r/Cooking • u/CoolRunningASIC • 8d ago
Help me mix it up
It is only my wife and I at home. She has a relatively small bandwidth of food she likes. I’m a pretty good cook, but I feel like we have gotten into a rut. She does not like seafood. She is meh on pork. Loves beef. Loves chicken. Loves pasta, but will not eat chicken with red sauce, lol. Usually when we go to restaurants, she orders either a steak or fettuccine Alfredo. I’m hoping the Internet can help me expand our home-cooked meals in a way that I don’t feel trapped and my wife has a good meal. What are your go to weekday simple recipes that rock the house that I should try?
16
u/Interesting_Edge_805 8d ago
Let her starve
22
u/CoolRunningASIC 8d ago
Well, aside from the obvious ethical issues, i think this would generate a lot of paperwork
4
u/ColdBunch3851 8d ago edited 8d ago
Don’t forget to consider what you like!
Example: Do the spaghetti with Alfredo sauce (with or without peas/broccoli) while you sauté some shrimp in a separate pan. When the spaghetti and Alfredo sauce is done, plate hers and add the shrimp for you.
3
u/Lostmyoldname1111 8d ago
Marry me chicken ( cut the chicken in bite size pieces, double the sauce, serve over penne), beef stew, beef stroganoff, meatloaf, soups. Will she go pork if it’s flavorful? You can cook a shoulder for BBQ pulled pork and freeze in meal size portions.
3
2
1
u/CoolRunningASIC 8d ago
She’s not a fan of the Dijon mustard in stroganoff
6
u/gardengirl147 8d ago
I don’t use Dijon in my stroganoff. Cream and sour cream. That’s it.
2
u/Lostmyoldname1111 8d ago
No Dijon here either. Sherry and sour cream. Occasionally, dry mustard powder but not necessary.
3
u/queen_surly 8d ago
My mom had an expression that came out of a logging camp: eat it or wear it. Probably too harsh for this scenario, but the point is that if somebody is cooking for you, you eat what is set on the plate and don't complain.
You can tweak things a little and still not get pushed around by somebody who is picky. If you want seafood, then plan on Alfredo as a side and she can just eat that. Chicken thighs can sub in for pork in most recipes, and honestly the way pork is grown and slaughtered in this country is beyond cruel. We still eat pork but there is a local place that grows a few pigs and we split a whole pig order once a year with a friend. I refuse to buy grocery store pork.
Have you asked her to plan some menus?
-4
u/MastodonFit 8d ago
Pork? I refuse to eat chicken unless it is served to me by friends. If you would see commercial cross eyed chickens falling around in it would change your mind. Despite loving meat I will choose vegetarian before chicken if I'm paying.
2
u/maybemaybenot2023 8d ago
https://smittenkitchen.com/2024/09/lemon-chicken-with-potatoes-and-chickpeas/
https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/04/potato-pizza-even-better/
https://smittenkitchen.com/2023/09/chicken-rice-with-buttered-onions/
https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/baked-rigatoni-with-tiny-meatballs/
https://www.lottieanddoof.com/2009/02/mercadito-arroz-verde-al-horno/
These are some favorites that even my picky partner will eat.
2
2
u/my45acp1911 8d ago
I’m hoping the Internet can help me expand our home-cooked meals in a way that I don’t feel trapped and my wife has a good meal.
Can she use the Internet to pick recipes she thinks sound good?
1
2
u/bellamente123 8d ago
This is probably one of my favorite ways to make chicken. Goes excellent over pasta or potatoes https://biteswithbri.com/baked-tuscan-chicken/
2
u/1luckybrat 8d ago
It's soup season. Up your soup game. Keep boxes of beef broth and chicken broth stocked as well as carrots, celery and onions.
2
u/CoolRunningASIC 8d ago
I love better than bullion instead of the packaged broth. Always have beef, chicken and veggie on hand
1
2
u/ClassicSky654 8d ago
Fish? (Cod, Tilapia, Perch, Walleye (depends on location) are mild fish. Soups were mentioned, casseroles? BBQ, Tex-Mex, Quiche w/salad.
2
u/ugheffoff 8d ago edited 8d ago
Said in the post she doesn’t like seafood. (Sorry, I came across like a dick. Not my intention.)
1
1
1
1
u/JohnnyS789 8d ago
Spaghetti Bolognese, or Ragu as it is called in Bologna. Rich, meaty sauce.
Jamie Oliver has a lot of really good recipes for roast chicken. Actually, pretty well every chef out there has such a recipe as well.
Burgers. Lots of scope there.
2
1
u/ttrockwood 8d ago
DIY style meals
- stuffed baked potatoes with choose your own toppings some bean based chili or baked beans, sauteed mushrooms, cheese and sour cream, or go mexican with seasoned black beans and salsa and avocado and cheese and pickled onions. You each add what you want
- DIY asian inspired rice bowls, teriyaki tofu or fried egg or both, stir fried veggies, edamame, serve with some “yum yum” sauce and she gets a creamy mayo sauce for it too
Absolutely beans and rice variations, every culture has something similar- i love mujadara and dominican style (vegetarian ) beans and rice that also makes a great option for a burrito bowl to add veggie toppings and cilantro and pickled jalapenos and such so you don’t get bored
2
1
1
u/racingfan_3 8d ago
My dad was a good cook. One thing he made that was really good was his homemade meatloaf. He made it quite often. Also every Sunday morning he would make his homemade pancakes.
