Time-Saving Make-Aheads That Will Rescue Your Dinner Hour
Your schedule — always jam-packed — is about to get even crazier with the start of the school year. It’s that time of year when classes, sports, activities and playdates come together in a perfect storm of completely organized, to-the-minute scheduled chaos. And of course everything always happens between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.— making it virtually impossible to carve out any time to cook a decent dinner for the family. It’s all too easy to find yourselves grabbing drive-thru food and eating it in the car in between appointments.
So what can you do to take control and win back your family’s dinner hour? Look no further than your freezer. When it comes to in-a-snap meals, the freezer is your best friend. The fact is, your scarce free time rarely coincides with dinner-prep time. So use the time you have, whenever that may be, to prepare a fresh and ready-to-store meal or two, and then freeze them. In no time you’ll have a stockpile of homemade entrées that will take just minutes to put on the table. Here are a few of our favorite fix-and-freeze meals.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
2 Big Y large eggs
2 tsp. Big Y Dijon-style mustard
1 tsp. seasoning salt
2 cups Big Y cocktail peanuts
1 cup Big Y plain bread crumbs
2 lb. Big Y all-natural chicken tenders
– Big Y black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. World Classics Trading Co. olive oil
Preheat oven to 400??qF.
In a small, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard and salt; set aside.
Place peanuts in a food processor and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs; place in a pie plate or shallow dish. Add bread crumbs and mix until combined.
Spray baking sheets with cooking spray.
Dip each chicken tender in the egg mixture, season with pepper and roll in the peanut mixture until covered; place on prepared baking sheets.
Drizzle olive oil over chicken tenders and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken tenders are cooked through.
Makes 8 (4-oz.) servings.
To freeze: Once cooked and cooled, securely wrap chicken strips in foil, then place in plastic freezer bags and freeze. When reheating, cook strips in a preheated 375??qF oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories: 350; (Calories from Fat: 170); Total Fat: 19g; (Saturated Fat: 3g); Cholesterol: 90mg; Protein: 35g; Total Carbohydrates: 10g; (Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugars: 1g); Sodium: 290mg
For the highest quality meats, come to Big Y’s Butcher Shop and ask for Sam the Butcher®. We sell only the finest All Natural Angus Beef, Hormel® Always Tender® pork and Big Y all-natural chicken.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
1 Tbsp. World Classics Trading Co. olive oil
1⁄2 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 14-oz. can Big Y chunky diced tomatoes
1 28-oz. can Big Y tomato puree
1⁄2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. red wine
2 tsp. Big Y sugar
– Big Y salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 lb. ground beef, fresh from the Big Y Butcher Shop
2 Big Y eggs
1⁄2 cup Big Y Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp. Big Y garlic powder
3 Tbsp. Big Y grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄4 cup World Classics Trading Co. olive oil
11⁄4 lb. rigatoni pasta
– additional Big Y grated Parmesan cheese
In a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat, add tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, wine, sugar, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add basil during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Form mixture into 11⁄2-inch diameter meatballs. In a heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1⁄4 cup olive oil. Add meatballs in batches (do not crowd) and cook on all sides for 8 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Serve noodles topped with sauce and meatballs. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Makes 8 (1-cup pasta, 1⁄3-cup sauce, 2-meatball) servings.
To Freeze: Place cooked sauce and meatballs in separate, freezer-safe plastic containers. When ready to reheat, place sauce in a medium saucepan over low heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Place meatballs on baking sheets and cook in a 375?q oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories: 520 (Calories from Fat: 130); Total Fat: 14g (Saturated Fat: 3g); Cholesterol: 85mg; Protein: 26g; Total Carbohydrates: 71g (Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 11g); Sodium: 700mg
Make an extra batch or two of meatballs from our Saucy Rigatoni with Meatballs recipe and you’ll have a quick dinner solution on hand. Use them in soups, stews, meatball sandwiches or just serve them over a bed of noodles with your favorite gravy or sauce.
Here’s how to freeze them: Let meatballs cool completely, place in single layers on cookie sheets and freeze. Once frozen, place meatballs in freezer storage bags, label and put them back in the freezer. To serve, let meatballs thaw completely and reheat using your favorite recipe.
Minestrone Soup with Penne Pasta
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
2 Tbsp. World Classics Trading Co. olive oil
1⁄2 lb. Italian roll sausage
3 cups Big Y canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 small leek, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small red pepper, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
1⁄2 cup Big Y frozen corn
1⁄2 lb. green beans, ends snapped
8 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. dried basil
– Big Y salt and coarse black pepper
In a large stockpot over medium heat, add olive oil. Add sausage and cook for 8 minutes or until browned. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pasta and vegetables are cooked through.
Serve topped with your favorite shredded cheese if desired.
Makes 8 (2-cup) servings.
