I wish I had faster hands or faster reflexes to grab my camera at mini moments of success and pure awesomeness. Tonight I made stuffed shells FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER and it was a total SUCCESS!! I combined the 101 Cookbooks recipe & the recipe on the side of the Barrilla jumbo shells pasta box, with the slight addition of dried rosemary spices for a little kick. I wish I had grabbed that camera before my boyfriend and I scooped up some hefty yummy helpings, but alas I got so caught up in the moment it slipped my mind. However actually sitting next to my boyfriend Craig and hearing that mmmhmmmm sound and his eyes close from deliciousness, was priceless. The sloppy kiss too was worth every un-photographed moment.
Tonight also marks the midway into the third week of living together in a tiny studio apartment and something had to change. We both knew something was becoming an issue. Over the weekend, we bit the bullet and discussed the "Dinner" Topic. Yes the pizza deal down the street of a Large Pizza Pie & wings is convenient, the box of Kraft macaroni and cheese dinner entree is junk food fantastic, and tacos are easy...but with my new healthy way of thinking & pursuit to save money, we knew once the present boxes and leftovers were completed it was the final goodbye for awhile. This all sounds easier than done because in this revelation there encounters another problem.
Craig and I don't like the same foods at all...
If I could I would put pesto on everything, have mushrooms as a side dish for EVERYTHING, and try every new recipe that I can get my hands on. Craig is not like that at all. He eats the same things, day in and day out, won't go near a mushroom, will only use Ragu tomato sauce, is very picky when it comes to chicken or beef, and is a "I like 'only' this brand" type of guy. I love him, don't get me wrong, but he can be a pain in the ass. It's okay though for me to say because he admits too.
So what to do?
Slowly but surely I have been trying out new recipes that fit BOTH our likes and are going to begin to create a menu for us to follow. Last Saturday I hesitantly made chicken for dinner with Progresso's Lemon Pepper Panko seasoning for the first time for Craig. I'm not a well-rounded cook, so it took quite a while to fry and season. He took a bite and then said, "Chloe...you are going hate me." I freaked in my head for a second and asked why? He responded, "Because I may ask you to make this every night. This is so good!!" At first I thought he was kidding, but after two helpings and him asking if he could take the rest for lunch on Monday I knew he liked it. One item for the menu and now I have two items he likes with the stuffed shells...whew!
If You Live With Your Significant Other, How Do You Handle the "DINNER" Options?
Do You Create & Follow Menus or Wing it?
I think I might try this next...
We have one major hurdle in our house, Gary won't eat fish at all. I haven't cooked seafood at home in over 9 years! But we've adapted, and it just means that whenever we eat out I always order a fish dish. It sounds like you are finding compromises well so far, and the shells sound yummy! Will you be sharing the recipe? :-) x
ReplyDeleteWe go shopping on Monday nights, so Monday during my lunch break, I make my dinner plans for the week and make my list around it.
ReplyDeleteI use pinterest A LOT for recipes. Because we both work and I don't have a ton of time to make dinner (b/c I want to spend that time with my daughter), we do lots of crockpot dinners and casseroles.
Do you have a crock pot? If not, I highly recommend you get one. It makes cooking delicious meals a BREEZE. And they are normally man-approved meals too!
this might be sad - but i just cook - and he eats - but we have similiar tastes - and he loves leftovers - i haven't mastered the "cooking for 2" thing - i cook for an army - but he takes it to work etc - and when i'm on Whole30 and doesn't wanna eat what i eat he'll cook his own meals or order out - so works out
ReplyDeletenice work! we have this issue too... i'm a vegetarian and like spicy, ethnic food and some "adventurous" type things. the boy is a big meat fan and pretty picky and hesitant to try new stuff. i don't cook as much as i should, but i'll try to do a meat and then a starch and veggie that we'll both eat. i think with picky guys, you just have to slooooowly introduce new things. they are like little kids haha. good luck!!
ReplyDelete-- jackiejade.blogspot.com
Mmm that pizza looks good. On the nights I stay with my boyfriend (I know, totally different than living together), we make things like steak or roasted chicken or whatever is easy to make. We usually have the same taste so it hasn't been an issue, although I would say I'm pickier lol.
ReplyDeleteMy most recent relationship - we were not food-compatible at all lol. BUT we ended up cooking things together that incorporated things both she and I liked. It actually made for really good bonding experiences!
ReplyDeleteHoly yumminess! I'm coming over for dinner.
ReplyDeleteIzzy and I are pretty lucky because we're both pretty picky eaters. HOWEVER it drives me CRAZY because I love spicy stuff and he doesn't. So when I want to make something spicier he'd rather have it be more mild. But... we have to compromise.
ReplyDeleteThis blog post made me so hungry! Looks and sounds amazing! And it's so adorable how you plan meals together! We do it mostly so that we don't waste food (I'm notorious for this.. but I've gotten better after meal planning!) -- here's to more happy meals in the future!
ReplyDeleteWell done on that dish (looks delicious!) I'm pretty lucky that Stu is happy to eat whatever I cook.
ReplyDeletePS: I'm hosting a Living Nature skin essentials pack giveaway at my blog, hope you enter: http://www.underlockandkeyblog.com/2013/02/living-nature-review-and-giveaway.html
Oh gosh, that tomato basil pizza looks delicious! Let me know how it turns out if you do end up making it next!! ;)
ReplyDeletexo TJ
I'm lucky in that the fiance likes to eat just about anything. So I make a menu of what I want to eat or cook for the week and he just goes along with it. I take his preferences into consideration, of course, but sometimes he has to be the taste tester when I try new recipes. He doesn't seem to mind, though. :)
ReplyDeletei used to date someone who was a picky eater and it drove me CRAZY. i think the best thing you can do is keep pushing him little by little to try new things.
ReplyDeleteif that doesn't work, make food for yourself and tell him he's on his own. you can still eat together, but you don't always have to eat the same thing!
You're making me hungry! The vision of Craig loving your cooking is super sweet. :) I wouldn't worry too much about him being picky, I have a feeling you'll slowly change that. John and I are on the same page with food but our kids are another story. 2 are great and will try anything and 2 are uber picky. Meh, lol.
ReplyDeleteI hear you - it's hard to please two bellies with one meal! My fiance is pretty open minded when it comes to food, but sometimes it's just trial and error. I cook almost every night and I mostly pick a recipe from a food blog or Pinterest and hope for the best. I wouldn't be surprised if by continuing to cook and try new things, your boyfriend comes around to liking more than he thought he would. Remember, he grew up on whatever his parents did, or didn't, cook, so he might think he likes a lot less than he really does! Keep at it and eventually you'll have a whole bunch of recipes you both like :)
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