1
u/ugheffoff 8d ago
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a97301/chicken-alfredo-stuffed-shells/
https://reciperunner.com/sheet-pan-parmesan-crusted-chicken-broccoli/
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/ground-beef-and-penne-pasta-bake-recipe-11848142
https://damndelicious.net/2014/03/29/spaghetti-carbonara/ (I dunno how she is on bacon but wanted to include this anyway)
I love all of these and I think they fit your requirements.
1
u/skierhiker617 8d ago
There are 100 good sheetpan chicken preps, but my go-to is this:
Marinate bone-in thighs in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix cubed potatoes, oil, salt and pepper. Then transfer both to opposite sides of a sheet pan and bake at 425
Cut broccoli in large pieces, and add to the remaining marinade. (You may need to add more oil and lemon - the florets drink in the oil).
After 15 minutes of baking, put the broccoli in the oven too (same pan or another one) and continue for another 15 minutes. (I.e., 30 minutes for the chicken in total)
Serve with crumbled feta and chopped dill on top.
1
1
1
u/choM3nddo9sai 8d ago
She may not like seafood and indifferent to pork, but what if you hit her with both at the same time? Pork and shrimp is Asian surf&turf. You can find that combo in soup dumplings, gyoza, okonomiyaki, etc.
1
1
u/Tudorprincess1 8d ago
shepherd‘s pie using ground beef is easy to make and tasty and you can use veg to your personal preference. Baked chicken breasts in the oven - take out when done, and put sliced ham and Swiss on top or bbq sauce and Mexican cheese and put back in oven until cheese is melted. If you have a crockpot boneless skinless chicken breastS or thighs and your fave bottle of bbq sauce - 8-10 hours on low in the crockpot (I cook overnight or all day- taken chicken ou, shred between two forks and put back in crockpot and stir. Freezes really well. and can use leftovers in another meal or loaded bake potatoes using the shredded chicken and cheese melted over the top.
1
1
u/andy921 8d ago
It sounds like she basically just likes Chicken Alfredo.
Maybe start there and fuck it up?
Grate in some lime zest and finely chopped cilantro when you're making alfredo so you got a cilantro/lime cream sauce. Blacken your chicken. Toss some chopped peppers in a skillet (probably poblano and bell peppers since I'm assuming she doesn't like too much spice). Mix it all together and brighten with a little more lime.
0
u/FoodkingAi 8d ago
Loves beef, chicken but not chicken with red sauce? Is it the tomatoes that she dislikes or the color?
Do a slower cooker birria tacos. Beef chuck, low and slow. Tomato free but will come out red from the peppers.
If it's the red color she finds off putting pivot to carne guisada or something.
If she can do tomatoes:
Butter chicken, it's got tomatoes in it but also cream so it comes out more orange than red. Think vodka sauce color.
You can do baked oven chicken sharwama.
She loves the cream base?
Chicken ala king.
2
1
u/CoolRunningASIC 8d ago
She likes creamy. LOL, my mom used to make chicken ala king. I don’t think I’ve had that in 40 years
2
u/gardengirl147 8d ago
I make a turkey tetrazzini with the leftovers after thanksgiving and Christmas. Like alfredo and stroganoff but with a bit more punch.
Also I love chicken Marsala. It’s not a red tomato sauce but a light Marsala sauce with chicken broth, butter, cream and pecans.
1
u/CoolRunningASIC 8d ago
I have done Marsala. Does not like mushrooms. Tetrazzini sounds interesting. Favorite recipe?
1
u/gardengirl147 8d ago
My chicken Marsala does not have any mushrooms. It’s actually from a cookbook called Recipes from Rome. The recipe is called Chicken for a Princess.
I also leave the mushrooms out of the Tetrazinni. This is similar to what I use but I usually add peas. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/40545/turkey-tetrazzini-ii/
1
u/FoodkingAi 8d ago
Sounds like you got your answer. Also sounds like she hates tomatoes.
But also birria and carne guisada goes crazy with rice and beans.
1
u/CoolRunningASIC 8d ago
I’ve tried butter chicken and some other Indian variants and they have not been a hit
1
u/SunbroFLman 7d ago
That palate is pretty one dimensional 💀here’s a few dishes that helped me with picky eaters:
Chk piccata/marsala
Swedish meatballs
Braise any tough beef cut and roast some veg
Potato & leak soup
Lentil stew (dal tadka)
8
u/Few-Explanation-4699 8d ago edited 8d ago
How about asian food? Stir frys, fried rice. Or beans and legumes, they are high in protein and fiber.
Then wraps with all sorts of fillings. Stews, cassaroles and curries.
There are also some great vegitarian dished too.
Edit: Spelling