Hi everyone,

First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.

I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.

I am planning to make her some soups to freeze in individual portions,
plus some pasta dishes and sauces. A few questions: if I make
lasagna, do I cook it, then cool and freeze, or just freeze it
uncooked? Would the procedure be the same for a tomato-based lasagna
vs. bechemal? Would it be best to toss the sauces w/ slightly
undercooked pasta, or just freeze the sauce separately, and send along
some uncooked pasta?

Would a broth-based chicken-and-noodle dish w/ carrots, peas, and
celery freeze well? I'm guessing I should undercook the noodles a bit.
This is something I make on the stovetop, but have never frozen
before...so I'm not sure how to advise them to heat it. I can make
some, freeze it in small portions and experiment here at home, but if
someone has a suggestion (thaw in microwave, then gently reheat on
stovetop?) that would be great.

As for soups, I make a good pureed sweet potato soup, and also thought
of potato/leek and cream of broccoli. I wasn't sure if those last two
would freeze well; any thoughts?

Lots of questions here, I know -- sorry, I don't often freeze and
reheat these kinds of things, so I thought I'd come to the experts here
for some tried and true advice. If you know of any other dishes she
might appreciate when she's not feeling quite so well as she has been,
that'd be great, too.

Thanks!
Chris

Chris wrote:
>
> I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
> detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
> has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
> is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
>
> I am planning to make her some soups to freeze in individual portions,
> plus some pasta dishes and sauces. A few questions: if I make
> lasagna, do I cook it, then cool and freeze, or just freeze it
> uncooked? Would the procedure be the same for a tomato-based lasagna
> vs. bechemal?

Always cook first, then freeze

> Would it be best to toss the sauces w/ slightly
> undercooked pasta, or just freeze the sauce separately, and send along
> some uncooked pasta?

Freeze sauce separately.

> Would a broth-based chicken-and-noodle dish w/ carrots, peas, and
> celery freeze well? I'm guessing I should undercook the noodles a bit.
> This is something I make on the stovetop, but have never frozen
> before...so I'm not sure how to advise them to heat it. I can make
> some, freeze it in small portions and experiment here at home, but if
> someone has a suggestion (thaw in microwave, then gently reheat on
> stovetop?) that would be great.

Freeze soups without noodles... cook noodles separately and add to
heated soups.

> As for soups, I make a good pureed sweet potato soup, and also thought
> of potato/leek and cream of broccoli. I wasn't sure if those last two
> would freeze well; any thoughts?

Sometimes cream based soups separate upon thawing, still quite edible
but don't look very nice... you'd need to experiment with those.

> Lots of questions here, I know -- sorry, I don't often freeze and
> reheat these kinds of things, so I thought I'd come to the experts here
> for some tried and true advice. If you know of any other dishes she
> might appreciate when she's not feeling quite so well as she has been,
> that'd be great, too.

Most any cooked dishes can be frozen... but I would suggest stocking
the freezer with plain frozen veggies... there are many in large
reclosable bags where one can use what they like. Many of the frozen
stir fry blends are very good and can be used other than stir fried...
heat some in a can of stock and add some noodles/rice. Btw, frozen
veggies are higher in nutrients than so-called fresh from the market.

Sheldon

projectile vomit chick wrote:
> "Chris" > hit the crackpipe and declared:
> >Hi everyone,
> >
> >First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
> >again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
> >
> >I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
> >detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
> >has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
> >is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
>
> Isn't it funny how these picky health nuts are always the ones that
> drop dead or get some hideous disease?

Shades of Euell Gibbons.

Eat well, live long, and prosper... say YES to oral sex!

Sheldon

projectile vomit chick wrote:
> "Chris" > hit the crackpipe and declared:
> >Hi everyone,
> >
> >First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
> >again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
> >
> >I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
> >detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
> >has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
> >is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
>
> Isn't it funny how these picky health nuts are always the ones that
> drop dead or get some hideous disease?

Shades of Euell Gibbons.

Eat well, live long, and prosper... say YES to oral sex!

Sheldon

On Mon, 05 Jun 2006 07:30:20 -0700, Sheldon wrote:


> Shades of Euell Gibbons.
>
> Eat well, live long, and prosper... say YES to oral sex!

I would like to read one of his books and maybe all of them. Do you
recommend one to start with?

"Chris" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi everyone,
>
> First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
> again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
>
> I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
> detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
> has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
> is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
>
> I am planning to make her some soups to freeze in individual portions,
> plus some pasta dishes and sauces. A few questions: if I make
> lasagna, do I cook it, then cool and freeze, or just freeze it
> uncooked? Would the procedure be the same for a tomato-based lasagna
> vs. bechemal? Would it be best to toss the sauces w/ slightly
> undercooked pasta, or just freeze the sauce separately, and send along
> some uncooked pasta?

