Ok...I definitely need help with this as I am food preparation ignorant...for the most part, anyway. One of the moms at my daughter's preschool needs help feeding her family, two adults, three children. Her husband is just home from the hospital but can't do anything and she needs some help. A couple of other mothers and I are going to make some main dishes for her that can be frozen and prepared when she likes. I need something that tastes good, preferably great (lol) and EASY. Thanks for all your cooking expertise that I do not have myself...
Thanks so much everyone for the recipes! I went with Lila A.'s super easy chicken mainly because the ingredients are common for my kitchen and it didn't intimidate me! I delieverd it this morning. For Dana W., you are a very lucky person. When we moved here I didn't know anyone...had not built up any connections. I was pregnant and my husband had shoulder surgery...he was out of physical help for a couple of weeks and mainly on pain killers. I was taking care of him and the children and I had no one to lean on for any kind of support. I would love to have been over-burdened by the generosity of others. To you, because you were so lucky, you might notice the impractical side of it all...however, I believe in doing for someone what you wish someone would have done for you and more than anything, I would like to have not felt so humanly alone. If this woman sees something impractical or the family doesn't like it, at least I've done my part in not having someone be in the position that I was. At least they know they aren't alone.
Lasagna, beef stew, and soups all freeze well. Make double batches
How nice you are to help out!!
K. Z.
Before you run to the store, I'd exercise a little caution. The generosity is certainly fabulous, but the practicality of it may need some consideration.
People were so generous to us a few years ago when I had our child and again a few weeks later when I started chemo. People made dinners because they assumed we needed that help - in reality, most of the food went to waste. We either had little room in the freezer to store it, or my husband was too picky to eat what had been prepared....and, I was often too sick to eat enough before it went to waste.
I'd ask the family first what their food preferences are and prepare accordingly. My husband, for instance, won't eat soup, stew, rice, pot pies, etc. It's very hard to prepare meals for him.
If you're not someone who's naturally good at preparing meals, consider something like Papa Murphy's pizza or gift cards to restaurants. Consider portions, too. We received WAY too much food that we'd never be able to eat with 2 adults, a 2 year-old and an infant.
I don't mean to be a downer - just having been through the experience, there are some things to consider before the financial and time investment.
With spring coming, it can be just as helpful to offer to mow the yard, take their kids to the park (or have them to your house for a few hours - that was best for my husband during chemo weekends), go grocery shopping for them, etc.
a good healthy chicken dish is honey dijon chicken. very simple chicken breast, 2 tablespoons ground mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1/4 cup dijon mustard. mix all the ingrediants together then brush them over both sides of the chicken. bake at 375 35-45 minutes. or until juice runs clear. i cut a large section on the breast to make sure its done. its easy to make and i got the reciepe off healthy eats.com i think. but my family enjoyed it. but a modification that i made was to let it marinate over night so that the taste goes all the way through the chicken cause it seemed to me once you got to the inside of the chicken you couldn't tast the flavor. good luck
Hamburger Casserole! Press 2 lbs. of lean ground meat into the bottom of a glass 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with about 2T of onion soup mix. Spread a can of cream of chicken soup over the top of that. Top with rows of tatertots. It takes almost O. bag. Bake at 350 for about 50 min. It's surprisingly hearty, very easy, pretty darn yummy and all she'll need to add is a veggie!
If the 9x13 is "too much, you can cut the ingredients in half & make in an 8x8 pan.
Mexican chicken casserole
Cook 4 boneless skinless breasts with 2 cans of cream of chicken soup in crockpot on low. (I put it in when I leave for work, breasts can even be partially frozen)
Stir the chicken in the crockpot so it falls apart.
Add 1 jar of medium salsa and about 2 cups of shredded cheese ( I use colbyjack)
In a 9x13 greased pan, place crumbled Doritos (about 2/3 of a large bag)
Pour the chicken mixture over it and stir it all up.
Bake at 350 degrees for a 1/2 hour.
Top with a sprinkling of shredded cheese
This is a huge hit at potlucks! Very easy and once cooked, it sets up like lasagna and you serve in squares.
