Recipes for bringing food to others

[houseblend]

I wasn't quite sure how to phrase this. I thought we could share recipes and ideas for bringing food to those who are sick, just had a baby or are grieving. I think it is a great way to try and help out in these situations but am a little at a loss as to what dishes are easy to bring over and that would taste great reheated.

Any ideas?

[dragonfly28602]

I've always used Baked Ziti. It freezes well and is pretty simple to make in a pinch.

Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb. sweet or hot Italian pork sausage, removed from its casing and crumbled (or just slice the sausage links.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup dry red wine
35-oz. can whole plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram or oregano (from about 6 large sprigs)
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated mild pecorino cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lb. ziti
1/2 lb. mozzarella, preferably fresh, cut in small cubes

Heat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a large, shallow baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large skillet, heat about 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 min. Add the garlic and crumbled sausage and sauté until the sausage starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper. If the sausage gives off a lot of fat, pour off most of it, but leave a little to add flavor to the sauce. Add the red wine and let it boil until it's almost gone. Add the tomatoes with all of their juices and cook, uncovered, at a lively simmer for about 10 min. The sauce will thicken slightly. Add the marjoram or oregano and taste for seasoning.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta, about half of the grated pecorino, and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the ziti until al dente. Drain well and toss it with the ricotta mixture until well coated. Add the sausage and sauce and mix again. Add the mozzarella and toss gently. Pour everything into the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining pecorino on top. I like to shred extra mozzarella cheese on the top. Bake uncovered until lightly browned and bubbling, about 20 min. Serve right away.

kara

[Kinetic]

Today's paper mentioned the same thing.
For friends who are grieving or had a new baby, they usually recieve a lot of food from others. An alternative would be to create a Care Package with the following:
-Paper Plates
-disposable Silverware
-Plastic + Paper Cups
-Paper Towels
-Handwashing soap
-Roll of Aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper
-containers for left over food

This would save them from having to do dishes, it makes serving and cleanup quick and easy. I think that I would only give this type of care package if I knew the person was receiving a lot of food dishes as one normally does. Otherwise, the Care Package might appear to be a little odd.

As for food dishes, I would make standbys such as:
-Baked ziti and a loaf of Italian Bread
-Sausage + Peppers
-Chicken Francese and rice
-Spaghetti and Meatballs
-Muffins and breads (for breakfast)
-Fruit Salad
-Beef Stroganoff and Noddles
-Fresh Vegetable Salad

[jennylou]

When Andrew died, we received 4 or 5 lunch meat trays. While it was appreciated, we did end up throwing some out because we just couldn't eat that much lunch meat (even with other family members being at the house and helping us eat things). We had two different people give us cheesey potato casseroles and those were very popular. Honestly, I don't remember much of what there was, the only reason I ate at all during those early days was because someone would make me a plate of food and make me eat. My only advice is to make it easy to heat up. Also, if at all possible, don't send it in a big dish, send it in several small dishes. It's hard to fit a bunch of big dishes in the refrigerator at one time.

[houseblend]

Great ideas so far! Any others?

[jarm]

When my mom passed away, we got tons of food. Eggplant parm, lemon breads, baked ziti, homemade macaroni & cheese. We ended up freezing a lot of it and eating it later on.

[BSBC]

I usually bring an overnight french toast. This is easy to make and a nice alternative to the other casseroles and ziti dishes that people tend to receive. Also, some people enjoy eating breakfast food during lunch or dinner.

The entire recipe takes about 10-15 minutes to prepare and about 40 minutes to bake the next day.

Ingredients are as follows:

2 loaves french bread, sliced
3 eggs
3 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups milk
1-2 cups fresh of frozen blueberries (we tend to eat it with as many blueberries as possible)

For the topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Strawberries for garnish

Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish. Diagonally cut bread into 1-inch slices and place slices into prepared baking dish.

Combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract; add milk and stir until blended. Pour mixture over bread slices, turning slices to make sure they are well coated. (Note: I find it easiest to dip the bread into the mixture and then put it into the pan). Layer the bread/blueberries (layer of bread, layer of blueberries).

For the topping, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until particles are the size of small peas. Place mixture on top of the french toast. Cover with sliced strawberries.

Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, cut into squares, and garnish with additional blueberries.

This is great served with maple syrup or with blueberry syrup.

