A well-stocked freezer is a thing of beauty

A trip to the warehouse club can be a dangerous thing if you own a chest freezer.  One moment you’re innocently walking down an aisle buying a package of toilet paper, and the next thing you know– you have a 48-pack of mini quiche sitting in your deep freezer.  How long has it been there? When did you even buy it?!?! And who will take the blame when it’s sitting there taking up space two years from now? It’s time to shape up that freezer and ship out what you know you’ll never eat.

I’m proud to say that our deep freezer was one of the most exciting purchases during my foray into domesticity.  Visions of well-labeled canisters of homemade soup, packets of meat, and frozen vegetables danced in my head. Never again would I need to worry about what to make for dinner– it would all be sitting in my freezer just waiting to be defrosted. However, in order to have dinner at your fingertips, you’ve gotta have the basics and a little something exciting to make you actually WANT to cook dinner.

To kick things off in this season of snow and ice, I present to you Kathleen’s list of Top Five Items to Get in your Freezer Right Now! If you have these on hand, you’ll never end up reaching for that take-out menu.  I swear by all five of the following items, and for the record– they’re all sitting in my chest freezer at this very moment.

5.  Spinach

We all know the story– the dark greens are good for us. If you don’t have it right now, get yourself one of those frozen spinach blocks (or two) and plop them into your freezer. Why? Aside from the nutritional benefits, spinach will liven up and make a one-note dish more colorful. Just defrost for a few minutes, squeeze out as much water as possible, and add it to soups, jarred pasta sauce, and dips. Mix it with ricotta and bam! You’ve got the filling for stuffed shells or cannelloni.  Mix with sour cream and mayo for a great dip. You could even just serve it warm as a side dish (but we know you’re not going to do that).

*Extra Credit:  Make some room in your freezer for those frozen basil cubes and pesto you made at the end of this summer.

4. Frozen cheese-filled tortellini

If you’re feeling ambitious, you could sit down one evening and crank out some handmade filled pasta. Or you could be like me– wanting to boil water and be done with it.  For as simple as it is, frozen tortellini is a grand staple. Sauted lightly with olive oil and that frozen spinach (#5), it’s a simple and satisfying dinner. Thrown into a soup or broth, and you’ve got something that will easily stave off a winter chill. Marinate some overnight in salad dressing and skewer with tomato and mozzarella cubes– and you have a simple and elegant appetizer. As an added bonus, you’ll always have something on hand to whip up for that surprise vegetarian dinner guest or picky nephew. If you’re feeling really experimental, try topping a salad with chilled, cooked tortellini instead of croutons.  I’m a fan.

*Extra credit:  If you can find frozen pumpkin ravioli, stock up. It’s one of those “impress your friends with an easy entree” items.  Saute with brown butter and sage, add a little crumbled Italian sausage (#2), and you’re good to go.

3. Frozen Peas or Corn

Don’t laugh.  It’s a sad day indeed when I realize that we’re out of frozen peas.  I’ll let you check out Beth’s amazing corn salsa if you need extra reason to stock up on some kernels.  Aside from instant faux ice packs when you’ve got a splitting headache, these two veggies are incredibly versatile when you’re looking to spice up your dinner. Just thaw (no need to boil) and add to your dinner salad when all you have is a head of iceberg. Add peas to alfredo or to my incredible artery-clogging, bacon-tastic carbonara (coming soon to DP!) for a splash of color.  Puree with some salt and pepper for an easy dip.

*Extra credit:  We also keep a stock of frozen edamame (soybeans), both shelled and unshelled.  The shelled ones just need a little hot water and salt to make a great appetizer or pea replacement.

2. Italian sausage

Everyone has frozen ground beef in their freezer– I think it might even be issued with the purchase of a chest freezer.  But how inspiring are those little balls of freezer-burned beef? Not very.  I like to purchase Italian sausage (still in casings) and freeze portioned packets of two links each. Once defrosted, it’s easy to pull the casing off, and you’ve got a great way to spice up your dinner. Try mixing in Italian sausage with ground beef for burgers or meatballs. Brown some and add to your frozen tortellini (#4).  Or just keep in the casing and fire up the grill.  I normally have both mild and spicy links on hand for variety.

