Follow Me Monday: Holiday Challenge Week #1

Welcome to Week #1 of the Hip2Save Holiday Challenge! This week’s challenge focuses on preparing breakfast foods (i.e. breads, muffins, and pancakes) that can be placed in your freezer and used at a later time. This is definitely a challenge for me as I struggle with baking and cooking in general. So watch the video and join me in the challenge!

**If you can’t see this video, then go here to watch it.

Please keep in mind that to participate in the challenge (as detailed in this post), you are NOT required to follow the recipes I have chosen to make in this video. All I ask is that you make 3 breakfast related recipes that can be placed in the freezer and that you take photo(s) of your finished products. You do NOT need to email me the photos; however, if you are selected as a winner of an upcoming Holiday Challenge Giveaway (and there will be lots!), then you WILL be required to email a picture to confirm your participation, so be sure to save your pictures .

RECIPE #1: Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

RECIPE #2: Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

RECIPE #3: Buttermilk Pancakes or Fluffy Pancakes

Are you planning to join me on the challenge this week? If so, click on the “enter this giveaway (i.e. challenge)” button below and share your favorite baking/freezing tip. And then, get to baking! 🙂 …AND stay tuned for some fun prizes!

Need some tips on freezing bread, muffins and pancakes? Check out these tips and tricks below…

* Allow breads to cool completely before placing them in the freezer.

* Be sure to press out as much excess air from the bag.

* If you are planning to leave your bread in the freezer longer than a month or two, wrap the bread in heavy duty aluminum and then place it in a plastic bag (you can then leave the bread in the freezer for up to 4 months).

* When you are ready to use the bread, take it out of the freezer and allow it to thaw on the counter at room temperature (this usually takes about 3 hours).

* Stack pancakes between sheets of wax paper and slide them all into a plastic bag for freezing (consider using an old bread/bagel bag versus a new Ziploc bag). Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use them, take them directly from the freezer to a preheated oven and bake 2-3 minutes.

* Place trays of muffins in the freezer until firm and then transfer them to a Ziploc bag for freezing. Muffins can be stored in the freezer from 6 to 12 months. Muffin batter can be frozen right in the tins for up to 3 weeks for later baking.

* Consider flash freezing muffins (i.e. place individual muffins on a tray in the freezer, freeze them until they are firm and then store them in more space-efficient freezer bag).

* Always label bags with the date.

(Thanks to AllRecipes.com and FoodNetwork.com for the wonderful recipes!)