Make Ahead Freezer Meals - Book Recommendations - Eat Your Books

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#1 Posted : Tuesday, September 20, 2011 10:50:25 PM(UTC)

Any recommendations for a good, healthy make ahead freezer cookbook?  Not just enchiladas and lasagna, but healthier quick meals that can be portioned for office (microwave) lunches or simple dinner for two?  Any feedback would be helpful.  Thanks!

#2 Posted : Wednesday, September 21, 2011 12:28:09 PM(UTC)

I have enjoyed working with the book "Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer 2".  The book is divided into sections:  how do you strategize shopping to benefit from sales;  how to portion and freeze food so it reheats perfectly;  how to prepare each recipe before freezing;  how to freeze (yup, there are different techniques); how to thaw the meal;  and how to prepare it after thawing, including what to add just before serving.


Study the book for logical ways to tweak recipes you already like for freezing.  For example, pork chops can be washed, dried, patted with seasoning and bread crumbs, then wrapped individually in freezer plastic wrap and frozen.  Day of eating, you thaw them, broil and serve.  This breaks down the family packs of pork chops into convenient quantities.  If the price is right, the book also tells how to multiply servings by 3 or 6.  Oddly enough, some recipes do not benefit from simply doing the multiplication, and the book explains that too.


I am considering buying a "chamber vaccum sealer" to improve freezer life on my investment.  I am including a link but have NOT used this particular product.  Freezing gloppy foods is a challenge.


  http://www.qualitymatter...R-VP112&Show=ExtInfo

#3 Posted : Thursday, September 22, 2011 5:48:21 AM(UTC)

Cheri;1895 wrote:


Any recommendations for a good, healthy make ahead freezer cookbook?  Not just enchiladas and lasagna, but healthier quick meals that can be portioned for office (microwave) lunches or simple dinner for two?  Any feedback would be helpful.  Thanks!



You might want to look at 'Frost Bite: everyday food fresh from the freezer' by Susan Austin.  Quite a variety of different ideas from tarts & pies to main dishes for the evening. She's also written another book aimed at feeding children & teenages from the freezer.


Another excellent freezer book that I return to again and again is 'Entertaining on Ice' by Tessa Hayward - wonderful recipes that work every time.  But these probably are less suitable for day to day dinners for two.

#4 Posted : Thursday, September 22, 2011 9:06:16 AM(UTC)

By coincidence (or maybe our Data Manager, Deborah, put it up deliberately) the latest indexed book is Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer.  I don't own the book so can't recommend it personally but it is on 41 Bookshelves so maybe one of the owners can tell us how useful it is.  I just noticed Cheri that you are one of the owners so maybe it's not that useful if you are looking for another one?

#5 Posted : Thursday, September 22, 2011 8:01:19 PM(UTC)

No, I cheated, and put it on my shelf to watch it, once it was indexed...;)  Since Borders just closed in my town, I can't swing by and take a look at it...;(  so, I thought I would at least review the recipes via EYB.  It gets pretty good reviews on Amazon, and I would like to possibly purchase, but was looking for some feedback from folks that have actually used it or others.I am intrigued by SWS's idea for "Frost Bite" and will check that out too.


I love the fact that I can throw this out there and get some ideas!  Just another benefit from the site!  Again, thanks.

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