Braised Beef Brisket Pot roast is a comfort food that freezes so well, no one will know you froze and reheated it. Coffee in the dry rub and in the cooking liquid adds deep, full flavor, plus the acidity helps tenderize the meat. Freeze roast for up to 6 weeks. Work Time: 25 Minutes / Total Time: 4 Hours + Marinating and Resting Times / Servings: 8  1 Tbsp finely ground coffee 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tsp dried thyme 4-5 lb first-cut beef brisket, trimmed 2 Tbsp canola oil 2 lb onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, halved 1 c beef broth 3/4 c brewed coffee or 1 rounded Tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 3/4 c boiling water 1/2 c pomegranate juice 1 bay leaf 2-4 tsp balsamic vinegar

  1. Combine ground coffee, paprika, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Dry brisket and coat with mixture. Set meat on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate with the dry rub 1 to 4 hours.
  2. Heat oven to 300°F.
  3. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown brisket on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove. Cook onions 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 5 minutes longer.
  4. Add broth, liquid coffee, pomegranate juice, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Bring to a simmer, return meat, cover, and put in oven.
  5. Cook until meat is fork-tender, 3½ to 4 hours. Transfer brisket to cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 15 minutes. Cut meat across the grain into 1/2" slices.
  6. Remove bay leaf while meat is resting and pour sauce into a container. Skim off fat. Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar, starting with 1/2 teaspoon per cup of sauce. to thicken, if desired, puree 1/2 to 1 cup of the onions and garlic and mix back into the sauce.
  7. To serve: Bring sauce to a boil. Moisten pot roast. Pour extra sauce into a bowl to pass separately. Nutrition (per serving): 421 cal, 53 g pro, 13 g carb, 2 g fiber, 16.5 g fat, 5 g sat fat, 495 mg sodium  Freeze It for Later!Divide roast and some of the sauce among freezer bags. Pour remaining sauce into a container. Refrigerate. Freeze chilled roast flat on lined baking sheet or in smaller pans to freeze flat. Freeze the sauce in the container. Remove baking sheet or pans and stack frozen packets. To defrost and reheat, thaw in refrigerator, 12 to 24 hours. Reheat meat and sauce in covered dish at 350°F, 30 to 40 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste.  Dessert Idea: Fruit with CaramelSimmer 1/2 cup brown sugar and 3 tablespoons milk until sugar dissolves. Pour over sliced bananas and strawberries. [pagebreak]

Quick Turkey ChiliCanned tomatillos work well, and they save peeling and scrubbing away the sticky coating on fresh ones. You’ll find them in the canned vegetable or ethnic food aisle. Double this recipe to have it now and later too! Freeze chili for up to 6 weeks. Work Time: 20 Minutes / Total Time: 35 Minutes / Servings: 4  1 can (11 oz) tomatillos 1½ c reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 tomato, chopped 1/4 c (packed) cilantro leaves 2 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tsp ground cumin 1 lg onion, chopped 1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves) 1 tbsp canola oil 2 tsp dried oregano 1 lb lean ground turkey (7% fat) 1/4 tsp salt

  1. Puree drained tomatillos, broth, tomato, cilantro, parsley, cumin, 1/2 cup of the onion, and 2 teaspoons of the garlic in food processor.
  2. Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add remaining onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add oregano and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add turkey and salt and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up meat, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
  4. Pour tomatillo mixture into pan and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  5. To serve: Ladle chili over rice or into tortillas. Garnish with more cilantro, if desired, and pass a bottle of hot sauce separately for those who want more heat. Nutrition (per chili serving): 257 cal, 26 g pro, 14 g carb, 2 g fiber, 11 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 465 mg sodium Freeze It for Later!Cool chili to room temperature. Ladle into freezer bags and refrigerate. Freeze chilled chili flat on lined baking sheet or in smaller pans so the bags hold their shape and are easy to store. When frozen, remove baking sheet and stack the bags for convenience.  To defrost and reheat, thaw in refrigerator on plate, 12 to 18 hours. Or defrost in bowl of cool water, changing water every 15 minutes. This method should take less than an hour. Reheat defrosted chili in saucepan, covered, just until hot. Don’t let it boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. You might want to add more cumin and oregano too.  Dessert Idea: Quick SundaeTop mango sorbet with chocolate syrup and scatter with Vanilla Grahams Goldfish. [pagebreak]

