freeze ahead

This Broccoli and Stilton Tart with Walnut Pastry will feed a hungry crowd with minimal effort. Search triple tested recipes from the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team.

Broccoli and Stilton Tart with Walnut Pastry

75 g (3 ounces) walnut halves

g (4 ounces) plain flour

100 g (3½oz) cold butter, cubed

caster sugar

275 g (10 ounces) head of broccoli, cut into florets

350 mL (12fl oz) double cream

eggs

½ tsp English mustard

g (4 ounces) stilton, crumbled

Make a batch of this comforting, freezer-friendly chicken dish. If you're feeling fruity, fry cored apple wedges in a knob of butter until golden, then stir through before reheating

Chicken normandy

olive oil

chicken legs 6

bacon lardons 200 grams

onions 2, finely chopped

celery 2 sticks, finely chopped

garlic 2 cloves, crushed

plain flour 1 tbsp

dry cider 500 milliliters

chicken stock 150 milliliters

thyme 2 sprigs

bay leaf 1

milliliters

This quick Malaysian noodle soup is just the thing to warm up colder evenings

Salmon, squash & prawn laksa

jar laksa paste

butternut squash

coconut milk

chicken stock

rice

pack beansprout

skinless salmon fillet,

tail-on prawn

spring onions, sliced

coriander

lime wedges,

Heat the paste in a large saucepan and fry the squash for a few mins until well coated in the paste. Pour in the coconut milk and stock, and simmer for 10 mins. The squash should still have a bite to it. Add the drained noodles and beansprouts.

To freeze, turn off the heat immediately and leave to cool, then transfer to a suitable container for freezing. If you’re making this to eat now, add the salmon and prawns, and cook for 4-5 mins until the fish is cooked through.

If frozen, defrost overnight in the fridge, then return to a large saucepan. Add the salmon and prawns, cover, bring to the boil and simmer until the fish is cooked – it should only take 1-2 mins. Stir through the spring onions, then sprinkle with coriander and serve with some lime wedges.

Children love anything breadcrumbed and simple schnitzels won't disappoint

Pork schnitzel

sage leaves, finely chopped

breadcrumbs

pork chops

tbsp butter

Tip the sage leaves and breadcrumbs onto a plate, then mix together with a little seasoning. Pour the eggs onto another plate. Pat the pork dry, then coat each chop in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip away. Then dip in the breadcrumbs until well covered. Cook or wrap in cling film or freezer bags and freeze.

To cook, defrost completely if frozen. Place the chops on a lightly greased baking sheet and brush with a little of the butter. Cook under a medium grill for 7-10 mins until browned. Then turn over, brush with more butter and cook for a further 7 mins until crisp, browned all over and cooked through. Serve with green beans, fresh peas and some mashed potato mixed with grated cheddar.

This rich and creamy Dutch tomato soup, made with very ripe plum or vine tomatoes, was inspired by the delicious bowl of tomato soup served at Café de Jaren in Amsterdam.

Fresh tomato soup

onion 1 large, diced

carrot 1, finely chopped

celery stick,

thyme

bay leaves 2

plum tomatoes

chicken stock 850 milliliters

basil a few leaves

This summery Italian one-pot is easy to make and freezes brilliantly, plus, it's low cal and gluten free. The recipe is easily halved if you only want to serve 3-4 people.

Chicken, red pepper and olive cacciatore

chicken thighs

olive oil,

onions, finely chopped

garlic, crushed

vine tomatoes, tomatoes

red peppers,

rosemary, needles chopped

milliliters red wine

jar pitted black olives,

basil

Season the chicken pieces all over. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large shallow casserole or frying pan and fry the chicken on both sides until the skin is golden brown, about 10 minutes. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer from the pan onto a plate. Drain most of the fat from the pan, add the onions and garlic, and fry for 8 minutes on a low heat until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes, peppers and rosemary and simmer for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes break down. Add the wine and simmer for 20-30 minutes until it thickens and becomes a rich sauce. Add a splash of water if it becomes too thick. Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.

