Easy freezer meals

Save time and money with this simple, plan-ahead cooking strategy.

Sharon Gray needed to change the way she prepared family meals. Cooking had always been a hobby and creative outlet for her. But now with two children, a husband, and a growing business (she's a senior director for The Pampered Chef in Mount Juliet, Tennessee), she needed ways to make home cooking easier.

Unwilling to pay extra for the new generation of convenience products, such as marinated or seasoned frozen meats, Sharon created her own method of "investment cooking," a strategy taught by many Pampered Chef con-sultants. She takes advantage of grocery meat specials and invests time cooking in large quantities and freezing food in various stages of preparation. With her freezer stocked, Sharon and her family can quickly and easily prepare their nightly meals.

Understanding the Method

Investment cooking revolves around cooking and freezing one type of meat at a time. Here's how it works.

Buy large quantities of meat on special. Most of Sharon's favorite family recipes are built around ground beef, chicken, and sometimes sausage. Her first step is to buy those items on sale. Her husband, Ricky, works in the supermarket industry, so Sharon knows when to look for items on special. To determine what cycle of weekly specials your favorite supermarket follows, talk to the meat manager. He or she will usually be more than will-ing to share how specials are planned and give tips on shopping. You can also check the newspapers to find the best bargains.

After determining what's on special, make your grocery list for all the recipes you'll be preparing. In addition to meat, purchase any other ingredients needed, such as spices for rubs or marinades. Be sure to check the pantry and spice rack to avoid duplicating items you already have.

Shop one day; then prepare food for the freezer the next. This will make your to-do list for each day manageable. Chop any vegetables you'll need for your recipes, such as onions, mushrooms, and peppers, and line them up on your counter for easy assembly. (Sharon is partial to The Pampered Chef's food chopper, but you can also use a sharp chef's knife.) Then move on to the meat preparation.

Make It Work for You

We're pleased to share some of Sharon's specific investment cooking tips and recipes for chicken here. On the next page, we've also included instructions for using a rub and marinade on flank steak, which is great for investment cooking. Tips for preparing ground beef can be found in the box on page 180. For information on safe freezing times, see "From Our Kitchen" on page 186.

Baked, grilled, or stir-fried chicken: Buy several pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Make four or five different recipes of marinades and rubs. Prick chicken several times with a fork to allow marinades and rubs to penetrate the meat. Package chicken according to your family's appetite.

Combine marinade and breast halves in labeled freezer bags. Seal bags, and knead the pieces of meat to circulate the marinade. Lay bags flat with pieces of meat side by side in a flat pan with sides. Marinate meat for desired time in refrigerator. Place pan in freezer; freeze bags flat. Remove frozen bags from pan, and stack in freezer. For kabobs or stir-fry, cut breast halves into cubes or strips, and follow the same instructions.

Cooked chicken for casseroles, wraps, chicken salad, etc.: Bring 2 whole chickens and enough water to cover to a boil in a large stockpot. Add 2 celery ribs, 2 carrots, 1 onion, and 4 garlic cloves. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 40 minutes. Remove chicken, and discard vegetables, reserving broth. Remove chicken from bones, and shred. Place 2 cups shredded chicken in labeled quart-size freezer bags. Seal and freeze. Strain broth, cool, and refrigerate. Freeze broth in airtight containers or freezer bags for soups and other recipes.

SOUTHWESTERN SPICE BLEND

MAKES 1/4 CUP

PREP: 5 MIN.

1 tablespoon sail

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons pepper

1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

COMBINE all ingredients. Store in air-tight container. Use as a meat or poultry rub or to flavor chili and soups.

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN: Rub Southwestern Spice Blend over 6 skinned and boned chicken breast halves. (For investment cooking, freeze in a freezer bag up to 6 months. Thaw before grilling.) Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350[degrees] to 400[degrees]) 6 to 7 minutes on each side or until done. Prep: 10 min., Grill: 14 min.

ZESTY CHICKEN MAR1NADE

MAKES ABOUT 1/2 CUP (EN0UGH F0R 4 CHICKEN BREAST HALVES)

PREP: 10 M1N.

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup olive oil

17frac12; teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried pars1ey

1/2 teaspoon sa1t

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

COMBINE all ingredients.

CHICKEN KABOBS: Cut 2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breast halves into 1-inch cubes. Place chicken pieces and Zesty Chicken Marinade in a large freezer bag. Seal; chill 8 hours. (For investment cooking, freeze; thaw before grilling.) Soak 8 (8-inch) wooden skewers 30 minutes to prevent burning. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Thread chicken pieces onto skewers, leaving 1/4-inch space between pieces. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350[degrees] to 400[degrees]) 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until done. Serve on pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and hot sauce. Prep: 20 min., Chill: 8 hrs., Soak: 30 min., Grill: 16 min.