Sands here is another excellent chicken dish. It can be made a head of time. It can be frozen also! One note: I use Pillsbury biscuits instead of homemade, just easier and lighter and I use half a biscuit, otherwise I think it tends to be too bready: Chicken Stew with Biscuits 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 2 chicken bouillon cubes 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions) 3/4 cup flour 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes 1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups) 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley For the biscuits: 2 cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced 3/4 cup half-and-half 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken. In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly. Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done.

Thank you so much for the ideas and support! It turns out she has two dorm-sized fridge/freezers (one has her TV on top and I didn't notice it, lol) so she has more storage space than I'd thought. She lives nearby so DH sees her often (stops on his way home from work) but is more than willing to stop by on his way to work with food at least once a week. So far I'm using Rubbermaid-type freezer containers, the same I've always sent home leftovers in, as she has her own dishes. DH's car just had some $$$ repairs so there's no money for buying separate dishes right now - DH says the food's more important than the presentation, and his mom is very practical. So far I've got 2 containers of pasta with beefed-up marinara, 2 meals of brisket with homemade baked beans and new potatoes and 2 bowls of from-scratch, from-fresh chicken soup. It's a start. I don't think the budget would allow it (gonna be a tight holiday season) but do you think she could possibly work a bread machine? I've never used one so have no idea how difficult they are to use. If she could operate it, I may suggest it to my SIL. I'm thinking a small electric skillet and/or a small toaster/convection oven might be useful, if she has the space (and if they would be permitted).

I was in the restaurant business for 42 years. A large portion of our customers were regulars, many of which ate with us 5x per week. Our senior customers came in for a late lunch which was usually their main meal for the day. Most did so because it was cheaper to eat out than to cook for one or two, but more importantly they enjoyed the social aspect of it. Our regulars, whether young or old, normally chose healthy meals. When DH travels for business and I'm home alone, I often eat out because it's cheaper than preparing it myself. I eat very healthy. If I drive though, I generally get a salad or grilled sandwich, although sometimes the french fries call my name, especially at IN-and-Out Burger :)

Interesting thread... So hard to answer though. I enjoy so many foods it's hard to pick just one but I'll say to eat something like lasagna or chicken parmigiana- can't pass up anything with melted mozzarella and red sauce. To make is anything new that teaches me a new skill. Like the first time I made gnocchi or pasta from scratch. I love making new things and after I've done it a few times I generally don't enjoy making it again, unless I really want to eat it then I dont mind. To repeat is usually simple, sautéed green beans, and salmon. I used to make it a lot but now I won't eat farm raised salmon and the wild caught can be cost prohibitive. I've even found frozen Alaskan wild caught that was made in China, I won't buy that either. I'm assuming they catch it it Alaska and package in China.