makes 32 cheese sticks
16 mozzarella string cheese sticks
2 eggs
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp paprika
Cut each mozzarella stick in half. Place the flour in a small shallow bowl. Beat eggs with about a tablespoon of water in another bowl. Place the breadcrumbs and paprika in a zip top and give it a shake to mix.
Dip each stick in the flour, then the egg, then shake in the bread crumbs. Freeze (without touching) until solid on cooking sheets before transferring to zip top bags for storage.
To serve, preheat oven to 400. Bake frozen sticks on a cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Great with marinara or ranch for dipping!
Showing posts with label vegetartian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetartian. Show all posts
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Cheese Manicotti
8 oz manicotti, uncooked (14 pieces)
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1 egg
8 oz Mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend, finely shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
2 Tbsp parsley
on hand: your family's favorite spaghetti sauce for cooking day
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil manicotti approximately 4 minutes. Drain. Spread manicotti on a sheet of waxed paper so they don't stick together.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Stuff manicotti with the cheese mixture. A pastry bag makes easy work of piping the mixture into the shells, but a spoon works just fine, as well.
Flash freeze the stuffed manicotti on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet, making sure they are not touching. Once frozen, transfer to a zip top bag for storage.
HINT: Don't throw away the plastic trays the manicotti were packaged in. You can place the frozen stuffed manicotti back in the trays, wrap well with aluminum foil and package in a zip top bag. Works great for protecting your manicotti in the freezer!
On cooking day, spoon some pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Lay manicotti in a single layer on top. Spoon more pasta sauce over top, being sure to cover manicotti completely. Top with more cheese if desired. Bake at 350 until cooked completely. You can cook the manicotti from frozen, but it will take longer. Make sure the center of the manicotti is hot!
VARIATION: Once your family is used to this version, try substituting a little chopped spinach (from frozen, thawed and drained) for the parsley. They'll never notice you changed "the green stuff."
Nutritional information from SparkPeople Recipes is per piece of stuffed manicotti, but without added tomato sauce or optional additional cheese.
Servings Per Recipe: 14
Amount Per Serving
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1 egg
8 oz Mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend, finely shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
2 Tbsp parsley
on hand: your family's favorite spaghetti sauce for cooking day
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil manicotti approximately 4 minutes. Drain. Spread manicotti on a sheet of waxed paper so they don't stick together.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Stuff manicotti with the cheese mixture. A pastry bag makes easy work of piping the mixture into the shells, but a spoon works just fine, as well.
Flash freeze the stuffed manicotti on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet, making sure they are not touching. Once frozen, transfer to a zip top bag for storage.
HINT: Don't throw away the plastic trays the manicotti were packaged in. You can place the frozen stuffed manicotti back in the trays, wrap well with aluminum foil and package in a zip top bag. Works great for protecting your manicotti in the freezer!
On cooking day, spoon some pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Lay manicotti in a single layer on top. Spoon more pasta sauce over top, being sure to cover manicotti completely. Top with more cheese if desired. Bake at 350 until cooked completely. You can cook the manicotti from frozen, but it will take longer. Make sure the center of the manicotti is hot!
VARIATION: Once your family is used to this version, try substituting a little chopped spinach (from frozen, thawed and drained) for the parsley. They'll never notice you changed "the green stuff."
Nutritional information from SparkPeople Recipes is per piece of stuffed manicotti, but without added tomato sauce or optional additional cheese.
Servings Per Recipe: 14
Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 135.7
- Total Fat: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 37.6 mg
- Sodium: 234.9 mg
- Total Carbs: 15.7 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 9.9 g
Monday, January 18, 2010
Pasta with Herb Sauce
1/4 cup milk
1/4 grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup low fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 green onions, chopped
2 tsp. dried basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. pasta, cooked for freezing
Combine all ingredients except pasta in a food processor or blender. Puree.
Transfer sauce to a quart sized freezer bag. Place cooled, partially cooked pasta in a freezer bag. Place both bags in a gallon sized zip top bag and label.
