What is your ideal "manly meal" ?

[Marilyn. 340]

lately when I cook I use olive oil spray...

[HannahP 119]

I guess my problem is that I do know what he likes. I'm just kind of sick of cooking it. Which is why I'm looking for more recipes. He likes some of my vegetarian stuff but a lot of it is just "weird" or not filling enough for him. I do cook meat for him, but it's pretty simple stuff -- pan fried steak, baked chicken breast, pre-made sausage/bacon, stews. My attempt at ribs didn't turn out so well but I think the cut I bought was too fatty.

Anyway. Thank you for the ideas! I'm writing stuff down, will go grocery shopping tonight. The pics looked delicious! We both like ethnic food (Indian, Thai, Chinese, etc.) & I've been trying to branch out into cooking more stuff like that but I'm still kind of insecure about it. The amount of spices in a "simple" Indian curry can be overwelming!

edit - re. oils and meat, like Calypso I use a very small amount of olive oil to coat the meat but like to cook in a reduction of aromatics like onion, garlic, peppers, chilies. If it's too dry, I'll add a bit of stock to it -- no real need to go heavy on the oils.

Edited February 26, 2010 by HannahP

[Calypso 464]

I guess my problem is that I do know what he likes. I'm just kind of sick of cooking it. Which is why I'm looking for more recipes. He likes some of my vegetarian stuff but a lot of it is just "weird" or not filling enough for him. I do cook meat for him, but it's pretty simple stuff -- pan fried steak, baked chicken breast, pre-made sausage/bacon, stews. My attempt at ribs didn't turn out so well but I think the cut I bought was too fatty.

Anyway. Thank you for the ideas! I'm writing stuff down, will go grocery shopping tonight. The pics looked delicious! We both like ethnic food (Indian, Thai, Chinese, etc.) & I've been trying to branch out into cooking more stuff like that but I'm still kind of insecure about it. The amount of spices in a "simple" Indian curry can be overwelming!

There are many recipe databases online if you want to try new flavors. Just reduce the ingredients so they become good for two. Stick to the directions and do the measuring accurately. If you cook once and you like it, you could do it again next time but with your own taste, not the manual's. You can even start to add other ingredients that you know will work. It's fun to explore and do something new.

Enjoy!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I am not an expert, Steve (disclaimer ). Anyway, everytime I brown pork, I only use one tablespoon of olive oil. That does it. The same goes for chicken. In the Philippines, we fry pork chop and drumsticks and when they are done, we eat them with rice (I don't do that here). The common Filipino dip is soy sauce mixed with either vinegar or calamansi.

In this house, we don't eat plain meat. Most of the recipes I cook require step one to saute garlic, onion, and ginger. After that, I have to move aside all three then brown the meat in the same pan where the garlic, ginger, and onion are (without mixing the meat and those three of course). Chicken gets juicy fast so no need to put more oil while pork produces its own oil that's why very minimal oil is necessary for it.

I cooked "Bicol Express" last night using pork. I bought one pound of red Jalapeno peppers thinking it would be hot enough.

Here are the pics I took:

The third one is the "finished product."

Looks delicious.

We use a lot of garlic and onion...I like to saute them also in the pan before browning the meat, but last night, my wife showed me how she cooks the meat (pork sliced thin) - she marinates in soy sauce then browns it in the pan, adding pressed garlic and chopped onions in afterward. Then we added baby bok choy (petchay?) to it and had it with brown jasmine rice. Very tasty and pretty healthy.

I used to use olive oil in a pan thinking it's healthier, which it is until it is exposed to high heat and then it turns into something very carcinogenic. I've been told that coconut oil is the most stable when exposed to high heat, but I was thinking that maybe there's something else to use in the pan that will give the meat the same searing without the carcinogens.

[Calypso 464]

Looks delicious.

We use a lot of garlic and onion...I like to saute them also in the pan before browning the meat, but last night, my wife showed me how she cooks the meat (pork sliced thin) - she marinates in soy sauce then browns it in the pan, adding pressed garlic and chopped onions in afterward. Then we added baby bok choy (petchay?) to it and had it with brown jasmine rice. Very tasty and pretty healthy.

