Freezer Cooking Day

Started my day about 7 and finally sat down at 2.  I mixed up 4 double batches of dough to make Ham and Cheese Buns; Cheeseburgers with Mushrooms and Onions Buns and Pizza Buns.  My first double batch of dough was made exactly as the below recipe (the recipe is a single batch) the second I used wheat flour instead of rye flour and the 3rd and 4th double batch I used 10 grain flour instead of the rye.  I put 5 buns in each freezer bag and have the following in the freezer:

6 bags of Ham and Cheese

2 bags of Hamburgers with Mushrooms and Onions

2 bags of Pizza Buns

1 bag with variety

and 1 bag with 2 Ham and Cheese Buns.  So I made 57 buns total.  I had enough dough for more but ran out of meat so I made a loaf of mozzarella cheese bread which we will eat with the leftovers we are having for supper.

I also baked 2 loaves of cinnamon raisin bread, I figured I was baking and had a mess so why not.  I have been wanting to make some but just never find the time.  I will freeze one loaf for later.

First batch of dough, making the Ham and Cheese

I cut the cheese the night before so I would have everything ready to go.  I used homemade mozzarella and home made farmer's cheese; you can use what ever kind of cheese you want. 

Dough cut into 16 portions and flattened with hand.

First put on some ham; I used deli sliced black forest ham and add the cheese and then more ham.

Ham first and then some cheese.

Then add more ham.

Stretch the sides up to form a bun.

Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper seam side down.

Hamburgers

I cooked the hamburger patties the night before, I added salt, pepper, garlic powder, dehydrated mushrooms and dehydrated onions to the meat before I cooked them.  You can add what ever you like to the meat or just leave it plain.

Cheese first and them the hamburger patty.

The sides were stretched to form a bun.

This is the first batch after about 35 minutes, they are ready for the oven.

This is the pizza bun.

For the pizza buns I used homemade Italian sausage that I added some dehydrated mushrooms, onions, peppers and some pizza spice that I get at the Amish store.  I also made these up the night before.  You add only 1 tsp of pizza or spaghetti sauce, cheese and then the patty.

I ran out of meat so I flattened out the rest of the dough, added mozzarella cheese and rolled it tightly to form a loaf.

Here it is and ready to go in the bread pan, seam side down.  I sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese on the top.

This is the double batch of dough for the cinnamon raisin bread.  I used a recipe from a blog I follow.

I patted each piece out with my hands.  Note that I put the loaf pan at the end of the dough so I know how wide to flatten it out.  I then spread some butter on the dough.

Sprinkled the cinnamon sugar and raisins and rolled tightly.  Put it in the pan seam side down.

I know you are saying "What"?   As things were baking I was doing the dishes and happened to look up and out the window and there was this deer out in the field for a long time so I went out back and took its picture.  See doing the dishes dose come with some rewards.

Everything all baked and cooling.  When it was cool I packed them in freezer bags and put them in the freezer.

2 loaves of cinnamon raisin bread and the cheese bread we are having tonight.  I should have split the dough into 3 parts and made 3 loaves of the cinnamon bread.  It raised over the sides of the pan so I'm sure it would have made 3 medium loaves instead of 2 giant loaves.

Ham and Cheese Buns

2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup medium rye flour

1/2 cup instant potato flakes

1 cup warm water

Put all ingredients in Kitchen-Aid and kneed for 10 minutes.  Drizzle with olive oil and put into a bowl, cover and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.  Flour work surface and turn dough out and kneed for 1 minute.  Divide into 8 pieces, form each into a ball and then flatten out each piece into a disk.  Stretch each disk to about 4" in diameter.  In the center of each piece put a piece of ham, piece of favorite cheese and then another piece of ham.  Pull up the sides of the dough to meet in the center and press to seal the seams.

Place the buns seam side down on baking sheet, cover and let rise for about 35 minutes.

If you are making these for later then bake in preheated 325 degree oven for about 40 minutes until barely browned.  Remove the buns from the pan and cool.  When cool put in freezer bags and freeze.  

On the day you are going to eat them, thaw and bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes until nicely browned.

If you are going to eat now then bake at 350 degrees until brown about 35 minutes.

For Pizza Buns or Cheeseburger Buns I add wheat flour instead of rye.

For Cheeseburger buns put a precooked hamburger patty with a slice of cheese on the disk of dough and follow the above directions.

For Pizza Buns put a precooked Italian sausage patty, cheese and your favorite pizza topping on the disk of dough and follow the above directions.

You could also make Shredded BBQ Pork Buns, Italian Beef Buns or come up with your own filling by using this same method and dough.

My daughter Renee makes the Ham and Cheese buns and the Pizza Buns and her son Derek will eat them cold.  These are very easy and you can make up several batches and finishing cooking them when needed.  These make a wonderful quick meal on those days you don't feel like cooking.