Freezing Tips  
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Leftover canned tomato paste?  You can afford to let that go to waste.  Drop by the tablespoon as you would cookies onto a foil or plastic-wrap lined small pan or casserole; "flash-freeze" until hard. Bag them into a zipper-seal pint freezer bag, labeled. Add, still frozen, to hot sauces, soups and stews as needed.

In my refrigerator door I have pint size freezer bags labeled "peppers", "onion", "mushroom" and "tomato".  When I use part of a pepper, onion or tomato, or part of a package of mushrooms that will soon be over the hill, I chop the rest and toss it in the correct bag.  Then when I'm in a hurry I can use them for stir fry, soup, salsa, or whatever else I need it for.  If you want just little, it will break off or separate easily.

It takes a lot of time and costly energy to heat a big pot of water and cook spaghetti.   Here's a shortcut:   Use your biggest pot and cook a WHOLE BUNCH of spaghetti still al dente.   Drain, and stir in a little olive oil.  Set aside what you won't use now.   When cool, divide into portions the size you usually use.  Place in freezer bags or containers, pressing to remove air, label and date.  Easily thawed and heated in a microwave for future use to round out a meal. 

Freezer burn causes your stored foods to loose flavor and texture, and dry out.  If you use zipper bags, keep a clean dishpan full of cold water at hand.  Zip the bag almost closed, then submerge it except for the open part.  All the air will go out; then zip the rest of the way.  Dry off and freeze flat.