One of the things I do to take a meal is a whole roast chicken...I just put 2 lemons in the cavity...I poke them first and perhaps put in a couple of whole cloves of garlic too and cook at 450 until the dark meat measures about 150 on an instant read....and it will come to 160 after you remove it from the oven.
The roasted chicken and a veggie rice or noodle casserole is pretty well dinner to me....add a salad and some brownies if you wish. It's good hot out of the oven, room temp or cold. It's my version of rotissery chicken..And they likely will have enough for another meal too.
Linda C

I had a stroke in 2001. I was in the hospital for a month and when I got home I still had to cook and clean. I have a husband and two daughters. Three of my neighbors got together and made three dinners for me. One was meatloaf, one was a roasted chicken, the third was Italian food. I appreciated those meals so much. Those ladies made me feel so good to be cared for that way. At least my family got some good meals. Cook whatever you are good at. It will be appreciated.

Here's a couple of ideas...

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MAPLE GLAZE -- Weed

Found this recipe on Epicurious and the third time I made it I accidentally burned the beginning part. That mistake made the sauce about ten times better than it already was.

3 12- to 14-ounce pork tenderloins, cut in half
2 Tbl crumbled dried sage leaves or rubbed sage
2 Tbl crushed garlic
Oil to moisten sage/garlic
Salt, pepper
2 Tbl. Oil
2 Tbl Butter + 1 more for shallots
1 cup pure maple syrup + cup to finish sauce
¾ cup apple cider vinegar + ¼ cup to deglaze pan
2 Tbl. Dijon mustard
½ cup shallots, finely diced
Mix sage and garlic, add a little oil to moisten. Rub all over tenderloins, sprinkle on salt and pepper and let sit one hour.
Mix 1 cup maple syrup, ¾ cup apple cider vinegar and the Dijon and set aside.
Melt butter and oil in a deep pan or pot over medium-high heat until hot and bubbling. Add pork tenderloins and cook, turning to brown on all sides. The garlic and butter will start burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan  that is ok and will make the sauce delicious. Pork will be very dark too, and almost crispy on the outside.
Cook pork until internal temperature reaches 140. (pork will be med-rare, it will cook further as it rests and in the last step.) Remove pork from pan, put on a platter and cover loosely with foil.
Keeping the heat on med-high, add the shallots to the pan along with another tablespoon of butter. Saute shallots, stirring constantly, until they are limp and taking on a bronze color, about 3 minutes. If they start to burn before they go limp, lower heat, but bring it back up for the next step.
Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, scraping up as much of the burnt stuff on the bottom of the pan as possible.
Add the maple syrup/vinegar/Dijon mix to pan. Lower heat to a lively simmer and cook until sauce thickens. Keep digging around on the bottom to get even more of the burnt stuff. Sauce will be very dark, almost black, from the goodies on the bottom of the pan.
When sauce is desired consistency, add ¼ cup more maple syrup and return pork and any accumulated juices to pan.
Heat the pork through in the simmering sauce. Do not overcook pork  inside should be nicely pink, like a med-well steak. I just cut it open and peek :)
Put one piece of pork on each plate and cover with sauce. Serve with white or brown rice and smother that with the sauce too.
Bon Appétit
October 2000
(with changes and additions by weed!)

Here are a few dishes that require no effort once assembled.

Chicken Enchiladas - Marilyn

2 chicken breast season, grill, rest and slice
8 ounces green chili salsa
1 Cup shredded Jack cheese
1 Cup shredded Mexican cheese
1 1/2 to 2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 to 6 flour tortillas (white or whole wheat)

Pour 1/2 cup cream into a shallow bowl. Dip each tortilla in cream then place in a baking dish. Place chicken then salsa into tortilla and sprinkle with cheese; roll, lay seam side down in dish. Pour cream from dipping over tortillas along with up to 1 additional cup of cream and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 mins. ,until bubbly. Wait at least 5 minutes before serving.

SHEPHERD'S PIE (Woodie)

2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch thyme
Dash Tamari Sauce (I would omit)
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup beef broth
2 cups cooked mixed vegetables (leftover or frozen)
5 potatoes and 2 garlic cloves, boiled and mashed with butter and milk
1 tablespoon butter

Brown meat in oil and drain. Stir in onions, carrots, celery, garlic and thyme and cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, flour and broth, Tamari and Worcestershire. Add cooked vegetables. Transfer to casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Salmon Pie

2 (8-ounce) salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 Cup court bouillon
1 Tbl olive oil
1 Cup finely chopped onions (I used green onions)
1 Tbl chopped garlic
1 Tbl finely chopped fresh parsley
2 Cup mashed potatoes
1 egg
1/2 Cup heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.~

Season the salmon with salt and white pepper. In a saute pan, add the court bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add the salmon and poach for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow the salmon to cool in the water until tepid. Remove the salmon from the pan and discard the liquid. Flake the salmon into a mixing bowl.In another saute pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions.
Season the onions with salt and white pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic and parsley. Add the Sauted mixture to the salmon. Mix thoroughly. Add the potatoes, egg, and cream. Mix well. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

I did not use a regular crust but rather topped with a puff pastry.

*******Cut the pie dough into 2 halves. Lightly dust the surface with flour. Roll out each half of dough to 12-inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick. Fold one circle of dough into fourths. Carefully lift the dough and place in a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Unfold the pie dough and spoon the salmon mixture into the pie shell. Place the second round of dough over the salmon mixture. Using a sharp knife, cut away the excess dough. Using your fingers, crimp the edges of the pie firmly to seal the dough completely. Bake the pie for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Can sub a nice white sauce for egg and cream. Top with puff pastry

Cheese And Spinach Enchiladas (Emeril)

NOTE: The **** indicate steps I took to make this a bit less labour intensive. Lots of words but they really go together quickly.

