ISO ideas for quick homemade dinners

[CharlieD]

Hi, neighbor.

Indians do not eat beef, pork is not problem, I thought. At least that is what my neighbors do. I have 12 Indian families live on my street. I love Indian food, not curry though.

I think even though he doesn't like leftovers you need to plan ahead and make something freezer friendly, so you can make on weekend and defrost in the fridge morning of the day you will serve it. Just put it into oven to warm up. Does he like soups, would he eat rice? I missed if he was vegetarian or not? What did he take to work before you guys got together? My wife is a picky eater, so I had work around her; actually she cooked until we got married. Shh, don't tell anybody, we lived in sin. Are you also from India? Are familiar with Indian cuisine? Do you go to Indian restaurant? I know there is one not far from where we live. I'd say go there and see what he likes the best and then try to make that dish and adopt it for the freezer, so all you have to do when you get home is worm it up. I'm kind of repeating my self. But it is hard to give solid advice when he is so picky and is probably used to completely different cuisine.
What does he like to eat, what can he eat? Maybe if you tell us more about what he likes we can come up with actual recipes. And also what do you like? Can you eat what he is eating?

 

[Yule]

Traditionaly, no indians (hindus in particular) do not eat beef, and in india he tells me they do not usually eat pork. he, however, loves all meat, as long as it lives on land and is well seasoned. i don't think he's used to soups, but yes, rice is a sure bet.

He used to go out for lunch every day before I started packing something for him. I'm not indian, although I do love the food, and so far I've been quite successul in cooking it, but it's not like i'm making roties or anything, just basic protien and sauce foods, and I'm still trying to learn all the spices. He loves anything with bacon or eggs, or covered in butter oil or salt, which makes me a little nervous for his health. Chicken is a favorite for both of us.

I have one of the cookbooks by Madhur Jaffrey, and it's pretty good, but it tastes like it was made for non-indians. If you have some suggestions?

I'm not much of a picky eater, but I'm not a huge fan of most seafood

 

[Laury]

Quick Homemade Dinners

OK Yule. I was a little harsh with you regarding your boyfriends needs and I'm sorry. So to help make it up to you, here are some ideas and recipes that might work for both packed lunches and dinners.

Beef and/or Bean Burritos - send him to work with a couple flour tortillas, beef or beans packed separately, grated cheese, sour cream, salsa for topping. He can quickly assemble this, throw it in the microwave and finish with the toppings.

Pimento Cheese Spread (Warning - this is addictive!)
Makes enough for 6 sandwiches on white bread, about 2 cups. Or spread on crackers.

8-ounce package of cheddar cheese, grated (see note)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 2-ounce jar of pimentos with juice, chopped
1/2 cup finely minced yellow or white onion
Mix all together, adding a little more mayo if you think it needs it. Will store up to two weeks in the fridge (if it lasts that long). Serve heaped on celery ribs or as a sandwich filling.
Variations include adding: roasted red peppers (instead of the pimento), chopped green chiles, pecans, cayenne pepper, chopped garlic, pickles and olives.

Note: Freshly grated cheese works best but if someone wanted to use a package of grated cheese, they might need to add another tablespoon of mayo.

Deviled Chicken Legs
6 chicken drumsticks
1/4 c. Dijon Mustard
1 TB vinegar or lemon juice (he won't taste the vinegar)
1 TB. oil
Cayenne to taste
Salt and Pepper

Mix together and rub under and over drumstick skin.
Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 2 hours covered.
Grill or bake, turning often, for about 40 minutes or until done.
Serve warm or cold. This would be fine for either lunch or dinner.

Potsticker Soup

• 32-44 oz chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tsp. chili oil or chile garlic paste to taste
• 1 package pork potstickers (aka gyoza), chicken, shrimp or vegetarian also OK
• 2 cups or more to taste fresh baby spinach OR
• 1/4 to 1/2 pkg. thawed, drained and squeezed dry frozen spinach
• 1 cup shredded carrots

Put the broth, minced garlic and chili oil into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. When at full simmer add the potstickers and simmer for 3 minutes more or per package directions. Toss in the spinach and carrots. Cook until spinach is just barely wilted. Ladle it into bowls and serve with more chile oil on the side.

Marinated Flank Steak
1 lb. Flank steak
¼ c. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
2 large green peppers, cut into bite size pieces
2 slices ginger root
-or-
1 tsp. ground ginger
¼ cup slad oil
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 TB. Soy sauce

Cooked rice

Cut up flank steak as for stir fry.
Marinate meat in soy sauce and sugar for ½ hour.

Heat oil, add garlic and ginger.
Saute briefly without burning the garlic.
Remove garlic and add green pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.
Add meat and marinade liquid and saute for 3 minutes.

Add the cornstarch and 1TB soy sauce.
Cook for 9-10 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked.
Add the tomatoes at the end so that they cooked only a short time.

Serve over rice.

TARRAGON CHICKEN BREASTS with BUTTERED LEEKS (from Chef Jerry Traunfeld)


Salad Ideas

Thinly slice a peeled orange, thinly slice a 1/2 sweet onion. Toss together, salt and pepper and drizzle of olive oil and voila - a lovely and different salad.

Same as above except the key ingredients are avocado and grapefruit. Salt, Pepper, Olive oil - another delicious salad.

