when your spouse is out of town,

[steve h.]

what do you cook?

i started simmering a corned beef the minute she walked out the door. i'll also boil up some canned, white potatoes and some peas. i'll steam up some leftover corned beef tomorrow, slice pieces medium-thin, gently toast up some bakery rye bread and top the meat with some finlandia swiss. a minute or so under the broiler and some gulden's brown mustard make this a great sandwich.

oh, beer. probably more than one or two.

deb will be back thursday night. she hates this stuff.

heh, heh.

[Meann]

Lamb..

Won't waste on my beloved husband, who doesn't like it and my son and I DO.

[don515]

Noodles and pot cheeze. Wife likes it but I can eat the whole dose.
Recipe in my bio...

dc

[pikawicca]

My husband is rarely out of town, but when he is, I eat out. I go to my favorite local places and strike up conversations with servers or other solo diners. Very relaxing and sociable.

[steve h.]

next week is duck. i'm considering goose (frozen) but i'm not sure i can get things cleaned up in time. still, the temptation is there.

[pikawicca]

You're cooking a duck or a goose just for yourself?

[steve h.]

yes on the duck. done it many times. leftovers are wonderful.

the goose would be something new. i have to do it just for the fat. i'll deconstruct the meat and have several dishes that hopefully will put a smile on deb's face. potatoes in goose fat are a no-brainer. i'll figure out other sides based on feedback/criticism. i'll check out julia child's advice as well as the the two fat ladies (moments of silence).

do you like goose? any insight??

[pikawicca]

I love goose, but be prepared to do tricky fat draining procedures during the cooking process. Roasting a goose produces a crazy amount of (good-tasting) fat. Don't dismiss the meat -- it's very tasty.

[steve h.]

thanks pikawicca,
i guess you're on to why i want to try this myself. i won't dismiss the meat. promise.

[MMRuth]

Re: the duck - did you see the recipe I posted awhile back for duck soup? It's really a wonderful way to use the carcass. I'm just waiting for it to cool off a bit to pull one out of the freezer. I've never cooked a goose, so good luck with that. Agree about the duck fat!

[steve h.]

duck soup comes straight from the angels. i'll search for your recipe.

re: goose. i promise to shine a light on both the good and the bad. let the record show i always do things better the second time.

[MMRuth]

Here's the link - I'd actually never heard of duck soup until I came across this recipe in Hopkinson's book. I've made it a couple of times now. If you've made duck soup before, I'd be interested in what you do - I should look it up in Mastering the Art ....

[steve h.]

thanks mmruth.
i'll report back on everything i do (right and wrong).
...not sure i got the link.

[MMRuth]

Looks like I forgot to include it!

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/483964

[greedygirl]

Choose your goose carefully. Don't get an enormous one as it will be mainly carcass and not much meat (geese have very big bones!). There will be a LOT of fat. Don't do what I did and pour it into a glass bowl (which broke in half - cue boiling hot fat all over the place on Christmas Day AAAAAAGH). The meat is very rich but delicious.

Use the fat for confit/rillettes btw.

[lcool]

The size issue;flesh to bone ratio is very dependent on which of
the two common varieties of domestic geese.
The white goose is very skeletal and heavy boned,even after
mature seem difficult to get over a certain ratio curve.
Where as the large grey goose (Tolouse) continues to flesh out
very well when mature.Not husbaned as much,issues with
attitude and clutch size,a bit less reward for the work.
My mixed breeding goes one way or the other in body type and
disposition.I've not had any "whites" for six years,but every few
clutches some white dominance comes through,bones etc.
I agree,the fat is superb.I am also glad my broken glass hot fat
mess happened as a pre-teen,and the parents spared my life.The floor was insured thank GOD,not a good day.

[steve h.]

the floor was insured?

message received loud and clear.

[lcool]

Yes,my fat fiasco did enough damage to involve the insurance
guy.
12 or 15 square feet of pale slates(translate to entire floor)some cabinetry etc.

No burns on people or pets,just very lucky.Lesson learned about skills vs permission,loud and clear.My older bro brings it
up still,almost 50 years later.Was an astonishing mess.

[steve h.]

thanks for the insight. this is going to be an interesting experiment.

[Jimmy Buffet]

- Beans and cabbage with Texas Pete sprinkled on top.

