Lan Lam is wonderful. She always gets the physics right, which is rare, and thinks in terms of concepts like "democratizing," exactly the opposite of what trendy food influencers try to sell us on.
Freezing is also an excellent way to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls. Instead of blanching a head of cabbage, peeling off the (very *hot* ) leaves with tongs as they soften, simply freeze the entire head, and then dunk it into a large bowl of lukewarm water, and remove the leaves after they've thawed. Much safer, easier, and this technique leaves more cabbage flavor and color. Another L. L. excellent video.
#1.I love to buy lemons and limes in bulk from Costco, put them in gallon freezer bags (unpeeled) and freeze them, ..then thaw them out it the microwave as I use them. Freezing citrus makes the membranes burst and I always tend to get more juice out of them after they are frozen, plus you can still zest them. Just don't go too far when thawing them in microwave because they will burst. I usually do 20 seconds on high, turn, 20 more,...etc until they are thawed but not hot. (900 W Micro) They keep a long time in the freezer. I also like to freeze several for just a couple of days, thaw them out, juice them with my electric juicer, and then freeze the juice in cubes so that I can grab a frozen cube if needed for things such as marinades, sauces, etc. #2.Frozen grapes are a special treat, especially in Summer. (Better than popsicles!)
Freezing firm tofu is a great way to rid it of excess water when it thaws, so you don't have to wait as long to squeeze out the water. It produces a more crispy exterior when you fry it.
100% they’re both lovely, charismatic, awesome to listen to, they always hit the mark, they’re great presenters and the information is always something I can learn from, while being short and memorable.
WIth the detailed understanding that Lan teaches, I have become interested in cooking. She is so great at explaining cooking. Yet, another great Lan Lam video!
I sometimes like to place frozen spinach directly into my white sauces; the spinach will give off plenty of its water and infuse the sauce with spinach flavor more so than if I sauteed them or wringed out the extra moisture. I just make sure my sauce is slightly lacking in water and the spinach liquid balances it all out.
You can actually use the freezer deliberately for some recipes. If, for example, when making stuffed cabbage you simply freeze the entire head of cabbage a few days ahead and then thaw it in the fridge the day before, you can just peel the leaves off and they will be the sames as if you blanched them first but with no loss of flavor and no fussing with boiling pots of water. Freezing bananas is another way to soften them for use in banana bread. And if you are making ATK's banana bread they can go straight into the microwave.
I did the frozen cabbage trick but unfortunately freezing the cabbage caused many of the leaves to crack which rendered them kind of useless for wrapping.
i've been using frozen "steam in bag" vegetables for a few years now. they cook up great from frozen in stir frys, soups, and casseroles, and significantly reduce the amount of food i throw away due to spoilage.
I have always used the individual freezing method to keep the pieces from freezing together into a large frozen lump that cannot be portioned out. I pat dry or use a salad spinner to spin dry the washed fruit or blanched vegetables, spread them out on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet not allowing the pieces to touch, then set the sheet in my freezer uncovered. When frozen you can scoop them into a freezer bag, label and store in your freezer for up to a year, portioning out only what you need when you need it. The parchment paper prevents the pieces from freezing to the metal sheet and for those pieces that didnt get spun or pat dry enough before freezing, they can be peeled off the parchment paper easily enough if they do stick a little.
I have recently tried placing vegetables in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes, to refresh and rehydrate them. Before patting them dry, then freezing them on a baking tray.
I do this with leftover roasted chicken. I shred it and then freeze on a baking sheet. When I want to make tacos, or add to soup, pasta, etc it’s super easy.
Early in the pandemic (when people were panicking about food availability) a man remarked to me his surprise at the rising costs and lack of availability of frozen food. After that I started to see the benefits and features of frozen food. Thank you for this video. Please consider making this a series.
Always good info from Lan. I try to keep bags of frozen veggies on hand as they are so versatile and they don't go bad like fresh can if not used quickly. Lan's idea to use the benefit of freezing is a great idea.
I have recently tried placing vegetables in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes, to refresh and rehydrate them. Before patting them dry, then freezing them on a baking tray.
