Cooking for the Freezer..

spaghetti_monster

Hi there!
Just had a quick question - sorry I haven't had time to read the whole thread, as it's probably been answered......

I want to freeze lasagne, but not sure at which stage to do it. I make a few different variations, but always assemble the lasagne with uncooked pasta (and the other parts cooked). Should I freeze it at this point, or cook first so the pasta is cooked before I freeze it?
I was initially wondering how it might affect the taste/texture, but also the main purpose at the mo is that it's easy/quick to reheat (I'm expecting in just less that 2 weeks and OH is a bit challenged in the kitchen dept!)

nuatha

spaghetti_monster wrote: »

Hi there!
Just had a quick question - sorry I haven't had time to read the whole thread, as it's probably been answered......

I want to freeze lasagne, but not sure at which stage to do it. I make a few different variations, but always assemble the lasagne with uncooked pasta (and the other parts cooked). Should I freeze it at this point, or cook first so the pasta is cooked before I freeze it?
I was initially wondering how it might affect the taste/texture, but also the main purpose at the mo is that it's easy/quick to reheat (I'm expecting in just less that 2 weeks and OH is a bit challenged in the kitchen dept!)

For minimum hassle I'd cook it, cool it then freeze in portions, that way its simple to reheat in the microwave, (far less for OH to get wrong that way)

Pink.

spaghetti_monster wrote: »

Hi there!
Just had a quick question - sorry I haven't had time to read the whole thread, as it's probably been answered......

I want to freeze lasagne, but not sure at which stage to do it. I make a few different variations, but always assemble the lasagne with uncooked pasta (and the other parts cooked). Should I freeze it at this point, or cook first so the pasta is cooked before I freeze it?
I was initially wondering how it might affect the taste/texture, but also the main purpose at the mo is that it's easy/quick to reheat (I'm expecting in just less that 2 weeks and OH is a bit challenged in the kitchen dept!)

I don't usually bake the lasagne before freezing it, I just layer it up and freeze it as it is because I have found in the past that even part cooking it means that the top is over done before the middle is piping hot. Saying that, I cook mine in the oven. If you're planning to reheat it in the microwave then that shouldn't be an issue.

If I am reheating a defrosted lasagne then I defrost it fully overnight and cook it in the oven at 180 degrees until its piping hot.

There's an earlier thread with tips and afvice on freezing and defrosting lasagne that should help:

Lasagne - freezing and defrosting questions

Pink

Edit, just read your last sentence. If you are doing it for one person, then I'd cook it, but make it wetter than usual as once cooled, frozen and reheated it can be a little bit dry.

Carcluster

There are several occasions when I give the freezer a good stock up. When the fridge seems to be full of a load of stuff that can't stay fresh until I get around to it in an organised manner: then its pasta sauce time - steaming loads of veg into different categories and making some neutral and the other half with some chilli.
The other occasion is when there are some good 2 for 1 deals on either Indian or Oriental sauces, in which case I usually bulk them up with more vegetables, and a bit stock with some curry powder and this usually makes at least a couple more servings to freeze and have on a later occasion. I'm a veggie so add to the above quorn or soya mince. Can't advise on cooking/freezing meat first hand!

spaghetti_monster

Thanks for that Nuatha and Pink (I'll have a look at the other thread)- and also to everyone else for all the good ideas about storing/packing stuff.

We just got our first proper freezer (rather than a compartment), so now enjoying stocking it up!

[Deleted User]

My freezer is my best friend, apart from my slow cooker:) and I would think there is very little that I haven't frozen over the years.I now am retired and live alone so what ever I make I always seem to have left overs which get frozen when cold.
I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and she said that (as she's not that bothered about cooking ) her OH likes a tin of tomato soup but a tin is always too much for him as he only eats about two thirds and she throws the rest away:eek::eek::eek:(she doesn't like soup much )When I said why didn't she bung the rest into a ice cube tray and freeze then out of every 2/3 tins she would have another portion rather than tipping it down the drain (her OH only likes Heinz soups as well:eek:.She thought this was a great idea as she said it does seem a waste .I think she is getting a light bulb moment .Bless her it just hadn't occured to her to save it:rotfl:I would be horrified to throw food away and if its freezable then it get frozen.

Mind you to me buying a tin of soup seems a bit wasteful as soup is such a doddle to make, but different strokes for different folks I guess.
I have some great soup bags that I bought from Lakeland but I think the pound shop sells them as well and a big vat of soup can be portioned and frozen, and in the pouches takes up very little room in the freezer ,especially as when half frozen you can bend them to fit in a small empty part round other stuff in the freezer.My best thing is those white plastic boxes that normally come from take-away shops they hold a great portion one-person size.I can stack them easily inn the freezer as well, half a dozen sheps pies with creamy cheesy mashed topping freeze beautifully and can go from freezer to microwave to be reheated in a fraction of the time it takes to stand and cook it on its own I sometime get home late from looking after my DGS (I am their carer whilst Mum & Dad work) so a quick instant dinner from the freezer is great. I am all in favour of bulk cooking as it does save such a lot of time and money I think

ariba10

IKEA do a pack of double seal bags with two sizes in the pack.

1.2L and 2.5L

Forgotten the price but very reasonable from memory.

forgottendreams

Hello,
I subscribed to this thread ages ago, almost forgot all about it!

I usually only freeze mince based dinners - but looking for a bit of variety.

Often I find you dont get the same quality second time round when you've frozen a meal - wondering what others regard as their Best Freezable Meals?

Linda32

Hi, We regularly freeze meat and potatoe pies, cooked chicken, Sausage casserole or meat and veg casserole all freeze nicely.

Cheese and pasta type things are better with further cheese added. It does look abit odd to say the least when defrosted but the extra cheese does help.

thenanny2die4

Somebody, please help my addled brain...

So, when we moved in here, 14 years ago, the kitchen was a dirt-cheap second hand job, chucked in to sell the house since it had stood empty for so long. We've nursed it along but we're finally in a position to replace it. There's quite a lot of remedial work to do too such as replastering walls after dealing with damp and even the ceiling needs to come down (don't ask ) The upshot is, I'll probably be without proper cooking facilities for a while. I'd love to prepare for this by having homemade ready meals in the freezer to cover maybe a fortnight. These would have to be either microwaveable or suitable for reheating on the logburner. I'm only feeding two; I'm veggie and DH is carnivorous but will eat veggie food sometimes.

I'm looking for simple to reheat recipes and also advice on how best to freeze. Obviously I can't put metal in the microwave so that scuppers my initial thought of using individual meal sized foil containers. I'm sure it's simpler than I'm making it; I just need some common sense knocked into me.