Rachel Ray's Building Blocks #1 and # 2 for Make Ahead Meals

Every recipe that Rachel gives for her twenty make ahead meals are made from one of five major ingredients.  They are Pulled Pork, Tomato Sauce, Roasted Veggies, Pulled Chicken, and Rice Pilaf.  Pick a day where you will have several hours to devote to cooking these ingredient building blocks for your recipes.  You will cook them all and then freeze them.  It took me about 6 hours.  If you have a friend or spouse that is willing to help, it would cut the prep time down considerably.  Next time, I will definitely be enlisting my husband Dustin for help.  And can I just say that these building blocks taste amazing!!!   You could totally use them in a variety of recipes... not just Rachel's. These recipes are straight from her September magazine... if you haven't gotten it yet  - do it!     http://www.rachaelraymag.com/

Pulled Pork

10 pounds of pork shoulder roast, cut into 2-3 inch chunks, fat trimmed
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper

Rub garlic, zest and salt and pepper into pork.  Divide into two roasting pans and cook until top side is browned in a 450 degree oven.  Turn pork over to other side and cook until browned, about 15 minutes.  Combine the all the pork into one pan.  Turn heat down to 325 degrees.  Add wine and any remaining juices from other pan to the pork.  Cover tightly with foil.  Roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Let cool for at least 15 minutes.  Then take two forks and shred pork. 

Divide pork into 1 cup portions and place in freezer bags.  Makes about 15 cups.

Weight Watcher points= 16 pts per cup

Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup EVOO
8 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
6 oil packed anchovy fillets, chopped (optional) - I left them out, just added  more salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup red wine
4 cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz)
salt

In a dutch oven, combine the EVOO, garlic, anchovies and crushed red pepper.  Cook over medium heat till garlic is golden.  Add the wine and tomatoes.  Bring ingredients to a boil and boil for ten minutes.  Partially cover and simmer for 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Add salt to taste.

After cooled,  freeze two bags holding one cup, and the rest holding two cups.    Makes about 10 cups

Weight Watchers points= 2 pts/cup