Budget Take and Bake Meals for Ill friend

[maddiesmom0116]

Hello-

One of my daughter's classmates mom's has breast cancer. Myself, the teacher and another mom want to take turns sending a casserole at least 1x a week. I am looking for budget ideas since they are a family of 5 and I spend alot already feeding my small family, dad and nephew.

Any budget recipes for tasty dishes I can make and have them just pop in the oven and bake?

Thank you in advance, she had 2 surgeries over Christmas Break and is in chemo right now and is really needing some help.

 

[rusty4]

Lasagna because you can make 2 trays and keep one for your family.

 

[Sinderelly]

These are delicious! I get compliments everytime I make them:

Chicken Enchiladas
2 chicken breasts
1 1/2 C shredded cheese ( cheddar or mexican blend)
1 can cream of chicken soup ( I sometimes use cream of celery)
1 C sour cream
1 small can green chilies
1 pkg ( 10 count) flour tortillas
Simmer chicken breasts in water until done. Shred and mix with 1 C of the shredded cheese. Fill tortillas with the chicken mixture. Roll and place in 13 X 9 baking dish. Mix soup, sour cream and chilies. Pour over tortillas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 minutes. These can be kept refrigerated or frozen for later use.

Prayers to your friend and her family. You are really sweet for helping her out. I just had a good friend that was diagnosed last year. She had a double masectomy and is now doing great.

 

[bamor]

What a wonderful idea!

We love this:
Tater Tot Casserole
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion finely chopped
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, pease, carrots and green beans)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
bag of frozen tater tots (about 1/2 bag)
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown meat with onions in a skillet then drain.
Spoon into an 8X8 square baking dish. Mix soup and milk together and pour over meat. Top with a layer of the frozen veggies, then the cheese, then the potatoes.
Bake 45 mins. Totally delicious reheated too!

 

[akcire]

Lasagna because you can make 2 trays and keep one for your family.

Lasagna is easy, but baked ziti is easier, no layering.

Use ground turkey instead of beef to keep it healthy.

You can even freeze them.

 

[njsweetP]

How thoughtful!


Here is what I made for dinner tonight.
This is my version of the Barefoot Contessa's Chicken Pot Pie Recipe.
It's makes a HUGE amount, and can be
divided into two casseroles..you could always half the recipe as well.
It may seem like a lot of work, but it's
really not and it's absolutely delicious!

Ingredients
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded or cubed
5 cups chicken stock
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 package puff pastry (one sheet needed - thawed)


In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over
medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent.
Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce.
Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick.
Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream.
Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Fill two casserole dishes (medium size) or two pie dishes with the chicken mixture.
Brush the outside edges of a casserole or pie dish with the egg wash,
then place the dough on top. Crimp the dough to fold over the side,
pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top.
Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour,
or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

You can make this up until the point of baking, put in fridge and have
the recipient bake in oven for one hour.

Serve w/salad.

 

[Malibustyle23]

What about a chilli or a soup also? Can be made on the cheap. Also easy to prepare if they can't all eat together one bowl here or there or altogether.

 

[Vijoge]

scalloped potatoes and ham?

 

[DisneyScraps]

How thoughtful!


Here is what I made for dinner tonight.
This is my version of the Barefoot Contessa's Chicken Pot Pie Recipe.
It's makes a HUGE amount, and can be
divided into two casseroles..you could always half the recipe as well.
It may seem like a lot of work, but it's
really not and it's absolutely delicious!

I have used this recipe and it's delicious, I usually substitute the onions for potatoes but the sauce you make for this is to die for!

I am a huge fan of hers.

Lisa

 

[Dismom55]

Here is one I do all the time.

Oven Porcupines

1 lb ground beef (can use ground chicken, turkey etc)
1/2 cup minute rice (uncooked)
1 small chopped onion (I sometimes used the dried stff from a jar)
1 tsp galt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1 can tomato sauce and 1 cup water (I just use tomato juice)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients except tomato sauce/water. Make mixture into meat balls about the size of a golf ball or smaller. Place in baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce/water over the meat balls. Sprinkle some extra Worcestershire into sauce. Cover with foil, bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees, remove foil last 10 minutes.

Make 4-6 servings

Here is what I do, I make many ahead, put in freezer bag and take out what I need for the meal, I let them thaw in the baking dish in the fridge. I then pour the tomato sauce/water over all just before baking. So, I would put the meatballs in a throw away pan, cover and take to the family with the can of tomato sauce and final baking instructions.

I would also include a copy of the recipe, so if the family likes the dish they can make it in the future.

 

[Dismom55]

Another Easy Recipe

Pizza Burgers

Needed: Hamburger Patties, pizza sauce (1 can for every 4-6 hamburger patty, hamburger buns, sliced cheese of choice

Simply fry hamburgers as usual.

Layer hamburgers and pizza sauce in casserole dish.

Cover and Bake in oven 250 degrees or slow cooker at least 2 hours.


Tip: I sprinkle Italian seasoning as I layer, I purchase already made hamburger patties, makes things easier for me.