- Hot wings on the grill

- Grilled polish sausage

- Sardine sandwiches

[steve h.]

deb's in atlanta today.
i made nachos, chili (sp?), and opened up a bottle of salsa and a pint of sour cream. used the last avocado the other night so i lost out on that. mighty fine lunch.
tonight is the usual: corned beef, canned white potatoes, canned peas, gulden's mustard and beer. pity the yankees aren't playing tonight. giants open camp. tomorrow. cool.

[Will Owen]

As with (apparently!) almost everyone else, I make what she either hates or regards as too fattening: at least one meal of sausages, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes; eggplant something-or-other (probably parmigiana); turnip and/or mustard greens; stuffed bell pepper...I am thinking about this, you see, since she'll be gone for most of a week pretty soon. In all fairness, she does like a lot more things than she doesn't, but her few dislikes are pretty fierce. She tells me that I should feel perfectly free to cook anything I want for myself anytime, but while I very much enjoy cooking for myself, I don't enjoy it if I'm cooking for her, too, for some reason.

[Beach Chick]

Let the party begin..3 days..wooo hoooo
Should I start with a bloody mary or a glass of bubbly?

[starlady]

Bubbly!!!

[Beach Chick]

bottle of J champagne has already been opened...hee hee

[sebetti]

Sadly, the thrill is gone for me, my SO travels a lot for his job (M-Fri) and I'm more inclined to eat simple foods that don't require much prep. Many salads, a lot of single item meals, and a lot of left-overs from my toddler's mostly nutritionally correct, under-seasoned meals (which meant I had mac&cheese last night since he ignored it and only ate green beans).

I pretty much save my big cooking for when my SO is home and I therefore have someone to watch the little one while I'm playing with knives and fire.

But I DO always keep a bag or two or frozen pork & cilantro potstickers in the freezer, just in case.

[jfood]

very rare but jfood was home alone this week. Fired up the grill, threw on some ribs. grabbed some mac-salad. watched the ballgame. lots of napkins and a few glasses of water.

all in all a lousy night without mrs jfood, but he tried.

[ola]

When my now 20 year old was born (second child), I quit working outside the home. Three kids, 20 years of cooking at least five meals a week (not counting breakfast or lunch)...Husband is out of town for nine days and I am pleased to say, I have not cooked a single meal in seven days. Some cold cereal, some restaurant meals, some toast and cheese...And I am loving it!

[garlicandwingnut]

There are a few of my favourite things that cause me a bit of wind, to put it delicately, and I find that I try to save those for times when the S/O is away for more than a day or two. While I like most cuisines I am particularly drawn to Indian chickpea and lentil curries as well as just about anything in the Indian repertoire - perhaps you understand my problem! My proclivities have resulted in 8 octave obligatos of truly outrageous protraction - even the dog leaves the room!
The love of my life often phones the night before she comes home to aver her love of me (and the dog) but also to request that I open all the windows. So the way I see it, my love of legumes cooked Indian style (Dal Makni, Channa Masala, Matar Paneer to name a few) has the benefit of a loving phone call, a reminder to air the house, find the dog and wash the sheets.

[shallots]

Garlicandwingnut,
Thanks for the honesty and one of the best laughs I've had in a long time.
And since Mr. Shallots is out of town, when I finish the redbeans and rice, some lentil curries sound (Ha! ) really nice.

[amyvc]

hysterical. I wonder if dh eats badly when i'm out of town so that he can let his "wind" loose upon the dog (and children - poor kids!)

[FlaHopper]

Amen, Garlicandwingnut. When my wife is out of town, I make a big pot of whicked hot chili. It takes me three days to eat it and five to pass it. Woe to those who have offices near mine during those times.

[MMRuth]

My terrible confession is that I order in when my husband travels - hate to cook for one.

[DaisyM]

For me it more of where II eat then what I eat....always, in a big bowl on the couch in front of the tv. Usually something very simple and delicous....pasta with olive oil, anchovies, red pepper flakes and lots of cheese. Or a big salad with blue cheese, chicken, artichokes, etc. And sometimes a steak and baked potato. I don't know why eating this stuff alone in front of the tv feels special, but it does.

[Querencia]

Cook? When the spouse is out of town? Cook what? I thought that's what cereal was for.

[LaurCar]

I do the lazy thing by just having a baked potato or a grilled cheese or an egg on toast for dinner.

My husband has a large appetite so when he is not around, I can satisfy myself with a meal of crackers and cheese and wine and be totally happy. Cooking for one is not my thing.

