CaringMeals: Cooking and Coordinating Meals for Others

"Mom's Chili"

2011-06-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

Serves : 6+
This chili recipe is a throw it together in the morning and let it simmer kinda recipe. Not spicy (which means safe for new mammas) just simple and heart warming and perfect with a side salad and some cornbread.

( If you look closely I have chili beans that I decided to throw into this recipe because I didn't have enough kidney beans....yeah, didn't like it as much this way- stick with the recipe:))

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef, browned
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
Garlic, minced
28oz Whole Tomatoes (or 2 14oz cans)
1 small can tomato paste
1 lg can kidney beans (sometimes I just go for 2 reg cans)
2TB chili powder
2tsp sugar
2tsp salt

Optional:
Corn, olives, whatever else you might want to add
Simmer all day

Details:
Can openers ready? Here we go….
First you need to brown 2 pounds of ground beef…ground turkey for the healthier version.
Second, while the meat is browning chop up a green bell pepper and 1 onion- you can throw those in with the meat if the meat isn’t done yet. If fat needs to be drained…drain it, otherwise transfer your meat, pepper, and onion to a crockpot or stockpot. (or if you are like me, I buy lean meat and then just brown it in the bottom of my stockpot and add everything else to it….less dishesJ)

Now begins the adding of flavors and you are almost done. Add minced garlic, whole tomatoes (diced are fine if that is what you have in the pantry), tomato paste, and kidney beans….then the chili powder, sugar, and salt….done!
Let it simmer for a couple hours to all day. Before serving you can add corn or olives if you want. I usually throw them in 20min or so before and the amount is up to you.
Serve with some cheese, salad, and cornbread. Also freezes really well!

Chicken Tacos

2011-05-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Prep time: 15 minutes Serves: 4-6 or however much you decide to make

Another easy one for you that you can do any time of the year and it is healthy, easy to transport if needed, and yummy!

There is one catch though----the thing that makes this for me is the salsa. You can choose your own but I really like the Trader Joe’s Tomato-less Corn salsa. It has a little kick and is sweet at the same time and really makes these tacos more than just chicken in a tortilla.

Ingredients:

Tortillas (corn, or white corn best--- or small flour if prefer)
2 Chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips
Cilantro- chopped
Tomatoes – chopped (I threw some diced jalapeno in mine for some extra flavor)
1 can Black beans, rinsed
Salsa
Optional: corn (if not already in your salsa)

Salt and Pepper and cook the chicken (Foreman grill makes it easy), let it sit for a few minutes and then cut into strips. Place in a bowl
Wash and chop the cilantro. Place in bowl.
Wash, and chop the tomatoes. Place in bowl. ( Are you catching a theme here?)
Open, rinse, drain the black beans. Place in bowl.
Open corn salsa. Add spoon.
Heat the tortillas.
Make a fruit salad or rice salad or some side.
Assemble and enjoy!

If you are transporting this just throw each ingredient into a baggie or Tupperware and have the recipient heat the tortillas right before eating.

The color alone in this meal will draw you in and make you wish for sun and fun!

Chicken Picante

2011-01-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

Serves :4
Oven Preheat: 375 degrees F
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Easy, easy recipe from the back of the Foster Farms frozen chicken package...it happened one evening when I had zer0000000 inspiration and pulled the chicken out to try and come up with something and then I saw it. The recipe on the back of the bag with just a few ingredients and I had them all. Yipee! Dinner was started and it ended up being pretty good.

Easy to transport, simple ingredients to satisfy anyone and not too spicy for the kiddos or new mommies.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 cup medium chunky salsa
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 TB fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sour cream
1 lime cut into segments
chopped cilantro for serving

I added a colorful salad and some steamed corn to complete the meal.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking dish with foil.
In a bowl mix salsa, mustard, and lime juice.
Place frozen chicken breasts in pan. Top with salsa mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove foil and continue cooking until the center of the largest piece of chicken reaches 165-170 degrees- about 10-15 minutes.

5. Remove chicken to serving platter

6.Place one spoonful of sour cream on each chicken breast and top with a lime segment. Garnish with chopped cilantro. (Or if you are like our family who doesn't care for sour cream than skip that part:)

- Heather

Chicken And Spinach Tortellini Soup

2010-12-04T13:26:00.000-08:00

Serves 8-10 Best if made and served on the same day.

This recipe comes from Cook's Country Magazine and it was one of the runner-up winners. I thought I would try it one day to see if it would be something I could make for new mommies in the future and it was a success with the whole family. The flavors are great and it really isn't difficult to make.

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 -10 oz package forzen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2- 9oz packages fresh spinach tortellini (I used 1 tri-color pkg from Costco sold in 2 pks)
Salt and Pepper
grated parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

Cook bacon in large Dutch oven (or stock pot) over med heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. With slottted sppon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate.

2. Stir onion into bacon fat in now-empty pot and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add broth and chicken, bring to boil, reduce hear and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat. With slotted spoon, remove chicken; cool sighltly and shred into small pieces.

4. Return soup to simmer. Add drained spinach and tortellini and simmer until tortellini are tender, about 3 minutes. Add shredded chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with bacon and cheese, passing more cheese at table if needed.

Serve with bread and salad, even a side veggie if desired.

YUMMMMMM!

Parmesan Stuffed Chicken and Melted Strawberries

2010-10-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 30 minutes Bake: 15 minutes Oven: 400 F Serves: 6

So this delightful summer dish was brought on after I came home from running errands and discovered that my sweet friend had dropped off 1/2 flat of fresh strawberries from the valley (for us Bay Area people that means sweet, melt in your mouth, red all the way through, don't add a thing, God created yummola....yes, I love fresh strawberries!) Upon realizing that these beauties would not last forever I went scrounging through my recipe books to find the perfect recipe for dinner and this is what I found. Now this recipe is fairly straight forward but looks and tastes like a gourmet meal and is quite a treat for whomever you decide to make this for....

