What are some good, easy meals my wife can’t screw up?

[muppy]

Great thread. Now I am curious as to wether wifey will read through our suggestions and react with some feedback on any she used and liked.

 

Is only She doing the cooking?  To know what foods she uses and likes would be helpful. 

 

Tell her muppy said she can do this 🙂

 

@Einstein

[muppy]

I do cook a LOT and have a TON of Cookbooks. I prefer fast healthy and easy recipes any more. 

 

as a PS: I didnt specify any salad dressings for salad. But buying a bottle of quality Balsamic with olive oil is a great dressing or dipping sauce for fresh bread.

 

my Go to's are ranch, blue cheese or a vinaigrette like one of these. YUMMMMMMM

 

https://wholeandheavenlyoven.com/2017/02/06/1-basic-salad-vinaigrette-5-variations/

[Einstein]

18 hours ago, Simon said:

Are you too classy for toasted cheese and tomato soup?

 

I love grilled cheese. It’s actually one thing she makes quite well.

2 hours ago, muppy said:

Great thread. Now I am curious as to wether wifey will read through our suggestions and react with some feedback on any she used and liked.

 

Is only She doing the cooking?  To know what foods she uses and likes would be helpful. 

 

Tell her muppy said she can do this 🙂

 

@Einstein

 

I cook too, when time permits. But we mostly eat out and that needs to change.

[plenzmd1]

On 2/16/2023 at 3:47 PM, Augie said:

 

I believe it actually said Chilean, but I could be wrong there. I’ll pay closer attention net time, but just hearing Patagonian Toothfish is making me hungry!!! 

was at the costco yesterday, and they had the Chilean Sea Bass in the refrigerated section near the salmon in vacuum sealed package, think about $20/lb which is still quite good for that.

[CookieG]

On 2/16/2023 at 5:48 PM, T&C said:

Good call. I have a signed copy of one of his books and made this years ago. The one ingredient I wasn't familiar with was file' powder but I found it and doubled the recipe... it was seafood based instead of meat based but that's just a variation on a theme. Like mentioned above sometimes just use a recipe as a guide... 

you can tell he loved what he did. And he's probably the person most responsible for popularizing cajun cuisine in the 80's. He explains things so simply.

 

As far as Gumbo file goes, i have it in the house, but I don't make gumbo, because you have to make a roux and I suck at it.  And I suck at it because I end up getting distracted.  And it burns. And you have to throw it out and start again.

 

The ingredient list is pretty much the same though, gumbo is more of a stew served over rice.  Jambalaya, the rice is cooked in.

[US Egg]

Probably be easier for her if she found someone else.

[Joe Ferguson forever]

On 2/17/2023 at 7:47 AM, muppy said:

I do cook a LOT and have a TON of Cookbooks. I prefer fast healthy and easy recipes any more. 

 

as a PS: I didnt specify any salad dressings for salad. But buying a bottle of quality Balsamic with olive oil is a great dressing or dipping sauce for fresh bread.

 

my Go to's are ranch, blue cheese or a vinaigrette like one of these. YUMMMMMMM

 

https://wholeandheavenlyoven.com/2017/02/06/1-basic-salad-vinaigrette-5-variations/

Love olive oil and use it in many dishes but all are not equal:  https://foodly.tn/tips/3-2697/.  Many extra virgins are fake - there's a joke there somewhere!  Also, if you fry food with olive oil at high temp, extra virgin often tastes bad.

[Joe Ferguson forever]

1 hour ago, CookieG said:

you can tell he loved what he did. And he's probably the person most responsible for popularizing cajun cuisine in the 80's. He explains things so simply.

 

As far as Gumbo file goes, i have it in the house, but I don't make gumbo, because you have to make a roux and I suck at it.  And I suck at it because I end up getting distracted.  And it burns. And you have to throw it out and start again.

 

The ingredient list is pretty much the same though, gumbo is more of a stew served over rice.  Jambalaya, the rice is cooked in.

Zattarains box mix is pretty good and pretty fast.  Just add whatever protein you have available.  I like it best with Chicken, shrimp and sausage but any single one makes a good meal.  I keep canned mixed okra and tomatoes in for this dish.  Can also add fresh okra.  One more quick delicious meal idea:  fondue.  Aldi sells a good boxed one that I add wine to and sometimes extra raclette cheese.  Fry up some sausage, peppers, mushrooms and add some french bread, dip away and share the rest of the wine.. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by redtail hawk

[Just Jack]

Back in my bachelor days, I would make what I called Salmonella Surprise. Pretty basic recipe.  

1lb chicen

1lb pasta (any kind)

1lb jar pasta sauce (any kind)

 

Grilled up the chicken, cook the pasta, and warm up the sauce.  Cut up the cooked chicken, then toss all three ingredients in a big bowl.  Boom, done.  The surprise part is just that you can use any pasta and sauce.   Easily got about 4-5 meals out of it.  

 

 

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

On 2/17/2023 at 4:47 AM, muppy said:

I do cook a LOT and have a TON of Cookbooks. I prefer fast healthy and easy recipes any more. 

 

as a PS: I didnt specify any salad dressings for salad. But buying a bottle of quality Balsamic with olive oil is a great dressing or dipping sauce for fresh bread.

