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I love to cook and I'll make anything. But being on a med student's budget I've found the best thing to bring to a friends place is a dessert. I always have eggs, milk, flour and sugar on hand-- thus the most expensive thing I ever have to buy is a six dollar bar of chocolate. Your a hit on a budget, everyone remembers dessert.

I sometimes make a batch of homemade turkey burgers and wrap in twos so they can put them in their freezer. When they want to eat the only need grill as many as they want to eat for 15 mins from defrosted or baked for 20mins from frozen.

I'm going to be doing it later in the week! Best to avoid things which are known for causing colic in nursing babies too!

Spinach lasagna - sneaks in veggies, which sometimes get ignored when people are busy or tired and looking for quick sustenance.

my dad has been preparing meals for friends and loved ones in need for years--his favorite things to make for such causes are cheese blintzes and stuffed cabbage. my mom favors lasagna, baked ziti, spaghetti and meatballs or soup.

I remember when I was down and out with some horrible stomach bug, I drove myself to the store to get some cheap fizzy citrus drink. A friend had stopped by while I was gone and left a care package at the door: a six-pack of organic ginger beer, a fresh ginger root, directions for ginger tea, and a huge happy sunflower. It was the best get well present ever.

1. shepard's pie - for anyone sickly
2. stuffed peppers - for all occasions (my friend requesting it all the times)
3. no knead bread -for casual drop in (wrapped in foil and ready to serve after 10 min in the oven)
4. stuffed cabbage -for my best friend , she'll take it anytime.

Roasted chicken is great -- you can make two at a time (keeping one for yourself) and it will taste just as good to the recipient for the next day or two out of the fridge.

Soups and stews are always good choices. I like Smitten Kitchen's goulash, or onion soup; chicken soup is easy to improvise.

Don't forget that they're probably stuck at home for lunch, too. Chinese chicken salad is usually a good thing for them to store in the fridge and eat over a couple of days, or really any kind of pasta salad with veggies and a protein. Quiche and a green salad also work for lunches as well as dinners.

New moms especially appreciate something they can eat in the morning -- they are usually starving after the first feeding of the day. Muffins or granola are always appreciated.