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh strawberries (halve or quarter large berries)
2 tbsp while balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup strawberry perserves/jam
sea salt and black pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 3 lbs)
3 oz parmesan or white cheddar cheese (block)
6 large fresh basil leaves
1TB olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
snipped fresh basil

Directions:

Side note: I made cooked carrots as a side so I prepped these first. Baby carrots or cut up large carrots, place in 9 x 13 baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Set aside. Cut up some fresh parsley (or used dry) for serving.

2./ Back to main recipe: Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a 3 quart baking dish combine strawberries, vinegar,a nd jam. Sprinkle salt and pepper; set aside.

3. Cut horizontal pocket in each chicken breast by cutting from one side almost but not through, to the other side. Cut Parmesan cheese in 6- 3 x 1/2 inch pieces. Wrap basil leaf around each piece of cheese, stuff unto chicken breast pocket. Secure pockets closed with wooden toothpicks or skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. In 12 inch oven safe skillet cook garlic in oil over med heat for 30 sec.

5. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown turning once. Transfer to oven. (side note: add carrots to oven at this time) Bake uncovered, 5 minutes. Add baking dish with strawberry-jam mixture to oven. Bake 10-13 mintues, or until chicken is no longer pink (170f) and the berries are softened and jam mixture has thickened.

Side note: Carrots will take about 20 minutes to cook. Check tenderness with fork- should be able to poke easily.

Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

6. Serve chicken with melted strawberries. Sprinkle with basil.

This meal is pretty simple in ingredients but HUGE on taste. It is not complicated to make, however if you decide to do the insane like me and think making it for 3 families in one night wouldn't be too crazy...well think again:). It isn't that it is overwhelming I just learned I don't have the space with one oven and one good 12 inch skillet to pull it off without a little insanity. If you want to try and make this for a larger crowd it is possible, here is what I tried and it helped:

preheat cookie sheets ahead of time (unless you have several oven safe skillets)
pound out the chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 length-wise and roll the chicken around the basil- wrapped parmesan cheese. Fasten closed with toothpick. This helps with portion especially if the family you are serving has children (or adults too) who will not eat an entire breast to themselves.
After cooking the chicken in the skillet for 5 minutes transfer it to the preheated cookie sheet for the rest of the oven baking.
Transfer cooked chicken to disposable foil container/dish and add the strawberries and basil and cover- or put those in separate dishes and allow recipients to top as they please.

However you make this or for how many you make it I am sure it will be quite delicious and oh so appreciated.

Grilled Luau Chicken Kebabs

2010-09-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite and easy to make summertime meals. Serve with a rice salad, fruit and away you go. This is also an easy transport meal, it's healthy, juicy, flavorful, and you can adjust ingredients based on the size of the group you are feeding and/or preferences of tastes.

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/4" chunks
marinade (see below for recipe)
1 large pineapple, cut into 1" chunks
2 red or colored bell peppers, cut into 1" chunks
1 lg red onion, cut into 1" chunks

Marinade:

We are often fond of using " Chaka's mmmm sauce" or even Yoshido's marinade but here is another good marinade from scratch
1/4 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2TB soy sauce

Directions:

1. Soak skewers. Marinade the chicken chunks for at least 15 minutes

2. Using soaked skewers alternate veggies. We usually do the chicken, and pineapple on the one skewer and the veggies on another as they cook at a different duration of time. Hint: try and surround the chicken with the pineapple to keep it really juicy.

3. Combine 2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 3/4 tsp salt with 1/4 tsp pepper and a little lime juice in a bowl. Use this mixture and brush over the veggies and meat. Can also used leftover marinade if desire.

4. Ready to grill for 8- 10 minutes over heat.

5. Enjoy on the skewer or take off and serve in a bowl.

Cheaters Strawberry Shortcake

2010-08-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

This is the strawberry shortcake I grew up with and it is the "cheaters" version as it is on the box of Bisquick mix but it turns out great everytime! Easy to transport as you would only need to have the strawberries, biscuits, and cool whip in separate containers and the recipients could assemble easily for a tasty after dinner treat. If you really want to make them from scratch or you don't have Bisquick on hand I included a recipe from basic-recipes.com.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/3 sups Bisquick mix
2/3 c milk
3 TB sugar
3 TB butter. melted
1 container whipped cream

Directions:

1. MIX: strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar, set aside. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. STIR: Bisquick mix, milk, 3 TB sugar and then butter until soft dough forms. Drop by 6 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

(I rolled and cut mine out this time but I think I like the drop method better- lighter biscuit)

3. BAKE: 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Split warm shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve.

YUM!

Shortcake recipe from scratch:

2 cups of flour, sifted
3/4 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 cup of Crisco
1/2 cup of milk
1 quart of fresh strawberries, crushed & sweetened

Steps:

Sift dry ingredients and cut in Crisco.
Add milk, mixing to soft dough. Knead.
Roll 3/4 inch thick.
Cut with 3 inch biscuit cutter and place on baking sheet greased with Crisco.
Bake at 450ºF. for 12 minutes.
Split biscuits and put berries between.
Top with whipped cream and whole berry. Serves 6.

Mint Chip Ice Cream Pie

2010-08-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hands-on Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 2 hours, 25 minutes Serves: 8

Super Easy- Super Fun- Super Tasty

We tried this recipe out with guests one evening and it was a hit! So if you need an easy to make dessert that transports with no fuss and will bring a smile to your recepients- try this! Make it in the morning (or atleast 2 hours ahead) and grab it right before you head out the door to complete your meal. Or maybe you are just bringing something sweet over to brighten up their day- this would be great to drop off or to bring and visit for a bit since there is enough to feed everyone.

Ingredients

8 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate, melted (AKA chocolate chips in my translation)
4 cups crisped rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
2 pints (just 1 regular size container) of mint chip ice cream, slightly softened

my additions:)

chopped Andes mint chocolate pieces (enough to sprinkle over the top)
Hot fudge or chocolate syrup for topping

If you want to use other ice cream I don't see why you couldn't and just change the toppings to fit.

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the chocolate and cereal until the cereal is completely coated. Transfer to a 9 inch springform pan. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Freeze just until firm (not long).

2. Spread the softened ice cream in the prepared crust.

3. Add warmed fudge (just so easy to pour) or topping of your choice

4. Add crushed/chopped Andes Mint, cover, and freeze until firm, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Rice Salad (great side with chicken)

2010-07-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Serves: 6-8

This rice salad has wonderful flavors and your recipients will appreciate the great freshness and nutrients of this healthy side meal.

