The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook (10 page)

Freezing Day

Mix Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt. Rub seasoning around the outside of the pork. In skillet, heat oil. Sear the pork on each side for 3–4 minutes until it is golden brown and crispy all around. Remove pork from skillet and put in roasting pan. Deglaze the skillet with the sherry and cola. For instructions on how to deglaze, see sidebar “How to Deglaze.” Pour over roast. Lay strips of bacon across the pork (perpendicular to the length), slightly overlapping. Tuck ends under the pork. Wrap the pan tightly with aluminum foil, tenting it in so it does not touch the bacon. Cook at 375°F for 30 minutes per pound. Remove pork from oven, and pour juices into a bowl to cool. Double wrap the pork tightly with foil, and freeze. Put juice in a freezer bag and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Remove 1 layer of foil from the roast; keep the second layer around the roast and defrost in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours. Once defrosted, put the foil-wrapped pork in a roasting pan and heat for 45 minutes at 325°F, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 170°F. Unwrap the pork and broil on middle rack for about 5 minutes until the bacon is crisped and browned. Let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing. Heat up juices in a saucepan over medium heat for 5–10 minutes, or until desired temperature is reached. Pour over meat, then serve.

PER SERVING

Calories: 561 | Fat: 39g | Protein: 48g | Sodium: 787mg | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fiber: 0g

The Secret to Braising

When browning meat for braising recipes, don't be afraid to turn up the heat. You want a good dark-brown sear that can only come from medium-high heat. You also want to get some well-cooked bits in the pan that will deglaze into a nice sauce, so don't be too quick to turn the meat.

NO DEFROSTING NEEDED!

Freezing Day

In a skillet, brown the ground pork. Drain and crumble the pork so it is in very small pieces. In mixing bowl, mix the cooked pork, cabbage, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and ginger. Mix thoroughly. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. To make the pot stickers, lay a wrapper flat and put about a teaspoon of filling on it. Wet the edges, fold it over, and seal tightly. Flash freeze the pot stickers, and then transfer to freezer bag.

Reheating Instructions

Add 2 tablespoons oil to a skillet. Put frozen pot stickers in the skillet (12 at a time) and cook 5 minutes on one side until golden brown. Reduce the heat to low, add chicken broth, and cover. Let them steam until they soak up most of the chicken broth, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 2–3 minutes until wrappers have shrunk down over filling. Serve with Sesame Ginger Dipping Sauce.

PER SERVING

Calories: 411 | Fat: 18g | Protein: 21g | Sodium: 626mg | Carbohydrates: 41g | Fiber: 2g

Chinese Dumplings

A pot sticker is a Chinese dumpling that can be stuffed with a variety of ground meats and vegetables. When cooked, the dumpling is browned on one side, then simmered in a liquid.

The fruity apple flavor complements the pork chops wonderfully. Serve this with Creamy Leek Soup (Chapter 11) and Dinner Rolls (Chapter 12).

Freezing Day

Core, peel, and slice apples into eighths. Set aside. In the side opposite the bone, cut a pocket in each pork chop large enough for 3 apple slices. Season pork chops with cumin, salt, and pepper. Over medium-high heat in the oil and ½ the butter, sear the pork chops for 3–4 minutes on each side until well browned. Remove the chops from the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Deglaze by adding ½ cup apple juice and scraping loose all the cooked bits that have stuck to the pan and mixing these into the sauce. Add remaining butter. Add apples to the skillet. Cover the apples, turn heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove half of the apple slices to a plate, add remaining apple juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Continue to cook the apples and sauce mix.

Stuff 3 slices or more of the reserved apple into each chop. Mash remaining apples in the sauce mix. Prepare a casserole dish for freezer according to instructions in Chapter 1. Place pork chops in a single layer in dish, pour apple sauce mixture over chops, wrap tightly, and freeze according to casserole dish freezing instructions.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost completely in refrigerator for 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chops in oven and reduce temperature to 325°F. Cook, tightly covered, for 45 minutes.

PER SERVING

Calories: 461 | Fat: 32g | Protein: 17g | Sodium: 652mg | Carbohydrates: 27g | Fiber: 2.5g

Cook Seasonally

Visit your local farmer's market, find out what is in season, and plan your cooking around those foods. Not only will your food be fresh and at the peak of its flavor, but you will able to buy it at a great price and freeze it so you can enjoy it year round.

