My Brother's Table

Tower School has a long-standing relationship (30+ years!) with My Brother's Table, in Lynn MA. Families volunteer to cook and serve meals on the first Wednesday of every month. TSPA Co-chairs Tess Bauta '90 and Andrea Morse, along with Fred Shepard, encourage participation from all families.

Volunteer Information: Cooking and Delivering Meals to Tower

To transport meals from home to Tower, please use a recyclable foil pan or pick up one of the large pans provided by My Brother's Table. Pans will be located outside of the front office on the Friday morning before our scheduled dates. Meals should be delivered to Tower School at 8:00 on Wednesday morning, and labeled with your name and "MBT." Our TSPA Co-Chairs, A ndrea Morse and Tess Bauta '90, will deliver the meals to My Brother's Table.

MBT is also appreciative of juice boxes and homemade, individually wrapped desserts.

Volunteer Information: Serving Meals at My Brother’s Table

If your family has volunteered to serve meals, please arrive at 5:00 pm, prepared to prep, serve food, scrub pots, wipe tables and clean up. Open footwear is not permitted. Children ages 6 and older are welcome to help with close supervision by their parent. Parents participate no matter the age of the children.

My Brother's table is located at 98 Willow Street, Lynn MA 781-595-3224. A carpool, leaving Tower's lower lot at 4:15 and returning to Tower by 8:00 pm can often be arranged. To express your interest in carpooling, please contact Fred Shepard in advance.

Recipes for My Brother's Table

7/5/23 | Best Baked Ravioli

Summer Volunteer Instructions

Volunteers are asked to contact Tess Bauta or Valerie Cohen directly. Drop off meals at our house on Tuesday or Tower school lobby Wednesday morning before 8:30 am (or request a pick up from volunteer homes). We will have large MBT pans available for volunteers.

We are also seeking juice boxes and homemade, individually wrapped desserts.

Ingredients

3 bags 25 oz. regular sized cheese ravioli
3 jars spaghetti or marinara sauce
4 cups shredded mozzarella
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Steps

Spray bottom of pan with cooking spray
Spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of dish.
Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce
Top with half of the remaining sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese.
Spread spinach over cheese and repeat layer, starting with ravioli, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.

MBT will bake all casseroles.

8/2/23 | Noodle Bake

Summer Volunteer Instructions

We are also seeking juice boxes and homemade, individually wrapped desserts.

Ingredients

2T butter
4 lb lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (24 oz.) can tomato sauce
salt and pepper
2 lb wide noodles
6 oz cream cheese
2 C light sour cream
8-10 scallions, green part chopped
1 C fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

Melt butter and brown beef and garlic. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Boil noodles and drain. Mix cream cheese, sour cream and scallions. Toss with noodles. Spread a little bit of the meat mixture on the bottom of the MBT pan, layer with some noodles, then some of the meat mixture, again with noodles and end with meat mixture. Sprinkle top with the Parmesan cheese. No need to bake for MBT.

9/6/23 | Picadillo

Ingredients

3 lbs ground beef
2 large onions
2 large green peppers, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
1 cup raisins
2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
4 tsp chili pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Dash ground cloves
Dash ground cinnamon
½ cup sliced pimiento stuffed olives

Steps

Brown beef with onions, garlic and green pepper.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.

Consistency should be similar to chili. (Add more tomato sauce or water if too thick). This dish will be served over rice which will be provided by My Brother's Table.

10/4/23 | Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray or butter for the pan
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
6 cups cooked white rice
3 10-cans of condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
6 cups grated cheddar cheese

Steps

1. grease pan with butter or non-stick spray
2. Place chicken in a large pot with water to cover. Add some salt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook until chicken tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the chicken, cover and refrigerate until cool, or up to 24 hours. Shred. (Alternatively, prepare chicken under the broiler. Coat with cooking spray, salt and pepper. Broil for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through. Cool. Shred)
3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and boil until tender crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Spread the cooked rice in an even layer in the baking dish. Make a second layer with the broccoli. In a large bowl, mix in the chicken soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, shredded chicken, 3 cups of shredded cheese and some salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the broccoli. Top with remaining 3 cups of cheddar cheese.

No need to bake. MBT will bake all pans.

