Welcome to Dining with Donaldson, the place where I try recipes so you don’t have to!

To continue with our freezer meals, I wanted to give you all a simple lunch: burritos. When I make these, I like to make anywhere from 15-20 burritos. I know what you’re thinking, that is too many! Who eats that many burritos?!

But calm down I promise it’s not as crazy as it sounds. I don’t make just one type of burrito when I do this. They all start with the same base, but I change up a few ingredients to keep things interesting. Plus, they can be frozen for at least a month, if they make it that long, so I try to keep some on hand for emergencies.

First, let’s talk about the base of each burrito. Each one uses a large burrito sized tortilla, seasoned rice (which can also come in several different flavors), cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Before we move on to the other ingredients, let’s take a closer look at the rice. I like to rotate between a tomato-based rice and cilantro lime rice. (Please note: I only make one type for an entire batch, but you do you.) And don’t worry! I have included both of my rice recipes at the bottom of the article.

Alright, moving on to the other ingredients, you know, the part that makes each burrito unique so you don’t feel like you’re eating the exact same thing every day. I like to break these down into categories. For proteins, I use chicken, beef, black beans, or refried beans. For veggies, I usually stick with peppers, onions, and jalapeños. The key when making this many in bulk is to keep everything simple so you don’t get overwhelmed by ingredients.

Another trick to keep in mind is prepping your proteins the day before. (P.S. I have some great recipes for black beans and refried beans that I might have to share with you all later!) In this case, I usually prepare my onions and peppers ahead of time, too. I dice them fairly small and cook them in a skillet with a little olive oil and chopped garlic.

At this point, it’s time to set up my assembly line. I push all of the ingredients toward the back of my counter so I can move each tortilla down the line like a conveyor belt. I suggest this order: sour cream, salsa, rice, protein, veggies, then cheese.

I normally measure these ingredients with my heart, but for the sake of giving you an actual recipe, I did my best to behave and measure this time. Looking at the filling in your tortilla, you may be tempted to add more, but trust me, don’t do it!

For each burrito, use: 1 large burrito sized tortilla; 1⁄4 cup rice; 3 tablespoons protein; 2 tablespoons cooked veggies; 2 tablespoons shredded cheese; 1 tablespoon salsa; 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Now, concentrate very hard as you fold your masterpiece! First, fold both sides of the tortilla inward, covering the filling as much as possible. Then use the top part of the tortilla to gently push the filling toward the bottom half. Fold the bottom up and over the filling, then continue rolling until the burrito is completely wrapped. Gently press it together and place it seam side down.

Once all of your burritos are assembled, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and place them in labeled freezer bags. I personally like to put several of the same type in each bag. That

I can remove one burrito when I need it and leave the rest safely tucked away in the freezer.

When you’re ready to eat, there are two different ways to reheat your burritos. You can either thaw them ahead of time or reheat them straight from the freezer.

To reheat from frozen, remove the plastic wrap, wrap the burrito in a damp paper towel, and microwave for about 2 minutes. Flip the burrito over and continue heating for another 1-2 minutes, or until heated all the way through. Microwave times may vary, so add another 30 seconds if needed.

You can also thaw your burrito ahead of time. Remove the plastic wrap, preheat your oven to 350°F, place the burrito on a baking sheet, and top it with a little extra cheese. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until everything is nice and hot and the cheese is melted.

Tomato-based Rice

Prep Time: 15 min.

Serves: 4½-5 cups rice

Cook Time: Depends on cooking method

INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice; 1T olive oil; 1 1/4 cup chicken broth; 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS for PRESSURE COOKER

1-Add rice, oil, seasonings, and chicken broth to pot

2-Pour tomato sauce over top, don’t stir

3-Secure lid and cook on HIGH PRESSURE 4 min.

4-Allow 10 min. natural release

5-Release remaining pressure

6-Stir and fluff before serving

DIRECTIONS for STOVETOP

1-Rinse and drain rice

2-Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat

3-Add rice and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally

4-Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, and seasonings

5-Bring to a boil

6-Reduce heat to low, cover, simmer for 15-18 mins.

7-Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5min.

8-Fluff with fork

Cilantro Lime Rice

Prep Time: 15 min.

Serves: 4½-5 cups rice

Cook Time: Depends on cooking method

INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cup long grain white rice; 1 1/2 T butter; 1 tsp salt; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 T lime juice; 1 1/2 to 2 cup chicken broth; 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS for PRESSURE COOKER

1-Rinse rice well and drain

2-Add rice, chicken broth, butter, garlic, and salt to cooker

3-Stir briefly, secure lid

4-Cook HIGH PRESSURE for 4 min.

5-Ten (10) min. natural release, then manual release

6-Fluff with fork

7-Stir in lime juice and cilantro

DIRECTIONS for STOVETOP

1-Rinse and drain rice

2-Add rice, 2 cups chicken broth, garlic, and salt to saucepan

3-Bring to boil

4-Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15-18 min until liquid absorbed

5-Remove from heat

6-Let sit covered for 5 min.

7-Fluff with fork

8-Stir in lime juice and cilantro

Rachel Donaldson is an author, self-described foodie and the current family and consumer sciences teacher at North Tama Community School District. She resides with her family in Vinton.