Flash Freezing

I've had people ask me what "flash freezing" is.  It sounds super complicated, but in reality, it's one of the easiest things you can do!!

You can flash freeze just about anything.  Sausage patties, pop corn chicken, pizza pockets, burritos,  apple pies, chicken breasts, quesadillas, cookies, fudge, fresh fruits, biscuits, cup cakes/muffins, chopped fresh onions or peppers...the list is endless!

All you do is cook your food...or you can freeze things raw such as strawberries or blueberries {shown below}.  Just label it well when you are finished so that you know what it is, how much cooking is needed and the date you put it into the freezer.

I usually do all of the cooking before I flash freeze.  It's just easier to know that all I have to do is warm things up with no cooking involved. Or, what's even better is when all I have to do is let things thaw out.

So, let's say I'm flash freezing chocolate chip cookies.  I bake my cookies and let them cool.  Place them on a glass tray...well anything would work, but I use my glass cutting board because it fits perfectly in my freezer.  You can do several layers separated by wax paper.  Make sure the cookies or chicken strips, or whatever you are freezing are not touching each other, so they don't freeze together.  Stick them in the freezer for an hour or two.  (The length of time you leave them in the freezer will depend on what you are freezing and how warm it was when you put it in there.  Cookies are small and don't take that long.)

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When I am sure that they are frozen all the way through, I remove them and immediately  put them into a previously labeled freezer bag.  I would label the bag "chocolate chip cookies - today's date".  OR, when I packed school lunches, I would put 2 cookies in a snack size zip lock bag and return them to the freezer right away.  Then when it was time to pack lunches, I knew I had healthy desserts already bagged up and stored away for the kids.  No need to worry about buying something because my freezer was already filled with healthy desserts!  I just grabbed a little bag of whatever was in there and threw it in the girl's lunch boxes.  They were thawed out and yummy by the time lunch rolled around!

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They won't stick together because they are frozen separately.   When you put them right back into the freezer, they stay frozen and they come out completely separate!  Flash freezing is one of the most time saving things I've ever done!  To have a freezer full of healthy convenience food, you must take full advantage of flash freezing!!

Tip:

When you have any leftovers at all...especially things like brats, hamburgers, pieces of sausage, pancakes...ANY kind of leftovers...you can flash freeze them and save them for another time.  Then you will have snacks, desserts, quick lunches or breakfasts...  You can throw a bunch of flash frozen sausages in a bag and store them in the freezer.  Then you can get one or two out at a time...or you can use them all...it's up to you and so convenient!!