Most recipes end with instructions to "serve immediately." You could conceivably serve any one immediately but how about putting meals in the deep freeze for prosperity. "Freezing" is the simplest, quickest form of food preservation and its a safe and convenient way to preserve food for months until you're ready to enjoy them.
Busy people especially can benefit from freezing prepared meals, particularly on week days when time is scarce. In the battle to get food on the table in a hurry, your freezer can be your best ally. Main, a home economist and caterer who has written many books concedes that the biggest challenge to preparing and freezing foods for the weeks or months ahead is finding the time and energy to cook in mass quantities.
The recommendation is that you begin slowly, with a few days' worth of meals, then gradually make your way up to building larger food reserves. In no time you'll have a reliable stockpile.
Freezer inventory should consist of a wide mix of meals. In winter, allocate space for soups, stews, and casseroles, but save room for breakfast and lunch items like muffins, bagels and sandwiches.
The freezer also can be a valuable tool in summer, when there's an abundance of fresh produce. Preserving summer harvest presents a unique set of issues, like how to store berries without damaging them or which veggies should be blanched before freezing. Also important is how to package, label items, and organize them in your freezer. Some foods freeze better than others, while others are just not meant to be frozen.
Below is an example of a recipe and sauce that can be frozen and placed in your freezer for future meals.
Meatloaf "Muffins" With Barbecue Sauce
Meatloaf Muffins:
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef,
3/4 cup oatmeal or dry breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs,
1/4 cup wheat bran,
1 can (5.4 oz/160ml) evaporated 2% milk,
1 egg,
1 teaspoon chili powder,
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder,
1/4 teaspoon salt,
1/4 teaspoon black pepper,
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. (190C).
Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
To make the muffins:
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, oatmeal, bran, milk, egg, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Divide mixture evenly among muffin cups (12 cup muffin tin, greased), pressing down lightly.
To make the sauce:
In another bowl, combine ketchup, onion, sugar and, if using, hot pepper sauce. Spoon about one tablespoon sauce over each muffin. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat is no longer pink in center.
To freeze:
Wrap in freezer bags. Seal, label and date. Freeze for up to two months.
To serve:
Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Reheat thawed "muffins" in baking dish at 350 degrees F. (180C) for about 20 minutes or until heated through.
Author: Susan Rutter -- Publisher, Nutritionist, and Instructor who assists patients and the public make healthy choices and changes in their lives. Web Site: Healthy YOUbbies - http://www.geocities.com/healthyoubbies/
Culver prom limo ..There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More
I first learned of Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) in... Read More
The question most people think they need an answer to... Read More
Do you need omega 3 fatty acid in your diet?... Read More
Evidence suggesting that alcohol is "cardio-protective" first appeared in the... Read More
Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every... Read More
Every where you look you see articles or news or... Read More
FOOD (Macro-nutrients)One of the most important aspects of hill walking... Read More
Before we get to honey we have a question from... Read More
In this newsletter we will discuss the current controversy about... Read More
If you or someone you know suffers from rheumatoid arthritis,... Read More
How often do you pick up items at the grocery... Read More
For the executive, maintaining the much-needed balance between career, family,... Read More
Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More
Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? The... Read More
Are you sick and tired of the confusion about our... Read More
Do you allow pleasure from food? Are your senses throughly... Read More
Nutrition usually only comes up when people are finally deciding... Read More
How is it that we can't seem to think that... Read More
I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing... Read More
1. Water. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated. The majority... Read More
Every person on earth has experienced pain at one time... Read More
With today's time constraints, stressful jobs, and "thin is in"... Read More
Today, more than ever, consumers over the age of 50... Read More
Much controversy and argument surrounds the idea that food may... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high fructose corn... Read More
Fruit calories are very healthy as compared to calories in... Read More
Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More
The subject of health care itself often seems plagued with... Read More
I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked... Read More
Images of "protein powder" containers with accomplished bodybuilders on their... Read More
Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More
We sometimes hear about ways that we can take care... Read More
Great news on the chocolate front! Chocolate is good for... Read More
For most people, the concept of capsulized food? usually conjures... Read More
At any grocery store in North America right now, there... Read More
Essential Fatty Acids are oils, omega-3 and omega-6, that you... Read More
Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every... Read More
Nutrition facts have become a part of everyday life because... Read More
Fat burning compatible foods seem to be a popular topic... Read More
Unfortunately, the words "diet" and "cheating" go hand in hand.... Read More
Copyright ? 2004 priya shah Glutathione, the body's... Read More
The above foods contain high antioxidant capacity. These foods were... Read More
Headlines:Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with... Read More
Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More
Toxic metals exist in our environment as pollutants in our... Read More
Because all of us have been brought up eating junk... Read More
Most recipes end with instructions to "serve immediately." You could... Read More
You can eat whole flax seeds but you need to... Read More
Nutrition |