To freeze: Once cool, place soup in freezer-safe plastic containers. When reheating, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then place in a large saucepan and heat over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until soup is hot.
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories: 250; (Calories from Fat: 60); Total Fat: 7g; (Saturated Fat: 1.5g); Cholesterol: 10mg; Protein: 10g;
Total Carbohydrates:
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes36g; (Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugars: 8g); Sodium: 330mg
– Big Y nonstick cooking spray
1⁄2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
11⁄2 lb. cooked chicken, cubed
11⁄2 cups Big Y salsa
1 16-oz. can Big Y black beans, drained and rinsed
1 11-oz. can Big Y corn, drained
1 8-oz. pkg. reduced fat Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened to room temperature
21⁄2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
18 corn tortillas
2 10-oz. cans enchilada sauce
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Spray a medium saucepan with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add chicken, salsa, black beans and corn and cook until heated through. Add cream cheese and 1 cup cheddar cheese and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cheeses are melted; remove from stove.
Place a stack of 6 tortillas between 2 slightly damp paper towels and microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds or until warmed through. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Fill each tortilla with a 1⁄4 cup chicken mixture and some of the 1⁄2 cup shredded cheese; tightly roll up. Place seam-side down into two 11x7-inch baking dishes coated with cooking spray*. Top with enchilada sauce, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, chopped tomato and cilantro. Cover with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.
Makes 9 (2-enchilada) servings.
*To freeze: Arrange enchiladas in baking dishes as directed in recipe, then cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze. When ready to cook enchiladas, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, top with enchilada sauce, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes and cilantro and bake according to recipe directions.
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories: 430; (Calories from Fat: 120); Total Fat: 13g; (Saturated Fat: 5g); Cholesterol: 65mg; Protein: 35g; Total Carbohydrates: 47g; (Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugars: 4g); Sodium: 1340mg
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
1 Tbsp. World Classics Trading Co. olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb. ground beef, fresh from the Big Y Butcher Shop
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1⁄2 cup canned peeled tomatoes
1⁄2 cup Big Y tomato sauce
1⁄4 cup Spanish olives (with pimento), sliced
2 Tbsp. dried black currants
2 oz. World Classics Trading Co. sliced jalapeños
– Big Y salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 sheets puff pastry sheets, thawed to room temperature
1 Big Y egg
1 Tbsp. water
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until onions are softened. Add ground beef and cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon. Add peppers, tomatoes, tomato sauce, olives, currants and jalapeños; season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine well with the ground beef. Turn down the heat to simmer and continue cooking until juices have evaporated, about 15 minutes. Set aside and cool.
Preheat oven to 375?q
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 puff pastry sheet into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle; cut into 8 5-inch rounds. Top half of each round with 1 1⁄2 to 2 tablespoons beef mixture. Brush edges of pastry with water. Fold over and press the edges with a fork to seal; place on baking sheets. Repeat with remaining pastry and beef mixture.*
In a small bowl, combine egg and water. Brush tops of empanadas with egg wash and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Makes 12 (2-empanada) servings.
*To freeze: After placing empanadas on baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap, then foil and freeze. When ready to cook, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed according to the recipe.
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories: 420; (Calories from Fat: 240); Total Fat: 27g; (Saturated Fat: 4g); Cholesterol: 40mg; Protein: 13g; Total Carbohydrates: 32g; (Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugars: 2g); Sodium: 320mg
Overscheduled and overwhelmed?
Big Y has dinner in the bag. Visit us for a delicious variety of home-cooked meals, hot and ready to eat From Our Kitchen.
Don’t Freeze These!
Some things just weren’t meant to be frozen. While there are numerous delicious, healthy foods that translate just fine into frozen meals, there are also a few things that you should avoid freezing:
Sauces or gravies that have been thickened with flour or corn starch will separate when frozen. However, you can freeze the bases before adding thickeners, then thicken the sauces once thawed.
Egg whites will become rubbery when frozen.
Be careful when freezing cheese as it will change the consistency making it more mealy and crumbly. A good rule of thumb is to freeze cheese if you plan on grating or melting it, but not to freeze it if you plan on slicing it.
Although you can easily freeze raw potatoes, cooked potatoes will develop a grainy, mealy texture when frozen.
Fruits or vegetables with a high water content such as lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, watermelon, etc. They will become limp, soggy and unappetizing when thawed.
Dairy products such as milk, sour cream, yogurt and light whipping cream will separate if frozen.
Overscheduled and Overwhelmed?
Big Y has dinner in the bag. Visit us for a delicious variety of home-cooked meals, hot and ready to eat From Our Kitchen.
©Copyright 2010, Big Y Foods, Inc., Springfield, MA, (413) 784.0600
Artwork is for display purposes only and does not necessarily reflect specific items. Not responsible for typographical errors.
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