Thaw before preparing. Reheat pasta in boiling water, checking for desired level of tenderness. Drain pasta. Return to pan and stir in thawed sauce. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Info for 6 servings: 95 calories, 2.9 g fat, 0.8 g fiber, 5.7 g protein
1/4 grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup low fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 green onions, chopped
2 tsp. dried basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. pasta, cooked for freezing
Combine all ingredients except pasta in a food processor or blender. Puree.
Transfer sauce to a quart sized freezer bag. Place cooled, partially cooked pasta in a freezer bag. Place both bags in a gallon sized zip top bag and label.
Thaw before preparing. Reheat pasta in boiling water, checking for desired level of tenderness. Drain pasta. Return to pan and stir in thawed sauce. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Info for 6 servings: 95 calories, 2.9 g fat, 0.8 g fiber, 5.7 g protein
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Glazed Baby Carrots
from Freezer Chicks
1 lb carrots
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
At cooktime:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Combine in a freezer container and mix. Seal, removing as much air as possible. Freeze. Defrost. Pour into small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until your carrots are tender. Add cornstarch, stirring constantly. Simmer 2 minutes longer or until sauce thickens. If cooking for small children or other picky eaters, leave out the dill and add a bit more sugar.
1 lb carrots
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
At cooktime:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Combine in a freezer container and mix. Seal, removing as much air as possible. Freeze. Defrost. Pour into small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until your carrots are tender. Add cornstarch, stirring constantly. Simmer 2 minutes longer or until sauce thickens. If cooking for small children or other picky eaters, leave out the dill and add a bit more sugar.
Applesauce
3 pounds cooking apples (9 medium), peeled, quartered & cored—(or leave some peels on)
1 cup water
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
In a large pot combine apples, water, sugar & cinnamon. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover; simmer 8-10 minutes or till apples are tender; adding more water if necessary. Remove from heat & mash to desired consistency. Stir before serving. Serve warm or chilled.
We intended to try this recipe last fall and even had it on our August menu. In the end we had too many other recipes to cook that month and didn't get to it. Maybe this fall!
1 cup water
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
In a large pot combine apples, water, sugar & cinnamon. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover; simmer 8-10 minutes or till apples are tender; adding more water if necessary. Remove from heat & mash to desired consistency. Stir before serving. Serve warm or chilled.
We intended to try this recipe last fall and even had it on our August menu. In the end we had too many other recipes to cook that month and didn't get to it. Maybe this fall!
Quiche in a Bag
1 cup cooked sausage or diced ham (Optional)
10 oz. frozen package chopped spinach or broccoli, thawed a little and broken up.
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small onion chopped
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Mix eggs, milk, flour and baking powder with a wisk or mixer until well incorporated. Add meat, veggies, cheese and onion. Pour into a freezer bag. Freeze. To cook, thaw bag, squish the bag well a few times to incorporate the ingredients. Pour into a pie plate sprayed with non stick spray. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until set.
Tristy: I vary the meat and veggies all the time. Right now in my freezer I have a few asparagus and mushroom quiches and a few sausage and spinach ones. They're great to have on hand for Sunday breakfast. But we also eat for dinner with a salad and rolls. Great way to use eggs on sale.
Lisa: I like to make this in a pie crust. I've learned to cook the crust first for about 10 minutes before pouring in the filling. Also, it may require extra baking time. My husband likes when I make it in a hash brown crust: Thaw a bag of frozen shredded potatoes (or use the refrigerated ones) and pat into the sides and bottom of a pie plate. Season with salt and pepper and then pour in the filling. It makes a great breakfast entree.
Another note: This Quiche Recipe has a shorted cooking time and I, personally, prefer it.
10 oz. frozen package chopped spinach or broccoli, thawed a little and broken up.
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small onion chopped
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Mix eggs, milk, flour and baking powder with a wisk or mixer until well incorporated. Add meat, veggies, cheese and onion. Pour into a freezer bag. Freeze. To cook, thaw bag, squish the bag well a few times to incorporate the ingredients. Pour into a pie plate sprayed with non stick spray. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until set.
Tristy: I vary the meat and veggies all the time. Right now in my freezer I have a few asparagus and mushroom quiches and a few sausage and spinach ones. They're great to have on hand for Sunday breakfast. But we also eat for dinner with a salad and rolls. Great way to use eggs on sale.
