A Couple of Freezing Questions

[Meg O'C]

ONIONS
I have lots of onions from our CSA this summer and I continue to get a pound and a half each week. I can't use them all fast enough - once the cool weather hits and I am back into soups and chili, I'll be in great shape, but for now, I'm just not cooking with onions all that regularly. Can I freeze these? If so, do I have to peel and chop first or can I freeze the whole onion?

PIZZA DOUGH
My dough of choice (because it hasn't failed me yet) is Eating Well's whole wheat pizza dough. It's made in the food processor with fast rising yeast and is quick enough to pull it together at the last minute, but I really would love to make a couple of batches and freeze them (the easier the better on week nights!). Anyway, at what point should I freeze it:
1) immediately out of the food processor before it's had time to rest and be rolled out, or
2) after it has rested but before it's been rolled out (I could just wrap it in the plastic wrap coated in cooking spray that it rests under), or
3) after it has rested and been rolled out (just ball it back up and freeze it?
Here is the recipe in case seeing it would help in providing an answer.

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH (Eating Well)
Ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast, such as Fleischmann's RapidRise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water (120-130°F)
2 teaspoons olive oil
To make:

1. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.
Makes 12 ounces dough, enough for one 12-inch pizza or two 10-inch pizzas.
Per 12 ounces: 709 calories; 11 g total fat (2 g sat, 7 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 132 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 15 g fiber; 1,752 mg sodium.

Thanks for your help!

[sneezles]

IMHO...

Onions-yes, peel and chop or thinly slice before freezing

Pizza dough-immediately out of the FP

[gertdog]

Meg, I let pizza dough rise once, then punch down and shape into a ball before freezing. Then, when I want to use it, it's ready to go as soon as it defrosts. Not having to clean the food processor is definitely a bonus! :)

[Chefzhat]

Okay, Meg - where's the controversy???? ;) :D

I'm supremely jealous of you and your CSA bounty - mine has been totally not worth the money. I haven't even GOTTEN an onion yet. Or much of anything else.

This week I got:

4 cherry tomatoes
1 eggplant (small)
1 head lettuce
1 cuke
1 zuchinni
1 handful parsley
1 head chinese cabbage

sigh. This little bit, along with having to drive over 1 hour to get the stuff - not worth it. Lesson learned.

[Meg O'C]

Thanks for the replies. So, I think I'll chop the onions (ugh!) before freezing them, and let the dough rise, punch it down, and then freeze it!

Debie, this is my first year with our CSA - I am loving it. I am having a hard time keeping up with the volume of great stuff we are getting. I am going to miss my fresh organic veggies this winter. I'm sorry yours has been a disappointment. Has it just been a bad year or is it the CSA? Four cherry tomatoes? I am sad for you!

[Molli526]

Okay, Meg - where's the controversy???? ;) :D

I'm supremely jealous of you and your CSA bounty - mine has been totally not worth the money. I haven't even GOTTEN an onion yet. Or much of anything else.

This week I got:

4 cherry tomatoes
1 eggplant (small)
1 head lettuce
1 cuke
1 zuchinni
1 handful parsley
1 head chinese cabbage

sigh. This little bit, along with having to drive over 1 hour to get the stuff - not worth it. Lesson learned.

That is a sad CSA bounty. I get more from my little garden each week then that - and I know how much I paid for my plants and how much a local CSA wanted to charge me.

[Chefzhat]

I'm beginning to think that the CSA is just not that great. They've had problems with drought (no irrigation). This is my first year as well. And my last.

Volume. You said volume. :) I can't even begin to apply that word to my situation. My stuff usually fits inside a small wicker basket. :mad:

[candlelight]

On the onions, chop and put on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer until froze, then put them in a zip lock bag and when cooking and need onions just reach in and get a hand full or two. Sure does make it nice when you are in a hurry and don't have to stop and cut up onions. I do the same with bell peppers when we had a garden and there were to many to eat at one time.

[Chefzhat]

That is a sad CSA bounty. I get more from my little garden each week then that - and I know how much I paid for my plants and how much a local CSA wanted to charge me.
Um, yeah. I'm torn between e-mailing the CSA owners and kicking up a fuss, or just leaving things alone knowing I'm not going back next year. What to do, what to do.

Debie

[HealthyinMN]

When I do pizza dough ahead I also let it rise, punch down and then freeze in a ball shape.

[lisas3575]

Meg, may I hijack your thread? :o So sorry...

I was going to post a freezing 101 thread today. I'd like to cook some meals ahead this fall and freeze for later-- what are the rules of thumb? I know that potatoes don't freeze well. What about rice dishes? Things with eggs? What other ingredients should I avoid freezing?

Is it better to assemble a cassrole/pasta and then freeze it raw or should I cook them first and then freeze?

My apologies-- I think this subject has been covered a bunch of times before, but the dastardly search function is of no help. :rolleyes:

Good to know about freezing my own onions! I'd wondered if that would work. I'd love to chop up several and have them on hand.

