Recipes for someone who has never cooked

[magicdomino]

Does he know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich? There are ways to jazz that up also.  I like to get a package of sliced american cheese and a package of sliced swiss cheese and use one of each.  If you're careful, you can put a single slice of ham in there also, and even a thin slice of tomato (though depending on how "cooked" you like your tomatoes, you might want to pull the sandwich apart and put the tomato in after cooking instead).   Ranch dressing is a good side, if you like ranch dressing.

I use whatever sliced cheese is around, usually swiss, with a little bit of mayo mixed with curry powder.  Serve with applesauce or a sliced-up apple.

[MrsJWine]

Thank you so much! This is enough ideas to get him cooking once a week even after I get back (we've been meaning to do that for a while).

[Oh Joy]

It depends on what your family likes to eat and what you consider healthy, but I'd suggest:

Two or three proteins:
* A pile of ground beef crumbles (you can cook ahead of time with onion and S&P and freeze in 1-pound bags to make this first time easy)
* Some simple fish fillets to bake (a bag of frozen tilapia?)
* Whole chicken (I recommend Martha Stewart's double roast chicken recipe for any beginner... http://www.marthastewart.com/316091/double-roast-chicken ... it can be simplified to be just onions on the inside and new potatoes & baby carrots on the outside and leave off the rest).

A couple of whole grains:
* Boxes of pasta
* Microwavable rice
* Wraps

A couple of veggies:
* Frozen broccoli
* Natural spaghetti sauce
* Fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers

A couple of shredded cheeses

He can make wraps, his quesadillas, pastas, and whatever else appeals to him fairly easily from there (depending on his style, he might appreciate a 'menu' from you with quick assembly instructions to just select and grab from).  Once he gets his feet wet that week and figures what he likes to make, you can direct his cooking together from there.

(I see you just posted, but I've already written this out, so here it is anyway).

Best wishes.

[MrsJWine]

It depends on what your family likes to eat and what you consider healthy, but I'd suggest:

I aim for a protein, a vegetable, and a fruit with each meal. I have very special feelings for potatoes, so I try not to make them too often, or it would be all I eat. We don't eat a lot of grains as part of the meal just because it's what the girls gravitate towards, and they would eat nothing else if we let them. When we do eat grains, they're always whole grains (I highly recommend Barilla Plus if you aren't a huge fan of the really strong flavor of whole wheat pasta). Except that brown rice tastes pretty gross with some dishes.

[SamiHami]

It depends on what your family likes to eat and what you consider healthy, but I'd suggest:

I aim for a protein, a vegetable, and a fruit with each meal. I have very special feelings for potatoes, so I try not to make them too often, or it would be all I eat. We don't eat a lot of grains as part of the meal just because it's what the girls gravitate towards, and they would eat nothing else if we let them. When we do eat grains, they're always whole grains (I highly recommend Barilla Plus if you aren't a huge fan of the really strong flavor of whole wheat pasta). Except that brown rice tastes pretty gross with some dishes.

Have you ever tried quinoa? It's a whole grain and works pretty much anywhere rice would. It's also wheat and gluten free, which is a plus for a lot of us. Very versatile and delicious!

[MrsJWine]

It depends on what your family likes to eat and what you consider healthy, but I'd suggest:

I aim for a protein, a vegetable, and a fruit with each meal. I have very special feelings for potatoes, so I try not to make them too often, or it would be all I eat. We don't eat a lot of grains as part of the meal just because it's what the girls gravitate towards, and they would eat nothing else if we let them. When we do eat grains, they're always whole grains (I highly recommend Barilla Plus if you aren't a huge fan of the really strong flavor of whole wheat pasta). Except that brown rice tastes pretty gross with some dishes.

Have you ever tried quinoa? It's a whole grain and works pretty much anywhere rice would. It's also wheat and gluten free, which is a plus for a lot of us. Very versatile and delicious!

Yeah, I love quinoa. I never thought to use it in place of rice. I'll have to try that sometime. Thanks!

[sweetonsno]

Here's a good chicken recipe:

Gordon Who
1 slice of ham (reasonably thick-cut, not the thin kind for sandwiches... you want it about the same length and width as the chicken breast, though obviously not the same thickness)
1 chicken breast (boneless and skinless)
1 plum tomato
1 slice of Gouda
salt

Preheat the oven to 350.

