looking for new mommy and/or bereavement (sp?) meals that are less casserole-ish

[Hoggirl]

I am really wanting to find *my* signature meal to take to new moms or others in need. I would prefer something that involves MEAT and NO "cream of" soups. I like things that can be prepared ahead and are IN a casserole dish but that are not casserole-ish and so the recipient can just pop it into the oven or freezer. (poor sentence there) Does anyone have any suggestions? I think I would be better about doing this for others if I had a go-to menu.

 

TIA.

[LauraGB]

Manicotti, lasagna, stuffed shells? Add spinach or broccoli to increase the nutrients. All freeze and reheat from the freezer well.

[Rebecca VA]

How about quiche?

[Anne Rittenhouse]

You know ...one of the best meals we ever had "brought to us" was a roast chicken and some broccoli that was already trimmed and ready to be steamed. It was lovely to add to this meal from things we already had and most of the work was already done for us. A great break from the "casserole" dishes.

[Annie]

Chicken and cheese enchiladas. Mmmmm!

[stripe]

I've brought new mothers and sick friends things like chicken, green beans, and rice (separate, not a casserole). But it couldn't go directly in the freezer; I've made it for people who will be eating it that day. The other idea I have as a useful item is some pasta sauce; they could just freeze it until they want to eat it and then just boil some pasta.

 

Incidentally, Cook's Country does one sort of traditional American dish every issue where they remake some item to be freezer-friendly (e.g. lasagna, mac and cheese), so you might get some good ideas if you check that out.

[asta]

I was going to say spinach, ricotta and cottage cheese lasagne.

 

But here is the real tip (courtesy of my kid): get those foil baker pans that have the plastic lids. After you make it up, put on the lid and write with a black sharpie what the dish is, what the ingredients are, and how to cook it.

 

We just did this for a new mom, and she said it was the single most helpful thing she got (directions - as she was completely sleep deprived).

 

Also, she appreciated getting it when the baby was 2 weeks old rather than right after the birth. She got inundated after the birth, but then... nothing. When baby hit his 2 week growth spurt and she wasn't getting any sleep? No help.

 

HTH

[the4Rs]

Lil' Cheddar Meat Loaves are a huge hit within our church for people with new babies or deaths or shut ins.

 

Here is the recipe! Just Yummy.

 

Lil' Cheddar Meat Loaves

 

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup oatmeal (I use 12 saltine crackers crushed instead which I like much better)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we love cheese so I usually add a bit more)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1 lb ground beef

 

Sauce:

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp mustard

 

*In a bowl, beat the egg and milk. Stir in cheese, oats(crackers), onion and salt. Add beef and mix well. Shape into loaves; place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard; spoon over loaves. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

 

Note:

Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to shape loaves evenly. For extra sauce, double the sauce recipe if desired.

[JFSinIL]

meatloaf - hand it over pre-sliced (if possible) and in foil-wrapped, freezer-ready portions. Freezer-ready portions of soups, stews (light on the taters - they do not freeze well.) Freezer-ready portions of lasagna, other pasta dishes. Corn chowder. Pasta salad with tuna or cubed meats.

[stripe]

Another thing: If you really want to organize people, you could get a schedule so that she has meals every day or whatever for some period of time.

[Dirtroad]

Not sure about you freezing things... but I just went through the blessing of 2 weeks of meals prepared for me by homeschooling & church families b/c I had baby girl in October and some problems when I came home due ot excessive fluid retention, etc.

 

The absolute BEST meals we recieved were Pot Roast with roasted carrots & potatos.... fresh made chicken enchiladas.... and a homemade chicken soup with big chunky carrots & slices of celery. A pot of chili and a pan of chicken tetrazini were runners-up.

 

Real VEGES were the most desired item & most needed for my recovery. We got so many pasta & casserole dishes. They were such a blessing.... but we desperately needed more variety & VEGES. (not a bag of iceberg lettuce and a bottle of ranch).

 

I always make country-fried (cubed) steak, rice, greenbeans, and biscuits for a family. I avoid chicken b/c I know they get too much. I have even cooked "steamed or fried cabbage" and roasted carrots. This is my signature menu for such meals.

[Tammyla]

Roasted chicken (whole)

green beans with almonds

cornbread muffins

and a pie

 

A dear woman sent her dh over to our house ,after our first was born with this huge meal. Everything was in aluminum tins and a note attached said everything could be reheated or popped into the freezer for later.

