# What is your "homecooked" meal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 1, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857 "2013-11-01T17:06:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/1 "2013-11-01T17:06:33Z")
Mrs. Cad is coming back after 2.5 months away on a project and after 10+ weeks of restaurants she wants nothing more than a homecooked meal. My first thought was chicken and mushroom ravioli in homemade pasta. I decided that that would be tomorrow as it’s not really “home cooking” aka “comfort” food. So instead I’m roasting up some chicken breast and I’m making chicken mac & cheese with the cheese being a cheese custard with butterkase, gruyere and sharp cheddar then topped with panko and baked. So you have a request from a relative for a real “homecooked” meal. Whatcha making? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/2 "2013-11-01T17:10:49Z")
Mmm, something traditional and starchy. Something like lasagna, garlic bread and salad or tuna casserole with tater tots and broccoli florets. If I were coming home and someone offered to make me a homecooked meal, I’d want chili with cornbread. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/3 "2013-11-01T17:12:02Z")
When my husband was on rotations in Libya, the first meal I made him was pork chops, mash potatoes and a salad, and apple pie. After six weeks of camp food this is what he wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/4 "2013-11-01T17:14:15Z")
My go to home-cooked meal is grilled steak, baked red potatoes and a mixed greens salad. I really can do a better job at this meal than almost any place you can buy steak and potatoes, even the really expensive places. Or so I have been told. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/5 "2013-11-01T17:14:59Z")
My husband’s first choice for home-cooked food is always pot roast with potatoes and carrots. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/6 "2013-11-01T17:24:15Z")
My wife would want sea scallops with a hot and sweet sauce topped with avocado relish. Or maybe chateaubriand. She’d probably like lobster mac and cheese and Portuguese kale soup to go with. She’d also be just as happy if I made lasagna. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/7 "2013-11-01T17:26:58Z")
Well, my wife is always asking for more of my beef ribs and gnocchi, so I guess I’d have to start there for an event like you’re describing. My first choice would be mac and cheese, but she and I differ on what makes mac and cheese good. She wants overcooked noodles, fake cheese and enough sauce that you can mistake it for soup. But when I’m cooking it for myself, I don’t even need a side dish. Mac and cheese is a meal unto itself. (If I have a side dish, it’ll be fried or roast chicken or meatloaf, probably. And yes, those are side dishes when there’s mac and cheese in the equation.) ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/8 "2013-11-01T18:35:11Z")
When my son came home for his first weekend after graduating from Great Lakes, I asked him what he wanted. He said porkchops, mushroom gravy, and mashed potatoes. But now that I think about it maybe that’s more under the category of “comfort food”. Husband would say meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Or pot roast. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/9 "2013-11-01T18:48:01Z")
Meatloaf (gourmet meatloaf with gruyere cheese and bacon), baked potatoes, and asparagus. Side of romaine salad with homemade caesar dressing. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/10 "2013-11-01T18:54:49Z")
Turkey soup, crescent rolls, green bean casserole. It’s my go to meal when people say they want something homemade and quick (I always have at lease two meals of turkey soup frozen). I can get this on the table in 35 minutes. We do a shepard’s pie with real (ie not from a box) mashed potatoes and a spinach salad – this is much more of a comfort food meal then the home made meal, but it is what comes to mind first when \*I \*think home made meals. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/11 "2013-11-01T19:23:45Z")
My southern fried chicken, mashed potato’s and gravy and sweet corn. That’s a very satisfying meal. Oh, and chocolate cake for dessert. Yum. So fattening. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/12 "2013-11-01T19:27:46Z")
I’m not a big fan of meatloaf but when someone says “homecooked meal” that is what I think of. With mashed potatoes and gravy and some veggies. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/13 "2013-11-01T19:41:16Z")
Jeez TriPolar, what house did your wife grow up in where that is “home cooking”? 😛 I was up in the PacNW and I guess I should have dropped by dracoi’s house. We’re heading out there again so expect the Cad clan to drop in for dinner the week after Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/14 "2013-11-01T19:45:27Z")
Yep, gotta go with meatloaf, mashed potatoes & gravy, and green beans. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/15 "2013-11-01T19:58:49Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Jeez TriPolar, what house did your wife grow up in where that is “home cooking”? 😛 > > I was up in the PacNW and I guess I should have dropped by dracoi’s house. We’re heading out there again so expect the Cad clan to drop in for dinner the week after Christmas. I think she’d leave me if I made the stuff she grew up with. She might even leave me if I stop making stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/16 "2013-11-01T19:59:58Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > My southern fried chicken, mashed potato’s and gravy and sweet corn. That’s a very satisfying meal. Oh, and chocolate cake for dessert. Yum. > > So fattening. This is close for what I make my siblings when they visit - fried chicken, spinach greens with vinegar, biscuits, corn, and apple pie for dessert. Though at this time of year, they might go for my chili. Mine is meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and mixed veggies. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/17 "2013-11-01T20:10:42Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Jeez TriPolar, what house did your wife grow up in where that is “home cooking”? 😛 > > I was up in the PacNW and I guess I should have dropped by dracoi’s house. We’re heading out there again so expect the Cad clan to drop in for dinner the week after Christmas. PM me when you know dates. My wife and I love to cook, our family is either vegetarian or out of town and it’s not healthy to eat it all myself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/18 "2013-11-01T20:19:08Z")
If it’s cold out, spicy sausage and potato soup. Otherwise, mac and cheese with broccoli and ham. If I’m going home, I either want spaghetti or fried chicken. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/19 "2013-11-01T20:33:38Z")
Within my family, a real homecooked meal is a spicy Baked Spaghetti (with a base of cream of mushroom soup, pepper jack and hot Italian sausage). As near as we can figure my Mom stole the recipe out of a magazine three decades ago and heavily modified it. Now it’s our family favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857/20 "2013-11-01T20:59:29Z")
Hmmm. My husband would want chicken and noodles. I’d want chicken and pepper stir fry. My mom made stir fry a lot when I was growing up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-homecooked-meal/672857.md?page=2)