Line casseroles with heavy foil, freeze food in it, then remove from the container, wrap and store in the freezer. When ready to use, peel off the foil, place it in the original casserole dish and heat.
Always wrap anything to be frozen as air tight as you can. Get all the air bubbles out of the package. This can be done by partially submerging the plastic bag in water and sealing close to the article.
Cool cooked food quickly and completely for freezing.
Carefully seal packages and label with date. Use oldest ones first.
When juicing a lemon or orange needed in a recipe, don’t throw away the rind. Peel it with a paring knife (no white membrane) and run in through a grater. Store in plastic containers in the freezer and you will always have freshly grated rind on hand.
To freeze berries, only use firm, ripe berries. Wash thoroughly in cold water and place in freezing containers. Then pour in syrup. Handle them quickly. Make syrup by stirring 1 2/3 cups sugar into 2 cups boiling water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Use more sugar if a sweeter taste is desired. Berries may also be sweetened by tossing washed fruit lightly with about 1/2-1/3 cup sugar per quart. Package and freeze at once; do not wait until you have them all packaged, but freeze a few packages at a time.
Berries may also be frozen whole by placing them on a cookie sheet in the freezer. When frozen, store in plastic bags. These will be quite watery when removed from the freezer, so they should be used in sauces, etc. Do not completely defrost before use.
Melons may be easily frozen by cutting into melon balls or small cubes. Place in containers and cover with syrup. Add 1-2 tsp ascorbic-citrus acid powder for each quart of syrup used. Or, use fresh orange juice, pineapple juice or ginger ale for a different flavor in place of the syrup. Crumple a piece of cellophane on top of the fruit before sealing and freezing. Do not defrost; place in the refrigerator and serve still frosty. Great for winter salads or fruit cocktails.
To freeze fresh vegetables, select mature fresh vegetables. Wash thoroughly and blanch by placing in boiling water and bringing again to a boil. Boil asparagus, green beans, limas, cauliflower and spinach 2 minutes. Boil broccoli 3 minutes; peas 1 minute; corn on the cob 8 minutes; and cut corn 2 1/2 minutes. Submerge vegetables immediately in cold water for 4-5 minutes. Drain and package immediuately for freezing.
Do not freeze salad greens, radishes, tomatoes, celery, cabbage, cucumbers or onions.
Fresh peppers, green or red, and chives are easily frozen by slicing or chopping and storing in plastic bags. When ready to use in casseroles, etc., just take out the number of rings and cut up frozen. Marvelous to have all winter when peppers are expensive when you only need a small amount.
