FAST FOOD FRIDAY...
"I'm too busy to cook." "I worked all day." "I'm Tired." "It's way too hot out." "I don't really want to go to the store." Who hasn't heard or even said these words before? Should you call for pizza? Should you pick something up from the nearest drive through? Nope, neither. All you need is a little Food Fore-thought. Fast Food Friday, a planned weekly post, isn't about running out to a local restaurant for take out or calling for delivery. Fast Food Friday is about having something on hand for those days when cooking just seems impossible or even unappealing.
With a little planning and preparation, fast food can come straight from our cabinets, pantries, and freezers. What we are really talking about here is food preservation. Food preservation can change our future days - take the guess work out of meal prep, allow for an evening of rest not stress, change your grocery bill's bottom line, and of course, nix the expense of drive-thru eatings. Now those points do sound appealing.
So for many many Friday's to come, check back to see how I plan to never be too busy to cook, not too tired to eat well, not considering if it's too hot out, and best of all, skipping trips to the store. For today, let's talk about...
Doubling Up
or tripling, or quadrupling for that matter. Last Friday, I shared my four favorite ways to save time in the kitchen and help simplify things. It never seems to fail. There are always days when the idea of having to cook a full meal is just too much. That's why I like to have food on hand that's quick and easy. Something that works well for us to have on hand is frozen lasagna. NOT the store bought kind. There are way too many things on that label I know I could do with out even if I could pronounce them. Plus, making lasagna from scratch means I get to control the ingredients and the size.
I like to plan a ahead and prep two or three when I feel like cooking. We'll have one for dinner and the other(s) go in the freezer. Then the next time around, all that needs to be done is heat and eat, and perhaps fix up a green salad while it's cooking. The lasagna I fix is pretty simple, but I suppose the possibilities are somewhat endless. Around here, we like a meat lasagna with sweet Italian sausage and ground beef.
The trick to successfully freezing the extra lasagna(s) is to flash freeze it in the casserole dish that you'd cook it in. I do this by lining the dish with saran wrap before building the lasagna in the dish. Once constructed, dish and all go into the freezer for a couple of hours until it is firm enough to pull out of the dish in one piece with out being flimsy. The dish goes into the sink and the partially frozen lasagna gets double wrapped in saran wrap and then in foil and goes back into the freezer until I'm ready to cook it. There are pics below, but I'll share the recipe first. This recipe makes a 9 X 13 pan or two 8 X 8 pans which is what I typically do. Of course, you would want to adjust pan size and quantities according to your family's needs.
Meaty Lasagna- makes two 8 X 8 dishes
1 Box of lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 pound of Italian Sausage, browned
1/2 pound of Ground beef, browned
3 cups of sauce
1 24 oz container of cottage cheese
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
3 cups of mozzarella
2 eggs
1 cup of mozzarella for topping.
Additional Parmesan to taste.
Combine cooked meats in one bowl and set aside Combine all cheeses (except one cup of mozz) and eggs in another bowl and set aside. To build lasagna, begin by putting a small amount of sauce in the bottom of your pan to prevent sticking*.
*If prepping lasagna to go into freezer, line dish with saran wrap first as seen below.
Meaty Lasagna- Pictures edition...
Boil noodles al dente.
Prepare Italian sausage by slicing through casings to be removed.
If need be, cut noodles to fit dish.
Place one layer of noodles in bottom of pan.
Spoon one quarter of the cheese mixture onto noodles. Spread evenly to cover.
Repeat layer of noodles and cheese.
This dish of lasagna is now ready to go into the freezer.
After two hours, take lasagna out of freezer and remove from dish by pulling up on saran wrap.
Double wrap with saran wrap.
So that's it - another way to make future meals a little easier by spending a little extra time when you have it.
Have you tried this? What kinds of recipes do you double up and freeze?
This post is shared with Food Renegade.
I like to plan a ahead and prep two or three when I feel like cooking. We'll have one for dinner and the other(s) go in the freezer. Then the next time around, all that needs to be done is heat and eat, and perhaps fix up a green salad while it's cooking. The lasagna I fix is pretty simple, but I suppose the possibilities are somewhat endless. Around here, we like a meat lasagna with sweet Italian sausage and ground beef.
The trick to successfully freezing the extra lasagna(s) is to flash freeze it in the casserole dish that you'd cook it in. I do this by lining the dish with saran wrap before building the lasagna in the dish. Once constructed, dish and all go into the freezer for a couple of hours until it is firm enough to pull out of the dish in one piece with out being flimsy. The dish goes into the sink and the partially frozen lasagna gets double wrapped in saran wrap and then in foil and goes back into the freezer until I'm ready to cook it. There are pics below, but I'll share the recipe first. This recipe makes a 9 X 13 pan or two 8 X 8 pans which is what I typically do. Of course, you would want to adjust pan size and quantities according to your family's needs.
1 Box of lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 pound of Italian Sausage, browned
1/2 pound of Ground beef, browned
3 cups of sauce
1 24 oz container of cottage cheese
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
3 cups of mozzarella
2 eggs
1 cup of mozzarella for topping.
Additional Parmesan to taste.
Combine cooked meats in one bowl and set aside Combine all cheeses (except one cup of mozz) and eggs in another bowl and set aside. To build lasagna, begin by putting a small amount of sauce in the bottom of your pan to prevent sticking*.
- Place one layer of noodles in bottom of pan.
- Spoon one quarter of the cheese mixture onto noodles. Spread evenly to cover.
- Place a layer of noodles over cheese. Pour one quarter of sauce onto noodles.
- Sprinkle half of ground meat mixture onto sauce. Spread evenly to cover.
- Place a layer of noodles over sauce.
- Repeat steps two and three.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of reserved mozzarella over top.
- If you are building two lasagnas, repeat directions with remaining ingredients.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 - 55 minutes if frozen or 25 - 30 minutes if cooked fresh. Be sure to remove all saran wrapping from frozen lasagna.
*If prepping lasagna to go into freezer, line dish with saran wrap first as seen below.
Meaty Lasagna- Pictures edition...
Boil noodles al dente.
Prepare Italian sausage by slicing through casings to be removed.
Peel casing off each sausage and dispose of casing.
Begin browning sausage in skillet over medium high heat.
Cook sausage thoroughly. Do the same for ground beef.
Drop everything and put fancy shoe on build a bear so that she can attend the ball while you, Cinderella, stay home and cook. Just Kidding ;) This is just one of many interruptions in the life of a mommy with an eight year old.
Back to business, combine cheeses and eggs.
To begin building lasagna, put a small amount of sauce in the bottom of your pan to prevent sticking.
If need be, cut noodles to fit dish.
Place one layer of noodles in bottom of pan.
Spoon one quarter of the cheese mixture onto noodles. Spread evenly to cover.
Place a layer of noodles over cheese. Pour one quarter of sauce onto noodles.
Sprinkle half of ground meat mixture onto sauce. Spread evenly to cover.
Repeat layer of noodles and cheese.
Top with last layer of noodles, sauce and reserved mozzarella.
After two hours, take lasagna out of freezer and remove from dish by pulling up on saran wrap.
I also double wrap with foil.
Place back into freezer until needed. I have kept it frozen for up to three months with no problems. When ready to cook from freezer, remove all wrapping before placing into original dish and cooking.
So that's it - another way to make future meals a little easier by spending a little extra time when you have it.
Have you tried this? What kinds of recipes do you double up and freeze?
This post is shared with Food Renegade.
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