ISO: ISO Make-ahead, one-dish, easy to transport (not asking for much, eh?) good, hot foods to help my

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dawnnys

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sister out who is hosting 9 people at her house for the weekend. Her SIL passed away at only age 57, suddenly but not unexpectedly, and family is coming from out of town for the services. I'd like to take over a couple of meals for the crowd because other services are in a separate town and they won't be back home until everyone comes back with them, and she doens't like to cook anyway. Plans just made, so they will be coming tomorrow night. Nothing fancy needed, just easy and good.

I know there are probably threads on this here somewhere - altho I can't find them now - but I was hoping for tried and true favorites that would fit the occasion. (Please keep in mind I still don't have the use of a stove, but have a crockpot, microwave, and electirc frying pan which have all been very handy this past week 'again'.) Thanks.

 
How about one of the macaroni and cheese recipes posted above. Take

unbaked and let them pop it in the oven.

 
Or with your absence of a stove right now, you might consider taking a dozen fresh bagels with

an assortment of spreads and cheeses....great for easy breakfast, snacks, lunch. Or a big fruit salad.

 
Rec: Barbecue Bean Bake

20 plus years ago this was a popular dish...I used to take casseroles of this to Moms with new babies, or post-funeral-service meals.

Barbecue Bean Bake

This recipe can easily be halved.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce (preferably not with hickory)
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp prepared mustard like French's
4 tbsp molasses
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp pepper
2 16-oz.* cans red kidney beans, drain 3/4 liquid from can
2 16-oz.* butter beans, drain 3/4 liquid from can
2 16-oz.* cans pork and beans

Brown bacon until almost crisp. Remove bacon, drain grease, add ground beef and onion and brown all together. Drain excess fat. In large bowl, combine bacon and ground beef/onion mixture with all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Pour into casserole dish and bake at 350-degrees for 45 - 50 minutes until heated through. Makes 20-24 servings.

Notes: Have had this recipe a long time, when manufacturers used to make 16 oz. cans. Now I believe they come in 15-1/2 oz. but the size of the can won't really affect the
outcome of this dish.

For potlucks I just assemble all the ingredients the night before and refrigerate. The next day I bake the casserole or put in a crockpot and heat just long enough to heat until hot.

Good accompaniments: Tossed green salad and cornbread or garlic bread.

 
I found it very helpful to have "self service" foods available, like sandwich wraps and sliced ham

and rolls and a big crockpot pot of soup or chili or whatever was great for something hot. people would just eat when they wanted and served themselves with not a lot of food prep and "cooking" needed. Refrigeration space can become a big problem.

 
REC: Ham Casserole (time to pull out the frozen leftover xmas ham smileys/smile.gif

Everything in here should be doable in microwave and/or your elec skillet. I usually throw in peas, or string beans. Corn would probably be good too.

Ham and Potato Casserole

SERVES 4 -6

Ingredients
2 cups diced cooked ham
2 cups diced cooked potatoes
2 cups white sauce (recipe below)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

white sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)

Directions
1 Cook potatoes in your favorite method (bake, microwave or boil) till done. Allow to cool enough to handle.
2 While potatoes are cooling, prepare white sauce.
3 Melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat.
4 Stir in flour to form thick paste. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute (this allows the flour taste too cook out).
5 Slowly add half 'n half and continue to stir over medium-low heat until sauce this thickened.
6 Add mustard, salt, pepper, onion & 1/2 cup cheese to the sauce. Stir to incorporate and remove from heat.
7 Preheat oven to 375°F.
8 Spray 2 quart casserole with PAM or your choice of no-stick cooking spray.
9 Dice the cooked ham (left over ham is great for this recipe).
10 Peel and dice the potatoes (approximately 1/2" pieces).
11 Place the potatoes in casserole dish in an even layer.
12 Spread ham pieces over the top of the potatoes.
13 Add remaining cheese to the white sauce and give a final stir (this last addition of cheese should not melt right away) and pour over the ham and potatoes.
14 Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.


RecipeZaar Recipe #298919

 
Comfort food from the Midwest- REC Church Cookbook Hot Dish

This is one of my very favorites. I've made it since the cookbook came out in my hometown. Don't be put off by the green olives or by the UNCOOKED wide egg noodles- it is very simple to make and very delicious. Make it in your electric frypan.

CHURCH COOKBOOK HOT DISH
From the 1956 Episcopal Church Cookbook, Sauk Centre, MN.
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 C water
2 cups egg noodles, uncooked
1 can cream-style corn
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 C parmesan cheese

Brown onion and beef. Add tomato sauce, water and noodles. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add corn, olives and herbs. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake at 325°, covered, for 1 hour.

 
Dawn, how about "Walking Tacos"?

Make up a batch of taco meat (I use onions, black olives, whatever else I have around when making them), get a bunch of small bags of Fritos and some shredded cheese. People can open the bag of Fritos, ladle the mixture over it and sprinkle with cheese. Doesn't get easier than that.

 
These recipes are are very good ideas. I think I found, from Heather's post via MoNJ, that breakfast

will be my best bet. I'm thinking that cold cuts and sandwiches they can do themselves... but they won't think to have a hot breakfast waiting for them in the morning before the funeral though. Lunches and suppers will probably be pizza or something out and away from the house. Maybe a macaroni and cheese crockpot meal or Cathy's beef and noodle skillet thingie. They all sound great.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. The woman died of emphysema at such a young age because she had congenital lung problems and asthma all her life too. Sad situation.

Here is the link that has many crockpot breakfast items.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/breakfast

 
Cathy, oh, the memories you brought back suggesting Walking Tacos

I used to work for the City of Redding and was with the Police Dept. I wore many hats there, and one of my functions was taking care of their volunteers and doing fund raising for them. Every year I had a bake sale in one of the conference rooms which ended up also being a casserole, lunch food sale for the staff. One of our volunteers brought Walking Tacos one year and the staff went nuts. OMG were they awesome. The cops loved them and it was so neat to see these highly trained, cute guys with guns on their sides come in for their lunch or breakfast (since we started at 8 a.m. just prior to the night shift going home. Thanks for the memories! By the way, the staff asked for them every year after that!

 
Cathy, I am going to have a couple over for breakfast soon

and was wondering about having these for breakfast, it sounds good to me but then I like stuff like that for breakfast. These folks really like sausage and bacon, I've noticed when we go out each month with them, for breakfast. What else would you suggest I serve as sides if I do this...or is it a bad idea?

 
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