I love adding frozen fruit to oatmeal and pancake mix. I make pb&j pancakes adding in blended frozen fruit (chunky) and 1T of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) to the mix ..so good
My favorite frozen item? Corn. Makes a great creamed corn. Way easier than cutting fresh corn off the cob, and the pieces are much more uniform. Any liquid leaking out of the corn is in the pot and adds to the flavor. Two pounds of frozen corn thawed in a pot. Add some cream and butter, then a quick butter/flour roux if it needs thickening. Salt, pepper, and herbs to taste, and you're good to go.
I make homemade fruit topping for waffles using frozen fruit - Strawberries thawed in microwave and smooshed with a fork or Peaches food processed while still frozen then warmed up in a saucepan with a pinch of cinnamon. Both are so easy to do and don't get in the way of making the waffles. The extra liquid you get from the frozen fruit is perfect for waffles.
Thank you, Lan! Because of where I have lived and how I learned to cook--when frozen-or-canned was not an option--I have a severe prejudice against frozen anything that needs to be educated and refined. This is very helpful.
Excellent! This is one of my favorite segments on ATK nowadays. Along with What’s Eating Dan. I’ve sort of drifted away from the regular TV series as I’m finding the recipes less “democratizing” (great new favorite word!) than they used to be. Thank you for making frozen food one of the ‘cool kids’. 😎 😊
So many web chefs say use frozen berries and veggies because they are picked at peak ripness and flash frozen, which is true, but they don't address the cell damage caused by freezing. Thanks for the clear explanation of why and when to use frozen.
I’ve locked horns with my husband about his habit of throwing away the green portion of scallions! Whenever I catch him getting ready to toss this deliciousness, I grab them, slice them finely, and spread them on a baking sheet. Place them in the freezer for a bit, and vac seal them. I use them all of the time in various things!! Similar situation with chopped white or yellow onions - I never toss them out! Maybe someday I won’t have to play detective during his prep and cooking. Fair play though - he’s a great cook!! I just wish he’d listen to me!
frozen mango is my fav. I normally just make icecream with frozen fruits. Mixed with milk, or yogurt, or cream. Just a pinch of salt and rarely any extra sugar. recently ive been trying adding oat powder. It becomes a bit more mousse like. Thanks for the tea and the relish ideas!
Plus they are usually biochemically "fresher" than normal room temperature produce because they are usually processed and frozen right after, or very close to, being harvested.
My favourite application of this? Prepping frozen mirepoix. For me, soup season lasts 6 months and happen twice a year, so preparing ingredients I love to have in soups, stews (or even sauces) is a game changer. I do the same with Green Onions for my nostalgia Ramen cravings, or with Shallots for pan sauces, too.
I freeze sliced leeks for soup in separate bags for the white and green parts of the leeks. I also scrape ginger root with a spoon and cut slices to freeze for chai making.
Frozen haricots verts or "extra fine whole green beans" are a staple in my kitchen. They have always been my favorite dinner vegetable, they go well with so many different cuisines, and I prefer them cooked very tender. I think "tender-crisp" is the death of good flavor and good cooking.
I always but fresh fruit and individually freeze them on a sheet pan and then ziplock. It works great for chopped up cantaloupe, pineapple, honeydew melons also. They become my ice-cream!!
I always keep frozen cherries in the freezer, I use them in baking, to make a quick compote for adding to yogurt or as a topping. After spending an hour peeling fresh pearl onions the first time I made Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon, can't tell you how much I appreciate frozen pearl onions!
The crystal growth can actually start again when thawing slowly. For max crispness, quick thawing, like with a microwave, is better than slowly in bulk in e.g. the refrigarator.
I like to add berries to my breakfast cereal - oatmeal porridge in the winter, homemade muesli in the summer. This year I bought a huge flat of raspberries (my favourite) and froze them on sheet trays and then stored in vacuum bags. Yes, they're a bit mushy, but that's OK with me! Thanks for these tips and live your videos.
The Best Spanakopita I've ever made used a Pound of Frozen Spinach. I've never strayed from that Recipe. I LOVE a frozen Fruit Smoothie in the Summer 😆
Had a conversation with a friend recently about making saag. I said you gotta use frozen spinich.... he did and agreed completely! Not only do you avoid the whole cooking down of the spinach, but the end result is exactly as expected, and cheaper too!
