Meals to Cook with Friends and Freeze for Family
RECIPES BY Laura Swayne|Written BY KIM A. FUQUA|PHOTOGRAPHY BY Brandon sawaya
Swayne’s group gathers at one house around 5 p.m., after the husbands and/or sitters
have arrived. “We have found that evenings work best for us, since we all have small children,” says Swayne. The group makes plans to be together for 6 to 7 hours, during
which each participant chooses a recipe to begin preparing and makes it for all
five families. Each person then packages their designated meals for freezing,
and then moves on to another recipe, until the group has all 12 recipes
prepared and ready to go home in their individual coolers.
Swayne’s group typically orders something easy for dinner, such as a pizza, for their
group cooking events. “And, of course, several bottles of wine help us to enjoy the evening, too,” shares Swayne. “It is great talk time, really productive, and lots of fun!”
The best part, though, is having all of those delicious dinners that can be
thawed and prepared in no time for weeks to come. “All the dishes are easy to thaw and then throw on the grill or in the oven,” says Swayne. “Add a side dish and you’re ready to eat!” The following dishes are just a sample of what Swayne’s cooking group has prepared and enjoyed so far.
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ASIAN MARINATED SALMON
Grilling over indirect heat allows the fish to stay moist and take on a subtle smokiness.
Servings: 9
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 3½-pound salmon filet, skinned
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
Combine vinegar and next 6 ingredients in a large Ziploc bag; seal. Shake to
combine. Add fish; seal. Freeze, or if using same day, marinate in refrigerator
30 minutes, turning once.
If fish is frozen, remove from freezer to thaw. Preheat grill to high heat.
Spray with cooking spray. Remove salmon from marinade and place on grill. Lower
grill temperature to medium. Cook 5 minutes on one side, carefully lift, spray
grill again with cooking spray, and turn filet over. Fish should flake easily
when done. Garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
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CITRUS MARINATED PORK CHOPS
These tangy chops are great served with the pineapple-cashew rice.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
juice of 2 limes
juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
4 pork loin chops, trimmed of fat
Mix together all ingredients except pork. Pour into a Ziploc bag. Add pork chops
and turn to coat. Freeze if not using that day.
Thaw overnight in fridge. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Spray with
cooking spray. Add pork chops and reserve marinade. Cook until golden brown,
about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook another 5 minutes, or until brown. Add
marinade. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 7 minutes more, or until
middle of chops is no longer pink. Transfer meat to a plate and cover to keep
warm. Increase heat to high and cook marinade, stirring frequently for 3 to 5
minutes until thickened. Spoon over pork chops and serve.
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PINEAPPLE-CASHEW RICE
Make this side dish a meal by adding baby shrimp, chicken breast, ham, or a combination of all three. Serve in a pineapple shell for extra flair!
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 12-ounce can pineapple chunks,
drained
¼ cup cashews, toasted and chopped
¼ cup carrot, diced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof skillet, heat butter and oil over
medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add rice, and stir
to coat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and bake about 30
minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Let stand covered for 5 minutes before
fluffing. To freeze, let cool, then place in Ziploc bag or freezer container.
To use, thaw in fridge, add 2 tablespoons water, and microwave 2 minutes, or
until heated through.
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THAI CHICKEN FETTUCcINE
Save time by substituting a 16-ounce jar of your favorite picante sauce for the homemade version here.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Picante Sauce:
1 10½-ounce can tomato puree
1 4½-ounce can chopped green
chilies
2 tablespoons onion, minced
2 tablespoons green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
⅛ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Peanut Sauce:
¼ cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
Fettuccine:
8 ounces fettuccine, cooked al dente
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
1 cup red, yellow, and orange bell
peppers, sliced
If preparing your own picante sauce, combine ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from
heat.
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Combine 1 cup picante sauce and peanut sauce ingredients. Cook over low heat
until smooth. Remove from heat. Toss cooked fettuccine with ¼ cup picante/peanut sauce mixture. Place in serving bowl and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté chicken until brown and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Add remaining
picante/peanut sauce to chicken and stir well. Arrange chicken on fettuccine.
Sprinkle chicken with cilantro, peanuts, and colored peppers. Serve hot or at
room temperature with any extra picante on the side.
To freeze this recipe for easy preparation later, simply store the picante/peanut sauce in a large Ziploc bag. In smaller Ziploc bags, store
chicken pieces, peppers, and peanuts. Thaw in the fridge on the day you plan to
serve. Cook your fettuccine and chicken as described above, chop up some
cilantro, and serve!
Rice Twist: Substitute cooked rice for the fettuccine if you like.
APRICOT OATMEAL BARS
Oats add crunch, and apricot spreadable fruit gives this cookie bar a rich fruit flavor.
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
3¾ cups flour
1½ cups sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
3¾ cups oats
2¼ cups melted butter
1 30-ounce jar apricot or raspberry
preserves
1 cup flaked coconut
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Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, oats, and butter to make crumb mixture.
Reserve one cup. Press remaining mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan and spread
with apricot preserves. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture and coconut on top. If
freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Before baking,
remove from freezer to thaw. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Nutty Twist: For extra crunch, add 2 cups ground almonds to the mix.
KAHLUA ICE CREAM SANDWICH BARS
This recipe couldn’t be easier, but it tastes like a special treat!
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 5 minutes
11 ice cream sandwiches
½ cup Kahlua
1 Skor bar or other favorite
candy bar, crushed
1 large carton Cool Whip
Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with ice cream sandwiches; cut to cover entire
bottom. Sprinkle Kahlua over ice cream sandwiches. Mix crushed Skor bar with
Cool Whip and spread evenly over ice cream sandwiches. Cover with plastic wrap
and freeze. Cut into squares and serve whenever you like.
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