The strawberry vodka we made (with the fine Popov brand of vodka) is a beautiful, clear red and has a strong strawberry flavor. We mixed it with tonic water (we're V&T fans anyway) and a generous splash of lime, very tasty. We also put a splash into glasses of both pinot grigio and cheap champagne and it was also mighty tasty. We're not martini drinkers, but a friend who is had me make her half strawberry vodka and half regular vodka (some Stoli we had kicking around), iced it down well and added fresh lime and that was also good. We kept the mashed strawberry mixture in there a good month, and shook it up every couple of days, then strained it out and let the vodka cure. Also used the leftover mashed berries with vodka in a frozen vodka daiquiri, and that was STRONG, but good. We have a little left and it's just in the plastic Popov Vodka bottle but next year we have plans to make more and use it as gifts, so we will also be on the hunt for good looking bottles. I was also thinking about making pineapple rum, maybe kinda sorta Captain Morgan-esque? Good luck, all- sandyponder

I have frozen deli meat on occasion. The 'real' meats--store baked turkey breast or store-roasted beef seem to do better. Dried beef works out great. The stuff that's been mixed up with fillers and re-formed, then sliced seems to have texture problems when defrosted, I find. I only freeze that for the cats--they don't seem to mind, LOL. A suggestion, though--why not just buy what you need? the deli will sell you a half a pound, a quarter of a pound. I've even--on occasion--asked for 3-4 slices of something if I only wanted one sandwich. Deli meat is so much better fresh, both texture and taste-wise.

I keep a couple of jars of Classico spaghetti sauce in the pantry for things like that. My favorite ready to heat spaghetti sauce for sandwiches is by Lucca in the frozen food section. With meatball sandwiches the provolone and the bread is what I'm picky about.

Sounds delicious. I have the ingredients and cold smoked salmon but have my head set on salmon BLTA's. Salmon on a BLT with avocado. I'm thawing out one of the last two packages of garden tomatoes from last season. Do you puree yours? I think i would need to.