were you to develop a bed-sized illness ... would it be possible for him to develop a different kind of supper from his current habits?

Such a great idea!!! Remember on Downton Abbey when Mr. Carson married Mrs. Hughes and there was some conflict about cooking their home meals, and she suddenly had a hand injury and he had to help.

We had Serious Eats Bar-Style Tortilla Pizza for dinner tonight. I dolled it up for DH with a bit of fried breakfast sausage, pineapple tidbits, and mozzarella. He loves that combo. Use the recipe as a template and adapt it to your personal tastes.

I enjoy cooking and love the blog skinnytaste. I cook from there a couple of times a week. Most foods are healthy and lighter in calories, rarely have I been disappointed. Do you cook every night, I don't, that gets tiresome even when I like to cook. Every few night we need to finish off leftovers or I just don't feel like dinner or maybe a bowl of Yogurtland instead. That's when if my DH is hungry he cooks salmon and eats it with a salad. He doesn't expect me to have dinner on the table every night.

A bag of frozen shrimp can be made into a variety of interesting meals. Shrimp and grits. Marinated grilled on a salad. Shrimp salad or shrimp tacos. They can be defrosted quickly by putting them in a bowl with cold water. Stir them around will be defrosted in 30 minutes. Easy to peel if not 100% defrosted. I find leaving the shell on to marinate and grill keeps them more moist. An over size shrimp cocktail makes a nice warm weather meal.

Chicken again, but something really DIFFERENT and delicious lol a chicken gougère

http://www.essentialkids.com.au/recipes/chicken-and-bacon-gougere-20121002-3444m.html

Fried rice is always a hit here. Ham or shrimp fried rice are our favorites. Meat loaf for an evening meal & then the leftovers in meatloaf sandwiches. (I use half ground turkey/ half ground beef in meatloaf.) Another easy favorite (chicken):

Jacques Pepin's Chicken Thighs

Pork Tenderloin With Mustard Sauce

Marinate tenderloins in 1/4 C. soy sauce, 1/4 C. bourbon and 2 T. brown sugar. Put in zip-lock bag and refrigerate several hours. Bake 325 45 min. Serve with mustard sauce: 2/3 C. sour cream, 2/3 C. mayo, 2 T. dry mustard, 3 -4 green onions thinly sliced.

Shrimp Creole

1C. chopped onion, 1 C. chopped celery, 2 cloves garlic, minced 6 T. butter. Cook till tender, not brown. Add 2 16 oz. cans tomatoes, 2 8 Oz. cans tomato sauce, 1 T. salt, 2 tsp. sugar, 1 -2 Tsp. chili powder, 2 T. Worcestershire sauce, 4 tsp. cornstarch. Bring to simmer and cook 45 min. Add 1 1/2 lb. shrimp and 1 C. chopped green pepper. Cover and simmer 5 min. Serve over rice. Serves 8

For the ground beef, try Shepherd’s Pie or Pioneer Woman’s version of Shepherd’s Pie.

Do you like pot roast? Simply Recipes has a good Instant Pot Pot Roast. You can make a pot roast last for several days. We have roast for dinner, then open face roast beef sandwiches, then I use the last bits and the gravy to make vegetable soup.

Here is a nice recipe for a pasta salad..

BLT Pasta Salad

I make it with turkey bacon because we no longer eat beef or pork.

I make half of the recipe which is good for four servings (dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day).

It's especially good when the tomatoes are burstingly sweet and the baby spinach is fresh.

I make soup too...or stoup as rachel ray would call them as they are almost a stew. Chicken, beef barley, ham and lentil, tortellini and spinach...I love soup!

This is my favorite recipe for pork loin and it works well with chicken too. If you don't have/can't find cider, apple juice works instead.

APPLE CIDER BRINED PORK ROAST

3 cups apple cider
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup salt
1 tbls black peppercorns
1 tbls coriander seeds
1 2 lb. Pork loin, trimmed
2 cups cider
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat, cool, and pour into a Ziploc bag or container big enough to hold the pork loin. Add pork, seal and let marinate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350, bring 2 cups cider to a boil over medium high heat. Boil until cider is thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Remove pork from bag or container and discard brine. Place pork on broiler pan or baking dish and lightly coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and bake about 1 hour, until pork is done, basting twice with the reduced cider in the last 20 minutes of baking. Remove from oven, baste with remaining cider reduction. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8

200 calories per 4 oz. Serving, 6 grams fat

This is really good roasted with apple slices and wedges of onion, and I like to add sweet potatoes to the mix too.

