Okay - I know that there are lots of recipes already posted but here is my situation. I have a really good friend that is going to be starting chemo in just a few weeks. Our church is going to be preparing meals for her and her family for the next year. I am responsible for one weeks worth of meals every 3 months. I have enlisted 4 or 5 other people to be on my "team" (for lack of a better word. I want to fix things that are not what everyone else is fixing. I know when I had surgery a few years ago and people brought meals - I got chicken casseroles and lasanga. Now don't get me wrong - I like both of those but that can get to be very boring and quite frankly there somes a point when you will just throw them out because you have had so many. I am going to be sharing these suggestions with my group. A couple of things we were thinking of was Chicken Salad and taking fixings for sandwiches and perhaps a breakfast casserole (you know we all talk about how we love breakfast for dinner). So - send me all of your suggestions!!! If there is a recipe on here that you are suggesting - point me to it!!! Thanks so much for your help!!!

Some quick ideas... I'm horrible at coming up with things to do with veggies so sorry I couldn't be more specific than 'veggie dish'.

Salad dinners, package each line below seperately so the won't interact and get soggy
- all the veggies chopped and ready to go in one container
- meat (chicken, cold cuts, bacon, taco meat depending on type of salad)
- cheese
- dressing

Hamburgers, already cooked so they just need reheating with buns, baked beans, veggie dish

Grilled/baked chicken breasts - mix it up with different marinades, baked potatoes, veggie dish

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:love:

baked spagetti with a salad
meatloaf with baked potaotes and peas
tacos- ground the meat, then in seperate bowls have the chopped lettuce,tomatoes, cheese. I like to make the sweet corn side dish. Use the one made with Jiffy mix or I sometimes buy the sweet corn mix in the mexican food section.
enchillidas- again use the sweet corn side dish
quiche

-vegetable or potato soup
-chili
-meatloaf
-definitely like the sandwich fixins idea
-jambalaya
-quiche
-quesadillas
-something sweet like cupcakes or brownies
-a cold pasta salad with chicken added
-chicken or steak and veggie kabobs
-stir fry and rice

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~AMY~

ok...a couple suggestions and a couple of questions.

Suggestions:

to best serve this woman and her family,maybe (say you have a bulletin board or such at your church)each group could post weekly their menu of things they are taking to them.(that will help with being bombarded with the same casseroles and meals and such )

another suggestion is that maybe someone could talk to them and find out some things they like and do not like.Or even some family favorites Take a childs favorite dessert or a big crock of mac n cheese and some grilled hot dogs or something,make a child(or kids in general)feel special with a meal centered around them.

Another thing to do is try to find a variation on something basic...instead of plain potato salad...look for a ranch one...instead of reg meatloaf make a mexican one...how about a white lasagna with chicken and broccoli,green onion and alfredo as opposed to red.

remember to...everyone gets in the mood for something light and simple...I have a great sub recipe I'll post...that with a bag of chips and a good dip can be enjoyable on the right day and a light simple pocke cake or something...(you could even think theme nights..make a meal to kinda go with a movie you already own maybe you could let them borrow or something)

okay...I'm rambling...I'll go post some recipes for ya...

also....try the "amish macaroni salad" I posted...I juat made a triple batch last week for everyone and they are all already hounding me for more!!!(good stuff)

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Avoid Fruits~N~Nuts....you are what you eat!!!

another quick tip for easy clean up and free container ideas to send things in...

our grocery store deli and butcher shop offer the containers that their mac salads and such come in for FREE(just ask)I get them weekly here from both places for my husband to take things on the truck!!!

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Avoid Fruits~N~Nuts....you are what you eat!!!

What about sloppy joes, shredded chicken or beef for sandwiches, and a bag of chips or batch of potato salad and some fresh fruit. I know we like an easy night w/ just a sandwich and "munchy" kinds of things once in awhile, or that's stuff that could stay in the fridge a few days for a quick meal on busy days, too. And a great suggestion to talk to them and ask what they like--and even if there are any food allergies to beware of!