Get a large square of aluminum foil ready. Put the slice of ham in the middle of the square. Rub a pinch of salt into the chicken on both sides. Put it on top of the ham. Slice the tomato. Put the tomato slices on top of the chicken. Fold the foil over the top to make a neat little packet and seal in the juices. It's still smart to put the packet on a cookie sheet in case it leaks. Set the timer for 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, take the chicken out, and carefully unfold the foil just enough that you can put the gouda in on top. Rewrap and put back in the oven for 5 minutes. That's it. Have DH put the entire foil packet on the plate and have a good chunk of bread on hand, as there will be delicious juices.

(The cooking times assume that the chicken breast is about 4 oz. He should probably check with a meat thermometer before eating, as you don't want to mess with undercooked chicken.)

Tortellini Soup
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic (or more), minced
1 big can of petite diced tomatoes
1 or 2 bouillon cubes
1 bag of tortellini (plain cheese is probably best here)
1 bag of fresh spinach

Sautee the onion in the olive oil until becoming translucent. Add the garlic and stir until it begins to soften (but you don't want it burned). Dump in the tomatoes. Fill the tomato can with water and pour that in, too. Toss in the bouillon cubes. (You can also use a can of broth instead of water and bouillon.) Bring to a boil. Add the tortellini. Follow the cooking directions on the tortellini bag/box. About 2 minutes before it's supposed to be finished cooking, add a few handfuls of spinach. Season with salt and pepper (Italian seasonings, too, if you'd like). Serve topped with grated Parmesan and/or shredded mozzarella and a good bread.

[mechtilde]

Cook spaghetti or other pasta.

Drain.

In the same pan, put 1 jar passata, a couple of teaspoons of dried mixed herbs, maybe a little pepper or jerk seasonming, and a couple of tablespoons of oil. Heat up until just below boiling. MIx in the drained pasta, serve with parmesan cheese on top.

[MrsCrazyPete]

This is my favorite easy recipe. My sister even asked me for it when her in-laws were coming for dinner!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
3 lb rump or chuck roast
1 packet onion soup mix (I buy the $.50 store brand)
1 can cranberry jelly
1 bag baby carrots

Put all of those things in the crockpot in that order. Cook on low for 8 hours. Sooo simple and delicious, DH won't eat a roast any other way!

[Diane AKA Traska]

This is my favorite easy recipe. My sister even asked me for it when her in-laws were coming for dinner!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
3 lb rump or chuck roast
1 packet onion soup mix (I buy the $.50 store brand)
1 can cranberry jelly
1 bag baby carrots

Put all of those things in the crockpot in that order. Cook on low for 8 hours. Sooo simple and delicious, DH won't eat a roast any other way!

Mmmm... I'm adding potatoes, but that sounds delicious!

[Instantkarma]

It depends on what your family likes to eat and what you consider healthy, but I'd suggest:

I aim for a protein, a vegetable, and a fruit with each meal. I have very special feelings for potatoes, so I try not to make them too often, or it would be all I eat. We don't eat a lot of grains as part of the meal just because it's what the girls gravitate towards, and they would eat nothing else if we let them. When we do eat grains, they're always whole grains (I highly recommend Barilla Plus if you aren't a huge fan of the really strong flavor of whole wheat pasta). Except that brown rice tastes pretty gross with some dishes.

Have you ever tried quinoa? It's a whole grain and works pretty much anywhere rice would. It's also wheat and gluten free, which is a plus for a lot of us. Very versatile and delicious!

Yeah, I love quinoa. I never thought to use it in place of rice. I'll have to try that sometime. Thanks!

Its also really really good in stuffed peppers or tomatos. 

[kkl123]

Most casseroles are quite easy... I'm particularly fond of the deconstructed cabbage roll sorts of things: two vegetables, starch and a protein, all layered up like lasagna (http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cabbage-Roll-Casserole or your own recipe, done in the same fashion) or things like Ropa Vieja ( http://thequickanddirtycook.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/the-colombia-restaurants-1905-salad-and-ropa-vieja/ ) (substitute any cheap, long-fibered beef roast for the flank steak -- this is po' folks food, stretched and stretched with rice (though we like it over noodles or wrapped up in a tortilla, and if I really want to make DH's day, over mashed potatoes.)

I do have one concrete suggestion for you: buy him a chef's thermometer ( http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/27040-taylor-commerical-digital-instant-thermometer.aspx is a decent one for the price) and give him a chart of internal temperatures of "done" for various foods. For instance, baked potatoes are done at
210oF/99oC, bread at 190-200oF/88-93oC, etc.  Takes a lot of the guesswork out of things when you're a newbie, and it's better food safety, too.