The lasagna can be done either way. I belong to a freezer group and most of
them layer the sauce and cheeses with uncooked noodles and then freeze. You
add a tablespoon or so of water into each corner when baking and then it's
like fresh instead of leftover. A bechemel based lasagna might not freeze
as well since that type of sauce tends to seperate when thawing.

>
> Would a broth-based chicken-and-noodle dish w/ carrots, peas, and
> celery freeze well? I'm guessing I should undercook the noodles a bit.
> This is something I make on the stovetop, but have never frozen
> before...so I'm not sure how to advise them to heat it. I can make
> some, freeze it in small portions and experiment here at home, but if
> someone has a suggestion (thaw in microwave, then gently reheat on
> stovetop?) that would be great.

Yes. Undercook the noodles just a bit and they'll finish cooking when it's
heated. It can be totally heated in the microwave.


>
> As for soups, I make a good pureed sweet potato soup, and also thought
> of potato/leek and cream of broccoli. I wasn't sure if those last two
> would freeze well; any thoughts?

The sweet potato soup might freeze really well. Potatoes in general don't
freeze well though, they get grainy. But you could make a base and freeze
that. That way they'd just have to add the potatoes and cream. Same for
the cream of broccoli. The cream may seperate but you can make it up to the
addition of cream and freeze.

>
> Lots of questions here, I know -- sorry, I don't often freeze and
> reheat these kinds of things, so I thought I'd come to the experts here
> for some tried and true advice. If you know of any other dishes she
> might appreciate when she's not feeling quite so well as she has been,
> that'd be great, too.
>
> Thanks!
> Chris
>

A couple of casseroles she can just heat and eat might be appreciated too.
Tuna or chicken noodle casserole or a chicken and dressing casserole are a
couple of ideas.

Ms P

"ms_peacock" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Chris" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
>> again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
>>
>> I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
>> detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
>> has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
>> is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
>>
>> I am planning to make her some soups to freeze in individual portions,
>> plus some pasta dishes and sauces. A few questions: if I make
>> lasagna, do I cook it, then cool and freeze, or just freeze it
>> uncooked? Would the procedure be the same for a tomato-based lasagna
>> vs. bechemal? Would it be best to toss the sauces w/ slightly
>> undercooked pasta, or just freeze the sauce separately, and send along
>> some uncooked pasta?
>
> The lasagna can be done either way. I belong to a freezer group and most
> of them layer the sauce and cheeses with uncooked noodles and then freeze.
> You add a tablespoon or so of water into each corner when baking and then
> it's like fresh instead of leftover. A bechemel based lasagna might not
> freeze as well since that type of sauce tends to seperate when thawing.

I've not tried doing it that way. I bake the lasagna (with bechamel sauce)
and
freeze it after I've refrigerated it (makes cutting easier). I've not
noticed any
separation of the sauce. Freezes beautifully. I nuke it right out of the
freezer without
thawing it. Tastes wonderful, IMNSHO.
<snip>

TammyM
Sacramento, California

In article >,
projectile vomit chick > wrote:

> On 5 Jun 2006 06:36:05 -0700, in rec.food.cooking, "Chris"
> > hit the crackpipe and declared:
> >Hi everyone,
> >
> >First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
> >again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
> >
> >I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
> >detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
> >has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
> >is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
>
> Isn't it funny how these picky health nuts are always the ones that
> drop dead or get some hideous disease?
>

Not always...
From what I've seen at work, many of them turn health nut _after_ they
get cancer. That is the type of diet recommended by most Oncologists.

> --
> we're all stars now, in the dope show...

Marilyn Manson. ;-) I have that album......
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article .com>,
"Sheldon" > wrote:

> projectile vomit chick wrote:
> > "Chris" > hit the crackpipe and declared:
> > >Hi everyone,
> > >
> > >First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
> > >again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
> > >
> > >I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
> > >detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
> > >has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
> > >is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
> >
> > Isn't it funny how these picky health nuts are always the ones that
> > drop dead or get some hideous disease?
>
> Shades of Euell Gibbons.
>
> Eat well, live long, and prosper... say YES to oral sex!
>
> Sheldon

High protein. ;-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> projectile vomit chick wrote:
> > "Chris" > hit the crackpipe and declared:
> > >Hi everyone,
> > >
> > >First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
> > >again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
> > >
> > >I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer. It was
> > >detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer. She
> > >has asked for vegetable-laden meals for her freezer, plus breads. She
> > >is avoiding red meat, soy, and processed sugar.
> >
> > Isn't it funny how these picky health nuts are always the ones that
> > drop dead or get some hideous disease?
>
> Shades of Euell Gibbons.
>
> Eat well, live long, and prosper... say YES to oral sex!
>
> Sheldon
>

Ppppppppppffffffffffffftttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!
Sheldon, come over here and clean off my monitor for me. You made me spit
pop all over it!!!