You will want to start this rice first and then move onto your entrée as it takes a little time to boil and then cool.

Meditteranean Rice Salad- Cook's Country

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice or other long grain rice
salt
2 1/2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp grated zest plus 2 TB juice from 1 orange
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp group cinammon
pepper
4 scallions, chopped fine (or onion if need be)
3/4 c chopped raisins ( or dates, currants)
3/4 c chopped pistachios (or sliced almonds) toasted
1/4 chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Bring 4 quarts water to biol in a large pot. Meanwhile toast rice in medium skillet over medium hear, stirring frequently, until faintly fragrant and some grains turn opaque, about 8 minutes.

2. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt and toasted rice to boiling water. Return to boil and cook, uncovered, until rice is tender, 8-11 minutes. Drain rice, spread on rimmed baking sheet and cool completely at least 20 minutes. Transfer cooled rice to serving bowl.

3. Whisk together lemon juice, orange zest and juice, oil, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl. Add scallions, raisins, pistachios, parsley and dressing to bowl with rice and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings and let stand until flavors blend, about 20 minutes. (Salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring back to room temperature before serving.)

Baked Chicken Breasts with Parmesan – Garlic Crust from Cooks Country

2010-05-31T21:48:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in the 30 minute section of my Cook’s Country Magazine and thought I would give it a try—really, how wrong can you go with chicken, basil, bread crumbs and cheese? And true to form it was delicious and not very hard at all. It sounds gourmet and it looks very nice so it is a great dish to bring over to someone in need. It transports easily, tastes great, and for picky eater has pretty simple ingredients. Paired with roasted zucchini and a fruit salad you have a, healthy, fresh, colorful, and delicious meal.

Ingredients

1c bread crumbs, preferably fresh - To make fresh bread crumbs, process 2 slices of hearty white sandwhich bread (I have now made this with store-bought Panko breadcrumbs, fresh sourdough bread and even whole-wheat sandwich bread---so whatever you have will work) in a food – processor until coarsely ground
½ c grated Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp EV Olive Oil
½ tsp salt
Pepper
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( 6-7 ounces, trimmed)
¼ c minced fresh basil
¼ c mayonnaiseLemon wedges for serving (optional)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat to 425 degrees. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste in bowl.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Combine basil and mayo in small bowl and spread mixture evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly over mayo and press lightly to adhere.
Bake the chicken until crumbs are golden brown and instant thermometer reads 160 degrees. 18-22 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges
Along with the chicken, I will place a tray of sliced zucchini drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with Salt and Pepper into the oven to roast.
I will flip the zucchini about 10 minutes in and then check it around 15min or the time the chicken is done.

And the finished product!

Baked Ziti

2010-04-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

This is an easy recipe, transports easily, fills you up, kids seem to enjoy it and so far between company, bringing it to people’s homes and our own dinner table it is warmly received and seconds are a given. Okay that might have been a run-on sentence but you get the idea. It is also super easy to freeze and then bake later since everything is pretty much cooked before you put it in the oven. Add bread, a veggie, and a salad and you are good to go.

Ingredients

Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti from Real Simple serves 6-8

Hands on time: 20 minutes Total time: 45 minutes

1 pound ziti (looks like skinny tubes)
1 TB olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ c chopped fresh oregano (optional or just use less dried)
1 26 oz jar pasta sauce
½ cup (2 oz) grated Parmesan
1- 15oz container ricotta
1- 10oz box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove liquid
1 c grated mozzarella

Instructions

Cook ziti according to the directions on package

Heat the oven to 400 degrees

In a large pot ( or I have a large wok that works too), over med-low heat, heat the oil.

Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the onions are softened 5-7 min

Add the beef, increase heat to med-hi and cook until no trace of pink remains (5-8m)

Add the garlic and oregano and cook for 2 minutes

Add the pasta sauce and heat for 3 minutes

Remove from heat, add cooked pasta and toss to coat

Add parmesan, ricotta, and spinach. Toss again.

Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (I usually can get a 8 x 8 out of it too and I freeze one for another meal).

Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until it melts---about 15 minutes.

This is what I mean when I say I get an 8 x8 out of it too. Granted, I could really fill up the 9 x13 until it is overflowing, but I tend to think this is a better option and then I get another meal out of it too. Always a good option!

As a side I will often slice up zucchini and steam it for about 5 minutes in a covered dish with about 2 TB of water. Then season with S/P and you can add a little butter if desired.

- Heather

Quick and Easy Chicken Pasta Toss

2010-04-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 20 minutes

This is a recipe that came on the lid of the sundried tomatoes years ago and I tweaked it a little and use it often…especially if I am low on time and low on imagination and energy. Plus it is a healthy, easy to make, and yummola pasta toss. This makes a great dinner to bring to anyone as it is healthy, tasty, and combines a lot of food groups into one meal. And as you will see from the last picture, rarely are their leftovers. But by chance you might have some leftovers, it makes for great lunch or dinner the next day or two.

As you can see from the picture….I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients until after I started cooking so the chicken, and Parmesan cheese is missing....oops! One thing to know is that this recipe is flexible and you can use what you have on hand (almost).

Ingredients:

1 lb Farfalle (bowtie) pasta (but I have been known to use whatever is on hand including cheese tortellini)
2 chicken breasts- cooked and cut into strips or chunks
2TB olive oil (preferably from the sundried tomato jar)
Sundried tomato (Costco sells a big jar that is perfect to have on hand)
Parmesan cheese
Broccoli – cut into bite sized florets (or whatever green veggie you have….I have used asparagus, sugar snap peas or a combo)
Pesto sauce (once again Costco sells a great one that I just keep in the freezer and then use what I need)

Okay, are you ready….are you sure….here we go:

Boil the water and start cooking the pasta al dente.
Cook the chicken either (1) whole and cut later or (2) cut first for quicker cooking. (I have been known to do both of these methods depending on the time I have - cutting it up ahead of time cuts down on time - just make sure not to overcook and dry the pieces out. Heat up a skillet, dribble a little olive oil and throw your pieces in until the pink is all gone and the chicken is cooked through)
About 3 minutes BEFORE the pasta is done throw in your veggies. Yes, put your veggies into the boiling pasta and let them all cook together until the veggie is tender al dente.
Cut up chicken into bite size strips or chunks (if not done previously)
Strain pasta and veggies and put into bowl with olive oil, pesto sauce, sundried tomatoes, chicken, and Parmesan cheese.
Toss and enjoy!

