Things You Can Freeze

Okay, this isn't a recipe, but my neighbors and I have been discussing of late all the things that you can stick in your freezer. Please add to it if you have a trick up your chilly sleeve!

1. Gallons of milk can be frozen. Just pour a little off the top to allow for expansion while freezing. Thaw when you're ready to use it. I've had gallons last three months in the freezer this way. They probably could last longer, I just haven't tried it. When milk goes on sale, I buy several gallons to freeze.

2. Olive and Canola oils. These are convenient to buy in bulk, but don't have the longest shelf life. Stick them in the freezer until you are ready to use.

3. Bread! The day old baked goods at the grocery store, and the Pepperidge Farm outlet on Kenny are two of my favorite spots to visit. I buy a month's worth of bread, bagels, and buns at a time and store them all in the freezer until ready to use. You can toast them for immediate thawing, or just let a loaf sit on your counter for a few hours until its thawed.

4. Fresh herbs. You know all those times you make a recipe that calls for a tablespoon of fresh basil or parsley or whatever? The leftover fresh herbs can be finally chopped and put in your ice cube tray with just a tiny bit of water. As soon as they are frozen, empty the cubes into a freezer ziploc, label and then you just pull out a cube to thaw the next time you need fresh herbs. It works particularly well with soups, sauces, and stews, since you can just throw the cube in without thawing it. For salads, defrost in a separate dish before adding.

Microwave Granola

I make about 5 batches of this every few weeks. It is a staple at our house. We like it much better than store-bought cereal and you can use food storage to make it. If you have a big enough pan, you can double the batch. I just extend cooking times by a minute or so in each place to accommodate. I love that this is made in the microwave, so it is faster than the oven. It is also versatile. I add extra of the things I like and skip it if I don't like it.

3 c. oats (quick or old-fashioned)
1/3 c. wheat germ
1/3 c. shredded coconut
1/3 c. sesame seeds (I actually skip these, my sister says flax seeds are good in it)
1/3 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans because I have them from my parents, but walnuts are good and I have also used either of these with almonds)
1/3 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. oil or melted butter or margarine
1/4 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. raisins

1. Place oats in ungreased 2 qt. dish. Cook in microwave on full power for 2 1/2 minutes (3 if double-batch).
2. Add wheat germ, coconut, sesame seeds, nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon to oats. Stir to blend.
3. Add oil, honey, and vanilla to dry ingredients. Toss lightly until coated. Cook in microwave on level 7 for about 6 minutes, stirring twice (I do 3 3-minute cookings for double)
4. Add raisins. Cook on full power for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Press granola firmly against bottom of dish. Cool. Break into pieces and store in tightly covered container. (I usually do the 2 minutes or sometimes 3. I like my granola fully dried out and toasted. You do have to watch out for hot spots in the middle, cause it can burn.)

Enchilada-Style Burritos

Okay, Natalie. Here's one that you asked for. It was probably so long ago that you don't remember asking me about it. So great! We love these.

2 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 (20 oz.) can refried beans
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin

Cook hamburger and onion until done. Drain. Stir in beans and spices. Place 1/3 c. meat mixture into flour tortilla. Roll and place in a 9x13 pan (with a little bit of sauce on the bottom). Pour sauce over filled burritos. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Makes 2 pans.

Sauce:

1 cube butter or margarine
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. mild chili powder
4 c. milk
1 (20 oz.) can enchilada sauce
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter. Stir in flour. Add other ingredients. Cook to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Follow instructions above.

Cranberry Muffins

Brooke, here's the other one. I have only made these once, but they turned out great. I also didn't have plain yogurt and used vanilla instead.

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/3 c. orange juice
4 Tbsp. melted butter or magarine
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. grated orange rind
2 c. cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400*. In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together yogurt, orange juice, melted butter or margarine, egg, vanilla, and grated orange rind. Blend dry and liquid ingredients by hand until just moist. Fold in chopped cranberries. Pour into greased or paper-lined muffin pans 3/4 full. Bake at 400* for 18 to 22 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

Brooke, here's the recipe you asked me for. Sorry it's taken me so long to get it here.

1/2 c. butter of margarine, softened
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
1 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add molasses, egg, and pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, soda, and salt. (I usually skip the separate mixing and just add all the dry ingredients to the wet. Now you know what a sloppy cook I am. I just don't need the extra bowl to wash!) Add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling them 3/4 full. Bake at 400* for 18 minutes. Yield: 16 muffins.