the last two meals I cooked were just gak :-0 they were so bad that

I think the proper sacrifice would be to throw a can of soup or a hunk of Velveeta over the cliff

into the ocean. Well, maybe not the soupcan---not eco-friendly.

 
oh thank you, I used to make chili and haven't made one for way too long. I'd love to have the

soup recipe. he's looking for meat in the dishes. thanks Meryl smileys/smile.gif

 
whatever it takes to break this curse '-)) he just asked whatever happened to

casserole and are there any bolgna casseroles out there '-))

I gotta break this by the weekend. I'm cooking my friend's b'day dinner monday evening. she said she would rather have me cook for her than go out.... let's hope they don't become "famous last words!" LOL

 
Here ya go: Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

VEGETARIAN TORTILLA SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray (I used extra virgin olive oil)
3/4 cup chopped onion (I used more)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used a lot more)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (I omitted it)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (I used a lot more)
3/4 teaspoon chili powder (I used a lot more)
4 cups canned vegetable broth (I used low sodium chicken broth)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used canned)
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed, drained (I used a lot more)
2/3 cup chopped zucchini (I used more)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chili

DIRECTIONS:

Spray large nonstick saucepan with vegetable oil spray. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add broth and 2 tablespoons cilantro; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Add tortillas, tomatoes, beans, zucchini and jalapeño to soup. Cover; simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. (I cook until it's crisp/tender). Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. (I also top with some grated extra sharp cheddar).

Serves 4.

From Bon Appétit

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/4421

 
Vegetable Chili

VEGETABLE CHILI

"Even better over rice."(I serve it with brown rice). "Top it with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese." (I omit the toppings).

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped (I crush them first)
3 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 4-ounce can diced mild green chilies
3 tablespoons chili powder (I use more)
1 tablespoon ground cumin (I use a little more)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 15- to 16-ounce cans kidney beans, drained (I use pinto beans)
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 10-ounce package frozen corn kernels (I use 1 15-oz can, unsweetened and unsalted)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices, green chilies, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook 10 minutes to blend flavors.
Add beans, bell peppers and corn. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chili is thick, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes (I cook it about 1 hour).
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 6.

From Bon Appétit

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/4421

 
DH's response

Ok, this is Don (Randi's worse half) and I just want to clear a few things up (at Randi's invitation). But whoa - I never said I preferred one-dish meals, just that they can be good on occasion.

Yes I was raised a vegetarian and didn't first taste meat til I was in my late teens and didn't have fried chicken or shrimp til I was 30, but I'm definitely NOT a vegetarian now.

The primary issue is that the only meat that Randi knows is a big chunk all by itself while I prefer smaller chunks mixed with other ingredients comprising a "dish" and definitely not "on the bone" that you've got to saw apart or pick up and gnaw on like a cave man. That's not civilized, and the Chinese will agree with me smileys/smile.gif. I make an exception for a good filet mignon or top sirloin which is worth the effort, and fish is normally fine although it took me many years to accommodate anything beyond Halibut.

So when I complained about chicken/steak/porkchop every night Randi started graciously cooking me a separate meal on occasion (ie frequently), but a bowl of spaghetti with just olive oil or plain tomato sauce is not a balanced complete meal and my body is screaming for protein. Being raised a vegetarian I'm well aware of the nutritional requirements of the human body, the concept of complete proteins, etc, and it just ain't there as I eat little other protein through the day (no eggs at breakfast, can't tolerate milk anymore, etc).

So the other night I suggested as an example at least adding some sauteed hamburger to the jar of tomato sauce for the "quick fix" dishes turning it into a hearty meat sauce, and maybe expanding her repertoire to include more "dishes" that incorporate both protein and carbs, and maybe even vegies - these are the staples of daily meals for folks throughout the world, including the French and Italians smileys/wink.gif and include many wonderful dishes such as stews, casseroles, spaghetti and MEAT BALLS, etc, and many are very easy to fix, and a bonus is (as previously mentioned) that they make good leftovers.

Don't get me wrong - Randi is a fabulous cook creating great meals when we have guests or special occasions, but frankly for the day to day stuff I ate more balanced, tasty and complete meals when I was cooking for myself, simplistic cooking or not.

So I just need Randi to expand her horizons and consider recipes that incorporate more than just meat or just pasta. I know from my own cookbooks and eating experience that there is a wealth of material out there including virtually the entire Asian and Latin cuisines.

I'll probably be in the doghouse for a month now sentenced to bread and water smileys/smile.gif but I've promised Randi that I'll start cooking one night a week again so maybe that'll save me. Maybe I'll start with the diced and fried spam/macaroni/campbells mushroom soup casserole we ate in college when our budget was $50/mo total for three roomates smileys/smile.gif Actually I worked in a commercial kitchen as an chef's assistant and baker's assistant while in college so I at least know the basics.

