Food to Share

Stuffed shells, lasagna, meat loaf, casseroles (like broccoli, cheese, chicken). Also, a lot of soups freeze well too. I often make huge batches and freeze them in smaller bags. Also don't forget dessert, zucchini bread is a good choice. You can also make muffins that can be used as breakfast!
Recipezaar.com and allrecipes.com are two of my favorite websites for recipes.

This one is fairly quick and simple. Put a 2-3 lb chuck roast in a disposable roasting/baking pan. Scrub and cut into chunks 3 potatoes and toss on top of meat. Dump a bag of baby (shortcut) carrots on top. Peel and chunk 2-3 onions & toss on top. Sprinkle a packet of onion mushroom soup mix on top with 1/2 cup of water. Gently mix up the veggies and soup mix and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 1/2 hrs. Tell her it's best with bread to mop up the juices.

I think a crock pot is good for someone who does not like to cook. if you have one i would make a few simple things to freeze so your cousin could eat it later. if they like pork you can make pulled pork. You take a pork roast put it in the crock pot and cover it with water. add a few spices such as garlic powder and a few chicken bullion cubes. set it on low and cook it all day about 10 hrs. do not open the crock pot too much as it will cause it to get cold and have to reheat. just check real quick to make sure the meat stays covered with water and it does not get too cold. when done the pork should almost fall apart. put it in a bowl and add barbeque sauce to it. you could then put it in a freezer bag then you would not have to worry about getting a container back then put it in the freezer. all they have to do is put in on a hoagie roll and it once it is defrosted. it is very good and easy to make.

One of the simplest meals that we love is pulled beef sandwiches. At the grocery store ask the person at the meat counter for a beef brisket (whatever size you want). All you have to do is throw it in the crock pot, add two cans of beef broth and about half an onion, sliced up. You can't have enough beef broth, so when in doubt, add a little more. We leave ours cooking in the crock pot for about 8-10 hours and by that time, the broth has broken down the meat and it's all tender and stringy. You may have to break the meat apart a little w/ a fork, but that's all. Serve the beef on sandwich rolls of your choice. To give it away, just make it and throw it all (beef and broth) into some tupperware containers and your cousin can throw that in the freezer and defrost it when she's ready for some easy sandwiches for dinner. If you're selfish (and my husband is), you can buy a slightly larger brisket, have some for your dinner and give the rest to your cousin. If my husband comes home and smells the brisket cooking and then finds out it's for someone else... well, it's not a good scene.

Hi A.,

Baked Ziti is great for this. Just cook a box of ziti, drain it and put it in a rectangular casserole dish. Stir in an 8 oz. container of ricotta cheese and a jar of spaghetti sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella. You can either bake it for them and they can reheat it or you can give it to them prepared and they can bake it till it is heated through and the mozzerella is hot and bubbly.

N.

Remember, that just like you... she will take just about anything during this tiring time! :) So don't feel like you have to be a pro at cooking.

You can mix just about anything into "goolosh" type dishes.

Anyways, tuna casserole (or use can chicken if they don't like tuna) is very easy. Cook noodles first and put in baking dish, put in two cans of tuna, 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, and lots of shredded cheese. Bake 25 minutes at 375 degrees... add French's fried onions on top for the last 5 minutes. Fantastic, easy to reheat, easy to freeze. Put this in two smaller dishes one to freeze and one to eat right away, instead of one big dish. Add cooked shredded carrots if you'd like. Use orange cheese too and the kids will never know the difference! :)

Also, you can do the same thing with anything. We cook noddles, put in large dish (or 2 small dishes), add cooked hamburger, lots of cheese, any kind of veggie that is already cooked, spaghetti sauce and bake that until bubbly... since everything is basically already cooked. Another easy supper to reheat or freeze.

Good luck!

Also, its just helpful to have cut up fruit around too. Healthy and good to eat, but a new mom will never have time to cut up strawberries or apples.

That is a very thoughtful thing to do. I always prepare at least 1 dish for friends or family when they have a baby that is frozen. I also prepared a lot for myself before I had my twins, I purchased several freezer cookbooks. I'll be getting ready to do this for myself again soon.

Prepare meatballs with different sauce ideas, there is a great 2 ingredient sweet and sour (grape jelly & ketchup) or tomato sauce - you could even give them a jar of sauce, pasta, ketchup, grape jelly, and frozen garlic bread.

