49. Homemade Tomato Sauce

No freezer should be without at least one container of homemade tomato sauce ready to use. And no jarred or canned sauce will ever rival homemade. This version uses San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor and quality in the sauce.

Make Ahead Homemade Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp sea salt (or Kosher salt)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp fresh oregano
2 dried bay leaves
5 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade or torn
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Additional salt & pepper to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup red wine (preferably Cabernet Sauvignon)

Make Ahead Preparations:

In large heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until the onion and celery are slightly translucent. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and saute with the veggies another 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the veggies are tender, being careful not to brown the garlic.

Add in the tomatoes, bay leaves, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over a low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 hours, checking the seasonings occasionally.
When the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and let cool slightly. Remove the bay leaves. Working in batches, puree the sauce in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Pour into airtight containers and freeze for up to one month or refrigerate for up to one week.

Last Minute Preparation:

Allow the sauce to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Put sauce in a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add in the parmesan cheese and use the red wine to thin the sauce out to the desired consistency. Heat through and serve.

Alternate Cooking Method:

Follow the directions above, except after sauteeing the vegetables, transfer everything to a crockpot. Cook on low for up to 8 hours, occasionally stirring and checking the seasonings.

Serving Suggestions:

• Toss some Make Ahead Italian Meatballs in the sauce halfway through the cooking time. Serve over pasta with a side salad and some Freeze Ahead Garlic Bread. In true Italian tradition, you can also brown some pork chops, Italian sausage and/or chicken and toss that into the sauce to cook as well. It's now Sunday gravy!
• Omit the cheese and wine. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add in some additional crushed red pepper, some fresh shrimp and frozen peas. Cook until shrimp is pink and peas are heated through. This is also good with an addition of some hot Italian sausage! Serve over spaghetti.
• Omit the cheese and wine. During the last ten minutes of cooking, add chopped, cooked bacon (as much as you want!) and 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream, or until the sauce turns a desired pink color. Stir over low heat and do not allow the sauce to boil. Serve over pasta.

Goes well with:

• Freeze Ahead Garlic Bread
• Freeze Ahead Baked Ziti
• Make Ahead Italian Meatballs

47. Freeze-Ahead Baked Ziti

This to-die-for classic Italian dish gets sneaky -- with vegetables that is. This recipe calls for two fresh zucchini, but you can also sneak in other vegetables such as muchrooms, carrots, etc. for all of those finicky eaters in your family.

Ingredients:

1 pound of uncooked ziti, rigatoni or penne rigata
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium zucchini, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes in purée
2 tsp Italian seasoning plus 1 tsp
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 egg whites
One 15-oz container part-skim Ricotta cheese
2/3 cup of part-skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, warm the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, zucchini and garlic. Cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes, making sure not to brown the garlic. Add in the tomatoes, 2 tsp Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional five minutes. Add the pasta to the mixture and combine well.
Blend together the egg whites, 1 tsp Italian seasoning and Ricotta cheese until smooth. Add the Ricotta cheese to the pasta/sauce mixture in dollops and mix in slightly. (You don't want the Ricotta to disappear, but you do want it to be blended in.)

Line a 3-quart casserole dish with tin foil. Add in the pasta mixture and completely cover the pasta with foil. Allow to cool, label and freeze.

When frozen through, you can remove the foil wrapped pasta from the casserole dish and either wrap in plastic wrap or put in a ziploc bag to free up your dish for us.

Freeze for up to two months.

Last Minute Preparation:

Remove pasta from the freezer. Unwrap, place into original casserole dish, cover and allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 325. Cook for 30 minutes. Top with the Parmesan and Mozzerella and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and pasta is heated through.

27. Veggie Stuffed Pasta Shells

This vegetable-inspired version of traditional stuffed shells freeze well either as a casserole or individually for a quick microwave lunch.


Ingredients:

24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1 (10-ounce) can vegetable broth
1 carrot, minced
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 (28-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce or equivalent home-made sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzerella cheese

Make Ahead Preparation:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse, drain, and let cool.

In a large saucepan, heat broth to boiling. Stir in carrots, potatoes and onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Drain vegetables well. Combine with ricotta, mozzarella, egg, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Stir in Italian seasoning.

Fill each cooked and cooled shell with this cheese mixture.

If freezing individual stuffed shells, see "Alternate Preparation" below.

