Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit (UPDATE PAGE 2)

HeatherFeather
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:07 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit

Post by HeatherFeather » Fri May 18, 2012 6:52 pm

Kchurchill5 wrote:All I can say ... is you are very patient. WOW. I couldn't handle that. God bless you.
Aww it really isn't that bad - most of his favorites are also mine and dd will also eat them. DD's father was a lot more picky really and I didn't really like most of his favorites. He also likes to eat pretty healthy ingredients, which I very much agree with - lots of fresh green veggies, lean meat, not a lot of cheese etc.

I am already trying to pick through my recipes and see which fish dishes I make a lot that can also be made using a piece of chicken instead. I would like to make one sauce or one spice rub or whatever and then just cook the fish and chicken in two pans. That way I am really still cooking the same recipe instead of trying to please each person with a separate meal.

You should have seen me cooking for Thanksgiving - with my parents here and my boyfriend. Each one had certain items they can't/won't eat, so I had to choose recipes that worked for most and make sure there was a least something in each course category that each person would enjoy.
Last edited by HeatherFeather on Fri May 18, 2012 7:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

HeatherFeather
Posts: 2558
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:07 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit

Post by HeatherFeather » Fri May 18, 2012 7:02 pm

Donna wrote:
Kchurchill5 wrote:All I can say ... is you are very patient. WOW. I couldn't handle that. God bless you.
:lol: :lol: :lol: When I got married my husband was picky. I just made what I wanted and he has learned to like just about everything.
My ex husband was horribly picky and was very difficult about trying anything. He hated so many of my favorite foods and cuisines. He eventually learned to like a lot of those foods, but only after he married someone else. Says a lot about the state of our relationship and why it didn't last, eh?

My boyfriend has been pretty good about trying new things as long as he has never had the ingredients before. Bad experiences with some pretty bad cooks in his family gave him a bad image of certain things and specific ingredients that hopefully will change once he gets to experience them in new ways. So far, he has really liked most of what I have made for him.

One thing he loves is baked goods and that is my specialty :) I will be so happy to try out lots of cookies and breads on him. He loves whole wheat, so I will even be able to eat some of the bread items.

Kchurchill5
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Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit

Post by Kchurchill5 » Sat May 19, 2012 6:51 am

Donna, I must of been blessed; my ex would eat almost anything. There was only a couple things he didn't like, and even then he would eat them; he just wasn't fond of them. My son had a few picky times on and off; but would eat most things as well.

I always cooked what I wanted and it seemed to work, but like I said, I didn't realize how lucky I was.

HeatherFeather
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:07 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit

Post by HeatherFeather » Wed May 23, 2012 11:42 am

Ok here is what I have planned so far (pending his approval and dd's opinions):

Meal #1
Chicken Stuffed w/Broccoli
Brown Rice

Meal #2
Lemon Pepper Chicken Oregano
Steamed Broccoli

Meal #3
Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas
side salad for me, Mexican rice for the others (and maybe a little for me too)

Meal #4
(Possibly)Crockpot Lemon Chicken
with roasted asparagus for all, and maybe boiled red potatoes for the others

Meal #5
Pizza Night - Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, and then have lots of toppings to make choose your own pizzas.
w/sliced cucumbers and other veggies dippers, ranch dip or similar

Meal #6
(maybe) Crockpot French Dip Subs - using low sodium broth, whole grain rolls, letting everyone put on cheese individually. I might try to find way to sub for the onion soup mix too, or maybe use less of it - it is usually so salty. or I might try this version Kitten's Slow Cooker French Dips
with Turnip Fries

Meal #7
(maybe) Sausage & Peppers - not sure if he will eat peppers or not when they are a main ingredient like this. He loves sausage though. I can cut the onion pieces HUGE so they can be easily picked out.
probably with zucchini or broccoli on the side

Sweets:
Pretzel Turtle Candies
Mint Glazed Brownies
Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies

Breads:
Maritime Bread
Whole Wheat Bread
Banana Bread

Still working out more ideas and more suggestions welcome! Most of these will have some leftovers, so this menu might last me 2 weeks. I still need to figure out plans for the leftovers - neither of them enjoy eating the same meal reheated. I also don't have any snacks planned yet for movie watching. Leaning towards Asian style boneless wings or maybe mini meatballs or something like that.

