Fabulous Freezer Food: The Potato Plan
By Wanda A. Carter
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General freezing instructions:
As always when you're stocking your freezer, proper preparation is key or all your hard work will be for naught. Wrap everything well, getting out as much air as possible. Use freezer wrap, freezer containers, freezer bags, etc. If you use supplies not designed for the freezer (like storage bags) they will not protect your food as well. Label everything. Even though you're sure you'll remember what it is, in 3 months when you pull a solid chunk of something out of the freezer with no label, you'll be serving pot luck for supper. On the label, include the date you froze it, the name of the dish, any reheating and serving instructions you will need, and anything else you think you'll need to know. I include nutritional information on mine. Place the label on the outside of the bag or container before you place the food in it; most labels will not adhere properly if done after the food is placed in the bag.
For things like the loaded potatoes, twice-baked, fries, wedges, potato pancakes, etc., I flash freeze. Commercial food producers flash freeze their products to maintain the best possible quality. They place their finished products in a super cold freezer that will freeze them solid in a matter of a few minutes. That's where the term actually originated. freezers can't manage that so we improvise. Place each item on a cookie sheet, making sure there is space between them, and place in the freezer until they are frozen solid (a minimum of several hours for most things). Then you can either place them in a freezer bag without further wrapping or you can wrap them individually before placing them in the bag. Either way, you can remove just the number of servings you want. Manufacturers call it IQF (Individually Quick Frozen).
For casserole type dishes there are several ways to freeze. If you freeze it before baking, it can be placed in a large freezer bag and frozen. You can bake the casserole, cut in serving pieces, freeze, wrap, and bag. You can leave the casserole in the dish (either cooked or uncooked), wrap well, and freeze. You can line your baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, fill, freeze, pop out of the dish, wrap, and return to the freezer.
For mashed potatoes and soups, divide into meal-sized portions, place in a labeled freezer container or bag, and freeze.
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Wanda is a member of Menus4Moms Yahoo group and has been bulk cooking for years.