5 Make It Now, Freeze It for Later Recipes
by Emily Lee
With ever-mounting homework assignments and after-school activities, who has time to figure out weeknight dinners? A family’s gotta eat, though, and several weeks of takeout and delivery pizzas can get tiresome, not to mention costly. Getting ahead of schedule is key to surviving back-to-school chaos with your wallet (and sanity) in tact, and that’s where your freezer comes into play. Start stockpiling quick, flavorsome and balanced meals to thaw and serve as needed. Soups, stews and casseroles are ideal on those cool evenings that signal the transition from summer to fall. And when they’re stored in airtight containers, these dishes will stay fresh in your freezer for weeks or even months at a time. Here are five freezer-friendly recipes you can count on in the throes of back-to-school madness.
Turkey-and-Artichoke-Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce (Top)
Giada De Laurentiis reinvents this classic casserole with an artichoke-studded ricotta filling and a zesty red sauce that’s got the whole family covered. Once you’ve assembled the shells in your baking dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze up to one month.
Pull off Ellie Krieger’s lighter version of this traditional Italian dish by cooking chicken breasts to tender perfection in a garlicky stew of herbs and wine. Make a double batch so you can enjoy a plate warm, and freeze the rest for later.
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Spinach Lasagna with Mushroom Ragu
This make-ahead, freeze-for-later dish is exactly the kind of comforting meal you’ll want to come home to once the school year begins. Assemble the lasagna and freeze — or make it a day ahead and simply pop it into the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature 30 minutes before baking and you’ll be good to go.
Giada’s stew is quick and easy to prepare because it doesn’t require cooking a whole chicken. Using only chicken breasts cuts down on cook time and prep work. Enjoy a warm bowlful once it’s ready, then freeze the rest for later.
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Make-Ahead Deep-Dish Apple Pie
Make the transition from summer to fall a little sweeter with Food Network Kitchen’s freezer-friendly apple pie. This is the perfect baking project for a weekend afternoon, and best of all, it requires only 30 minutes of prep. When you’re ready for a slice, simply thaw the pie in the fridge overnight, then pop it into the oven right before serving to take the chill off.
Ingredients
Pie Dough:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
¼ cup vodka
3 to 4 tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling:
4 pounds mixed apples, such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and McIntosh
¾ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
¼ teaspoon fine salt
Directions
Special equipment: a deep 9 ½-inch pie pan
For the pie dough: Pulse the flour, 4 tablespoons of the butter, the lard, sugar and salt in a food processor until the mixture has the consistency of a fine meal. Add the remaining 8 tablespoons butter, and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture, and pulse until the dough just comes together. Evenly divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and gently press or pat into rounds. Wrap tightly, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour up to overnight. (The dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
For the filling: Peel and core the apples, then cut them into ½-inch-thick slices. Toss with the sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the firmer apples soften but hold their shape, 15 to 18 minutes. (The softer apples, like McIntosh, will get very soft and saucy.) Add the flour, cinnamon, cream and salt, and stir until the juices thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let cool completely. (The filling can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days ahead.)
To assemble: Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface or between 2 pieces of floured parchment or wax paper. (If the dough gets too warm, refrigerate it to firm it up.) Ease it into a deep 9 ½-inch pie pan. Mound the cooled filling slightly in the center of the dough, and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Roll out the remaining disk of dough into a 12-inch round. Place it over the filling, and press the 2 crusts together around the edge. Fold the overhanging dough under itself, and crimp as desired. Brush the top and edges with heavy cream, and sprinkle generously with sugar. Pierce the top with a knife a few times (or make decorative cutouts) to let steam escape. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
To bake: Position an oven rack in the bottom slot of the oven, set a baking sheet on it and preheat to 425 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet, and lower the heat to 375 degrees F. Bake until the pie is golden and the filling is bubbly, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, rotating as needed. (Cover the edge of the crust with foil if it browns too quickly.) Transfer to a rack, and let cool until set, 3 hours.
Serve the cooled pie, or wrap it tightly in foil, label and date, and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Warm it in a 350-degree-F oven for 20 minutes before serving.
From Food Network Kitchen
Worried about freezer burn or improper food storage? Master the art of fresh freezer dinners with these tips.
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