Make Ahead Meals – Burrito Bonanza (Breakfast, Chicken and Beef Burritos) – Freezer Meal Ideas

Since I am addicted to Pinterest, and nap time usually ends up with me searching and pinning for two hours instead of doing my chores has led me to find freezer meals!  During my searches, I have found that moms just like me are looking for quick ways to make dinner without a lot of work or clean up.  Throughout the multiple pins I have come across, I have been disappointed in the preparation of the dishes.  Many of the pins have combined raw meats with veggies to be pulled out and cooked at a later date, which sadly a lot of people do not know that this is a possible food contamination hazard. Yikes, right…?  I didn’t like this, but I loved the idea of being able to pull something out of the freezer and cook it any my convenience.

We love Mexican food, and when the craving hits we usually end up at a little taco stand spending way too much money, and eating way too much food.  So, my alternative was to make Mexican at home.  I watch way too much reality cooking TV, and after watching an episode of Kitchen Nightmares, I found out that you can actually freeze burritos, and enchiladas, and just pull them out of the freezer when the craving strikes.  Combining this will the millions of Pinterest pins I have found, I decided to go for it and make my own restaurant favorites.

Burritos are a big hit in our house.  I make breakfast burritos with eggs and chorizo and beef and chicken burritos for lunches and dinner.  The best thing about these is that they can be cooked just one at a time for after school snacks, or lunches or they can be cooked in bulk for dinner.  Serve burritos with a little bit of homemade salsa, and you have a winner every time.  What’s even better (in my books) for burritos, is that you can sneak in vegetables for your picky eaters!

Before I start any recipe, I like to have all of my ingredients prepared and ready to go.  This makes it a lot easier to work quickly and efficiently and makes it easier to come back to when you have a two year old pulling on your leg.  The French call this “mise en place”.

the “assembly” line

You can even recruit your kids.  My son always loves to help me in the kitchen, and by having all of the ingredients ready, it makes it easy for him to identify and taste each one and make his own “creation”.

my son, Anthony eating his burrito

Here are three of our favorite burrito recipes:

Beef, Bean & Rice Burritos

Beef & Bean Burritos

Ingredients:

1 lb thin-cut beef (London broil, chuck steak etc.)
3 tbsp taco seasoning
1 cup beef broth
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 cups refried beans (recipe below)
2 cups Mexican rice (recipe below)
1 cup salsa (homemade if possible) (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Using a paper towel, pat beef dry, and season well with taco seasoning.
2. In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering.
3. Add beef to skillet, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until it will flip easily.  Flip, and continue cooking on other side for an additional 3-5 minutes.
4. Add chipotle chile and beef stock, and reduce heat to low.
5. Place lid on pan, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until beef is tender and the sauce has reduced by half/
6. Remove from heat and let cool.
7. Shred beef with two forks, place back in skillet and stir to mix in to the remaining sauce.
8. To assemble burritos:
   1.  turn oven on (any temperature works), and place a flour tortilla on the top shelf for 30 seconds.
      

      place tortilla on top rack in oven to warm

   2. Carefully remove  tortilla with tongs, and place on a flat work surface.
   3. Place a big spoonful of refried beans on the bottom 3^rd of  the tortilla shell and spread, being sure to leave about ½ an inch on either side of  the shell
      

      add refried beans

   4. Continue assembling by adding a spoonful of rice, ¼ cup (or so) beef, cheese, and salsa.
      

      add beef

      

      now add the rice

      

      add a little of your fresh homemade salsa

      

      finally, top with cheese

   5. Once all ingredients are added into your burrito, fold the shell over the filling and roll tightly.
      

      roll the burrito

   6. Fold in each side, and then continue rolling over.
   7. Place on a sheet tray lined with foil, and continue assembling the rest of your tacos.
      

      freeze in a single layer for one hour

   8. You can eat them now by preheating an oven to 375 degrees and baking in a single layer for 10 minutes, or you can freeze them by:
      1. Place rolled burritos in a single layer on a sheet tray
      2. Place sheet tray in the freezer for 1 hour, or until the burritos are hard, and feel frozen.
      3. Wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap, being sure to fold in the sides tightly when wrapping.
         

         roll each of these frozen burritos in plastic wrap, and transfer to a Ziploc bag

         

         label and date burritos with reheating instructions, and put them back in your freezer for another night

      4. Place wrapped burritos in a Ziploc bag, and date and label.
      5. To reheat in the oven, preheat oven to 375 degrees, unwrap burrito and place on a cookie sheet in a single layer for 30 minutes.  To reheat in the microwave from frozen, remove plastic and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Chicken, Bean & Rice Burritos

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2 tbsp taco seasoning
½ cup salsa
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 cups refried beans (recipe below)
2 cups Mexican rice (recipe below)
1 cup salsa (homemade if possible) (recipe below)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, combine chicken, taco seasoning and ½ cup salsa.  Cook until just heated through, and remove from heat.
2. To assemble burritos:
   1.  turn oven on (any temperature works), and place a flour tortilla on the top shelf for 30 seconds.
   2. Carefully remove tortilla with tongs, and place on a flat work surface.
   3. Place a big spoonful of refried beans on the bottom 3^rd of the tortilla shell and spread, being sure to leave about ½ an inch on either side of the shell
   4. Continue assembling by adding a spoonful of rice, ¼ cup (or so) chicken, cheese, and salsa.
      

