Fantastic Freezer Fridays
Every Friday until the end of summer, I decided to do "Fantastic Freezer Fridays." Two things brought me to do this fun event: 1) this is definitely the "Preserving Season." Everywhere you turn, there are recipes and products for saving the bounty of summer's harvest. Canning, freezing, dehydrating - all ways to make sure not a bit of the fresh summer's produce goes to waste. AND 2) my job sometimes has long hours, which means I get home, famished, and no time to make a huge meal.Both of these things got me thinking about what I could have on hand, in the freezer, for days just like that.
And I'm asking you to join me - if you'd like to be included in the week's roundup, simply post a recipe, suitable for freezing, on your blog, along with a link to my original post. Send me your link by the preceding Thursday at Noon EST, and your blog and recipe will be included in Friday's post. It can be whatever you want - provided it lasts well in your freezer. Show us your favorite freezer salsa, your easy jam recipe, the best taquito recipe - there's really no rules!
I thought I'd kick things off with this recipe that I just created. The last time I had Jamaican food before I became a vegetarian, I had THE best beef patties. Sadly, when I left meat behind, I thought I had left these as well. And for some reason, I've been avoiding the vegetarian ground beef options available in the grocery store. It wasn't until a few weeks ago when my friend Wendy made some vegetarian tacos that I realized it wasn't bad at all. Since then, I've been trying to find ways to use it, and these patties were born.
Wow, are these tasty! Spicy and flavorful, and truth be told, easy to make. I made these with the ready-made Goya Discos, but feel free to make your own dough. These freeze well and can be reheated in an oven. Perfect to have on hand for a quick dinner or snack.
And don't forget to send me your links to your own Freezer's best recipes!

Vegetarian Jamaican Beef Patties
Makes 10
1 pkg Goya Discos, thawed
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, diced
1 pkg Boca Crumbles
3/4 c water
2 tbsp vegetarian beef broth powder (optional)
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp jerk seasoning
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
2 T fresh cilantro, minced
Set thawed discos aside. In medium saucepan, heat a few tablespoons olive oil. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, and saute until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Simmer until most of the moisture has evaporated. Turn heat off and cool meat slightly.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove one disc from plastic wrap. Place 2-3 tbsp filling in the center and fold dough over, sealing the edges with a fork. Place on slightly oiled cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes, until dough is crispy. Remove from oven. If serving immediately, cool slightly and serve.
For freezing: Cool completely. Package well in freezer bags. To reheat, place frozen patties on cookie sheet and reheat in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!