We use frozen peas in chicken salad. They are added after the chicken, chopped celery, onion, and just before the mayo. We let the salad rest a few minutes while plates, bread/crakers, etc. are set out.
Frozen bagged corn. Dropped frozen into pinto beans or kidney beans for the last 5 minutes. Frozen sliced sweet or mild hot peppers, frozen on a tray, for chili beans or con carne or… And parsley frozen flat, just the leaves, for topping stew or soup.
Corn, cauliflower, squash, blueberries, mixed berries are all staples along with your list. Baking, soups and stews are simpler snd lest waste in my fridge.
Love love love your segments. Thanks for great content! I like to use frozen broccoli florets sautéed in olive oil and tossed with ditalini and cheese. The 'mushy' texture contributes to a sauce like consistency when mixed with a little pasta water and fresh grated parm.
Favorite frozen foods: Organic Bananas for "nice" cream and smoothies, Organic Cherries- everything you puree or cook cherries in, Broccoli - great to throw in a 1 pot dish just before it's done (no thawing ahead of time needed), mixed vegetables to make a quick pot pie filling just mix with leftover chicken/ turkey and gravy - dump into pie shell. Favorite episodes on America's Test Kitchen: Techniquely with Lan Lam!
I definitely get a lot of mileage out of frozen vegetables, but my favorite use of freezing to transform ingredients is freezing tofu. Freezing it changes the texture, making it spongier and more able to absorb sauces and flavors - and crumbling the thawed tofu makes it a great sub for ground meat in saucy dishes like chili. I'm an omnivore but appreciate this trick for my vegan dinner guests.
I use frozen cut green beans in my green bean casserole recipe. I also like steamer bag frozen vegetables as an easy side dish to get our vitamins and minerals.
I recently pressure cooked almost an entire pumpkin that my in-laws had bought for Halloween and never carved it. They were about to toss it out. So I cut it up, put it into my instant pot and I ended up with 16 snack bags full of pumpkin puree that stashed in the freezer. I can’t wait to make easy breads, soups and curries with it! Maybe there’s a better way to pumpkin other than fresh but I know it must be better than canned and cheaper!
My 2 favorite frozen ingredients: mango and green beans (but not together 😂). Frozen mango shines for mango curd and mango syrup. Frozen green beans are a versatile addition to dog food and a quick side dish.
I been using frozen pearl onions for my brisket. i made a butternut squash and pearl onion brisket was good buttt the squash turned to mush and disintegrated. so best as a side dish. i love to experiment sometimes it's awesome other times not so much lol
Alton Brown told us 20-some years ago that you can do your own IQF by buying a block of dry Ice and putting it in your cooler. Then put your sheet pans on top of the dry ice and seal the cooler.
When making homemade stock, I always use frozen vegetable scraps to give it more flavor. That's another way of using frozen produce. Sometimes, I'd have some fresh herbs that I might not be able to use up before they turn bad. I would also freeze them. So when it's time to make stock, I'll just put the frozen herbs in it too.
I mean, I’m a little bit basic when it comes to frozen food, my favourite thing is putting frozen mixed berries in a smoothie, I don’t have to add additional ice which waters down the smoothie, and it taste delicious and creamy!
Not only are frozen veggies great in soups and such, but you can add them towards the end of cooking and reduce the amount of nutrition that's destroyed. They'll still have a great texture, too!
I use organic frozen veggies, Better than Bouillon, water, and a can of organic diced tomatoes to make a quick veggie soup. I add whatever fresh herbs I pick from my garden. Adding a cheese crouton makes it more hearty.
One of my favorite freezer hacks is freezing very ripe bananas. The juice they release when defrosted is gold and the fruit is ready for bananas bread. I also get more consistently in my banana bread by separating the juice from the fruit.
Lan Lam is wonderful. She always gets the physics right, which is rare, and thinks in terms of concepts like "democratizing," exactly the opposite of what trendy food influencers try to sell us on.
How right you are on Lam Lam.
I’d say you took the words right out my mouth but you put it better than I ever could have .
Yeees! 💜
Lan Lam is my favorite ATK presenter. Her calm and lovely demeanor combined with her inner scientist make her interesting and educational.
