136.4…OXO Giveaway
If you read my blog often, you know that I love to freeze leftovers. I freeze just about anything whether I think it will work or not. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I freeze things like sour cream and use them later in a cake and it works fabulously!
One of the tricks of freezing things is packaging them properly. I use freezer bags and lots of plastic containers. When OXO recently sent me their new Good Grips LockTop Containers to try for free, I was ecstatic!
As part of the OXO Blogger Outreach Program, I get to try their new products out. This time, not only do I get to try them but one of my readers will too! I am giving away two different packages of Good Grips LockTop Containers: four mini containers:
And one 6.3 cup container:
OXO Good Grips LockTop Containers are:
- Dishwasher Safe
- Microwave Safe
- Freezer Safe
- Food Safe
- BPA Free
All you need to do to enter is leave a comment telling me your favorite freezing trick. It could be an item you normally wouldn’t think to freeze or a favorite way to freeze something. I will randomly draw a name this coming Wednesday at 5PM EST.
Thursday evening, I wasn’t super hungry for dinner and my husband was working late so I simply heated up some Amy’s Chunky Tomato Bisque soup.
Along with the soup, I made a simple mixed green salad.
Even though I said I wasn’t very hungry, I still had a bit of room for some of my son’s birthday cake. :)
Friday’s breakfast was pineapple Chobani, homemade granola and berries.
I took the kids to school and met a friend at Pure Barre. I’ve never tried Pure Barre before so I was really excited!
From Pure Barre’s website: “Pure Barre is a total body workout that lifts your seat, tones your thighs and burns fat in record-breaking time. Utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to fantastic music, Pure Barre is the fastest, most effective, yet safest way to change your body. Students see results in just 10 classes.”
Um…that workout was no joke. It was hard! I am STILL really sore a few days later! Who knew that using light weights and doing such little movement would result in burning in my muscles!
After the workout, I went grocery shopping and came home for lunch.
Roast beef sandwich on whole wheat bread and a Greek-style salad.
I picked up the kids from school and started getting food ready for my son’s birthday party the next day.
For dinner, I made one of my favorite recipes of all time: Indian Butter Chicken:
Recipe to come later this week!
Yesterday’s breakfast was a toasted English muffin with homemade peanut butter and honey.
Yesterday was my son’s birthday party. First we had a party at the bowling alley and then a ton of family came back to our house for swimming and a barbeque. I didn’t take a single picture. I was super busy getting everything ready and doing all the cooking and just didn’t have a chance. But just in case you’re curious, here was my menu:
Hamburgers
Hot Dogs
Crack Brownies (this time using Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups instead of the Symphony Candy Bars—the PB cups were AMAZING!)
This morning was back to business as usual with breakfast. I had my favorite pineapple Chobani yogurt again with the last of my granola and some berries. Looks like I need to make more granola!
Today I’ve been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. The mess from yesterday never seems to end.
Lunch was leftover Mexican Bean Salad, veggies and a yummy dip I made yesterday: Herb Dip.
I figured a needed a lunch full of veggies since tonight is HOT WING night! Yeehaw!!
Don’t forget to leave a comment to enter the giveaway!
Hey! I like to freeze pesto in an ice cube tray and toss it into pasta dishes when I get a craving :)
ReplyDeleteSave a plastic water bottle (regular 8 oz works fine) and store chopped scallions. When you need them, just shake out what you need!
ReplyDeleteMany times I'll put a layer of plastic wrap over the food I am freezing. It tends to get the freezer burn at bay:)
ReplyDeleteI like to freeze strawberries and oranges in water to make ice cubes. They are great during the summer to toss into seltzer or water :)
ReplyDeleteHey Melissa! Here is a fool proof trick for freezing fresh strawberries: Remove the hulls from the berries. DO NOT RINSE! Place on a cookie sheet or tray in rows, like you would cookies before putting them into the oven. Make sure they're not touching. Put them into the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, remove them from the sheet/tray and put into freezer safe containers or Ziploc bags. I like to portion them out (10 or so berries in a bag) for smoothies. ENJOY!
ReplyDeleteFreeze buttermilk into 1/2c. portions & freeze-- usually works!
ReplyDeleteI will buy chicken breasts in bulk and individually freeze them in a heavy plastic wrap and then put them into a freezer bag. This way I do not have to thaw the whole bunch I can just thaw one at a time.