Serve with a side salad, and bread if you want….

TOLD YOU IT WAS EASY!

- Heather Miller

Facebook

2010-03-13T23:32:00.000-08:00

Here are a few ways to use facebook with CaringMeals:
1. Become a Fan
Keep up-to-date on the latest news and announcements.
2. Invite your Friends to Bring Meals
You can "share" your plan on facebook and invite your facebook friends to bring a meal directly from CaringMeals. On the "Invite Friends" page, look at the facebook section for a link to facebook.
In the future, we are looking at further integration with facebook including:

Posting updates to your feed
Profile Pictures
Signon with facebook email/password

If you have suggestions or questions regarding facebook and CaringMeals, let us know!

Minestrone Soup

2010-02-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

This is a DELICIOUS Minestrone Soup recipe! It's so simple too! Take a look.

Here are all the ingredients you will need to begin:
1/4 cup oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 Tbsp parsley
1 can tomato paste
1 can beef broth
8 cups water
2 carrots sliced
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sage
2 zucchini sliced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomato
1 can kidney beans
1 cup shell macaroni (or more)
Optional: 1/2 pound cooked ground beef

The first and most time consuming step is pealing the carrots and chopping the vegetables. (Tip: I usually cut my carrots and zucchini in large chunks.)

The next step is to brown your meat.

While the meat is cooking, you can start putting all the ingredients into a large pot. Add every ingredient (including the meat when it is done), except for the pasta and zucchini. Place your pot on the stove and cook until carrots are mostly tender.

Add the pasta of your choice and the zucchini and cook about 15 minutes more.

Serve with bread or in a bread bowl! You may also like to serve a salad alongside it. Oh, and it tastes great with Parmesan Cheese on top!

I figured out the cost is approximately 60 cents per serving and this recipe serves 10 -12 people. So, you can make a big pot, put the amount needed to give in a Tupperware container to transport, and then feed your family or put the rest in the freezer for another meal!

Soup may not sound like an exciting meal, but I guarantee it is a winner! This was the first meal brought to Nate and I when we came home from the hospital with our brand new baby, Alexander, and we LOVED it. I remember very clearly that we received a phone call saying that dinner was on it's way, and then I heard that it was soup... Nate and I were both disappointed by the news... BUT it was AMAZING! We loved it, it actually filled Nate up (which is hard to do), we had leftovers, and it was actually one of our favorite meals!

- Amy

Flexible Shepherd’s Pie

2010-01-19T22:10:00.000-08:00

This is a "Flexible" recipe, because it easily adapts to different tastes in vegetables, meat, and seasonings. It also can be finished in the oven, so it is hot when you (or the family you gave it to) is ready to eat!

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef/turkey

1 onion chopped

2-3 cups chopped mushrooms

1-2 cups vegetables (chopped carrots, spinach, peas, corn, soybeans, or whatever you like)

2-3 large potatoes (Yukon Gold is my favorite, but anything works)

2-3 cloves of garlic (optional)

One can of Cream of Tomato soup (any tomato sauce will do)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Worcestershire sauce (you can substitute any seasonings you want)

Salt, pepper

Instructions:

Boil potatoes and garlic in salted water.

Mash potatoes, adding a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Saute mushrooms. Set Aside.

Saute onions. Add meat with a little salt and cook until brown.

Take the meat mixture off the stove, mix in tomato soup/sauce and vegetables. (If you are using mushrooms, don’t mix them in yet.)

In a 13x9 casserole dish, first spread the meat mixture on the bottom.

Add the mushrooms...

Finally, add the mashed potato.

Score the top of the potato layer with a fork.
Optional: Sprinkle with a little butter or cheese (Cheddar, Colby Jack or Monterrey Jack)

Cooking Instructions : Bake at 350 deg F for 45 min or till the tips of the mashed potato turn brown. (Put these instructions on a sticky note and put on the dish if the recipient is baking it.)

Enjoy!

- Sabina

Wrapping Things Up

2009-12-28T23:27:00.000-08:00

Disposable or not? This is up to you. Disposable can make things easier for the recipient. Consider how important it is to you that you get your dishes back also. On the other hand, it is hard to find to a disposable container that can hold a large quantity of steaming stew. I tend to just take it in the pot in which it was cooked. Sometimes, the recipient will just pour it into one of their own and hand the pot back to me. But I don’t stress about my dishes. I have pots to spare and by and large my dishes have found their way back to me.

If you are taking the meal to a family that’s at a hospital and away from home, disposable would just be necessary. In that case, don’t forget napkins and disposable cutlery!

- Sabina

Importing Email Addresses

2009-12-08T21:07:00.001-08:00

Virtually every major email system (Yahoo, Google, and Hotmail) can export email addresses (Contacts) to an Outlook CSV format. CaringMeals can now import Outlook CSV files, so you can save typing and quickly invite all your Friends to bring meals!

Here are the steps:

Export your Contacts to an Outlook CSV file. When prompted to save the file, choose your "My Documents" or "Documents" folder.
- Gmail
  - Click Contacts | Export
  - Select Outlook CSV and click "Export"
- Yahoo
  - Open your Contact List and select Export
  - Click Export Now next to "Microsoft Outlook"
- Hotmail
  Open your Contacts and Click Manage | Export
- For other email systems, look for an "Export" function, and select "Outlook CSV" when asked for the format to export. If you have questions, please check with your email provider.

Click the "Choose File" button, and select the file from step #1 in your "My Documents", "Documents", or whichever folder you saved the file.

Click UPLOAD, and then you should see a screen like this:If you see one of the following messages:
- File too big
- No Addresses found
- Not a CSV file
Please correct your file, and try again.

Enter a note to your Friends, and then click SEND!

