what is a good meal to deliver to a friend/neighbor?

[ml2620]

I'm looking for ideas for meals to make and deliver for young families (two parents, one baby).

I volunteered to make a weekly meal for a mom in my mother's group who is going through chemo right now.

As long as I am making it, I thought I might double the recipie and make a weekly dinner for my sisters family on her school night, as my sister works full time and just started back to school for a masters program.

What's healthy enough to eat regularly, heats and stores easily (could be frozen if they weren't up for dinner that night), tastes good and could be consumed by a one year old as well as a semi-food snob 35 year old?

[dinah]

when my dad died one of my mom's friends brought sandwich meats and bread for us. it was the best ever. easy to make and eat.

the meat and bread could be frozen if they don't eat it.

[lottaLove]

If I were on the receiving end, I think I would love to receive a nice pan of baked ziti. Using wheat noodles and some veg in the sauce can up the health factor. Another thing would be a stir fry, with the rice in the bottom of the pan and the veggies/meat and sauce on top of the rice. I would just pop either into the oven and presto yummy dinner. (by pan I'm thinking of those lasagna pans you get from the dollar store, the ones you use then toss)
Kudos for volunteering to do this, I am sure it is much appreciated by the family.

[brennasmom]

Pasta salad plus bread and sliced fruit

[Neeley]

My best friend is going through weekly chemo and daily radiation treatments for stage four breast, liver, brain, and bone cancer. She had it in her lungs too, but at her last scan it was not showing up.
I send food to her on a regular basis.
A few of her favorite meals for me to send over are:

Chicken and rice casserole
*4-6 cups cooked rice
*cooked, shredded chicken (I'll boil a couple of boneless/skinless thighs or breasts and the shred or chop up. Sometimes use canned chicken if in a rush.)
*Large can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
*4-8 oz shredded cheese - optional
Mix all together the add one sleeve of crushed Ritz style crackers to top.

It freezes and reheats easily.

Another meal she likes to have is chili, as long as it is not too spicy. It also freezes easily.

I will send her veggie beef soup, pasta and a tomato based meat sauce, or a cooked ham with mac 'n cheese, salad and rolls. Enchiladas have been a hit, too.

I do check with her before I make a meal to make sure she is still tolerating certain foods OK. From time to time she cannot and I would hate to send something she could not enjoy. I also ask her if there is any food she is particularly craving or wants.

ETA: Her family consists of her, hubby, 12 year old, 4 year old and one year old. So far they have all eaten what I have sent with no complaints.

[krbshappy71]

Wow, Neeley, your post gave me a gratitude lesson immediately. Hugs to you and your friend.

[McD]

lasagna / chicken noodle soup / chicken tortilla soup.

[shoiji]

Chicken noodle soup, chicken and dumplings, roasted chicken, mashed potatos and apple sauce, chicken potpie. I would try to make something that is healthy and easy to digest especially for the person going thru chemo. The baby might also like homemade puddings. Also, try to make the food as much from scratch.

[pollypurebred39]

I know you said healthy, but I'm going to post for you what I've been able to get my Mom to eat lately. It's not especially healthy, but more comfort food. Just about everything she eats now is like gravel in her mouth. Just getting her to eat anything has been extremely difficult. My Father also stopped eating on me, it was heartbreaking.

Chicken Pot Pie



4 lb. whole chicken
2 quarts water
1 tsp. salt
5 potatoes, diced
2 c. corn
1 medium onion, diced
Pot Pie Dough:

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 Tbsp. water
Cook the chicken in 2 quarts salted water until tender. Cool and debone, set aside. To the boiling broth add: potatoes, corn, and onion. Cook for 10 minutes.

To prepare pot pie dough: combine flour and salt. Beat eggs with 4 Tbsp. water. With a fork work into flour and salt until you have formed at stiff dough. Add more water if mix is too dry. Roll dough out onto a floured board until thin. Cut into 2 inch squares. Drop Pot Pie dough into boiling broth a few at a time and cook about 20 minutes. Stir chicken pieces in and heat through.

Chicken And Dumplings Like Cracker Barrel's Recipe - Food.com - 5000

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p6L4qokz-c]Betty's Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings Recipe - YouTube[/ame]

Honey Fried Chicken Recipe - Allrecipes.com

MeMe’s Mashed Potatoes | Southern Plate

Ukrainian Perogies, For Beginners Recipe - Food.com - 11550

My Mom likes above with sauerkraut instead of cheese. She likes me to take then straight from the boiling water to a skillet with butter and brown them. Serve with onions fried in butter and sour cream.

Super Sausage Gravy Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Hardee's Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients
4 c. self rising flour
1 T baking powder
2/3 c. shortening
1 T Sugar
2 c. buttermilk

Procedure

Mix together but do not knead. Roll out to 1 inch thickness. Cut and brush tops with additional buttermilk. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes

Meemo's Kitchen: HARDEE'S® CINNAMON 'N' RAISIN® BISCUIT

For the above recipe I use homemade biscuit mix that I make with just pure butter, no shortening.

I also make strawberry & blueberry pie, I posted them in the FV. I'll see if I can find them.

Mile High Blueberry Pie


Hmm...I guess I just thought I posted a strawberry pie recipe. It's really just the same as blueberry. But remember as with the blueberry, you are not cooking down the berries, just making a nice sauce with them. No need to crush to a pulp, you want volume for the pie.

[frugal is fun]

chicken soup is what came to my mind, and a nice loaf of bread.

[crafty73]

Roast beef (they can always make cold beef sandwiches later, stir fry etc).....chili and homemade biscuits, various homemade soups/stews (they usually tend to freeze well), baked ham, shishkabobs

[Libby]

Stews - beef or chicken
Soups - chicken noodle, veggie, beef barley, lentil
Sauces - tomato/alfredo/pesto (all they'd have to do is cook the pasta)
Meats - oven roasted chicken thighs/drums, pork roast, roast beef, ham
Scalloped taters, tater tot casserole
Homemade mac & cheese - with or w/o ground beef or shredded chicken
Rolls - so they can just pull, thaw and serve
Baked desserts?

You are very kind to be thinking of others

[auntie2many]

When I provided weekly meals for a friend with stage 4 breast cancer and her husband, she especially craved fresh steamed vegetables. The husband was not picky. I usually brought rice, potatoes and chicken sections. I, do know that when people are on a food chain that often they get lots of spaghetti and chili and other really inexpensive things to make and they tire of them. So sometimes give them a big hunk of meat and some fresh veggies from your garden.

A2M

[craftypam]

Just would like to say God Bless you all who help people who are ill. Whether it is a friend or stranger you are still doing a wonderful service in this sometimes nasty world!!!!!!!!!!!

[known2him5]

baked pork chops

steamed shredded veggies (zucchini, carrots, parsnips, etc) with garlic butter

homemade oatmeal rolls

baked cinnamon apples

Entire meal can be cooled, packed and taken - then reheated in the oven.


I agree that pasta dishes get old quickly - seems that everyone I take meals to, always say they get loads and loads of pasta and love the fact that I take something different.

I also take focaccia (with cheese) and a tomato soup, with cupcakes. . .

Rice crispie treats in fun shapes make good snacks for the kids, and adults like them too - just press the recipe into a cookie sheet or pizza pan - cut into shapes with cookie cutters (or leave the pizza pan whole) - decorate with sprinkles, icing, etc.