[Bawstinn]

[QUOTE=lisas3575]Meg, may I hijack your thread? :o So sorry...

I was going to post a freezing 101 thread today. I'd like to cook some meals ahead this fall and freeze for later-- what are the rules of thumb? I know that potatoes don't freeze well. What about rice dishes? Things with eggs? What other ingredients should I avoid freezing?

Is it better to assemble a cassrole/pasta and then freeze it raw or should I cook them first and then freeze?
QUOTE]

Although I know people who assemble, then freeze, I have only frozen items that have been cooked.

Potatoes get mushy and cheese (like mozzerella, etc) loses something too.

Things I have frozen:
meatloaf
taco meat
chicken tetrazzini (and other related casseroles)
sloppy joes
Italian Beef (LindaMO's recipe)
chili
American Chop Suey
All sorts of stews
Soups that don't have milk/cream in them (chicken noodle, mexican ham and bean)

Hope that helps. I pretty much will try freezing anything once, if I don't like the texture, hopefully I remember NOT to freeze it the next time.

[Meg O'C]

Meg, may I hijack your thread? :o So sorry...

I was going to post a freezing 101 thread today.

No problem, Lisa - I could benefit from a Freezing 101 thread, those were just my two most pressing freezing questions. ;)

I have frozen dishes with rice and eggs in them, specifically the Spinach, Rice and Feta Pie, as well as many quiches.

I usually bake the casserole first, but just try to "manage" the process so that it doesn't get "too done," then when it thaws I try to manage the re-heating process as well (covering with foil for the first part or something like that), so that the top doesn't get too browned and the casserole doesn't get too dried out. I still feel like you can always tell it's a thawed and reheated dish, so I think there must be a better way!

Maria, I've always wanted to freeze meatloaf, so even with that you cook it first? Any special tips to reheating to keep it from drying out?

[runningkitcat]

Um, yeah. I'm torn between e-mailing the CSA owners and kicking up a fuss, or just leaving things alone... - Debie

I'd tell them why you're not coming back next year. And maybe, if you like the concept of CSAs, see if there's a better one in town.

Wendy

[Chefzhat]

I'd tell them why you're not coming back next year. And maybe, if you like the concept of CSAs, see if there's a better one in town.

Wendy
Yeah, sadly it's the only one for miles and miles. I'm in the agricultural mecca of Michigan, but can't get a good CSA. Sigh.

Sorry Meg! I've been hijacking too! Ducking out now!

[funniegrrl]

Question on the pizza dough:

Do you use the dough blade? That would be my instinct, but since the recipe doesn't specify I'm wondering if you use the steel blade?

[jtoepfert100]

Question on the pizza dough:

Do you use the dough blade? That would be my instinct, but since the recipe doesn't specify I'm wondering if you use the steel blade?

I use the steel blade. This also a very easy dough to knead by hand if you were ever motivated.

[jtoepfert100]

When you freeze these already chopped up, do you thaw them before using in recipes or adjust the recipe in any way? Or do you just use the frozen pieces as if they were fresh?

[2HUNGRY!]

I freeze meatloaf before I bake it. There's only two of us so I make two mini-meatloaves and freeze one.

[gertdog]

Meg, may I hijack your thread? :o So sorry...

I was going to post a freezing 101 thread today. I'd like to cook some meals ahead this fall and freeze for later-- what are the rules of thumb? I know that potatoes don't freeze well. What about rice dishes? Things with eggs? What other ingredients should I avoid freezing?

Is it better to assemble a cassrole/pasta and then freeze it raw or should I cook them first and then freeze?


Lisa, we should be freezer-meal buddies- I'm planning to do the same thing and have been compiling a list of vegetarian-friendly stuff to freeze. :) I have a sense of what foods freeze well, but not about when to freeze or how to defrost, heat, etc.!

Meg, which CSA did you join? Is it the one in Pennington?

[Meg O'C]

Yeah, sadly it's the only one for miles and miles. I'm in the agricultural mecca of Michigan, but can't get a good CSA. Sigh.

Sorry Meg! I've been hijacking too! Ducking out now!

No problem! I got my answers on the onions and pizza dough and now I'm just enjoying the conversation. Anyway, I was coming back specifically to tell you I think you should let the CSA know why you won't be rejoining.

[Meg O'C]

Lisa, we should be freezer-meal buddies- I'm planning to do the same thing and have been compiling a list of vegetarian-friendly stuff to freeze. :) I have a sense of what foods freeze well, but not about when to freeze or how to defrost, heat, etc.!

Meg, which CSA did you join? Is it the one in Pennington?

Yes, here's a link to a post from yesterday where I raved about it. It is literally a few miles from my house and it is excellent. For the past couple of years I have called too late to get a share. This year I remembered to call in March-April timeframe and got in. It would be a bit of a drive for you, but definitely worth it if you can swing it - or maybe their boxed share program delivers closer to your home. There are some families that come from Philly. I love it!
http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=78005