Many years ago, I was about 4 and my mom was very ill with asthma.  Dad decided to cook supper for me, and fried a big ham steak in the cast iron frying pan (and ham was much fattier then than it is now), then then took out the ham and fried some eggs, then dumped in a can of Campbells tomato soup and some milk -- without dumping out the grease.  It was like nothing I'd ever seen before when it was presented to me... clotted tomato soup with about an inch of fat floating on the top.  I tried a couple of spoonfuls, refused more, got a spanking, and then went to ask The Ultimate Authority if she would please get better real soon, because daddy's cooking was going to kill me...

[Hmmmmm]

Not sure if you are still looking for ideas, but I went on assignment for 4 months and my non-cooking DH had to come up with meals for him and the kids that wasn't spaghetti.  I created him a cookbook of the easy stuff that takes under 45 min

Chicken with lemon and capers, served with frozen green beans and uncle ben's Brown and Wild Rice
Buy thin sliced chicken breasts (or thinly slice your own), mix flour paprika, salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken and saute for 2 min on each side in olive oil.  Remove chicken, add some diced garlic and saute for 1 min, add a cup of chicken stock and reduce by half. Squeeze in juice of a lemon and a few tablespoons of capers.

Pasta Puttenesca (Lots of recipes on the web) served with steamed brocolli and bread

Grilled Fish Tacos served with Mex Rice mix and sliced melon
Season a white fish with cumin, chili powder, salt and lime juice and let marinate for 30 min.  Grill outside or in grill pan.  Serve with corn tortillias, shredded lettuce, and preferred salsas, we like a verde.

Baked potatoes topped with chopped bbq (bought from the store) and grated cheese

Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers (this is not hot), penne pasta, and a frozen veggie mix of their choice.
Wash chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, season with salt and pepper.  Brown on each side in a skillet.  While browning, take 3 or 4 jarred roasted red peppers and slice into think strips.  Remove chicken, saute about a tablespoon of minced onion for 2 min and then a couple cloves of garlic.  Immediately add a cup of white wine and the peppers.  Cook covered for 30 min.  Let sit for an additional 10 min before serving.  Serve with sauce over the cooked penne.

[Venus193]

Red Clam Sauce

1 can whole baby clams (with juice)
1 jar Arrabiata, Fra Diavolo sauce, or Roasted Garlic pasta sauce

Empty both can and jar into saucepan, heat to bubbling; serve over pasta.

[nrb80]

A weekly dinner menu from us:

Daily - cut up veggies and hummus while I'm finishing dinner

Day 1

4 chicken breasts (for leftovers), cut into nugget sized pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Cornmeal, breadcrumbs, flour

Combine all ingredients except coating  in bowl.  Let sit in fridge up to 24 hours, at least 30 mins.

Dredge pieces in coating

Cook in 400 oven 15 mins (until done).

Salad from a bag
Cornbread (I made it, but bought is just as good).

Day 2
Fresh ravioli from Trader Joes.  Boil according to directions.

1 jar sauce, heated.

Place naked raviolis on plate.  Arrange sauce in small dish.  Call it pasta nuggets.  Don't ask me why it works with little kid logic.

Day 3

Scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit, and toast. 

4 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
Salt
Butter

Mix everything but butter, place butter in hot pan over medium and melt.  Add egg mixture.  Move around with spatula.

Use precooked microwavable bacon (Trader Joes has it).
 

Day 4

Flank, skirt, or other cheaper steak of similar type
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
.5 cup vinegar
.25 cup oil
3 cloves smashed garlic

Combine everything except steak, pour over steak and let marinate all day (or set in marinade the night before) in fridge. 

Heat oven-safe pan to high, place steak in and let cook 30 seconds, flip and cook another 30 seconds.

Place in 400 oven 8 minutes (longer for more doneness - my family likes it rarer).

Boiled potatoes - just boil little potatoes until fork tender and toss with butter and salt

Asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Lemon

Toss everything except lemon, put in 400 oven 20 minutes.  Take out and squeeze lemon over it.

Day 5

Tilapia filet
Salt
Glugg olive oil
Slices of lemon

Sprinkle salt over fish filets, let sit 5 mins

Place foil in baking dish

Put fish filets in pan,  glugg olive oil over, place lemon slices on top

Bake 20 mins at 350, or until it flakes with a fork.

Microwave some frozen broccoli

Make couscous according to box (5 mins)




Each is less than 30 minutes from start to table if the marinade is done earlier.

Good luck to him!