Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [25]
3. Place chickens, breast side up, on a work surface. Gently loosen skin on breast and legs by working your fingers between skin and meat. Using half the marinade for each chicken, rub under and over the skin and in the cavity. Put one chicken in each 1-gallon bag.
4. Divide carrots, celery, and onion evenly between the 1-quart bags and seal. Place one bag of vegetables directly into each bag of chicken.
5. Seal and freeze.
TO COOK ONE ENTRÉE
1. Completely thaw one entrée in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
3. Place chicken, breast side up, in a greased baking dish. Put carrot, celery, and onion in cavity. Roast for about 1½ hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 180ºF.
OR TRY THIS!
Instead of thawing the chicken to roast it, place the frozen prepared chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Do this only if you have a slow cooker with a removable insert. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Drain juices, reserve, and cool. Place the uncovered crock in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes to brown the skin. Meanwhile, use the reserved juices to make gravy or a sauce reduction. This might be the most flavorful, moist chicken dinner you will ever eat! Not to mention the fabulous gravy . . .
CHAPTER TWO
BEEF MAIN DISHES
We keep these on hand for quick lunches—homemade “fast food.” —LT
BEEF AND BEAN BURRITOS
MAKES 40 BURRITOS
1 TRAY (ABOUT 6 POUNDS) LEAN GROUND BEEF
1 cup taco seasoning
3 cups water
40 ten-inch flour tortillas
8 (15-ounce) cans refried beans, any variety
Aluminum foil
8 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
1. Brown beef in a large stockpot over medium heat until no longer pink, about 20 minutes. Drain and discard fat. Add the taco seasoning. Stir in water and simmer mixture over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated. Cool.
2. Spread ¼ cup ground beef and 1/3 cup refried beans on each tortilla. Wrap burrito-style and then wrap each piece individually in foil. Divide packets evenly among freezer bags.
3. Seal and freeze.
TO COOK ONE ENTRÉE
Thaw the burritos in the refrigerator or reheat them straight from the freezer.
MICROWAVE
Remove foil, defrost, and reheat.
OVEN
Bake in foil at 375ºF for 30 minutes if frozen, 300ºF for 30 minutes if thawed.
HOM EMADE REFRIED BEANS
You may prefer to make your own refried beans, as I do. To have the right amount for this recipe, begin with 2½ pounds (about 5 cups) of dried pinto beans. Put them in a large stockpot with plenty of water to cover. Bring the beans to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the beans stand for 1 hour. Drain, rinse the beans, and return them to the pot. Add 15 cups water and simmer for 2 hours. At this point, authentic refried beans would be mashed with some of the cooking water and then fried in lard. I prefer to pulse the cooked beans to the desired consistency in my food processor and forego the frying altogether. Season the beans according to your preference—salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, and chili powder are nice choices. Because I use these beans with the seasoned beef in the burritos, I add just a bit of salt and pepper.
If ever there was a “football food,” this qualifies. Our favorite football team is not on television every week, so I try to save this dish for the times when it is. The last thing I want to do is miss any part of the game, and this dish is great: I simply take it out of the oven and set out the chips, salsa, and drinks. Touchdown! —KN
CHEESY CHILADA BAKE
MAKES 4 ENTRÉES, 8 SERVINGS EACH
1 TRAY (ABOUT 6 POUNDS) LEAN GROUND BEEF
4 green bell peppers, diced
4 medium onions, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
4 cups picante sauce
4 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
4 (14½-ounce) cans pinto beans
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
48 corn tortillas
8 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (about 2 pounds)
4 13- by 9-inch baking dishes, greased
Plastic wrap
Aluminum foil
1. Brown beef, bell peppers,