Kitchen Basics

Kitchen Basics

10 Ingredients You Should Always Have in Your Freezer

Posted by Bonnie Mo on November 23, 2015

From quick weeknight dinners to the secret ingredients that will help you sail through the holiday season, here are 10 items every foodie needs to have stocked in their freezer this winter.

  • Butter Puff Pastry
     
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    Butter Puff Pastry

    <p>Buttery puff pastry can become a sweet dessert, a savoury tart, be the lid of a chicken pot pie or transform almost anything into a gorgeous, company-worthy appetizer. This winter, invest in the staple that will turn everyday ingredients into a crowd-pleasing meal in a snap — just makes sure your freezer is loaded with at least two boxes of puff pastry.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/ham-and-cheese-in-puff-pastry/15361/" target="_blank"><strong>Ina Garten's Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry</strong></a>.</p>
  • Tyler Florence's Chicken Noodle Soup
     
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    Tyler Florence's Chicken Noodle Soup

    <p>Turn Sunday’s roast chicken into a luxurious chicken soup with onions, carrots and celery, then jazz it up with whole black peppercorns, bay leaf and fresh parsley tied together with kitchen twine.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/tyler-florences-chicken-noodle-soup/17387/" target="_blank"><strong>Tyler Florence's Chicken Noodle Soup</strong></a></p>
  • Turkey Bolognese
     
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    Turkey Bolognese

    <p>A long-simmered, vegetable or meat-packed bolognese freezes like a charm. This means having a hearty, homemade dinner that tastes like it took all day can be yours in the time it takes to cook the pasta.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/turkey-bolognese/16990/" target="_blank"><strong>Giada De Laurentiis’ Turkey Bolognese</strong></a></p>
  • Casseroles, Lasagne & Burritos
     
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    Casseroles, Lasagne & Burritos

    <p>Casseroles, lasagna and even burritos tend to freeze well, and homemade versions like these need only a quick salad to become a well-rounded meal.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/broccoli-wild-rice-casserole/15619/" target="_blank"><strong>Ree Drummond's Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole</strong></a>.</p>
  • Cookie Dough
     
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    Cookie Dough

    <p>Much like your stash of pie dough, frozen cookie dough will become your best friend when you’re craving a warm, freshly-baked treat. Because fresh-baked cookies and a hot cup of tea is what chilly weeknights were made for.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/classic-chocolate-chip-cookies/12744/" target="_blank"><strong>Anna Olson’s Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies</strong></a>.</p>
  • Organic Vegetables
     
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    Organic Vegetables

    <p>Flash-frozen at their peak, a stash of organic corn and peas in your freezer means that even in the dead of a Canadian winter, you can still mimic the taste of fresh vegetables. Add a few handfuls to anything from stews to soups and even for a bright flavour boost.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/in-season/photos/spring-pea-recipes/#JL7GGps3WfD8iUdP.99" target="_blank"><strong>Giada De Laurentiis' Chicken Tetrazzini</strong></a>.</p>
  • Pie and Tart Dough
     thepioneerwoman.com
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    Pie and Tart Dough

    <p>Whenever you make a pie crust or pastry dough, double (or triple) the recipe and stash one in the freezer. This way, you only have to lug out the big mixing appliances and measure once, and that homestyle chicken pot pie is a real possibility, even in the middle of the week.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/pecan-pie/15013/" target="_blank"><strong>Ree Drummond’s Pecan Pie</strong></a>.</p>
  • Vegetable Purée
     
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    Vegetable Purée

    <p>Nutrient-rich vegetable purées that have been peeled, chopped, roasted and blitzed, freeze like a dream. From butternut squash added to mac and cheese or soup thickened with sweet potato, to nutrient-packed smoothies, there a million reasons to save that purée for a snowy day.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/butternut-squash-mac-and-cheese/17156/" target="_blank"><strong>Rachel Ray’s Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese</strong></a>.</p>
  • Frozen Berries and Fruit
     
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    Frozen Berries and Fruit

    <p>Blend your way to smoothie town with a stash of frozen fruit or save them for baked goods like muffins, pies or rustic, oatmeal-topped crisps.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/healthy-eating/blog/healthy-raspberry-refresher-smoothie-36392/" target="_blank"><strong>The Raspberry Refresher Smoothie</strong></a>.</p>
  • Fresh Pasta
     
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    Fresh Pasta

    <p>Fresh ravioli or tortellini can be ready in less than five minutes — all they need is a dollop of butter and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan and cracked black pepper to become dinner. For a hearty soup, add tortellini to tomato-based recipe loaded with spinach and white kidney beans.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://blogs.foodnetwork.ca/tortellini-soup-from-the-hot-plate/" target="_blank"><strong>Tortellini Soup</strong></a>.</p> <p><em>Bonnie Mo is a Toronto-based editor and the face behind Food Network Canada's 1 Dish, 2 Ways column. She's also a contributing editor over at <a href="http://slice.ca/" target="_blank">slice.ca</a>. For more recipe ideas, visit <a href="http://bonniemo.ca/" target="_blank">bonniemo.ca</a>, or catch her on Instagram <a href="http://instagram.com/bonniemo" target="_blank">@bonniemo</a>.</em></p>
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