11/1/23 | Baked Ziti

Ingredients

4 T olive oil
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 lbs ground beef
2 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
2 jars of 24.5 ounce marinara sauce
1 T Italian seasoning (fresh herbs from Tower garden)
4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp Black pepper
2 lb of ziti or penne, cooked
1 32 ounce container of whole milk ricotta cheese
3 lbs shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated romano cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup minced parsley

Steps

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and beef. Cook until meat is browned and drain most of fat (leave some in pot)
2. Add tomatoes, marinara, seasonings, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Place pasta in a bowl. Add 6 cups of sauce and toss to combine. Set aside too cool.
4. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 4 cups of mozzarella, Romano cheese, eggs, parsley, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper. Stir until combined.
5. Toss the cheese mixture with the pasta/sauce mixture.
6. Add 1/2 the pasta mixture to the pan. Spoon half the remaining sauce then 1/2 the remaining mozzarella cheese.
7. Repeat with remaining pasta, sauce and mozzarella.
8. Let cool and cover with foil. No need to bake. MBT will cook all the pans.

12/6/23 | One Pot Beef Stew

You can make this beef stew in the oven or a slow cooker.

Ingredients

6 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3 cans tomato paste
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 medium onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 pounds small white or red new potatoes, well scrubbed, halved if large
2 pounds carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a Dutch oven (5-quart) with a tight-fitting lid, combine beef, tomato paste, vinegar, and flour; season with salt and pepper.
Add onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and 6 cups water.
Bring to a boil.
Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and, if desired, season with salt and pepper before serving.

Slow-Cooker Variation

Place beef in a 5-quart slow cooker. Distribute tomato paste, vinegar, and flour over beef; season generously with salt and pepper. Add onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover slow cooker; cook on high until beef is fork-tender, about 5 hours (or cook on low heat 8 hours).

1/3/24 | Easy Chili

Ingredients

2 large green peppers, diced
2 large red peppers, diced
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 medium onions, chopped
4 T oil
5 lbs ground beef
5 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
4 T chili powder
2-14.5 oz cans red kidney beans

Directions

Please also bring 2 bags of shredded cheddar cheese and 2 bags of tortilla chips to be served with the meal
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
Add ground beef garlic, and onion and cook until beef has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks.
Add diced peppers, tomato sauce and chili powder. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Simmer covered, for approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add kidney beans, and simmer for another 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently.

2/7/24 | Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Ingredients

6 boneless skinless chicken breast (4 to 6 cups cooked chicken)
2 lbs thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
6 cups (or more) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
softened, unsalted butter for greasing the pan
2 green bell peppers, finely diced
2 red bell peppers, finely diced
2 onions, finely diced
2 tsp. seasoned salt
½ tsp. Cayenne pepper
5 cans cream of mushroom soup
3 cups canned chicken broth (if not poaching the chicken)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken. Reduce to simmer and cook for 8 to 12 minutes for boneless breasts. (I used 4 lbs of bone in/skin on chicken breast and cooked for 25 minutes with onions, carrots, celery, parsley and thyme.)
*Alternatively: prepare chicken under the broiler. Spray chicken breasts with cooking spray and salt and pepper. Broil until done about 6 to 7 minutes per side depending on thickness.
Remove meat and let cool. Cut/tear into bite size pieces. Reserve cooking liquid.
Cook the spaghetti in the chicken broth until al dente.
In a large bowl, combine spaghetti, chicken, vegetables, mushroom soup, 3 cups of cheese, seasoned salt and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 to 3 cups of reserved chicken broth/canned chicken broth.
Place the mixture in a large pan and top with remaining 3 cups of cheddar cheese.
No need to bake. MBT will bake all pans.

3/6/2024 | Slow-Cooker Stroganoff

Ingredients

4-5 lbs cubed beef stew meat
4 (10.75 oz) can condensed golden mushroom soup
2 medium white onions, chopped
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 cup water
2- 8 oz containers of cream cheese
5 packages of egg noodles, uncooked (will be brought to MBT and prepared there)

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce and water.
Cook on low setting for 8 hours, or on high for 5 hours.
Stir in cream cheese.

4/3/24 | Taco Casserole

Ingredients

4 lbs ground beef
3 cans spicy chili beans in sauce, undrained
4 jars Mild salsa (chunky style if possible)
1 bag coarsely broken tortilla chips
2- 16 oz sour cream
3- 8 oz bags shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

In large skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked.
Stir in beans and 2 jars of salsa.
Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
In ungreased MBT pan, place broken tortilla chips.
Top with beef mixture.
Spread with sour cream.
Add remaining 2 jars of salsa and sprinkle cheese.

MBT will bake this casserole.

5/1/24 | Noodle Bake

Ingredients

Steps

6/5/24 | Picadillo

Ingredients

3 lbs ground beef
2 large onions
2 large green peppers, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
1 cup raisins
2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
4 tsp chili pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Dash ground cloves
Dash ground cinnamon
½ cup sliced pimiento stuffed olives

Steps

Brown beef with onions, garlic and green pepper.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Consistency should be similar to chili. (Add more tomato sauce or water if too thick).

This dish will be served over rice which will be provided by My Brother's Table.