Hey plllog! Welcome to the CF! You were one of the many people in the Kitchen Forum that helped me out with my remodel, I'm so glad you're so close to getting to play in your new kitchen!

I don't do much freezing of individual servings, but when I do I use aluminum tins or pie plates and either double wrap them or use the vacuum sealer. I love my vacuum sealer, but for some reason I use it more for pantry goods than freezing. You may see if you can find trays or tins at a restaurant supply store...

Don't have any great ideas for you, but wanted to welcome you to the CF!

Bri

Welcome and may your new kitchen be graced with wonderful meals that bring joy.

With only two people in our house (ok four if you count the dog and cat that think they are people) and working full time, I often prepare double and freeze for another night. I would be lost without my sealer. No freezer burn, no ichy freezer taste. If you do a search either here or over at Harvest, you will find lots of tips and tricks on freezing foods/meals.

My tip on the vac bags is to freeze the items first in a contianer, pop it out, then wrap in those thin produce bags, the ones you normally throw out, then seal. It keeps the bags cleaner for re-use after a washing, and it helps make for a better seal. No liquids can get to the sealing area, so it melts shut better.

I just wanted to say welcome! Congrats on the completion of your new kitchen and we would love to see pics and I wish oyu years of happiness and great meals.

Alexa

I've used a FoodSaver for over 20 years and it's been wonderful for using for the things you are wanting to do. Your food can easily be divided into small portions, and they keep much longer without freezer burn or ice crystals destroying them in the freezer.

I make all kinds of things and divide them into 1 or 2 serving portions - sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce, taco meat, stroganoff, soup, stew, chili, pre-cooked hamburger... I quick-freeze them in plastic containers. As soon as they are frozen I pop the contents out of the containers. Stack the food "bricks" and seal them in a FoodSaver bag. Now I have plastic containers to use for something else instead of taking up space in the freezer.

Yesterday I made a pot of chicken soup. It's now stacked in the freezer in one bag in single-servings.

I especially like to freeze chili in small servings. I can pull out a small portion, reheat it and make a quick taco salad or a topping for a baked potato, as well as a bowl of chili.

I pre-cook meat, quick-freeze it in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then package in a single layer, or small portions, in FoodSaver bags to use for stir-fry or a topping for a dinner salad. I add the same sliced beef/chicken/pork to a wrap for a sandwich.

If you make a small casserole you want to freeze, line the dish/pan with foil (even better, use RELEASE foil so nothing sticks). Quick freeze the item and remove the contents from the dish and store the food in the foil, or vacuum sealed in a FoodSaver bag. Now you have the dish/pan to use for something else and you can place the frozen contents back in the container when you want to bake it.

I only make mashed potatoes a few times a year when I find them on sale - buy one bag, get one bag free. I make Freezer Mashed Potatoes, place them in dollops on a cookie sheet with a large food (ice cream) scoop (or in small plastic containers). Quick freeze them. Then place the dollops or small "bricks" in a FoodSaver bag. Take out what I want and reseal the bag. You can thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, or in a microwave oven, or in a pan on low-heat (with the lid on - add a tiny bit of milk to keep them from sticking to the pan).

FREEZER MASHED POTATOES
5# potatoes (peel if you like, or scrub if leaving the peel)
Cook as you normally would. Drain.
Add: 6 oz. cream cheese, 1 c. sour cream, 1/4 c. butter and mash.

-Grainlady

Welcome, plllog! Congratulations on your new kitchen! I don't have any more good advice than what's already been given, but I just wanted to welcome you to the cooking forum.

Sally

Congrats on the new kitchen and welcome to the Cooking forum!

I also mostly cook for one - and I make my dog's food and freeze it. A Food Saver can be your friend! I freeze pork chops, chicken pieces, hamburger patties, and fish portions on a metal cookie sheet. Then I wrap the individually frozen portions in plastic wrap or wax paper and place 2-4 portions in a Saver bag and vacuum seal the bag. This way the food doesn't actually touch the vacuum bag and the vacuum bag can be reused.

