Friday, October 2, 2015

Freezer Meal Gift Basket #3


I've decided, if I ever receive the chance to publish a cookbook, it will be on the topic of preparing these meal baskets. Filled with tons of ideas and recipes to help you create the perfect plan for new parents, a neighbor recovering from surgery or just to say "I'm thinking of you" to a friend. And of course everything featured will be inviting enough that you'll want to recreate the dishes for your own family.

So I became an aunt on September 11th! Quite exciting for my side of the family as my girls were the only grand kids thus far. And it's a boy, so even more fun. Throughout their showers they received the majority of the main essentials plus more. My mom and I talked about preparing some meals for them after the baby arrived. I knew I wanted to create another basket perfect for their little family.


After the birth, mom took them meals of chili and chicken and noodles. I know they enjoyed the warm meals and the fact of not having to worry about dinner on those nights. So that's definitely one way to go about it.


But I really love these meal baskets. Because my brother's family does not have a deep freeze, I tried to scale back a bit on the freezer aspect. I tried to keep in mind of all meals plus snacks. With only the two of them in the house, I figured they might appreciate snacky type meals too.



Here's what I included in the basket:

Veggie Lasagna (I left the ground beef out this time)
Orange Rosemary Chicken
Monster Cookie dough balls
French Toast Sticks
Taco Dip (recipe below)
Local Apple Cider- perfect for these chilly evenings
Local Apples, for snacking

And a new book for my nephew, of course!

*Not pictured: brown rice for chicken meal and tortilla chips for dip.


The basket itself, I found at Target. Very inexpensive and something they can end up using in their own home.


I'll leave you with the recipe for this simple layered taco dip. I'm sure you might already have your own version. I figured with football season underway, a good appetizer might be appreciated for game watching.

If you're thinking of putting together your own meal basket, feel free to check out my other two posts for ideas- here and here. Think of your own favorite recipes or what your receiver enjoys most. Remember it doesn't have to be anything fancy!




Layered Taco Dip

Ingredients:
14 oz. can refried beans {or homemade}
16 oz. sour cream
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic salt
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomato
Diced pepper, olives; if desired
Grated cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:
Spread beans into bottom of desired pan. This will make enough for a large 9x13 pan, but I divided it into two 10-inch pie tins.

Mix seasonings into sour cream until fully incorporated. Then spread over bean layer. Layer dip with lettuce, cheese, tomato and any other desired toppings.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips.

1 comment:

  1. I love meal baskets as well (as you know), it is such a thoughtful gift and I know new parents appreciate them! Looks great Steph!

    ReplyDelete

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