You can use precooked chicken, or boil a whole chicken and bone it. I just do the crockpot method because it is so easy! I have also cooked the chicken in a Pampered chef microcooker and minced it. That works too!
If you love chicken and rice . . .
1 Cup diced onion or diced green onion
2 cans chicken broth (usually 15 oz each)
3 cups rice
1 can mixed vegetables (usually 15 oz) pour off the liquid
4 or 5 chicken leg 1/4's
Place the broth in a pot and bring to a boil. After it boils, turn the fire down as low as it will go, add the rice, onions, and mixed vegetables and stir once or twice around the pot. Put the lid on the pot and leave it alone.
After 25 to 30 minutes pour the contents of the pot in a baking dish and smooth out with a spatula. Place the chicken leg 1/4's on top. Cover with foil or a lid and place in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour.
The green onions and mixed vegetables add color. The chicken cooks on top of the rice and the juices add flavor. The chicken broth adds flavor.
I don't use any spice with salt in it because the chicken broth is salty enough. I use a saltless chicken spice or garlic granuals and ground sage on top of the chicken.
For something to do with the kids to give the mom a little break and yet make dinner . . .
Cut up some potatoes, carrots, dice some onion, cut the chicken leg 1/4's so the leg is separated from the thigh. Place the different items in different bowls on the table. Cut some tin foil into about 12" squares.
get a baking pan and place it on the table. Place a dinner place in front of each kid and put one or two thickness of 12" square foil on top of the plate. Have each kid put some potato pieces, carrot pieces, some onion or what ever your imagination allows on top of the tin foil. Have the kids put one piece of chicken on the top of the stuff, sprinkle with spices and add a tab of butter. Have some one make one for mom and dad.
Close/fold the tin foil up and place the foil packs on the tray and place the tray in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees. When the chicken is done, give each person their foil pack on a plate and let them open it up with a fork. That's their dinner. (When I was a Scout Master we did this on camp outs and the scouts placed their foil packs around our campfire.)
For desert you can make banana boats. Place a banana, skin on, curved side down, in a microwaiveable bowl. Cut the banana from one end to another right down the middle. Place/press mini marshmellows and chocolate chips in the cut from one end to the other. (Add peanuts or almonds, or cashews for sailors, if desired.) Place in the microwaive for about 60 seconds until the marshmellows and chocolate chips melt, then serve. Allow to cool somewhat before serving. (We don't want burnt fingers, lips or tongues.) Eat with a spoon.
Good Luck. Have fun!
Super easy chicken
1 can chopped tomatoes(preferably Hunts Fire Roasted with Garlic)
1 package( the square kind) frozen spinach
4 chicken breasts
2 cups rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup mozzerella cheese
2 tbs each salt, chopped garlic, dried oregano, dried basil
In casserole dish put rice on the bottom, then the chicken. Put the spinach in the microwave and thaw. Spread the spinach over the rice and chicken. Pour the broth over the whole thing. Open the tomatoes but DON"T drain them. Dump them in a bowl and mix in salt, garlic, oregano, and basil. Dump this over all the other stuff. Cover with foil and bake for an hour to an hour an a half ( check the chicken to see if it's done by poking it with a fork and if jucie runs clear it's done) on 350 degrees. Pull off the foil and cover with cheese. Put it back in the oven until cheese melts ( about 5 minutes)
Or Chicken Broccoli Rice
2 packages Uncle Ben's ready rice chicken flavor
1 bag frozen chopped broccoli
2 cups cooked cut up chicken breast ( just throw the chicken in boiling water for about 30 min and pull it out and cut it up)
2 cans broccoli cheese soup
1 cup mayo
1 /2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup lemon juice
Shredded cheddar
In baking dish put rice, then broccoli, then chicken. Mix soup, mayo, sour cream, and lemon juice. Spread over casserole. Top with cheese. It can be frozen and thawed and baked easily. Tastes awesome
You could make lasagna. I make my sauce but you could do store bought, just don't do prego, yuck. I buy trader joes lasagna noodles. You don't have to cook them. Just layer noodles, sauce, shredded motzerella cheese, noodles, meat, sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese, sliced zuchinni (YUMMY in lasagna), noodle, sauce.
