Quick Dinner Ideas - Get Dinner on the Table Fast Using Frozen Dough
Home-cooked meals have become a luxury nowadays. Yet research has shown that people who eat home-cooked meals tend to maintain their weight and eat more nutritious meals. Fortunately, busy cooks have at their disposal many convenience foods that makes it possible to prepare delicious meals fast. These convenience foods include frozen dough, available in most grocery stores. Below are some quick dinner ideas for using frozen dough to prepare a main course in less than one hour. Serve with a salad to make a complete meal.
Do-it-Yourself Pizza
Thaw the frozen pizza dough and put together some pantry staples and leftovers to create a delicious and healthy dinner. Simply preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll the dough out into the desired shape, about 1/4 inch thick. Prick the pizza dough in several places with a fork. Brush with extra virgin olive oil. Smooth a layer of tomato paste, tomato sauce or tomato puree. Top with minced garlic, chopped leftover cooked meat and whatever vegetables you have on hand, such as mushrooms and bell peppers. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with mozzarella cheese. If you don't have mozzarella, shredded cheddar and Parmesan cheese will work, too. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden brown.
Easy Focaccia
You can use either pizza or bread dough to make focaccia. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll the dough into a rectangle on a cookie sheet. Press with fingertips to make dents. In a skillet, saute together some extra virgin olive oil, chopped onions, and minced garlic. Spread all over the focaccia. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, coarse sea salt and black pepper. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, or whatever cheese you have. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Cut into squares before serving.
Sandwich Roll
For this filling roll, use frozen bread dough. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease and flour a loaf pan. Roll the bread dough into a rectangle as wide as the length of your loaf pan. Brush the dough with extra virgin olive oil. Fill with whatever you have that might taste good together. Some good examples include shredded leftover meats, bacon bits and cheese. Throw in some shredded basil leaves, sliced olives or minced parsley, too, if you have them. Roll into a log and place into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool before serving.
The next time you're in the grocery, remember to pick up some frozen or refrigerated bread and pizza dough. As these quick dinner ideas show, ready bake dough comes in handy when you want to serve dinner but are pressed for time. They're also great for making quick desserts. It is possible to prepare a healthy and delicious meal quickly, even if it means using some prepared foods.
Do-it-Yourself Pizza
Thaw the frozen pizza dough and put together some pantry staples and leftovers to create a delicious and healthy dinner. Simply preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll the dough out into the desired shape, about 1/4 inch thick. Prick the pizza dough in several places with a fork. Brush with extra virgin olive oil. Smooth a layer of tomato paste, tomato sauce or tomato puree. Top with minced garlic, chopped leftover cooked meat and whatever vegetables you have on hand, such as mushrooms and bell peppers. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with mozzarella cheese. If you don't have mozzarella, shredded cheddar and Parmesan cheese will work, too. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden brown.
Easy Focaccia
You can use either pizza or bread dough to make focaccia. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll the dough into a rectangle on a cookie sheet. Press with fingertips to make dents. In a skillet, saute together some extra virgin olive oil, chopped onions, and minced garlic. Spread all over the focaccia. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, coarse sea salt and black pepper. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, or whatever cheese you have. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Cut into squares before serving.
Sandwich Roll
For this filling roll, use frozen bread dough. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease and flour a loaf pan. Roll the bread dough into a rectangle as wide as the length of your loaf pan. Brush the dough with extra virgin olive oil. Fill with whatever you have that might taste good together. Some good examples include shredded leftover meats, bacon bits and cheese. Throw in some shredded basil leaves, sliced olives or minced parsley, too, if you have them. Roll into a log and place into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool before serving.
The next time you're in the grocery, remember to pick up some frozen or refrigerated bread and pizza dough. As these quick dinner ideas show, ready bake dough comes in handy when you want to serve dinner but are pressed for time. They're also great for making quick desserts. It is possible to prepare a healthy and delicious meal quickly, even if it means using some prepared foods.