But I like them all, each has their own special talent.
Freezing is also an excellent way to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls. Instead of blanching a head of cabbage, peeling off the (very *hot* ) leaves with tongs as they soften, simply freeze the entire head, and then dunk it into a large bowl of lukewarm water, and remove the leaves after they've thawed.
Much safer, easier, and this technique leaves more cabbage flavor and color.
Another L. L. excellent video.
Great tip!
#1.I love to buy lemons and limes in bulk from Costco, put them in gallon freezer bags (unpeeled) and freeze them, ..then thaw them out it the microwave as I use them. Freezing citrus makes the membranes burst and I always tend to get more juice out of them after they are frozen, plus you can still zest them. Just don't go too far when thawing them in microwave because they will burst. I usually do 20 seconds on high, turn, 20 more,...etc until they are thawed but not hot. (900 W Micro)
They keep a long time in the freezer.
I also like to freeze several for just a couple of days, thaw them out, juice them with my electric juicer, and then freeze the juice in cubes so that I can grab a frozen cube if needed for things such as marinades, sauces, etc.
#2.Frozen grapes are a special treat, especially in Summer. (Better than popsicles!)
Her word is gospel at this point in my journey to be the best home cook I can be.
She has great info and also cooking myth busting, lots of ideas on how to make food easier. All of which are very valuable.
Freezing firm tofu is a great way to rid it of excess water when it thaws, so you don't have to wait as long to squeeze out the water. It produces a more crispy exterior when you fry it.
I find Lan Lam's and Dan Souza's segments among the most practical of the ATK videos.
100% they’re both lovely, charismatic, awesome to listen to, they always hit the mark, they’re great presenters and the information is always something I can learn from, while being short and memorable.
WIth the detailed understanding that Lan teaches, I have become interested in cooking. She is so great at explaining cooking.
Yet, another great Lan Lam video!
I sometimes like to place frozen spinach directly into my white sauces; the spinach will give off plenty of its water and infuse the sauce with spinach flavor more so than if I sauteed them or wringed out the extra moisture. I just make sure my sauce is slightly lacking in water and the spinach liquid balances it all out.
Thank you. Every episode with Lan is valuable.
There is no universe in which I would object to a strawberry shortcake made by Lan, regardless of how the strawberries were prepared. :)
You can actually use the freezer deliberately for some recipes. If, for example, when making stuffed cabbage you simply freeze the entire head of cabbage a few days ahead and then thaw it in the fridge the day before, you can just peel the leaves off and they will be the sames as if you blanched them first but with no loss of flavor and no fussing with boiling pots of water. Freezing bananas is another way to soften them for use in banana bread. And if you are making ATK's banana bread they can go straight into the microwave.
Wow, what a cool trick with the cabbage! Thanks for the tip
I did the frozen cabbage trick but unfortunately freezing the cabbage caused many of the leaves to crack which rendered them kind of useless for wrapping.
i've been using frozen "steam in bag" vegetables for a few years now. they cook up great from frozen in stir frys, soups, and casseroles, and significantly reduce the amount of food i throw away due to spoilage.
I eat WAY more vegetables than I ever have thanks to steamable frozen veggies.
Agree, eating more vegs has never been easier and the steamable vegs taste GREAT! Not like the old days at all!
Such a smooth and comforting delivery,as well as informative
Making more Techniquely episodes this year..? YES!
I have always used the individual freezing method to keep the pieces from freezing together into a large frozen lump that cannot be portioned out. I pat dry or use a salad spinner to spin dry the washed fruit or blanched vegetables, spread them out on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet not allowing the pieces to touch, then set the sheet in my freezer uncovered. When frozen you can scoop them into a freezer bag, label and store in your freezer for up to a year, portioning out only what you need when you need it. The parchment paper prevents the pieces from freezing to the metal sheet and for those pieces that didnt get spun or pat dry enough before freezing, they can be peeled off the parchment paper easily enough if they do stick a little.
I was thinking about a salad spinner while watching the video. Glad to know it works so well!
I have recently tried placing vegetables in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes, to refresh and rehydrate them. Before patting them dry, then freezing them on a baking tray.
I do this with leftover roasted chicken. I shred it and then freeze on a baking sheet. When I want to make tacos, or add to soup, pasta, etc it’s super easy.
Another brilliant episode from Lan. She's a treasure. I always learn so much from her.
Early in the pandemic (when people were panicking about food availability) a man remarked to me his surprise at the rising costs and lack of availability of frozen food. After that I started to see the benefits and features of frozen food. Thank you for this video. Please consider making this a series.
The tea suggestion is just what I needed. Thank you!
Always good info from Lan. I try to keep bags of frozen veggies on hand as they are so versatile and they don't go bad like fresh can if not used quickly. Lan's idea to use the benefit of freezing is a great idea.
Agree!
I have recently tried placing vegetables in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes, to refresh and rehydrate them. Before patting them dry, then freezing them on a baking tray.
I love adding frozen fruit to oatmeal and pancake mix. I make pb&j pancakes adding in blended frozen fruit (chunky) and 1T of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) to the mix ..so good
Thank you so much Lan, for doing all the videos that answer questions I've had in my head for so long! 🙇♂
My favorite frozen item? Corn. Makes a great creamed corn. Way easier than cutting fresh corn off the cob, and the pieces are much more uniform. Any liquid leaking out of the corn is in the pot and adds to the flavor. Two pounds of frozen corn thawed in a pot. Add some cream and butter, then a quick butter/flour roux if it needs thickening. Salt, pepper, and herbs to taste, and you're good to go.
Love Lan; her videos and instruction are so inspiring!
There's more episodes *this* year. Amazing! Looking forward to it!
I make homemade fruit topping for waffles using frozen fruit - Strawberries thawed in microwave and smooshed with a fork or Peaches food processed while still frozen then warmed up in a saucepan with a pinch of cinnamon. Both are so easy to do and don't get in the way of making the waffles. The extra liquid you get from the frozen fruit is perfect for waffles.
LAN, you’re my favorite of all the presenters.
More episodes of Techniquely this year? Yay! I love Techniquely! 😊
Thank you, Lan! Because of where I have lived and how I learned to cook--when frozen-or-canned was not an option--I have a severe prejudice against frozen anything that needs to be educated and refined. This is very helpful.
Excellent! This is one of my favorite segments on ATK nowadays. Along with What’s Eating Dan. I’ve sort of drifted away from the regular TV series as I’m finding the recipes less “democratizing” (great new favorite word!) than they used to be. Thank you for making frozen food one of the ‘cool kids’. 😎 😊
I appreciate when someone makes a strawberry shortcake. Doesn't matter if the berries were frozen or not. I enjoy, either way!
Anything this lady has to say I am ready to listen to
I love using Frozen items!!
Me too! Such a timesaver!
So many web chefs say use frozen berries and veggies because they are picked at peak ripness and flash frozen, which is true, but they don't address the cell damage caused by freezing. Thanks for the clear explanation of why and when to use frozen.
I came on here to praise the host and see that the quality of her work speaks to so many others as well. I'm a fan!
I’ve locked horns with my husband about his habit of throwing away the green portion of scallions! Whenever I catch him getting ready to toss this deliciousness, I grab them, slice them finely, and spread them on a baking sheet. Place them in the freezer for a bit, and vac seal them. I use them all of the time in various things!! Similar situation with chopped white or yellow onions - I never toss them out!
Maybe someday I won’t have to play detective during his prep and cooking. Fair play though - he’s a great cook!! I just wish he’d listen to me!
I have happily eaten Strawberry Shortcake made with frozen strawberries many times. Perfectly delightful.
Me, too!
Hello Ms. Lam and a pleasure it is to see you again educating your audience...💖
frozen mango is my fav.
I normally just make icecream with frozen fruits. Mixed with milk, or yogurt, or cream. Just a pinch of salt and rarely any extra sugar.
recently ive been trying adding oat powder. It becomes a bit more mousse like.
Thanks for the tea and the relish ideas!
I have never frozen food to make it "better". But I will now!!! Thank you, Lan!
When I make my Spanakopita I always use good quality chopped frozen spinach. Works great!!!
Thanks for more great tips! The best ATK vlogs are either Dan Souza or Lan Lam. Please do create more "Techniquely" moments.