Stir the olives through the sauce, then nestle the chicken back into the pan. If the pieces don’t fit in one layer, transfer the sauce and chicken to a baking dish. Cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through and the meat pulls away from the bone easily. Allow to cool to room temperature, then tip into freezer boxes in portions, or freeze the whole baking dish covered in clingflim then foil, if you like.

To reheat, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Tip into an ovenproof dish (add another splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much when cooled), and cook for 30-40 minutes until piping hot. Scatter over some basil, and serve with pasta or potatoes.

Get ahead this weekend and make this indulgent, freezable treat, perfect for pud or with a cup of tea

Raspberry bakewell slice

pack sweet shortcrust pastry

raspberry jam

frozen raspberries, just thawed

flaked almonds

apricot jam

butter, very soft,

golden caster sugar

ground almonds

self-raising flour

tsp baking powder

almond extract

eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the base and sides of a buttered traybake tin, about 18-20cm x 30cm, with baking parchment. Roll out the pastry to line. Lift into the tin and evenly press right into the corners. Prick with a fork and chill for 20 mins.

Bake the pastry for 8-10 mins until it‘s cooked but not too coloured. Cool for a few mins and turn down the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dot the raspberry jam over the pastry (there's no need to spread) and scatter over the raspberries.

For the sponge, put all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft and very well mixed. Spoon this over the raspberry layer, then smooth evenly. Scatter over the flaked almonds and bake for 35-40 mins until golden and firm. Cool completely in the tin. Will freeze for up to 3 months – overwrap the tin with baking parchment and foil beforehand.

To serve, thaw for 4 hrs at room temperature, then reheat in a low oven. Melt the apricot jam with 1 tbsp water and brush over the top of the sponge just before serving.

Take weeknight dinners up a notch with these comforting melt-in-the-middle fishcakes. The hidden rarebit centre is filled with oozing mozzarella and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, for added richness.

Melt-in-the-middle fishcakes

For the fishcakes

maris piper potatoes,

sustainable

milk

tbsp capers, drained and roughly chopped

parsley, leaves

lemon

dried breadcrumbs (e.g. panko)

Rapeseed oil

Chips and salad to serve

For the rarebit melting middle

mature cheddar, grated

Dijon mustard

tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

grated mozzarella (the dry kind

You’ll also need…

Mini food processor

For the fishcakes, put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water, then bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and tip into a large mixing bowl, mash well and set aside. Meanwhile, put the smoked haddock in a separate saucepan and cover with the milk. Bring just to the boil, then turn off the heat and strain the milk into a jug. Add the fish to the bowl of mashed potato and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, put all the rarebit ingredients, including the Worcestershire sauce, in a mini food processor and whizz to bring together into a smooth thick paste. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and chill, covered, until needed.

Once the mash and haddock have both cooled, add the capers, parsley, lemon zest and egg yolks. Season (remember the haddock will be salty), then stir everything together. Shape into 6 even-size patties, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (see Make Ahead).

Once chilled, make an indent in the centre of each fish cake, then add a generous teaspoon of the rarebit mix to each. Gently shape the fishcake around the rarebit filling, forming it back into a patty, then return to the fridge for a further hour or until you’re ready to fry (see Make Ahead).

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas7. Spread some breadcrumbs on a large plate or board, then take a chilled fishcake and coat in the crumbs, pressing with your hands to help coat it evenly. Repeat with the remaining fishcakes and breadcrumbs.

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook 3 fishcakes at a time for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden, taking care not to let them colour too much. Transfer the fishcakes to a non-stick baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they’re hot throughout and the middle is oozing. Serve with chips and salad, if you like.

Our 'fairy bread' cookie dough can be made ahead of time and popped in the freezer, ready for you to just slice and bake when those last minute cookie cravings arrive.

Vanilla 'fairy bread' slice and bake cookies

butter, softened

215.00 gm caster sugar

tsp Queen Vanilla Bean Paste

625.00 ml plain flour

The sweet, crisp flesh and refreshing flavour of watermelon makes this sorbet the perfect palate cleanser at summer dinner parties. It's also a great base for watermelon margaritas – just add tequila

Watermelon sorbet

mint

watermelon, rind removed and cut into pieces

limes, juiced

Put the sugar, mint and 150ml of water in a pan and cook for 10 mins until thick and syrupy, and coats the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool and fish out the mint sprigs.

