Help me figure out first-night-of-visit dinner

[Anonymous]

Another thought is just to have a rotisserie chicken in the fridge, and make whatever beef dish your dad would like. If Mom decides she doesn't want beef that night, she can carve off some of the chicken.

[Anonymous]

Mediterranean bowls a la cava.

Go to Trader Joe's and buy some spinach or bagged salad, frozen falafel, frozen kebab meat (or meatballs), jar of olives, feta, hummus, tzatziki, seasoned chick peas in the can, dolmas in the can, cucumbers, Cherry tomatoes, rice or quinoa. All you have to do is make the grain, heat the protein, and maybe solace a cucumber. Everyone assemble their own bowl.

[Anonymous]

I like to do this one but I don’t shred the chicken, instead I serve it in small pieces/ tenderloin size, with roasted potatoes , cut up peppers, cucumbers, cheese cubes or slices, hummus, and pita. You can do most of the prep ahead of time and the marinade for th chicken is delicious.

https://www.recipezazz.com/recipe/oven-roasted-chicken-shawarma-nytimes-25412


I’m not sure how your dad would feel but it will check the box for your mom’s diet and it works for kids and adults.

[Anonymous]

Keep it simple with baked chicken quarters on a sheet pan, baked gold and sweet potatoes and green salad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd make braised beef or pot roast, with a tray of roasted root vegetables. Make a pot of farro or barley on the side. Mom can have roasted veggies and grains if she happens to be on a diet that day, everyone else can have their beef with grains and veggies on the side.

+1, was going to suggest pot roast with roasted veggies and salad with hearty grains like farro or bulgar wheat. Your dad is a meat and potatoes lover, and there’s no beef on the menu, so this would fit in well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep it simple with baked chicken quarters on a sheet pan, baked gold and sweet potatoes and green salad.

The dad doesn’t like chicken, fyi

[Anonymous]

My vote would be the rice bowls (everyone LOVES those!) you can do beef & broccoli or similar) or the veggie soup with baked potato.

[Anonymous]

I’d grill or broil steak and chicken kebabs, serve with roasted potatoes and roasted veggies.

[Anonymous]

Meatloaf or pot roast or roast beef - all would be good as leftover sandwiches.

[Anonymous]

If you’re talking about picky older eaters, I would avoid anything complicated or trendy (e.g., rice or cava bowls, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, etc.). I’d stick with old standards like meatloaf or pot roast with mashed potatoes or noodles. Kebabs are a great idea. Steam or roast vegetables and make a salad for Mom or anyone who wants it. You might also have a big pot of premade soup to supplement or replace unwanted food items.

[Anonymous]

I’d just do a big store bought lasagna, salad and garlic bread. If your mom really wants something lighter, bake her a piece of salmon and she can eat that on her salad

[Anonymous]

A few ideas for you:

Bratwurst and sauerkraut (or other shredded cabbage dish) or potato salad -- Aldi and Lidl have nice German sausages

St. Louis Ribs, baked a few hours early in the day, then broiled to finish with a nice bbq sauce. For your mom and non-pork eaters, roast a few chicken drumsticks for 35 min, brush with the same sauce, to finish. You could go Asian flavors here with hoisin-based sauce, then you can have rice and an Asian coleslaw in lieu of potatoes

Bone-in pork chops with a mustard white wine sauce, fingerling potatoes and a cranberry walnut salad

[Anonymous]

Meatloaf, potatoes and salad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rice bowls. Cook some protein (salmon and/or chicken and/or beef), chop of veggies to go on top (carrots, sugar snaps, avo, cucumbers, lightly steamed broccoli), cashews or peanuts, then serve with some kind of sauce option (we often make our own but you could easily buy a store bought). Everyone assembles their own how they like.

Nobody likes this.

Are you racist, PP?

I know plenty of people who love this concept. I don't, and I'm Asian, but your blanket statement makes you sound anti-Asian, frankly. I wouldn't have written that.

I think PP is just voicing an opinion that's common among meat-and-potato people of a certain age. They don't want their food mixed together unless it's stew, and they don't particularly like rice. (I have cooked for these people. It's not fun, even if they are)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rice bowls. Cook some protein (salmon and/or chicken and/or beef), chop of veggies to go on top (carrots, sugar snaps, avo, cucumbers, lightly steamed broccoli), cashews or peanuts, then serve with some kind of sauce option (we often make our own but you could easily buy a store bought). Everyone assembles their own how they like.

Nobody likes this.

Np and my family loves meals like this.