I don't know about your town, but all signs here point to a baby boom in the next six months. The stork is extra busy around these parts and there are flocks of underfed, sleep-deprived new parents to prove it.
My favorite way to meet new babies is to come bearing supper. (Sweet Kristen lives by her mom's adage, "Knock with your feet!" I laugh about this when I have a toddler by the hand, a baby gift, a bag of food and my keys. I promise I'm not kicking your doors in, new moms!)
The uptick in new mom meals made recently has given me flashbacks of the unadulterated gratitude such suppers brought out in me. A moment of company plus a meal for our family once you're gone? Wow. Best gift ever.
I'm no Paula Deen, nor am I the world's most normal eater (we'll discuss my bizarre list of pickiness over super-plain sandwiches sometime), but I'm getting better with practice.
Casseroles aren't really my thing - too much cheese, not quite enough variety. I realize I'm the only person south of the Mason-Dixon who feels this way, and that's ok.
Other one-dish meals, though, can be easy to fix and very much appreciated.
Here are a few of my latest fall favorites to bring to homes after the stork stops in. Add in a side of salad and, depending on the meal, either corn muffins or Italian bread and voila - you're a gourmet chef!
*Pioneer Woman's White Chili - Such a favorite around here. We're having it tonight, actually!
*Aunt Lynn's Lasagna - She may not be a household name to you, but my aunt's recipe quickly became a classic during my college years. When she'd send up two at a time, I became the most popular girl in my building overnight!
*Butternut Squash Soup - Again, a Smith family favorite. Creamy, easy to double and perfect for chilly nights.
*Pasta e Fagioli Soup - Patterned after an Olive Garden recipe, this is such a hearty meal. Perfect in a big mason jar, the ultimate "don't return me" dish. If only it came with the addictive OG breadsticks...
*Chick-fil-A Deliciousness - While I haven't actually delivered one of these meals, some thoughtful friends who know us all too well brought us CFA after Mac was born. Boy, did we enjoy it!
My grandmother visited once with a Chick-fil-A lunch in hand, a homemade banana pudding for later and a gallon of CFA sweet tea to top it all off. I nearly died of excitement!
Bottom line: don't be intimidated when cooking for new mom friends; all they're really hoping for is a bright spot in a hectic day.
Pick up take-out, make sandwiches, bring by a gift card - just come. Leave enough for leftovers and be sure your containers are tossable.
Start and end the visit with a big hug and assure the mom that she, the baby (and the house, if she's a stress case like me!) could not look better if she tried. But that you really, really hope she didn't try.
What are your favorite recipes for new parents? Any casseroles to try that will change my mind?
Dear Emerson
1 week ago
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3 comments:
I love this post! All so true - especially making sure all containers are tossable. There is nothing worse than not remembering who brought which casserole dish.
After I had Small Biz, my favorite visitor set the table with dinner, took the baby from my arms and walked into the living room - leaving my husband and I to eat dinner at our own pace!
i don't do casseroles either but this one is having me rethink my stance:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/11/chicken-divan-lightened-up.html
It is so flavorful, filling, and light!
I know with both my girls the best part about having someone bring you a meal was getting to talk to another adult! The food the person brought was just an added bonus!
One of my fav dishes to take to new parents is my crockpot bbq. It's super easy...a boston butt with some shealy's vinegar and pepper sauce on low and 8 hours later you have a delicious meal that's enough to feed 2 families! Plus, it's meat which you don't always get much of when people are bringing you meals.
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