Lisa: I like to make this in a pie crust. I've learned to cook the crust first for about 10 minutes before pouring in the filling. Also, it may require extra baking time. My husband likes when I make it in a hash brown crust: Thaw a bag of frozen shredded potatoes (or use the refrigerated ones) and pat into the sides and bottom of a pie plate. Season with salt and pepper and then pour in the filling. It makes a great breakfast entree.
Another note: This Quiche Recipe has a shorted cooking time and I, personally, prefer it.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Prep ahead to make lunch easy
Making meals ahead doesn't have to be a complicated, cook all morning with your friends endeavor. Earlier this week, I made my son a PB&J for lunch. Since I already had all the stuff out, I went ahead and made three extra sandwiches. I used this tool from Pampered Chef to make them pretty. I made half sandwiches since I'm never sure how much he will eat. I can always take another one out.
Then into a sandwich bag and in the freezer for a quick and easy lunch another day. If you forget to take it out in the morning to thaw (it only needs a couple hours and leave it in a bag so it doesn't dry out) you can even throw it in the microwave for a few seconds. Easy!
Then into a sandwich bag and in the freezer for a quick and easy lunch another day. If you forget to take it out in the morning to thaw (it only needs a couple hours and leave it in a bag so it doesn't dry out) you can even throw it in the microwave for a few seconds. Easy!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Black Bean Burritos
The Freezer Chicks provide us with yet another recipe. It's been adapted slightly.
13 pounds of canned black beans, drained and rinsed
olive oil
7 medium onions, finely chopped
2 T plus 1 t garlic, pressed or minced
7 pounds canned diced tomatoes, undrained
7 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
2 T plus 1 t chili powder
2 T plus 1 t ground cumin
2 T plus 1 t dried oregano
3 lemons, sliced and seeded
48 ounces mild salsa or picante sauce
6 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Co-Jack cheese
36 10-inch flour tortillas (we had extra filling so you may want to have extras on hand in case it happens to you, too!)
Work in batches as necessary. In a large stockpot over med heat, heat oil. Saute onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers until tender. Stir in drained beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and lemon slices and bring to a boil at high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove cover and simmer until slightly thickened (approx 20 mins). Remove lemon slices. Working in batches as necessary, puree half of bean mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add unblended bean mixture to blended and stir thoroughly. Cool.
Package salsa in snack bags (1 cup per meal or 1/4 cup per serving). Package cheese in snack bags (1 cup per meal or 1/4 cup per serving).
Assemble burritos by placing 1/2 cup bean mixture onto each tortilla, folding ends in, and rolling. Place 6 burritos (or 1 1/2 per serving) in each tin. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing down to cling to food. Place a package of salsa and a package of cheese in each tin. Cover. Freeze.
Recipe from Cooking Among Friends: Meal Planning & Preparation Delightfully Simplified by Mary Tennant & Becki Visser.
FREEZER CHICKS INSTRUCTIONS: Defrost in refrigerator. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Remove cover, salsa, cheese and plastic wrap. Spread salsa over burritos. Cover loosely with foil to prevent drying. Bake until bubbly around the edges and hot in the center (approx 30 mins). Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese during the last 5 mins of baking. Let stand at room temperature 15 mins before serving.
13 pounds of canned black beans, drained and rinsed
olive oil
7 medium onions, finely chopped
2 T plus 1 t garlic, pressed or minced
7 pounds canned diced tomatoes, undrained
7 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
2 T plus 1 t chili powder
2 T plus 1 t ground cumin
2 T plus 1 t dried oregano
3 lemons, sliced and seeded
48 ounces mild salsa or picante sauce
6 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Co-Jack cheese
36 10-inch flour tortillas (we had extra filling so you may want to have extras on hand in case it happens to you, too!)
Work in batches as necessary. In a large stockpot over med heat, heat oil. Saute onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers until tender. Stir in drained beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and lemon slices and bring to a boil at high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove cover and simmer until slightly thickened (approx 20 mins). Remove lemon slices. Working in batches as necessary, puree half of bean mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add unblended bean mixture to blended and stir thoroughly. Cool.
