Fix, Freeze, Feast

By Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik

You've Got It Made

By Diane Phillips

Harvard Common Press / 2008 / $14.95

The latest book from Diane Phillips, who calls herself "the Diva of Do-Ahead," has a range of recipes that can go into the refrigerator for a day or two, or the freezer for longer. That's a helpful option if you'd rather not wait for your made-ahead dish to thaw, or if you're running out of room in the freezer.

Among the 150 recipes is a good selection of appetizers and "small bites," such as Smoked Salmon-Dill Puffs and Prosciutto Palmiers, that can be prepared ahead for a dinner party.

Some of the recipes, such as the Mediterranean Halibut With Tomatoes, Feta and Mint we tried, seem a little out of place in a make-ahead book - it takes about as long to bring the prepared-in-advance roasted tomatoes to room temperature as it does to roast them in the first place. But the dish did make for a flavorful dinner.

kate.shatzkin@baltsun.com

Honey-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Makes 3 entrees, 4 servings each

1 1/2 cups honey

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) (do not substitute margarine)

1/2 cup prepared mustard

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 tray (about 7 pounds, or 16 pieces) chicken thighs on the bone, skin removed

Label three 1-gallon freezer bags and set out, open. Combine honey, butter, mustard, curry powder and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until all the ingredients dissolve into a smooth sauce, about 3 minutes. Cool.

While sauce is cooling, divide chicken thighs evenly among freezer bags. Divide cooled sauce evenly over the chicken. Seal bags and freeze.

To cook 1 entree: Thaw 1 entree in the refrigerator just long enough to remove from the freezer bag. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place frozen chicken in an ungreased baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove dish from oven and separate chicken pieces into a single layer, placing pieces meaty side down to keep them moist. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours longer, or until the sauce has browned and is thick and sticky. The chicken will be thoroughly cooked but still moist from the sauce.

Note: This recipe should be frozen and baked unthawed to allow the sauce time to caramelize before the chicken becomes overcooked.

From "Fix, Freeze, Feast"

Per serving: 530 calories, 37 grams protein, 27 grams fat, 11 grams saturated fat, 35 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 164 milligrams cholesterol, 628 milligrams sodium