[dagger]

Going to make zitti this weekend, removed a foodsaver bag of ricotta from the freezer and it was dated 4/2010 . Still good I'm sure but it was stuck back/bottom of freezer. You can freeze ricotta cheese just give it around 5 days to defrost in fridge so all the liguid drains away. I use the Healthy Choice Steamer baskets just cover in plastic wrap while defrosting.
When ready discard liquid and mix ricotta cheese with 1 egg and some Romano or parmesan to tighten it up and mozzarella for texture. :chef:

 

[chefbuba]

Ricotta, Ricotta, Ricotta.... No thanks, I'll pass. A new tub of ricotta is four bucks.

 

[flipflopgirl]

Going to make zitti this weekend, removed a foodsaver bag of rocatto from the freezer and it was dated 4/2010 /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif. Still good I'm sure but it was stuck back/bottom of freezer. You can freeze rocatto cheese just give it around 5 days to deforest in fridge so all the liguid drains away. I use the Healthy Choice Steamer baskets just cover in plastic wrap while deforesting.
When ready discard liquid and mix rocatto cheese with 1 egg and some Romano or parmassino to tightion it up and mozzarella for texture. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif

Don't let @IceMan know you have been deforesting.

mimi

 

[dagger]

Ricotta, Ricotta, Ricotta.... No thanks, I'll pass. A new tub of ricotta is four bucks.

Sorry posted from my tablet, painfully slow. $4 for ricotta, you haven't been to the stores lately. Last time I looked more like $7 and up 2 lbs. Tube. It's on sale thanksgiving and Christmas so bought tubs then to freeze. Everything is getting smaller but the prices so got to save were and when you can, that's why Foodsaver.

 

[dagger]

Don't let @IceMan
know you have been deforesting.

mimi

:laser:

 

[flipflopgirl]

Ricotta, Ricotta, Ricotta.... No thanks, I'll pass. A new tub of ricotta is four bucks.

Sorry posted from my tablet, painfully slow. $4 for ricotta, you haven't been to the stores lately. Last time I looked more like $7 and up 2 lbs. Tube. It's on sale thanksgiving and Christmas so bought tubs then to freeze. Everything is getting smaller but the prices so got to save were and when you can, that's why Foodsaver.

First the prices went up then the package weights got smaller.

Something has to give and it won't be pretty.

mimi

Forgot to add..... have noticed a few of my go to's have added cheap fillers.

Knocked them off my pantry par...

What are they thinking?

mimi

 

[chefross]

Back to Foodsaver......

I defrosted an elk rump roast from 2005...

same thing....lurking in the back of the freezer.

Slow braised with onions, potatoes and garlic......it was delicious....and no freezer burn at all nor did it taste like the freezer.

 

[dagger]

20150825_130434.jpg

• dagger
• Aug 25, 2015

Monster celery from Best Market, 2 for $3

 

[chefbuba]

Sorry posted from my tablet, painfully slow. $4 for ricotta, you haven't been to the stores lately. Last time I looked more like $7 and up 2 lbs. Tube. It's on sale thanksgiving and Christmas so bought tubs then to freeze. Everything is getting smaller but the prices so got to save were and when you can, that's why Foodsaver.

I was just at my little market (I live in the middle of nowhere and have few choices) a 15oz tub was $3.99 and a 32oz tub was$5.99

You surely can get better prices in a bigger metro area than I can.

 

[dagger]

Last time I was in stop &shop more than a year ago 32 oz. was $7.99 for pollyo. Just checked on line same price, me and a customer was talking how around the holidays we could get 3 lbs. Tube of pollyo for $2.99 at king kullen regular price $5+. They don't even make 3 lbs. Tubs anymore.

You also need to take into account it's only 1 ingredient in the dish. When you add in the cost of noodles, sauce, other cheeses and so on the dish gets rather $$$, so you save when/were you can for something else.

 

[mike9]

No foodsaver, or ricotta, but I have what any self respecting cook has in their freezer - shrimp shells, leek greens and pork goo. Also beef goo, chicken goo, etc. "Goo" is that gelatinous super flavor that's left after separating the fat from roasting, or braising liquids. That stuff is like gold.

IMG_20150828_181730_zps15bzntfa.jpg

• mike9
• Aug 29, 2015

 

[chefbuba]

Goo makes good gravy.

I have a couple quart bags of schmaltz in the freezer for something??????

 

[chefwriter]

Pretty sure I need a Foodsaver now. Can't believe I don't have one. 

 

[dagger]

FYI; I made the ziti and ricotta cheese turned out fine. let it drain for 5 days and mixed in egg and some parmesan.

 

[annieskitchen]

I use my Foodsaver nearly every day.

I'm single and don't like to cook for one, so I freeze individual portions, place in individual plastic bags (not zip), freeze, and place them together in ONE large Foodsaver bag. I remove one as needed and then reseal the Foodsaver bag.

Freezing individual portions first keeps portions from crushing together when they are subjected to a vacuum.

I make pancakes, cooked hamburger patties, home cooked roast beef deli slices, etc. I also buy frozen vegetables in large bags, place individual portions in the small bags, and place them in a Foodsaver outer bag.

This way I can reuse Foodsaver bags (expensive!) because it is used as an outer packaging.

The Foodsaver is indispensable for sous vide, too.

I follow a low carb, clean diet so nearly everything that I eat is made from scratch.

 

[chefross]

Today I am vacuum packing all the hog parts that I butchered from the 4-H auction.

I use my Foodsaver and find that since I am faster then the machine at making the sealed bags from the roll,

I must constantly go through a cycle where I have to let the machine cool down for 45 minutes, before I can again resume sealing.

There is an overheat detector that will not allow you to use the machine until it cools down.

It's a bummer, but I still love the machine.