Baking early for holiday success

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When it comes to planning ahead for the winter holidays, I say you can never start too early. The most enjoyable holidays I have spent with my family have been when I was not too stressed.

I like to have plans for weeknight dinners with the ingredients at my fingertips in the pantry or freezer. I like to get a jump on gifts, too, by baking bar cookies and quick breads.

Let them cool completely then wrap in foil and place in zipper-lock plastic bags. As long as you place them in the coldest part of your freezer -- not on the door -- they will stay fresh for up to two months.

This bar cookie is great for baking and stashing away. It takes only 10 minutes to prepare and less than 30 minutes to bake. It contains all the right goodies -- butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut and chopped pecans or walnuts.

It's so scrumptious, your mouth will greet it with a big, welcoming "Hello."

Five time-shaving goodies to stash in your freezer now:

• Sugar cookie dough. Flatten into rounds, freeze in plastic bags, then roll out and cut into cookies in December.

• Pasta sauce. Go ahead and cook up a batch of spaghetti sauce, then freeze for those busy nights ahead.

• Banana, pumpkin and your favorite quick breads may be baked in small tins. They are perfect for teacher gifts.

• Watch for the supermarket specials on tenderloin of beef and shrimp. Freeze them for dinners ahead.