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lucillle

Floof: Favorite frozen leftovers

2 years ago

I had defrosted, heated eggplant parmigiana for lunch and it was really good. I like to cook but not every day, so sometimes I make extra and freeze for future lunches/dinners. Favorites include pasta sauce, and various soups.

What is your favorite frozen leftover?

Comments (23)

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Spaghetti, lasagna, Hamburger Maccaroni, Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder, Ham and beans, seafood lasagna, crawfish etoffee. Almost anything without potatoes. Potatoes do not freeze well.

    lucillle thanked Sherry8aNorthAL
  • 2 years ago

    Chili, most soups and stews, meatloaf (vacuum sealed), stuffed quahogs (vacuum sealed), chicken enchiladas - those are proabably our most frequent. I don't make lasagna anymore and we don't eat very much pasta.

    lucillle thanked seagrass_gw Cape Cod
  • 2 years ago

    Chili, yes. I usually make one big recipe for Halloween and freeze for the rest of the year.

    lucillle thanked Sherry8aNorthAL
  • 2 years ago

    I'm sitting here with a giant chicken pot pie from Coso. They're really good. My plan is to

    to cut in half and freeze 1/2 and bake the other. Will try to remember to report back.

    lucillle thanked jab65
  • 2 years ago

    I make a killer French Onion Soup that my family loves. It takes so much time and effort that I make a big pot and freeze half to have again in a couple of weeks.

    lucillle thanked LynnNM
  • 2 years ago

    I freeze almost everything I cook.

    Soup is always a good favorite.

    lucillle thanked joann_fl
  • 2 years ago

    -The filling for Doris Greenspan’s Mediterranean Shepherd’s Pie

    -Shrimp Gumbo minus the shrimp. I add the shrimp after it is thawed and heated.

    lucillle thanked bbstx
  • 2 years ago

    Soups/stews primarily. Then baked goods :-) Casseroles or pastas, etc. all seem to dry excessively when frozen and then thawed/reheated. With soups one can always add some broth or other liquid to thin out.

    btw, I have no issue with frozen and then thawed potatoes, especially when combined as part of a soup or stew.

    lucillle thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I don't often freeze leftovers except for chili and lentil soup, but I’ve been cooking for the past month to stock my freezer for an upcoming surgery.

    Here’s the list of freezer meals I’ve made:

    *Chicken pot pie

    *Chicken Enchiladas

    Chicken Chili

    *Mongolian Chicken with Broccoli

    *Santa Fe Chicken

    *Crockpot Tortlla Soup

    *Crockpot BBQ Chicken

    *Crockpot Butter Chicken

    *Panang Chicken Curry

    *Chicken Tikka Masala

    *Japanese Curry

    *Shepherds Pie

    *Korean beef

    *Turkey and Black bean Enchiladas

    *Turkey Chili

    *Mozzarella Patties

    Enchilada Pie

    *Baked Ziti

    *Pumpkin Sausage Penne

    *Lasagna

    *Butter chicken meatballs

    Asian Lettuce Wraps (Just the filling. Not the lettuce!)

    Lentil soup
    Dutch Split Pea Soup

    lucillle thanked porkandham
  • 2 years ago

    Hope your surgery goes well. You will have some good meals to look forward to.

    lucillle thanked satine100
  • 2 years ago

    I just made an abundance of mixed bean soup and froze 3 containers.

    The only home prepared food that I regularly freeze is when I make meatloaf - baked in the little loaf pans then frozen.

    I've frozen concoctions made from holiday dinner leftovers, but not a particular recipe. Or perhaps some single servings of leftover cooked turkey, chicken or ham.

    lucillle thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
  • 2 years ago

    Spaghetti and chicken dressing. Though I suppose the dressing cannot count as a leftover, as I make it and freeze it in pans before cooking. More like meal prep I guess. I have frozen chili before. For the most part I try to cook small batches of things or just enough for one meal, because I do not like leftovers. Things that HAVE to be made in big batches like the spaghetti or chili or that brunswick stew my SO likes, I freeze just so the ingredients I bought arent wasted. They do come in handy on those nights that I do not have time or the inclination to cook a meal for SO before I go to work. He can just grab one of those things from the freezer and nuke it. Or in the case of the dressing throw a small pan in the oven.

    lucillle thanked amylou321
  • 2 years ago

    The only thing I freeze is bolognese sauce. I make a double batch so I have some on hand to freeze, which works for pasta or lasagna. I have frozen the meat used in middle eastern rice pilaf (rice, seasoned ground meat, topped by toasted almonds.)

    lucillle thanked Zalco/bring back Sophie!
  • 2 years ago

    Pizza.

    lucillle thanked Fun2BHere
  • 2 years ago

    I used to freeze soups ALL the time-- soups, chili, etc I came to realize that I just don't enjoy them as much as fresh made. I make smaller portions more frequently.

    I have made frozen meals for friends/family who are sick, injured or recently had a baby -- all sorts of things but one of the "customer" favs are the mini meatloaves. They are especially great because they thaw very quickly and really, i don't think they suffer from being frozen like soup does. They also love my soups, pastas, etc ... but for myself, I prefer fresh made.


    lucillle thanked Funkyart
  • 2 years ago

    We also prefer foods freshly made and don't freeze anything. Anything left over is eaten in the subsequent days.

    lucillle thanked Elmer J Fudd
  • 2 years ago

    I freeze everything that makes more than several servings of leftovers. I try to freeze in individual portion sizes. I assemble pies (unbaked) and freeze them. They taste just as good and right off the tree/vine as they would have when fresh. I even freeze feta when I buy a huge block from Costco. As long as everything is well sealed and wrapped and not left for an eternity in the freezer, it all comes out great. And, best part, if you remember to thaw ahead of time, it's fast food.

    lucillle thanked Bunny
  • 2 years ago

    Freshly made sounds so upscale and good. But, what if what my husband,and I, like cannot be made in servings for two? My lasagna makes a lasagna pan of food that feeds 8 to12. There are only two of us. I have to freeze it and it DOES freeze well. Maybe you can make lasagna for two, but it will NOT be my lasagna. It WILL NOT be my burritoes or enchiladas or chilli. We prefer to make what we like and have as a premade meal ready to eat rather than crap we do not even want.

  • 2 years ago

    Nearly everything. Now that I have an air fryer, even quiche is good reheated.

    lucillle thanked Kathsgrdn
  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I always buy an extra turkey around the holidays and bake it to use in pot pie filling. I freeze it in 2 cup portions which is the amount needed to fill a 9" pie crust. I usually make enough for at least 8-10 turkey pot pies.

    I also freeze chili and certain soups but not much else.

  • 2 years ago

    anything in the freezer that would make decent pizza fixins ...

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    seagrass, you got me good. I am cleaning out all of my cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer (to stop spending money and to get rid of the remnants of food I shouldn't eat (potatoes, pasta, bread, and rice)). I came across some salsa verde and I couldn't stop thinking about enchiladas, but I am trying to have smaller portions (in this case, tortillas), and I didn't make them.

    You said it first, and it made me realize I can freeze most of them and have one at a time. Aha! Thanks :)