# Dopers, help me decide what to make for dinner tonight. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172 "2010-08-31T18:58:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/1 "2010-08-31T18:58:44Z")
I need to go to the grocery store to get some food in a bit, but I am feeling particularly unimaginative right now and I can’t think of anything that sounds good to make for dinner. Help me pick out a recipe, okay? Limitations: 1. I’m vegetarian. 2. Although I can follow directions okay, I am not exactly a fantastic chef. 3. I feel like I’ve eaten too much heavy food lately and am in the mood for something lighter. Something with lots of nice vegetables sounds really good. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/2 "2010-08-31T19:03:28Z")
Sorry to be dense or intrusive but does your particular flavor of vegetarianism allow eggs and/or dairy? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/3 "2010-08-31T19:05:05Z")
My GF made an amazing tomato-corn and cheddar pie the other night. I don’t know if [this](http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/08/tomato-and-corn-pie/) is the exact recipe she used, but it looks close enough. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/4 "2010-08-31T19:06:07Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Sorry to be dense or intrusive but does your particular flavor of vegetarianism allow eggs and/or dairy? I should have been clearer. Yes, it does! But I don’t eat fish. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/5 "2010-08-31T19:09:19Z")
Big ass greek salad. Toasted sourdough bread with olive oil dipping sauce on side. Glass of red wine. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/6 "2010-08-31T21:24:01Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Big ass greek salad. Toasted sourdough bread with olive oil dipping sauce on side. Glass of red wine. Sounds good, but I’d definitely do white wine with that. A pinto grigio or unoaked chard. And more than one glass! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/7 "2010-08-31T21:44:59Z")
Thanks for your input everyone. I bookmarked that tomato pie recipe to try another time, I decided I didn’t have the energy to be all experimental today. (I’ve never made pie before.) In the end I decided that due to being all malaise-y, I’m going to make my mom’s pasta salad. It’s not as veggie-tastic as I had wanted, but it’s easy and you eat it cold and I think it will be nice to have a mom-dish today. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/8 "2010-08-31T21:56:14Z")
Tortilla Shredded lettuce or spinach or some other leaf Shredded carrots Anything other Asian veggies you want, like water chestnuts, daikon, cilantro, or whatever floats your boat Spicy thai peanut sauce Wrap and nom. …And I just made myself hungry. Dang. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/9 "2010-08-31T22:15:56Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Thanks for your input everyone. I bookmarked that tomato pie recipe to try another time, I decided I didn’t have the energy to be all experimental today. (I’ve never made pie before.) In the end I decided that due to being all malaise-y, I’m going to make my mom’s pasta salad. It’s not as veggie-tastic as I had wanted, but it’s easy and you eat it cold and I think it will be nice to have a mom-dish today. I make a shrimp scampi dish that’s very good and very easy. You could leave out the shrimp and maybe add mushrooms or something. Saute some finely chopped garlic in olive oil. Add diced tomato and onion. Reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for a few minutes until the tomatoes and onion look cooked. Add a mixture of white wine and lemon juice (about 2:1). Bring to a boil. (That’s when I add the shrimp and let them steam in the juice until they are nice and red. If you add mushrooms, have them sauteed and ready.) Pour over pasta and add some chopped parsley and parmesan cheese. I don’t measure anything for this-- I just use what looks to be the right amount. For the wine/lemon juice, I’d say about 1/4 - 1/3 cup per serving, depending on how much juice the veggies have given off. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/10 "2010-08-31T23:48:46Z")
I’ve been really into pasta salad lately. Get some tortellini, boil, and chill. Cut up various veggies, like green peppers, black olives, red onion, and marinated artichoke hearts. Some cubes of mozzarella cheese or tofu. Mix a couple tablespoons of jarred pesto sauce over all, or, if you’re feeling cheap, pour the liquid from the artichokes over (must be **marinated** type, not just jarred) and sprinkle liberally with parmesan cheese. ---
**Author:** ![ShallowEnd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@ShallowEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShallowEnd)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-help-me-decide-what-to-make-for-dinner-tonight/552172/11 "2010-09-01T06:56:09Z")
I got this from a friend, and have really liked it. Sorry for the bad language, [whatthefshould](http://whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com/) I make for dinner. I made some delicious roasted green beans on the grill and gazpacho the other day as well. Oh, and a great 3 bean tamale casserole cause I have waay too much masa at the moment.