Besides, I foist all sorts of things on him that he may not be wild about and he just has to deal!

[gfr1111]

When my live-in girlfriend leaves town for a few days, it's time to cook all the dishes which she either dislikes or disapproves of for health reasons. (I agree with Julia Child: food is not medicine!) This means a lot of cheese: a classic fondue; blue cheese vinaigrette dressing; "Sterling Holloway's Mother's Cheesecake" from a circa 1935 Betty Crocker Cookbook; Italian provolone grilled over charcoal briefly in a brick (from a Michael Chiarello recipe that bathes the cheese in oil and spices); and a "jalapeno, very sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese, and Monterrey jack" cheese dip with corn chips.

Turning to other (non-cheese) dishes which she doesn't like or approve of, there are Italian white anchovies in oil and champagne vinegar with garlic over steaming linguine, sprinkled with grated parmegiano reggiano; charcoal grilled skewered lamb chunks marinated for several days in garlic, rosemary, red wine vinegar and olive oil, served with half-grilled onions (so that they retain their bite) and Roditys wine; white wine poached sockeye salmon with bearnaise sauce; just about anything deep fried on the face of the earth, including, say, cod in a light batter for fish and chips with homemade tartar sauce--containing homemade mayo--another "no-no"; beef marinated in red wine, olive oil, garlic and thyme, then beaten flat and used as a roulade with a stuffing of green onions, roquefort cheese, sauteed mushrooms and toasted bread crumbs.

I love her dearly, but when she leaves, that's good too, just so long as she's not gone too long . . . .

[Anne H]

Fondue, yep, that is one of my favorites. How can my DH not appreciate it? But I can whip up a splendid cheese fondue for one, wow, it's great.

Also, and I know this isn't exactly eating ; - ) but I also like to make margaritas... how did I marry a man who doesn't really drink???

The ultimate guilty pleasure, creamed chicken over mashed potatoes. Comfort food from my childhood.

[Gooseberry]

Good topic.

I work from home and my spouse is gone for most of the day, so I do breakfast and usually lunch by myself. I tend to go carb crazy (pasta, potates) and avoid vegetables and meat. Very naughty!

When I pop by my mum's house and she's alone for dinner, I often catch her eating ice cream. She feebly protests she ate 'real' food earlier, but we both know she's lying. If I get there just before dinner/ice cream time, she'll make us both an airy-light cheese or mushroom omelette, which we eat directly from the pan. Then we move on to ice cream together. Good times.

[LJS]

Gooseberry: you reminded me of my Mum's famous 'Dessert Suppers'. When I was a kid and my Dad was out of town on business (maybe once a month) my Mum would put a 'car rug' out on the living room floor and we would all sit on it and eat an all-dessert feast. I recall picnicing on fruit salad and junket (yoghurt was unknown to us then) andoatmeal cookies, apple crisp or banana bread. We would be allowed to watch TV while eating our meal and we could have 'real' tea and honey with this: both were a HUGE deal.

When my Mum was unwell, aged ninety, a few years ago, my sister and I perked up her flagging appetitie with those same treats. The rug was brought out as a 'table-cloth' but we settled for sitting on chairs!

[Gooseberry]

gosh, what a coincidence - I read about junket for the first time yesterday in an Elizabeth David recipe, and googled it, never having heard of it before! It's funny how certain things go out of style. I wonder when it will come back again...

When I was younger, I sometimes got irritated that we always seemed to eat things my father liked at home (I don't know if we ever went without rice, his favourite carb), and I remember thinking, "When I cook my own meals, I will never be limited by the food likes/dislikes of my partner!". Well, several years later, and I never seem to cook anything my spouse doesn't like - asparagus, brussels sprouts, etc. And I realise now it has got more to do with seeking the shared pleasure of a meal than seeking the non-cooking partner's approval. But I'm glad to see from the responses on this topic that I am certainly not alone in catering to the whims and tastes of my loved one!

[southernitalian]

Oh my goodness. I haven't thought of junket in years. It sounded vagulely familiar so I googled it. Definitely remember it from my early childhood but I can't find a picture of it anywhere.

[TampaAurora]

When I was a kid, my mom had a lot of health problems that left her in bed often. Whenever that happened, we would have waterbed picnics. Must be why I am eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches now that I am home for summer vacation from teaching while hubby is out working.