 

We ate for days and had lots of time to enjoy our new dd.

 

I often send this one or a baked pasta dish with fresh bread, a salad and of course a desert. I also like to send over a big brother or sister basket filled with foods they might like. Pbj fixings with whole wheat bread, cheese and crackers, fruit, nuts etc. (You need to be sure there are no allergies before hand.)

[Whereneverever]

 

I often send this one or a baked pasta dish with fresh bread, a salad and of course a desert. I also like to send over a big brother or sister basket filled with foods they might like. Pbj fixings with whole wheat bread, cheese and crackers, fruit, nuts etc. (You need to be sure there are no allergies before hand.)

 

Oh, wow- I really like the idea of a big sib basket!

[Julie in CA]

I like to do pot roast with mashed potatoes, and frozen corn or green beans.

Sometimes I do salisbury steak with gravy instead of the pot roast. There's an awesome recipe here:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Salisbury-Steak/Detail.aspx

But...I change it a little bit. I don't flour the patties before frying them, and I use low-sodium (yeah, I know, you said no soup, but this isn't casserole-like at all) cream of mushroom. I also double the gravy ingredients so there will be plenty for them to use over the mashed potatoes. The salisbury steak recipe is very versatile. I can do it in the slow-cooker, the oven, or even just simmer it on low heat on the stove if I'm in a hurry. The recipe freezes exceptionally well too.

I doctor the mashed potatoes a lot, with garlic and cheese, and sour cream, etc.

I also don't use the foil pans, but use the plastic disposable pans that can go in the oven or the microwave. They're a bit more expensive, but not too bad for the convenience that they provide.

 

I've also done lots of mexican food, just don't make it too spicy.

Enchiladas, homemade refried beans, and homemade rice. For the enchilada sauce, we love this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ten-Minute-Enchilada-Sauce/Detail.aspx

And for the rice, we love this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mexican-Rice-II/Detail.aspx

This meal freezes really well too.

[Hoggirl]

how do you tell them to reheat it? I do my pot roast in the crockpot. Do you just put it in an aluminum pan covered with foil and reheat in the oven? What temp?

[Emilylou]

My favorite new mommy meal I received was the quiche, and salad. It was yummy, and quick for lunch left overs.

 

I try to make less casseroleish and pasta type meals too.... meatloaf, roasted chicken and if it is summer. I have made chicken kabobs that just needed to be grilled.

 

Hope this helps. It is a wonderful thing to bring a family a meal, and I am sure whatever you bring will be appreciated.

[Daisy]

I always cook a roast. I figure it is easy to do whatever you need to with it to suit your family. You can shred it, add bbq sauce, and eat on a roll. You can eat it as is. Left-overs can be turned into soup. Whatever. Seems the most versatile to me.

[emeraldjoy]

My families favorite was a whole chicken topped with yummy, yummy herbs and surrounded by potatoes.

She brought it over raw and we just needed to throw it in the oven for an hour or so.

She also had a few bags of fresh cut up veggies and chocolate chip cookies.

I think this will become my signature.

It was so yummy and very easy to prepare.

Also, something that I have thought of often and done a few times is groceries such as bread, milk, cereal, etc.

e

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

I am really wanting to find *my* signature meal to take to new moms or others in need. I would prefer something that involves MEAT and NO "cream of" soups. I like things that can be prepared ahead and are IN a casserole dish but that are not casserole-ish and so the recipient can just pop it into the oven or freezer. (poor sentence there) Does anyone have any suggestions? I think I would be better about doing this for others if I had a go-to menu.

 

TIA.

 

Well, just some food for thought, since everyone brings a big meal and all those leftovers can be overwhelming... When DS6 was born, a very wise mom of 3 dc brought me my favorite thing ever (in the midst of all those heavy pot roasts, lasagnas, enchiladas, etc.), a big bowl of chicken salad with lots of homemade sandwich rolls, a giant fruit salad, and a veggie tray. I was in heaven! It's now one of the things I bring to a mom if I know she is getting many other meals. If a mom is only getting a few, I might be tempted to bring a typical dinner but I received two weeks worth of meals when my dc were born and that light lunch is still in my memory as the best food gift I ever received. Oh, and another friend brought my second favorite, a breakfast casserole with sausage, potatoes and cheese--hearty and something to boost your strength after being up all night with a newborn. Pair that with a fruit salad and it's hard to beat.

