The holidays are fully upon us, and that means more large gatherings, extended families coming into town, team parties, and giving back opportunities to serve a crowd. But these meals are usually larger than my typical family of four eats, so I’ve mastered a couple of easy ones that require minimal fuss and are easy to double and even triple if need be. When thinking about what I want to make, I really need it to be SIMPLE. My time is fairly limited for fancy creations, plus, I always think about the guests when making a big meal. If I put in too many wild ingredients, there’s a good chance someone will balk. So I really try to go for people-pleaser recipes as well.
Thanks to Walmart, and more specifically to Walmart+, it’s now easier than ever to procure the groceries I need to serve a crowd, order the same day for pick up, or even have them delivered! I’ll tell you, delivery was not something I knew I needed but it has been a really nice game changer for my busy days. And besides just grocery delivery, there are other big Walmart+ incentives, including saving on gas {yes, please!}, free shipping to home, video streaming, and more. Explore the benefits and sign up for their free 30 day trial as a little holiday gift to yourself!
This past week, our Houston Moms team had the opportunity to partner with area Walmart stores to give back to our community in a tangible way. We selected The Ballard House, which offers no-cost temporary housing for individuals and caregivers undergoing treatment in the Texas Medical Center. At any one time, they have 40 to 50 people staying with them, and as you can imagine, they welcome a warm, comforting meal at the end of a long day of tests and treatments. It was Houston Moms’ pleasure to serve these individuals, thanks to the generosity of Walmart {and for the convenience of free pick up!} And I’m not too proud to say that these recipes were a hit with the residents! Give them a try at your next big gathering.
Easy Baked Ziti
{I doubled this recipe to make 1 HUGE pan of baked ziti with meat, and then did one batch without meat.}
Ingredients:
1lb cooked and drained ziti noodles
3 cups of store bought marinara
1lb of cooked 90/10 ground beef *you could also use a sweet Italian sausage here
1lb ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups additional shredded mozzarella
Prepare:
Mix first three ingredients in one bowl {pasta, marinara, and beef if using.}
Mix remaining ingredients in the second bowl MINUS the 2 additional cups of mozzarella. In your disposable pan, begin to layer your ziti. Start with one half of the ziti mixture, then cover that with all of the ricotta mixture. Finish with the last half of the ziti mixture, then top with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. If you want it to have more a crisp top, uncover the foil the last 10 or so minutes. Easy peezy!
Chicken Alfredo Bake
Ingredients:
16oz of penne or rotini pasta
32oz jar of Alfredo sauce *you could surely make your own here, but we are going EASY!
3 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of pre-cooked chicken *shred a rotisserie chicken because again EASY
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Prepare:
Spray your disposable pan with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 400. Pour all of the ingredients besides the mozzarella cheese into the prepared pan. Yes, the pasta is uncooked. Don’t worry! Stir it up, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, stir, top with the cheese, and bake another 15-20 minutes uncovered until bubbly.
Fresh Garden Salad
This obviously isn’t a recipe so much as it is an idea. When we served the guests at The Ballard House, we wanted them to have some green and color on their plates, too! Buy what you think people would like to select from but keep it colorful! For this “recipe” we used the following and also kept it ingredients separate so they could choose to their liking.
Ingredients:
Olive Garden Classic Caesar Dressing
Olive Garden Parmesan Ranch Dressing
Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing
Qty 2 Fresh Color Bell Peppers, 3 count
4 Cucumbers
Fresh Whole Carrots
Fresh Green Leaf Lettuce
Great Value Sliced Olives
New York Bakery Texas Toast Croutons
24oz package Cherubs Grape Tomatoes
Wash all ingredients. Slice cucumbers and bell peppers. Cut up carrots to manageable bites. Serve from 2 disposable aluminum pans to keep ingredients separate, or use bowls if that’s preferable. Super yummy and fresh – plus, those dressings were DELISH!
Our evening at The Ballard House in partnership with Walmart was magical. The capper was Walmart presenting this incredibly worthy organization with a check for $10,000 to further their mission of providing free housing for those receiving life-saving treatments in our city. TBH has just surpassed over 100,000 (yes!) nights of free lodging. If you’d like to contribute to the cause, they are looking for donors to make a $100 donation in support of that milestone. Of course, donations of any amount, along with basic supplies to keep their house stocked, are always welcome. Or you can always join the volunteer list to serve a meal with your group, too!
I also recently discovered that another local Katy/Richmond/Fulshear business, Waggin’ Tails Pet Ranch, will board the guests’ pets FOR FREE while they are in residence at The Ballard House. It truly does take a village, and this is a pretty incredible one.
I hope this post encourages you to serve the people and organizations around you, and gives you some simple ideas of yummy but easy meals you can make. Food is the ultimate connector and there is something so special about breaking bread together over shared conversations and love. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from our Houston Moms family to yours.