*Extra credit: This might sound a little lame coming from someone who likes to cook, but do yourself a favor and buy frozen mini meatballs (I like the ground turkey ones, myself). Yes, it’s lazy. However, knowing all you have to do is heat them and serve gives you a lot of options in the kitchen. Add to pasta for an easy dinner. Add to a broth with a few noodles for a soup. Add some sauce and you’ve got a sandwich, or throw into a slow cooker for an easy party appetizer.

and for my absolute staple in the freezer….. (drumroll, please)

1. Bacon!

To know bacon is to love bacon– at least when it comes to adding flavor and variety to your cooking repertoire.  Perhaps you already have the beloved breakfast meat in your freezer, so I’ll be a little more specific. During your next grocery trip, pick up a package or two and immediately slice each 1lb slab into four chunks (each which conveniently fit well in a quart freezer bag).  The next time you’re looking for a bit of extra flavor, pull out a bag. This amount of bacon easily defrosts right in the pan, and you’re already on your way to a fancy mac ‘n’ cheese or rich carbonara.  I’ll often pull out a package just for an easy breakfast addition or something extra to throw into a dip. My personal favorite is to fry up a little bacon, and use some of the drippings to saute fresh brussel sprouts.  I’ve even used it to infuse vodka and create a surprising brownie– but those are recipes for sharing on another day.

*Extra credit: If you’re feeling really adventurous, pick up a small package of pork belly.  This can be just as easily diced up and added to give a little more heft to a pasta or really liven up a salad. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be on a competitive cooking show in order to cook with this luscious ingredient.

What food items do you lean on when it comes to heating up dinner ideas? We want to hear! In the meantime, happy defrosting!

When we were engaged, my husband and I registered for the Cuisinart Duet, a combination food processor and blender. Beyond making frozen beverages, I had no idea what I would use these small appliances for, but I registered for them because it was the thing to do and they seemed potentially useful. While unpacking our shower gifts, I thumbed through the enclosed recipe booklet and was surprised to see that many recipes called for the blender, including salad dressings and (Mike’s favorite!) salsa. Thinking that Mike would be equally interested, I shared the news with him: “Guess what? We can use our blender to make more than just frozen margaritas!” Mike responded with “Like frozen daiquiris?” While I ended up using the food processor to make salsa, I often remember this exchange and smile.

We go through lots of salsa in our house. Not only does my husband love it, we often serve it as a simple appetizer when friends visit for dinner. While I think there are plenty of excellent jarred salsa, homemade salsas remain my favorite. I started making this particular salsa a few years ago based upon a Chili’s salsa copycat recipe. Over time, I’ve modified it to suit our particular tastes. That’s the beauty of salsa: it’s completely customizable, super-easy to make and almost impossible to run.

Now go grab your food processor or blender, a bag of chips and maybe even a frozen margarita!

Cumin & Lime Salsa

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomatoes and green chilies
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can whole canned tomatoes (plus the juice)
1 tbsp jalapeños chopped (I use more)
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 – 2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp sugar

1. Pulse japapenos and onions in food processor.
2. Add both cans of tomatoes, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, lime juice and sugar.
3. Process all ingredients until well blended, but do not puree.
4. Place in covered container and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

I had been wanting to try my hand at tomatillo salsa for quite some time, but was unable to procure fresh or canned tomatillos at several local, suburban grocery stores. Last week while perusing the fresh produce, I excitedly spotted the small husked tomatillos alongside the vine-ripened tomatoes and assorted hot peppers. My purchase caused quite a stir at the front end, as it took awhile for several cashiers to come up with the correct produce code. Apparently my local Stop and Shop doesn’t move large volume of tomatillos.

Now that I had the produce in hand, I had to settle on a recipe. After looking over several recipes to get a general idea of standard ingredients and preparations, I settled on this recipe from on allrecipes.com. I was pleased with how quickly the salsa came together. While the tomatillos were cooking, I chopped and measured the rest of the ingredients into the food processor work bowl. Less than a minute after removing the tomatillos from the stove, the salsa was done.

I will definitely be making this again. The salsa had a tart fresh tang, with an aromatic hint of garlic. Just add chips and a frosty margarita and you have a perfect Mexican-inspired snack.

Tomatillo Salsa

1 pound tomatillos, husk and stem removed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 tbsp lime juice (juice of 1/2 lime)

1. Place husked, washed tomatillos in a saucepan. Fill the pan with enough water to cover the tomatillos and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until tomatillos are soft.
3. Transfer tomatillos to the work bowl of a food processor. Reserve cooking water in case additional water is needed to thin the salsa.
4. Add remaining ingredients onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, oregano, cumin and salt) and process until smooth. If salsa is too thick, add small amounts of cooking water until desired consistency is reached.

I do not like tomatoes. While I love the taste of tomatoes, I won’t touch anything that resembles a fresh tomato. As you might imagine, this limits my options for fresh salsas. Enter corn salsa. When I tried it at Chipotle, it was love at first bite. It’s crisp, fresh, flavorful and contains no trace of tomato.