Lasagna and Baked Ziti both freeze great. I also have a recipe for a spaghetti pie that freezes well.

My favorite is probably homemade Sloppy Joes - they are so easy to prepare and the frozen are just as good as fresh.

Most breads freeze real well and are great for snacks and breakfast. I have a delicious pumpkin chocolate chip recipe I could get you.

Here are some websites I use:
http://organizedhome.com/freezer-cookbook-recipes-freezer...
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Preparation-Freezer
http://www.30daygourmet.com - This is one of the cookbooks I have.

Good luck and feel free to email with questions.
A.

Hi A.,
What a nice idea! IMO, I think a batch of meatballs & sauce goes a long way (sandwiches, with pasta later), also how about baking a small ham and slicing it and putting portions in foil so they can use for breakfast, dinner or lunch!? Also, I think a meat loaf is good to freeze & have later. Good luck--you're a good cousin!

When I had my second my sister just ordered us Pizza from PapaJohns and prepaid for it over the phone. It really was the best b/c we did not have to set a table, clean up afterwards or dish out anthing. We were really pressed to find 5 min. to sit down and eat and this was the best meal anyone could have done for us....plus she didnt have to cook!!

My mom use to make some easy frozen dinners for my uncle who is a truck driver....try these ideas:

You can purchase small throw away loaf pans at walmart or grocery stores.

Buy store brand corn muffin mix and cans of chili. Mix up corn muffin mix. Place chili in tins and pour over a coat of corn muffin mix, be careful and allow for expansion...I know it doesn't raise much though. Cook to the corn muffin directions....let cool....place in sip lock freezer bags or seal in food saver.

Same with making up a pot of spagetti....place in tins, cover with store brand texas toast...let cool....seal and freeze.

really, you can make several things this way....hamburger helper....tuna helper

also...for breakfast, brown sausage, scrable eggs, crisp bacon (diced). Place a little of each onto a med or large tortilla shell.....sprinkle with cheese...cool, roll, seal and freeze. (can add diced onion and green pepper if you want)

Hope these ideas help!

Easy:

Those steamer bags you can buy? Get those.

Put a boneless/skinless chicken breast in each bag.

Add 1/3 bag frozen vegetables (nice to let each person choose his/her favorites)

Add a little seasoning or dressing or marinade ( I use Tastefully Simple - let me know if you need a rep. )

They can stay in freezer til needed, then microwave for 10 minutes. If thawed, just 4-5 should do.

Hi A.,

That is so sweet of you! Any type of casserole or lasagna always freezes well. I also make a chicken dish for lots of my friends when they have babies. Take Chicken breasts or thighs and put them in aluminum foil. Add garlic, rosemary, a little pepper and whatever veges you can find (onion, mushroom, tomato,etc). Wrap up the foil into a little package - leaving room for steam to form. Make sure the edges are closed tightly. Sometimes I double wrap the package to make sure it doesn't leak. Put it on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 1- 1.5 hours. Serve with rice. The chicken cooks in its own juices and comes out really tender. It is healthy and easy to prepare and you can freeze in small containers to reheat later.

J.

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If you really hate to cook...Costco has huge portions of some of these ideas already made and frozen for you. Best of luck to you and your cousin.

Hi A.,

Send me your email address and I'll forward a pdf to you of a BUNCH of meals you can make for the freezer. That's a great thing you are doing for your friend - I know I loved it when I had an infant!

Take care,
T.

Sloppy Joes - Brown 1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef. Add canned sloppy joe sauce and finish cooking according to directions on can.

Sweet sausage for sandwiches or to serve over pasta - wash and slice one onion and one green pepper. Cook in a pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter (or 1 tablespoon oil or precoat with a few sprays of Pam) for 4-5 minutes stirring often. Add 1 package of sweet sausage to pan (first cut into 4-6 links if not purchased that way). Cook according to package directions. Add 1 jar of spaghetti sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Present with a box of spaghetti or a bag of sandwich rolls.

Sandwiches - cook and slice a turkey, ham or roast beef. Provide a jar of gravy with the turkey or beef as well as sandwich buns or a favorite specialty bread.

If you feel uncomfortable cooking, what about buying gift cards to some local restaurants that provide takeout/delivery. Be sure to pick up a take-out menu when you pick up the cards. Some ideas - local pizza shops, Olive Garden, Applebees, chinese restaurants.

