Simple things I have learned

There are some really simple things I have learned while doing this type of cooking.
1. Don't over cook your pasta - frozen and defrosted cooked pasta gets mushy. Properly cooked, even a bit undercooked pasta is preferable. Remember - when you defrost something that has pasta, you will be cooking it again, so you don't want a bunch of mush with meat.
2. Sometimes pasta doesn't even need to be cooked to be in the meal - for example lasagna. Just layer dry noodles in your lasagna with your meat, cheese and sauce and it will be perfect. When you defrost, cook for about 20 minutes longer and you will have a perfect lasagna.
3. Always cook onions before freezing. The first time I did this type of cooking, the book I used didn't have you cook the onions before assembling and freezing. When I defrosted my first meal and it was overpowering onion flavor I learned quickly - sautee all onions before adding to any meal, even if it doesn't say to do so.
4. You can always add more seasoning when you defrost and cook, but you sure can't take it away.
5. Along the same lines - salt increases in flavor when you freeze and defrost - err on the side of undersalted when you are freezing, add more when you have finished cooking. Other spices don't increase in flavor, so you don't need to be as cautious with them.
6. If you want something to stay crispy - like crunchy veggies, don't freeze them. They always come out limp.
7. Cream sauces are hit and miss when freezing. Some freeze well, while others curdle. If you are using my cookbook, all the sauces have been tested for freezability. If you are trying your own sauces, go cautiously.
8. No need to precook any meals, except for meat that goes in a casserole. For example, if you are making a pot roast, no need to cook it before freezing. If you are making a casserole that includes cooked, cut up chicken, you will need to cook it and cut it up before freezing - so you can assemble the whole thing.
9. Potatoes do not freeze properly, unless they are cooked beforehand. In fact, raw potatoes that are frozen turn black. If you want to freeze potatoes, make sure they are cooked before freezing.