Again I would put in a disposable baking dish, cover and let them know they can remain on warm in the oven for a long time, or prepare and let them bake as needed.

You and your friend are doing a great thing! In my prayers.

Serves as many or few as you desire.

 

[micheleq]

I don't have a meal option (I always do lasagna or baked ziti and throw in a bag of salad and a loaf of bread), but I bet if you let the other parents in the class know about her situation, several others may want to help out.

I am part of a Moms Club that uses the website "Take Them a Meal" (I think www.takethemameal.com) where people can sign up for certain days to bring a meal over to the family. Makes it very easy to see when they need dinner, and then sign up for that day.

You are very generous to be helping out in their time of need Hugs to you!

 

[maddiesmom0116]

I don't have a meal option (I always do lasagna or baked ziti and throw in a bag of salad and a loaf of bread), but I bet if you let the other parents in the class know about her situation, several others may want to help out.

I am part of a Moms Club that uses the website "Take Them a Meal" (I think www.takethemameal.com) where people can sign up for certain days to bring a meal over to the family. Makes it very easy to see when they need dinner, and then sign up for that day.

You are very generous to be helping out in their time of need Hugs to you!

Thank you for sharing this site, I will talk to some of the parents I know at my DD B-day party this weekend and see if we can get some additional people to help too.

 

[maddiesmom0116]

Thank you everyone- these are some great ideas and the kids will really be into a few of them too.

 

[scbelleatheart]

Really, anything you take will be appreciated just so they don't have to cook or plan. I did chicken alfredo, salad, garlic bread and dessert last week for neighbor with 3 small children. I don't know if they liked it but I also know they will not ask.
I watched a freind lose her life to breast cancer about 5 years ago and promised I would keep up with her DH and DS. They are fine now but it now seems like habit to help out to those who need it. I made a promise to her and this is my way of keeping it. Don't forget to ask if you can babysit, drive to DR. appts., just give the DH a night off or help write thank you notes for them. They are overwhelmed with it all.
Thank you for thinking about them!

 

[ash&abby'smom]

Chicken and Green Bean Casserole

1 Whole Chicken (I usually use a store bought Rotisseri chicken)
1 can french style green beans
1 can cr. of celery soup
1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Grain Rice (cooked)
1 cup mayo
1 can water chestnuts (I don't use these, hubby doesn't like them)

Season to taste. I add garlic powder, salt and pepper.


Take chicken off bone. Mix all ingredients together and bake 350^ forl 45 mins.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I often take this one:

MAKE AHEAD COMPANY BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1 lb. bulk sausage
Stale bread
6 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
1-2 c. shredded cheddar

Very lightly brown sausage (cook only until pink is gone). Grease 13 x 9 glass dish. Cube stale bread into dish until about full. Beat together 6 eggs, milk, mustard - pour over bread. Sprinkle on cheese and top with sausage. Cover and refrigerate overnight (this can be rushed if refrigerated for at least 6 hours). Do NOT preheat oven, uncover to bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

[RangerPooh]

You could prepare a mixture of eggs, diced ham or sausage, onions, and bell peppers, and place into a ziplock bag for dad (assuming he's there) to pour into a pan to cook. This can be sent over with cooked diced fried potatoes.

What about making a Hamburger Helper dish? You can easily make two boxes or one box with extra pasta for the family. My family's favorite is the lasagna, and I add a can or half a bag of corn to it.

Zataran's Jambalaya. Use one box and mix with extra white rice, this way it;s not as spicy and goes farther. Add chicken or sausage (we use Hillshire farms sausage), cook, and place in a container to be reheated when needed.

Homemade chili or chicken tortilla soup.

Fajita's. Saute the chicken or steak and veggies. Place into a container to be reheated later. Add a package of tortillas, small container of sour cream, and cheese.

 

[sameyeyam]

What an awesome thing to do for your friend. I'm a 4 year breast cancer survivor and I can tell you that chemo tends to be the hardest part.

If I can make a suggestion, rather then just send a meal 1x a week, how about you & your friends finding out when her "bad" days are after chemo and each of you doing a meal for those 2-3 days. My bad days after chemo were days 3 & 4 (but depending on her type of chemo that could vary). I had 2 bad days and then the next 1-1/2 weeks until my next chemo I was (unfortunately) perfectly capable of cooking...and cleaning and working and laundry.

Our local Safeway has nice deli pizzas for $5 on Fridays. Combine that with a green salad, some garlic bread and maybe some grapes and that would make a nice budget meal.

Best wishes to your friend.

 

[SamSam]

This recipe is sooooo easy, and can be tweaked for individual tastes:
1950's Easy Supper

1 lb. ground beef
3 cups dry noodles ( I use whole wheat)
3 cups tomatoe juice (I use spicy vegetable juice)
2 tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsps. celery salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 clove garlic
1 can corn (if desired)

1. Brown ground beef
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 30 minutes.

Simple, easy. For my family (we like spice) I had a couple of diced jalapenos and a can of Ro-Tel.