the food I remember
The time just after you have a baby is such an amazing time. You're full of conflicting emotions: joy at the baby's birth, doubt at your own parenting abilities; relief that the pregnancy is finally over; exhaustion because not only have you just given birth, you also have a new baby that wants to be held all the time and eat every couple of hours. And then there's this kind of all-pervading sense of immensity. You know that the things that are going on right now--these first few days of your child's life--are special, and fleeting, and you want to remember every minute. Except you won't. And you can't. Looking back, even just a few years down the road, it's a blur. All a blur.
You know what's not a blur, strangely enough? The food. After every baby, I've had kind friends who brought me meals, and I can remember many of them distinctly. Maybe that's just me and I have a weird food obsession, but I really can remember specific dishes and who brought them to us. The creamy chicken thing. The honey-glazed chicken and rice. That delicious Mexican dish. The giant tub of cookie dough. Maybe it's just the novelty of having food delivered to your door; I don't know. I do know that the meals were a really welcome gift--it was so nice, in the midst of all that was going on, to never have to stop and think about what you need to make for dinner. They almost always seemed so delicious, and so different from the things I would normally make myself.
But for me, whenever I now have a chance to return the favor by bringing a meal to a friend, I always feel like my own recipes are dull, or not that good, or aren't something that would freeze/travel well, or are otherwise somehow unfit to be taken to a new mama.
So, blog readers, I'm wondering--what were the best post-baby meals you received? Or do you have a tried-and-true recipe that you love to take to friends in need? Please, share!
You know what's not a blur, strangely enough? The food. After every baby, I've had kind friends who brought me meals, and I can remember many of them distinctly. Maybe that's just me and I have a weird food obsession, but I really can remember specific dishes and who brought them to us. The creamy chicken thing. The honey-glazed chicken and rice. That delicious Mexican dish. The giant tub of cookie dough. Maybe it's just the novelty of having food delivered to your door; I don't know. I do know that the meals were a really welcome gift--it was so nice, in the midst of all that was going on, to never have to stop and think about what you need to make for dinner. They almost always seemed so delicious, and so different from the things I would normally make myself.
But for me, whenever I now have a chance to return the favor by bringing a meal to a friend, I always feel like my own recipes are dull, or not that good, or aren't something that would freeze/travel well, or are otherwise somehow unfit to be taken to a new mama.
So, blog readers, I'm wondering--what were the best post-baby meals you received? Or do you have a tried-and-true recipe that you love to take to friends in need? Please, share!
10 comments:
I too have had many friends bless us with meals after every baby, and I do remember them and they were all delicious, though I do not have the recipes for them, I love to make meals and take it to friends after the birth of a baby or other thing going on where they could use a pick me up. Lasagna of course is classic, but I have also made Butter chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala for a couple friends and they loved it. Not too spicy of course.
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/ontv/shows/recipe.html?dishID=8423&titleid=106377
http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-tikka-masala-25587
With our first baby, 3 out of 5 meals were some variation of chicken stir fry... ha! My husband had a joke about that.
I remember exactly who brought and what foods were given too. My memory is so vivid of those delicious meals!!!
- build your own taco salad (a dozen or so disposable containers with all the fixins for tacos) and brownie bites from Costco... mmm
- a rotisserie chicken with salad and yummy vinaigrette, rolls, and triple chocolate cookies all from a woman who was super busy and profusely apologized that it was straight from the store but it was SO GOOD
- a white chicken chili, croissants, choc chip cookies (I got the soup recipe from her because it was delicious)
- the big winner was a french dip au jus, tater tot green bean casserole, cookies, and a couple of special plates especially for our 3-year old (chicken nuggets, mac & cheese)
- oh, and my aunt from AZ shipped a box of Fairytale Brownies when Abigail was born... http://www.brownies.com
I think I'm a sucker for chocolate and baked goods, yeah???
We are all so lucky to have great friends who brought us dinner. I am sure your recipes are wonderful. My favorites to bring are: baked chicken, lasanga, meatloaf, manicotti, chicken cassarole & enchiladas. I do other ones too, but it really just is dependant on what they will and won't eat. All except the two chicken dishes freeze really well so if the Mom has to much food at the moment she can freeze it for a bit down the road.
Good luck and have fun!
I'm taking a meal today, in fact, and meeting new twin babies. Fun! I've liked everything people have brought and it's been a variety. Fresh fruit for some reason was something I always craved after delivery. One friend even just brought several frozen, prepackaged meals and that was awesome really. It was so convenient to have there in the freezer, ready to go whenever. So, anyway, it doesn't have to fancy!
I basically rotate between 3 recipes when I take someone a meal: a white lasagna that can be vegetarian, a chicken & spaghetti casserole, and a hamburger pot pie. They aren't the "best" per se, but they travel well. I usually like to deliver earlier in the day and let them either bake it themselves or freeze it.
I also rotate between a couple of meals for friends in need. Creamy chicken enchiladas, lasagna, and taco soup. I also have a chicken pot pie recipe that freezes well if that's needed. I always give a bag of salad, some yummy bread and I make a huge batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and bring it unbaked. That way the new mama can have it however she likes it! I had a friend who did this for me and I loved it, so I've included it every time I make a meal for someone for the last seven years!
Oh I worry about this too, esp because my friends are SO good at cooking and I am so NOT good at it! The one meal I remember being a hit was when we brought my husband's chicken stirfry and a giant vat of rice to our friends having to stay in the NICU.
I don't really remember meals people brought for us, but I do remember my best friends coming over and bringing, like, 10 bags from Trader Joes and chopping up all this fruit and putting snacks in the cupboard and basically Stocking Us Up With Stuff We Didn't Have To Cook and it was so awesome. Of course, I am the type who totally doesn't care if someone else takes over the kitchen/looks in all the cupboards!
Fajita's with all the fixin's as someone else said, lasagna...I have a new, simple recipe that is one bowl, and good for you, Couscous made with chicken broth, chicken cut into bite sized pieces, broccoli. Mix all up and add Parmesan cheese and some brown or dijon mustard to taste. easy to scoop out a bowlful when you have three or four seconds between feedings!!
Great post! I remember meals brought after babies arrived and how loved I felt when people brought them...and yet I feel insecure about taking meals to people.
Giving should never be about getting... getting that good feeling, I mean... but it's heartwarming to read this and as a non-parent, think that I may have contributed to a memory that lasts with a meal in those first baby weeks!
Hmmm...what's the best food to make for a post-partum family? I'm thinking carbs, salt, sugar and fat and brought with a smile to the door.
Yep. That'll do it.
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