Need Ideas for Simple Meals for a Church Ministry Group

Well, you did ask for simple-- I would get raves from moms for a tray of sandwiches, just meat on bread. I would also have squirt bottles of mayo and mustard, a box of assorted chips, homemade oatmeal cookies, fresh fruit, and a plate of lettuce, tomato, pickles. The kids could "have it their way" and M. only had to pull a couple of plates from the refrigerator.
As I was growing up in a family with 6 children, my parents would keep a Tupperware box of the dry sandwiches in the refrigerator. Great for the times when you have a houseful of friends after school or when supper didn't quite fill up those teenage boys.

An awesome taco salad that I craved when I was pregnant. It's sooooo easy. tortilla chips, salad, onion, cherry tomatoes, taco seasoning, hamburger, and catalina dressing is all you need. cook meat, drain it, season it, cool it and throw it all together to taste. It's awesome

I always did baked spaghetti with meatballs, garlic bread, salad, and a simple desert like brownies.....it was popular with Moms who already had kids and I usually provided some plain cooked noodles and plain meatballs because kids are historically picky sometimes for no reason at all and if a Mom is already exhausted from life in general, coaxing a toddler to eat something he/she has never had "mixed that way" before is not something she needs to be doing! I'm headed to bed but will think if there's anything else specific that was really popular....I enjoyed that ministry and hope we'll find a church where we moved that does it....if not, maybe I'll have to start one! Take care, M.

I always do a lasagna, baked ziti, or some type of pasta dish. I just buy one of those aluminum disposable dishes (so no one has to wash anything and bring it back or you won't lose a dish).
Basically ziti is probably the easiest- mozzarella, ricotta, ziti noodles, sauce, parm.
Or you can always get a frozen dinner (pizza, chicken dish, etc).
I'm sure you don't have to make it all if you don't want to...an expectant mom would appreciate any dinner. :)

Here are a couple of easy recipes to help you out. Hope you enjoy!

Baked Ham Penne Pasta

16 ounces, weight Penne Pasta
2 cups Diced Ham
4 ounces, weight Swiss Cheese, Shredded, Divided
1 cup Milk
1 cup Half-and-half
1 cup Sour Cream
3 whole Green Onions, Chopped
1 whole Roasted Red Pepper, Diced
2 whole Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoons Pepper

Preparation Instructions:

Cook penne in boiling water until it just starts to get tender (about halfway) and drain. (The pasta will continue to cook in the oven.)

In a Dutch oven, or the pan that you cooked the pasta in, melt butter. Add green onion, garlic, and red pepper. Cook for 2 minutes; add flour, stir well and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk, half-and-half, and half of the shredded cheese. Cook, stirring constantly over medium high heat, until sauce becomes thick and bubbly.

Remove from heat, stir in sour cream until well combined. Add ham and pasta, stirring until pasta is well coated with sauce. Pour into an oven safe baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese starts to brown. Serve with warm crusty bread.

Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole

1-½ cup Minute Rice
1 jar (15 Oz. Jar) Cheese Whiz
1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Mushroom Soup
1 package (16-20 Oz. Package) Frozen Broccoli, Thawed
½ whole Onion, Chopped
½ cups Butter

Preparation Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your rice per the package instructions. While the rice is cooking, heat a skillet and add the butter. Sauté the chopped onions in the butter until they become soft and translucent. Grease a small casserole dish. Mix the cooked rice, Cheese Whiz, cream of mushroom soup, thawed broccoli, and sautéed onion. Pour into the prepared casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes until the top has a nice crust.

I usually do a baked pasta. But so do a lot of other people lol. So I have also started doing a baked chicken dish

boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper and garlic and onion powder
cream of chicken soup
rice or noodles

spray bottom of a baking dish with pam or some cooking spray (not a huge dish chicken should only be bout an inch apart and from sides of pan)
place chicken breasts in bottom of dish
sprinkle with seasonings
bake at 350 for about 15 minutes turn over
cover with cream of chicken soup cover tightly and put back into oven cook until chicken is done. check after about 20 minutes. chicken temp should be 170 when done. the soup makes a nice gravy/sauce. server over rice or noodles. Most kids love this kind of meal. I take a bag of salad and some cherry tomatoes and cookies or something for dessert.
congrats to your friend on the new baby.