Essential Foods You Should Always Have in the Freezer

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Tomato Sauce

Freezing tomato sauce is an excellent way to ensure you'll have this base ingredient at the ready for all your future cooking needs. The next time you prepare some, make a huge batch, and set aside whatever you're not immediately using to cool. Divide the sauce into one-quart freezer bags, leaving about half the bags empty (as it will expand when freezing). Lay them flat in your freezer, and store for about three to four months.

When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator for four hours or so, or let the bag defrost in a bowl of ice water for about 1 1/2 hours, until it's partly thawed. You can then finishing reheating it on the stove. We do recommend making sure the sauce is fully thawed before using it in baked dishes, to avoid creating excess liquid.