Need family recipes for a family that needs help ...

[ghosty]

A mum at school, who I don't know that well, has been diagnosed with breast cancer
In true kiwi style, a bunch of mums have got together to do a roster for cooking meals for the family from now till Christmas while she is having treatment (an aggressive form apparently so she is having full on chemo - started last week). I put myself on the list to help and have a couple of days booked to cook before Xmas.

Anyway, I need ideas - last week she had 2 lasagnes and 2 shepherd's pies for which she is grateful but obviously they need variety - lol
So, I need a good, preferably easy, dish to cook for a family of 4 that would only involve her heating it up .... Apparently they like anything ...

Help!

The plan is to put it in a Chilly bin on her doorstep on the day so she can just pick it up and heat it for the children.

A roast chicken is always nice, and they can have that with baked potatoes or a salad, whatever they fancy.

what about stews? If you put potatoes in then it will be a complete meal in itself.

Curries
Chilli con carne

Chicken in soy.
Fry onions,garlic and ginger on low heat.Add five spice and chicken pieces. Saute them.
Add generous glug of soy and sherry and simmer for 25 mins.
Top up with water if necessary.

Oh thanks guys .... I like all of those ...
The roast chicken I could do easily and just pop it round at about 5pm ready ... but then it is lovely eaten cold too isn't it? I hadn't thought of that .... Seeing as it is getting warm here now that would work ...
MD, the chicken in soy sounds yum ... I could cook some rice and they would only need to warm that up ...

I thought about a stew with potatoes .... that could work too ...

Don't warm up rice, it can cause food poisoning.....a particular issue if the mum is having chemo.

A nice potato salad would be 'safer'

Oh thanks MB ... I didn't know that (we had warmed up rice last week [oops])

Potato salad ... I make a blinding one of those ... or even a cold rice salad ...

oh its warm there isn't .. bugger that makes it difficult

couscous mixed with goats cheese topped with roast vegetables (Delia Smith's Summer Collection ..delicious)

sausage casserole

poached salmon (delicious cold), new potatoes and salad

will keep thinking

(how about some smoothies and stuff to drink

pasta in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, peppers and chorizo? Great with salad and crusty bread

Marinated chicken kebabs? (Yummy cold with flat bread and salad) Marinade the chicken in youghurt, garlic, seasoning, lemon juice, a little curry powder and a little mango chutney, stick on a skewer until ready and voila.

you could do a roast chicken and some roasted veg (both lovely hot or cold) adn then a potato salad to go with cold chicken for next days meal.

What about a pie, has she got some veg that will steam in 5 minutes in microwave?

pork in cider - chop onions, fry, fry pork, add some chopped apple, cover with cider, simmer - length depends on the cut of pork. A very easy fish dish that you could do - but probably best to prepare, so that all she has to do is put it in teh oven - 4 pices of cod in a baking try, dot cherry toms cut in half all over, some torn mozzerella, some basil, black pepper and olive oil - all she would need to do would be put it in the oven. - best with new potatoes. similarly a lot of roast veg type things - would probably be nicest if you gave it to her ready to go in the oven.

Just an idea but how about getting together with the other mums on the roster and drawing up a list of what to do between you so there's no repetition? Not too much work I'd think.

For her: smoothies are a great idea, things that really taste like strawberries & yoghurt smoothie or mango based ones and anything with ginger in is good too.

Some soups and good bread......
nice cheese and pate, with some fruit

Definitely sausage casserole. Although that is more of a wintery dish.

What about a meat and potato pie, then that would just need veg with it? Or a quiche might be a bit more summery.

Meatloaf? Can be served hot or cold, with veg or salad, pasta or potatoes?

Not surprised about the shepherd's pie and lasagne btw. They are pretty obvious first choices. At least they are not fussy.

fish pie

pizzas

Stroganoff
Chicken cassoulet
Sausage ab dlentil casserole

Blimey - my mouth is watering reading this ... might just cook it all for us too
Thanks everyone ....

how about batches of spag sauce which they can put on potatoes, pasta (or even toast in my case). BBC recipe finder has a good one called 'everyday mince' by Anthony Worrall Thompson. It freezes well and defrosts quickly so you can have it for lunch if you want.

How about salmon - baked then served hot or cold with salad, couscous or rice