- Don

 
LOL - ladies and gentlemen, meet my husband. obviously, I need to learn the art

of casseroles and what ever else falls into the type of meal he wants and needs. hopefully, I'll find dishes that aren't over the top with carbs and have more veggies along with the proteen, for both our sakes. I have carb probs and that's why I make meat for me and try to give him something different.

nothing like being "outed" as a poor,everyday cook by your husband smileys/wink.gif))

 
Yes, I can see the problem. You have my sympathy, I think it would be so hard to meet different

dietary needs every meal. I'm going to think on this, can you eat potatoes? I'm thinking perhaps Asian stirfries would be a good compromise, you could serve rice with his and skip it for yourself. Do you have time constraints? How about beef or pork stews? For example, Beef bourguignonne(sp?) is delicious, you can put in carrots, mushrooms and onions, serve his with a starch, if he wants it.

I bet you will get a lot of good suggestions...we all know you're a great cook, and now we know your husband has a sense of humor. smileys/wink.gif

 
Here's an idea: REC: Mustard Chicken. Serve it with or without rice or noodles.

The boneless chicken is in pieces, but not itty bitty pieces. There's only a tablespoon of flour, and it takes less than 30 minutes. Don should have no trouble cooking this recipe:

MUSTARD CHICKEN
from "Classic Home Cooking" by Mary Berry and Marlena Spieler

1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Garlic clove, crushed
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut diagonally into 1-inch strips
1 cup light cream
1 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. coarse mustard
Salt and pepper
Flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Heat the oil in a skillet, and the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken strips, then lower the heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove chicken strips and keep them warm.

In a small bowl, mix a little of the cream with the flour to make a smooth paste. Set aside.

Pour remaining cream into skillet and stir to mix with the cooking juices. Bring to a boil, stir in the cream and flour mixture, then lower heat and cook for 2 minutes., stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Stir in the mustard and heat through gently, then add salt and pepper to taste. (Don't boil the sauce after adding the mustard.)

Return the chicken to the pan, coat with the sauce, and reheat gently. Serve immediately, garnished with the parsley.

 
great sense of humor, obviously, he married me! LOL he has mentioned stews

and I think that's a good place to start. rice is easier on my system than potatoes so I just eat a little bit of those.

Asian would be ideal but I have never liked to cook chinese, etc.

I've got my thinking cap on and I'm sure, with all the great cooks here, I'll end up with a month of menus to start with smileys/smile.gif

 
starting place....

first, maybe we should call this thread: save my husband save my marriage. LOL

confession, I've never made a stew and I think it's time to start. Don has mentioned them several times. as long as the meat is falling off the bones, he's fine.

I do make chile and have a pork chile verdi recipe I've never tried.

eggplant parm with maybe a layer of beef in it?
I should spend a day making a classic Italian meat sauce for him. that can be used in several ways.

I do make sauerkraut and pork and Richard posted an awesome recipe for potato dumplings that I can have a couple of.

I made a moussaka that Gretchen posted over a year ago and he and my friends really liked it but I'm used to the "real deal" and will search for a more authentic recipe.

also, a greek pastchio (sp?) is very good and fits into his requirements. it has pasta so I have to be careful with it for me. but, if it's something he will be happy with, that's great.

I did have a brief encounter with grits and should revist those recipes too.

this all threw me for a culinary loop but I'm excited now. I also got stuck with my same ole, same ole so this good for both of us.

annnnd, we both appreciate the help. when we were discussing the problem, I told him, why don't you post and tell these people what it is that you need, I'm sure they can help you! smileys/smile.gif

 
Oh, I can see a deluge of recipes coming your way...Here's 2 that I promise

will make him happy. You mentioned Moussaka and I fell in love with Moussaka the first time we went to Cyprus. When I returned home I started looking for recipes to make it and I would find one that had some of the components and then another that would have some of the others. So I put together from several to recreate what I had while I was there and the end result was just as I remembered. Since it is just the 2 of us now and is really one of those cooking "projects", I make it in individual oven proof bowls and freeze. Then I can just pull out when I want it. It does have potatoes which I believe is essential to the dish but you could leave it out of yours. The other is a Green Chili Pork Stew that I think will make him very happy and you can just not eat the potatoes. The flavor is fantastic! It also freezes beautifully.

Moussaka
Serving Size : 6

2 large eggplant -- sliced 1/4" thick
2 large potatoes -- peeled and cut 1/4"
salt and pepper olive oil

FOR THE LAMB-TOMATO SAUCE:
1 pound ground lamb or ground sirloin beef
1 large onion -- medium diced
2 tablespoons garlic – minced
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup red wine
4 cups tomatoes, peeled, -- seeded & chopped

FOR THE BECHAMEL:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated salt and pepper

TOPPING:
/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated
2 tablespoons fresh mint -- chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley -- chopped

FOR THE EGGPLANT AND POTATOES: Season the eggplant and potatoes with salt and pepper. Add 1/2" of oil to a large skillet and heat. When the oil is hot, fry the potato slices, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the potatoes to a paper towel lined plate. Replenish the oil so there is still 1/2" in the bottom of the pan. Fry the eggplant slices in the oil, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add more oil as necessary. Remove the eggplant from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.