And here's a link for the "Pork" cookalong:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2371580/cookalong-42-pork

Annie

I prefer using pork tenderloin for this and grilled vs. roasted. The sauce is really good; I sometimes double it. I've also made it using peach or boysenberry jam.

Roast Pork with Plum Sauce

1 (2 1/2-3 lb) boneless pork loin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground sage

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

2 T. olive oil

Plum Sauce:

1/2 cup plum jam

1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar

2 T. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp. (scant) ground allspice

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine garlic, sage, salt, pepper and oil. Rub mixture over pork. Cover and place in fridge for several hours. Place in roasting pan and bake uncovered till meat thermometer reaches 145 F.

Combine all sauce ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes. Spread over roast during last 1/2 hour of cooking (last 10-15 minutes if grilling). Serve remainder of sauce at the table.

Annie you've posted that recipe before and I've been meaning to try it. Thanks for the reminder.

Chloe I'm going to make your recipe, but using apricot jam instead. I've never seen plum jam, and I keep apricot jam on hand for many sauces/recipes.

drain and grind some black beans and chickpeas in the FP and make bean burgers ....

Wow - I knew you'd come to my rescue! Fabulous ideas here; I'm making a shopping list now. And my mouth is watering. Thanks, everyone!

Jasdip, apricot would be really good, too. :-) Forgot to mention I've grilled peach halves with the pork tenderloin when I used peach jam. So good!

Jasdip, I've made that eggroll in a bowl before. It's good. Thanks for the reminder.

@Jasdip, Smucker’s makes a Red Plum Jam. How do I know? It is DH’s favorite. If we are out of Red Plum Jam but have 16 jars of other flavors jellies, jams, and preserves, we are “out of jelly.”

My wife's oldest brother, Nick, and his wife, Cindy, have been staying here the end of February. They came here from Costa Rica for the service, and decided to stay a little while to help me cope with everything. Then they decided they didn't want to go back to Costa Rica fearing they might get stuck there. Now they are continuing to shelter here until they feel safe enough to go home to Cape Cod.

My sister has also been staying here for much of that time.

I also have a friend, Allie, who boards her horses here who has also been joining us for dinners most nights.

We have been switching off cooking duties between Cindy and Allie and Me. Consequently the meals have been quite varied each of us has a different repertoire of dishes that we make, so there has been all sorts of different meals while we've been sheltering from the virus.

Last night was Cindy's birthday so I wanted to make something special to thank her for how much she has helped me. The result was outstanding. I bought a 3.75 lb salmon filet, rubbed it with a spice blend, and topped it with lobster dip, and baked it. I also made a broccoli/cauliflower au gratin, an Israeli cous cous side dish and a salad. I've made salmon many many times, but last night's was the best I have ever made.

"Smuckers makes a Red Plum Jam."

bbstx, my grocery store sells two kinds of plum jam...Smucker's and their own brand.

Tonight we will be having brats on the grill, home made buns, carmelized onions & a pea salad.

Chloebud, DH would think he had died and gone to heaven if he could have 2 kinds of plum jam!

I'm a devotee of Bonne Maman fruit preserves. Its products come from France. It's a popular brand there too - and their stuff is widely available in my area.

Bonne Maman makes two types of plum preserves - regular red plum preserves and Mirabelle plum preserves (using a small yellow plum variety very popular in France) . The two plum types have different flavors but both are delicious. I love plum preserves (my grandmother used to make it from two backyard trees) but I have to say that BM's apricot, strawberry, cherry, peach and raspberry are also so good that I need to rotate through the product line. Not unlike other European products, the honest flavor of the fruit is prominent in what here might be viewed as an old fashioned style. And made with sugar, no high fructose corn syrup or other ersatz sweeteners.

bbstx, my BIL in Seattle makes the BEST plum jam I've ever had. They have an Italian Prune Plum tree so that helps. It's by far my DH's favorite jam. :-)

We do loaded baked (russet or sweet) potatoes. Bake potatoes and top with: chili, or caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli with grated cheese, stir fried veggies... only limit is your imagination.

"I'm a devotee of Bonne Maman fruit preserves."

I agree they're good. I especially like their raspberry and apricot preserves.

Ooo, I'd forgotten about the Black Cherry. I haven't had that in ages.

Is that a promotional photo? I presume that's not from a collection in your pantry.

Why, yes, I always keep a Bonne Maman tower of preserves in my pantry. 🙃 LOL, I wish they were all in my pantry right now. It's a promo photo I found online. I've always liked their jars with the checked lids, so that photo caught my eye. I've kept a few empty jars, including some cute mini ones.