HeatherFeather
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:07 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit (UPDATE PAG

Post by HeatherFeather » Wed May 23, 2012 5:46 pm

Ok, after talking to my boyfriend, he's ok with most of what is on the menu so far - except for the French Dip Subs. My daughter also isn't really sure about them. They also both vetoed the idea of turnip fries. DD thinks they sound yucky. So I need to figure out something else for that meal - looking for something that is beef or pork tenderloin for that meal. I will have to make real French fries for them, and I can still make up some turnip fries for myself, since I can eat those and shouldn't be eating the real potatoes.

He wasn't really thrilled with the sausage & peppers idea either, but he said he'd be fine with picking out the peppers/onions. He doesn't mind that they are in there to flavor the sauce. So I am still iffy on that one. I'd rather have something he will love and not have to pick.

Kchurchill5
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Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit (UPDATE PAG

Post by Kchurchill5 » Wed May 23, 2012 6:49 pm

How about a pulled pork. Crock pot.
Can be served open face, even over corn bread or polenta. But can easily be 1 bread bottom for you or a full sammy.
Easy, and flavorful
Can add a corn and black bean relish or even a NO mayo coleslaw
And fries both real and parsnips still work

I also have a shredded chicken recipe I make often for tacos; don't think I posted it; but it is seriously 4 ingredients made with frozen chicken breasts. It was on the Rotel site years ago; but it is really a decent go to meal. I really like it.

Rotel with green chilies (mild)
4 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
1 medium onion, diced
1 pkg taco seasoning

Throw everything in the crock pot and cook 6-8 hours. Shred, add the chicken back to the pot and serve. This is perfect with tacos, quesadillas, burritos. Add your favorite toppings and dinner. Pretty easy.

Kchurchill5
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Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2011 11:55 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit (UPDATE PAG

Post by Kchurchill5 » Wed May 23, 2012 6:50 pm

The onions just melt away. You could grate them for flavor and he would never know they are there. But you could leave them out all together.

HeatherFeather
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:07 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit (UPDATE PAG

Post by HeatherFeather » Thu May 24, 2012 10:28 am

I suggested pulled pork, which he was all for, but my dd rejected that idea. She hates pulled anything except maybe beef. I have gotten her to eat pulled chicken sometimes, but she isn't happy about it. She'll be off with her dad part of the time anyway, so I can possibly make pulled pork or chicken when she's away.

I may have found a suitable replacement for the French Dip Subs that is still beef to please my dd, cheap, and has a ton of broccoli and rice to make my bf happy too, Beef Broccoli. I can make brown rice to go with it. Hopefully they will both be ok with the idea.

My back up plan might be beef kabobs, which is my own recipe I have to dig out. Those would at least go fine with fries, which they both want. I just will leave off some of the usual veggies on his sticks (like the mushrooms) and use veggies I know they both will eat.

So far for movie watching snacks, dd absolutely wants the mini meatballs. Neither want wings. He suggested chili nachos or chili fries, dd might be ok with that. I don't want to eat any chips though, so I am trying to think of something I can serve my chili portion with. I might try sweet potato fries. I think they'd be great with Cincinnati style chili - but of course last time I made that type of chili dd said it tasted funny and wanted to know what weird spices were in her chili. :?

Mary
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Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2011 9:53 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit (UPDATE PAG

Post by Mary » Thu May 24, 2012 10:30 am

Hi Heather. I recently ran across this recipe and have it saved to try. Sounds very good and has no flour.

Flourless Chocolate Cake (from about.com)
• 4 (1-oz.) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Using solid shortening, grease an 8" cake pan and dust with cocoa; set aside.
• In microwave, melt chocolate and butter in bowl on medium power, stirring once, until melted.
• Add sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, eggs, and vanilla and mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• Cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Serve with melted vanilla or chocolate ice cream, if desired, for a sauce. Serves 8

HeatherFeather
Posts: 2558
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:07 am

Re: Menu Help needed - boyfriend coming to visit (UPDATE PAG

Post by HeatherFeather » Thu May 24, 2012 10:34 am

Mary wrote:Hi Heather. I recently ran across this recipe and have it saved to try. Sounds very good and has no flour.

Flourless Chocolate Cake (from about.com)
• 4 (1-oz.) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Using solid shortening, grease an 8" cake pan and dust with cocoa; set aside.
• In microwave, melt chocolate and butter in bowl on medium power, stirring once, until melted.
• Add sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, eggs, and vanilla and mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• Cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Serve with melted vanilla or chocolate ice cream, if desired, for a sauce. Serves 8
Thank you - I love this type of cake. Very rich and chocolate-y.

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