My Five Best Baby Dinners

I have delivered four dinners to new babies this past month alone (my group of friends is constantly having lots of babies).  I must say that I truly enjoy it- the making and delivering.   Over the past five years and countless dinners I have really gotten my technique down.  Ha, it also might help that I will be reaping the benefit of a meal train in about three months.

Some friends and I were discussing cooking at a dinner party last week.  About half were firmly in the "do it from necessity but dislike it strongly" camp.  Obviously, y'all know that I am strongly in the "love love love it" camp.  Miss Priss and I had a testy week, and after struggling through the grocery store Wednesday (thank you Kroger for the free balloon, and blind eye to apple munching!), I was thrilled to get her down for her nap, listen to the new John Grisham, and get busy in the kitchen.  It brings me such peace to put my energy and (cheese-alert) love into making a simple casserole, delicious dessert, and wholesome vegetable for friends, and packaging it all up. Maybe it is just because I love to eat so much, but good food is probably the greatest gift we can give each other in my eyes.

Or maybe I just need a snack.

So in honor of all these babies, I thought my Five on Friday would be to share my favorite recipes to bring families with new babies.  (Links to each recipe are in the title)

1.  Anytime Chicken and Dressing

Serve with a green vegetable- (I'm partial to green beans, myself), Sister Schubert's rolls, and cookies.

2.  Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Serve with a green salad- I like to include a jar of a quick homemade dressing, garlic bread (try this one!), and brownies.  I have made this probably 25 times over the last few years, and it is always such a hit.

3.  Chicken Tetrazinni

Perfect with roasted asparagus, french rolls, and something sweet!

4.  Elvis Enchiladas

Serve with Mexican rice, salsa, sour cream and tortilla chips.  Chocolate chips cookies are always welcome!


5.  Cheesy Poppyseed Chicken

This is the greatest iteration of poppyseed chicken I have ever encountered.

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked chicken, shredded (you can use a rotisserie, or boil a whole chicken and have homemade stock for other purposes)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz container sour cream
2 tablespoon poppyseeds
4 tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup cheese, divided

Mix everything and 1/2 cup of cheese together, and top with the other half of the cheese. Bake for 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until bubbly.

I could eat that chicken all day long.  Comfort food at its best.  Poppyseed chicken is excellent with steamed broccoli, but you might want to check with the mama in question, since it can upset some baby's tummies (same with brussel sprouts, some spices and beans).   Miss Priss could not handle black beans or cabbage, herself.  An excellent subsstitute is roasted asparagus.Add some rolls and something sweet, and you are set!

Other tips?

Make sure everything is in disposable containers.  I had zero brain power/ability to leave the house/desire to return dishes to their proper owners in the weeks or even months following Dell Harper's birth.

If something calls for a 9x13 baking dish, make it in 2 8x8's instead.  Write freezing instructions on one.  It's nice to not have to eat the same leftovers for a week, and have something tucked away for when new mama goes back to work or when the meal train dries up.

I know that not everyone has the time or inclination to cook.  However, any effort is much appreciated, and a home-cooked meal, or dessert from a special bakery makes all the difference to an exhausted friend.

Thanks to the ladies for hosting, and have a wonderful weekend!!

A Minor (Maternity) Rant

Why oh why can I not find maternity clothes that suit my taste?  This is what I want.

Too bad they cost from $158 to $318.  That's not in the budget.

Why can I not find flowy clothes that skim over my tummy for a reasonable price?


Or else, I would like classic, modest yet flattering clothing?

Arrgh, I need to resume my search for a seamstress.

How cute would I be chasing after Miss Priss in one of these ensembles?

 Or these fall looks are just too perfect!

Colorful, simple clothing.  They have no words emblazoned across the stomach, nor do they show one's belly button.  From the abundance of skin tight styles on the market, I must be the only person whose waist is immediately replaced by love handles the minute I find out I am with child.  No amount of ruching can disguise that.  Why are the flowy tops which abound at Anthropologie or the drapey numbers I recently purchased at Gap not available for maternity?   I know I can buy larger sizes, but then the shoulders and sleeves swallow me, and the lengths rapidly become too short.

Whine. Whine. Whine.

If I could design and produce my own clothes, I would make a simple capsule wardrobe of leggings and skinny pants, with A-line sleeveless tunics that I could layer with long sleeved tees, and short A-line swingy dresses.   Some swingy soft long sleeved tunic tops.  Long cardigans in bright colors. All machine washable and appropriate for toddler chasing, yet presentable and chic.

Instead, I am presented with this as a cute and affordable option.

If the poor model looks lumpy, a mere mortal like myself has no chance.  And this offering is from Gap!  Don't even get me started on Motherhood Maternity's offerings.

I will quit complaining, and go back to my quest for loose swingy tops.  Have any of y'all worn those Piko tops while pregnant?  I've thought about trying that, but I am almost in the third trimester.  How long would they last me?

If I am ever pregnant again, I am creating my damn capsule collection well beforehand when I still have some energy.  Better start learning to sew now.

What's Shaking

So, I have fallen woefully behind with my blogging.  But, I have a new niece!  And she is precious!  And over a week old.  I'm behind.  My brother and sister-in-law are doing wonderfully, and adjusting to life without sleep.  Although, I have a feeling my brother is still getting some sleep.  Dell Harper has not met Charlotte yet, but once things settle down, she is going to be so thrilled to meet this baby we keep talking about!

We hit up the massive fall extravaganza at a local farm's pumpkin patch.  The hayride to actual pumpkin patch had an enormous line, so we perused more toddler friendly activities.  Like riding in a carts behind an ATV.

 Morgan and I were dying to go see the goats and bunnies (um, okay, I was dying), but Miss Priss refused to leave the sandpit.  Someone had trouble understanding the fall/farm theme of our activity apparently.

 Once she saw the goats?  She got it.

 Look at this goat in the air!  They had this entire elaborate climbing structure for the goats, which went out of their pen and above our heads.  I wanted to play on it so badly.

Then the little kid corn maze.  Talk about delight!  This girl took off!

 We had to go through a second time, with her leading me around.

She also got to sit in a giant metal tub of corn- this looked pretty fun.  Kind of like the corn version of the gold in Duck Tales.  The older kids got a little rough for Miss Priss's taste though.

And I finally got my photo opportunity. I mean, it's not like her outfit was purchased back in August for this single moment or anything.

So, it was a great Sunday.  Then Dell Harper started coughing like a seal barking around 11:45 that night, and I knew that sleep was not on my agenda for the night.  She had been a little raspy at church, but I chalked it up to playing so hard with her buddies, and her little allergies.  Instead, it was croup.  And a double ear infection.  She is feeling great, and never even ran a fever.  I am still exhausted from a night of 45 minutes of sleep while six months pregnant, but am planning on catching up right now!

On my blogging to-do list, I have an amazing dessert recipe to share with y'all, (shocking, since brownies from the box are my main specialty for a sweet treat).  I will make it again since I neglected to take pictures last time.  I've got my fourth baby meal for the month coming up, and will share the dessert along with my top new-mama meals.