Palatine cook serves her community

Ever since her college days TerrieAnn Jones has been preparing meals for people in need.

It started with college friends starved for home-cooked food and treats and progressed to friends and family coping with a new baby, surgery, illness or death.

Whatever the reason, TerrieAnn shows up at the door with a hot meal and a warm heart.

She's earned the nickname "shepherd" from some of her friends because she tends to her flock; TerrieAnn says it's all about being Christian.

"It's just part of serving the community," she says.

If someone needs long-term meals TerrieAnn helps organize volunteers. One case was particularly memorable because she inspired a neighbor to develop a meal ministry at her church.

In a "pay it forward" kind of reaction, TerrieAnn had provided meals for this neighbor when she was sick, then the two of them provided meals for another neighbor who became ill.

The first woman found it so rewarding that she approached her church membership with a proposal for the meal ministry and elicited more than 50 responses.

"It dominoed to such a wonderful thing," says TerrieAnn. "It was so exciting for me, that the people who really liked to serve meals got an opportunity to do that just because of what happened in our neighborhood."

The reaction of those receiving meals is gratifying, says TerrieAnn.

One incident involved the mother of twins, one of whom was very ill. TerrieAnn helped organize volunteers to provide meals.

"One day I delivered a meal and some chocolate chip banana bread," says TerrieAnn.

That night the woman e-mailed her thanks, describing a particularly difficult day made bearable by a thoughtful gesture.

Wrote the woman: "I'm sitting down with a cup of tea and a slice of your banana bread and it makes me feel like everything will be okay(sic)."

"I kept that for a long time to help me remember that the littlest things can be so significant to someone else," says TerrieAnn.

On a practical level, cooking in volume is the secret to feeding those in need plus her own family: husband Dan and their children, Nathan, 6, and Amanda, 4. Keeping the meals relatively simple is another strategy for avoiding burnout. The crock pot is her favorite tool.

A Weight Watchers leader at the YMCA in Palatine, TerrieAnn looks for ways to make meals as wholesome as possible. Her chicken cacciatore and barbecue chuck roast are packed with vegetables and low-sodium tomato products. Ground turkey, vegetables and low-fat mozzarella are layered with pasta in her take on lasagna.

Virtually all of her recipes are suitable for sharing with others, including the three you see here.

"I don't ever remember a time I haven't done this," says TerrieAnn. "That's who I am.

"It really, really fills me up."

Turkey-Vegetable Lasagna

1 pound ground turkey

2½ jars (28 ounces each) spaghetti sauce

2 cups low-fat ricotta or small curd cottage cheese

¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 pound frozen broccoli, thawed, drained

½ pound frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

3 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped

12 uncooked lasagna noodles (not precooked)

2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground turkey in skillet; mix in large bowl with spaghetti sauce.

In separate bowl combine ricotta cheese, ½ cup parmesan, parsley and oregano.

In a 12-by-10-by-2½-inch pan, spread 2¼ cups meat sauce; top with 4 noodles. Spread about half the cheese mixture over noodles. Cover with 2¼ cups sauce. Sprinkle half the broccoli, spinach and tomatoes over all. Cover with 4 noodles.

Spread remaining cheese mixture over noodles, ladle on 2¼ cups sauce, remaining broccoli, spinach and tomatoes; cover with 4 noodles and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup parmesan.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 30 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Serves eight.

Nutrition values per serving: 580 calories, 20 g fat (10 g saturated), 68 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber, 42 g protein, 80 mg cholesterol, 1730 mg sodium.

Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 pound button mushrooms

1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups tomatoes, diced (see note)

6 ounces sodium free or low sodium tomato paste

12 ounces sodium free or low sodium tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours.

Serve over brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

Serves six to eight.

Cook's note: A 12-ounce can of low sodium or sodium free tomatoes may be substituted for fresh tomatoes.

Nutrition values per serving (without added salt): 190 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated), 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 27 g protein, 65 mg cholesterol, 85 mg sodium.

Slow-cooked Barbecue Chuck Roast

3-4 pounds chuck roast

2 cups onions, chopped

3 cups bell peppers, any color, chopped

6 ounces low sodium or sodium free tomato paste

6 ounces water (use tomato paste can to measure)

½ cup white or apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine all ingredients in order in slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir with wire whisk or two forks until meat shreds. Serve on hard rolls.

Serves 10 to 12.

Nutrition values per serving (without added salt): 340 calories, 20 g fat (8 g saturated), 6 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein, 80 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium.