7 Essential Ingredients You Need in Your Freezer
Whether you're entertaining, or just trying to get dinner on the table fast, keeping these frozen gems on hand will make your life easier.
Photo By: Armando Rafael Moutela ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved 2014, Cooking Channel, LLC All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Saddako
Photo By: Armando Rafael Moutela ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved 2014, Cooking Channel, LLC All Rights Reserved
Pie Crust
Especially key during the holidays, "pie crust is the first thing I'd hack, since it can be time-consuming and fussy to prep," says family cooking blogger Erin Chase. The nice thing about a pie is that you can even make the whole thing ahead of time and freeze it unbaked, then simply throw it in the oven when you need it. Most stores stock frozen pie crusts in sheet form that you roll out yourself or ones that come preformed.
By Nicole Cherie Jones
Frozen Veggies
Marinated (or Precooked) Meat and Seafood
Frozen Fruit
Puff Pastry
Another entertaining must, this freezer shortcut can be used to whip up all kinds of elegant-looking hors d'oeuvres like cheese puffs and straws or asparagus spirals and pigs in a blanket (you can wrap pretty much anything in this stuff and bake it, and it will turn out delicious). It also makes desserts like fruit tarts and turnovers ridiculously easy. Most recipes can be assembled ahead of time and baked off when you need them. Just be sure to let the puff pastry thaw before using, and remember that it’s easiest to work with when it's chilled.