Whizz the watermelon and lime juice in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pips. Stir in the sugar syrup, and transfer to a freezerproof container or ice cream machine following the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you don’t have an ice cream machine, freeze for 1 hr, then whisk the mixture with a fork to break up any large ice crystals. Freeze again for 30 mins and repeat again, breaking up the mixture. Repeat this process until the sorbet is frozen but scoopable. Serve with more mint leaves, or serve in coupe glasses topped up with your favourite spirit, or sparkling wine.

A comforting pie filled with white fish, smoked haddock, prawns and leek, topped with fluffy mash, that you can make in advance and freeze. A classic family dish special enough to serve to guests too

Classic fish pie

leeks,

butter

tbsp plain flour

milliliters white wine

milliliters double cream

½ small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

firm white skinless fish

skinless smoked haddock, chunked

cooked peeled prawns

Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and chunked

milk,

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Gently cook the leeks in half the butter until really soft. Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually stir in the wine until you have a sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cream and bring gently to a simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the parsley, fish and prawns, then take off the heat. Tip into a baking dish.

To make the mash, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, then tip back into the pan over a low heat to dry out slightly. Add the rest of the butter, a splash of milk and some seasoning. Mash really well. Spoon over the fish, then spread out using a fork so you end up with a rough surface. Dot or brush with more butter for a golden top.

Bake the pie in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the top is crisp and golden, and the filling is bubbling and piping hot.

To freeze the pie, cover with clingfilm and freeze after assembling (but before cooking) for up to 2 months. Defrost completely in the fridge overnight. Cook following the instructions above.

Our super simple penang curry is packed with punchy flavour. This recipe serves six and can easily be frozen, so get ahead and make this in time for the festive period

Duck Penang curry

duck breasts, fat scored

coconut cream

red peppers, sliced

cinnamon stick

star anise

tbsp fish sauce

tbsp palm sugar or soft brown sugar

Thai basil, torn

jasmine rice

shallots, roughly chopped

ginger

garlic, roughly chopped

lemongrass, woody layer removed and finely chopped

tbsp dried chilli flakes

bird's-eye chilli, roughly chopped

shrimp paste

lime leaves, shredded

sea salt

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put all of the curry paste ingredients in a food processor with 1-2 tbsp of water and blend until smooth.

Season the duck breasts and put skin-side down in a cold frying pan then cook for 10 minutes until the skin of the duck is golden and crisp, and some of the fat has rendered out. (Save this for roasting potatoes.) Transfer to the oven for 15 minutes, remove and rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly.

Heat the coconut cream in a wok until it looks like it has split. Add the curry paste and cook for 4-5 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk with 200ml water and add the red peppers, cinnamon stick and star anise, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice, and stir in the sliced duck breast.

Cool and transfer to freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To serve, defrost in the fridge overnight then heat gently until piping hot. Serve with fresh Thai basil, lime wedges and jasmine rice.

Top 12 freeze ahead recipes from across the web

The most viewed freeze ahead recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Broccoli and Stilton Tart with Waln...

Chicken normandy

Salmon, squash & prawn laksa

Pork schnitzel

Fresh tomato soup

Chicken, red pepper and olive cacci...

Raspberry bakewell slice

Melt-in-the-middle fishcakes

Vanilla 'fairy bread' slice and bak...

Watermelon sorbet

Classic fish pie

Duck Penang curry

Top 12 freeze ahead recipes from across the web

The most viewed freeze ahead recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Broccoli and Stilton Tart with Waln...

Chicken normandy

Salmon, squash & prawn laksa

Pork schnitzel

Fresh tomato soup

Chicken, red pepper and olive cacci...

Raspberry bakewell slice

Melt-in-the-middle fishcakes

Vanilla 'fairy bread' slice and bak...

Watermelon sorbet

Classic fish pie

Duck Penang curry

The most viewed freeze ahead recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine