8 Ways to Use Old Ice Cube Trays
Did your new fridge come with an icemaker? Don’t throw those old ice cube trays away yet – they’ll come in very handy for preserving unused foods, storing ingredients or making special treats! It’s a great way to control portions when preparing dishes, too (the average ice cube yields about 2 tablespoons).
Broth. Once you’ve added the amount of beef, chicken or vegetable broth you needed from a can or carton to a recipe, freeze the leftovers in an ice cube try. Transfer the frozen broth cubes to plastic freezer bags, and be sure to label the bag with the type of broth and the date frozen. Store for up to 1 year. The small portions are ideal for adding to sauces and gravies. You can also use them to sauté vegetables or flavor rice or couscous.
Juice. Need to use up those lemons and limes in the crisper? Squeeze their juice into an ice cube tray and add the frozen juice cubes to a glass of water or soda for extra flavoring. You can also use them in the blender while making humus to give the humus a firmer texture.
Purees. Whether you’re making pumpkin bread from a recipe that calls for less than a can of pumpkin, or preparing fresh vegetables for baby food, ice cube trays are a great way to save leftovers and portion out servings for future use. Note: use frozen puree within three months.
Smoothies. Fresh smoothies are a tasty, healthy way to use up overripe fruit. If you wind up with more than you need, simply freeze the extras in an ice cube tray. When you’re ready to use them, just toss them in the blender with a little water or fruit juice for a slushy treat that’s ready in seconds.
Coffee. Frozen coffee cubes are a great way to make iced coffee! Just brew twice as much coffee as you’d normally use, then freeze the double-strength brew in an ice cube tray. Add the cubes to a batch of cooled, regular-strength coffee, and you won’t have to worry about watering down your drink.
Chopped veggies. Once you’ve added all the chopped onions, peppers or garlic you need to a recipe, scoop the leftovers into an ice cube tray, add a few drops of water and freeze. Next time you make soup, chili, or some other dish, you’ll be able to skip a prep step.
Herbs. Freezing works as well as drying when preserving fresh herbs for long-term us. Just rinse the harvested leaves and remove from the stems. Put ¼ cup of water per one cup of herbs in a blender and process to a fine paste. Using a spoon, fill each ice cube compartment with the herbal paste and freeze. Store the herbal ice cubes in plastic freezer bags or containers with tight-fitting lids for up to 6 months. When ready to use, simply drop the frozen cubes into stews or sauces.
Canned ingredients. It’s frustrating when a recipe calls for two tablespoons of tomato paste and all you have is a 6-ounce can! But you don’t have to waste the extra – freeze what you don’t use to save yourself from opening a new can later. It’s also a great method for storing unused canned chipotle chili peppers.
How can I purchase the ice tray?
Sorry for the late reply Alex. We actually don’t sell this particular ice cube tray. Often times on this blog we link product images to our eCommerce site Solutions.com. Linked images will take you right to a product page where you can buy the item. In our winter book for 2012 we will be carrying a really neat ice cube tray, check Solutions.com come January.