Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

SIMPLE COMFORT FOOD MEALS FOR GIFT GIVING

Simple and comforting! You cannot go wrong with this gift! When giving food as a gift, I try to make sure there is no hassle involved for the recipient. Otherwise, it is not much of a gift. Not all meals are freezer friendly or easy to reheat. Casseroles are perfect for gifts because they reheat well and can be frozen. Typically, when you give a food gift it is because someone has just had a baby or had a loved one pass or had surgery. They are overwhelmed with life or sickness and you are helping them take one thing off the plate so to speak. I love food gifts. Giving and receiving. Recently my mother had surgery and I wanted to make her a few meals that she could heat up when the fuss is over and she is alone again but still doesn’t feel like cooking. Freezer meals are great for this.

Comfort classic

The first meal that comes to my mind when I am seeking comfort (that is not soup) is chicken and rice. I picked up some storage containers for single servings from Hobby Lobby and the rest of ingredients from the grocery store. Everything about this meal is easy. I used minute brown rice. Once cooked, I added one can of broccoli cheese soup and 3 table spoons of ricotta cheese. It turned out so creamy. next to the rice I put a hand full of chopped broccoli and one piece of baked chicken. I put it into the foil container and then placed that into a freezer safe Ziploc bag. All done!

Baked chicken and broccoli rice casserole

Beckie

easy to pack up and take to a friend

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken
1 bag boil in the bag rice
1 can broccoli cheddar soup
2 tbs ricotta cheese
2 tbs poultry seasoning
2 cups chopped frozen broccoli

Instructions

First season the chicken with olive oil and poultry seasoning. If you don't have poultry seasoning you can use whatever you have on hand. garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper will do. I have used lemon pepper seasoning too. Bake chicken at 350 degrees for 50 min to 1hour until the internal temperature reaches 175.
next up make your rice according to package directions. add in a can of cream of broccoli soup and the ricotta cheese.
To assemble small meals, grab your containers and place one piece of chicken, frozen broccoli and the rice casserole in each one. be sure to write the cooking instructions on the top. This just needs to be reheated so if you send yours in a microwaveable container, I would cook it for 1 minute and 30 seconds. stir and then cook for 30 more seconds stir and cook for 30 more seconds if it needs it.
If your container is in aluminum, I would reheat it on a cookie sheet in the oven or in the toaster oven on a tray at 350 for 15-20 minutes until warmed through

Delivering the gift!

I would put them in a basket and include a bag salad and some kind of dessert. A kind letter or card would be sweet too. Make sure to whip up this dish for yourself while you are making gifts. You will not be disappointed. Next week I will be making a casserole you can either package for a whole family or break it up for someone who lives alone or it is just two of them. The theme will be comfort foods of course. Stay tuned!

XOXO