As I mentioned back in December, I have never made a list like this before, though I often gift food to random people who are not on my "kitchen gifts" list. The recipients might even vary from year to year. But I think it's a good idea to have such a list.
So heading up my list is a cheese log and crackers that we took to a Christmas party along with a cookie tray, just as a help to the very busy hostess rather than a "hostess gift". I talked with her a few weeks ahead of time and asked if we could help out in this way. I find that it helps people if I just make a suggestion up front as to what I might bring, and they are often relieved not to have to decide what to ask for.
Friends of ours who live exceedingly busy lives often have a
houseful of guests over Christmas. When this happens, I like to help
them out by preparing some frozen entrees, some breakfast foods, and an
assortment of cookies. In 2024 I made granola, a cranberry coffee cake, two frozen lasagnas and two pans of cheeseburger
macaroni. We also gave them an assortment of cookies in a large
plastic container to keep in the freezer and bring out as needed.
Here is the Cheeseburger Macaroni recipe:
CHEESY BEEF MACARONI BAKE
1 onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
15-ounce can tomato sauce (the Contadina kind that includes herbs is wonderful!)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups elbow macaroni, boiled and drained
1 cup whipping cream OR half & half
2 1/2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Cook the crumbled ground beef and onion and garlic in a large skilled until beef is no longer pink. Stir in the tomato sauce and seasoning, salt and pepper. Spread this mixture in the bottom of a greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
Heat the cream in a medium saucepan; when it bubbles a bit around the edges, stir in the shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Mix the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and spread this mixture over the meat sauce in the pan.
If you like you can sprinkle with chopped parsley or a bit more shredded cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350ยบ for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
This freezes well and reheats nicely. If you freeze it, thaw it out (take out of freezer and place in fridge the night before) before baking it.
Will serve about 6.
I have shared the freezer lasagna recipe before, but this is the newest tweak. I honestly don't think I will tweak it again after this; I have now developed a meat variation in addition to the vegetable one. I use both of these and the macaroni bake over and over in my volunteer work preparing meals for work crews, so they are absolutely tried and true!
VEGETABLE LASAGNA to freeze
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (a total of about 1 teaspoon)
16 ounces frozen chopped broccoli (or spinach), thawed
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 1b. ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
1 egg
3 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon oregano (or Italian seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar Alfredo sauce (16 oz.)
9 uncooked no-boil lasagna noodles
Additional parmesan if desired
In a large skillet, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the thawed vegetables and the Italian seasoning. Stir to combine, cover the skillet, reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
In a large bowl combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, parmesan, and seasonings. Mix well.
Grease a 13x9 foil baking pan. Pour a thin layer of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of the pan. Layer on 3 noodles. Spread half of cheese over the noodles. Spread half of the vegetable mixture over the cheese layer, then evenly drizzle about 1/3 of the Alfredo sauce over the vegetables.
Repeat layers: 3 noodles, half of cheese mixture, half of vegetables, another 1/3 of sauce.
Top with 3 noodles and spread the remaining third of sauce over them. Cover with remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan if desired.
Cover tightly with foil and freeze.
The night before you want to serve it, remove from freezer and leave it in the fridge overnight.
1 1/2 hours before serving, bake the lasagna, covered, in a preheated 350ยบ oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, still covered, for 15 minutes before serving.
CLASSIC MEAT LASAGNA to freeze
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (a total of about 1 teaspoon)
1 pound more or less of ground beef (can also use ground pork or sausage)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 1b. ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
1 egg
3 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon oregano (or Italian seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar spaghetti or marinara sauce (24 oz.)
9 uncooked no-boil lasagna noodles
Additional parmesan if desired
In a large skillet, cook the onions, garlic, and crumbled ground meat in the olive oil until meat is no longer pink. Add the Italian seasoning and cook a minute or two more. Turn off heat and set aside.
In a large bowl combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, parmesan, and seasonings. Mix well.
Grease a 13x9 foil baking pan. Pour a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the pan. Layer on 3 noodles. Spread half of cheese over the noodles. Spread half of the meat mixture over the cheese layer, then evenly drizzle about 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce over the meat.
Repeat layers: 3 noodles, half of cheese mixture, half of meat mixture, another 1/3 of sauce.
Top with 3 noodles and spread the remaining third of sauce over them. Cover with remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan if desired.
Cover tightly with foil and freeze.
The night before you want to serve it, remove from freezer and leave it in the fridge overnight.
1 1/2 hours before serving, bake the lasagna, covered, in a preheated 350ยบ oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, still covered, for 15 minutes before serving.
As you can see, these are assembled in the same exact way. I will often double the filling recipe and make two lasagnas at the same time.
Well, this has morphed into a longer post than I intended, but I hope it will be helpful to readers!
