My favorite kitchen appliance.

I'm a bit of a freezer fanatic. There. It's out.

I keep a stocked freezer in the kitchen (ready-to-use items) and another full-sized freezer in our garage for food storage. Growing up, my mom always prided herself in having a stocked freezer. I guess I got it from her. When the hubs and I were newlyweds, I recall stating that I wanted to purchase a freezer before a washer and dryer, and he thought I was a loon. I just couldn't imagine not having one. Is it wrong to have a favorite appliance?

Advantages include...buying/storing in bulk...having a wide variety and easy accessibility to food...pre-preparing ingredients for meals...extending the life of leftovers...stocking up and storing meals/desserts when unexpected guests arrive...and my favorite--it's a timesaver.

You get the idea.

Here is a comprehensive food storage guide that I use as a reference. I need to print this out and laminate it and stick it on the side of my freezer. I date items when they're purchased and whenever I have a question, I refer to that list often.

So today I wanted to share a few of my favorite tips...

*Stale uncut bread can be frozen in chunks, removed from the freezer, and turned into bread crumbs. Simply put the frozen cubes into a processor along with Italian seasonings and some Parmesan cheese and you'll have a wonderful breading for chicken.

*Freeze ALL of your cookies after they cool on your cooling racks. Don't ask me why, they just stay fresher and moist when they thaw, and the cookie stays chewy. Yum...

*Keep your freezer full. It will run more efficiently.

*Place a layer of Saran wrap on the top of soups/liquids before placing the lid on a container to prevent ice crystals and freezer burn.

*Frozen corn makes the best ice pack for injured boys. Ask me how I know.

*When I get a new bag of flour from the store, I enclose the flour in an air-tight plastic bag and put it in the freezer for at least 24 hours. When it's removed, leave the tightly closed bag in its place. The cold kills any mites that might have been in the flour, and the plastic protects the flour from getting damp. You'll never have to discard your flour again!

Be sure to check out Love Food, Hate Waste for more info and awesome tips.

Go on...what's your favorite kitchen appliance, and why?