Seriously funny retort!

helene

"Chris" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
>> again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
>>
>> I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer.

Not sure what you mean - has she just started chemo?

>> It was detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer.

A mastectomy later this summer? This sounds backwards to me.

Well, in any case - it's good that you care. I'm sure anything you make an
effort to cook will be appreciated.

Elaien

"Chris" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi everyone,
snip> I am planning to make her some soups to freeze in individual portions,
> plus some pasta dishes and sauces. A few questions: if I make
> lasagna, do I cook it, then cool and freeze, or just freeze it
> uncooked? Would the procedure be the same for a tomato-based lasagna
> vs. bechemal? Would it be best to toss the sauces w/ slightly
> undercooked pasta, or just freeze the sauce separately, and send along
> some uncooked pasta?
snip
> Lots of questions here, I know -- sorry, I don't often freeze and
> reheat these kinds of things, so I thought I'd come to the experts here
> for some tried and true advice. If you know of any other dishes she
> might appreciate when she's not feeling quite so well as she has been,
> that'd be great, too.
>
> Thanks!
> Chris
>
Anything you make should have the preparation directions on it so that any
other member of the family can prepare the food. She isn't going to feel
like even heating something up. Her appetite is going to be almost
non-existent, so make portions small so that she doesn't feel guilty about
leftovers. She isn't going to feel anything like normal for about 6 months
after her chemo, but her appetitive will improve during that time. You
might want to consider making foods that could tolerate a long time in the
freezer.
Janet

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:

> The more they can shrink the cancer before the op, the less they have
> to cut out... a friend of mine was diagnosed late and they said it was
> inoperable, but she responded really well to chemo and 6 months later
> they gave her a mastectomy because it had shrunk enough to be
> removable. Our fingers are crossed for the radiation treatment to get
> the rest of it so she can have many more years with her family...

That sounds similar to my friend's case. I wish your friend the best,
Karen.

Thanks, everybody, for the tips. I've made a few dishes and frozen
them in small serving sizes. I will try a couple for lunch soon and
make sure they reheat ok before delivering them. Great to get tips
from you guys!!

Chris

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
> On Mon, 5 Jun 2006 19:15:01 -0400, "elaine" > wrote:
>
> >
> > "Chris" > wrote in message
> >> oups.com...
> >>> Hi everyone,
> >>>
> >>> First of all, I haven't been around here in several months, so hello
> >>> again and I hope everyone's doing well and eating superbly.
> >>>
> >>> I have a friend in the early stages of chemo for breast cancer.
> >
> >Not sure what you mean - has she just started chemo?
> >
> >>> It was detected early, and she's having a mastectomy later this summer.
> >
> >A mastectomy later this summer? This sounds backwards to me.
> >
> >Well, in any case - it's good that you care. I'm sure anything you make an
> >effort to cook will be appreciated.
> >
> The more they can shrink the cancer before the op, the less they have
> to cut out... a friend of mine was diagnosed late and they said it was
> inoperable, but she responded really well to chemo and 6 months later
> they gave her a mastectomy because it had shrunk enough to be
> removable. Our fingers are crossed for the radiation treatment to get
> the rest of it so she can have many more years with her family...

Neo-adjuvant I *think* it's called. They were considering this for me
back in 2004 when i was diagnosed. John Edwards' wife did it this way,
and my surgeon was on the local news explaining it. (Doc is head of
UCSF's Breast Center)

Chemo shrinks the tumor, then they operate.

Best of wishes to the family in crisis. A newsgroup friend from ba.food
brought pork chili verde when I was first diagnosed. I'm still
grateful.

Regards,

Leila
training to swim a mile for women with cancer in October
almost two years since diagnosis

We also wish your friend the best, Chris.

It's very nice of you helping with the food. Thanks also for asking the
questions...the repliers' tips helped me, too.

Cheers,
la.agua.fresca
http://aguafresca.healthifica.com

Chris wrote:
>
> That sounds similar to my friend's case. I wish your friend the best,
> Karen.
>
> Thanks, everybody, for the tips. I've made a few dishes and frozen
> them in small serving sizes. I will try a couple for lunch soon and
> make sure they reheat ok before delivering them. Great to get tips
> from you guys!!
>
> Chris