Cooking for the Freezer..

squeaky

*flutterby* wrote:

Great thread as I have the same questions as icklepeach...

Can pastry be frozen cooked? It particular puff pastry?

Yes sure, no problem

LizD_2

December Prima magazine has a feature on freezer cooking.

gargoyle

Next weekend I'm planning on spending a couple of days cooking for the freezer. OH does the main meals so I need to focus on snack items. I was thinking sausage rolls, cornish pasties, mini pizzas etc. I've had a look on t'internet but can only find complicated affairs. Has anybody got any ideas for simple straightforward recipes I could do? Also does anyone use sweetener as a replacement for sugar when making cakes? Is it the same quantities? Thanks.

Sharra

Pastry recipe half fat to flour e.g. if you make 12 oz pastry - use 8 oz flour and 4 oz marg/lard. Rub fat into flour (or whizz in food processor). Add very cold water slowly until its the right consistency. I use wholemeal flour and chuck in half a tspn of baking powder - tastes much better than plain white flour.
You can use this for suasage rolls, pasties etc.
I make veg pies by mixing chopped up about 1lb potato, carrot, onion, swede, parsnip (whatever rooty type veg you have in), add about 4oz cheese, tspn sage, salt n pepper, and a dash of oil. Use this for filling.
Chuck in the oven at about 180C and cook for about 45 mins (I think) or until the pastry is done. You can make individual pasties by cutting pastry out round a saucer, putting a spoonful of veg mix in the middle and folding pastry over and sealing.
These would take less time to cook (I think about 30 mins but I haven't made them for ages so I'm not sure).
These are nice hot or cold.

Addiscomber

gargoyle wrote: »

Also does anyone use sweetener as a replacement for sugar when making cakes? Is it the same quantities? Thanks.

Not all sweeteners can be cooked with. I have only found Splenda or fructose. If you use splenda you do not use the same weight, and you will end up with slightly less volume ie a smaller cake. I suggest that you look at the cooking tips on their website http://www.splenda.co.uk/index.htm

Pink.

Hi gargoyle,

A snack I make that freezes well and can be eaten either hot or cold is this:

Puff pastry (shop bought as I can't make it) rolled and cut into 7 or 8 inch squares.

Spread the square lightly with a little English mustard (optional).

Add some ham/onion/chopped bacon/chopped sausages or whatever you like really to the centre of the square.

Mix some grated cheese with a little cream and add a dollop on top.

Fold each corner of the square into the middle so it almost covers the filling.

Brush the pastry with beaten egg or milk and cook on a greased baking tray at 190 degrees until the pastry is done.


For sausage rolls, again I use ready made puff pastry.

I add some mixed herbs, black pepper and very finely chopped onion to sausage meat. Mix well.

Roll out the pastry.

Roll the meat mixture into a sausage shape.

Wrap in the pastry, keeping the join underneath.

Cut to the size you want.

Make slits in the top of each roll and brush with beaten egg.

Cook on a greased baking tray at 200 degrees until the pastry is cooked and brown.


Soup is another great snack meal. Let me know if you want some recipes and I'll post the links for you on this thread

Pink

gargoyle

Yes please Pink.

Queenie

I make calzones for the freezer - basically circles of bread dough, dollop of whatever filling (ham/cheese; left over bolognaise sauce; left over chilli etc) fold over so you end up with a half moon shape and bake. Cool and freeze. They can be eaten cold (after defrosting :laugh: ) or reheated in the oven.

A variation on sausage rolls are sausage spirals using sausages and thin strips of pastry; coil the strips of pastry around the sausage in a spiral. Bake on a baking tray for 25mins (Gas 6 or equivalent). Flash freeze by putting the baking tray into the freezer when the spirals have cooled and when firm, pack in your chosen container. Defrost room temp for about an hour. Can be reheated for 10 - 15mins.

How about curry hot dogs? You need equal number of skinless sausages or frankfurters and thinly sliced bread, butter mixed with a spoon of curry powder. Roll your slices of bread very thinly and spread with curry butter then roll up the sausage in the bread. Brush with melted butter. Freeze at this stage.
Bake 30 - 35mins on a baking sheet Gas 6 or equivalent.
Doesn't have to be curry flavoured. You could mix your butter with mustard if you prefer.

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

Im needing some help please

Id like to know what people think of the best way of freezing things for the freezer - reason being - some of you may remember my bf was put forward for a lens transplant - well his operation is on monday and id liek to have a few things in the freezer ready to heat up as and when i get a few minutes because im going to be his primary carer, not to mention i have our 3 year old son to care for and our dog, not to mention payign all the bills etc so im not goign to get alot of time to cook adn i tend not to eat until little one is in bed anyway - gone 7.30 so id like somethign i could bung in the microwave adn be happy with.

So does anyone have any ideas on
a) things that freeze well?
b) tasty things i could make?
c) how long i can freeze them for

Ive already planned to mkae soup tomorrow and have lots of mince so i think a shepherds pie might be in order but any other ideas as i can see us gettign fed up of these pretty quick


Thank you in advance

lil_me

First hope the op goes well. My main batch cooks are

Bolognese sauce which can be made in to lots of things, spag bol (of course)baked potato/chip topping, lasagne etc, spiced up to go into burritos for mexican style food or spiced up and throw in a can of kidney beans for a chilli cheat.

Chilli, use it to fill pitas, with rice, chips, baked spuds etc

Mince in gravy, rather than making a shepherds pie I batch cook the mince in gravy with onions etc (and part substitute with soya) use it for shep pie, mince in yorkshires, mince and dumpligs (usually pop the dumplings in towards the end and cook them with it) pies etc Sometimes add veg aswell.

Curry, another easy one, leftovers ge thrown into usually a chicken curry.

Stew, plenty of veg and some steak/lamb/chicken. Another flexible as to what to do with it.

Joint of meat, usually beef, sliced after cooking and frozen in gravy for a quick addition to a dinner

As you can see I prefer to make the main part then be as flexi as possible with what to go with it, saves me getting bored. I make them all in the SC which is 6.5l one so usually make a lot at a time.

As for how long to freeze for, I would say roughly I use them within 3 months.

Other good handy things I find for busy times, made up pasta salads, quiche (with salad or chips usually) anything I can put in a tortilla/pita.


With the other things, I find direct debits much easier to manage especially as a carer with a lot of appointments etc to attend.