Anything italian freezes well...baked ziti, lasagna, eggplant parm, chicken parm, etc. Enchiladas, mac-n-cheese & any type of caserole also freeze well. I usually get my recipes from allrecipes.com. If something has ingredients I don't like, then I just omit that. I think its great you are cooking for your cousin. Good luck

A., it is very nice of you to do this for your cousin. In the past, I have made friends Chicken Pot Pie's. I buy the small pie pans, make a batch of Pot Pie's, and then deliver them frozen. You can probably get 4-6 pies out of one batch. They are perfect for when hubby goes back to work and mom just doesn't feel like getting up to cook. She can just preheat the oven to 375, cook a few pot pies for about an hour, and have a descent dinner! Clean up is a breeze too! Try this receipt: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?recipeID=...

People did this for me when we brought our daughter home. Stuffed shells are quick and easy and if you don't want to make them, Costco sells frozen ones that all you have to do is pour the sauce over and bake and they are delicious. You could buy her a bag and a jar of sauce or you could make a tray of them and she could freeze for later use. Chili also can be frozen. I have an easy recipe. You brown 1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey. Once browned, add a packet of McCormick's Original Mild chili seasoning along with 2 to 3 small cans of Campbell's tomato soup. Stir together. Add 1 large can of light red kidney beans to this mixture in a large pot and add 1 to 2 more small cans tomato soup, garlic salt and chili powder to taste. I've also at times mixed in garbanzo beans and navy beans to the mixture. Anyway, its easy to make and freezes nicely and once thawed can either be heated in the microwave or stovetop. Other ideas include lasagna, homemade macaroni and cheese (if you need the recipe, feel free to let me know, its an easy one), tuna noodle casserole and hot dog casserole. I have recipes for all of them if you're interested or you can check for various recipes on allrecipes.com. Good luck!

I'm not sure where you live, but have you checked out Creative Dinners or like establishments.

You go in and they have a menu of a dozen or so meals with all the ingredients right there - all cut up, measured and prepped and you put them and then you can freeze them to cook at your leisure. I think you can even call ahead and they will put all the ingredients together for you, and you just have to pick it up, although I think that is more expensive.

I just got an email from them (they are in McMurray, but offer delivery to a Wexford location), with 3 servings for $13, and 6 servings for $22.

This might work for you since you hate to cook. However, whether you decide to cook or use Creative Dinners, please think about if your cousin is breastfeeding. If she is, you might want to stay away from anything spicy or that has a lot of gassy food in it (tons of dairy, broccoli, onions, etc.), because sometimes they can upset a newborn's tummy.

HTH,

Collen

Lasagna is a great food to freeze and re-heat.
I also like to make a couple of chicken pot pies and freeze them... I basically use the recipie on the Bisquick box but with a few changes:
1 lb of frozen veges
1 c. diced (or shredded) cooked chicken or cooked hamburger (fat drained)
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 c hot milk with 3 or 4 bullion cubes melted in it
Heat the above in a pot on the stove until hot
Pour into pie pan (I do this so the top crust doesn't get mushy)
Mix:
1 c bisquick
1/2 milk
1 egg
Pour mixture on top of hot mixture in pie pan
Bake uncovered for about 30 min or until golden brown and bubbly.

You can easily double and triple this recipe for extras. :)

Also, since we are on the subject of bisquick - frozen pancakes are easy and better than the ones you buy at the store!!

I was going to say Stouffers frozen lasagna too! that's so funny. nowadays the frozen pasta isn't too bad. Maybe some of those frozen meals you just heat up in a pan (bertoli, etc.). If you're looking to specifically make something homemade, then I would suggest the good old standby...cassaroles!

Hi A.,
What about the Stouffers frozen lasangas??? If you really don't like to cook, then it might be worth the money just to stop off at the grocery store and pick one or two up. Besides by the time you buy the meat and everything to make homemade and figure in your time doing it, the price is probably not that much more. Plus their lasanga is soooo good.
Along the same order- frozen meatballs, enchiladas,
www.allrecipes.com would probably be a great place to look.
www.savingdinner.com has a freezer menu that would be awesome for this.
maybe some frozen meats and just the recipes so she could throw things in a crock pot.
There are places you can go that either help you assemble the meals or so it for you. If you are in Erie, Super Suppers is one.
this is a supremely nice thing to do for new mom's. They will love you for it, whether it is homemade or not.