Cookbooks

Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Bundles of Joy

November  6, 2014

Hear ye, hear ye: Longtime Food52er MrsWheelbarrow has come out with a beautiful new cookbook! All week long, she will be sharing recipes from Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry and giving us new ways to use up the preserves in our cupboards. And we're giving away a copy each day -- so you can finally get over your fear of preserving.

Today: An almost-instant snack that will bring you nothing but joy -- plus, a way to use up all of those half-empty jam jars.

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For an almost-instant snack, I like to bundle my beautiful preserves into flaky phyllo pastry. You can also add a nugget of cheese for a special kind of deliciousness. These two-bite charmers are welcome snacks at any time of day.

More: Learn more from Mrs. Wheelbarrow about the taxonomy of jams, preserves, and confitures.

Whenever the refrigerator is being overrun with jars of tiny amounts of preserves, I settle in to make some Bundles of Joy. This recipe makes a lot -- freeze the extras to be popped into the oven and ready in minutes. Phyllo is available in boxes of full-size or half-size sheets. The half sheets make 6 bundles per every 4 sheets; the full size will make 12 bundles from 4 sheets.

Bundles of Joy

Makes 24 bundles

4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
One 1-pound box of phyllo sheets, defrosted in the refrigerator if frozen (at least 6 hours)
8 ounces preserves (I love to use tart cherry)
8 ounces fresh goat cheese

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton

Every day this week, we're giving away a copy of Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry! To win today's copy, tell us in the comments: What do you keep in the freezer for last-minute entertaining (or snacking)? We'll choose winners this Friday, November 7th. (U.S. entrants only, please!) 

Update: Nogaga, pamelalee, littleknitter, lizzaljoelle, and Matteo Cavelier are our winners! We hope you enjoy your copies of Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry.

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Marlene
    Marlene
  • Elizabeth
    Elizabeth
  • Chris A.
    Chris A.
  • Debra Wilson
    Debra Wilson
  • skramcooks
    skramcooks
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52 Comments

Marlene November 14, 2014
There are always unbaked portioned pao de queija and chocolate cookies ready to bake
 
Elizabeth November 7, 2014
I usually keep a premade quiche, throw it in the oven and it's good for any meal of the day.
 
Chris A. November 7, 2014
Leftover bolognese sauce for a quick baked pasta for a crowd. Or a dip for breadsticks.
 
Debra W. November 7, 2014
I keep homemade mini rhubarb breads, pumpkin breads, banana breads, etc and different sweet and savory homemade spreads! Always great with a cup of tea or coffee or even a glass of wine......
 
skramcooks November 7, 2014
I keep puff pastry and pate sable so I can make quick caramelized onions and goats cheese tart (either pastry), ricotta, parmiggiano and tomato tart or chard (puff pastry), onions and garlic tart (pate sable). i also keep frozen berries - with whipping cream always in the fridge and meringues in the cupboards you can defrost and make an eton mess in less than 3 minutes.
 
lori November 7, 2014
I keep nuts for snacking and alittle cookie dough for that sweet treat.
 
Marie M. November 7, 2014
A couple of bags of frozen Gyoza and Edemame. Either a great healthy snack or a quick dish to offer unexpected visitors.
 
Carol G. November 7, 2014
My homemade Marinara Sauce. Quick pasta dishes made easy
 
DocLsk15 November 7, 2014
Frozen blueberries. Love making blueberry crisp, easy, quick, comfort food no matter the season.
 
FoodieTina November 6, 2014
pesto and tomato sauce for pasta, frozen berries for a quick crisp!
 
ingababinga November 6, 2014
Home-made tamales!
 
marcellatp November 6, 2014
cookie dough all portioned and ready to bake. Must try these cheese and jam bundles though, they sound delicious!
 
Camilla November 6, 2014
I keep frozen whole wheat chocolate chip cookie dough from Kim Boyce's "Good to the Grain"!
 
Stacey M. November 6, 2014
Frozen grapes for snacking.
 
Chrissy B. November 6, 2014
Puff pastry
 
J_McCrory November 6, 2014
A few varieties of chicken sausage! They're easy to slice up when frozen and a great addition to soups, stirfrys, omlettes or just warmed and served with cheese and crackers! That, and a pound of good Irish butter for baking (or jazzing up some store bought scones/bread if I didn't have the time)!
 
Alexandra B. November 6, 2014
Dumplings from the NYC Chinatown. They are so ridiculously cheap when you buy them frozen and they make great party snacks!
 
pamelalee November 6, 2014
Pesto cubes, cooked grains, homemade piecrust discs, granola bars, browned sausage to add to vegetarian soups (for my husband, the meat-lover).
 
Jennifer November 6, 2014
frozen bread dough, batches of precooked beans (from dry). and now - phylo dough!
 
aargersi November 6, 2014
Lots of pesto from garden basil. Chicken feet (just kidding on the entertaining part but I DO have them in my freezer right now!)