Have two families who I'd like to prepare a meal for. They've got new babies and older kids too. Preferably something that will freeze, although that's not essential I guess.
We are not a casserole family, but do normal people like casseroles? (LOL, I have been "blessed" with a non-eating husband and daughter, so am limited in ideas and experience! At home we usually just have a bit of meat and veg and carb of some description, but that's neither exciting nor convenient to prepare for another family... I thought of shepherds pie or bolognaise sauce... but that's about all I can think of!)
TIA for your ideas...
Apricot chicken. easy, most people like it and can freeze.
Home made sausage rolls or pasties. They can also freeze, and be got out for a snack or a meal when they don't feel like cooking.
Quiche
Yep, lasagne, shepherds pie, soups, spag bol sauce and a packet of spaghetti. If it's appropriate, I like to check with people what they can and do eat. When we had our DS a few people very thoughtfully made us meals, which was so appreciated. However, they were almost all chicken, which is not our favourite, in fact my DH doesn't really eat it (although we weren't complaining!!!) and one was a curry which had us up with DS ALL night. So I try to be thoughtful in giving meals. Not much point in giving them something they don't like or can't eat.
Having said that, who doesn't like lasagna????? Surely that's always a winner hehe.
When I had my DD there were a few girls who were on a roster to prepare us a meal for a particular night. It was lovely that they organised it that way so we didn't get a million spaghetties or something like that. It was one person, one day. The person who was making our meal for the particular day would ring us to find out what things we like to eat and find out what time on the day they could drop it off to us.
We had soup with home-made bread one day, chicken tacos another day (that left us with an eternal craving for mexican and now it's a semi-regular part of our meal routine). I think there was pasta another day. I can't remember all the meals, but there was a week worth that came in a day at a time.
Home made sausage rolls here too, great for lunches from the freezer.
Homemade meatballs or hamburger patties, chicken schnitzels, stuffed chicken breast - anything that can be frozen, defrosted and thrown in the oven.
Of course the old casserole is fool proof too lol
Pasta Bakes are great too.
You can try something a little different - like a chicken shepherds pie or a mild curry potatoes or lentils...
Apricot Chicken (a recipe can usually be found on the Apricot Nectar tin. This is how i make it)
Chicken pieces (either drumsticks (bit cheaper) or breast fillets)
flour
packet chicken noodle soup
Tin apricot nectar
onion chopped
carrot chopped
dried apricots/tinned apricots (optional)
If using chicken fillets, slice into bits (like for stir fry).
mix the flour with 1/4 of chicken noodle soup mix, and roll the chicken bits in it.
Place the chicken in casserole dish.
Put onion, carrot (extra vegies if you want) on top.
Add a few dried apricots or tinned apricot halves (optional)
Add rest of chicken noodle soup mix
Top with apricot nectar
Cook in oven until chicken is cooked, mixing occasionally. (60 mins?)
When using chicken drumsticks, i like to fish them out and take the chicken off and put this back in and get rid of the bones. Easier for when people eating it.
Rissotto, chicken pie, beef pie - my sister froze some cookie dough in rolls for unexpected guests too. She also dropped in some milk, fresh bread, cheese, dips and cold cuts.
You are a very thoughtful friend!
I always do meatballs. They freeze so well and I also give a pkt of spaghetti and a jar of pasta sauce a-laa spaghetti and meatballs. I also give a box of nursing pads and a yummy pkt of chocolate biscuits (good for the milk)
A simple minestrone is hearty and can be made vegetarian or with meat The Tupperware Cook Some More recipe is dead easy.
Soups with pearled barley and a couple of bean varieties with celery can be good, too.
I might organise to make some Honduran 'tamales' with my mum shortly - we make it in huge batches and freeze them, just thawing them overnight in the fridge and heating them up in their wrapping (banana leaves and foil) with boiling water on the stove. Just thinking out loud now as to what I LOVE to eat and could just have it in the freezer to eat during babymoon! Can be eaten with just a fork and is an all-in-one meal - can be veggo, too
I do my potato, bacon & leek soup for most friends when they first have a bub. I also drop off fresh bread as well.
I also usually bring some lunchy hand foods.... I will make vegetable pies, sausage rolls, savoury muffins, cupcakes.... biscuits.
Sometimes I will do a mini shop for basics and drop it off... but yummy basics that people can't have on hand. Like biscuits, crackers and cheese, olives, salami etc etc... Stuff they can snack on and enjoy.
But meals besides soups are generally done in 2 serving sizes and a few.... Quiche, soup, pies, curry... I may just do a bolognaise and freeze in meal sizes and drop off some fresh pasta as well.
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What do you cook for friends with new babies?
Surely that's always a winner hehe.
The Tupperware Cook Some More recipe is dead easy.
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