 

Long story short... I think people tend to forget new moms and their families need to eat at breakfast and lunch too. Those meals can be even more welcome than dinner. You can't order a pizza for breakfast. :D

Edited November 3, 2009 by Alte Veste Academy

[jenL]

After my second son, a friend of ours brought over a pork tenderloin, green beans, roasted potatoes, and dessert. It was so nice to receive something that wasn't a casserole since we were inundated with them.

 

Another great thing was a sandwich platter from our local deli with a huge side order of potato salad. We ate off that platter for days!

Edited November 3, 2009 by jenL

[Kari C in SC]

I brought chili over to a neighbor who was recovering from cancer once. It wasn't planned, just what I had been making for dinner. I don't make spicy chili - more of a hamburger with onions, green peppers and kidney beans with a hint of spice. She always raved over how great that was. Traditionally, I would bring a casserole, so that was a lesson learned.

[OnTheBrink]

Obviously, you can't freeze this, but what about a "meal salad"? Greens with meat and/or beans, chunky veggies, a big loaf of French bread. It might be a refreshing change from casseroles and cream-o-carp soups. ;)

[5knights3maidens]

Roast Beef sliced in gravy (can be frozen). Rolls, salad, vegetables...like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc. mixed together. Maybe mashed potatoes...they can for frozen. Dessert could be a pie/pies that can be frozen if they don't want to eat it right away. HTH.

[StaceyinLA]

called "David's Favorite Casserole" and it's in the Whole Foods for the Whole Family cookbook by La Leche League. I modify mine a tad and you may find it sounds kind of odd, but it is really delicious! Here goes:

 

10 oz or so of Penne pasta, boiled and dumped into a greased baking pan (I always use the throw-away pans so folks will have no cleanup)

 

1/2 pound ground meat, seasoned with onion, salt, pepper and browned (then drained) I often eliminate the meat for my own preference, but the recipe calls for meat and you were asking for meat recipes (dump this in with the noodles and stir around)

 

a couple cups of sliced or diced, steamed carrots, also tossed into the pan with the above items

 

1 cup sour cream (I use light)

 

1 can tomato sauce (can use slightly more if you find it on the dry side)

 

Stir all together and top with grated cheddar. Bake at 350 til lightly browned and bubbly.

 

I freeze this while still uncooked. Freeze then cover with foil so your cheese won't stick. Tell folks to let thaw during the day then cook.

 

I have gotten more requests for this recipe than any other I've ever sent. It's easy to double, add to, etc. I have used leftover spaghetti sauce (with ground meat in it) in place of the meat/tomato sauce and it still comes out great.

 

You could easily add in some cooked spinach to add some punch. It is just delicious - something about the carrots in there...

 

Anyway, hope this is one you can add to your list!!

[Susan in TN]

A couple that I bring frequently - pulled pork BBQ sandwiches (I cook a big shoulder roast in the crockpot, shred, add BBQ sauce, then freeze in meal-sized portions.) This is quick to take out of the freezer, add some buns, veggies/chips, etc.

 

I also like non-spicy sausage chili (especially for when the weather is getting cold) and keep in the freeezer. For the meal, bring along a small container of sour cream, shredded cheese, and some corn chips or corn bread.

[TN Mama]

I've recently made: black bean enchiladas, chicken pot pie & white chicken chili for other families. With the enchiladas I deliver rice & salad, with the pot pie I took a fruit salad and some brownies and with the chicken chili I took corn bread muffins and salad.

 

Here is the enchilada recipe.

 

1 lb. lean ground beef (can sub chicken)

1 pkg. taco seasoning

2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can chopped green chilies

1/3 cup sour cream

7 or 8 flour tortillas

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 to 3 oz. crumbled chèvre (goat) cheese

1 cup good chunky salsa

3 green onions, sliced - optional

 

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.

2. Add taco seasoning mix and water; mix well. Cook 2 to 4 minutes or until mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Add beans, enchilada sauce and green chilies; mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream.

4. Spoon ground beef mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up; place seam side down in ungreased 2 qt baking dish. Spoon bean and enchilada sauce mixture over filled tortillas. Sprinkle with cheeses.

