What the hell do I cook for my new in-laws?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm beginning to think a restaurant is our best bet. There are just too many different dietary needs/restrictions.
They can all just decide for themselves.

OP, I think you are getting a little too ambitious in the interest of pleasing your ILs, and it just may backfire.

Ask DH: How do they normally do meals when he visits? Can you and he offer to take them to a favorite restaurant, or would that be unusual?

With all those weird food habits, I might consider showing up with flowers or booze, but whatever you do, talk with DH first about what would or would not be appreciated.

Don't invade their kitchen unless they invite you to cook. No vegetarian lectures. You are the guest. Take everyone out to dinner. No knick knack or picture frame [are knickknacks]gifts-food, flowers, alcohol only.

Who said anything about vegetarian lectures?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a strange situation...just a warning
DH and I are newlyweds and are visiting his parents for the week.
I would absolutely love to cook dinner for them and DH's sister and brother-in-law.
I have no idea what to make for the following reasons:

1. DH and I are vegetarians. We don't eat fish.
2. Everyone in his family is a carnivore. Meat, meat and more meat.
3. DH's family is Italian and LOVE italian food, which is great but......
4. DH's sister is married to a Vietnamese man who can't digest cheese, hates Italian food and loves light vegetable/rice dishes. Wonderful, but.....
5. DH's family is picky as hell and won't eat Asian dishes.
5. MIL and SIL are on Weight Watchers.

What the hell do I make for dinner?
I don't mind cooking meat for them and just omitting it in DH's and my portion.
I'm stumped.

NP here, I wouldn't want you cooking in my kitchen. It's my domain. Why don't you take them out to dinner?

[Anonymous]

OP, I think your best bet would be to go out to dinner and then come back to the house for dessert, which you would make. That way you avoid the meat issue completely. You can prepare something simple with fruit - maybe a coconut milk ice cream? - and please everyone.

[Anonymous]

I would make grilled fajitas and let people assemble as desired. Serve the following:

- yummy marinated veggies
- some sort of grilled meat (flank steak, chicken, shrimp)
- some fun toppings: homemade guac, mango salsa, normal salsa, chipotle-yogurt sauce etc
- cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt
- chopped lettuce
- whole wheat and regular tortillas

I think everyone on your list could assemble something fitting their needs from that list, and there's still some fun in the cooking (making good marinades & sauces, etc). This is our go to meal when we have picky guests (including kids) and it always goes over well.

[Anonymous]

NP. Wow, some great suggestions here. (Except for 9:10--no one said anything about vegetarian lectures; OP is happy to cook meat and just leave hers out.)

I agree you want to approach this gently and ask first. A restaurant meal would be a good first offer, unless invited into the kitchen. But if you are invited, there's some real creativity here. I like the ideas of the risotto, shredded veggie "pasta," or maybe a light pasta like fusilli or penne done simply with olive oil, garlic, and red onions or shallots, and have a couple of different sauces and add-ins so people can choose their own meat, cheese, veggies, and sauce (or lack thereof).

And could everyone at least agree on garlic bread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm beginning to think a restaurant is our best bet. There are just too many different dietary needs/restrictions.
They can all just decide for themselves.

This is what I was going to suggest. You will have many opportunities to cook for them over the years, possibly at times when they are not ALL present at once, and from the comfort of your own kitchen rather than intruding on MIL's space.

[Anonymous]

Is money an issue? Why would you cook at someone else's home instead of doing a restaurant?

[Anonymous]

I would never dream of cooking at someone else's house unless they specifically invited me to do so or if it was my own mom or sister.

[Anonymous]

Water.

[Anonymous]

Roasted chicken, with yellow Spanish rice and salad. Fresh fruit for dessert.

Or do a taco bar.... you can never go wrong with that!!!

But first, listen to what 9:10 said. She's got it right.

[Anonymous]

How many people? Do you have access to a grill?

Grilled pizza. Pre par cook the crusts. Make a topping bar that every can add what they like and leave pre meat or cheese if they choose. Throw them on the grill to finish. Grilled fruit for dessert, with or without icecream

-vegetarian with kosher parents and carnivorous ILs who had to host a combined family party for over 20 people when we were newly married.

[Anonymous]

I agree, dont cook in their kitchen unless invited. Take thwm out. If for some reason you end up cooking, salmon pasta and green salad should cover everone. I sometimes will do salmon plus steak fir a larger crowd and to cover all bases.

[Anonymous]

I am vegetarian and on Weight Watchers and most of our friends are carnivores who like heavier food. When we have company, DH (who is not vegetarian) usually makes fish or chicken and I grill some tempeh or tofu. We serve it with a green salad or green beans and usually some kind of potato. Almost everyone likes these things and it isn't too much work to cook the vegetarian items separately.

If you are willing to do a more informal meal, grilling out also works well. Just serve a salad and some fresh fruit and grill whatever people want - steak, chicken, veggie burgers, or make kabobs.