I would thaw in the fridge for a day and then cook at 400 for about an hour or until bubbly in the middle. Once done add more motzerella cheese on top and cook until light brown.
For the meat you would cook about 1 1/2 lbs ground beef with italian seasonings, garlic salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, fennel seeds, basil and anything else you like in italian food. once browned add at least a 1/2 an onion chopped.
I add the same stuff in the sauce, along with a bay leaf. I don't have exact amounts (I just toss seasonings in until I like the flavor). In making sauce I also use the crushed tomato cans instead of tomato sauce.
It takes a little bit to prepare because of the layers but It turns out good and fills a 9x12 size pan. You can definately get 2-3 meals out of it depending on the size of the family. Our kids love it too. they are 1 1/2 and 3 1/2.
shepards pie
make enough potatos to serve 5 people with a little extra
2.5 lbs ground round (cooked with some seasoning)
3 pkgs brown gravy mix ( use 3/4 less water than what calls for) you want it to be kind of thick add water and mix to cooked beef
5 cps mixed veggies (corn.peas,carrots) add to mixture
pour mixture into a large corning baking dish
spread mashed potatos over mixture
bake for 25 minutes at 350 potatos will get golden brown
once fully cooled it can be frozen and reheated.
Lasagna, is as easy to make, freeze and reheat meal. As are chili, soup, and stew. Meat loaf is a meal that you can prepare (in a foil loaf pan) freeze raw and then she can thaw it out all day pop it in the oven and VIOLA! easy meal. If you are feel extra nice make some potatos...mashed, baked, twice baked and freeze those--potatos must be completely cooked before freezing but they always come back beautifully. Beefaroni is another family friendly (and wallet friendly) meal that can be made in advance, under cook the noodles just a bit so they aren't mushy when they re-heat.
Mmmm....chicken enchiladas!
1 bag frozen skinless, boneless chicken
2 big cans of green enchilada sauce
2 bags shredded cheese
1 onion
1 big bag of flour tortillas
2-6 cubes chicken Bouillon (to taste)
2 13x9 aluminum pans w/lids
Boil a bag of frozen chicken breasts w/ a couple cubes of chicken bouillon and salt and pepper and then shred when done. Buy 2 big cans of Green enchilada sauce adding some to the meat (along w/onions if you want, I do one pan with and 1 pan w/out) making sure you don't make mixture runny. Use other can to dredge tortillas in, then add a heaping spoonful of chicken and a handful of shredded cheese (Mexican blend you'd buy for tacos) and roll and put in aluminum 13x9 pan w/lid. Pour a little sauce over the top and cover top w/ more cheese and onions down the middle of the pan w/onions. Bake at 350 for about an hour and then remove lid and allow to brow up on top. Freeze, then thaw before re-heating! Yummy!
French toast w/Strawberry Sauce and Sausage
Make up 2 loafs of french toast and then freeze them in Ziploc bags along with some sausage and strawberry sauce. Easy and yummy! For either breakfast or dinner!
DanaW has a good point (even tho it seems she didn't read the part where they are asking for help feeding the family)...maybe a gift card to the local pizza place would be a good idea!
An easy taco dip that can be used as a meal or a snack. I used an 8x8 pan I think last time
layers:
*1 can refried beans
*cooked ground turkey or beef, add a little taco seasoning and mix in a can of corn
*shredded cheese
put in the oven at 350 until cheese melts, you could take it over and just have them put it in the oven.
Some people may want sour cream or guacamole for a layer at the top, but I like it plain. It goes great with a bag of tortilla chips or could be served as hard or soft tacos.
This recipe for baked ziti fits the bill. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Ziti-I/Detail.aspx It's cheap, easy, kid friendly and yummy! It also freezes very well. This is my "go to" meal when I am bringing food to someone (sick, new baby, etc.). I usually bring a bag salad and frozen bread sticks or garlic bread. It will feed the entire family with leftovers to spare. The only thing I change is occasionally I do not add the onions, some of our friends (or their children) are not fans. HTH!