4 Poblano chile peppers about 1 pound ( I used canned chiles)
4 Lb fresh spinach stems removed and well rinsed (I used a package of frozen)
4 Tbl unsalted butter plus 4 tablespoons
1 Cup chopped yellow onions
1 Tbl chopped garlic
2 Tsp chili powder
3/4 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne 1/4 Cupall-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup
2 Cup half-and-half
1 Cup cubed queso fresco or queso blanco
1 Cup cubed Pepper Jack plus 1 cup grated
1 Cup grated cotija or Parmesan
2 Tbl vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas ( I used flour tortillas)
1 Cup chicken stock (I used vegetable stock but next time will use chicken)
1 Cup heavy cream

**** I used canned and omitted this step****Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Alternately, the peppers can be roasted under a broiler, or on top of a gas or charcoal grill.) Place the blackened peppers in a plastic or paper bag, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, split in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and the stems. Roughly chop and set aside.~

**** I used frozen and omitted this step**** Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In 3 batches, add the spinach and blanch for 15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and shock in an ice bath.

Remove and squeeze out the excess. Chop and set aside.In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until very soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 45 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the flour and cook, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon, to make a light roux, 2 minutes. Gradually add the half-and-half, and cook, stirring, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir to incorporate. Remove from the heat and fold in half of the chopped chiles. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Fold in the cubed queso fresco and both Pepper Jacks, and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the grated Pepper Jack and cotija. Set aside.

***** I used flour tortillas and softened in the microwave*** In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium temperature. One at a time, add the tortillas to the hot oil and cook, turning, until soft and pliable, 15 seconds per side, adding more oil as needed. Remove from the pan and place on a work surface.

Place about 1/2 cup of the spinach mixture into the center of each tortilla and roll up into a cylinder.

Place, seam side down, in a single layer across the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish.

In a saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and cook, stirring constantly with a heavy wooden spoon, to to make a light roux. Slowly add the chicken stock and cook, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and cook, stirring, until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining poblano peppers and cook for 1 minute.

Pour over the filled enchiladas and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover evenly with the grated cheeses. Return to the oven and bake until the cheeses are melted and bubbly and the enchiladas are completely warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Amy this is a very simple but delicious recipe which can be packed up and delivered in two foil containers.....one for the meat & sauce and the other for the rice. Both meat and rice could be reheated later or the next day.
Here's how I've posted this recipe previously:

This was a simple but prize winning recipe in a cross country cooking contest sponsored by a Canadian womens' magazine in the 1960s.

I had it first at a dinner party where the hostess had made mimeographed copies of the recipe beforehand as she said everyone asked for it when she served this dish. This was before the days of photocopiers ! LOL.

Tastes even better if made one day ahead.

2.2 pounds (1 kilo) of veal shoulder steak, cut into small bite-size pieces
2 medium onions, sliced
1 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup or tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teasp salt
1/2 teasp pepper
1 1/2 cups cashews (rinse if they are salted)
2 TBS butter
Worcestershire sauce

1). Grind garlic, salt and pepper together in mortar and pestle.

2). Roll veal pieces in this mixture in the mortar and then on a clean plate, being sure pieces are well coated.

3). Brown veal in butter in a saucepan. When brown, add onions, water, tomato sauce and cashews.

4). Simmer slowly until meat and nuts are both tender. About 40 minutes. It may need a bit of water added.

5). Thicken with a bit of flour and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.

6). Best served the next day. Goes well with rice and a crisp green salad.

SharonCb

Soup?

VELVETY LEMON CHICKEN SOUP
1 lemon
2 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (about 3/4 pound)
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
10 snow pea pods
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
With a vegetable peeler remove two 2-inch-long strips zest from lemon and squeeze 1 teaspoon juice into a small cup. In a small saucepan simmer chicken and zest in broth, covered, 20 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through. Transfer chicken to a bowl and pour broth through a sieve into a 4-cup measuring cup. Chill chicken until it is cool.

While chicken is cooling, trim snow peas and cut diagonally into thin slivers. In a 2-quart saucepan heat butter over moderately low heat until foam subsides and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add broth and cream in a stream, whisking, and simmer, whisking, 2 minutes, or until soup thickens slightly. Remove pan from heat.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and cut chicken into thin strips. Add chicken and snow peas to soup and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 minute, or until peas are crisp-tender. Stir in lemon juice, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Gourmet
December 1997

TOMATO BASIL SOUP
2 T butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
2 celery stalks, choped
1 T sugar
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp basil
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
6 cups vegetable stock
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, diced
2 cups heavy cream
1 T brandy
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives (garnish)

Melt butter in large stockpot. Add onion, leeks, celery and sugar and saute 10 minutes, until caramelized and golden brown.

Add the thyme, basil, bay leaves, salt, pepper and cayenne and stir to coat the vegetables.

Add the stock and canned tomatoes, bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pull out the bay leaves, add the chopped garlic and blend with a stick blender (a regular blender works too).

Stir in heavy cream, brandy (I don't always use the brandy), chopped tomatoes and simmer 2 minutes.

This soup freezes nicely and is great over pasta. I've also added a pound of lump fake crabmeat (it's pollack I think, which is kosher) and that is wonderful.

AM

Gosh, thanks everyone! These recipes look delicious. I can't wait to try them out -- and I'm sure my friend will appreciate your help as well! :-)

Amy