[mom_to_zoe]

For friends with new babies, I always bring the same meal. The benefit of it is that you can either eat it that night or freeze it for later. The meal is four cheese ravioli (I buy Buitoni family size fresh ravioli) with artichoke heart tomato sauce and a loaf of garlic bread.

The tomato sauce recipe is from the Silver Palate; they call it Pasta Sauce Raphael, I think. Basically, you saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add dried basil, oregano, salt, fresh craked black pepper and red pepper flakes -- not too much for nursing moms -- and saute a few minutes more. Then add the liquid from two jars of marinated artichoke hearts and two 28 oz. cans Italian plum tomatoes (drained). Bring to boil and simmer for 1/2 hour or so. Then add the artichoke hearts and about 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer for another five minutes.

[katmg]

An alternative casserole that popular down here is King Ranch Chicken. Makes a nice substitute for lasagnas.

Here's a sample King Ranch recipe:
1 whole chicken
1 lg. bell pepper, chopped
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can diced Ro-tel tomatoes with chilies
2 pkgs. corn tortillas
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese

Cover chicken in water, simmer until done; then debone and save broth. Mix together all but tortillas and cheese, plus 2 cups of the broth. Then take the rest of the broth and dip each tortilla until soft and line a 13"x9" pan with tortillas, covering the whole bottom of pan with tortillas. Then put a layer of the mixed ingredients, then another layer of tortillas, then a final layer of the mixture. Cover with a layer of cheese. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

[kiddo]

A friend of ours was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Next week she will be getting a mastectomy and then might have to undergo radiation therapy. She, her DH, and 2 teenagers do not have any family close by, so DH and I would like to do something to help them out. I was thinking of making some dinners for them that they would just have to reheat, something like lasagna or whatever.

Any recipes for easy things to bring over to them, like casseroles, that could be frozen and would be easy for them to reheat?

[IrisHope]

Kiddo, that is such a nice thing to do. I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated. I will think of some recipes and come back to you.

[nic]

me too, I'll be back in a few minutes.

[kiddo]

Thanks!

We ran into her DH the other night at the mall. We asked him how her most recent appointment went and he was telling us how the reality is finally hitting her hard and this tough ex-Marine got tears in his eyes talking about it. :(

[Sabrina]

This is such a great thing that you are doing!

The only suggestion I can think of right now is Beef Stew. Yum:)

[IrisHope]

I just cannot imagine. I was thinking of an easy and yummy recipe I make on cold days.

1 lb of ground beef
1 box of elbow noodles
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I love four cheeses by Bertolli)
1 bag of Mozzerella cheese


Make the noodles and brown the beef. Combine noodles, beef, sauce & cheese and mix (I use my fingers---shhh don't tell anyone :)
When finished put in casserole dish and add the rest of the cheese on top
Bake for 40 minutes (or until cheese melts and is hot).

It's yummy and easy.

[Ohana]

When DD was born, someone brought over Tacos, which we loved! She brought a baggie of cooked taco meat, a bag of shredded cheese, a container each of salsa and sour cream, bagged salad, and tortillas. It was so yum. And best of all, she baked cookies for us.

You can also make Chili (make a double batch and save some for yourself!):

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 onion, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2-15 ounce cans kidney beans (chili beans would also be fine)
small can tomato paste (ketchup also ok)
Chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne to taste.

1. Sweat onion, bell pepper, and garlic on med hi heat until softened. Add meat and brown, breaking up meat as you go
2. Once meat is cooked through, add tomatoes, iundrained beans and tomato paste. Simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, adding spices somwhere along the line.
3. Spoon cooled chili into Ziplock bags, freeze flat (if you're freezing).

Another good one is Elegant Chicken Pockets (recipe makes 4)

1 box puff pastry, partially thawed
4 small chicken breasts, cut up a bit
3 ounces cream cheese
couple TBSP pesto

1. Remove puff pastries from their paper wrappings and wrap in a warm, slightly damp towel to thaw.
2. Combine cream cheese and pesto, set aside.
3. Once puff pastry is pliable, cut each sheet into half (I work with one sheet at a time). Place 1/4 of the pesto mixture into the center of each half. Place 1/4 of cut up chicken on top of pesto. Fold up into packets and seal with water. Repeat for remaining ingredients
4. Place in a single layer in a Ziploc bag, seal and freeze flat.
5. To bake, allow to thaw in the fridge for 8 hours, bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until puff pastry is golden brown (you can put a milk or egg wash on the packets before baking, if you like). Serve with a salad.