[oldbaycupcake]

When I was a kid, my Mom always made big dinners and the entire family sat down together, except when Dad was out of town on business...then we had Popcorn & Milkshakes! I proudly keep that tradition alive!

[ldkelley]

My BF was out of town for nine days earlier this month... I made shrimp and grits the night I took him to the airport! Over the week I made about seven more shrimp dishes and made sure that a lot of them included mushrooms. lol. He eats just about everything but those two items so I indulged.

I wonder what he eats when *I* am out of town? Probably take-out, as I limit our consumption of it. :) Great thread.

[trojans]

Clam bake with friends and smoked pork ribs. My wife doesn't allow them in the house when she is here. (lobster and Pork) not the friends.

[Calipoutine]

All the Jewish foods she hates. Blintzes, noodle pudding, noodles and cheese( cottage), Kasha and bows.

[TampaAurora]

Ok, now I have to make a brisket with kasha varnishkes! Thanks for the suggestion.

[LJS]

Canned salmon- creamed salmon on toast, salmon sandwiches on homemade buttered white bread. My DH hates canned salmon and, I admit, it is not exactly haute cuisine. On the other hand it sure beats, for classy food, the dessert that will follow this: mashed bananas with evaporated milk and so much sugar, it crunches...

And then I will go back to gnocchi with walnut pesto and Thai food...sigh

[geekyfoodie]

I make a beeline to our local Sam Woo for some Chinese BBQ duck, then head home and make a ridiculously large pot of rice. Then, I make all the seafood-based comfort foods I can think of. Steamed tilapia, eggs/onion/shrimp, and seafood pastas.

Then, I break out my seasons of Star Treks: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine and have me a marathon.

[kkak97]

Usually it's me who's gone, but on the occasion he is out of town I make a rissotto loaded with lobster, shrimp, clams, and mussles. It is not something he'll ever eat and I can't seem to get enough.

[othervoice]

So, any ideas on how to get the SO to go out of town, if even for a day????

[amyvc]

DH only likes hamburger meat in 3 ways (tacos, burger, spaghetti sauce), so when he's out of town, my son and I eat meatloaf or a chili mac or something. Also, sweet potatoes - DH not a fan. I can eat one for dinner w/some butter and brown sugar. Lastly, I do takeout from the places he hates that I like. J. Alexander comes to mind - love their baked beans. Also, Boston Market for wonderfully bad for you sides....Oh yeah, whole foods prepared section - DH doesn't love stuff with too many whole grains. I'll probably pick up a hunk of gruyere on my way out!

[Kagey]

Really spicy hot food. That could be pasta with oil, garlic, and lots of chili. Or a Thai salad with noodles, cilantro, vegetables, a little meat, and a dressing with chili, lime juice, garlic, and fish sauce. Or a spicy curry. SO can't tolerate the heat.

[Condiment Queen]

My SO is leaving for 3 days to Vegas in late July for a conference and I am beyond giddy..
It's like the parents are out of town..is this a normal way to feel?
Should I just buy really expensive wine & champagne and over-indulge with lobster tails and eat and drink like a rock star?
Why am I asking..I think I know the answer.. ; )

[greedygirl]

LOL!

My OH has been away during the week for most of June, so I have been eating a lot of vegetables. He doesn't think a meal is a meal without meat, so I have been taking advantage of his absence to eat less of it. Plus I've got a weekly veg box to get through!

[Janet from Richmond]

I feel exactly that way on the rare occasions Dh is out of town on business. I love the big lug, but it's nice having what I want for dinner, when I want it, and not making sure meat and bread are involved.......LOL

[Beach Chick]

LOL..

[geekyfoodie]

I'm coming over!

It's absolutely a normal way to feel. I love my SO to bits, but I think I'm human for wanting some time off. Especially since he's a picky eater and I'm... not.

[shallots]

It's so nice to read that I'm not alone.

This week's theme is cooking with buttermilk.

[jdm]

Grits. Scrapple. Big obscene salads with lots of eggs, meat and cheese, more grits. Eggs and bacon for dinner. Fried noodles for breakfast. Kao Tom (sp?). Anything with fish sauce. Grits.

[k_d]

Tuna noodle casserole - the old fashioned kind (out of cans! lol)

Now, when *I* am the spouse who's going out of town, I want you to know that my hubby eats from the casseroles I prepare and freeze before I leave. He no longer cooks at all, I don't think.