Hearty Italian Pasta Sauce When you make this dish, everyone will think an Italian Nonna taught you her secret recipe. Traditionally served on Sundays in Italian-American households, tomato and meat sauce is extra special when it includes sliced sausages and shredded beef. Freezing doesn’t dull the full flavor. Freeze sauce for up to 10 weeks.  Work Time: 20 Minutes / Total Time: 2 Hours + 30 Minutes / Servings: 6   1 tbsp olive oil 1 med onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes in puree 1/2 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage 1/2 lb lean boneless shoulder chuck steak 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1 bay leaf 1/4 tsp salt

  1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add garlic, reduce heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes (with puree). Reduce heat and simmer sauce, uncovered, 20 minutes.
  3. Rinse medium frying pan in cold water and shake out excess water but do not dry pan. Set moist pan over medium-high heat and add sausage. Cook, turning until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Add sausage to simmering sauce. Return pan to heat.
  4. Brown steak in frying pan, 8 to 10 minutes, and add to sauce. Add oregano, bay leaf, and salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer sauce until beef falls apart when pulled with a fork, about 2 hours. Remove meat to plate and use 2 forks to shred. Remove and slice sausage. Return meats to sauce. Remove bay leaf. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. To serve: Prepare 12 ounces spaghetti per package directions. Reheat sauce. Top pasta with sauce.  Nutrition (per sauce serving): 228 cal, 19 g pro, 20 g carb, 5 g fiber, 8 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 986 mg sodium  Freeze It for Later!Cool to room temperature. Put into zip-top freezer bags and refrigerate to chill. Freeze chilled sauce flat on baking sheet lined with wax paper or in smaller lined pans if more convenient. Remove sheet or pans and arrange your neat, solid bags in the freezer. To defrost and serve, thaw sauce on a plate in the refrigerator for 8 to 16 hours, depending on quantity. Reheat in a saucepan, uncovered, adding 1/4 cup or so of water if the sauce is too thick. Dessert Idea: FondueStir 3/4 c chocolate chips, 2 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp corn syrup, 1½ Tbsp butter, and a pinch of salt over medium-low heat until smooth. Add 3/4 tsp vanilla. Serve with fruit. [pagebreak]

Chicken and Chickpea Stew Between a soup and a stew, this is a hearty, satisfying dish with lots of luscious juices. Freezing just enhances the paprika, but when reheating, taste and add a little extra red pepper if you like. Freeze stew for up to 2 months.  Work Time: 20 Minutes / Total Time: 1 Hour + 10 Minutes / Servings: 4  4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb) 3 c reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 c water 1 lg onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 rib celery, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed 6 fresh plum tomatoes or 1 c canned, chopped 1 tsp smoked or plain paprika 1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes 1 oz prosciutto, finely chopped 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

  1. Combine chicken, broth, and water in small Dutch oven. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is done, about 35 minutes. Remove thighs to a plate and strain liquid into bowl.
  2. Allow liquid to settle, and skim off any fat from the surface. When chicken is cool enough to handle, pull meat from bones.
  3. Return broth to cooking pot. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, chickpeas, tomatoes, paprika, and red-pepper flakes. Bring just to a boil, immediately reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
  4. To serve: Add chicken and prosciutto and cook until they are heated through and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, before serving. Nutrition (per serving): 297 cal, 26 g pro, 30 g carb, 6 g fiber, 8.5 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 782 mg sodium Freeze It for Later!Cool to room temperature. Mix in chicken and prosciutto. Ladle into zip-top freezer bags and refrigerate to chill. Freeze chilled stew flat on wax paper-lined baking sheet or in smaller lined pans. Remove sheet or pans and stack solid bags. To defrost and serve, thaw stew on plate in refrigerator, 6 to 8 hours. In saucepan, heat, covered, over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve topped with chopped parsley, if desired. Dessert Idea: Fruit with CinnamonBring 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Let cool and pour over sliced oranges and halved red grapes. Dana Jacobi, author of Amazing Soy and other cookbooks, writes ‘Something Different,’ a weekly column on healthy eating that appears in newspapers nationally. More from Prevention: 20 Freezer-Ready Meals