Another cost saving tip: freeze "plops" of tomato paste, mashed chipotle peppers in adobo, pesto, or other highly flavored ingredients that can be used in cooking or sauces. First freeze the plops on a plastic picnic plate, then when frozen, put in heavy freezer zip bags or a Food Saver bag and vacuum seal. Flavored butters can be done this way and frozen in large pats or put in very small plastic sauce containers.

Look at the grocery store for foil mini loaf pans and pot pie pans. I keep these on hand and if used carefully they can be used many times. By freezing in a mini loaf pan first, the brick of frozen food can be easily slightly thawed and popped out just like a big ice cube.

That freezer paper with one side coated is good for large pieces of frozen meat, but for long term storage, the vacuum sealer or Food Saver will be better at preventing freezer burn and deterioration from air getting to the food.

Grainlady is right about freezing chili; I think I prefer it as a topping for a baked potato or taco salad than eating it just by itself. Soupy foods like chicken a la king or beef stew can be frozen (without the potatoes) and topped with quickly made biscuits for a quick, hot meal.

Sometimes I will make taco-flavored ground beef to freeze, but most often I make a recipe of meatballs and keep in the freezer. Here is my favorite recipe:

Freezer Stash Meatballs

3 lbs. lean ground beef
1 cups soft bread crumbs
3 eggs
6 tablespoons minced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl, mix beef, crumbs, eggs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Shape into 11/2-inch meatballs. (A miniature ice cream scoop makes fast work of shaping.)

Arrange in two 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pans. Bake in preheated oven until meat is browned, with no trace of pink and juices run clear, 10 to 13 minutes.

Drain, let cool to room temperature, divide into fourths and freeze each portion in vapor-moisture proof containers. (I use my FoodSaver). Each portion serves 2.

The meatballs can be added to simmering tomato pasta sauce for spaghetti and meatballs, used to make Sweet and Sour meatballs over rice, used to make a meatball sub, added to Swedish meatball sauce and served over noodles, or put in a soup.

You might want to pick up some heavy duty plastic freezer storage bags at the store. And I always advise folks to double wrap any food you are storing in the freezer for long term.

Teresa

Congratulations on your new kitchen and welcome to the cooking forum. I think you will like it here. I came here something like ten years ago and I've never left.

I only have a couple of tips which I haven't seen covered.
I found my vacuum sealer was more trouble than it was worth unless I had large amounts to do at one time. So when I have a small amount, such as two or three pieces of chicken, a steak or various types of ground meat I do this. If it's chicken, steak or pork chops I wrap them airtight individually in a piece of cling wrap, then place in a zipper bag. It will not keep quiet as long as it will in the vacuum sealed bag, but comes in a close second. If it is a ground meat I want to freeze, I first flatten it into a large round so it will thaw quickly, then wrap it airtight the same way and place in a gallon zipper bag.

The other hint I have and probably learned on this forum is if you like cream soups. Cream soups do not freeze well, so I make the soup, sans the cream, freeze in individual portions, then add the cream after thawing when I'm ready to serve. It's the same with soup that has pasta. Make the soup without the pasta and freeze in individual portions. When ready to serve cook the pasta and add to the thawed and heated soup. It really doesn't take long to cook the pasta if you use something quick cooking like orzo.

Good luck with all of your cooking and freezing in your new kitchen.

Beverly

Oh, thank you all for such a warm welcome, and all the tips and recipes!! Yes! There is life after TKO! My kitchen isn't finished yet, though it's getting there. Here's the first public release--the counters and backsplash. The Advantium flashed orders at me until I set its time--not sure that counts as "use". Lots of work is happening this coming week, and I'm moving in despite it, because I'm having 30 people to Saturday Seder in a few weeks, done or not!

I'm convinced about the Food Saver. With all the methods and tricks you've shared thus far I now understand so much more than before. This does sound like the answer to my small portion freezing problem, plus a superior method as well. I'll start searching out more older threads about that, for sure.

I've saved all of your tips about things I'd never even considered like freezing dollops of tomato paste and balls of potatoes and bricks of whatever can be frozen! And wrapping it before sealing. You all make it so clear! It's very different from freezing a whole lasagna or a chicken, or cutting the stock with a hacksaw.

Thank you all again for making me feel so welcome!

JC