Let's Get Saucy

Now that you have tackled planning your Once-A-Month Cooking, it's time to start thinking about what you can pre-make in large batches, and what is best left to make on the day it is served.  Obviously, it would be difficult to make everything in advance (though I'm sure, with the proper menu, it would be entirely possible).  I, however, choose to have my freezer stocked just enough to make most nights fairly easy, but still allow for days throughout the month when I choose to cook.  Let's start with sauces, soups, and stews.

What you should never freeze

Before you go through some awful trial and error, let me start out by telling you what you should never freeze, that is, unless you enjoy soggy, mucky, globs of nasty flavored goo for dinner.  Then, by all means, freeze away.  In case you are like me and prefer to not serve flavorless goo for dinner, I recommend never freezing anything with potatoes,  dumplings, bone-in meats, or a flour or cornstarch base.  They tend to change drastically in consistency and flavor when frozen.

Seasonings

Another tip, save your time and money and do not season dishes with salt, black pepper, and garlic before freezing.  I do not understand the chemistry behind it, but these flavors magically disappear once placed in the freezer.  They are easy to add after the dish has been thawed for use.  Some seasonings that freeze well and hold their flavor are cilantro, basil, oregano, chili powder, onion powder, and parsley.

Adding Starches After Thawed

If you want to make a soup or stew containing flour, cornstarch or potatoes, you can still work this into your Once-A-Month Cooking simply by making the entire soup or stew including broth, protein, vegetables, and most spices then freezing it.  When you thaw it to serve, heat it up on the stove-top.  In order to add the flour or cornstarch, first mix it with cold water to form a paste-like consistency, then slowly stir it into the soup, bring the soup to a boil, and stir constantly until it is thick and bubbly.  As for potatoes, you can cook those up separately and toss them in the soup or stew after it has been heated.  It keeps the potatoes firm which enhances their flavor in the soup.



Separation

A lot of sauces will separate when frozen.  This usually does not affect the flavor.  While thawing, simply stir often.  If you find a specific item still separates even after you have stirred it often during the reheating process, then I recommend trying to store it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag.  Thaw it by placing it under running hot water and continuously squish the contents of the bag.  This should thoroughly mix it so it is no longer separated.
Space Saving Technique

Since most of us have fairly limited freezer space, it is nice to use that space to it's fullest.  I freeze all of my soups, stews, and sauces in freezer-safe Ziploc bags and lay them flat.  That way, once frozen, I can stack them on top of one another.  Never place a pile of unfrozen bags in the freezer or the middle ones will not freeze quickly and may lead to freezer burn.



More from the Once-A-Month Cooking series:
Planning Leads to Success
Freezing Casseroles, Pastas, and More
Freezing Piecemeal