Use an oven-proof meat thermometer every time you cook, and eliminate the guesswork involved with knowing when your meat is safe to eat. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat before putting it into the oven. You'll know pork is ready once the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Freezing Day

Brown pork loin in 4 tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat for 3–4 minutes per side or until well browned. Reduce to medium-low, add water, and let most of water cook off. Add sesame oil to pan. Cook pork loin 90 seconds on each side and remove to deep baking dish. Mix ginger, garlic, and soy sauce in cup and brush onto pork loin. Cook at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove the pork from oven and cool.

Reduce oven temp to 325°F, place sesame seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Combine honey, brown sugar, cayenne, and soy sauce. Brush on pork and sprinkle with cooked sesame seeds. Put on baking sheet lined with wax paper and flash freeze. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and wrap around frozen pork. Finish wrapping with aluminum foil.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost pork in refrigerator for about 24 hours. Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 20–30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

PER SERVING

Calories: 586 | Fat: 35g | Protein: 34g | Sodium: 1300mg | Carbohydrates: 34g | Fiber: 1g

Fresh tarragon can be used in place of dried tarragon. Use 1 tablespoon of fresh tarragon in place of 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon.

Freezing Day

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, and cook in the hot oil until lightly browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Add the wine, walnuts, cinnamon, and tarragon, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10–15 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink in the center. Remove the pork chops from the skillet, set aside to cool, and freeze. Freeze sauce separately.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost chops and sauce overnight in the refrigerator. Place chops in pan with sauce and cook covered over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until chops are warmed through. Remove the pork chops from the skillet, and keep warm. Add applesauce to the sauce, and heat an additional 5 minutes. Pour sauce over the pork chops and serve.

PER SERVING

Calories: 442 | Fat: 37g | Protein: 20g | Sodium: 47mg | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: 2g

Vary this recipe by adding pieces of chicken with the vegetables on some kabobs, and pieces of pork on other kabobs!

Freezing Day

Peel and devein the shrimp. Cut each onion into eight wedges. On eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the shrimp and vegetables. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp begin to get pink. Remove from heat, cool, and freeze on the skewers by wrapping kabobs in plastic wrap first, followed by aluminum foil.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost shrimp kabobs in refrigerator overnight. Mix soy, honey, and red pepper flakes to make a glaze. Place kabobs on foil-lined tray and coat well with glaze, using all the sauce. Cook for 10 minutes at 375°F. Remove, spoon extra sauce over kabobs, and serve warm.

PER SERVING

Calories: 262 | Fat: 3g | Protein: 26g | Sodium: 496mg | Carbohydrates: 36g | Fiber: 2g

Tips for Grilling Kabobs

When cooking kabobs, try to cut all ingredients about the same size so they cook evenly. If using bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to use. For foods (like shrimp) that can curl on the skewer, it will help to use two skewers inserted parallel to each other.

The honey adds the sweet and the cayenne pepper adds the spice in this recipe. Need more heat? Up the amount of cayenne pepper in the sauce a pinch at a time. Be careful — the heat can really sneak up on you!

Freezing Day

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook in the hot oil until well browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan, cool, and freeze. In a small bowl mix together honey, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Freeze in a freezer bag or Tupperware.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost pork chops and sauce in refrigerator for 12–24 hours. Place the chops in a casserole dish. Pour the sauce evenly over chops. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

PER SERVING

Calories: 459 | Fat: 28g | Protein: 20g | Sodium: 1112mg | Carbohydrates: 32g | Fiber: 0g

When selecting salmon, purchase the freshest fish available. The salmon should smell like the ocean, and should not have a fishy smell.

Freezing Day

In a small bowl, mix together orange juice, zest, honey, and teriyaki sauce. Put salmon in a freezer bag and pour in marinade. Freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost salmon in the refrigerator overnight and discard marinade. Grill over medium heat, skin side down, just until it flakes.

PER SERVING

Calories: 356 | Fat: 9.5g | Protein: 44g | Sodium: 870mg | Carbohydrates: 26g | Fiber: 2g

Want to spice it up? Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to the sauce to add a bit of a kick.

Freezing Day

In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, making a paste. Add garlic, herbs, pepper, olive oil, wine, and juice from clams. Stir for 5 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in clams. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze.

Reheating Instructions

Defrost in refrigerator overnight. Heat over medium-low 5–10 minutes. Cook linguine according to package directions. Toss the linguine with the clam sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.