      chicken burrito with refried beans, rice, chicken, salsa and cheese

   5. Once all ingredients are added into your burrito, fold the shell over the filling and roll tightly.
   6. Fold in each side, and then continue rolling over.
   7. Place on a sheet tray lined with foil, and continue assembling the rest of your tacos.
   8. You can eat them  now by preheating an oven to 375 degrees and baking in a single layer for 10 minutes, or you can freeze them by:
      1. Place rolled burritos in a single layer on a sheet tray
      2. Place sheet tray in the freezer for 1 hour, or until the burritos are hard, and feel frozen.
      3. Wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap, being sure to fold in the sides tightly when wrapping.
      4. Place wrapped burritos in a Ziploc bag, and date and label.
      5. To reheat in the oven, preheat oven to 375 degrees, unwrap burrito and place on a cookie sheet in a single layer for 30 minutes.  To reheat in the microwave from frozen, remove plastic and cook on high for 5 minutes.

breakfast burritos

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:

8 eggs
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp butter
1 russet potato, peeled and diced
2 tbsp taco seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
½ lb chorizo (or breakfast sausage)
2 cups Mexican cheese blend
1 cup salsa

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Toss potatoes in olive oil and taco seasoning, and bake in a single layer on a sheet tray for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy.  Remove from oven and let cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk.
4. Scramble eggs in butter, and set aside to cool.
5. Cook chorizo in a small skillet until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.
6. To assemble burritos:
   1. turn oven on (any temperature works), and place a flour tortilla on the top shelf for 30 seconds.
   2. Carefully remove tortilla with tongs, and place on a flat work surface.
   3. Add cheese to bottom 3^rd of tortilla.
   4. Add 2 tbsp cooked chorizo, and ¼ cup cooked potatoes to each tortilla shell, right on top of the cheese.
      

      start with cheese, then add chorizo (or breakfast sausage), roasted potatoes and salsa

   5. Add 1 tbsp of salsa to each tortilla, and then add eggs.
      

      add eggs on top of cheese, salsa, potatoes and chorizo

   6. Once all ingredients are added, fold the shell over the filling and roll tightly.
   7. Fold in each side, and then continue rolling over.
   8. Place on a sheet tray lined with foil, and continue assembling the rest of your tacos.
   9. You can eat them now by preheating an oven to 375 degrees and baking in a single layer for 10 minutes, or you can freeze them by:
      1. Place rolled burritos in a single layer on a sheet tray
      2. Place sheet tray in the freezer for 1 hour, or until the burritos are hard, and feel frozen.
      3. Wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap, being sure to fold in the sides tightly when wrapping.
      4. Place wrapped burritos in a Ziploc bag, and date and label.
      5. To reheat in the oven, preheat oven to 375 degrees, unwrap burrito and place on a cookie sheet in a single layer for 30 minutes.  To reheat in the microwave from frozen, remove plastic and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Restaurant Style Salsa

Restaurant Style Salsa

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno
1/2 onion
½ bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 lime, juiced
1 roma tomato

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.
2. Transfer to a bowl, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving.

Crockpot Refried Bean

CrockPot Refried Beans

Ingredients:

2 cups pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup black beans, soaked overnight and drained
6 cups water
1 tbsp cumin
1 clove garlic

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir
2. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
3. Remove garlic clove from crock pot and disgard.
4. Drain ¾ of the remaining water into a separate container
5. Using a potato masher, smash beans to desired consistency, adding remaining water as needed.
6. Serve warm as a side dish, or use in burritos or tostadas.

Easy Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice
1 pkg Sazon Goya
2 cups water, or chicken broth
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Bring rice, water and seasoning to a boil over high heat.
2. Stir, and then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45-60 minutes.
3. Using a fork, stir in olive oil, and fluff rice.
4. Serve warm as a side dish or use in burritos.

What is your Mexican restaurant favorite?  If you enjoy these burritos, try my chicken enchiladas.  They are just as easy to make and freeze and burritos!  Enjoy!

Lindsie lives in Denver with her two-year-old son Anthony, and her husband, D.J.  She writes for her blog Mom’s Bistro (www.momsbistro.net), where she creates and shares recipes, teaches basic cooking techniques and shares menu plans.  Lindsie is extremely passionate about fighting hunger and in her spare time works with her local Food Banks to make sure that no one goes hungry.  Join Lindsie in her voyage to embrace life, motherhood and live sustainably.

Author: Lindsie

Lindsie lives in Denver with her two-year-old son, Anthony, and her husband D.J. She is a chef at a private school and writes for her blog Mom’s Bistro (www.momsbistro.net), where she creates and shares recipes, basic cooking techniques and shares menu plans. Lindsie is extremely passionate about fighting hunger and her spare time, she works with her local food banks to make sure that no one goes hungry. Join Lindsie in her voyage to embrace life, motherhood and live sustainably.