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Jen L.
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 10:30am | IP Logged
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I REALLY Need FOOD help!
I currently have about 5 families to whom I would like to deliver meals. I am not afraid of cooking, but I somehow feel paralyzed when it comes to choosing what food to share with people (will they like it? will the kids eat it?).
So, tell me, please -- What are your favorite meals to share with others? Possibly freezable and definitely kid friendly.
THANK YOU!!
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Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 10:39am | IP Logged
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Jen,
Here's a start, from the Archives. Meals for New Moms
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 10:43am | IP Logged
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And I pulled this from another thread:
I like to bring a one dish meal. Often, I make brown rice and top it with chicken marsala, then I put green beans (or brocolli if mom's not nursing) around the perimeter. It looks pretty and transports easily.
Tacos are another big hit--everyone can make to suit his or her taste).
I try to think outside the box a bit--honeybaked ham and scalloped potatoes with a green veggie is another that was probably not done three times that week  and that leftover ham is always a blessing.
In the summer, my favorite is to make a big green salad in a large shallow bowl.Marinate a flank steak in italian dressing overnight (or use a combination of italian dressing and teriyaki). Grill it in the morning and boil the marinade. Cut the steak into bite-sized pieces and continue to marinate in the fridge. Boil some quartered red potatoes and marinate those in dressing as well. When you are ready to assemble the salad, put the steak in the bottom of the bowl and the potatoes on top of the steak. Cover with spring mix. Add a layer of grated cheese. Sprinkle chopped red peppers on top. Defrost frozen peas under running water and ring the perimeter of the bowl with peas. Add avocado if you like. This looks so pretty and the marinated meat and potatoes are more than enough dressing for the whole salad. My kids are not picky eaters and they love this, but I've noticed that other kids do too. Since it can all be done ahead and assembled quickly, it make great summertime party fare.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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mary
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 11:41am | IP Logged
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i have picky kids - one doesn't eat meat so that makes those one dish meals hard for us. also, while they are easy on the cook, sometimes, they are richer than i like. not that i have ever complained; i'm always grateful to get meals, but since you asked!
my favorite meals are soups, bread/muffins and a veggie tray. really, they are just as easy to prepare as the one dish meals and they go over with picky kids who prefer to eat just bread (and some cheese) and veggies and dip. minestrone and veggie beef soups are my favorites.
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MichelleW
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 11:44am | IP Logged
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My old standard has always been Crockpot Beef Stronganoff over country noodles with broccoli and Buttermilk Chocolate Cake.
Lately I have had a lot of people request spaghetti! I think it is because a friend at church has been talking up my homemade sauce (which is really just plain sauce and embarrassingly mundane--I have so many other more special family recipes and this is the one she had to fixate upon!!). Spaghetti with a bag of salad, Italian bread and Buttermilk Chocolate Cake.
Last week I took Lemon Chicken with Parmesan Rice, steamed broccoli, steamed carrots lemon cookies to a neighbor. I would not attempt to transport cooked Lemon Chicken to anyone else because I don't think it would be that great cold. She was close by and so it was easy. This meal was super easy. The chicken is poached in lemon juice for 45 minutes and everything else is just steamed briefly.
In the summer I take Chicken Fajitas. It is very fast and then everyone can assemble their own. I marinate thinly sliced chicken in Italian dressing then grill the chicken in my grill pan with onions and peppers. When it is done and dump it into a dish and boil the marinade in the pan for a minute or two. While it was cooking and chop and put into containers some tomato, black olives, sour cream, guacamole. I always have tortillas on hand so that part is easy too. Oh, and Buttermilk Chocolate Cake for dessert.
I hope you find some ideas! Sometimes the easiest thing is just to make extra of what you are serving for dinner.
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MichelleW
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 11:47am | IP Logged
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I just read Mary's post and wanted to second soups. For friends who need help while their families are ill or who have bad morning sickness I make Chicken Noodle Soup. It is easy on the tummy and so full of chicken, veggies and noodles that if the kids are not soup eaters, Mom can just serve them with a slotted soup and they have all the essential ingredients without the broth.
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LisaD
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Having recently been the lucky recipient of 15 dinners brought to us by others, this is my feedback.
My kids hate one dish meals.  I love them, and my husband loves them, but the kids got hot dogs on the nights we had casseroles for dinner.
The things that were big hits were roast chicken with sides of potatoes, veggies, salad. Pot roast, with separate side dishes. Homemade chicken fingers with homemade oven fries. Someone brought us fried chicken one night, and the entire family is still raving about that dinner! My kids like spaghetti and they like tacos, but unfortunately, they only like the way I make them!
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JennGM
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 1:44pm | IP Logged
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Jen,
I don't like one dish meals, because they usually are everything I can't eat: wheat, milk and high carbs!
Our family makes a baked chicken, accompany with rice and veggies, maybe a salad (bread or rolls if you're feeling really generous). It's easy, you can make several chickens at once. Once you finish dinner, you can pick the chicken and use the leftovers for snacks and sandwiches. If it's a larger family, make two chickens. These are just small fryers we use.
I had posted the "recipe" on this thread. I add some garlic powder and thyme when I want a different flavor.
I always make brown rice now, cook it in chicken broth, which adds to the flavor. All my siblings bake this for postpartum moms and we always get the call for the recipe.  Sinfully easy!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 2:47pm | IP Logged
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I have been making this lately to take to families Creamy Cilantro Chicken Sometimes I take french dip sandwiches since so many people make chicken
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Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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JennGM
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| Posted: April 17 2006 at 2:59pm | IP Logged
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marychris wrote:
| Sometimes I take french dip sandwiches since so many people make chicken |
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Around here the common dish is Baked Ziti.  I'm afraid to ask for meals just because our needs are so specific and I don't want 5 different meals of pasta and tomato sauce!
I was recently the recipient of some vegetable beef soup, and it was delicious and very helpful...I'd recommend it or other soups a a meal for those recovering from any type of abdominal surgery, such as a c-section.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Jen L.
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| Posted: April 20 2006 at 9:46pm | IP Logged
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Just wanted to say THANKS to everyone. I released myself from "perfection" and started to cook. Thank you!!
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Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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Topic: I REALLY Need FOOD help!
