This is one of my hubby's favorite meals. It's great to double on a weeknight and freeze one for a future meal! If you make it with homemade bread dough you could freeze it prior to baking it. Then when you want to serve it in the future, remove it from freezer and thaw on cookie sheet in fridge. Bake as directed below.
Italian Stromboli
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed (or make your own in breadmaker)
1/4 lb. each of sliced ham, pepperoni & genoa salami
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
several mushrooms, sliced
1 c. mozarella cheese, shredded
marinara sauce for dipping (great recipe HERE)
Saute' onion, pepper & mushrooms in skillet until tender. Set aside. Spread thawed (or homemade) dough into large rectangle on cookie sheet. Layer one side of the dough with sliced meat, sauteed veggies and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle small amount of garlic powder and Italian seasoning over cheese. Fold empty dough side over, sealing edges. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until dough is baked to golden on top. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with warmed marinara sauce.
To freeze: Place cooled slices in Ziploc freezer bag.
To Serve: Reheat in oven (wrapped in foil).
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Cranberry Applesauce
Our family loves homemade applesauce and I love that it freezes & thaws so well! 'Tis the season for cranberries - so why not throw them into the applesauce! You can easily make this now, freeze it and then thaw it the day before Thanksgiving. You'll have a great cranberry side that's a little different than just cranberry sauce! ;o)
Cranberry Applesauce
2 - 3 lb. bags of Macintosh Apples, peeled & sliced
1 bag of cranberries, rinsed & drained
1 c. Sucanat (or raw sugar)
Place a few tablespoons of water in the bottom of a large saucepan. Place the apple slices & cranberries in the saucepan. Heat over low-medium heat until cranberries & apples are soft. Add the raw sugar & stir. If you like smooth applesauce, place it in a blender and puree until it's the right consistency for your family.
To Freeze: Cool & place in freezer bags or containers.
To Serve: Thaw in fridge 24 hours.
Cranberry Applesauce
2 - 3 lb. bags of Macintosh Apples, peeled & sliced
1 bag of cranberries, rinsed & drained
1 c. Sucanat (or raw sugar)
Place a few tablespoons of water in the bottom of a large saucepan. Place the apple slices & cranberries in the saucepan. Heat over low-medium heat until cranberries & apples are soft. Add the raw sugar & stir. If you like smooth applesauce, place it in a blender and puree until it's the right consistency for your family.
To Freeze: Cool & place in freezer bags or containers.
To Serve: Thaw in fridge 24 hours.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Chicken Noodle Soup/Chicken & Noodles
Another good recipe I tweaked from "Don't Panic!" my kids LOVE this with the tiny egg noodles. I was able to make this and get two meals from it. I added a bag of egg noodles to each meal, so it was more like chicken & noodles. If you want two meals of soup add only 1 c. of noodles to each meal.
Chicken Noodle Soup OR Chicken & Noodles
3 lbs. of chicken cut up
10 c. water
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 c. sliced celery
2 c. sliced carrots
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 c. noodles (needed on serving day, not cooking day ;o)
Combine chicken & water, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer 15 min. Add bouillon, onion, salt, pepper & bay leaf. Cover; simmer 35-45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and from bone, then return chicken to pot. Stir in veggies. Cover & simmer 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.
To Freeze: Cool completely and ladle into freezer container or bags. This recipe gave us two half-full gallon bags. Enough for two dinners!
To Serve: Dump contents of bag into saucepan or crockpot. Add noodles 5-10 minutes before serving.
Chicken Noodle Soup OR Chicken & Noodles
3 lbs. of chicken cut up
10 c. water
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 c. sliced celery
2 c. sliced carrots
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 c. noodles (needed on serving day, not cooking day ;o)
Combine chicken & water, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer 15 min. Add bouillon, onion, salt, pepper & bay leaf. Cover; simmer 35-45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and from bone, then return chicken to pot. Stir in veggies. Cover & simmer 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.
To Freeze: Cool completely and ladle into freezer container or bags. This recipe gave us two half-full gallon bags. Enough for two dinners!
To Serve: Dump contents of bag into saucepan or crockpot. Add noodles 5-10 minutes before serving.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
White Chicken Tortilla Soup
I tweaked this recipe from one I have in the first Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer cookbook. I put everything in the crockpot before church, set it on high and came home 3+ hours later to a house that smelled like I walked into Panera (as my whole wheat bread in my bread machine was timed to end at noon). We ate half the soup for lunch and the remaining half is now in the freezer for another meal some cold day this fall!
White Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 onion, chopped (approx 3/4 c.)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 4.5 oz. can of green chilies
1 T cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (you can add more if you like it spicy!)
1 can (15 oz) of white beans
1 can (15 oz) corn (or you could use 1 1/2 c. frozen corn)
2 c. cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
5 c. chicken broth (I used 5 c. water & 5 chicken bouillon cubes)
Dump everything in the crockpot and set on high for 3 hours or until onions are tender Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips, cheddar cheese & sour cream. Mmmmm!
To Freeze: Cool and place in Ziploc freezer containers or bags.
To Serve: Thaw overnight in fridge. Heat in saucepan.
White Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 onion, chopped (approx 3/4 c.)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 4.5 oz. can of green chilies
1 T cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (you can add more if you like it spicy!)
1 can (15 oz) of white beans
1 can (15 oz) corn (or you could use 1 1/2 c. frozen corn)
2 c. cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
5 c. chicken broth (I used 5 c. water & 5 chicken bouillon cubes)
Dump everything in the crockpot and set on high for 3 hours or until onions are tender Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips, cheddar cheese & sour cream. Mmmmm!
To Freeze: Cool and place in Ziploc freezer containers or bags.
To Serve: Thaw overnight in fridge. Heat in saucepan.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Hot Ham'n' Cheese Sandwiches
Our life is on-the-go right now. Dinners seem to be in passing getting kids to soccer, karate, ballet & church activities. :o) These are quick & easy to pull-out, bake & eat on the go!
Hot Ham'n'Cheese Sandwiches
3/4 c. mayo
3 tsp. dry mustard (less if you don't like the mustard flavor :o)
1 1 /2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. worshcestershire sauce
2 tsp. minced onion
3/4 lb. ham, cut in small pieces
9 slices of cheese (swiss is the best, but provolone works well, too)
9 buns
Mix together the mayo, spices & sauce then add the ham. Place mixture on one half of bun, top with cheese and bun top. Wrap in foil and place in Ziploc Freezer Bag to store. If you are serving immediately, wrap sandwiches in foil and back in 400F oven for 10 minutes.
To Serve: No Thaw. Place foil-wrapped sandwiches in 400F oven for 30-40 minutes until middle is warm & cheese is melted OR place in microwave (without the foil!) for 1 1/2 minutes @ 60% power.
Hot Ham'n'Cheese Sandwiches
3/4 c. mayo
3 tsp. dry mustard (less if you don't like the mustard flavor :o)
1 1 /2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. worshcestershire sauce
2 tsp. minced onion
3/4 lb. ham, cut in small pieces
9 slices of cheese (swiss is the best, but provolone works well, too)
9 buns
Mix together the mayo, spices & sauce then add the ham. Place mixture on one half of bun, top with cheese and bun top. Wrap in foil and place in Ziploc Freezer Bag to store. If you are serving immediately, wrap sandwiches in foil and back in 400F oven for 10 minutes.
To Serve: No Thaw. Place foil-wrapped sandwiches in 400F oven for 30-40 minutes until middle is warm & cheese is melted OR place in microwave (without the foil!) for 1 1/2 minutes @ 60% power.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Pepperoni Chicken Revisited
My original Pepperoni Chicken recipe is here but this past week I made it again with a few changes and it worked really well for a Sunday lunch after church...
- I pounded the chicken to about 1/2" thickness (maybe less, I didn't have a ruler) :o)
- I placed the fillings on top, rolled each piece and stuck a toothpick to hold it securely.
- I flash-froze them on a wax paper-lined pan, then bagged them for longer storage.
- To Cook: No Thaw. Remove from freezer, place in crockpot covered with pasta sauce. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
Amazing Soft Pretzels
These taste like Auntie Anne's pretzels!!! I found the recipe on allrecipes.com and then tweaked it according to reviews and our preferences. I actually made the dough in my breadmaker (directions below) as I was out yesterday afternoon and wanted the dough ready when I came home.
The original recipe & instructions are HERE if you aren't making them in a breadmaker, but still reduce flour to 4 cups!
Soft Pretzels
In a bowl, combine these and let sit approx 10 minutes until foamy.
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar (I used Sucanat)
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
Combine the following dry ingredients in a separate bowl:
5 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 unbleached white)
1/2 cup white sugar (I used Sucanat)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Pour yeast mixture and vegetable oil into breadmaker; then add the dry ingredients. Set on dough cycle (1 1/2 hours) and let run full cycle. You may need to let it sit another hour or two until dough doubles in size.
Remove dough & shape into pretzels (or pretzel sticks as I chose to do) while waiting for water to boil. When water boils, add baking soda and then dunk each pretzel in this solution and place on greased baking sheet. Top with salt or cinnamon/sugar or garlic...whatever you choose. ;o)
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
Bake at 400*F for 8 minutes (possibly a minute or two longer, but check bottoms of pretzels as they burn easily). You can brush baked pretzels with melted butter.
These freeze well (as I read from other reviews) but I haven't had the chance to freeze them yet since our family of 5 devoured all but one pretzel stick last night! :o)
The original recipe & instructions are HERE if you aren't making them in a breadmaker, but still reduce flour to 4 cups!
Soft Pretzels
In a bowl, combine these and let sit approx 10 minutes until foamy.
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar (I used Sucanat)
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
Combine the following dry ingredients in a separate bowl:
5 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 unbleached white)
1/2 cup white sugar (I used Sucanat)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Pour yeast mixture and vegetable oil into breadmaker; then add the dry ingredients. Set on dough cycle (1 1/2 hours) and let run full cycle. You may need to let it sit another hour or two until dough doubles in size.
Remove dough & shape into pretzels (or pretzel sticks as I chose to do) while waiting for water to boil. When water boils, add baking soda and then dunk each pretzel in this solution and place on greased baking sheet. Top with salt or cinnamon/sugar or garlic...whatever you choose. ;o)
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
Bake at 400*F for 8 minutes (possibly a minute or two longer, but check bottoms of pretzels as they burn easily). You can brush baked pretzels with melted butter.
These freeze well (as I read from other reviews) but I haven't had the chance to freeze them yet since our family of 5 devoured all but one pretzel stick last night! :o)
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