If you go with this option, I would take over the frozen packets with a bag of salad and something for dessert.

[KrissyCat7]

I will keep your friend in my prayers.

How about tuna helper or tuna casserole?

Lasagna?

[Ohana]

Burrito Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
flour tortillas
shredded cheese

1. Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning packet per packet instructions. Add refried beans and stir throroughly.
2. Layer beef mixture with tortillas in a casserole dish (the disposable ones work great), ending with a beef layer. Top with cheese and freeze.
3. To bake, thaw in fridge, then bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until heated through.

[nic]

Chicken/Broccoli Casserole

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 pound broccoli florets, cooked
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup dry stuffing mix

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Boil chicken until tender and shred or cut into bite size pieces. Meanwhile, steam broccoli until crisp but tender.
In a small bowl mix together the soup and sour cream. Set aside. In a 9x13 inch baking dish layer the chicken, broccoli, soup mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle dry stuffing mix over the top and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

__________________________________________________ ___

Christmas breakfast Sausage Casserole

1 pound ground pork sausage
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
6 slices white bread, toasted and cut into cubes
8 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Crumble sausage into a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly brown; drain.
In a medium bowl, mix together mustard powder, salt, eggs and milk. Add the sausage, bread cubes, and cheese, and stir to coat evenly. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cover, and bake 45 to 60 minutes. Uncover, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until set.

__________________________________________________ _________
Sheperd's Pie

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed carrots. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
__________________________________________________ _____

[kiddo]

Thanks for the suggestions! Hmm, maybe I'll test some of these out first for dinner. They all sound tasty. And anything is good when you put it in puff pastry. ;)

[Ohana]

Chicken Divan

1-16 ounce bag frozen brocolli florets (fresh also ok)
2 chicken breasts halves
1 can cream of chicken soup (low fat ok)
1/3 soup can of milk
handful of breadcrumbs
1-2 TBSP melted butter

1. Place brocolli in microwave safe casserole dish (again, the disposable ones work great) and microwave on HIGH until partially thawed. Drain well and set aside.
2. While brocolli is cooking, boil chicken breast halves until cooked through. Drain and allow to cook.
3. Shred chicken and layer on top of brocolli.
4. Combine soup and milk and pour over chicken
5. Top with breadcrumbs and drizzle butter over breadcrumbs.
6. Freeze
7. To cook, thaw in fridge, then bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until heated through. Serve with rice and a salad.

[nic]

Chicken Pot Pie

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (9 inch) pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
1 egg, lightly beaten

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine the chicken meat, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear.
Remove the chicken and let cool. Pour the remaining chicken broth mixture into a measuring cup. Let stand; spoon off fat. Add enough milk to the broth mixture to equal 2 1/2 cups. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces.
In the same pan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Saute, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and boils. Add the chicken, vegetables, parsley and thyme. Pour mixture into a 1 1/2 quart deep casserole dish.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Roll out pastry 1 inch larger than the diameter of the casserole dish on a lightly floured surface. Cut slits in the pastry for venting air. Place pastry on top of casserole. Roll edges and cut away extra pastry; flute edges by pinching together. Reroll scraps to cut into decorative designs. Place on top of pastry. Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

__________________________________________________ ______________

Lasagna

20 lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups fresh spinach
3 cups ricotta cheese
2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 cups tomato pasta sauce, divided

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms, onions, and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender. Drain excess liquid and cool. Boil spinach for 5 minutes. Drain, then squeeze out excess liquid. Chop spinach.
Combine ricotta, Romano, spinach, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, and egg in a bowl. Add cooled mushroom mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Lay 5 lasagna noodles in bottom of a 9X13 inch baking dish. Spread 2 cups of the cheese/spinach mixture over noodles. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and 1/3 cup parmesan on top. Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce over cheese. Repeat layering 2 times.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Cool 15 minutes before serving.


Recipes are from Allrecipes.com
They're all very good

[bethnjim]

Pastas are a great option. Anything with chicken is also good...but keep it pretty mild. It might depend on the person, but after my mom went through treatments for breast cancer, she couldn't stomach spicy food, so Mexican might not be a great option...or chili.