I have more than half that many. Sorry Glenda.

I am veering totally off topic, but my DSIL gave me a recipe for a Breakfast Martini this afternoon. The Brown’s Hotel, London, bartender had it on his IG account. It is 1 jigger gin, 1 jigger Cointreau or Triple Sec, 1 jigger lemon juice, and a teaspoon (flatware not measuring) of ORANGE MARMALADE. Put all in a cocktail shaker. Stir the marmalade to dissolve. Add ice to the shaker and shake for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled martini glass. I’m not sure I’d want it for breakfast but it was pretty tasty for the cocktail hour. I’ll bet it would be really good with some BM marmalade or with some English bitter orange marmalade. I used what I had, Smucker’s Natural.

bbstx, that does sound tasty - I may have to get some orange marmalade. It's kind of like a gin version of a margarita.

Chloebud, that sounds really good, thanks, I'm saving that recipe. My Mother likes things extremely sweet, so I might have to up the jelly!

I do make and can my own jams and jellies, and I can a plum sauce that my daughter likes with chicken, but I agree that Bonne Mamon makes some fine jam, and their lemon curd is not quite as good as Colleen's, but it's pretty darned good.

I planted two plum trees last year, and Italian prune plum and a Green Gage, so at some point hopefully I can make all the plum jam I want.

Annie

If you like Bonne Maman jams, try their new INTENSE jams. OMG!

Susie, lots of great ideas here. We do cold shrimp cocktail or stir fried shrimp with a white wine (vermouth on hand always) with a grainy mustard sauce over rice or zoodles. Last night I made a Greek lamb steak on the grill that I marinated for a couple of hours with EVOO, fresh rosemary, salt and a bit of lemon juice. I cut them in indvidual pieces and grilled in a grill pan on the bbq. Simple and quick! Served with a steamed haricot vert salad dressed with a simple mustard vinaigrette and corn on the cob. Happy hubby, easy dinner!

Tonight I made scallops with capers and wine sauteed in a cast iron pan. served it over a quinoa pasta and a green salad. again, easy and quick!

DH loves caprese salad. If I make it his main dish, then add a couple of other elements to round out the meal. Again, easy peasy!

Make Korean beef and mushrooms with your ground beef. Brown the beef, add 1 medium chopped onion, 8 oz. sliced mushrooms, 1 can sliced water chestnuts and 1 clove minced garlic. Stir fry until onions are translucent. Add about 1 Tbs. sesame oil, 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, stir. Add 1 cup rice, stir, add 2 cups beef broth. When it comes to a boil for 1 minute, add 1 cup snap or snow peas. Cover and turn to low and cook for 20 minutes.

I just remembered, yesterday I wasn't in the mood and hadn't taken anything out of the freezer. (I love to cook but even I get tired of it every day.) So I made twice baked potatoes stuffed with tuna. And it was delicious. I remembered way back in the day especially when I came home from work tired and this was one of the things that I would make because it wasn't very labor intensive. Just bake the potatoes as usual, split in half and let cool enough to be able to handle them. Scoop out the potatoes into a bowl, add some butter or margarine, a little milk or cream, not too much. Add finely diced onion, bell pepper, tuna, salt, pepper, shredded cheese. Mix that all up and spoon into the empty potato skins, top with a little more shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Something different.

bob_cville, that sounds scrumptious. Could you please give details? (what is in the spice rub, what is the lobster dip, broccoli/cauliflower au gratin recipe, etc.). If it's not too much trouble. Yum!

And Ritaweed, oh my .... the Korean beef and mushrooms just hit my "to do" list.

Ritaweed, I am going to have to try the Korean Beef & Mushrooms too! Yay for something different!

I also will have to try the Korean Beef recipe, that sounds really good, and might even make a good lettuce wrap.

Bob, I like the sounds of that lobster dip, I'd also like to know more details.

See, Suzie, you aren't the only that gleans new recipes from the Cooking Forum!

Annie

@Compumom11, could you please post the recipe for the shrimp with grainy mustard sauce? Just as the SAH started, I bought 5 lbs of individually frozen shrimp. I need new ideas.

Judy Good, somehow I missed seeing your post the other day. I'm going to give your recipe to my DIL, it sounds like something my grandkids would like!

Suzieque, I know that in your original; post you said you had lots of pizza. But if one makes it, there are so many interesting variations. I make it about twice a week now and I still love it.

Sorry, Suzieque, this is another chicken dish. It's our dinner tonight so I thought I'd post it. I included some of my own Notes after the recipe.