Take some nice dark green lettuce, plop on some cottage cheese, top with pear or peach slices, dollop on a little mayo, then grate some cheddar cheese over the top.

In order to avoid the "sandwich" aspect of lunches, try naan bread, pita, wraps or croissants for an "un sandwich like taste.

One last thing. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, go explore it. they ahve a lot of things that your boyfriend might like even if it isn't stictly fresh and homemade. It's also a great place to get inspired with some of their salads, breads, sandwiches and prepared frozen food.

Good luck and let us know how you're doing!

 

[msmofet]

My Mom's Pork Chops

Thin Pork chops - allow 2 per person or to appetite
Poultry seasoning
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Adobo seasoning
Accent (or MSG)
Salt and ground black pepper
Olive oil
Sauerkraut - bag - drained
Potatoes - peeled and cut into medium thick slices
Onion - sliced into thin half moons
2 pkgs. Pork gravy mix
Fennel seeds
Caraway seeds

Season chops on both sides with the spices to taste and brown well on both sides in small amount of olive oil in heavy pan (NOT a non-stick pan). Remove chops from pan. Add olive oil to pan if necessary. Sauté onions and potatoes till they pick up all the brown pieces from the pan. Add pork gravy mix to pan and 2 cups water. Whisk till smooth. Cook till gravy thickens. Add the drained sauerkraut, fennel seeds and caraway seeds and stir to combine. Add the chops to pan and bury under sauerkraut, onions and potatoes. Cover and simmer, turn chops occasionally, till chops are tender and potatoes are cooked. Add water to pan if gravy gets to thick.

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi, neighbor.

Indians do not eat beef, pork is not problem, I thought.

Charlie, I believe it depends on whether they are Hindu or Buddhist, and how strictly they follow the dietary restrictions.

Yule, I don't know if you've found this yet, but there's an entire forum devoted to quick meals: Meals in Minutes. This should give you some more ideas.

I have one of Rachael Ray's "30 Minutes Meals" books that someone mentioned earlier, and it does have some good recipes. I would count on them taking 45 minutes or so, at least the first couple of times you make them But they're good, and she often has variations, so you don't have to make exactly the same meal each time. Frequently, they consist of browning meat, adding ingredients to simmer with the meat, or making a pan sauce from the browned bits in the pan. A salad or roasted veggies on the side will complete any meal nicely, and the ingredients and toppings can be varied to make them interesting. HTH.

 

[CharlieD]

Well, maybe. Neighbor’s kids often come to my house and mine used to go there. They did not eat beef and we do not eat pork, so we end up using chicken a lot. But doesn't matter.

I like chicken fried-rice. It freezes well too. You can freeze it in small portions and then warm up in the oven.

My neighbors like heavier soups that I make. I put so much stuff in them that they are almost not soup anymore. You can freeze them. Like bean soup, or split pea soup.

There are some excellent suggestions above.

As far as work goes, does he have a microwave by chance? Then you can give him a lot of regular things to be warmed up.

Just wondering are you American?

 

[PattY1]

Well, maybe. Neighbor’s kids often come to my house and mine used to go there. They did not eat beef and we do not eat pork, so we end up using chicken a lot. But doesn't matter.

I like chicken fried-rice. It freezes well too. You can freeze it in small portions and then warm up in the oven.

My neighbors like heavier soups that I make. I put so much stuff in them that they are almost not soup anymore. You can freeze them. Like bean soup, or split pea soup.

There are some excellent suggestions above.

As far as work goes, does he have a microwave by chance? Then you can give him a lot of regular things to be warmed up.

Just wondering are you American?

Then it becomes leftovers.

She said, he said "and no leftovers, ever".

 

[Lizannd]

Hindu - no beef, Buddist are pretty much vegetarian,

Muslim - no pork. Indian food is tangy, lemon and yogurt, tomato based - many curries, fried - both deep and sauted. Fresh spices generally means freshly ground dried whole ones. And the whole leftover thing is kind of odd since a curry, like a stew, is generally better the next day.
One thing everyone needs to remember is that in India many of the households have cooks.
When ALL you have to do ALL DAY is cook then these types of things are possible. Any leftovers get eaten by the household help. And you don't have to be super wealthy to afford household help. Middle class households have cooks, people who come in 3 times a week to clean, laundry sent out etc.

 

[CharlieD]

Then it becomes leftovers.

She said, he said "and no leftovers, ever".

Allow me to disagree with you here. Depends how you view this. My wife doesn’t eat leftovers either, but she will eat stuff if it was cooked and frozen right away.

 

[blissful]

Muslim - no pork. Indian food is tangy, lemon and yogurt, tomato based - many curries, fried - both deep and sauted. Fresh spices generally means freshly ground dried whole ones. And the whole leftover thing is kind of odd since a curry, like a stew, is generally better the next day.
One thing everyone needs to remember is that in India many of the households have cooks.
When ALL you have to do ALL DAY is cook then these types of things are possible. Any leftovers get eaten by the household help. And you don't have to be super wealthy to afford household help. Middle class households have cooks, people who come in 3 times a week to clean, laundry sent out etc.

Then I must move to India and become an Indian. I'm such a putz for doing all this hard work myself. Who knew!

 

[Deathbysoup]

I know he said he doesnt' want leftovers but what about using a component of the nights meal to make something new?
Boil some extra pasta , and cook extra veggies, toss with a italian dressing and maybe add some protein for a nice lunch.