I need ideas!

[Barb]

I love the crock pot! I got a book for it, but most of the recipes are the same! Hunk o meat, can of either tomatoes or cr. mushroom soup....that gets a lil dull!

[Dogmama]

Two recommendations:

1. Lost Recipes by Marion Cunningham.

2. Anything "Moosewood." This is all vegetarian stuff, but really good.

All Recipes is good because it is free. You need to really look at some of those recipes though because sometimes they leave out important ingredients or put "TB" for "t" (big difference with crushed red pepper!).

[margo49]

I agree Moosewood is brilliant

I would also say get a bread machine. Nothing like homemade bread!

[nuthatch]

Epicurious.com is a fun recipe website too. Lots of good comments from those who have tried the recipes before.

[Dogmama]

I would also say get a bread machine. Nothing like homemade bread!

Absolutely!! I just bought a Cuisinart convection bread machine and it is SO much better than the regular machines. Beautiful even crusts and a loaf size that you can work with. I rarely buy store bought bread.

Additionally, you can make gluten free bread (lots of recipes) low carb bread and jams in the machine.

[Barb]

yum! I love bread! The vegitarian stuff is out. If there is no meat in a meal, the bf will eat and whine all night long! No fun. I did try a turkey cord en bleu from all recipes. It was wonderful! I am using my gift certs from the book store to buy American Heart Associations new book, it looks great.

[Nanci]

Barb,

I've had pretty good luck cutting my calories while keeping the beef-eater happy by doing a lot of grilling. I substitute turkey burgers for hamburgers, turkey filet for filet mignon, have two chicken burger patties instead of one with a bun, things like that. Tyson chicken breast frozen pieces (all flat, perfect for sandwiches) are only like 110 calories each, and they're huge! (I'll eat one of those with veggies, while BF will have one, on a bun, with cheese, with Tater Tots- huge savings in calories for me while cooking basically the same dinner.) Then I make Tater Tots or whatever in the toaster oven, and have microwaved veggies myself. Grilling is nice because you can cater to everyone without too much trouble. Salmon in foil with limes is great on the grill. I bought this metal wok-like thing, only with holes all over it, for grilling veggies like yellow squash. My whole grill wasn't even that expensive- it's just one of those Webber-Q baby grill things, under $200, with a little stand and a cover. Takes up no room. A tank of propane lasts more than all summer, even if you leave it on all one night...Plus it's so relaxing to sit out on my teeny patio with a glass of wine and unwind in the evening. I love it.

I bet your BF would love this: Oven Roasted Potatoes- 13X9 pan, spray with Pam, (veg oil spray) cut up 4 large potatoes, any kind, toss with one pack Lipton Onion Soup mix, dry, with enough olive oil to make it stick, but not the 1/3 cup it calls for, unless you don't care. Bake at ???425??? for 35 minutes. (Better check the back of the box for correct temp!) I budget for these by eating a light lunch and making a very low calorie meat choice. They are heavenly.

Nanci

[bikerz]

I'm a big fan of Indian food - we probably cook an Indian dinner once a week or so - there are some great and easy meat recipes for your BF, lots of chicken, of course, but with all the spicing, it 's not so boring. I like to replace the ground lamb with ground turkey - still very tasty and not so rich. And you get a complete protein with the dals and rice. And there are lots of great vegetable dishes.

A great starter recipe book is Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking I've cooked almost everything in that book and it's all been delicious. Most people think Indian food is complicated and always "hot" - not so - mostly it's question of getting the few spices not readily available at a Safeway (I go to an Indian market once every couple of months for that stuff) and everything else is basic and easy to find. And it makes great leftovers!