Rut-Busting Recipes for Freezer Staples

Hi, all! This is Krysten, filling in for Emily, who’s back next week after a glorious spring break.

I love the freezer, a totally unsexy but incredibly useful appliance. Mine is full of all kinds of treasures and foundations for so many meals:shrimp (preferably wild!); ground turkey; boneless, skinless chicken breasts; ice cream.

The freezer is a blessing (there are always dinner ingredients on hand) and a curse (the cooking ruts come fast and furious). And while I love a creative challenge, I sometimes find myself staring at bags of frozen broccoli at a total loss. If you, like me, are living this freezer-focused life — or if you’re just a hungry person looking for easy, affordable dishes — these five recipes are a great place to start. And if you’re looking for even more brilliance, Sohla El-Waylly teaches you how to make the most out of frozen fish (without defrosting!) in her latest “Cooking 101” video. (See: Millie Peartree’s coconut curry fish.)

Let me know how it goes. Find me on Instagram, where I’m cooking, sewing and hugging my dog.

Credit…Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

1. Spicy Skillet Ground Turkey and Snap Peas

Ground turkey — and any ground meat, really — freezes and defrosts excellently. Melissa Clark puts it to smart use in this larb-inspired recipe. Snap peas and herbs add freshness to this richly flavored dish, which sings over rice.

View this recipe.