Pour 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer on the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Top with shredded mozerella cheese.

To freeze, refrigerate at this point until cold. Then wrap, label, and freeze up to 3 months.

To bake immediately, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Last Minute Assembly:

Remove casserole from the freezer and thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed above, adding 15-20 minutes to baking time.

Alternate Preparation:

To freeze individual shells before adding sauce, simply put 1 to 2 shells in individual ziploc bags. Refrigerate until cold and then freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw and reheat individual shells, remove from ziploc bag and place on microwave-safe plate or bowl. Top with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. Microwave on 40% power for 2 to 4 minutes until thawed. Top with some shredded mozzerella cheese. Then microwave on 60% power for 1-3 minutes until hot and bubbly.

13. Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This is comfort food from my childhood when, as Catholics, we were unable to eat meat on Fridays. I won't claim that this is the healthiest recipe out there, but you can make it more nutritious by substituting whole wheat pasta and adding a layer of spinach in the middle.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

5 cups whole milk

1/2 cup flour

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsp dry mustard

4 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, etc.)

1 lb ziti pasta

bread crumbs

grated parmesan cheese

tomato slices (optional)

Make Ahead Preparation:

Set a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions while making the cheese sauce. Drain and keep warm.

In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the salt, pepper and dry mustard. Add in the flour and stir until it becomes a "roux", 2 to 3 minutes.

Heat the milk, but not to boiling, in a saucepan or in the microwave and add to the roux. Continue to heat over medium heat until it begins to thicken.

Remove from heat and quickly add in the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted.

Put the ziti in a large casserole dish, pour the cheese mixture over the top and stir until all of the pasta is coated with the cheese mixture.

At this point, you can cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Last Minute Assembly:

If casserole has been frozen, remove from freezer and allow to thaw out.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice the tomato and add the slices to the top of the macaroni and cheese, if desired. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until bubbly.

6. Italian Meatballs

One of the ultimate comfort food. (How many of you remember "Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti day"?) The secret to these melt-in-your mouth meatballs is in the milk-soaked bread instead of breadcrumbs.

Italian meatballs are versatile, easy to make and don't pinch the pocketbook. Make a bunch of different sized meatballs for your freezer and you'll always have a last minute treat to serve your family!

Ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbs roughly chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs roughly chopped fresh basil
1 cup milk
4 thick slices firm white bread, crust removed
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup ketchup (yes...ketchup!)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make Ahead Preparation:

Heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft but still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool.

In a small bowl, pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling.

Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg, ketchup and cheese and season generously with salt and pepper.

Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread, discarding the milk. Crumble the soaked bread into the meat mixture so that it is about the size of peas. Add in the cooled onion mixture and the chopped parsley and basil.

Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together. Don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Shape them into nice looking meatballs, between the size of a golf ball and tennis ball. I always have a lot of meatballs in my freezer, and I make a combination of small, medium and large sized ones. The smaller ones are great for appetizers (see serving suggestions below), the medium ones are a perfect complement to a nice plate of spaghetti, and the larger sized ones make terrific sandwiches.

Heat a 3-count of extra virgin olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. You want a nice brown crust on them without necessarily cooking them through completely.

Remove the meatballs from the frying pan and let cool. Place in ziploc freezer bags and freeze up to 4 weeks.

Last Minute Assembly:

When ready to serve, remove from freezer and allow to defrost. Bake in a 350 oven until cooked and heated through.

No time to defrost them? No problem! Place the frozen meatballs in an oven-safe casserole dish. Top with jarred or homemade marinara sauce. Cover and bake in 350 oven for approximately 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.

Serving suggestions:

Appetizers: Unexpected company? Not a problem! On toothpicks, place one small meatball along with one cooked tortellini. Serve up with sides of marina and alfredo sauces for dipping. Garnish with some fresh basil or Italian parsley.

Pasta: Bake medium-sized meatballs in sauce. Serve over freshly cooked spaghetti. Top with additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Be sure to serve up some fresh Italian or garlic bread and a light salad as well.

Sandwiches: Slice a grinder roll (also called hoagies or subs) almost in half lengthwise, so that the bread is still in one piece. Place 3 to 4 large meatballs in the center. Cover with marinara sauce and slices of mozzerelle. Bake in 350 oven until meatballs are cooked and heated through and cheese is melted.