Baking Day

I love baking days! It is so much easier to make and clean up a big mess in one day then it is to scatter it out over many days. And any extra time or effort pays off many times throughout the month.

I usually scatter out dinners for the freezer throughout a week or so with batch cooking. But baking days are another story. Taking a whole day to have the oven on all day and the mixer working non-stop just makes sense. My kids love baking days too. They get dough to play with and batters to lick. What could be better?

My baking days usually focus around breakfasts, breads and snacks/desserts. But I've started coming up with more lunch ideas that I can prepare ahead of time and freeze. My ultimate goal is to be able to using something from the freezer for at least 1 meal every day.

Here is what was on the agenda for this baking day:

• Double batch cinnamon rolls (2 dozen)
  
• Double batch crepes (2 1/2 dozen)
  
• Triple batch banana-chocolate chip muffins (2 dozen)
• Pizza bagels (1 1/2 dozen)
• Falafel (2 dozen patties)
• Double batch waffles (1 1/2 dozen) **Didn't get to this!

Cinnamon rolls - I baked 1 dozen that went into the freezer in freezer bags. For the second half of the dough, I didn't add any of the filling. I just rolled it into a ball and froze it. This way, if I decide to make cinnamon sticks or something different, I'll have the option.
Crepes - For breakfast crepes, I use the same recipe as given in ham & cheese crepes or chicken curry crepes. However, I add 3 T. of sugar and 1 t. vanilla.

To freeze the crepes, I roll them up jelly-roll style and place in freezer bags. To thaw, I pull them out and put in the refrigerator the night before we're going to eat them. I've warmed them up lots of different ways - in the microwave, the oven, and in a dry skillet for a few seconds on each side.Banana-chocolate chip muffins - A perennial breakfast and snack time favorite around our house.
Pizza bagels - So much better then frozen bagel bites! Split bagels, top with pizza sauce, desired toppings, and mozzarella cheese. It's super easy, and even easier when all I have to do is pull them out of the freezer. Reheat in the oven for the best taste. They don't need to be thawed first.
Falafel - They sure look pretty, don't they? But you know, I really wish they tasted as good as they looked. We ate some for lunch and I stuck the rest in the freezer. By the time lunch was over, my husband and I were trying to come up with some creative uses for the frozen falafel pucks. I was so disappointed because I love anything with garbanzo beans. I'll definitely mix things up and try again. Needless to say, I will not be sharing this recipe with you!

Because freezer space is such a precious commodity in our house with only a top-of-the-fridge freezer, I decided to just throw the frozen falafel away. Yes it was disappointing. Yes it felt like a waste. But I had to be honest with myself and admit that we would NEVER eat them. So why waste the space?

Stop by Money Saving Mom to read about Crystal's baking day, as well as many others. And also stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday.