Make-Ahead Meals Make Life Easier!

Who likes to "wander and ponder" the grocery store aisles on the way home from work, trying to figure out what's for dinner? I've done this enough times to know I don't like it at all. I am lucky enough to have a few incredibly organized friends, and after my moaning and groaning about this all-too-frequent recurring problem, Kristin told me how she now avoids this pattern:

She makes a menu, she shops around her menu, and on a specific day, she makes as much of her meals that she can, ahead of time and freezes them until time to serve. Whoa! THAT'S one brilliant idea, I thought to myself! Oh, I know the idea's been around for a long time, but you know how things sometimes don't register until you need 'em?

Anyway, I'm going to follow her lead, starting this weekend. And in case you like the idea as well, or are just looking for a great recipe to make ahead, here's an easy and superior chicken dish you'll want to try out:

CHICKEN NEWBURG (serves 6)
2 Tbsp minced onion
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
Dash pepper
1/4 tsp tarragon
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C half'n'half
2 C diced cooked chicken
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 C minced pimiento
1 avocado, cubed
Steamed rice

Cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and tarragon. Gradually add brother and half 'n' half. Cook over low heat, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add chicken; carefully blend in egg yolk, lemon juice, pimiento and avocado. Serve over steamed rice.

Now, if you aren't inclined to make entire recipes ahead, at least consider this: Notice the diced cooked chicken in the recipe. And how many other recipes do you like to make that also call for cooked chicken? Here's an idea--cook chicken breasts ahead of time, dice, lay out on a cookie sheet to freeze. When frozen, put pieces into freezer containers and freeze until needed for a recipe. Just this little step will save you a lot of time over the long haul as well.

Do YOU have tips or ideas to share on make-ahead meals or recipes? Please comment--we're all in this together, remember. So here's to making life easier with make-ahead meals, and until next time, happy cook'n!