[Dan G]

My wife, who is out of town about 10 days per month, is allergic to all seafood (shellfish, fish, everything) so I usually cook whatever looks good at the seafood counter. Last week was grilled mahi mahi (with an ethiopian spice rub and a side of lemon and ginger couscous) one night, a shrimp curry the next, followed by scallop risotto on the 3rd night.

And lamb...she hates lamb...so that is a common item when she is away.

Lunch, if it is a weekend am I eat at home, is often bison hot dogs.

[BobB]

My seriously foodie wife hates anything with melted cheese (can you believe it? - of course that's probably one reason she's still a size 2), so when she's away it's mac & cheese, pizza, enchiladas, anything nice and gooey for me!

[egbluesuede]

unfortunately for me, these are my few opportunities to cook fish. And I empty my freezer and make stock for days on end in my slow cooker. And sometimes I resort to my old bachelor days and just cook breakfast dishes for every meal. Thank god my wife doesn't leave me alone too often.

[jvozoff]

Kraft macaroni and cheese after the kids are in bed. Yum.

[theannerska]

My s/o doesn't like:
- peppers, eggplant, squash, mushrooms
- anything with even a hint of seafood (though he loves clam chowder)
- meals without meat and/or cheese
- heaping bowls of salads as meals

So, those things. :)

[TBird]

"when your spouse is out of town, what do you cook?"

meat! she's a vegetarian! despite that, i love her anyways...
:-)

[giveittomikey]

A seriously hot Rogan Josh with spicy red beans and naan. Steak with the moo just taken out of it. And finally, real kippers for breakfast.

[MrsCris]

Ooo I am getting excited for MrCris' Brothers Bash, where he and his 3 brothers go out of town for a long weekend. I don't even want to know what they eat. Or drink.

Me, I'm looking forward to lovely New York style cheese pizza, and a beautiful ribeye, BBQ'd beautifully rare with spinach salad with stinky blue cheese.
Also, I must confess I may get an order of KFC. Once a year, I have a craving. Sure, I'll regret it after.

[alysonlaurel]

Baked pasta with tons of veggies in it, garlic bread, and gin rickeys.

[Janet from Richmond]

I'll sometime grill up some salmon and asparagus (he hates both)
Thai take-out (guess who doesn't like Thai <g>)
Sushi (see above)
Grilled cheese or nachos for something at home that's easy

[janetofreno]

My husband travels a fair amount during the week, and is often gone in the evenings if not overnight. My SOP: I eat lunch out every day, so when I know we're not having dinner I make lunch my major meal, and enjoy one of the many good restaurants near my office. Then I'll have a big salad for dinner...and Beets. Lots of Beets. DH hates beets; I love them. Beets and Bitter Melon are two of the few foods he really hates. In fact I had a beet salad last night.

And then sometimes (especially when I don't have time for a big lunch) I just grill up a big steak. DH doesn't like beef in the house, as he is Hindu. But he'll tolerate me fixing it for myself when he's not around. I eat it with a big glass of red wine and a baked potato. And a beet salad :-) I'll slice any leftover meat thin for sandwiches the next day.....

[relizabeth]

MEAT!!!

[morwen]

Saurkraut & mashed taters! Pickled beets & eggs! Anything else that's vinegary! Beans in many forms! Southwestern in many forms! Scrapple! Oysters! Chicken livers sauteed in butter! Hubby does business trips at least once a month for a week at a time so I get to satisfy my jones on a regular basis.

[aletnes]

Pork pork and pork -- partner keeps (mostly) kosher .. so its verboten the rest of the time.

When I am gone, she gorges on take out chinese (i don't eat chinese)

[amyvc]

LOL. Chinese = Jewish soul food :)

[TampaAurora]

When hubby is gone, I go for my Jewish soul food - Chinese take out! I only get Thai on my birthday apparently (he took me for lunch by surprise), so that's another go-to when hubby is out of town.

I actually just came back from visiting my parents, so my hubby enjoyed his broc and cheese (something I can't and won't eat) and his drier then death "marinated" baked chicken breast.

[cayjohan]

When Hub is out of town, I go raw. He loves stewed/roasted/braised/grilled, etc, but merely tolerates the fresh and green, or raw. So I revel in it when he's out of town. Greens out of hand. Do I want an entire mango? Why, yes, I do. Oh, but the cooking - I can make the super sloppy (!) sunny-side ups and not worry about offending anyone's sensibilities.

