basically, my new b/f is a very picky eater, and basically lives on pizza - he hates trying new foods. However, I really like to cook, and specifically I’d like to be able to cook for HIM, but I’m not sure what I make, as most of the stuff I do make involves a lot of spices and ingredients he probably wouldn’t be too keen on eating. Anyhow, he said if I cooked something for him, he’d at least try it, but I dont’ want to scare him off, so does anybody have any recipes that I could make that are good, but pretty simple as far as flavor goes?
PS - if anybody can link me to the thread for making requests for membership sponsors, that would be great! I need one, but I can’t search, and I haven’t been able to find the thread, even though I’ve probably looked right past it about five times trying to find it
When I was a kid, I was probably considered picky. I really liked CHicken and Rice. I also really liked my mom’s version of Chicken A La King, which was just White Sauce with cubed chicken in it, over white rice or toast. If we were lucky, mom put in some peas All the actual chicken a la king recipes I see online have icky stuff in it like bell peppers!
I would eat that stuff every day now still, 'cept I don’t eat carbs
Both of the above dishes were bland and delicious.
Also if he likes pizza, he’ll probably like spaghetti or even lasagne. Get a jar of Ragu (homemade sauce might be offensive to him!) and cook together. Make garlic bread and a big salad with lots of extras and a dessert. He’ll like that.
ZipperJJ has some good suggestions. Maybe see what he likes on his pizza, and make pasta to match. (Pineapple probably wouldn’t work, but it’s just wrong on pizza anyway.) Alternatively, a small roast or steaks might not be too threatening for him.
Roast beef or roast chicken. I don’t know a meat-eater alive who doesn’t like one of these. And they’re simple to make, so long as you pay attention to cooking times or use a thermometer. They’re also elegant, yet homey. Comfort food which is as appropriate in a home as in a fancy restaurant.
With roast beef, I’d suggest trying a rib roast of somesort. There’s plenty of recipes out there, but it’s best to keep it simple. Perhaps coat it in a bit of oil, pepper, and garlic. Make some gravy with the pan drippings and serve with mashed potatoes with lots of butter, milk, and garlic (or horseradish).
For the chicken, I’d stick a sprig or two of rosemary in the cavity, or perhaps half a lemon, or both, or neither. I also like dusting my chicken with paprika – it gives it a nice brown color when it’s finished. It’s hard to screw up roast chicken. If you want to get more adventurous, stuff some garlic in there too. You can even get fancy shmancy by mashing up garlic, butter, and some herbs and stuffing it under the skin, but that’s more trouble than it’s worth. Once again, make a gravy from the pan drippings.
Does he like roast veggies? If so, throw in some fairly thinly sliced of the following around the chicken in the roasting pan: carrots, onion, turnips, parsnips, potatoes garlic. Drizzle them in a bit of olive oil (or if he doesn’t like olive oil, some vegetable oil.) Roast with the chicken (you can do it in a separate baking dish if you so desire), and you’re golden. Takes about five to ten minutes of prep time, and you end up with a positively stately feast.
thanks for the ideas! the roast chicken sounds good - simply, but it’s still something you wouldn’t be eating every day…
I guess I was just at a loss for what to make, as I’m one of those people who will pretty much try anything once (hell, if it’s gross, you can always spit it out!)
All the actual chicken a la king recipes I see online have icky stuff in it like bell peppers!