 

my Go to's are ranch, blue cheese or a vinaigrette like one of these. YUMMMMMMM

 

https://wholeandheavenlyoven.com/2017/02/06/1-basic-salad-vinaigrette-5-variations/

2 parts olive oil, 1 part red wine vinegar. 1 part water.  Add salt to your liking and season from there.  Add mustard?  Seeds work great.  I haven't tried dijon, but I'd bet it'd work.  Thyme- pretty good.  Shallot- basically a requisite- chopped brutally fine with some extended slivers left intact.  Throw oregano, marjoram, basil, whatever you feel like from there.  Home baked croutons (stupid easy), whatever vegetables you'd like to add, and a bit of bleu cheese on top.  Pretty good.  

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

- mixed greens type lettuce is probably best.  Toss it first before adding the croutons and sunflower seeds. )

and don't forget a couple garbanzo beans.

[ArdmoreRyno]

I've fallen in love with lobster mac and cheese (good for you too if you want to gain 54 pounds overnight). The recipe is from Capitol Grille... I always get this when I stop to see my oldest at BoCo at Berklee in Boston. 

 

• 8 ounces of lobster (bake 3-4 lobster tails, cracked open and exposed... easiest thing to cook. 375 in the oven for 8 mins. Take out and put butter on each tail, then bake again for another 8 mins). 
• 1 lb of cooked Campanelle pasta, or any "tube" pasta that will hold the sauce/cheese
• 1 cup of Marscapone, 1 cup of Grana Padano (or parm if you can't find it), 1 cup of Havarti 
• 1/2 cup of white chedder
• 4 tablespoons of parm, 2-3 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
• 1 quart of heavy cream

 

Cook the lobster, you can let it cool when you make the rest. Dice it into chunks once you can grab it and handle it... Cook the pasta. 

 

In a deep pan/skillet... pour the cream in and let it simmer under med heat. Once it starts to simmer, add the mascarpone, grana and havarti cheeses. Let that melt and thicken up. Add the pasta, cheddar and 3/4 of the lobster and mix it together. Once the cheddar melts, pour all of that into a baking dish. 

 

Melt butter then add the parm and panko. Spread that on top of the lobster mac. 

 

Bake in the over at around 400 degrees until the panko is browned. 

 

[muppy]

okay one last easy tasty healthy recipe. Taco Chili

 

Take  a pound of ground turkey or hamburger. Fry it in a large saucepan with a splash of olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped onion (I use about a Cup) and generous garlic powder (1 T powdered or less if you dont like garlic)

 

after above is cooked  add 1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes with juice...then add drained and rinsed in a colander (all 15 oz 1 can) whole kernel corn, kidney beans, pinto beans,  2 cans of water and 1 T prepared taco chili powder. Stir and cover, put on lid. Let simmer 1/2 hour uncover and taste . add more taco chili powder to taste. You could add fresh jalapeno if you know you prefer your chili extra spicy  

 

Serve in a bowl over Fritos Corn ships. Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro cheddar cheese.

Edited February 20, 2023 by muppy

[Johnny Hammersticks]

3 hours ago, BringMetheHeadofLeonLett said:

- mixed greens type lettuce is probably best.  Toss it first before adding the croutons and sunflower seeds. )

and don't forget a couple garbanzo beans.

What’s the difference between a chick pea and a garbanzo bean?

 

I’ve never paid extra to have a garbanzo bean on me.

 

Tip your servers, folks.  Like and subscribe.

[ExiledInIllinois]

3 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

What’s the difference between a chick pea and a garbanzo bean?

 

I’ve never paid extra to have a garbanzo bean on me.

 

Tip your servers, folks.  Like and subscribe.

Same. Chickpea is English,  French root. Garbanzo is Spanish. 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Same. Chickpea is English,  French root. Garbanzo is Spanish. 

I would love to give you a noogie and stuff you in a gym locker.

[muppy]

when i lived in WNY we called them ceci beans. That's got to be the Italian translation  I won't google. Just ask @ExiledInIllinois he'll know 

 

now how to say it in Polish?

 

LOL

[ExiledInIllinois]

28 minutes ago, muppy said:

when i lived in WNY we called them ceci beans. That's got to be the Italian translation  I won't google. Just ask @ExiledInIllinois he'll know 

 

now how to say it in Polish?

 

LOL

You got the "Chee-chee" part sorta right.

 

 

Ciecierzyca or

Cieciorka:

😏 

 

[WhoTom]

38 minutes ago, muppy said:

when i lived in WNY we called them ceci beans.

 

That's what we called them too. I think the can said, "chick peas" on one side and "cici beans" on the other. I've seen it spelled "cici" and "cece" too.

 

I don't know why, but for some reason, I call them garbanzo beans now.

 

[muppy]

1 hour ago, WhoTom said:

 

That's what we called them too. I think the can said, "chick peas" on one side and "cici beans" on the other. I've seen it spelled "cici" and "cece" too.

 

I don't know why, but for some reason, I call them garbanzo beans now.

 

ditto.

 

chick peas just sound weird What's next dude carrots......

 

lol 😉