The Deep Freeze Summer Challenge Round Up

Here it is! A handful of fabulous fellow foodies braved the cold, dug deep, and found inspiration under the crystals and ice chips of the freezer. An event that came about because of a need to empty my freezer before vacation morphed into a plethora of new possibilites for everyday meals.

With inventiveness that has come from all of you, the recipes below blew me away! Now, I didn't get to everything in my freezer, but will try again when I return. If there is interest from all of you, I will host another event and maybe even make it a monthly thing. Let me know what you all think.

(If I left anyone out, or made a boo boo somewhere, email me!

Then, I will fix when I can.)

I started us off with a very simple and quick meal, Grilled Steak, Peas, and Pearl Onions and Pound Cake with Whipped Cream and Cherries.

Now, here are the other participants, in the order received...

Y from Lemonpi sent a lovely recipe, Coconut Rice. She was able to decipher the random jigsaw pieces that form the contents of [her] freezer and create this great dish packed with a wonderful combination of flavors.

Shawnda's next with her From the Freezer and Back Again Chicken Pot Pie. With a pie like this - I need to head to Houston! A couple of days later, she defrosted some tasty puff pastry for an asparagus tart. Shawnda is a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen, I tell you!

Sara found many delicious possibilies in her freezer, beyond the hot dogs..ha! Some veggies, throw in some ginger (also from the freezer) and some other lovely ingredients and out comes a Green Vegetable Curry. Then, Sara dug deeper...to rhubarb. In her Stewed Rhubarb, she uses very little sugar. This is the route I would have taken, so the rhubarb taste doesn't get lost in the mix. Wonderful!

The beautiful Arfi is so creative in her dishes. Winter may be knocking at New Zealand's door, but it is hot in Arfi's kitchen. She turned frozen lamb patties into Lamb Burger with Ginger Coy Sum Noodle Salad. Pull up another chair, add another place setting...I am on my way!

Our girl, Lisa, whipped up Lisa's Citrus Herb Baked Cornish Hen. She is so right when she says, Those quick meals? Most of the time they are forgotten and/or if remembered it's usually quicker to cook up something fresh. I am so guilty of that same thing! I have never eaten/made Cornish Hens, so her step by step recipe will be so helpful.

Quellia made an entire meal all from her freezer: Butterflied, seasoned chicken, corn and baked potato & Puff pastry shortcakes with mixed berries, cream, and Palmiers. How lucky was her household!?

Chicken and Spinach Empanadas came from Mooncrazy. She found a goldmine in her freezer with chopped spinach, puff pastry, walnuts, chopped onions and cooked chicken. Even frozen sliced cheese!

Put all together with puff pastry and voila!

Tigerfish whipped up Chinese-style steamed prawns/shrimps with egg whites. She confesses she uses frozen prawns often, but I don't see anything wrong with that! Especially, with a dish that looks like this? Bring it on...and I will be there with fork in hand.

Sukanya fried up some wonderful Fried Okra With Scallion Dip. Mmmm mm! I know the foodies down here are drooling right about now.

On a somewhat unrelated topic - This was the first time I have checked out Sukanya' s blog, which is wonderful. But, would you check out her cakes? Sukanya, my birthday is in March....:)

Shirley makes dealing with leftover beef and old bread seem like child's play. She has created a beautiful Canape with Beef and Ginger-Green Onion Dressing. But, not only has she tempted us with the canape, she has offered up some very important information on safely storing cooked meats. She tells us For frozen storage, wrap the cooked meat in heavy duty aluminum foil or freezer paper and use within two to three months. In that case, I may have a clean/empty freezer before I know it, after tossing a bunch! It's a piece everyone should read.

Lastly, I made a Panchetta Cheese Bunless Burger. Despite my Grill+Spatula=Flipping Issues, this was one tasty "boiga"!

Well that's it, my friends! Thanks for participating. I will post one last "thingy" tomorrow, then I am off. See you in July!