What to cook & put in mom's freezer - seems dad had done the cooking the last 25 or so years

M

music-city-missy

Well-known member
After dad passed away unexpectedly last month, I am discovering that mom has sort of forgotten how to cook except her cakes and things like butter beans or field peas. I hadn't though about it, but dad took over cooking almost all the meals after he retired over 25 years ago. I came back down last week and I am still her. She says she doesn't have an appetite and she did buy a few frozen meals. I never thought of her as being picky but when I start thinking about things to cook, I realize that she is sort of picky. She definitely doesn't like anything that is hot and she always says she doesn't like spicy foods. She even complained that they must have put jalapeno pepper on our pizza tonight - I barely even noticed the heat and it had to be either the Italian sausage on it or the sauce. And because I am 400+ miles away from home, whatever I cook needs to be something that makes a few meals, not a dozen. I am so emotionally and physically exhausted that every idea I have right now is something she wouldn't eat.

 
SO Sorry about the situation. How about twice baked potatoes with something

like ham or mild sausage in the filling--broccoli or spinach also.
Pea soup with some ham. Vegetable soup with chicken.
Does she have freezer space? Does she need a meal service or qualify for one?

 
I got this list in an email earlier this week...

and I scanned through it and saved a few of the recipes.

A lady at my pottery studio recently had surgery and will need to be on restricted activities (including shopping trips and standing to cook) for more than a month. We are organizing a schedule to keep her fridge and freezer filled with easy to heat and eat meals.

It might be worth a bit of time to check out these ideas.

https://www.marthastewart.com/275541/easy-casserole-recipes?did=344190-20190223&utm_campaign=everyday-food_newsletter&utm_source=marthastewart.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=022319&cid=344190&mid=18800664725

https://www.marthastewart.com/275541/easy-casserole-recipes?did=344190-20190223&utm_campaign=everyday-food_newsletter&utm_source=marthastewart.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=022319&cid=344190&mid=18800664725

 
Aunt Jemima frozen breakfasts

I love these - perfect size, easy/quick to reheat, most are pretty nutritious, breakfast is comforting. Colleen

 
Various nut and seed butters and tons of different, sliced breads in freezer -

in individually sized portions w/bagels, ciabatta, croissants, "thin" bread rounds, swirled cinnamon and marble rye. Colleen

 
Make your own peanut butter recipe w/pix

Homemade Peanut Butter
2 cups dry roasted peanuts I prefer unsalted - otherwise the pb is too salty
2 tbsp honey
1 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
salt, to taste
Instructions
Make it: Add the peanuts to a high-powered food processor. Process on high! The mixture will be crumbly, then it will start to ball up, then it'll start to smooth out. When it hits the smoothed out stage, but is still a little grainy and pretty thick, add the vegetable oil, 1 TBSP at a time, pulsing between to combine. This will help thin out the peanut butter and make it creamy.
Once the peanut butter is creamy enough for you, add the honey and a pinch of salt and pulse to combine. Taste the peanut butter and add more honey or salt as desired.
Store it: Store the peanut butter in an airtight container (I like using little mason jars for this!). It can be kept at room temperature if you think you'll go through it in less than a week, otherwise store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

https://bluebowlrecipes.com/homemade-peanut-butter/

 
I make blueberry pancakes from Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix and add fresh blueberries

I also make French Toast out of Brioche bread. Both are frozen, after cooked, two to a piece of plastic wrap, then frozen in a large zip lock bag. Hubby loves them for breakfast, easy for him to take out a pack of two, of whichever he wants, putting on his plate with a pat of butter and zap in microwave. Both freeze very well.
To make it easy to heat, I place one piece on the plastic wrap, fold over, then add the second piece, and fold over again and turn under edges. Easy to separate when packing like this.

 
Another possibility would be quiches in small tart pans. For the twice baked potatoes

I suggested I froze on a cookie sheet and then put in individual bags (I vac sealed).
Almost any casserole type will freeze. Potatoes in brothy soups don't do well, but might still be OK for the purpose/need here.
Mac and cheese with some ham mixed in would be hearty. And you can probably find this in the freezer section.
Maybe make a list of things you think she would like that are in the supermarket freezer?

 
{{{hugs, M}}} Since she makes peas, what about pea soup? It freezes well and has lots of protein.

Quiches can be bland. Buy ready-made pie crusts, liquid eggs and mild cheese. Then cut into 6 servings and freeze portions.

Bread pudding: lots of eggs and milk

 
MSM, please accept my condolences

I had not heard you had lost your dad. So sorry to hear of his passing.

