{Bringing a Meal To a Friend in Need}

There are many reasons why a friend may need a meal. I am sure you have taken a meal to someone with a new baby, recovering from an illness, lost a job, a very busy week or maybe they are about to move or just moved into a new house. There are many reasons why you may take a meal to someone in your world.

No matter what the reason, there are a few things that make this gift of generosity one that will be appreciated.


1. Give warning:
If someone isn't coordinating the meals, call or message ahead to see what time is convenient for them.

2. Make it Brief:
Don't turn up with the whole family on the doorstep and make yourself at home. Organize (if possible) to have your kids minded while you drop the meal off and unless they offer, don't plan on staying or going inside. The reason your dropping a meal may mean that persons life is a little hectic and their house may be in a state of organized chaos that they may not feel like showing it off!
Also, don't stay and chat although there is likely to be a lot to share, deliver it with a smile and politely excuse yourself so the family can enjoy the meal you have made.

3. Serve it Thoughtfully:
Don't drop your meal off in your best baking dish. Often the recipient will have better things to do than coordinate the handing back of all the dishes they have received. There are plenty of disposable options which also gives them a night off washing up too. If you want to make it extra presentable, place meals in a cheap dish/ jar that you bought (ie from Kmart) and male sure you say that you don't want it back.



3. Dietary Requirements:
Know who you are making a meal for. Are they a vegetarian, gluten intolerant, do they have young kids that are unlikely to eat anything fancy or a new mum who may not want spicy curry if feeding.
Always include a list of ingredients on anything you made or you took out of the packet. This avoids any confusion.

4. Variety:
Whenever a friend has meals coming in there are often a lot of main meals. I have often been thanked for including a side salad, muffins, brownies, a loaf of bread, homemade muesli, a jug of juice or a small bag of groceries to help with the rest of the day.



5. Be Sensitive to Time:
If you are bringing a meal for that night, don't turn up at 8:00 when they may eat much earlier. If weeknights are tricky, consider offering a weekend delivery or perhaps offering to drop off one night for the previous evenings' meal.


Now there are some suggestions for the delivery and 'etiquette' of meals to those that may need it.

Q: Have you ever been the recipient of a meal? What was a favorite meal/ snack you have been given?

Lauren x

{How foil changed my life}

I know the title for this post sounds dramatic - but foil did change my life.

I thought i would share this post near Christmas time as it is a time of year when people are (typically) thinking most about generosity.

For years now I have always had foil containers with lids of varying sizes in the pantry. I always pick them up in the supermarket for a few dollars.



But how did they change my life you ask?
It has been a practical way that our family has made room for acting out compassion for others. I usually have a meal every so often that I make too much of. Then I label it and freeze it.
Having meals are always handy for yourself.
But having frozen meals ready to go, helps open your eyes to needs in others. As soon as I hear of a friend having a bad week, a baby arriving, someone coming home from an operation, I know I have a meal ready to drop around.
The easy thing is you don't have to worry about getting your dish back.
I have used these to put in such meals as:
- casseroles
- lasagnas
- curries

Not all things need to be frozen and prepared in advance. I have just used them as containers for other easy meal ideas too:
- hamburger kits (patties and salad items separated in zip lock bags)
- fried rice
- mash potato
- salads
- cooked or roasted veggies etc
- brownies and cakes (bake in the foil container)

So, next time you shop, pop a container like this in your trolley and make room in your budget for someone in your world who has a need. I guarantee you I'd you can't think of someone straight away, you will notice a need once your looking!

Lauren x



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thai fish cakes with dipping sauce and herb salad

We have been quite into fish at the moment and have loved oven baking them in parcels which I have posted before. I had similar ingredients, but wanted to try something different. This would probably be rightup there in my TOP MEALS that I have made / eaten before. Per usual, I made it up as I went and don't really have a recipe, so I will try to put down how I made it here. Can't wait to have left overs for lunch - DEEEEELICIOUS! For something with alot of ingredients, it was very quick and easy and cheap for us because a lot of these ingredients I have already.

Fish Cakes:
In the food processor b;end the following ingredients.
- About 1/2 kg of white fish fillets chopped up (I used 3 of my frozen hoki fillets I get from aldi).
- 1 egg
- 3 dessert spoonfuls of corn flour
- a bunch of corriander leaves (maybe about 1/2 cup)
- a small bunch of mint (about 1/4 cup) - a splash of fish sauce (about 1 TBS)
- a splash of sweet chilli sauce (about 2-3 TBS)
- a splash of soy sauce (about 2 TBS)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- a handful of roasted peanuts
- 1 fresh chilli (omit if you don't like spice)
- 1/2 tsp of fresh ginger (or dried if you don't have it)
- 1 tsp of yellow curry paste
- 2 shallots
- a squeeze of lemon and lime (and some rind too if you want)
- a little salt and pepper
- about 1/4 cup bread crumbs to bind (you may need less or more depending on your mixture)

Once blended, spoon out with a dessert spoon into little patties. My mixture at this point was still a little sloppy and sticky. I was making it ahead of time, so I sprinkled a plate with bread crumbs and dollopped the mixture into little piles. Then I sprinkled more bread crumbs on top and put in the fridge for about 8-10 hours. By the time I went to cook them, they were firm and easy to roll and cook. You could make these ahead of time like I did or even freeze them for a quick meal on a busy night.

In batches, then shallow fried them in oil and placed in the oven to keep warm and make sure they were cooked through. They didn't take long either :)


Dipping Sauce
In a bowl I just added some soy sauce as a base. Then I added a tiny bit of soy sauce and olive oil (about a tsp). Then I chopped up some more shallots, chilli, corriander, ginger, sweet chilli sauce and a squeeze of lime juice and mix gently.


Spicy and Crunchy Herb Salad
I chopped up some corriander, shallots, mint. Sprinkle with some frech chilly and smashed roasted peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.


Serving
What I love so much about Asian food is apart from the fact taht so much of it is healthy, the experience of eating it is always fun!. Arrange the three elements above on a platter. Then you take a chucnk of the fish cakes, dip it in the sauce and top with some salad.


I hope you enjoy this like we did. DEFINITLEY having this again. Don't be put off by all the ingredients, it's worth it!
Enjoy;
Lauren x