Inspired by my love of Chipotle’s corn salsa, I set out to create a reasonable approximation at home. When I first started making the salsa, I used this recipe from About.com as my guide, but now I just eyeball all of the ingredients. This is a non-particular recipe that can be easily adjusted to suit individual preference. I can safely say that I use more jalapeno, cilantro and onion than called for in the original recipe.

You can certainly use frozen corn to make this salsa, but it tastes even better with fresh, native corn stripped from the cob. When I use fresh corn, I boil a few ears as if I were going to serve it and then slice the kernels from the cob. The fresh corn lends a crisp sweetness to the salsa.

I’m growing jalapeno peppers this year, as well as cilantro. The starter pepper plants look good, as long as the squirrels leave the tiny peppers alone! I started the cilantro from seed, and it just sprouted a few days ago. Every few weeks, I plan to sow a new batch of cilantro so I will have a continuous supply. By the time my favorite farm stand is selling their native corn, I hope to have jalapenos and cilantro from my garden to use in this salsa!

Since it’s so easy to put together, this salsa has become a summer staple in my household. It’s delicious as an accompaniment to corn chips, or grilled meats. In face, it complements tequila lime chicken beautifully. However you sever it, this corn salsa is simple, fresh and flavorful.

Corn Salsa

2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed (2-3 medium ears of fresh corn)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (juice of one lime)
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
3. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

My husband and I are big fans of salsa. He’s been known to eat it by the spoonful, and his college roommates like to tease him about a time he ate an entire jar in one sitting. Needless to say, it’s hard to keep enough of it in the house.

This recipe for homemade salsa from Annie’s Eats is delicious and easy to make. With minimal effort, you can create flavorful, restaurant-style salsa at home. Using the food processor simplifies prep work, as you only need to rough chop the vegetables before processing them. I’m also submitting this post to the Tasty Tools: Food Processor blogging event hosted by Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

My food processor is pretty small, so I had to work on this recipe in two separate batches. I processed the first 8 ingredients, and then removed half of the pureed mixture from the work bowl. Next, I added half of the fresh vegetable and herbs to the food processor, pulsing as instructed. Once the first batch was done, I moved onto the second.

The only jalapenos I could find were on the larger side, so I only used one. Next time, I’ll probably add about 50% more to increase the heat a bit. I opted to drain the diced tomatoes to prevent the salsa from becoming too watery.

The resulting homemade salsa isn’t chunky, but it has noticeable bits of vegetables. It’s is fresh and spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. After serving this to company last night, we have plenty of tasty salsa left over. It’s out mission to finish consuming the batch this week!

My Favorite Salsa
from Annie’s Eats

Yields 4 cups

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, halved
juice of one lime
1 (28 0z.) can diced tomatoes (drained or not, depending on how much liquid you want in your salsa)
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes
1/2 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the jalapenos and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add all other ingredients to the food processor. Pulse in very brief pulses until the vegetables have reached the size you desire (it does not take many pulses so don?t overdo it). Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Meaghan sent me the recipe for her quick and easy Cheesy Nacho Dip. The creaminess of the cream cheese blends quite nicely with the spice of the salsa. It’s a breeze to put together and is quite the crowd-pleaser. This dip can be assembled in advance and heated immediately before serving. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Cheesy Nacho Dip

8 oz. block of cream cheese
8 oz. bag of shredded cheese
one jar of salsa.

1. Spread the cream cheese across the bottom of a glass pie plate.
2. Spread your desired amount of salsa on top of the cream cheese.
3. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the salsa.
4. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

This Chicken Taco salad has become one of my new favorite lunches. As you may have gathered from my previous postings, I’m a big fan of Mexican flavors. This isn’t so much of a recipe as it is a quick and easy meal idea.

The chicken taco salad is simple, tasty and filling. I use baked chicken that’s been seasoned with cumin, chili powder and garlic powder and drizzled with a small amount of fat-free Italian dressing. The salad can be served hot or cold. Since I usually use frozen corn, I like to lightly saute the corn, beans and onion before plating the salad. Any salsa will work, but I prefer to use one that’s not very chunky. My current favorite is Archer Farms’ Organic Chipotle Picante-Style Salsa, available at Target.

Chicken Taco Salad

Yields 1 salad

2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup corn
1/4 black beans, drained and rinsed
chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
1 tbsp shredded Mexican cheese
salsa

1. Shred lettuce.
2. Saute beans, corn and onion in small amount of olive oil or cooking spray.
3. Top lettuce with vegetables, chicken, salsa and cheese.