Chicken noodle soup
muffins or sweet bread (pre-sliced and frozen...defrost and toast one at a time)
chicken pot pie
chicken supreme (have recipe if you would like)
lasagna
baked ziti

[nic]

kiddo, it's really nice of you to do this for your friend, I'm sure whatever you decide to make will be greatly appreciated. I agree with Bethnjim, make sure it's nothing too spicy or your friend probably won't be able to eat it. Altough, when my sister was going through treatment I don't think she ate anything other than fresh Italian bread, soup and a little ice cream.

[elladee]

Ooooh, some of those recipes sound wonderful.

This may be pretty much common sense, but what ever you make for them should be in disposable pans. The last thing your friends are going to want to do is try to keep track of where the casserole dish came from.

[Janey]

Kiddo there are already several other threads about this topic that may give you more ideas:

Freezer-Friendly Recipes (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=8733)
Easy To Cook & Freeze Well (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=3594&)
Freezer Foods (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=9828&highlight=freezer+foods)

Hope that helps!

[kiddo]

I agree with Bethnjim, make sure it's nothing too spicy or your friend probably won't be able to eat it. Altough, when my sister was going through treatment I don't think she ate anything other than fresh Italian bread, soup and a little ice cream.

I was kind of thinking that about the spicy factor. Maybe I'll give them the spicier stuff for when she is still in the hospital, but her DH and kids still need something to eat.

The last thing your friends are going to want to do is try to keep track of where the casserole dish came from.

Good point, especially since I think I only have one casserole dish.

I remember a few years ago, when I was still living at home, my mother went through open heart surgery right before Christmas. Even though I already cooked about half our meals anyway, it was nice that all my aunts brought us something for dinner every night the first week or so she was home. Mom didn't eat much, but we both really appreciated the thought.

[kiddo]

Kiddo there are already several other threads about this topic that may give you more ideas:

Freezer-Friendly Recipes (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=8733)
Easy To Cook & Freeze Well (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=3594&)
Freezer Foods (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=9828&highlight=freezer+foods)

Hope that helps!

Ooh, great, thanks! I couldn't think of what to search for.

[BethElena]

Also, just a suggestion, make sure you don't inundate her with chicken! :) My mom just had gall bladder surgery, and people delivered her food every night. It was such a great gesture! The only down side, is she had 5 nights straight of chicken. :D

I highly recommend a casserole, b/c then they can reheat it when they are comfortable eating and they can be stored for awhile. Tuna noodle casserole and beef corn casserole come to mind.

[Phen]

Our friends, neighbors, and church friends were very kind and fed us meals nearly every night for about a month after my bilateral mastectomy. We loved ALL the meals, but we really got excited by new things. By that I mean that we had casseroles out the wazoo, but stuff like chili or meatloaf or even a bucket of fried chicken from Popeye's was a big thrill to us. So I vote y'all do something non-casserole. :)

Good luck to your friend.* Cancer sucks.

~ Phen

* they generally don't do radiation following a mastectomy (radiation is done to shrink a tumor, but with a mastectomy, the tumor is removed entirely), but she may still have further treatment with chemo.

eta, y'all, I agree with you about the no-spicy stuff for after treatment, but kiddo's friend is having her surgery first, so I don't think the spicy thing will be as big an issue at this point. Her biggest complaint after surgery will be aching, not a finicky appetite.

[nuhmah]

I was thinking something non-casserole, too. Nothing scream comfort food to me (especially in the winter) like goulash.

I make it as:

Box of large elbow macaroni - boil
pound of hamburger - browned
1/4 pound of sausage - browned
can of diced tomatoes
Some spaghetti sauce

Throw it all together, and it reheats great! Add a little butter to the noodles when reheating it, and tastes even better. If you are feeling amitious, you could also add some diced peppers and onions to it, but this is pretty basic.

What you are doing for them is awesome... what a great friend you are!

[Missy2U]

This one is really easy and inexpensive as well.

Get 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of beef (use a round steak, or a sirloin or something - but if you use the round steak, this has to cook a long time)
1 jar of Heinz Savory Beef Gravy
1 red or green pepper
1 bunch green onions (or use regular onions - it's all good)
2 T Soy Sauce
Beef Broth
Olive Oil for browning

What I do is cut the beef into bite sized pieces, brown them up along with the onions and peppers, then, depending on the cut, add beef broth for simmering until the beef is tender. Dump in the gravy and soy sauce, and heat for maybe 15 minutes. I serve it over egg noodles. Myt houghts are with your friend - this is really a wonderful thing you're doing. :)

[wine_o_girlie]

What about soup/salad/load of bread? It's such a great comforting meal, especially in the winter and freezes really well. I can provide recipes for potato soup, vegetable soup, or chicken tortilla soup if you want.

