Drop off dinner ideas for sick neighbor and caregivers

[Anonymous]

I'm looking for dinner ideas for drop off dinners to a neighbor -- I've volunteered to bring over dinner for her (terminal cancer) and her adult siblings who are rotating to doing the 24 hour care for her. Ideally: balanced to cover the food groups, easy to cook/reheat foods, soft/bite sized, not spicy, not "dry" as she may have a hard time swallowing dry food.

I've already brought over:

Dinner 1:
- kale salad with boiled eggs, carrots, tomatoes
- cut strawberries
- fried rice with lots of ham, eggs, peas, carrots
- stir fried, sliced up chicken breast and broccoli

Dinner 2:
- chicken, broccoli, pasta casserole in a creamy mushroom sauce, topped with panko bread crumbs
- cut up watermelon

Do you all have any ideas for future dinners or ingredients/components? From what I've gathered, they really appreciated the kale/strawberries since they are superfoods, and the comfort of the creamy chicken casserole. I'm thinking the fresh fruit could be mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) with whipped cream on the side. They are Italian (and I'm not) so I didn't really want to do anything like baked ziti/lasagna/spaghetti because I'm afraid they'd balk at my simple Prego sauced italian style casseroles. I am also thinking of all boneless/bite sized/easy to chew meats to minimize cut/prep of the food before feeding to her.

Thanks for your help!!!!

[Anonymous]

Are soups an option? I know it's summer, but they are so comforting and healthy. I'm thinking a French pistou would be good, or even something like broccoli cheddar? Since they liked the kale, you could do a soup with Kale (I've seen some with kale, white beans and sausage).

[Anonymous]

Quiche.

[Anonymous]

No ideas, just wanted to say that was you are doing for them is wonderful and kind.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I've never made quiche before - sounds like a great idea. How would I do this in a disposable or giveaway container? Is it "foolproof?" I am afraid of messing up the dish.

[Anonymous]

Buy pre made pie crusts. If the regular supermarket ones aren't healthy enough, get one from whole foods. Use joy of comings quiche recipe. It IS nearly fool proof this way. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

^^ oh crap. joy of Cooking
At least someone should get a laugh out of that typo.

[Anonymous]

OP, you can make quiche in a disposable pie pan (buy the crust premade if you want, frozen, in the pie pan): it's simple, easy, and easy to swallow.

When I was caring for my best friend during her battle against cancer, she enjoyed quiche; hot chicken salad (it's baked chicken salad topped with almonds and cheese and mixed with pimentos 0 you could skip the potato chip topping - quite good -- you can do it in a disposable tin); custards (for dessert); macaroni and cheese; fruit salad; broccoli cheddar casserole (cooked in disposable tin would work for you on this); rice pudding; baked pork loin (slow cooked with cabbage and brown sugar). I also made her strawberry cobbler.

As you can see, there were lots of comfort foods, with less nutritional value than perhaps was ideal, but you can supplement with salads. I don't mean to be too graphic, but you need to be sure anything you send won't hurt if she throws up, so it needs to be not only soft but not acidic.

Posting this allowed me to remember the most important comfort - the time my friend and I spent together. We were 32 and had thought we were invincible until she was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. She died after an incredibly courageous fight 5 years later. Thank you for allowing me to share this suggestion and this memory -- I miss her, 12 years after her death and 17 years after those comfort meals, more than I can say.

[Anonymous]

22:35 that was beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

[Anonymous]

Risotto would be nice, creamy, and easy to make. You could add in mushrooms or just about any vegetable you like.

Mild chili with corn bread

Shrimp and grits or polenta