Freezer Power!

Cooking for one has it challenges, like breaking down recipes into portions for one. How do you split an egg in fourths? What am I supposed to do with the other half of this a can of diced tomatoes? How do I go through a whole loaf of bread before it goes stale or gets moldy? What am I going to do with the rest of this tofu block?

On top of all of that, some recipes aren't worth the time to cook just one portion - Shepherd's pie? Lasagna? Single Serving Homemade Soup? Forget about it. And unless I want to eat on a whole quiche morning, noon and night, that recipe is out the question.

But enter - Freezer Power. One of the challenges of living in a studio apartment was being freezer-less. No grab-and-nuke meals. No easy Trader Joe's dinners. No frozen vegetables. Not even ice.

But like many things, when you do without, you learn work-arounds. You get used to it. So although I've been in my new place for two months, I've just now rediscovered the power of my freezer. With the food-saving, air-chilling power of an ice box, you can cook in quantity and save it for later - making it easier to cook recipes meant for a larger guest list or keep your fridge stocked of ready-to-go meals when you are tired, lazy, down to the last of your groceries and out of a coherent pantry to make a meal, or simply on the run.

This week alone, I've cooked quinoa burger patties and taco casserole putting my spare servings in the freezer. Healthy, homemade breakfast in a hurry? No problem - grab some frozen homemade waffles or breakfast burritos. Rushing out the door to work and need lunch? How about some of those enchiladas from last week? Cooking a recipe that serves 4? Why would I pause?

Ahhh ... the difference a freezer makes.