FOR THE LAMB TOMATO SAUCE MIXTURE:
Place a saute pan on the stove over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the lamb. Saute for 2 minutes, until it begins to turn brown. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess fat from the pan. Season the mixture with oregano, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon and cook for 3 minutes. De-glaze the pan with red wine. Cook over medium high heat until the red wine has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is a thick tomato sauce consistency, about 30 minutes. Check for seasoning. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

FOR THE BECHAMEL: In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it becomes a very pale tan color. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the nutmeg and the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly, over low heat for 15 minutes. The mixture should be fairly thick. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Take 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk it into the beaten eggs. This will temper the eggs. Whisk the egg/milk mixture back into the milk mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir. Over very low heat, cook this mixture for 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool.

TO FINISH: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sprinkle the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish with 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Place a layer of the eggplant over the breadcrumbs. Place a layer of the potatoes over the eggplant. Place 1/2 of the lamb tomato sauce over the potatoes. Spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce over the lamb mixture. Repeat layers starting with eggplant and ending with bechamel. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with mint and parsley. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

New Mexico-Style Green Chili & Pork Stew w/Potatoes

Recipe By : CIA
Serving Size : 10

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds boneless lean pork -- cut in 1/2" cubes
2 large onions -- diced
5 cloves garlic -- minced
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato puree
3 to 9 poblano chilis, roasted, seeded & peeled -- cut in 1/2" pieces
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground Mexican oregano
2 tablespoons mild chile powder
2 whole jalapeno chile pepper -- seeded and minced
2 tablespoons green Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
6 red potatoes -- cut in 1/2" pieces

Heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the pork and saute until gray. Remove from the pan and place in a 4 qt. heavy saucepan. Saute the onions and garlic in the same pan, using a little more oil if needed. Add the cooked onions and garlic, stock, tomato puree, poblanos, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the jalapenos, Tabasco, vinegar, salt, and potatoes. Cook, covered, at a simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Serve in bowls, accompanied with warm flour tortillas and grated Monterey jack cheese.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Serve this spicy chili stew with Orange B-B-Q shrimp with bacon and Jicama and red pepper salad. Pass warm, buttered flour tortillas.

 
REC: Fried Chicken Caesar Salad

Fried Chicken Caesar Salad

4 servings

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated parmesan
3 tbl. fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. anchovy paste OR 6 anchovy fillets
12 chicken tenders, cut in half
1/3 cup flour
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups panko crumbs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
23 romaine lettuce leaves (this recipe leaves them whole, but I like to cut them up)
1-1/3 cup croutons

Dressing: Blend first 5 ingredients in food processor until smooth. Season with salt & pepper.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place flour on plate. Whisk eggs in bowl. Place panko in larger bowl. Coat chicken with flour; dip into egg; then coat with panko.
Heat vegetable oil in large heavy skillet over med-hi heat. Add chicken and saute until crisp and cook through, about 2 minutes per side.
Toss lettuce with dressing and arrange on 4 plates. Top with chicken then sprinkle with croutons.

 
REC: Shrimp Caesar Salad in Tortilla Bowls

Shrimp Caesar Salad in Tortilla Bowls

Serves 4

4 burrito-size flour tortillas (about 10” diameter)
DRESSING:
6 tbl. olive oil
1-1/2 tbl. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
1-1/2 tbl. creamy mustard spread
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. each salt & pepper

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 oz. romaine lettuce (8 cups), coarsely shredded
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 small yellow or red bell pepper, quartered, cored and cut crosswise in narrow strips
3 tbl. grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 350 deg. Put two 1-quart ovenproof bowls upside down on a flat baking pan. Coat outside of bowls with cooking spray or grease. Center a tortilla over each.
2. Bake 14-16 minutes until tortillas are lightly browned and crisp. Remove from bowls to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
3. Meanwhile, whisk Dressing ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Remove 2 tbl. to a small bowl, add shrimp, and toss to coat.
4. Heat a large non-stick skillet over med-hi heat, add a few drops of oil, add shrimp and stir 2-3 minutes until done. Let cool slightly.
5. To Assemble: Add shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and cheese to dressing in large bowl. Toss to mix and coat. Spoon into tortilla bowls.
NOTE: this makes an ample amount of dressing... you might want to remove some of it until you’ve tossed the salad, and see if it needs any more.

 
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