5. Bake at 400°F. for 8 to 12 minutes or until cheeses are melted and casserole is thoroughly heated. Spoon salsa down center of casserole; sprinkle with green onions.

[NancyNellen]

My personal favorites to bring are soups, especially Minestrone. I just stick it in a large plastic throw away container. It includes all the meat and veggies - I make a loaf of crusty bread to go with it. Simple and nutritious.

 

I have also made Teriyaki chicken and rice. It can go in a casserole and just be reheated.

[Carol in Cal.]

I bring over stuff that is already frozen, like really good spaghetti sauce already frozen in wide mouthed canning jars, along with an appropriate amount of dry noodles and written instructions. My other already frozen choices are black bean soup, although that is vegetarian, or chili con carne.

 

I usually also bring some grab and eat veggies that won't get ruined if they are not eaten that night--green and yellow pepper strips, jicama spears, blanched asparagus if it's in season, blanched green beans, carrot sticks, and celery, along with a yogurt or sour cream-based dip.

 

Using those wide mouthed pint jars means that they fit easily into the freezer, and it's easy to thaw them in about 10-20 minutes in a bowl of hot water--since they seal so well, you don't have to worry about the contents getting soggy or diluted.

 

So people get the choice of eating this all that night or saving it for later when they need it more.

 

If I'm bringing over a hot meal to eat right then, I usually try for something that is unusual, like a Chinese stir fry, or chicken Kiev, or steak au poivre vert (that's pretty expensive, though), or veal rolls stuffed with garlic and herbs and simmered (also expensive, but it holds on the stove and reheats well), or my famous homemade refried beans with homemade masa tortillas and all the fixings (a lot of work but oh so good). And I bring a fresh salad along with it.

 

It's important to gauge whether the family is adventurous, though. I have a friend who things Romaine lettuce is exotic compared with iceburg.

[Dawn in OH]

Manicotti, lasagna, stuffed shells? Add spinach or broccoli to increase the nutrients. All freeze and reheat from the freezer well.

 

That's what I was going to say. I know when my youngest was born I would have been overjoyed to receive those meals. I may have to drop hints to Grandma this April.

[BikeBookBread]

I posted this before, so might be deja vu, but here goes:

 

Not a brag :) but I have made a ton of meals for new moms and dads...it's kind of my "thing"; in fact, I'm doing one for new parents of twins on Thursday. I was SO THANKFUL (you don't know) for all of the people that signed up to bring me meals after both of my girls were born -- some I had never even met! -- this has become my life "thing"...what I love to do for people.

 

I have found that while most families appreciate ANYTHING, they especially like breaks from pasta (not that pasta should EVER be cut out -- we love it!) -- but here are some alternatives:

 

Freezable:

 

 

• Meatloaf
  
• Meatballs (we like turkey) in a sauce to be served over rice which could be made at their home later, or frozen in a separate ziplock and thawed
  
• Orange chicken (I like thighs for this -- pan sear then braise in the oven in a dutch oven in your favorite orange/ginger/sweet sauce; serve with rice
  
• a whole roasted chicken - this recipe is the best in the world and surprisingly easy; this will serve a family of about 4 (depending upon appetites and number of sides you provide)
  
• Chili
  
• Curried chicken over rice
  

 

Fresh:

 

 

• I appreciated fresh stuff, especially salads, so if anyone doesn't want to make ahead, and wants to delivery day-of-eating, salads are nice...Just divide everything into separate ziplocks, and maybe throw in a crusty loaf of bread
  
  • chicken Caesar
    
  • taco (meat or chicken could be frozen I guess)
    
  • green apple/those sweet pecans and cranberries with a blue-veined cheese over spring greens and romaine was a huge crave for me...
    
  • Curried chicken salad over fresh cantaloupe wedges
    

   

   

 

[Cinder]

Another thing: If you really want to organize people, you could get a schedule so that she has meals every day or whatever for some period of time.

 

One woman I know likes to do the organizing and she usually schedules meals for every other day. Her reasoning is that most people bring A LOT of food which means leftovers, which quickly fill up the fridge if food is brought every day. It also gives the family a day off from visitors.

 

 

Cinder

[Cinder]

I usually take a pot roast (carrots, potatoes) with salad, bread, and dessert. One friend almost always makes chicken pot pie. I have also received chili, hamburgers/hotdogs (kids loved this one), roast chicken, and KFC.

 

 

Cinder