It's Freezing!

Well, it's not anywhere close to freezing temps outside here in Central Texas, but I do have some extra soup I can throw in the freezer!

I had plenty of the soup left over, so I reserved some for lunch, and got to work. Freezing soup is a great way to stretch your dollars, and have all the convenience of ready-made soups with all the benefits of a homemade dish. Freezing it flat in a large plastic zipper bag means that you can thaw it faster and it stacks and stores better.

Labeling the bag with the dish name and the date is great for sorting and solving any mysteries of when you made that. It sounds so simple, but it's a big benefit!

I put the bag in a loaf pan to hold it up right. You do have to hold it a bit during the first two ladles, but after that, you should be able to leave the bag to stand on its own.

This is to show that I squeezed out as much air as possible by folding it over gently.

Then I laid it out on a big plate to put it in the freezer. You can also use a baking sheet if you have the space or a small enough pan.

Then pop it in the freezer to chill. I tried to use the ice box to prop up the zipper to prevent leaking.

Here's the Recipe!

Spinach Minestrone Soup

10 C water w/ bouillon or stock

3/4 C dried macaroni pasta

14 oz. can of diced tomatoes

1 can Navy Beans (any beans works!), drained and rinsed

10 oz. box of frozen spinach, thawed

3 C frozen vegetables

(I used blend of cauliflower, green beans, lima beans, carrots, red bell pepper)

Bring the stock to a boil, add the dried pasta. When pasta is almost cooked, add the frozen veggies. Return to a boil, add the beans and spinach. Let simmer for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes and juices from can. Let simmer for another 5-10 min.