This is another feature which was requested by our YOU, our users - Keep sending us your feedback and suggestions! We want to keep providing features which help you coordinate more meals, in less time, with less stress!

Food Safety - Your Refrigerator

2009-12-04T00:13:00.000-08:00

Why do we refrigerate foods?

Refrigeration slows bacterial growth. Bacteria exist everywhere in nature. They are in the soil, air, water, and the foods we eat. When they have nutrients (food), moisture, and favorable temperatures, they grow rapidly, increasing in numbers to the point where some types of bacteria can cause illness. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, the “Danger Zone,” some doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. A refrigerator set at 40 °F or below will protect most foods.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Refrigeration_and_Food_Safety.pdf

Stay out of the "Danger Zone" in your refrigerator!
When it comes to meal preparation and storage (Leftovers), knowing how refrigeration affects different types of foods can save you from making yourself or, even worse, someone else painfully sick.

Here are the refrigeration times for some of the most common CaringMeals:
- Opened Luncheon Meats: 3-5 days
- Ground Meats: 1-2 days
- Chicken: 1-2 days
(be careful with chicken and ground meat!)

For an in-depth explanation of this topic, the USDA has provided a complete guide to food safety:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Refrigeration_and_Food_Safety.pdf

Their Food Safety home page is:
http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/index.asp

You can even call them at 1-888-MPHotline! Your tax dollars at work!

Who did I Invite?

2009-12-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

As your friend list grows, sometimes you forget who you already invited to a Plan. No need to worry - when you click "INVITE FRIENDS TO HELP" and look at your list of friends, the "@" will be your guide. If you see "@" next to your Friend's name, they have already been invited. (Even if someone else invited that friend to the Plan, you will see the "@" symbol!)

Prepare and Conquer

2009-11-30T09:32:00.000-08:00

To allow for shopping time and preparation, try to begin planning your meal 2 days before the delivery date (CaringMeals.com will send you an email reminder 2 days before your delivery date). Let's look at some tips for planning and cooking your meal...

When choosing a meal to cook for someone else, I have found that this generally is not the time to try out a new recipe. Figuring out a new recipe and wondering how the dish will turn out only adds stress. Meals that your family likes are a good place to start. Of course you want to pick one that is easy to pack and transport. If you decide to try something new, make to cook it at least once for your family (if you have the time).

It’s good to have a stock of recipes that have worked in the past. You don’t need too many because typically you'll only take one meal to a family. It really doesn’t matter how many times you take the dish because it is always "new" to the recipient. Besides, the more you make your favorites, the better you get at it and the easier it is to make!

Having said all that, my favorites are Shepherd’s Pie and Stews/Soups. Most adults and children like these. Casseroles can be assembled bit-by-bit over a couple days and can include all the main food groups. Most of them also refrigerate or freeze well.

A Simple Suggested Preparation Schedule:

1. 2 Days Before : Shop and make sure you have all ingredients. Start chopping veggies.

2. Day Before : Start cooking and assembling dish. Make the dessert.

3. Delivery Day : Finish final cooking, packing. Make call to confirm delivery, if necessary.

- Sabina James

Gawking at Food

2009-11-25T21:20:00.000-08:00

There are a million recipes online, but when you can see beautiful pictures of the food being prepared, the recipe really becomes inspiring.

For example, take a look at this:
http://iowagirleats.com/2009/11/24/id-marry-this-soup/
Seeing the meal is so much more exciting than just reading about it! If you like what you see, browse all of the pictorial recipes on Iowa Girl Eats.

If you love looking at food (and getting ideas for cooking CaringMeals!), take a look at http://foodgawker.com/. It is user sorted directory (the most popular sites are at the front) of food pictures and recipes from all over the Internet.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Do I have to Register??

2009-11-24T23:58:00.000-08:00

On CaringMeals, we ask you to create a username and password, before entering the site. Sometimes this may feel like a hassle, but here are all the benefits that we can deliver because you register:

- Friends/Address book: The people on your Friends list on CaringMeals are your addressbook. When it comes time to invite others to bring meals, you know exactly who in your circle of Friends can bring meals. You can even find and add new friends on CaringMeals, which you might not have in your personal email list.

- Security: No anonymous users means that you can control who sees your private information. On other sites that do not require registration, people can come and go, but there is no real record of who viewed your information - CaringMeals is secure.

- Friends' Activity Feed: On your "My Meals" page, you will see a stream of activity (similar to facebook), which shows all of the meals, comments, and plans your friends are posting on CaringMeals. You can keep up on the lastest news, and find opportunities to help bring meals.

- Email Delivery: By verifying your email, we can ensure that the important meal reminders will go to a valid email address (not a mistyped address).

- Saved Settings: Under your profile ("My Profile" link), you can save simple information about yourself such as full name, phone, food likes (so others know what to cook for you), and email preferences. Because this is stored in our database, you don't have to retype this information each time you visit CaringMeals.

- Personalized: At the top of your screen, you will see Recently Viewed Plans. Because you login, we can show you the Plans you viewed most recently. Just one-click, and you can see all the details. If you are coordinating several Plans, this is a great time-saver.

The convenience of not registering may appear to be an advantage, but it leaves many features lacking. By completing our quick registration process, CaringMeals becomes a secure, reliable, and fun place to coordinate all your meals!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at caringmeals@caringmeals.com.

More Friends!

2009-11-20T23:16:00.001-08:00

The new "Copy to My Friends" feature is one of the most exciting and powerful tools on CaringMeals. Read on, and I'm sure you will see why...

Here is a scenario:
1. Your Friend coordinates meals on CaringMeals for someone in your group.
2. A few weeks later, another person in your group needs meals, and you would like to coordinate the meals this time.
3. You want to invite everyone who helped the first time, but you don't want to have to find and type all of their email addresses.
What do you do??

There is a Solution!
1. Open the Plan your Friend coordinated before.
2. On the right side, under the "Activity Summary" area, you will see the link "Copy to My Friends" in the Visited This Page section

(This link is not visible to the Coordinator, since all of the people on the list are already friends with the Coordinator)
3. Click "Copy to My Friends" and in a few seconds, all of the Friends listed below will be copied to your Friends list.

