Simple lunch recipes

I have a hard enough time coming up with lunches right now. I can't even imagine trying to get a lunch ready in the morning for kids going to school. Here are a few basic lunch items that can be frozen and stored in the freezer, to save a little time. All you have to do is put them in the lunch in the morning and they will be thawed by lunchtime.

Classic PB & J

Ingredients:
2 slices of bread
Peanut Butter
Jelly

Instructions:
Cover one side of each slice with peanut butter, being sure to go to the edges. Then put jam on half of the slices, leaving about half an inch from the edge on all sides. Put the sandwiches together, and the peanut butter will "seal" the jam inside and keep them from getting soggy as it thaws. Seal in freezer bags.



Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:
Bread
Ham
Cheese
Miracle Whip

Instructions:
Spread miracle whip on bread (VERY IMPORTANT - do not use regular mayonnaise, only use miracle whip). Add ham and cheese, seal in individual freezer bags. Freeze.


Pizza Bagels

Ingredients:
Bagels - plain or sun dried tomato
Pizza sauce
Assorted pizza toppings
Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
Cut bagels in half and place them face up on workspace. Spread tomato sauce in a thin layer, then add toppings. By making a variety of toppings, they won't get boring in lunches. Sprinkle with cheese then broil in oven until cheese melts.
Cool completely and package them individually (half a bagel per bag). Freeze.


Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups dry vegetable rotini
1/2 cup Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 red pepper chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped

Instructions:
Cook rotini until barely cooked al dente (VERY IMPORTANT, do not overcook)
Freeze in single portion servings in freezer bags or containers.

Pizza

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish: 55 minutes

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Toppings: (I'm sure you can use any that you choose, but these are the ones for this recipe)
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 lb. Italian beef sausage, browned
1/4 lb. ground beef, browned
1/4 cup onion, sauteed
2 ounces pepperoni slices
1 1/2 marinara sauce
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt

Instructions:

1: Put in automatic bread machine: place ingredients in container in following order: water, olive oil, flour, sugar, salt and yeast.

2: Select Dough setting and press Start.

3: Spray pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray or brush with olive oil.

4: Gently stretch pizza crust to fit pan, forming raised edge at lip.

5: Sprinkle crust with grated mozzarella cheese.

6: Dot with browned sausage, ground beef, pepperoni and chopped and sautéed onion.

7: Gently spread marinara sauce to cover cheese and toppings.

8: Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and salt to taste.

9: To freeze: flash freeze pizza in pan.

10: When frozen, wrap in aluminum foil.

11: To prepare: do not thaw pizza.

12: Heat oven to 400°.

13: Bake frozen pizza for 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is browned, sauce bubbles and cheese is fully melted.

(Recipe from www.recipezaar.com)