I've seen that cookbook and I want it! I assume that recipe isn't from it though since it's not vegan? Did you try it? It sounds good! I also want Tal Ronnen's book, as well as the Raw cookbook from Charlie Trotter. Someday....

Salads are the obvious option. If you have a hotplate, you can make steamed dishes. Steaming is a great way to cook fish, veg, rice, etc. Pick up some bamboo steamer baskets. You can also braise - chicken, pork, some beef cuts. Lots of flavor potential with a slow braise in stock +/or wine. See the other thread about microwaving food. I also suggest getting a good toaster oven (everyone seems to love the Breville SmartOven, $250 I think?) which will let you bake, broil, roast and toast. And an electric kettle for boiling water. So, some feasible meals might be: Day 1 - steamed whole fish (a smallish flat one, like a little pompano) with a simple sauce (reduce some teriyaki to thicken) - roasted brussel sprouts or carrots with plenty of olive oil and salt/pepper - salad with a little piquancy (thin sliced cucumbers, marinated in vinegar) or microwave-heated edamame in the shell and sea salt - cold beer Day 2 - chicken parts, roasted then finish off with a little broiler time - steamed brown or wild rice, mix in some toasted almonds or chopped herbs for interest - roasted asparagus (put in when the chicken is part done so they finish together) - white wine Day 3 - gazpacho - Greek salad with plenty of feta - ceviche with fun toppings (minced garlic, toasted nut crumble, diced and salted tomatoes, etc) - bruschetta - a nice chilled rose wine Day 4 - make some sashimi! Or, steam sushi rice, mix with vinegar, sugar, and salt to approximate sushi rice, and make sushi! - miso soup (boil water, miso paste, tofu cubes, chopped green onions, a little chili sauce and ginger) - steam some veg (gai lan, then add plum sauce) - a salad of sliced citrus fruit (orange, grapefruit, kiwi) - some sake Day 5 - braise beef short ribs (or chicken thighs, or pork spare ribs, or oxtail, whatever is fun) in wine, stock, herbs, garlic, onions - baked potato with not too much cheese and sour cream - a pint o Guiness Day 6 - meat pies, dice and microwave the meat, mix with the veg and stock and milk, put in individual oven-safe bowls, top with crust or phyllo or puff pastry (store bought is fine) - there's just the bit of pastry on top, so this isn't very caloric - Caesar salad - more Guiness Day 7 - Go out to eat, splurge on the calories. You'll have eaten well and healthy, except for the booze but that's optional, and will be ready for more fun, improvised meals the next week! -

Let's see, what can be made ahead and frozen? Chicken pot pie, or even better since you're at the ocean, Lobster Pot Pie, I saw Ina Garten make one and couldn't figure out why I'd never thought of it. She used puff pastry dough, making it fast, instead of homemade dough. Cabbage rolls do well made ahead and frozen, then baked with the sauce when needed, or just cooked all day in a crockpot. Macaroni and cheese is easy and fast to put together and nearly everyone likes it. A "taco bar" has been discussed here many times, and it's something that people can put together as they like, you can use ground meat, marinated chicken, pulled pork or beef, or all or any combination, and some tortilla chips along with the toppings could yield nachos and taco salad for those who like that. LindaC's idea of meatloaf is a good one, and a couple of roasted chickens can yield hot chicken sandwiches, that above mentioned pot pie, chicken tetrazzini, chicken salad sandwiches, chicken enchiladas. You can't go wrong with a couple of roasted chickens. Your leftover roast can yield a shepherd's pie too, my girls loved it, along with Spanish Rice made with ground beef to make it a full meal. As well as dinners, how about breakfast? Lots of breakfast casseroles are quick and easy, and I make Woodie's Creme Brulee French Toast the night before and just bake it in the morning. The smell alone got my kids out of bed! Biscuits and gravy are pretty fast, if you bake biscuits the night before for supper and then heat them in the morning. BreaKfast burritos are easy to make ahead and freeze, as are "McMuffins", which then only need thawing and heating. Oatmeal cooks overnight with fruit in the crockpot really well too. I'm sure you have cookies, brownies, desserts covered. LOL Cookies and brownies freeze well, but the dough can also be made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two, and baked off as needed. Oh, and I have a cinnamon roll recipe that calls for making the dough the night before, letting it rise in the refrigerator and baking them the next day for hot, fresh cinnamon rolls, if you're interested in that. Annie

SLC, sorry I didn't get get your message until tonight. Here's a couple of cajun shrimp dishes. Sounds like you're adding some great stuff to your repertoire. I really don't mind cooking as long as I don't have to deal with leftovers, so it is actually fun planning and cooking for company once in a while. Shrimp is my favorite seafood and I love creole-cajun dishes. CAJUN STYLE BROILED SHRIMP Serves 2 as an appetizer 5-6 uncooked shrimp ¼ cup butter, melted (½ stick) 1 Tbsp. Louisiana hot sauce (Franks Red Hot or Crystal are good) 2 cloves garlic, pressed ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp coarsely ground or cracked black pepper ½ tsp finely chopped fresh parsley Pinch dried rosemary Lemon wedges Prepare the oven to 400 degrees F. Shell and de-vein the shrimp. In a small baking dish, combine the melted butter with the hot sauce, garlic, salt, cracked pepper, parsley, and rosemary. Stir. Arrange the shrimp side by side in the baking dish and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately broil the shrimp for 2-4 minutes or until the shrimp are done, but not chewy. Squeeze some lemon juice over the shrimp. Serve the shrimp sizzling hot in the baking dish This is from Ruths Chris Steak House and in keeping with their New Orleans flavor of many of their dishes. CREAMY CAJUN SHRIMP LINGUINE From Cooking Light Magazine Serves 4 1 cup water 1 can (14 oz) fat-free, less sodium, chicken broth 6 oz. uncooked linguine 1 pound med. Shrimp, peeled & de-veined 1 ½ Tbsp. butter 1 large red bell pepper, ½" slices ¼ tsp. salt ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 8-oz pkg. pre-sliced mushrooms 2 tsp. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning 2/3 cup half-&-half Combine 1 cup water & broth in Dutch oven; bring to boil. Break pasta in half, add to pan. Boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes. Add shrimp to pan. Cover and simmer 3 more minutes or until shrimp are done; drain. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sliced red pepper; saute 4 minutes or until moisture evaporates. Add flour, seasoning and salt to pan; saute 30 seconds. Stir in half-&-half; cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add pasta mixture and parsley to pan. Toss. I like this with steamed broccoli, fresh French bread, and glass of red wine.