Cooking a Week at a Time

I must admit it was very nice popping dinner in the oven yesterday. I was able to get most of my sewing projects cut out yesterday during my son's nap. I have a feeling this is going to be a very productive week. For more great ideas check out Works for me Wednesday.

Here's what I made during my cooking marathon:

• BBQ Chicken and Rice
• Chicken Chimichangas
• Chili Kolaches
• Sweet and Sour Pork (I had planned on making chicken but I bought a smaller chicken)
• Bierocks
• Taco Meat
  

This took me around 2 1/2 hours to complete all 6 of these meals as well as kitchen clean up. Go here to find the recipes for all of the recipes with the execption of tacos (just follow your packet's instructions.)

Some tips to making this event go well include:

• Pre-chop onions/veggies needed.
• Make sure you thaw your meat ahead of time.
• Cook a whole chicken in the crockpot a day before your marathon and I de-boned it. Refrigerate your cooked chicken so it is ready to be added to your recipes.
• Shred cheese if using block cheese ahead of time.
• Start with a clean kitchen, empty sink and dishwasher. You'll have a lot of dishes to do at the end and it's much better when these are the only ones you must tackle.
• Cook when you have uninterrupted time. The best times for me are evenings after little man is in bed.

Below are your Step by Step instructions of how to prepare these 6 meals in 2 1/2 hours.

1. Start your rice. I used a rice cooker but you can cook it however you wish. Here's my most recent find of how to prepare brown rice. It works beautifully and I'm so glad I came across this article.

2. Prepare your dinner Rolls. This is my favorite recipes because it requires no rising. I let my kitchen aid do all the work of kneading for me. Once you have finished kneading your dough split dough in half.

3. Begin to prepare you Chili Kolaches. Dump your beans with salsa and seasoning and stir together.

4. On a cookie sheet roll half of the dough into little balls about the size of an egg. Once you have all your dough balls ready smash them down and create a crater in the middle, using your thumbs. Pour your bean mixture into the middle of the crater. Top with cheese.

5. Bake Chili Kolaches for about 15 minutes. Be sure to set a timer!

6. Cook your ground beef. Use about 1 1/2-2 lbs. ground beef divided into two pans. In one pan season meat with taco seasoning. Cook simultaneously and drain grease when finished. Add some onion if you desire.

7. Set aside taco meat and allow to cool slightly.

8. Using the second pan of unseasoned ground beef will be used for the Beirocks. Combine this cooked beef with one can cream of chicken soup and 1 c. shredded cheese, mix together

9. Using the second half of your bread dough, again divide dough into balls about he size of a tangerine.

10. Take a dough ball and stretch it out with your hands into a flat circle. Drop a spoonful of meat mixture into the center of the dough circle. Bring the remaining dough around the meat mixture and pinch to close it.

11. Place on a greased cookie sheet seam side down. Bake for 15 minutes or until the dough turns a golden brown. As soon as it comes out of the oven spread butter on the tops. Move to cooling racks and allow time to cool.

12. To prepare your BBQ Chicken use half of your cooked chicken add desired BBQ sauce to chicken, heat briefly and then set aside to cool.

13.Take the second half of chicken 2 1/2 c. and prepare the chicken mixture of your chimichangas. Add onion, salsa and spices to mixture and stir. Add mixture to the center of a tortilla and roll it up leaving the ends open. Place in a 9 x 13 baking dish, with the seams on the bottom of the pan. Freeze as is. (You will need to prepare the sauce for the topping as these bake the day you eat them.

14. Cook your meat for Sweet and Sour Pork/Chicken. Add the remaining ingredients and follow recipe until finished. Allow to cool before transferring to a container to freeze it in.

15. After all food has cooled place it in bags or Tupperware and label it and add any more instructions the recipes needs. (For example the chimichangas need sauce, include the recipe.)Divide your rice into two containers. One will be for BBQ chicken and the other will be for Sweet and Sour Pork. Bag up some shredded cheese for your taco meat.

16. Once everything is added containerized, find space in your freezer, clean up your kitchen and congratulate yourself and preparing a week's worth of meals. It's time for you to relax, or at least enjoy a piece of chocolate.

Happy Cooking!

Erica