What's in your freezer? Wait — you don't know? Is there a package of pie crust hidden underneath the bags of frozen dumplings? Or a mystery jar of meat sauce lurking in a back corner? If your freezer resembles a dark and mysterious junk shop, then take inspiration from these five enviably well-organized freezers. Clean, labeled, and dang-well organized! More

Repeat after me: The freezer is my friend. That's right — the freezer can be like the best friend of all, one who drops off a pot of soup on an evening you're not feeling well, or a dish of pasta after a busy day of work, when you really don't feel like cooking. Of course, that friend is really you, doing a little extra work now so you can have an easy meal later. There are so many recipes that can make a little extra to be squirreled away in the freezer for a later time. These little packages from the past are a huge gift to your future self, setting a nourishing table before you at times when you are busy, stressed, and in need of a quick fix. More

Being Southern and all, I grew up eating, and loving, breakfast casserole. (Some of you may call it a strata or bake. To be honest, I still don't know the difference.) My mother's recipe is basic—just sausage, bread, eggs, and cheese. Any time mom has to feed a crowd, whether for company, early football games, or Christmas, this is the dish she makes. More

I love beans. They're an inexpensive, healthy and tasty protein that I eat at least a couple times a week. But I don't love canned beans, which I find flavorless and mushy compared to beans cooked from scratch. So instead of relying on canned beans for quick weeknight meals, I've started cooking big batches of from-scratch beans and freezing them, so I always have perfectly cooked beans on hand and ready to thaw for dinner. More

Peanut butter and jelly never gets old. My fondness for this classic combo has only grown stronger since my days of pulling crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from my Care Bears lunch box. These baked pockets give us just the slightest twist on the classic. All the great peanut flavor and sticky jam, but made ahead (and frozen!) for easy lunches through the week. More

Q: One of my friends is seven weeks pregnant. She's a student who is incredibly busy, and I want to make her some healthy meals that she can freeze and then reheat. Any suggestions? She has no food allergies and no dietary restrictions.

Sent by Melissa More

I've been focused on high-protein snacks lately, and a tried-and-true taste is a hard boiled egg. I love them dearly and usually boil a full dozen at a go. Some weeks I eat them all and some weeks I turn to the freezer for help! More

You know what you want at 10pm? Heck, do you know what you want at 10am? Empanadas! They're good at almost any time of the day, and that's exactly their appeal. Tasty little pouches. And when those little pouches are filled with soft potato, sweet tomatoes, and a bit of beef, they surely are superbly tasty. More

We have good friends who are expecting their first baby any second now, and it's had me thinking about what we should make to bring over when the day comes. I've had a few close friends have their first children this year, but unfortunately we haven't lived in the same city, so I'm thrilled to have the chance to help out this time around. More

Tender flaky pastry pockets filled with everything from fresh corn to spicy beef? Yes, please. Empanadas are always welcome in my kitchen and on my plate. With a busy few months ahead, I'm planning on making a big batch and freezing them for quick meals when I need them. More