Package salsa in snack bags (1 cup per meal or 1/4 cup per serving). Package cheese in snack bags (1 cup per meal or 1/4 cup per serving).
Assemble burritos by placing 1/2 cup bean mixture onto each tortilla, folding ends in, and rolling. Place 6 burritos (or 1 1/2 per serving) in each tin. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing down to cling to food. Place a package of salsa and a package of cheese in each tin. Cover. Freeze.
Recipe from Cooking Among Friends: Meal Planning & Preparation Delightfully Simplified by Mary Tennant & Becki Visser.
FREEZER CHICKS INSTRUCTIONS: Defrost in refrigerator. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Remove cover, salsa, cheese and plastic wrap. Spread salsa over burritos. Cover loosely with foil to prevent drying. Bake until bubbly around the edges and hot in the center (approx 30 mins). Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese during the last 5 mins of baking. Let stand at room temperature 15 mins before serving.
French Toast Casseroles
I found some more French toast casseroles that I had copied from somewhere but wasn't able to find when I needed them and had to go searching for others. It's OK though because we found the blueberry French toast that my 18-month-old adores. Here are a couple fruit-less versions. So many options!
French Toast Casserole I
Melt cream cheese in the microwave. Stir several times. This takes about 2 minutes. Stir half the sugar and all of the extract into the cream cheese.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the bread cubes. It will not completely cover them. Sprinkle nuts over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining bread cubes.
Beat together the remaining sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, and melted butter. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread cubes.
Refrigerate overnight to bake the next morning OR slide the pan into a two-gallon freezer bag and freeze.
Thaw completely to cook. When ready to bake - Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until browned. Let sit at room temp for 5 minutes before cutting. Top with syrup or fruit toppings.
French Toast Casserole II
In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Place bread in a well-greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread. Let soak for several minutes, turning bread once to coat. Freeze until firm. Package in airtight containers. To bake, place bread on a well-greased baking sheet. Dot with butter. Bake at 450ºF for 7 minutes; turn and bake 10-12 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serves 4-5.
French Toast Casserole I
- 1 loaf Italian bread
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or almond) extract
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 4 eggs
- 2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (some like more)
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
Melt cream cheese in the microwave. Stir several times. This takes about 2 minutes. Stir half the sugar and all of the extract into the cream cheese.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the bread cubes. It will not completely cover them. Sprinkle nuts over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining bread cubes.
Beat together the remaining sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, and melted butter. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread cubes.
Refrigerate overnight to bake the next morning OR slide the pan into a two-gallon freezer bag and freeze.
Thaw completely to cook. When ready to bake - Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until browned. Let sit at room temp for 5 minutes before cutting. Top with syrup or fruit toppings.
French Toast Casserole II
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 10 slices day old French bread (3/4 inch thick)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, melted
In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Place bread in a well-greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread. Let soak for several minutes, turning bread once to coat. Freeze until firm. Package in airtight containers. To bake, place bread on a well-greased baking sheet. Dot with butter. Bake at 450ºF for 7 minutes; turn and bake 10-12 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serves 4-5.
Black Bean Lasagna
Here's a black bean lasagna recipe we tried once, but I don't know where the recipe came from. If I remember correctly, it was a bit time consuming and tedious to put together, but fairly tasty.
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 2- 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2- 15 oz can low-sodium tomato sauce or tomato sauce with seasonings
- 1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
- 1- 12 oz container low-fat cottage cheese
- 1- 8 oz package reduced-fat cream cheese Neufchatel
- 1/4 cup light dairy sour cream
- Tomato slices (optional)
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
- Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Mash one can of beans; set aside. (I used the no cook noodles.)
- Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray: add onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until tender but not brown. Add mashed beans; unmashed beans, tomato sauce, and snipped cilantro; heat through.
- In a large bowl combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream; set aside. Spray a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick coating. Arrange 3 of the noodles in the dish. Top with one-third of the bean mixture. Spread with one-third of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice; ending with the bean mixture. Reserved the remaining cheese mixture. If freezing, dollop with reserved cheese mixture and garnish with tomato slices and cilantro, if desired.