ReplyDeletemsgb245 at gmail dot com
I love to snack on frozen grapes whenever I get a craving for something sweet!
ReplyDeleteI freeze a lot of left over fruit like strawberries, bananas and blueberries, that way it don't waste and there good for oatmeal or smoothies.
ReplyDeleteMarci
rmwilliams224@hotmal.com
I freeze everything with vacuum freezer bags. use the hand held air pump to suck all the air out. Never freezer burned!
ReplyDeleteI freeze everything as well. I love to freeze birthday cake and eat a slice just slightly thawed (it tastes like ice cream cake but better). I would love those mini containers for the homemade baby food I will soon be freezing. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love to freeze cut up rhubarb. It's great for making any day a spring day when I use it to make rhubarb muffins or cobbler.
ReplyDeletersgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
I love to freeze homemade cookie dough, made into rounds. Whenever an emergency cookie craving hits, just grab a few out of the freezer and bake them! Homemade cookies almost instant! Yum!
ReplyDeleteI have a 9 month old so I freeze a ton of purees for him. One of his favorites is roasted pears with some ginger on them. I usually mix them with oatmeal.
ReplyDeleteWe freeze ALL our bread. I think you do this too? We don't eat that much and when the kids want a sandwich I just chisel 2 pieces off and let them thaw for 5 mins. Good to go!
ReplyDeleteOh, I also make a ginger-garlic paste and freeze that! Amazing to just scoop some out when making Indian food!!! Best idea ever from my mom!
ReplyDeleteThese are great freezing ideas!! Keep them coming! I'm taking notes! :)
ReplyDeleteEvery now and then I can't use my fresh produce before it starts to turn. Before it goes bad, I throw it in the freezer in heavy zip lock bags. This is great for fresh spinach, mushrooms, and broccoli. Just pull out a handful, quickly saute or don't cook at all, and add to quiches, egg scrambles, soup toppers, pizza, etc. Handy dandy and your fresh food doesn't get wasted!
ReplyDeleteWe eat a lot of bananas in our house and sometimes we won't get to them in time before they get brown and mushy. So I peel them, cut them in half and freeze in little ziplocs and the next time the kids want smoothies I just pull the frozen bananas out and throw them in the blender!
ReplyDeleteI had a cook-and-freeze day recently to prepare for my twins' arrival and one of the recipes was a chili (White Lightning Chicken Chili--so good!). I had never frozen anything like that before but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it tasted once thawed! I just alternated foil and saran wrap to cover it. Probably old school but it worked!
ReplyDeleteI need new containers so bad! I just tossed all my cheap stuff.
ReplyDeleteBarre is hard, I was sore for days after.
I freeze just about anything. I'll often make a double batch of pizza dough and then wrap the portion I don't use in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag. Then I let it thaw for a few hours and I can use it like fresh dough!
ReplyDeleteI make pizza dough in my bread machine on the weekend when I have more time. I freeze it in plastic wrap wrapped in tin foil. When I want to use it, I place in the fridge the night before and it's fresh and perfect for the next night. Much better than takeout pizza!!
ReplyDelete@laura
ReplyDeletePizza dough in the bread machine?? Care to share the recipe? :)
When I make pasta sauce I put them in 2 cup ziploc bags, lay them flat, so they don't take up as much room. Great giveaway!
ReplyDeletewould love to win...love their products!
ReplyDeleteykatrina at hotmail dot com
@Melissa
ReplyDeleteThe best recipe I have found is from my bread machine manual! Page 22
http://www.zojirushi.com/servicesupport/manuals/manual_pdf/bbcc_v20.pdf
We always grow a garden and have tons of corn.. You can actualyl freeze the corn in the husks and its just as good (well almost) as fresh!
ReplyDeleteFrom a family of women with two extra freezer chests ( ;) ), I freeze almost anything. I tend to freeze breads like banana bread when I make big batches. Doesn't taste quite the same as bread out of the oven but it hits the spot!\
ReplyDeletemandaoverturf at yahoo dot com
@laura
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura!
Every day, I pack breakfast, lunch, and snacks in containers to bring to school. I use old take out containers because I'm too cheap to buy "nice" ones, so I would definitely put them to good use!
ReplyDeleteAmy said
ReplyDeleteI.would love to try the containers on my home grown veggies.