Cook & Freeze

Book excerpt: Imagine opening your freezer to find it filled not with the usual boxed entrees and frozen burritos, but with wholesome, flavorful, and family-pleasing foods that look and taste homemade-because they are! Dana Jacobi's strategic approach to weeknight cooking is the key to cooking half as much and eating twice as well, with a soup-to-nuts menu of dishes that can be cooked to eat now and later. In Cook & Freeze, Dana explains everything from the logistics of freezing and the proper use of storage containers and materials to the best approach for preparing, freezing, or defrosting several dishes at one time. All of her recipes, which run the gamut from classic American favorites to Asian, Italian, and Mexican specialties, have been carefully selected to reheat with all of their delectable flavors intact, and they are fully annotated with freezing, thawing, and reheating instructions. Dana also notes which dishes are great for a crowd or quick to defrost. Dishes like her savory Salmon and Mushroom Pot Pies, or fluffy, perfectly sweet Orange Blossom Cupcakes can easily be frozen as individual portions, which is extremely useful for those cooking for one or two or making food to share with others. Best of all, every recipe in Cook & Freeze is made without the preservatives and other additives commonly found in commercially prepared frozen foods, providing superior flavor and nutrition at a fraction of the cost. With Dana's tips, techniques, and fresh, flavor-filled dishes that your family and friends won't believe were ever frozen, you will learn how to have satisfying meals at the ready every day of the week.