28/10/2006 11:23

frozen fresh ginger (Delia's idea)

makes it much easier to grate.

(we use ginger tea a lot for coughs & colds )

SherlockLGJ · 28/10/2006 11:41

My DH hates paté, so when I make smooth patés I put them in ice cube trays and just defrost the amount I need for lunch or supper.

Queenmummy · 28/10/2006 12:44

Cheese freezes really well. Sometimes I grate up a whole block of cheddar and freeze it in a tub, ready for sprinkling, adding to sauces etc straight from teh freezer. Parmesan cheese can be frozen in a block and grated straight from the freezer - stops it drying out and going off in the fridge if you can't use it fast enough!

We also freeze milk - and bread too - especially sliced bread. It's easy to take out a couple of slices whenever you need them - bread never goes stale.

Make up a big batch of crumble topping and freeze that in a bag/plastic box, ready to sprinkle over your fruit-assembled-in-dish in exactly the quantity you need. No need to defrost first, just sprinkle on from frozen and bung in oven.

Make up a big batch of pastry dough, and wrap in portions ready to roll out and use to make quiche cases etc. Half the battle mentally in making pastry is that you think it'll take ages - just do the 'difficult' bit once in a while and make up a whole load! PS Works with pasta dough too.

Freeze berry fruits in a single layer on a tray, then tip into bags/tubs when frozen - voila, raspberries, blackberries, currants etc to use all winter (doesn't work with strawberries - they go mushy)

I also freeze milk - it doesn't change at all - just give it a good shake afterwards. To speed up the defrosting process you can submerge the carton in a sink full of cold water (yes - cold - don't ask me why but this works quicker than warm water)

Make double of homecooked meals and freeze for healthy 'ready meals'. Pie fillings, pasta sauces, soups, curries etc all work really well for this.

sallystrawberry · 28/10/2006 13:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WitchICouldGiveUpWork · 28/10/2006 13:52

Cartons of orange juice-always have a spare in the freezer...

roisin · 28/10/2006 13:56

sandwiches for packed lunches

UniSarah · 29/10/2006 20:27

very big paper cups ( like you get at fast food places) make great "formers" for frezeing stewed fruit, home made soup etc. Line with a plastic bag, fill with liquid/ fruit etc, freze. once frozen you can take the bag out and they nest together nicely if you turn alternate ones upside down.
my frezer is full of cup shaped apple products at teh mo as have had a glut. fortunatly dh and I like juice and puddings and ds likes apple puree.

Beccarolloveragain · 29/10/2006 20:32

Id like to do the sandwiches thing. DD likes tuna/mayo sandwiches. Would they work?

roisin · 30/10/2006 07:37

Becca, tuna works very well, as long as it's not too sloppy - it depends how much mayo you put in! Very sloppy fillings tend to make the bread go a bit soggy.

KathyDCLXVI · 30/10/2006 15:27

We freeze butter.
But have just discovered you can't freeze Philadelphia.

rebelmum1 · 30/10/2006 15:56

vodka

twelveyeargap · 30/10/2006 15:58

Milk. For when you realise at midnight that you have none for brekki. Need to use it in one day though.

tassis · 30/10/2006 16:05

apparently you can freeze bananas so if you have ones that are turning black and yucky but you can't be bothered baking with them freeze them until you can

(haven't actually tried this...)

Morgan · 30/10/2006 16:13

Some great ideas on here You can freeze marg too - you can buy it frozen here (Dubai).

I make up double lots o garlic butter and keep it in the fridge , can slice it and put it on steaks etc. Also freezing egg whites if you only use the yolks.

loopity · 30/10/2006 16:48

If you freeze ginger, you can grate it straight from freezer into stir-fries etc

CountessDracula · 30/10/2006 16:53

you can freeze cheese yes, but beware it will not ripen any more so make sure it is ripe when you freeze it!

My mum used to freeze yoghurts for my packed lunches and take them out in the morning so when it came to lunchtime it was nice and cold and had a little ball still frozen in the middle which I liked.

Pollybloodyanna · 30/10/2006 16:56

we freeze bananas - they make a nice snack. (apparently a bit like white chocolate).

lemonysnickett · 30/10/2006 17:49

In the same way that you freeze pasta sauce, freeze a good base for a curry sauce.then all you have to do is add the meat or veg of your choice.

lemonysnickett · 30/10/2006 17:49

In the same way that you freeze pasta sauce, freeze a good base for a curry sauce.then all you have to do is add the meat or veg of your choice.

schneebly · 30/10/2006 18:00

frozen grapes are lovely! Remember to cut them up for the little 'uns though folks