Good luck with your plan for freezer meals. I tried the same thing with my dad once, my parents had just divorced, brother went off to the Air Force, and sister went to live with her mother, leaving dad completely alone when I went off to my freshman year of college. I made all sorts of meals and froze them, packaged them individually, left instructions on how to reheat, meals for putting in his lunch box to reheat in the microwave at work, etc.

When I came home for Christmas break, the freezer was filled with every dinner I put in there. He hadn't had one of them. Hopefully you'll have more success than I did.

 
Sorry and sad that this happens. My Mom was the same about food when still at home.

We tried Meals on Wheels but the food was too adventurous or spicy for her taste. No Asian, no Italian, and certainly no Mexican even after living in San Diego for 50 years. She never did like spicy and got even pickier about what she would eat. If she didn't eat it before, she wasn't trying new things now.
We narrowed it down to a few favorites that she could microwave, such as a fairly simple frittata, basic meatloaf and a baked potato, chicken and rice, bean soup, a hamburger, tuna noodle casserole, her bean muffins. She ate ice cream for dessert a lot of nights.
Is there a friendly neighbor who might pop in once a week to bring her some cut-up fruit or bananas?
Please let us know how it goes. You have friends here who care.

 
So sorry to hear this. A challenging time for you. Beef stew in single servings. Chicken and noodles

or dumplings in single portions.
Cut up a rotisserie chicken and package up servings with cooked rice and veggies or mashed potato/sweet potato. Does she use a microwave?
Would she eat salmon patties? We always have some frozen for quick meals. Keep hamburger patties in the freezer.
Stouffers mac n cheese and lasagna can be nice comfort food in a jiff and in small servings.
I’m so surprised that the meals on wheels is spicy. They are known for food on the bland side. Must be the San Diego cooks!
Take her shopping and go up and down the aisles. Maybe she will remember some canned soups or other packaged foods that she may have liked in the past and would like to have on hand. If just getting her to eat is an issue then I would turn to any food she will eat. Good luck!

 
When I had to do this for my Dad, I also took him to the Jewell deli and showed him all the dinners

they now offer. He could get fried or rotisserie chicken with all the fixings. Meat loaf and Italian beef and even cabbage rolls. He had no idea that there were so many hot food offerings in the expanded deli. Restaurant meal cards also got him to go out for a meal. Maybe she would go with friends or church people.

 
That's a good idea. Our supermarkets have deli counters that offer a "meat and 2'

meal. Or just individual servings of a lot of salads, etc.

 
A simple batch of, essentially, Ham Mac and Cheese: REC-- Super Cheesy Ham and Noodles

I am sorry to hear about your father and how your mom it doing. I hope she can get herself to eat--she may be lacking appetite because she is somewhat (and rightfully so) depressed.

I just concocted this as I had cubed ham in the freezer and was craving that dang Kraft Mac and Cheese. It was just what I wanted and was as tasty hot as it was cold (kept sneaking bites of leftovers. . . ).

If you added some chopped cooked broccoli this could be an all-in-one meal easily, The Parmesano Reggiano added just the right "hit" that it needed, so give it a try. Also this is NOT spicy at all

Easy to make and will keep several days in the fridge. Also you can freeze it in small portions, perhaps in ramekins or small casseroles; just add a bit of milk before reheating.

Super Cheesy Ham and Noodles
1 can cheddar cheese soup (the condensed stuff)
2/3 can half and half or whole milk (I used ½ can half/half (all I had) and filled to 2/3rds with milk)
4 slices Processed American Wrapped Cheese Slices (use something that does NOT have gelatin in it, one that you like but with at least 60 calories/slice; these cheese sliced a nice creaminess and most importantly keep the sauce smooth)
4 oz grated medium cheddar
2 oz grated Parmesano Reggiano (you could use a more slices of processed American cheese here if you wish, and if you do, I recommend a sharp one)
12 oz egg noodles (I used wide, whole-egg noodles)
2 cups ½ inch cubed ham, a good ham with some smoke flavor.

First put on a gallon of water to boil for the noodles; If you salt, salt very lightly..

In a small saucepan over medium heat put a couple of tablespoons of water, plop in soup and half and half, then mix till hot. While still on the heat, peel and tear processed cheese slices into hot soup, stir to melt. Add medium Cheddar, stir to melt. Continue heating and stir in the Parmesano Reggiano, stirring patiently to melt--it will melt. Finally, stir in the ham and heat sauce till ham pieces are hot. Keep sauce hot.

Next, boil noodles till just al dente. Drain and place in pot when finished; do not rinse, keep the noodles hot and return them to the pan.

Pour the hot cheese and ham sauce over the hot noodles and stir well. Serve with veggies and salad.

 
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