The next time you want to coordinate meals, you will be able to quickly invite all of the Friends who helped with the previous plan. Without knowing or typing an email address, you can instantly expand your network of Friends.
Just another way CaringMeals helps you coordinate more meals, in less time, with less stress!

First Things First

2009-11-19T23:36:00.000-08:00

You want to know what not to make before you start planning. A few simple questions about allergies and likes/dislikes either directly or from the organizer can prevent the awkwardness that results from delivering a meal they cannot or won’t eat.
You also want to know the logistics of delivering the meal, so that the process is as smooth as possible for everyone.

Here are some questions to ask of the receiver when coordinating meals:

Are there any allergies?

What do you like? Dislike? (If have a dish in mind, mention it now and see how they respond.)

How many people should the meal feed? (If they need to reheat or cook/bake the dish, make sure they have the time and equipment to do it.)

When can I bring the meal? Ask for a window of time. People need margins.

Who will be home/available to receive the meal (or where to drop it off, if no one is home).

Every now and then, there may be many family members and friends present with the friends you want to help. Then the question arises, do you have to feed them all?? In order not to be overwhelmed, I usually plan on the immediate family and add an extra two to four servings. Just let them know how many your meal will feed, so they can inform those who need to fend for themselves. This is your gift to them, so you can make the decision about the size of the meal.

Share your experience with the CaringMeals community! What questions do you ask when coordinating meals?

- Sabina James

Print a Sigup Sheet

2009-11-17T21:24:00.000-08:00

Ideally, when you use CaringMeals, you can reduce or eliminate paper signup sheets and phone tag. However, there are times that having a paper print out of the meal schedule can come in handy (especially when your friends are not yet Internet savvy).

Now, when you visit a Plan, at the top of the page you will see a "Print" link. That link will take you to a page which does two things:
1. The page is printer-friendly, so it will look clean on paper. As soon as the page opens, you will be prompted to print.
2. For the dates that are not filled, you will see lines to write Name, Phone, and Email for someone to signup.

You can pass this printout around at a get-together, then when you come back to your computer either
- Signup "On Behalf" of the people on the printout
- If they provided an email address, send them an invitation from CaringMeals.

This is just another way to help you coordinate more meals, in less time, with less stress.

Public or Private

2009-11-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

You now have a choice when using CaringMeals. We hope it isn't as difficult as choosing between Paper and Plastic, but you can now choose between "Public" and "Private" Plans. Let's see what it can do for you...

On CaringMeals, the main object we are trying to protect is the "Plan" which contains all of the details about who needs then meals, when they are needed, where to bring the meals, and so on. In most cases, this is contains information that should be private among friends, such as emails, phone numbers, addresses, and even health conditions.

With the introduction of our "Public" Plan option, you now have two security choices when it comes to security on CaringMeals:
- Private: This is the default setting and is the most secure. Only people who are Friends of the Plan Coordinator can view a plan. If someone, who is not a Friend of the Coordinator, tries to view a Plan, they will have to send a Friend request to the Coordinator. Once the Coordinator confirms the request, the requestor can view the Plan.
These extra steps add security by preventing unauthorized access, but they also add some complexity to the whole process.

- Public: A Public Plan can be viewed by any registered user - They do not have to be a Friend of the Coordinator. This eliminates the need to send and confirm Friend Requests to gain access to a Plan. From a security standpoint, it means that any one who can get the URL (http://caringmeals.com/plan/YourMeals) can view your Plan.
Each person who visits the Plan will automatically be added to the Friend list of the Coordinator.

How do I decide which setting to use?
- If the Coordinator will invite people directly from CaringMeals using the "INVITE FRIENDS" button, each invited person is automatically added as a Friend, and they will never have to send a friend request. Choosing a "Private" Plan is the the easy and secure option.
- If you want to invite people using a mailing list, facebook, or at a face-to-face meeting, you may want to choose a "Public" plan. People that try to view your Plan will immediately be able to view the information and signup more quickly to bring a meal. At anytime, you can switch from Public to Private - The users who have already visited the Plan will be able to return at anytime, but new people who are not friends of the Coordinator, will have to send a Friend request.

If you have any doubts or concerns, choose the "Private" option. You can also contact us if you would like further assistance http://www.caringmeals.com/contact.php.

Finding the right balance between security and openness (user-friendliness) is typically a tricky balance. A 100% secure system would have no users, but a totally user friendly system would likely have very little security. Our Public/Private option gives you the power to control and adjust that balance.

A Different Dream

2009-11-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

I recently heard from Jolene Philo, an author and blogger, whose book A Different Dream for My Child: Meditations for Parents of Critically or Chronically Ill Children speaks to parents of special needs children.

She wrote about CaringMeals on her blog: http://www.differentdream.com/2009/11/meal-planning-made-easy/. Often we think of bringing meals when someone has a sudden event in their life (birth, accident, illness, etc.), but think of the long-term care needs in your network of friends. I'm sure there are some parents of special needs children who would be relieved to have meals provided once in a while!

On Deck

2009-11-10T00:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick look at some new features coming to CaringMeals:
- Public Plans: If you are sure that you are not exposing any sensitive information, you can allow anyone to view a Plan you create (not just your "friends"). This will make the process easier by not requiring a friend request for new users. If you choose to keep your plan Private, only your friends can view the information.
- See the Likes/Dislikes of each Plan Receiver: If the Receivers have entered their personal likes/dislikes, you will be able to see their preferences on the Plan.
- Printable Signup Sheet - Ideally, everything can be done online, but there are times when having a paper sheet to show friends at a meeting can help.

Stay tuned for more details!

These features are all drawn from the suggestions of CaringMeals users. If there is a feature you would like to see on CaringMeals, please let us know at http://caringmeals.com/contact.php!

No Comments?

2009-11-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

Comments are one of the best ways to keep everyone informed of the latest news on your plan.
Here are a few notes on using Comments:
- Comments are emailed to the coordinator and each person who signed up to bring a meal. (You will not receive an email notification of your own comment)
- The comments are visible to everyone who can view the plan (All of the coordinator's friends)
- When your friends go to http://caringmeals.com/mymeals.php, they will see all of your comments under their "Friends' Activity" tab.

