Wake. Breakfast. School. Work. Snack. School. Work. Lunch. School. Work. Snack. Work. Chores. Play. Dinner. Play. Bed. Repeat 4 times. Weekend.
Routines are helpful, but getting everything to fit into a new fall schedule—school, work, activities, and social time—can feel overwhelming. I get that panicky flutter too. When that happens I want order: labeled boxes, a stocked freezer, and a plan that makes life easier.
Keeping a freezer stocked with ready-to-use components for quick homemade meals is a true sanity saver. Please don’t mention once-a-month cooking—I tried it, and it didn’t stick. I’m just too fickle for that approach. Instead I rely on big-batch meal starters—versatile bases that turn into many different quick dinners. Think of them as rubber-chicken meal starters: dependable, flexible, and ready when you are.
One of my favorite meal starters is a crowd-pleasing, time-saving, budget-friendly Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger mix. It’s a flavorful base you can stir into mac and cheese, spoon onto pizza dough for a cheeseburger pizza, pile on tortilla chips for barbecue bacon cheeseburger nachos, or stuff into bread for handheld sandwiches. Today we’ll focus on Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Sandwiches.
These stuffed sandwiches are perfect for packed lunches (if you can reheat at work or school), grab-and-go dinners, tailgating, or game-day snacks. They also freeze beautifully. Bake them until nearly done, wrap in foil, and freeze. Reheat from frozen in about 30 minutes for a fast, satisfying meal. Serve with something bright and tangy—candied jalapeños are a fantastic match—and you’ll be popular wherever you bring them. High five!
I have a habit of high-fiving. My family teases me, but I channel all my “cool” into my food. The food gets the attention; I’ll accept the uncool factor.
Here’s the plan: make a big batch of the barbecue bacon cheeseburger starter (you already win because it has bacon). Portion and freeze or refrigerate the starter. Use a portion to make stuffed sandwiches—these sandwiches themselves freeze and reheat superbly. Ready? Let’s cook. HIGH FIVE!
Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Sandwiches
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the bread dough into 12 even pieces and roll each into a ball. Working one at a time, flatten each piece into a circle about 1/4″ thick. Place about 1/4 cup of the meat filling in the center. Gather the dough edges over the filling and pinch to seal. Place each sealed roll seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
Cover the filled rolls gently with lightly oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Let them rise in a warm place for 15 minutes, or until slightly puffy. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle any desired toppings.
Bake on the center rack for 18–24 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the rolls are deep brown and shiny and the bread is cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and rest at least 15 minutes before eating.
To freeze: remove the rolls from the oven about 5 minutes early and let them cool completely on the pan. Place the pan directly in the freezer until the rolls are solid (about 6 hours). Wrap each roll in foil and transfer to a resealable freezer bag. Frozen this way, they keep for about 3 months. Reheat by placing foil-wrapped rolls on a baking sheet in a preheated 400°F oven for 15 minutes; then open the foil and continue heating until hot all the way through.
Big Batch Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Meal Starter
Yield: about 5 meal-sized portions
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds 90% lean ground beef
- 1 pound sliced smoked bacon, cut into 1/2″ strips
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 3–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional:
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
In a very large skillet or a stove-top safe roasting pan over two burners, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently, until deeply colored and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Cover and set aside. Drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon, and return the pan to medium heat.
If using the optional onion, add it now and cook until softened. Add the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks, and brown until no longer pink. If excess liquid or fat accumulates, drain the beef in a colander, wipe the pan, and return the beef to the pan.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the sauce evenly coats the beef and is hot. Stir in the reserved bacon and shredded cheese until the cheese melts and the bacon is evenly distributed. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Divide the mixture into heat-safe containers with tight-fitting lids—3-cup portions work well. Cool quickly by setting the containers in a larger bowl filled with ice water up to their sides. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
Buttermilk Sandwich Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cultured buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 4 cups bread flour (about 1 lb 1 oz)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten (optional but helps structure)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or SAF yeast
Optional:
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon tepid water for glazing
Bread machine instructions:
Load ingredients into the bread machine pan according to the manufacturer’s directions. Program for a basic white cycle and start. When the cycle finishes, remove the loaf immediately and cool completely on a rack before slicing.
For hand- or stand-mixer dough instructions, prepare the dough as you normally would, allowing for proper kneading and rising times before shaping and baking.