Cay

[Paul Weller]

At my house my SO doesn't cook very much at all. It's sort of at the mercy of the chef, so I don't really change anything at all. She eats what I cook pretty much.

[scoopG]

1) Macaroni and Cheese with a side of Pork Sausage and Steamed Green Beans.

2) Breakfast Cereal with Milk - Captain Crunch, Trix or Cocoa Puffs if S/O is away for enough time to finish the box off, 2-3 days.

3) Tater Tot Hot Dish or Frito Chili Pie if S/O is gone for 4-5 days!

[amymsmom]

Barbequed steak if it's my daughter & me. If they're both not home, I'll pick up a dozen cherrystones & make clam sauce with whole wheat pasta.

[Hofhombre]

Oatmeal for dinner. With dried cranberries, pecans, cinnamon, maybe a chopped-up apple. So nice not to have to come up with a meat, a starch and a veg...s/o is pretty traditional. Now if I could just figure out what wine goes with oatmeal...

[steve h.]

a stout would work just fine. champagne, too.

[Hofhombre]

Oh, perfect. Oatmeal and champagne. Come to think of it, maybe I'll talk my hubby into this one...

[corgette]

When it's just me, I cook fish, since he *hates* everything about it. We live in a teensy apartment, so cooking smells linger for a day or two, which doesn't bother me, but I wait until he's not here to turn the apartment into a fish shack.

I love linguine with clams and a good chilled white.

[LNG212]

That's funny re: the odors. We too live in an apartment and the smells do indeed linger. When I'm away, DH will cook up loads of bacon -- that smell seems to stick around longer than any other! (I'm a veg and that's the one smell I can't handle.)

[jsaimd]

My husband is out of town for a month, so I am doing lots of fish and seafood which he doesn't like. I am also eating much lighter, because he has a tendency not to eat during the day and comes home starving (why I can't get him to eat is another story...)

I also don't cook too intensively. So mustard maple glazed salmon with mustard greens and roasted parsnips. Shrimp with leek and tomato sauce. Tonight was just quespdillas with a chopped salad of various CSA bounty.

[morefuuud]

This is a timely post! S/o is going out of town this wkend for the 1st time in many yrs. All I need to do is think of the smells he hates - fried oysters, hard boiled eggs, maybe feast on some durian too. I've a yearning to hit the italian market for some stinky blue cheese & indulge in the finest proscuitto money can buy. Or maybe I should be thinking along the lines of "things I don't like to share": wait. I can't think of any. There is something wrong here. We've been together too long ....

[Euonymous]

I like to make sweet potatoes, beets, and brussels sprouts, because he hates them and they're my favorites. It's the only time I get to eat them.

[jtpeters]

I like to brew some beer. My wife hates the smell of boiling wort. I can relate to you on the corned beef; I've done something similar.

[chucktownlady]

i feast on chickpeas or some kind of bean dinner. then i get my calcium in for the week -- ice cream and more ice cream.

hmm...beans and dairy. no wonder he doesn't want to be around for that.

[eatmyfood]

When my husband is out of town, me and the kids like to go out to dinner. We figure he'll be eating out so we will too.

Otherwise, pasta, pizza, lots of starchy foods.

http://www.dinnersforayear.blogspot.com

[RPMcMurphy]

here is what I did last night....

....im not proud...the bread was going stale....I swear....and I SWEAR I used a glass for that quart of OJ....

http://rtimko.smugmug.com/gallery/416...

[othervoice]

RPM,
I so enjoyed your gallery. Very interested in the Easter Basket. What was that in there? and were those coffee cans? I myself did over 60 baskets this past year and new ideas are always appreciated.

[berkleybabe]

Sauteed chicken livers with onions in a red wine reduction, pate and crusty bread, veggies and rice with a salad, anything Chinese take-out,

[purple goddess]

baby octopus. Hubs HATES 'em

Corned beef, stinky cheeses, anything with figs.

He goes away for one week a year with his mates and I totally bog out!

[scubadoo97]

I actually made octopus when my wife was out of town last week. Not that she wouldn't eat it but I wanted a trial run on my first attempt. We shared the left overs the day she got back for a quick lunch.

Usually if she will be away for a few days I'll do something pork. She hates it.

[Foodnerds]

When the husband is not around I eat super spicy Asian food, any goes, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Japanese...

[mrsfury]

I'll get a fast food burger or tacos and have lots of wine. I suffer more from my food choices than the wine. Hubby usually stops and gets an oyster poboy to bring home when I'm gone.