We are working on ways to further improve comments as a communication tool - stay tuned!

Freecycle

2009-11-04T00:00:00.001-08:00

For a while now I've been a regular on Freecycle.org. The goal of the site is to keep "stuff" out of landfills, and get it into the hands of those who can actually use it. I am able to give away useful things that I no longer want, and I can ask for things that I have been wanting, all for free-no strings attached! I've received things for my kids and things for my home! Just be careful, perusing the site and picking up items will eat up your time (and gas) if you let it! Always remember to use your head when connecting with others online.

Enjoy!

You 've Got Mail!

2009-11-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

You create a plan, schedule a few meals and invite 20 friends. Then you wait... And wait... Only 3 or 4 people view the plan (you can see on the right side). What is the problem?

1. People don't check their email often (or at all) - Many of my friends (and I'm sure many of yours) do not regularly check their email.
Solution: Call your friends who have not logged in to CaringMeals. If you see others at a meeting (church group, baby shower, party, etc.), just remind them to check their email!

2. Spam Blockers - We take precautions to make sure our emails do not raise suspicions of Spam Blockers, but sometimes overzealous programs can flag our emails as Spam.
Solution: Ask your friends to check their Spam Folder. Also, all of our emails come from caringmeals@caringmeals.com, so you can suggest others add caringmeals@caringmeals.com to their address book.

3. Sign up on behalf of your friends - If you know someone will be unlikely to check their email, but they want to bring a meal, you can use our "On Behalf" feature to signup for a meal.
Solution: See the blog entry No Email, No Problem.

The concept of coordinating meals on the Internet is still a new concept. Getting your group to adopt this new way of doing things may take some time at first, but in the end, we are confident everyone will agree this is a much better (more efficient) way to coordinate meals!

What do You Like?

2009-10-31T19:08:00.001-07:00

One of the challenges in bringing a meal for someone else is choosing foods that they will like. Now, when you signup or edit your profile, you can tell everyone what you like (and don't):

How do you use this information? On a meal plan, everyone will be able to see the likes/dislikes of each receiver (if they updated their profile). This will make it easier to choose and prepare a meal everyone will enjoy.

Go ahead and update your profile today!

No Email, No Problem

2009-10-25T19:37:00.000-07:00

Do you know someone who wants to bring a meal, but isn't an email user? No problem. With our "On Behalf" feature, you can signup on behalf of someone else. Here's how it works:

1. Let's pretend, that Carla tells me that she wants to bring a meal on November 2nd. She isn't an email user, so she can't access CaringMeals.com and sign up herself.

2. I login to CaringMeals.com, open the plan, and click "BRING MEAL" next to November 2nd.

3. I'll see a screen as shown in the picture above. I enter "Carla" in the box, and her phone number in the comments (so she can be contacted if needed).

That's it! When others view the meal schedule, they'll see something like this:

Everyone can see that I signed up, but Carla is the person actually bringing the meal.

2 Years Young

2009-10-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Just as children grow from crawling to walking and squeaking to talking, CaringMeals experienced tremendous growth in its first 2 years. Thousands of people all over the world used CaringMeals.com to coordinate thousands of encouraging meals. We are humbled to play a small part in helping welcome new babies home and easing the pain of illnesses.

If there is anything we can do to make you more successful with CaringMeals.com, please email help@caringmeals.com - We want to make this year the best ever!

The Meal Network

2009-09-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

As you build up a network of friends on CaringMeals, you will find a lot of exciting information on the My Meals page. Besides the tabs for meals you are coordinating, watching and bringing, there is now a list of your friends' activities on CaringMeals.

If you are on someone's friend list, their activity will appear on your page.
Here are two quick tips for using this page:
1. If you see a friend's name, click on it. You will be able to add them to your friend list, which will save time when you need to coordinate meals. In no time, you will have a large list of friends, all without ever typing an email address.
2. You may see a plan for someone you know but were not invited to. You can click on the plan link and send a friend request to the coordinator. This has really exciting possibilities for connecting people and bring together communities.

Your Social Network

2009-08-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

Social Networking in all its flavors (Twitter, Facebook, Digg, etc.) is marvelous in the way that it allows people to keep informed on what all of their friends are doing.

Each time you add a Friend on CaringMeals, you are building your social network. So far, the CaringMeals Friend system has served primarily to build your address book and provide security.

On August 25th, you will see your CaringMeals Social Network in a whole new and exciting way! Stay tuned...

Changed your mind?

2009-08-07T21:57:00.001-07:00

Didn't know what you were going to bring when you signed up to bring a meal? Changed your mind about what you are cooking? No problem.

Now, when you move your mouse over your comment, you will see a pencil/paper icon. Just click, and a small dialog box will appear with a place to edit your comment. In addition, Plan coordinators can edit all comments on their Plans. Enjoy!

What's Next?

2009-07-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been awhile since the last update. Don't worry, there is a lot of exciting activity going on behind the scenes. Here are some coming attractions in August:
- Edit Meal Comments: Many people have asked for the ability to change or update the meal comment (what they are bringing). This should save a lot of time and confusion

- Import Contacts from a CSV file: If you have your contacts' email addresses in Yahoo/Google/Outlook, you will be able to quickly import those email addresses into CaringMeals, saving typing and time.

- A New Documentation site: CaringMeals is designed to be self-explanitory, but there are times when your have questions or need help with using the site. We are developing a detailed system that will include documentation, examples, and faqs to help you be successful with CaringMeals.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Vijay

My Friends are Your Friends

2009-04-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

One of the most powerful features of CaringMeals is the ability to easily find friends.
Wherever you see a person's name, you can click on it and see their profile information (if you are not their friend, you will have to send a friend request). As you scroll down the page on your friend's profile you will see their list of friends. See someone you know? Just click "Send Friend Request" and they will be added to your friend list!

This can help when you share meal coordinating responsibilities with someone else. If your friend coordinates a Plan and invites 30 people, you can simply click on your friend's name (Under "Who Is Coordinating These Meals?") and send friend requests to the people you know.
This can save time entering email addresses, and help you find new friends who can help bring meals!