- Thaw. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
Baked Apple French Toast
I came across this recipe when searching for a freezer-friendly French toast "casserole." We ultimately tried the blueberry recipe, but this one was a contender, too! From RecipeZaar.
Breakfast ideas
French toast, waffles and pancakes, made from scratch at home, can be frozen! They're just as fast to reheat in the morning as the prepackaged ones in the store. Only they cost less and are better for you!
Use your favorite recipe. You can even use a boxed mix for the pancakes and waffles (although it is almost as quick and cheaper to make up the mix yourself).
Make a double batch the next time you make one of these on the weekend. Put whatever is left in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, you can transfer to a gallon freezer bag for long-term storage.
Do not thaw these before reheating! Toaster, microwave, oven, or toaster oven all work fine for reheating.
Use your favorite recipe. You can even use a boxed mix for the pancakes and waffles (although it is almost as quick and cheaper to make up the mix yourself).
Make a double batch the next time you make one of these on the weekend. Put whatever is left in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, you can transfer to a gallon freezer bag for long-term storage.
Do not thaw these before reheating! Toaster, microwave, oven, or toaster oven all work fine for reheating.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Freezer Garlic Bread
Very easy. Much less expensive than purchasing frozen garlic bread, especially if you can purchase the bread on sale. Recipe adapted from momsbudget.com.
To serve, remove from freezer and remove plastic wrap. Place in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Open the foil wrapper to allow steam to vent. Increase oven to 450 degrees and continue heating for another 10 minutes. Serve.
Hint: If you have a Jimmy John's sub shop near you, they sell their day-old bread loafs for fifty cents each!
Nutrition information from SparkPeople: Meals Made Ahead cookbook: (assumes 1 pound loaf of bread and 12 slices/servings)
- 1 loaf of French bread
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (NOT melted)
- 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
To serve, remove from freezer and remove plastic wrap. Place in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Open the foil wrapper to allow steam to vent. Increase oven to 450 degrees and continue heating for another 10 minutes. Serve.
Hint: If you have a Jimmy John's sub shop near you, they sell their day-old bread loafs for fifty cents each!
Nutrition information from SparkPeople: Meals Made Ahead cookbook: (assumes 1 pound loaf of bread and 12 slices/servings)
Cals: 172.1 | Fat: 8.8 g | Protein: 3.4 g | Carbs: 19.8 g | Fiber: 1.1 g
Potato Carrot Mounds
This recipe was found on a website a few months ago, however, I haven't been able to locate the site I found it on. (So, if you happen to have the link, let us know!) What I really liked about it is that we could eat the Potato Carrot Mounds as a side dish or as a really quick & easy topping for Sheppard's Pie.
Potato Carrot Mounds
2 lb mashed potatoes
2 eggs
1/4 C margarine.
1/4 C shredded carrot
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T melted margarine
Mix all ingredients well. Drop by spoonful on cookie sheets. Flash freeze and then bag and freeze. Thaw. Brush with melted marg. Bake 425 F 12-15 min. until heated.
Potato Carrot Mounds
2 lb mashed potatoes
2 eggs
1/4 C margarine.
1/4 C shredded carrot
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T melted margarine
Mix all ingredients well. Drop by spoonful on cookie sheets. Flash freeze and then bag and freeze. Thaw. Brush with melted marg. Bake 425 F 12-15 min. until heated.
Tristy's Mac & Cheese
This Mac & Cheese recipe I adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe. I use cheeses with a sharper flavor. The recipe below calls for 3 Pepper Cheese, which is made by Crystal Farms. This recipe has a little bite to it & is not your average Mac & Cheese! What I love about this recipe is that you can change up your cheeses for completely different flavors (or just to use up odds & ends in the fridge!). This recipe also freezes really well & is quick to cook up in multiple batches.
Tristy's Mac & Cheese
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
3/4 cup 3 Pepper shredded cheese (This is a specific cheese made by Crystal Farms)
1 1/4 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 can fire roasted tomatoes-drained
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese & liberally sprinkle with bread crumbs
1.
Heat oven to 350ºF.
2.
Cook macaroni as directed on package.
3.
While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
4.
Drain macaroni. Gently stir in can of drained fire roasted tomatoes & macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle top with ¼-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese & sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Or: Freeze. Thaw in fridge overnight & bake at 350 25-30 minutes. You may want to wait to add bread crumbs until just before baking if freezing!
***adapted from a Betty Crocker Recipe
Tristy's Mac & Cheese
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
3/4 cup 3 Pepper shredded cheese (This is a specific cheese made by Crystal Farms)
1 1/4 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 can fire roasted tomatoes-drained
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese & liberally sprinkle with bread crumbs
1.
Heat oven to 350ºF.
2.
Cook macaroni as directed on package.
3.
While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
4.
Drain macaroni. Gently stir in can of drained fire roasted tomatoes & macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle top with ¼-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese & sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Or: Freeze. Thaw in fridge overnight & bake at 350 25-30 minutes. You may want to wait to add bread crumbs until just before baking if freezing!
***adapted from a Betty Crocker Recipe
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Blueberry Freezer French Toast Casserole
We adapted this recipe from Recipe Zaar as an alternative to making individual pieces of French Toast for freezing. We didn't use the wheat germ the recipe called for. None of us ever use wheat germ (some of us hadn't even heard of it!), so I'm not sure what difference it would have made.
10 slices French bread, cut into quarters
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup frozen blueberries*
2 eggs
1 cup egg substitute (like eggbeaters)
1 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup frozen blueberries*
Spray-treat a baking dish.
Arrange half of the bread cubes in the dish and top with cream cheese cubes. (this gets messy -- just try to spread the lumps of cream cheese evenly around).
Sprinkle blueberries over the cream cheese and top with the remaining bread cubes.
Whisk together the eggs, egg substitute, milk, vanilla, spices and maple syrup. Pour over the bread cubes.
Cover and refrigerate overnight if serving the next day. If not, continue with freezing instructions.
Freezing Directions: Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze. Freeze cooled sauce separately in quart freezer bags.
To make the sauce (this can be made ahead and frozen or made just before serving): in a medium saucepan mix the sugar, cornstarch and water. (Do this before starting to heat the water -- make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved before you start heating this!)
Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.
Mix in the blueberries. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Cool before putting in freezer bags.
To cook, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap from casserole. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and continue baking 25-30 minutes until center is firm and surface is lightly browned. Warm sauce in microwave, stirring often. Serve casserole with warmed sauce.
Overall, it was good. I used a 9x13 glass baking pan for mine and next time I would use a smaller dish so that it's thicker. Mine was a little dried out and I'm not sure if that was due to pan size or baking too long or too hot or what.
*We have also made this substituting strawberries for the blueberries. The sauce needed to cook longer when using the strawberries.
10 slices French bread, cut into quarters
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup frozen blueberries*
2 eggs
1 cup egg substitute (like eggbeaters)
1 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup frozen blueberries*
Spray-treat a baking dish.
Arrange half of the bread cubes in the dish and top with cream cheese cubes. (this gets messy -- just try to spread the lumps of cream cheese evenly around).
Sprinkle blueberries over the cream cheese and top with the remaining bread cubes.
Whisk together the eggs, egg substitute, milk, vanilla, spices and maple syrup. Pour over the bread cubes.
Cover and refrigerate overnight if serving the next day. If not, continue with freezing instructions.
Freezing Directions: Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze. Freeze cooled sauce separately in quart freezer bags.
To make the sauce (this can be made ahead and frozen or made just before serving): in a medium saucepan mix the sugar, cornstarch and water. (Do this before starting to heat the water -- make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved before you start heating this!)
Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.
Mix in the blueberries. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Cool before putting in freezer bags.
To cook, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap from casserole. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and continue baking 25-30 minutes until center is firm and surface is lightly browned. Warm sauce in microwave, stirring often. Serve casserole with warmed sauce.
Overall, it was good. I used a 9x13 glass baking pan for mine and next time I would use a smaller dish so that it's thicker. Mine was a little dried out and I'm not sure if that was due to pan size or baking too long or too hot or what.
*We have also made this substituting strawberries for the blueberries. The sauce needed to cook longer when using the strawberries.
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