Freeze and bake meals

Creamy Enchilada Bake
(Quick meal to have on hand to give to friends after having a baby.)
1 lb ground beef
1 can refried beans
1 onion
1 package taco seasoning
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
Tortillas (Deal Diva Tip: Buy the large packs from Costco to save money.)
Tomatoes – chopped

Brown ground beef and onions. Mix in beans. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream and soup. Spoon half of sour cream mixture on the bottom of a baking pan. Fill tortillas with beef mixture, roll up, and arrange in baking pan. Spoon remaining half of sour cream mixture over the tortillas. Cover with shredded cheese. Sprinkle tomatoes on top. Freeze. Bake at 350° for 25 - 30 minutes or until cheese melts and tortillas are golden brown.

Here’s another simple and tasty make-ahead recipe that freezes well and takes mere minutes to throw together.

Creamy Chicken Bake
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream

Mix soup & sour cream. Spread half in pan. Add chicken. Spread remaining half of mixture on chicken. Freeze. Bake @ 375° for 30 minutes.

Finally, here’s another hearty dish great for a cold, winter night:

Hamburger Hot Dish
1 lb Ground Beef
1 cup Elbow Macaroni
1 cup Frozen Corn
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
½ cup Sour Cream

Brown beef. Cook noodles. Drain. Mix all ingredients in a casserole dish. Freeze. Bake @ 375° for 30 minutes.

e-Ahead Cookies Like Money in the Bank

Homemade cookies are in high demand during the holiday season, but few of us can fit lengthy bake-a-thons into already cramped schedules. So we procrastinate, and often what could be a pleasant, family-friendly baking session turns into a grueling marathon. Or, we splurge on pricey gourmet treats that rarely taste as good as they look.

This year, consider a new approach. In between making those lists and checking them twice, take a few minutes to mix up some favorite cookie recipes and stash the treats in your freezer. By following a few simple rules, you'll have home-baked cookies on hand anytime.

A number of Web sites offer suggestions on storing and freezing cookies. A few of the more helpful ones include www.fareshare.net, www.allrecipes.com and www.stretcher.com. Below is the basic information you'll need to get started:

-Both cookie dough and baked cookies are candidates for the freezer. But keep this in mind: crisp cookies freeze better than soft ones, with the exception of brownies and bar-type cookies. (Forget meringues.)

-Follow the time frame recommended by experts. Unfrosted baked cookies will hold up well in the freezer for as long as six to 12 months; the limit for frosted baked cookies is two to three months. Cookie dough usually has a much shorter freezer life, four to six weeks.

-For best results, rolls of dough should be sealed tightly in plastic wrap. Store other types of dough in airtight containers. Unbaked drop cookies can be frozen on cookie sheets and transferred to a freezer bag. Whatever method you use, remember that dough will absorb freezer odors if not properly wrapped. When you're ready to bake, simply let the dough defrost in the refrigerator, then proceed.

-Freezing baked cookies will preserve their freshness. But as with unbaked dough, proper wrapping is important. Put wax paper between layers of cookies before stashing in a tightly sealed tin or coffee can. To serve, let cookies come to room temperature or zap for about 30 seconds in the microwave.

-Label each container with the date and type of cookie or cookie dough.

Now, a few recipes that are particularly freezer-friendly.

HOLIDAY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

1 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla

1-3/4 cups flour

1-1/2 cups Post Raisin Bran cereal

3/4 cup jam or preserves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed to soften. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour and cereal. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make an indentation in center of each ball. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks. Fill indentations with jam and sprinkle with additional powdered sugar if desired.

Kraft Foods

NEIMAN MARCUS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-3/4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, slightly crushed

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large cookie sheet. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine baking soda, baking powder, salt, flour and espresso powder. Stir to mix and add to butter mixture, using a spatula or wooden spoon to combine ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons (or more) onto prepared cookie sheet several inches apart. Bake eight to 10 minutes for a soft cookie, 10 to 12 minutes for a crisper cookie.

Neiman Marcus

SNICKERDOODLES

1 cup butter

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2-3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon

Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Refrigerate dough for an hour or two to chill. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

www.stretcher.com

SPICED CHOCOLATE TEA COOKIES

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or ground cardamom

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup milk

Sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and nutmeg or cardamom. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until combined. Beat in the egg yolk until combined. Add about half of the flour mixture and the milk; beat until combined. Beat or stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large (1/2-inch) open star tip. Pipe dough into 1-1/2-inch shell shapes two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until firm and bottoms are browned.

Better Homes & Gardens

HONEY-PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup honey

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine shortening, peanut butter, honey, eggs, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour. Bake for eight to 10 minutes.