One-in-All Roasted Meal

therese

Well-known member
That subject probably didn't make sense, but here is what I am after: a simple all-in-one type meal that can be my go-to choice when making dinner for friends who have had babies. I was thinking perhaps a roast chicken where the potatoes and veggies cook with it, but I don't have a recipe for anything like that that has knocked my socks off. Ideally I could throw it all in an disp. alum. pan in the oven, take it out hours later, and drive it over to their house. Even better if I can fit more than one in the oven at a time. I'm in the middle of a baby boom right now, wanting to be nice but too busy to spend all day in the kitchen. Ideas?

TIA!

Therese

 
Therese, look up above in T&T. Lots of good one-dish meals in many of the categories. Adding a

loaf of crusty bread or a container of cooked rice or some potatoes to the pot is all some of them need for the "complete" meal you are looking for. The crockpot cassoulet is particularly popular and is found in one dish meals. CathyZ's roasted chicken is fabulous, but contains lots of garlic and some wine, which might need to be left out for the new mom, even though the alcohol cooks out. Joe's stupidly simple soy chicken is really good and you could add potatoes and carrots to the pan.

 
Hi Therese, how about Chicken in Mushroom Sauce?

What a nice idea that I am sure your friends will appreciate.

2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup lowfat yogurt
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsps flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 florets of broccoli
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 350°F and coat an oblong baking dish with nonstick spray.

Pound chicken to 1/2-inch thickness and place in the baking dish; mix other ingredients together and pour over chicken evenly.

Cover with foil and bake for about 45-50 minutes until chicken is done.

*Good served over noodles

 
Here's another favorite: Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni

From the Food Network

Cannelloni can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, and covered with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before baking. Remaining sauce will need to be thinned slightly.

Sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 ounce finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/3 cup)

Cannelloni:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 ounces baby spinach
1 3/4 cups ricotta
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 ounce finely grated Pecorino Romano
8 (6- by 4-inch) fresh pasta rectangles or 8 oven-ready (sometimes labeled "no-boil") Lasagna noodles
Special equipment: a 13 by 9 by 2-inch ceramic baking dish or other shallow 3-quart flameproof baking dish (not glass)

To make the sauce:
Melt butter in a 1 1/2 to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat. Whisk in flour and cook the roux, whisking, 2 minutes. Add the milk in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly (sauce will thicken). Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 2 minutes, then whisk in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and whisk in cheese, then cover pan.

To make the cannelloni: Heat oil in a 5 to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and saute, stirring, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Stir together ricotta, egg, parsley, prosciutto, if using, salt, pepper, and 1/3 cup cheese in a bowl, then stir in spinach mixture.

Boil pasta 2 pieces at a time in a 6 to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring to separate, until just tender, about 2 minutes for fresh pasta or about 6 minutes for oven-ready noodles. Gently transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water to stop cooking, then remove from bowl, shaking off water, and lay flat in between layers of plastic wrap. (Trim oven-ready noodles, if using, as closely as possible to 6 1/4 by 5 1/2-inch rectangles.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread 2/3 cup sauce in buttered baking dish. Spread about 1/3 cup ricotta filling in a line along 1 short side of 1 pasta rectangle, then roll up to enclose filling. Transfer, seam side down, to baking dish. Make 7 more cannelloni in same manner, arranging snugly in 1 layer. Spread 1/2 cup more sauce over cannelloni and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, covered with foil, in middle of oven until sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Turn on broiler.

Remove foil and broil cannelloni about 5 inches from heat until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Reheat remaining sauce and serve on the side.

 
Therese, does it have to be roasted? I ask because sometimes roast meats have an odd taste when

reheated, but stews and braises reheat well and may taste even better reheated. A chicken fricassee or a braised beef brisket would be a hit.

 
there's little better than a good lasagna...

with sausage and or ground beef for protein. maybe mushrooms. you can sneak in a surprising amount of grated zucchini and carrots with little change to the taste. and it freezes well.

 
many thanks although...

the recipe is by
Recipe By : Betty Rosbottom
submitted by Marian Harris (through a long and winding road back when lotsa people couldn't make lenghty posts on Gail's recipe swap and mud wrestling forum). after MUCH head beating (i'm a scorpio and there's little that a scorpio likes better than head beating) i finally had her email me the recipe and i posted it.

for those who are old timers, marian is the one who managed an ambulance drive from chitauqua to columbus, ohio after breaking both legs falling several feet onto concrete whilst watching an electrical storm. wish she'd reapper - an authority on turkish cooking.

 
Wow! Thanks...I hit the suggestion jackpot (more)

I will look into all of these options. In my "mom crowd" most are on Baby #3 or #4. On the plus side, no one is very particular about diet (pretty much beyond worrying about eating gassy foods that might bother the baby or being put off by a little liquor in the sauce--ha ha!). On the negative side, with a 6, 4 and 2 year old myself, it's hard to find the time to prepare something for someone else. Gone are the days when I would bring over a five course meal! smileys/smile.gif

I had so much great feedback that I'm going to post another question I've been meaning to ask. I'm on a roll!

Thanks again!
Therese

 
Therese, this Chicken Stew smells fabulous while cooking in the crockpot and SO easy, This is my

favorite meal to take to new moms.

Enjoy, one of our tasty crock pot or slow cooker recipes today!




Crock Pot Wild Rice Soup
1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1C. diced smoked turkey

1/2 C. uncooked Uncle Ben's wild rice and long-grain rice

1 seasoning packet from the wild rice mix

1 t. dried tarragon leaves

1/4 t. pepper

3 (14 1/2-oz.) cans chicken broth (can use garlic-flavored, if desired)

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated fat-free milk

1/3 C. all-purpose flour

1 C. frozen green peas, thawed

2 T. dry sherry, optional

Place onion, celery, carrots, turkey, 1/2 cup wild rice and long grain rice mix, rice mix seasoning packet, tarragon and pepper in slow cooker. Pour broth over all.

Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or until wild rice and vegetables are tender.

Mix milk and flour; stir into soup. Cover and cook about 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in peas and sherry during last 15 minutes of cooking.

Serves 6.

 
this was great Dawn. I had some sauteed maitake's that I needed to use....

and this just fit the bill. I did use sour cream instead of yogurt. there was plenty of left over sauce that I'll use on pasta for Don in a day or two.

 
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