There’s nothing I appreciated more than the meals that my friends brought me after coming home from the hospital with my second child. Seeing friends, having adult conversation, and not having to worry about meal-prep was such a gift. But, when it was my turn to return the favor the other day for a family in need, I froze. What was I going to make???
It needed to be easy to prepare. Easy to transport. Easy to freeze and reheat. It had to taste good, but appeal to various palettes. Oh the stress! Normally, I would have fallen back on the ‘ol rotisserie chicken and bagged lettuce routine, but I had a little time to spare, and this family deserved a home-cooked meal. So, I turned to the internet and pulled up a few good recipes.
Italian Sausage Lasagna, recipe courtesy of Barilla
Ingredients
1 (9 ounce) box of barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef or 1 lb sausage, browned
2 jars spaghetti or pasta sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
In bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese and TWO cups of the mozzarella cheese and parmesan. Set aside.
In a 13X9X3 pan, spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of pan. Layer in the order, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles (they will overlap), then 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, half the browned meat, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of spaghetti sauce. Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, and 1 1/2 Cups sauce. Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and remained meat, 1 cup of sauce. For top layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining sauce, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
Bake covered with foil for 50-60 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until all the cheese is melted on the top (about 5 minutes). Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Creamy Ravioli and Pesto Gratin, courtesy of Real Simple
Ingredients
16 to 18 ounces fresh or frozen cheese ravioli
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the ravioli according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together cream and pesto. Mix in the ravioli. Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.
Chicken Chilaquiles, courtesy of Cooking Light
Ingredients
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (11-ounce) can tomatillos, drained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine chicken, green onions, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, Parmesan, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Place milk and next 3 ingredients (through chiles) in a food processor or blender; process until smooth.
Pour 1/3 cup tomatillo mixture into bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 corn tortillas in dish, and top with half of chicken mixture. Repeat layer with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining 1 1/2 cups tomatillo mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
Whether you make them for your family, a potluck dinner, or someone you know that could use a home-cooked meal, I hope you enjoy them. To bring to another family, fully bake the dish, cover with foil, and instruct the family to reheat at 350 degrees until warm.
Enjoy!
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