When my brother got married, my mom put together a cookbook of all of his favorite meals. The inscription she wrote in the front partially reads,
“You have been born into a family of cooks - people who love to eat but who also love the fellowship a good meal provides. You have the responsibility of passing on this love of cooking and the delight of sharing a good meal with others.”
That line is a testament to how I have lived much of my adult life - appreciating a good meal and making sure others have the opportunity do so as well. Whether it’s my own family and friends, organizations I volunteer with, or my former prepared foods shop, one of my greatest joys is feeding other people. You could say it’s my love language - somewhere between giving gifts and acts of service.
When a time of need arises, my first thought is always, “what can I make?” And if you’re the same kind of person, or want to be able to be that person, I have some thoughts and ideas.
When I take a meal (or more) to someone, I like to think about taking something they can get into right away - such as snacks or sweets, something for dinner that night, and something for the freezer for another day.
Breakfast items can be especially appreciated. Many times when people bring meals, breakfast gets left by the wayside. I made some things for my sister-in-law after the birth of both my awesome nieces, and she said the breakfast sandwiches I stuck in her freezer were her favorite thing because she could stumble out bed starving and have breakast in 90 seconds. A quiche or some blueberry muffins (these are my favorite) would also be great choices.
Unless I have signed up to bring a specific meal on a specific day, I bring food items that can be for today or another day. I don’t want anything to go to waste just in case someone else also brought food on the same day I did. Casseroles and soups are a great option here.
Don’t just show up. As well intentioned as you may be, please call first.
An Italian pasta casserole is one of my go-to options for gifting, and the Overnight Stuffed Shells below are perfect. The rich cheese filling bakes up beautifully inside the jumbo shells and is surrounded by a homemade marinara sauce and topped with extra mozzarella. Add a green vegetable or a side salad and some garlic bread, and you have a meal that pleases even the pickiest of eaters.
And my favorite thing about this recipe - you don’t have to boil the shells! The uncooked shells are so much easier to work with and fill. They soak in the marinara sauce overnight and bake perfectly the next day. I like to make and cool my marinara on one day, and then fill the shells the next. (You won’t need all of the marinara for the shells- keep the rest stashed in your freezer!)
I highly encourage you to make these stuffed shells, whether for yourself or someone else. Just make sure to have that garlic bread to swipe up the last bits of marinara goodness.
MONDAY - Air Fryer Chicken & Broccoli and Rice
We love this recipe that combines boneless chicken breasts, onions, and broccoli with an Asian inspired sauce and is super quick in the air fryer.
TUESDAY - Pork Tenderloin, Cheesy Potatoes, and Roasted Veg
Doing a combo of partly homecooked (roasted tenderloin and veggies) and partly store-bought helper (cheesy potatoes).
WEDNESDAY - A Christmas Night Out!
My husband got us tickets to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas show (what a great surprise!) so we get a night out on the town while the Kiddo hangs with my dad.
THURSDAY - Chicken Tetrazzini and Salad
While I was making meals for other people this week, I was smart and made some for us too!
FRIDAY - Friday night pick up!
A Korean fried chicken place opened recently in town, and I’m curious…
SATURDAY - Dinner at Yaya’s! (the in-laws)
She’s coming off of knee replacement surgery this week, so we’ll have an easy hang around night, and I’ll just cook us all dinner at her house. I grabbed an extra pork tenderloin at the store (they were on sale!), but I also have some cheese ravioli and Italian sausages. We’ll go with patient’s choice.
SUNDAY - Dinner at my Dad’s!
Dad makes a mean Reuben casserole! Layers of rye or pumpernickel bread, corned beef, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing. All topped with melty swiss cheese. And even the Kiddo loves it!
LUNCHES for this week - Chopped Salads
I got some baby kale and fresh veggies at the store to mix and match for lunch salads this week. I've been really into smashing my cucumbers, have you tried it? The dressing has all these craggly places to cling onto…so good.
EXTRAS for this week
Time to get my cookie dough in the freezer for Christmas Cookie Boxes!
House Marinara
Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.
· 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
· 1 large Onion, diced
· 2 stalks Celery, diced
· 2 Carrots, diced
· 4 cloves Garlic, minced
· 1 small can (6 ounces) Tomato Paste
· ½ cup Red Wine
· 2 cans (28 ounces each) Crushed Tomatoes
· 1 teaspoon kosher Salt (Morton or other store brand)
· ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper
· 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
· 1 tablespoon white Sugar
· 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
· 1 Bay Leaf
· ¼ - ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onions, celery, and carrots with a pinch of salt until cooked through and just starting to brown, 10-12 minutes.
Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook one minute, then stir in red wine. Cook another minute.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, sugar, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes (if using) plus about 1 ½ cups water. (I usually use the water to rinse the tomato cans and the bit left behind.)
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
After an hour, remove from heat to cool slightly. Find and remove bay leaf. If you would like a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend sauce to desired consistency.
Use immediately or store sauce for later. It will keep refrigerated for 3 days or in the freezer for several months.
NOTES: If I’m just making pasta with marinara, I usually use about one quart (4 cups/32 ounces) for one pound of pasta.
Overnight Stuffed Shells
Makes one 9x13 pan.
· 30 ounces Ricotta Cheese
· 3 large Eggs
· 2 cloves Garlic, minced
· 1 teaspoon kosher Salt (Morton or other store brand)
· ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper
· 1 tablespoon dried Oregano
· ¼ cup chopped fresh Basil
· 2 cups shredded Mozzarella
· 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan
· 12 ounce box Jumbo Shells
· 4 cups House Marinara
· 1 cup Water
Coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
In medium bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1 cup of the parmesan.
Use a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) to fill all the dry shells and place in prepared pan.
Combine marinara and water and pour over and around shells. Jiggle the pan a little to settle the shells and evenly distribute the sauce.
Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.
To bake – preheat oven to 350 and arrange the rack in middle position.
Bake shells, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 more minutes until cheese starts to brown on top and sauce is bubbling.
NOTES – you may have ricotta mixture left over. You can pop it in the freezer and use it for a simple Italian casserole later. (Or it makes a great base for a white pizza!)