Freezer Pleasers

Italian chef Nick Stellino says that premaking meals and freezing them can save time and keep a family well-fed and happy.

Meatball-Freezing Tips

• Before transferring leftover meatballs to a re-sealable freezer bag, make sure to cool them completely.
  
  
• Cut large meatballs in half before freezing. They will defrost quicker.
  
  
• To defrost, simply dunk a meatball bag into a simmering, not boiling, pot of water for a couple of minutes. When warm, serve over fresh pasta.

Lasagna-Freezing Tips

• Prepare lasagna in a glass or stainless-steel container rather than aluminum because tomatoes and aluminum can create a bad chemical reaction that results in inedible food.
  
  
• Allow to cool completely and cover the full pan of lasagna with plastic first, then foil.
  
  
• Another option is to cut up preportioned pieces and stash them in plastic freezer bags or plastic containers.

Resources
Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen
by Nick Stellino
Putnam Pub. Group, 1999
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Guests
Nick Stellino
Chef / Author
E-mail: ciao_bello@msn.com
Also in this Episode

Smart Solutions : Episode SSL-356
•	Freezer Pleasers
•	Chocolate Mousse
•	Perfect Toolbox
•	Run the Right Way
•	Daily Smart Solutions