Plus they are usually biochemically "fresher" than normal room temperature produce because they are usually processed and frozen right after, or very close to, being harvested.
My favourite application of this? Prepping frozen mirepoix. For me, soup season lasts 6 months and happen twice a year, so preparing ingredients I love to have in soups, stews (or even sauces) is a game changer. I do the same with Green Onions for my nostalgia Ramen cravings, or with Shallots for pan sauces, too.
So are you freezing your mirepoix raw on a sheep pan like the strawberries Lan Lam demoed?
A farm near me sells big bags of frozen vegetable blends. Perfect for soups or pot pies.
I freeze sliced leeks for soup in separate bags for the white and green parts of the leeks. I also scrape ginger root with a spoon and cut slices to freeze for chai making.
If you have a potato ricer, they work really well for squeezing the water out of thawed, frozen spinach
Any concept Lan Lam sells me, I buy.
We love frozen mango! Seems like a lot less damage than other fruits and way more convenient than cutting and peeling.
Lan is simply too good! Thank you for this delightful video.
I never miss a Techniquely video. Lan is awesome.
I always learn something new during a Lan Lam video.
Frozen haricots verts or "extra fine whole green beans" are a staple in my kitchen. They have always been my favorite dinner vegetable, they go well with so many different cuisines, and I prefer them cooked very tender. I think "tender-crisp" is the death of good flavor and good cooking.
I always but fresh fruit and individually freeze them on a sheet pan and then ziplock. It works great for chopped up cantaloupe, pineapple, honeydew melons also. They become my ice-cream!!
I always keep frozen cherries in the freezer, I use them in baking, to make a quick compote for adding to yogurt or as a topping. After spending an hour peeling fresh pearl onions the first time I made Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon, can't tell you how much I appreciate frozen pearl onions!
The Techniquely team doesn't miss!
Girl she went to a better culinary class than I do🍓
The crystal growth can actually start again when thawing slowly. For max crispness, quick thawing, like with a microwave, is better than slowly in bulk in e.g. the refrigarator.
I like to add berries to my breakfast cereal - oatmeal porridge in the winter, homemade muesli in the summer. This year I bought a huge flat of raspberries (my favourite) and froze them on sheet trays and then stored in vacuum bags. Yes, they're a bit mushy, but that's OK with me! Thanks for these tips and live your videos.
The Best Spanakopita I've ever made used a Pound of Frozen Spinach. I've never strayed from that Recipe. I LOVE a frozen Fruit Smoothie in the Summer 😆
Had a conversation with a friend recently about making saag. I said you gotta use frozen spinich.... he did and agreed completely! Not only do you avoid the whole cooking down of the spinach, but the end result is exactly as expected, and cheaper too!
What a wonderfu/ thoughful way to describe frozen produce: 'democratizing'!
We use frozen peas in chicken salad. They are added after the chicken, chopped celery, onion, and just before the mayo. We let the salad rest a few minutes while plates, bread/crakers, etc. are set out.
Love that idea, only here in the south, I don’t see onion in most chicken salads.😊
Love Lan! Thanks for the great video, ATK!
Would love to see more about the ways you can use different frozen vegetables. Especially common ones like cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels spouts.
Frozen bagged corn. Dropped frozen into pinto beans or kidney beans for the last 5 minutes. Frozen sliced sweet or mild hot peppers, frozen on a tray, for chili beans or con carne or… And parsley frozen flat, just the leaves, for topping stew or soup.
Corn, cauliflower, squash, blueberries, mixed berries are all staples along with your list. Baking, soups and stews are simpler snd lest waste in my fridge.
I freeze bananas for Banana Nut Bread or my Banana & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
Frozen ripe bananas eaten as is. It's like eating the richest banana ice cream!.
Great information. I always keep Brussel Sprouts in the frezzer.
Thank you for this. love frozen vegetables but tend to stick to the tried and true. It's nice to have options! Other good ones are squash and okra.
Love love love your segments. Thanks for great content! I like to use frozen broccoli florets sautéed in olive oil and tossed with ditalini and cheese. The 'mushy' texture contributes to a sauce like consistency when mixed with a little pasta water and fresh grated parm.
