How do I freeze?

I've usually only frozen soups or raw meats, but I want to freeze "casserole" type dishes. I was planning on freezing them prepared, but uncooked. Should I cook them first instead? Also, if it is the prior, then when I'm ready to eat them, do I put them straight from the freezer to the oven and follow the original cooking instructions, or do I defrost and then cook?

(If it helps, the dishes we're doing are: lasagna, hashbrown casserole, broccoli casserole, and chicken potpie. They'll be in smaller dishes too, not big 9X13 dishes.)

Best way I've found to freeze is to go into the keg cooler at the Liquor Barn, that is one COLD cooler.

As far as freezing food goes, try this USDA web article:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Foc ... /index.asp

Beth, I am the freezer queen! For twenty years of my marriage, my ex-husband was in charge of freezer production for Whirlpool Corporation, which at that time was making all of the Kenmore (Sears) freezers as well. We had a minimum of two chest freezers at anytime; I was on first name-basis with the ladies in the Whirlpool test kitchens. However, these days, when I have questions about freezing this is the website to which I turn: http://www.recipelink.com/rcpmenus.html Not only, does it have links to multiple freezer food safety sites, but it also has links to many freezer friendly recipes.

When I make a chicken pot pie to freeze, I only make a top crust, I also skip the potatoes because they often get mushy. If you are going to use potatoes, do not use "bakers" but rather small waxy new potatoes. Finally, I always bake my pot pies without thawing first. FYI, this site has recipes for both lasagna and broccoli casserole: http://www.recipelink.com/mf/8/13807

IMO, the University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/publicati ... x?P=GH1505 has the most practical pointers about preparing to freeze including:

Slightly undercook prepared foods that will be reheated before serving to help avoid overcooking. This is especially important for dishes containing pasta.

and

Cheese or crumb toppings for casseroles should be added when the dish is being heated to serve. If put on before freezing, these toppings become soggy or too dry.

I wish I had known about those two when I first started freezing prepared foods and before I had an "in" to the Whirlpool test kitchens! I had many soggy, overcooked meals before I caught on.

Thanks Gayle! Unfortunately I had just put everything into the freezer when I saw your post. I actually did put cheese on top of a couple of things, so we'll see how that goes. The good news is that nothing will be in there too long. I'm expecting right now, so we did a works worth of food to get us through those first crazy days. So, it will all be eaten in the next week or two! It's a learning experience though, so the tips definitely still help. I'd really love to get it down. It took us about an hour and a half for a week's worth of dishes - if I could do that every week, dinner would be a breeze! Thanks again!

I saw a method in a magazine recently for freezing things in Ziploc bags: put the food in a zip-top bag, and put the bag in an empty cardboard box (cereal, etc.) before freezing. The frozen "cubes" stack neatly together in the freezer.

Great food links Gayle! I book marked them and shared them with my family. Thanks!

Thanks Gayle! Unfortunately I had just put everything into the freezer when I saw your post. I actually did put cheese on top of a couple of things, so we'll see how that goes. The good news is that nothing will be in there too long. I'm expecting right now, so we did a works worth of food to get us through those first crazy days. So, it will all be eaten in the next week or two! It's a learning experience though, so the tips definitely still help. I'd really love to get it down. It took us about an hour and a half for a week's worth of dishes - if I could do that every week, dinner would be a breeze! Thanks again!

Hey Beth, congratulations on the baby to come! My youngest son just turned 6 months May 1st. I also froze food before i had the baby, but I did it a little differently. I cooked chopped up chicken breasts, or halved them, ground beef, rice, beans, then froze each of these things individually. I bought frozen veggies and just sort of threw quick stuff together.

P.S. Enjoy your sleep while you still can!!!

Getting those meals out of the way will be such a help! Our church ladies provided casseroles, veggies, etc for the first week we were home with my daughter. I was hungry all the time and it was so nice to open the fridge and have a variety of quick things to choose from.

There is an article by Mark Bittman in today's NY Times about freezing things that you wouldn't think to put in the freezer. It is very interesting and the accompanying pictures are really cool. Here is a link - hopefully -
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/dinin ... l?_r=1&hpw