Chicken With Artichokes

3 1/2 to 4 pounds chicken legs and/or thighs
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1 medium onion, cut into chunks about the same size as artichoke halves
1 pound white button mushrooms (halved)
2 tablespoons brown mustard (or Dijon)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup red or white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken, skin side up, in a baking pan. Distribute onion, artichokes and mushrooms over the top. Combine olive oil, mustard, red wine, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried herbs, bay leaf, salt and pepper and pour over the chicken. Bake for 1 1/2 hours basting every half hour.

Notes: I leave the artichoke hearts and mushrooms whole and add a little less oil...maybe 3 T. Because of that I often use 2 cans of artichoke hearts. I also season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. The pan you use should be large enough to hold the chicken pieces in a single layer to allow nice browning. Placing them tightly in the pan is fine. You might not need the entire 1 1/2 hours cooking time...just check. I've subbed Herbs de Provence for the basil/thyme/tarragon.

I’m catching up with the conversations here about recipes. Bob-cville, your menu sounds yummy! Thanks for chiming in.

The BLT pasta salad with turkey bacon sounds good too.

Also a Bonne Maman fan here, although I haven’t eaten preserves much in the past few years, it makes my mouth water for some just reading this. I used to make plum jam every year when I had a source for fresh plums. Man, did that bring back memories.

Some good new and quick recipes were posted, so thanks to those who did. I am not a ground beef fan except for a hamburger (only at home or a trusted restaurant) or chili now and then. I guess in my senior years, I am becoming a picky eater.

The spice rub was simply one my sister had bought for me as a gift, from a company called "Mom's Gourmet" called "Jammin' Salmon Rub"

https://momsgourmet.net/products-page/spices/jammin-salmon-rub/

And the lobster dip was simply a prepared dip made by (or for) the grocery store chain.

http://grocery.harristeeter.com/pd/Harris-Teeter/Seafood-and-Lobster-Dip/7-oz/072036183804/

And to prepare the fish filet (which was 3.75 lbs) I put it on a baking sheet, spiced it heavily with the spice rub, and then spread the entire container of "lobster dip" on top and then baked at 400 deg F for maybe 11 or 12 minutes. (I don't quite remember)

For as easy as the dish was to make the result was superlative.

The broccoli/cauliflower au gratin recipe as best I can remember is:

2 small heads of cauliflower (cut into florets)

1 head of broccoli (cut into florets)

3 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp Wondra flour

12 oz shredded cheddar

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup Madeira

white pepper

1/2 container French's french fried onions.

Preheat oven to 375

Place the broccoli and cauliflower in a large steamer pot on high heat.

Start making the sauce in a separate pan. Melt butter, whisk in flour. Add half and half and stir until the sauce starts to thicken and Madeira and cheese and stir until the cheese is all melted.

Remove the broccoli and cauliflower from the steamer and place in a large baking dish, pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables, and then top with the french fried onions.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

Thanks Bob. Aldi has/had that lobster dip too, I'll check. It was actually not bad and had big chunks of lobster (which I dug out and ate and left the dip part, much to my family's dismay, LOL) Maybe the leftover dip would have been good on a salmon filet!

Mother is coming here for a while, her furnace just quit and my brother has some medical issues that he needs to deal with, plus his son had a ATV accident and is having surgery on his shoulder Thursday. She loves lobster and she USED to love salmon, but she changes her mind from day to day now so I never know.

Annie

Thank you, Bob! Sounds wonderful. I'll mail order some of the rub. Unfortunately, we have no Harris Teeter (or Aldi) here in Massachusetts, so I'll have to try to find some alternative for that.

I think most stores will have something like it. Possibly all made by the same manufacturer. annie1992's version from Aldi's sounds better than what I bought, there weren't any chunks in the one I bought that were big enough to identify as any specific seafood.

Twas a case of Aldi had (lobster dip.)

Aldi is now offering an affordable lobster roll dip for a limited time. As one of its get-them-before-they’re-gone weekly specials, Aldi Finds, the grocery chain is selling 12-ounce tubs of Park Street Deli Lobster Roll Dip for $3.29. And according to reports from people who have tried the dip, which is available only through Tuesday, March 17, it’s chock-full of actual lobster.

I missed out but it will probably roll around again some time in the future. Will be watching for it.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/2020/03/aldi-new-lobster-roll-dip

You can romp through my blog. I KNOW there are a lot of things you won't want to eat, but something or another might appeal, as I try to vary things up as much as possible. (Even though some months I do themes. - July is on track for Friday Grillings.)

https://goatsandgreens.wordpress.com/