I agree with Phen that, if possible, I would go with something non-casserole. When my husband had major surgery so many wonderful people brought up food but it was close to 90% casseroles which can get a little bit boring.

I just took food to our friends who had a baby last week and we went "non-traditional" and made them a pot roast with veggies in the crock pot. It was a great option for me because I had the meal cooking during the day in the crock pot while I was at work and it was much easier for me to get it over to them for dinner then cooking it after work. I made them a pot roast with carrots and onions in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, and a green salad. They were really happy and it was so easy.

[Janey]

Ooh, great, thanks! I couldn't think of what to search for.
No problem! Sometimes it's hard to figure out what people before you were calling threads. :) Good for you for helping your friend out like this!

[happy]

Does anyone have any ideas of meals that can be taken to someone's home who just had a baby or is sick . . . I know that there are tons of pasta dishes that are easy to take to someone but I am kind of looking for something different 'out of the norm' to take. I am basically tired to taking the same old pasta dish to all my friends who have babies

[Mrs. M.]

A dear friend brought me a homemade banana bread when I had DD.

It was sooo good, and the perfect food whenever I had a chance to eat. I didn't even have to warm it up or worry about dishes. Loved it.

[Adaya]

In my circle of friends, they call me the "Chicke and Rice Queen". I usually make a chicken and rice soup/stew. It usually comes out pretty thick and hearty.

I've also taken an easy jambalaya. I use a box jambalaya as a starter and then add in a bunch of goodies from there. I only make that if I know the person likes that type of food though. But that's another one that is very hearty and easy to make.

[Dettes]

One dish meals, like a chicken pot pie or shepherd's pie are easy for new moms to just pop in the oven. When DS was born a friend brought me egg salad and tuna salad with a big box of triscuits. It was great for lunch!

[Ohana]

Someone brought us all the fixings for tacos and a big bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies. It was all delish!

You can also take a pan of chicken (or beef) enchiladas, any one dish casserole type meal, soup, chili or anything else that's easy to heat up. And now that the weather is getting nicer, something like BBQ chicken with rolls, salad, and dessert might be nice too.

And extra bonus would be to drop off something to drink and disposable plates and forks, etc, so they don't even have to do dishes.

[karlatta]

Ooh, I would have loved getting something to drink with meals that were brought to me. That's the one thing that I'm always too preoccupied to take care of myself.

[wine_o_girlie]

I try to avoid the "usual suspects" like lasagna because I don't want to give repeats. Here's what I usually give to people:

Roast chicken or pot roast
Roasted carrots and onions (roasted in the same dish as the meat)
Mashed potatoes or mac 'n cheese
Bag of Ceasar salad all in one kit

I always take everything in disposable containers so there is no mess to clean up and no dishes to keep track of and return. All of these foods heat up very well and are nice comfort foods.

[pixielou]

i've been making 2 different soups, making sure that one is freezable. with a loaf of good bread.

it's great - i make one for dinner, giving half away. i make the other batch - put half in our freezer, and give the other half away. so it's like no extra work for me!

~pixie

[happy]

Thanks for all the great ideas

pixielou - What soup recipies have you been using? I really like that idea

Does anyone have any ideas/recipies for things that can also be frozen. I have three friends all due within the next month and I kind of want to make a bunch of meals and freeze them all at one time to deliver after the babies are born

[lawyerlee]

Somewhere around here we have a thread of freezer-friendly recipes. I'll find it and link it for you. :)

Here's that link:

Freezer-friendly recipes (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=8733)


Meatballs freeze really well and can be prepared in a lot of different ways, so that might be a good option. You could put them in any number of different kinds of sauces (marinara, white sauce, barbecue sauce, etc.) and bring along noodles or pasta to be prepared or a side dish to accompany them. Everyday Food has this recipe Mini Meatballs (http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe4856&layout=edf&edfParentCat=cat17926&subStyleType=freezeit&catid=cat17926) in case you don't already have a favorite meatball recipe to use.

I love these recipes for Deep Dish Taco Pizza and Chicken Enchilada Casserole. They both freeze great and taste wonderful. They're from Cooking Light, too, so even though they are rich, they are fairly healthy. :)

Deep-Dish Taco Pizza

Deep Dish Taco Pizza (from Cooking Light's Superfast Suppers)

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1 tsp. low-sodium taco seasoning
10 oz can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Brown beef with onion in a large skillet. Drain well, and return to pan. Stir in tomatoes and seasoning; cook 1 minute or until throughly heated; set aside.

