Make-Ahead Meals: Cook 20 weeknight dinners in one day
With our genius make-ahead plan, a single day in the kitchen will score you the building blocks for almost a month's worth of amazing family dinners. Get ready to freeze: It's go time!
THE BIG DAY
These simple guidelines map out the best way to cook up your five building-block recipes on Saturday or Sunday-so you can get out of the kitchen faster than ever during the weeks ahead.
* Get plenty of resealable sandwich-size and freezer storage bags when you buy your ingredients.
* Get family and friends into the kitchen to help. Grown-ups and big kids can chop and little kids can help organize ingredients.
* Have everyone clean as they go! Make the building-block recipes in the following order.
NOW WE'RE COOKIN'!
PORK: Preheat the oven and get the meat going.
TOMATO SAUCE: While the pork is in the oven, start the sauce so it can simmer at the same time.
VEGGIES: Next up, vegetable prep. Arrange the cut veggies on the baking sheets and, as soon as the pork is out of the oven, increase the oven temperature and pop them in.
CHICKEN: Have all the ingredients ready. If you need the baking sheets the vegetables are on, scrape the veggies onto a platter or cutting board to cool. Simply line the sheets with parchment and get roasting.
RICE: While the bird cooks, make the pilaf.
After you make your building-block recipes, you're all set to put together these superfast weeknight meals. You can cook any or all of them, in any order that pleases you, but if you follow the sequence below you'll get the most variety possible.
20 WEEKNIGHT DINNERS AT A GLACE:
Spanish Rice with Shrimp
Use your tomato sauce, roasted veggies and rice pilaf
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Mango, Pork and Watercress Salad
Use your pulled pork
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Fusilli with Chicken and Tomato Sauce
Use your tomato sauce and pulled chicken
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Pork-and-Avocado Tacos
Use your pulled pork
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Butternut Squash-and-Spinach Strata
Use your roasted veggies
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Easy Brunswick Stew
Use your pulled pork and tomato sauce
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Veggie Flatbreads with Hummus
Use your roasted veggies
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Lemon Chicken Frittata
Use your pulled chicken and rice pilaf
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Pulled Pork-and-Slaw Sandwiches
Use your pulled pork
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Creamy Chicken with Soft Polenta
Use your roasted veggies and pulled chicken
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Pork and Ginger Noodle Soup
Use your pulled pork
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Cheesy Spinach-and-Pepper Calzones
Use your tomato sauce and roasted veggies
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Pork Fried Rice
Use your pulled pork and rice pilaf
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Swiss Chard with Bacon and Eggs
Use your roasted veggies
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Roast Pork-and-Veggie Burritos
Use your pulled pork, roasted veggies and rice pilaf
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Warm Chicken Salad
Use your pulled chicken
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Pork Chilaquiles
Use your pulled pork and tomato sauce
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Mediterranean Chicken Salad Pitas
Use your roasted veggies and pulled chicken
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Rigatoni with Apple and Squash
Use your roasted veggies
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Mexican Chicken-and-Rice Soup
Use your pulled chicken and rice pilaf
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THE BASIC RECIPES:
Pulled Pork | |
Tomato Sauce | |
Roasted Veggies | |
Pulled Chicken | |
Rice Pilaf |
By Teri Tsang Barrett | Photography by Marcus Nilsson
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