Favorite frozen foods: Organic Bananas for "nice" cream and smoothies, Organic Cherries- everything you puree or cook cherries in, Broccoli - great to throw in a 1 pot dish just before it's done (no thawing ahead of time needed), mixed vegetables to make a quick pot pie filling just mix with leftover chicken/ turkey and gravy - dump into pie shell. Favorite episodes on America's Test Kitchen: Techniquely with Lan Lam!
Love all these recipes!
I keep frozen sliced peppers and onion in my freezer and use it all the time! I also like frozen cauliflower, it roasts well.
I definitely get a lot of mileage out of frozen vegetables, but my favorite use of freezing to transform ingredients is freezing tofu. Freezing it changes the texture, making it spongier and more able to absorb sauces and flavors - and crumbling the thawed tofu makes it a great sub for ground meat in saucy dishes like chili. I'm an omnivore but appreciate this trick for my vegan dinner guests.
Wow! I have to try that tea and fruit drink! That looks great!
Lan is just the best!
I use frozen cut green beans in my green bean casserole recipe. I also like steamer bag frozen vegetables as an easy side dish to get our vitamins and minerals.
Me too!
Frozen peas are my go-to answer to "this dish needs more vegetables".
Love the video. I use frozen fruits and vegetables for smoothies and soups.
Ramen toppings! I pre-prep the bundles of meats & veg assortment and freeze them so I can easily heat them up when I boil the noodles and broth
I’ve often wished that when the descriptions to ATK videos say “get the recipe here” they would mention that a subscription is required.
Can we get more of Lan please?! Pretty please 🙏🏻
Such a Kitchen Goddess 🧡
¡¡TYVM!!
I recently pressure cooked almost an entire pumpkin that my in-laws had bought for Halloween and never carved it. They were about to toss it out. So I cut it up, put it into my instant pot and I ended up with 16 snack bags full of pumpkin puree that stashed in the freezer. I can’t wait to make easy breads, soups and curries with it! Maybe there’s a better way to pumpkin other than fresh but I know it must be better than canned and cheaper!
The ice tea is a must for the drink rotation
Total Lan fan - looking forward to more in 2025. Happy New year!
My 2 favorite frozen ingredients: mango and green beans (but not together 😂). Frozen mango shines for mango curd and mango syrup. Frozen green beans are a versatile addition to dog food and a quick side dish.
I been using frozen pearl onions for my brisket. i made a butternut squash and pearl onion brisket was good buttt the squash turned to mush and disintegrated. so best as a side dish. i love to experiment sometimes it's awesome other times not so much lol
Alton Brown told us 20-some years ago that you can do your own IQF by buying a block of dry Ice and putting it in your cooler. Then put your sheet pans on top of the dry ice and seal the cooler.
Fantastic, brilliant.... I could go on 🙂
Frozen raspberries and strawberries are a must for guaranteed results when making ice cream.
I freeze bananas to be used for cooking or baking. Once thawed,.it's like ripening them for a week. Sweet banana-ee flavor and pre mashed.
When making homemade stock, I always use frozen vegetable scraps to give it more flavor. That's another way of using frozen produce. Sometimes, I'd have some fresh herbs that I might not be able to use up before they turn bad. I would also freeze them. So when it's time to make stock, I'll just put the frozen herbs in it too.
Frozen pineapple chunks are so sweet and much better than any any fresh pineapple available. I thaw them to use to breakfast cottage cheese.
Thanks for the tip!
I'm a simple home cook, I see Lan Lam, I click
Frozen pearl onions is the only way to go.
I mean, I’m a little bit basic when it comes to frozen food, my favourite thing is putting frozen mixed berries in a smoothie, I don’t have to add additional ice which waters down the smoothie, and it taste delicious and creamy!
Not only are frozen veggies great in soups and such, but you can add them towards the end of cooking and reduce the amount of nutrition that's destroyed. They'll still have a great texture, too!
I use organic frozen veggies, Better than Bouillon, water, and a can of organic diced tomatoes to make a quick veggie soup. I add whatever fresh herbs I pick from my garden. Adding a cheese crouton makes it more hearty.
One of my favorite freezer hacks is freezing very ripe bananas. The juice they release when defrosted is gold and the fruit is ready for bananas bread. I also get more consistently in my banana bread by separating the juice from the fruit.