I used to use olive oil in a pan thinking it's healthier, which it is until it is exposed to high heat and then it turns into something very carcinogenic. I've been told that coconut oil is the most stable when exposed to high heat, but I was thinking that maybe there's something else to use in the pan that will give the meat the same searing without the carcinogens.

That's smart. My mother uses soy sauce and calamansi for her marinade and I have always wanted to imitate that. I haven't found calamansi here in the U.S., not even in that Filipino grocery store in Venice.

We have coconut oil and garlic oil (?) in the kitchen. I don't like using either of them.

Yes, petchay. You got it! I love that. I buy baby bok choy.

[Calypso 464]

Does your wife use Ajinomoto (MSG)? That's very common in Philippine households but I know that's not "accepted" here.

And oh... neither lime nor lemon taste close to calamansi.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That's smart. My mother uses soy sauce and calamansi for her marinade and I have always wanted to imitate that. I haven't found calamansi here in the U.S., not even in that Filipino grocery store in Venice.

We have coconut oil and garlic oil (?) in the kitchen. I don't like using either of them.

Yes, petchay. You got it! I love that. I buy baby bok choy.

Oh my...you're in Santa Monica, yes? There are Seafood Cities here in LA and you can even buy your own Calamansi tree there!

Edited February 26, 2010 by Galt's gallstones

[Calypso 464]

Oh my...you're in Santa Monica, yes? There are Seafood Cities here in LA and you can even buy your own Calamansi tree there!

Really? That's great! Do they also have our "siling labuyo"? My husband likes these tiny peppers. He first tasted them when he went to Cebu.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Really? That's great! Do they also have our "siling labuyo"? My husband likes these tiny peppers. He first tasted them when he went to Cebu.

I'm sending you a PM.

[Lia792 5]

I am getting all my SO's favorite recipes from his Mom so that when we go to the US, I will know how to cook everything he likes in a way that is familiar to him. I also make my Mom's recipes when I feel homesick. It might help you to get some family recipes, especially since men don't always know them.

If he lived alone for a while, he probably already has things he likes to make for himself. I always cook with my SO so we make something we both like, or sometimes let him cook for me. Also, sometimes if we feel like eating different things, each person feels free to make what they want.

From a psychological perspective, tasty or familiar foods can be very important to feeling at home in a new place. You could have him make a list of foods he would like to eat or is "craving" that week. Sometimes different mealtimes or meal amounts can be quite strenuous for a newcomer, but I doubt that is such a problem with a Canadian. I remember my first day living in Mexico as a teenager when I saw my dinner and went into shock because it was more of a snack than a meal.

Some good filling meals: steak and garlic mashed potatoes, BBQ chicken, fajitas, sweet and sour chicken...I tend to look up recipes online when I need some ideas. I just made some amazing chilaquiles Brunches are always fun, too, with French toast or omelettes.

[Dave and Helena 0]

Medium rare Ribeye with cauliflower mash and maybe some mushroom/Madeira sauce. Dave is big on fish but I'm not very good at making it. Lasagna is another favorite.

[NickD 203]

My suggested meal, with real maple syrup, is for a man that does man's work, like logging all day, there a guy needs at least 5,000 calories per day just to maintain his weight.

But if your husband works in an office, comes home and flops in front of the TV set, and sucks beer, has a big gut, a half of a carrot stick would be his mans' meal.

It's all relative.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

My suggested meal, with real maple syrup, is for a man that does man's work, like logging all day, there a guy needs at least 5,000 calories per day just to maintain his weight.

But if your husband works in an office, comes home and flops in front of the TV set, and sucks beer, has a big gut, a half of a carrot stick would be his mans' meal.

It's all relative.

Word.

[Darnell 8,479]

I cooked "Bicol Express" last night using pork. I bought one pound of red Jalapeno peppers thinking it would be hot enough.

Here are the pics I took:

Thank you for the food porn fotos. May I be yer friend?

[trillium13 84]

Huge Chicken Fried Steak

Fried Okra

Red Beans & Rice

Beer

I knew you were from Texas before I even looked.