Meals for family in crisis - mom having chemo

[azzeps]

Hi all,

Posting here for a little more traffic....

My cousin was diagnosed last week with cancer and started chemotherapy... she said they're struggling with meals... she's sick from the chemo and doesn't feel up to cooking... she has two teens - 18 and 14, but they are not really managing very well in the kitchen, and their stepdad is not around for meals as he's working 7am-7pm. I guess she'd probably like them to eat something other than cereal? Ha ha. I made a dozen bean burritos that can easily be nuked.... just wondering what else I might make or take over there for them. Her diet, if she feels like eating, has to be neutropenic due to her lowered immunity from the chemo, but really I'm thinking more of the kids. :( If anyone has any BTDT ideas, or any ideas for meals for families in crisis, that would be so great.

Thanks!!

[JBaxter]

Lasagna, baked ziti, roasted chicken but at 18 mine could cook pretty well. I made sure my boys could survive on their own by then.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I like to take a ham and some rolls and sides. The ham could be used in so many recipes or as sandwiches.


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[Mermanaid]

I just had surgery and we had a meal train. Our fav meals were items we could pop in the oven or the crockpot:

Quiche
Chicken pot pie
Macaroni and cheese
Mozzarella stuffed meatballs with red sauce
Chicken enchiladas
Baked ziti

you could precook some hamburger so they can make spaghetti or even go over and show the boys how to cook frozen hamburger patties (Which are great since they can be burgers or served with gravy).

[mommy111]

Meal train is a great idea. Anything cooked, apportioned into meal sizes and frozen. Pot Roast, pasta etc are all good. Also, does she have a toaster oven? When we have a kid in kitchen situation, we marinaded a whole lot of chicken, put it into individual serve sizes and froze. The kids could pull out and pop in to toaster oven and it was done in 20 mins or so. It doesn't have a 'frozen' taste that way.
Frozen pizza is always good too

[WitMom]

I make this a lot for an easy-to-deliver meal. Tastes great hot or as leftovers.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/best-darn-ham-sandwiches-52174001

[123LuckyMom]

I'd roast two chickens at once. Give them one as plain roasted chicken with roasted potatoes or peppers (from the bottom of the pan), a green vegetable, salad, and dessert, plus rolls, swiss cheese, and a tomato for sandwiches in case they prefer to use the leftovers that way. The second chicken I'd make into a casserole that can be frozen, like the recipe below. That's a good four meals you've given them. Plus, when you take all the chicken off the bones for the casserole, you can make a full pot of soup from the carcass-- and throw in the other carcass if it will fit. Just simmer the bones with drippings from the pan and whatever inedible veggies you stuffed in the carcass for roasting (which I like to put in cheesecloth for the soup so they can be removed easily), uncovered, in water for 3hours. Add some salt and cut up veggies in the last hour. Skim all the fat off the top in the morning after refrigerating overnight. That gives them even more food that can be frozen. Give them a bag of noodles with that. You'll fill their fridge and freezer with very little work on your part, because it's mostly long term cooking where you can walk away and do other things.

Here's the casserole recipe. It's really very good and easy to make!

Chicken and Rice Casserole:

Ingredients
* 1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of celery soup
* 1 (4 oz) jar pimentos
* 1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
* 2 (14 1/2 oz) cans green beans, drained and rinsed
* 3 cups diced cooked chicken
* 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
* 2 tablespoons butter, or vegetable oil
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 (6 oz) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
* 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
* 1 pinch salt

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
*
Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
*
Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.
*
Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.



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[acmom]

When I was on bedrest, we got a lot of meals. We got a bunch of the typical pasta and casserole dishes, which while nice, got a little old and were a little heavy for the summer, plus my kids didn't eat a lot of them. Our favorites were meals we could use as lunch and/or dinner and that accommodated lots of different tastes...someone brought stuff for make your own tacos, someone made a cold chicken salad with couscous, many people brought things with a side salad, fruit salad or nice bread which was all great to use at various times. A quiche was great too bc it could be any meal. And one person brought a bunch of bagels and tubs of cream cheese, which were great as we froze many of them. A whole chicken or whole ham as PPs mentioned would be great too as they could be used many different ways and even good cold.

[belovedgandp]

Easily prepared things the teens can do themselves sound great. The burritos will be loved I'm sure.

I love the ham or chicken idea. Cut up lots of fruit. Nutritious breakfast muffins. Homemade soup. I'm guessing there's going to be lots of fending for themselves and having options will be great.

[azzeps]

You guys are brilliant! Making my shopping list now! THANK YOU!

[firstbaby]

How about some breakfast burritos for a quick breakfast? You could put together a tray of them individually wrapped and they could pop them out of the freezer into a microwave or oven as needed.