Need Suggestions...

[Ty's_mom]

I need ideas for meals I can make ahead and drop off at a friends house...

My friend's husband will be having brain surgery next week. I would like to make things for her girls AND some things for her and her DH.

All ideas welcome!

 

[powellrj]

casseroles, soups, stews are all good. Maybe a big pot of chili people can heat up as needed, a pot of vegetable soup would be good. Some good deli ham and turkey with bread so they can make a quick sandwich if they want to.

Baked spaghetti, lasagna, baked ziti, macaroni and cheese are good casserole ideas too.

If you can make sure you deliever it in something that doesn't need returned. One less thing to deal with.

Homemade things like cookies and breads are always nice to have too.

 

[denisenh]

lasagna, turkey a la king, meat loat, mac and cheese cassarole, swedish meatballs, ......is that what you mean?
Pack it in foil pan, all can be re-heated in the oven ...add a veg or salad, maybe a dinner roll or corn bread and done!

You are a good friend to be so thoughtful!

 

[Amlee]

Any and all casseroles can be pre-made, put up and heated for later. I like to do them as side dishes and do a meat with them.

 

[Ty's_mom]

You're all SO smart!!! I was drwing a complete blank!!!

I can make a lasagna, a beef stew, maybe a shepards pie...
I'm dropping cupcakes off for the girls tomorrow. They're all kinda' walking around in a fog right now.

 

[Amlee]

Let me also say one of my favorite things is for my dad to grill me about six burgers on the grill. I put them in a ziplock bag in the fridge. Then through out the week for lunch or dinner I will pop them in the microwave and make a meal with one. Not sure how old the girls are, or if they like burgers, but it's a quick and simple thing to do.

 

[crazyme5kids]

How about soup?

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

Here are some insanely good (and easy) recepies that keep well too!



Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.
Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Shepherd's Pie

1 small onion
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables or niblet corn, prepared
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 to 10 medium red new potatoes
1 1/2 cups milk
12 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups instant biscuit mix

Beef Layer: Saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter. Add ground beef. After beef is browned, add tomato sauce; Mix in vegetables. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Potato Layer: Peel and slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick. Cook in boiling water for approximately 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Whip potatoes with electric mixer; mix until moderately smooth. Don't over beat them; a few lumps are nice. Add 1/2 cup heated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and sour cream. Salt and pepper, to taste. Whip until mixed. Adjust thickness by adding more milk, if desired.

Biscuit Layer: Combine biscuit mix and 1 cup milk. The mix should be thinner than normal biscuit mix but not runny.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 9 by 2-inch pan, or any similar casserole dish. Layer half way up with the mashed potatoes. Next, spread a layer of mixed vegetables or niblet corn on top of potatoes. Then add a layer of the meat. Pour biscuit mix over meat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over top. Bake for approximately 35 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown.

Note: Leftovers make this dish easy to put together. So if you have leftover pork roast or beef roast with gravy and mashed potatoes from Sunday dinner then this is an easy mid- week meal that will take only a few minutes.



Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, pecans, and zest; set aside. Separate the biscuits. Place about 3/4 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of each biscuit. Fold each biscuit in half over the cheese, pressing the edges to seal. Dip the biscuits in melted butter, then dredge in the granulated sugar mixture. Place the biscuits, curved-side down, in a single layer in the hollows of a lightly greased 12-cup bundt pan, spacing them evenly (do not stack). Place any remaining biscuits around the tube, filling any gaps. Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter. Combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, stirring well; drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Serve warm.



Carnivore Chili

Ingredients
6 lbs. lean beef 1 cup chili powder
2 T. crushed cumin 2 T. oregano
2 T. salt 2 T. cayenne
4 cloves garlic 2 quarts beef broth
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup water
beans to taste

Directions
Brown the beef in oil. Add seasonings and broth. Simmer 2-3 hours,
stirring occasionally if possible. Skim off fat.

Mix cornmeal with water and add slowly. Cook another 30 minutes, then add
beans if desired.


Some suggestions/variations:

2 whole chickens (cooked) can be substituted for the beef, but they do not need the long simmering time (i.e. add them later)

beans can be used to substitute for some of the meat (this chili is *all* meat otherwise). i suppose you could add onions, green peppers, etc., but i can honestly say i have never tried this.

skimming the fat off is healthier, but it is the really hot part of the chili. i always leave a little of it in there, stir it up, and no one seems to notice.

this makes a "ton" of chili, enough to feed a large pre-game or post-game crowd.


Roasted Root Vegetable Medley Recipe

8 to 12 slender carrots, peeled and trimmed
8 to 12 baby turnips, peeled
6 to 8 fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise in halves
1 or 2 large parsnips, peeled, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
1 or 2 medium onions, trimmed, peeled and halved, each 1/2 cut into quarters
1 or 2 large beets, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1 or 2 kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1 celery root, trimmed and halved, halves cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
1 whole head garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Put all the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly.

Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve the vegetables from their baking dish or transfer them to a platter to accompany a roasted main course.