Show Keep Keen Thai Freezer Full To make your jour our home freezer pay payoff payoff payoff off you heed need to keep it full thatis that thatIs thatis is full of things good to eat and Md helpful tn In your meal planning and preparation Mrs K Karma arm a p P. P Swindle Davis County Home Agent with Utah State Stale University Extension Services points out COOKED dishes such as meat loaves casseroles casseroles casseroles cas cas- and stews can go into Inlo some of that vacant space When you make these for tor a meal just up the volume so you make enough for several meals and then freeze the extra elra These main dishes can be time time- savers later when you may be particularly busy and unexpected guests arrive FOR TIPTOP quality and economical economical eco eco- use of or freezer space plan your freezing and use of precooked precooked pre pre- cooked main dishes so that they will be In tn the freezer no longer than two to three months However er most of these foods roods if properly proper proper- ly Iy packaged and stored will wUl not suffer serious quality loss if kept up tu to six months After Atter six months' months storage quality often de declines declines declines de- de clines rapidly but the food Is ts still safe to eat To prepare food cook it as you generally would If you were servIng serving serving ing it right away but do not overcook over over- cook Some ingredients such as vegetables and macaroni in main maln dishes that must be overheated for serving are better if slightly underdone for freezing If vegetables vegetables vegetables vege vege- tables and macaroni are well- well d done e before freezing they may maybe maybe maybe be too soft when reheated and mi might ht have a w warmed over taste ADD CRUMB or cheese toppings toppings toppings top top- pings when the food is reheated for tor serving Freeze pastry crusts unbaked for lor more t tender flaky crusts with a fresher flavor navor Cool the food tood Immediately after It Is cooked so you can retain the natural flavor color colot color and tex lex- ture To cool set uncovered pan of food road in Iced or very cold wa water water wa wa- ter change the water to keep it cold WIZEN WHEN THE food lood Is cool put It promptly Into the freezer containers containers con con- of 01 vapor moisture vapor proof proof or moisture vapor vapor e s 1st ant packaging material Pack food lood tightly into the container to re reduce reduce reduce re- re duce the amount of air in the package Choose containers of 01 a size that will store enough for lor forone forone lorone one meal for tor the family Mrs Swindle suggests Most precooked frozen foods can be reheated either In the oven or on top of 01 the range Reheating in the oven takes little of the cooks cook's attention and usually keeps the texture of ot the food better Reheating on top of 01 the range ina in ina ina a double boiler or saucepan Is faster GENERALLY GENERALL Ya IT is better to reheat frozen cooked main dishes without thawing However to transfer the food to one container contain contain- er for reheating you will need to partially thaw the food Do this by placing the package In lukewarm water for a few minutes min min- utes If you thaw food completely before reheating it is best to do this in the refrigerator If H you'd like e some ideas of types of combination main dishes to freeze contact M Mrs rs Swindle and ind ask for Home and Garden Bulletin No 40 prepared by the U. U S S. S Department of Agriculture |