Edited to say oops you said cook LOL. We take the shortcut and get stuff we never eat.

[Val]

When I WAS married, and he left for a few days it would be anything chocolate...I remember making Epicurious' Double Chocolate Layer Cake for the first time when he went on a trip...ha! Had to 'sneak' it...sons (okay--and I) devoured the cake and ever since then, we have loved that cake. Nice memory!

[gordeaux]

Meal #1 3/4 inch thick ribeye or top sirloin at least 1 lb. med rare. Salad w/ bleu cheese dressing.

Meal #2. Skirt steak on the grill in tacos.

3. Lamb chops on the grill. Med Rare. Salad w bleu cheese dressing

4. Ribs from the smoker, or brisket. Salad w/ bleu cheese dressing

5. Junk Food Takeout. Probably Gyros, or meatball sammich.

lol - can you tell yet that the s/o doesn't eat red meat?

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

I often revert back to Bachelor Food if I'm dining solo: order in a pizza or make soft tacos or the like. Allstonian and I actually haven't spent much appreciable time apart since we got married -- she went to a conference for work once a few years ago, that's about it -- so I don't know what I'd do if it was a long-term thing. But it would involve lots and lots of blue cheese, the one foodstuff I know of that's firmly on her Do Not Want! list.

[steve h.]

i like pizza. make my own dough and sauce. i have some dough defrosting on the countertop as we speak.

[Anne H]

steve h, I suppose this would be a different thread, but if you are making pizza dough and freezing it, would you post a recipe? I've been thinking about this... I used to live in a city that had a bakery that sold blobs of pizza dough ready to bake, now I live elsewhere. If I could make my own and freeze it, I'd be very happy.

[steve h.]

hi anne,
i usually crib patricia wells pizza dough recipe:
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
half pint warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
2 teaspoons sea salt
one pound bread flour.

sometimes i hop onto peter reinhart's dough recipes. you should be able to google them.

i like to keep four or so balls of dough in the freezer. it takes 24 hours to wake them up depending on the original recipe.

hope this helps.

[LNG212]

When DH will be out of town, I plan all the things he won't eat ... roasted cauliflower, anything with tofu, dal or other split pea/lentil dishes, lots of olives. Mostly it ends up being dal or tofu (esp. with thai red curry paste) because I'll have those things on hand if he's travelling last minute. More elaborate things with cauliflower or spicy carrot puree or what have you if I know ahead of time and get the ingredients.

[steve h.]

nice.

i'm loving this stuff.

[linguafood]

Calf's liver pan-fried with sliced onion and apples. Salmon any way. Huge salads.

[steve h.]

mercy. calf's liver is the best. love eating it. probably one of the best ways to test a french kitchen.

[jcattles]

When my hubby leaves, my daughters and I have a great time. Smoked Fontina Fondue with french bread and proscuitto. Spaghetti Carbonara and cheesy garlic bread. Panini's with olive tapenade, smoked fontina and proscuitto or pancetta. (it seems like we eat alot of smoked fontina and proscuitto, it's just darned good)

[steve h.]

nice. your meal needs some seriously good wine. don't share it with the kids no matter how old they are.

[linguafood]

Why not share it with the kids (12 would be appropriate by European standards). They should learn early about wine, and alcohol.

[janetofreno]

I took Steve's comments to be a bit toungue in cheek. "Don't share it with the kids no matter how old they are." Even if they are 21. Because you should have all the seriously good wine for yourself :-)

[linguafood]

Ah, got it. Sometimes I'm a bit.... slow '-). Steve is right, then, of course.

[Mushroom]

I do Carbonara, too. (Husband says he can do without pasta dishes but somehow he manages to eat a few helpings when I DO make it for dinner.)

However, a couple times of year he takes the kids back to his folks while I stay home to re-pot plants or clean out closests/pantry/basement.

Or, so I say......I actually can't wait to make a heaping pile of Carbonara that I eat directly out of the big pasta bowl while watching the ridiculously sentimental chick flicks I have rented - washing it all down with a tremendous amount of wine.

I LOVE those weekends!

Of course, I then spend Sunday rushing around like a mad woman trying to get all my projects done.

[steve h.]

it's been five minutes or so and i'm still laughing.

let the record show i always do my chores and the dishes. it's all good.

[Mother of four]

Out to dinner with the girl friends!!!