Photo by Andrik Langfield Petrides on Unsplash

I learned from my mother-in-law, too with a dish that can be made ahead and ready to pull out and heat up on a moment’s notice (again, no set recipe). It’s chicken tenders that are dipped in an egg/milk mixture, rolled in Italian breadcrumbs, and fried in just a little oil. Put them in the bottom of a casserole dish, then cover with Campbell’s cream of mushroom (or cream of celery) soup and a half can of milk, and then press prepared stuffing over the top of it all. Cover until ready to bake, then bake it for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with a vegetable and salad and be prepared to offer seconds.

Side note: yes, these use canned or boxed soup. No, they are not meant to be gourmet. Just good, easy, and likely to be acceptable to anyone.

I did roast pork in the crockpot, letting it simmer right along with the sauerkraut, but making creamy mashed potatoes separately with my Kitchen Aid, a little sour cream, and a lot of butter. I even did a turkey breast in the crockpot, all so I could join in the fun as we visited local attractions with our out-of-town guests.