Unroll pizza crust dough and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 baking dish. Spoon beef mixture over dough and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the crust is browned. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm with salsa and sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings.


Chicken Enchilada Casserole (from Cooking Light magazine)

Cooking Spray
1-1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1-1/2 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup beer
1/4 tsp ground red pepper (1/4 to 1/2)
1 can (28 ounce) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 can ripe olives, drained and sliced
1 can diced green chiles, drained
5 Tblsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
2 cup 1% low-fat milk
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten or 6 tbls. egg substitute
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (3 oz.)
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (3 oz.)
6 x corn tortillas (6-inch) cut in half
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup salsa


1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from skillet; let cool. Shred chicken with 2 forks; set aside.

3. Recoat skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add shredded chicken, beer, red pepper, and tomatoes; cook 10 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon green onions and 1 tablespoon olives for garnish. Stir remaining green onions, remaining olives, and chiles into chicken mixture; set aside.

4. Combine flour, salt, cumin, and coriander in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Place over medium heat; cook 7 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg whites, stirring constantly with whisk. Set aside.

5. Place cheeses in a bowl; toss well. Set aside.

6. Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in bottom of a 2 1/2 quart round casserole or souffle dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 tortilla halves over sauce; top with 2 cups chicken mixture, 1/2 cup white sauce, and 1/2 up cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with sauce. Set remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture aside.

7. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 40 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture, reserved green onions, and reserved olives; bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Yield: 8 servings

NOTE: You can assemble the casserole ahead of time; cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350 for 1 hour or until bubbly.

Or freeze casserole, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours, then bake for 1 hour or until thoroughly heated.

[lawyerlee]

I just thought of this - chili and meatloaf both freeze well, too. :)

[Mrs. M.]

If you freeze meals before giving them away, make sure you tell the recipient that the meal was frozen before, since food should not be refrozen after thawing.

[pixielou]

pixielou - What soup recipies have you been using? I really like that idea


the last 2 people who had babies - in march i made sweet potato chowder and chicken noodle soup (f). in april (mom was a veg) - i made indian potato and pea soup and barefoot contessa's tomato basil soup (f). the next babies are not coming until july and august - but i'll probably be doing lighter fare, or i may try my hand at some chilled soupes. i know the july mom isn't a very adventurous eater - so i'll probably stick to some real basic recipes for her.

i'll just list the soup recipes i have in my recipe box. i'll put an "f" next to it if it's a freezable recipe. (some others may be freezable - i just haven't tried it.) you can let me know which recipes you want.

fwiw - i also try a lot of new soup recipes this way. i like doing the soup - i'm kinda now known as the person who brings soup - but at the same time, i don't feel like i always have to make a lasagna or a chicken caesar salad.


indian corn and lentil soup - f
america's test kitchen lentil soup - f
barefoot contessa's tomato basil soup - f
ginger and tomato soup - f
mizuna and lentil soup
creamy fennel soup
spiced pumpkin soup
crab bisque
black bean soup - f
sweet potato chowder
corn and sausage chowder
sweet ptotao soup
indian potato and pea soup
meatball soup - f
tortellini soup - f
chicken noodle soup -
beef stew

~pixie

[smilewithme]

I made a big plate of lemon bars (yep, from a box, but they were tasty) for the most recent new mom since she loves lemons. Not exactly super healthy, but it was a sweet treat for her.

[smilewithme]

When I had my baby my MIL made manicotti, baked a nice loaf of bread (that you can buy in the frozen section and it tastes just like homemade) and an easy fruit salad with strawberries, mandarin oranges, grapes, bananas, cantalope. It was the perfect meal and lasted for a few days!

[sinderstorm]

I made all sorts of things for my best friend when she had her baby 6 weeks early, and she's still raving about it, especially as she was breastfeeding every hour or so.

Tuna Casserole
Lasagna
Shepherd's Pie
Chili
crock pot spareribs
Take out from our favorite buffalo wings place
marinated chicken and rice

She loved that I brought over batches of cornbread with several of the meals, she said it was the perfect snack when up at 3am with the baby. She also appreciated that I helped keep the basics for her DH and their 4 year old in the house- milk, lunchmeat, cereal, bread, etc.