How Many Friends to Invite?

2009-04-14T16:26:00.000-07:00

When creating a new Plan and inviting friends to bring meals, people often wonder - How many friends should I invite?

I recommend basing the number of invitations you send on the number of meals you have scheduled. A good guideline is:

Invitations Sent = 3 x Meals Scheduled

For example, if you have 10 meals, plan to invite about 30 people.

Why invite so many people? It is likely that a certain number of people you invite will not check their email (infrequent computer users). Others may be away for a few days or on vacation. Some may open and view your Plan, but be unable to bring a meal on any of the days. So by inviting many more people than meals, you are much more likely to find people to bring meals on all the days you scheduled.

It is great to see a schedule of meals with a friend's name next to each one!

Keep it Coming

2009-03-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions and comments since the update in late February! Keep it coming!

Here are some exciting features and changes that have been made since February:
- Show Email Address for friends. This will help identify friends, especially when there seems to be duplicates.
- Receiver Description and Instructions
- Email people when friend confirms. When someone confirms you as a friend, you will receive an email notification.
- Reduce errors when inviting people. Previously, when inviting friends, often there were numerous errors and warnings. Now, only critical errors will be shown.
- Plan Activity Stats. This is really cool.

This component gives you up-to-date feedback on how the plan is doing. It answers: How many meals are left to fill? How many people did I invite? Who actually opened the Plan? This feature will really help everyone track the progress of the Meals.

And there is more to come:
- Video Tutorials
- Tips of the Day
- Signup Confirmation Emails (To help remember your username/password)

As always, if you have any suggestions or feedback, please let me know.
Thanks!
Vijay

Email Errors

2009-03-03T20:52:00.001-08:00

Today a problem prevented Emails from being sent from about 7-8pm Pacific. This is resolved now, but please email help@caringmeals.com if you see any unexpected errors.

Thanks,
Vijay

And we're back!

2009-02-25T22:04:00.000-08:00

After many months of work and a short upgrade downtime, the new CaringMeals.com site is live!
You can login with the same username and password, and see all of your plans and meals from before the upgrade. Of course, with any new release, there may be unexpected behavior. Please send any questions or comments to help@caringmeals.com.

In coming weeks, I'll provide more details on some of the newest features.
One of the biggest (and the one that took the longest to develop) is the "Friend" functionality. Among other things, this will let you:
- Maintain a list of friends (similar to an Address Book)
- Control access to the plans you create and your profile information (Email/Phone)
- Find new friends! When you click on the name of a friend, you will see a list of their friends. If you see someone you know, just send a friend request and they will be added to your friend list.

Enjoy the new site!

Vijay

An Appetizer

2009-02-17T14:14:00.000-08:00

The time is near for releasing the next major update to CaringMeals.com!

To whet your appetite, you can take a look at a few screenshots of the new site. In addition to being more attractive, colorful, and easier to read, many new features and functions will be part of the upgrade:

Meal Comments - When a user signs up to bring a meal, they will have the option to enter a description of what they plan to bring.
Most Recent Plans - At the top of the screen you will see shortcuts to the most recent Plan you have viewed.
Easy to Remember URLs - When creating a Plan, you will specifiy a Unique Name. This name can then be used to access the plan. For example, if you choose "JohnMeals", the address will be http://www.caringmeals.com/plan/JohnMeals
Friends - For security purposes and to maintain an address book, a "Friend" system will be in place. Friends are simply email addresses that you have marked as trustworthy (If you have used Facebook, this concept will be familiar to you). To view a Plan, a user must be a friend of the Coordinator. The old "Plan Password" concept will be removed in favor of this system. You will also be able to view a list of your friends, view their contact information, and invite them easily to help with meals. More on this to come.
Receiver emails - Specify a receiver on the plan, so they can stay informed about the meals.
Searching! - In the past, we did not allow searching, because there was no mechanism to restrict access to the Plan. Now, with the Friend system, a user can search for a plan, and if they are not a friend of the Coordinator, they will have to send a Friend Request before they will be allowed to view the Plan.

There is more, but I think this is enough to let you know that the wait will be worth it. A date has not yet been set (some more testing to be done), but February 27th is the estimate.

The site will still be considered "Beta", which means that it still needs your feedback. A big "thank you" for all of your input and suggestions that have contributed to the making the site successful!

Blessings,

Vijay

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

2008 is history, and 2009 promises exiting things at CaringMeals:

- More people joined CaringMeals in December than any previous month. It is wonderful to see how people all over the country are benefitting from this service.

- A new, colorful, easier to use, and feature release is planned for February. We want to make it even easier for you to connect with your friends and coordinate meals.

I wish you, your friends, and family a safe and blessed New Year.

Vijay

CaringMeals.com

New Site

2008-12-04T20:44:00.001-08:00

The site redesign is becoming a bit bigger than expected. What started as a few simple features, has turned into a complete facelift and upgrade. We don't want to release anything that isn't tested, so this will delay the availablility of some of the features in development. Stay tuned...it won't be long.

Coming Up...

2008-11-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

With the many people using CaringMeals, a lot of feature requests are coming in. The next major update to caringmeals.com is planned for December 6th.
By far, the most requested feature is the ability for users to enter a meal description, not just the coordinator. This will make it easier to clearly identify what each person is bringing. This and other features will be coming soon.

What are your thoughts? What features would you like to see? Post a comment here or send an email to vijay@caringmeals.com.

Thanks!
Vijay

Tell Someone about CaringMeals!

2008-11-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

CaringMeals spreads through word-of-mouth (email). If you benefit from CaringMeals.com, please take a few minutes to tell someone how CaringMeals can help them.

Thanks!

Vijay

Welcome to the CaringMeals Blog!

2008-10-30T23:38:00.001-07:00

Greetings,
Just over a year ago, this little guy came into the world. He and his mom and dad became the first family to receive meals coordinated by CaringMeals. Since then, CaringMeals has made bringing meals easier for people across the country.

This blog will be a place to share news, updates, and tips on using CaringMeals. In the coming weeks, there will be many exciting improvements launched on the caringmeals.com site. Please come back often!

If there is anything I can do to make you more successful using CaringMeals, please let me know.

Vijay