Need some ideas for 'man' food!

[Joon]

After having my beloved Thermomix for nearly a year I was proudly patting myself on the back for having cooked nearly every night for a year in the TM... I turned and lovingly asked my H (he's not so D at the moment) what his favorite Thermomix meal was, fair enough he was about to go on night shift and was a little cranky BUT...his reply;
 "Well, I really like the pizza dough and bread and the cakes and biscuits are great....but everything else is slop.."
WHHHHAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT? 
He continues... "Well, not slop exactly, but its always runny and gloggy"  (Yeah, dig the hole deeper, sunshine!)  After I peeled my nails from his eyeballs (just kidding...sort of...) He went on his merry way to work...
Thinking about it...I make lots of curries, casserole type things- things I know, upon reflection, are not his favorites- but the kids and I LOVE them...so, being the domestic goddess I am, instead of filing divorce papers I want to plan a menu of caveMAN FOOD...you know steak and veg...meat and veg...
I have Meat on the Menu and I have some ideas after going through dozens of pages...but, I was just wondering if people have some tried and true recipes that aren't 'slop', 'runny' or 'gloggy'- so in human speak; no rice or pasta and no casserole type things!!  Any help would be so very gratefully appreciated and may prevent a homicide 

[obbie]

Use the varoma to steam fish, and veges, and make a sauce in the jug.
Or cook him steak and veges on the stove top.

someone else will come up with ideas.

Robyn

[DizzyGirl]

LOL Joon.... aren't Husbands just the dearest things 

Use the varoma as Obbie said.
I still serve my DH (sometimes he is a D) a steak cooked on the stove, but will still use Thermie to make mashed potato or a sauce for his steak.
Nigellas Ritzy Chicken Nuggets on here are also good. Just serve with steamed (Varoma) veges and some home made chips.
There is also this Varoma Steak http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=3500.0

I also steam (Varoma) chicken thighs, cut into strips. Cook rice in TMX and then make Chicken Fried Rice.

Good Luck. If all else fails tell him to COOK IT HIMSELF 

[judydawn]

Men probably do prefer meat and 3 veg and a lot of our recipes are in a sauce so I can understand where he is coming from even though he took his life in his hands by telling you in such a colourful term    Here are a few recipes that are not cooked in sauce but you can add a gravy/sauce of some type if you so wish. Have you asked him exactly what he wants in the way of meals - that might help and as DG said, vegies etc can still be cooked in the TMX.


Varoma steamed corned beef

KFC chicken

Chicken Kiev

Proscuitto rolled chicken

Roast of standing rib beef in the varoma (this will knock his socks off and win you a few brownie points)

[dede]

OMG Joon, I would of slogged him one fair in the smacker (well thought about it)
Although he has obviously not died of hunger in the last 12 months, and he held off saying anything for that long.
My DH (which could also mean D**k head at times ) does not like rice and pasta too much and would prefer meat and veggie kind of meals with the occasional casserole meal thrown in.
I cook a lot of roasts and meats (chops, steak, patties, sausages, chicken Kiev, kFC chicken, drum sticks etc) then steamed veggies on the side. We would probably have that 3 times a week then maybe casseroles , pizza, lasagna, pasta etc etc 2 times a week. (weekends can be a mixture of what ever)
Good luck with keeping your DH happy

[obbie]

Sounds like my husband, wont eat pasta unless its lasagne.
Wont eat rice either.
Loves old fashion things like corned meat, steak, sausages, rissoles, shepards pie, lots of fish.

Robyn

[DizzyGirl]

Well I guess I shouldn't complain too much. DH is not a fussy eater and likes anything I cook. Maybe he is just too scared to say anything. I would throw the meal at him and feed him baked beans for a month

Also Saturday night is his turn to cook, so he can cook meat and 3 vege if that is what he wants.

[keiramax]

My partner is a feed the man meat as well, so I did corned beef last night, very yum.  If I'm not making a meal in the TM, then I still use it to do a sauce, or veggies, marinade etc

I must admit, I also find some of the meals a bit gloopy  especially pasta if cooked in the sauce.  I still do the sauce in the TM, but the pasta on the stove top

Good luck finding the right balance, if you don't use the TM they complain that it is an expensive dust collector.  Sometimes you can't win

[Joon]

 
Thanks everyone- LOVE the links, judydawn- and steamed steak-  :-*AWESOME!!  I use the varoma for vegies quite often, but I hate cooking the 'other' way and rarely use my stovetop, thus the lack of suitable 'man' fried/cooked food!!  I just love the flavours of food now- the fresh herbs and spices, the blends and textures...I guess I need to occassionally remember the simple fellow and his mild and moderate tastes!
I did spend a moment asking him, from the safety of a telephone-his safety that is- what he did enjoy- so, I can add to my DH (whichever version of the abbreviation you would like to use) list- He did say my spag bog. was ok (he still doesnt know how many vegies I can pack into it!) and my '2 Alarm Chili' is excellent...so he is slightly forgiven!  Thanks for your help!!
I will post my Chili recipe...first time I've ever shared it, so hope others may like it!! 
Ingredients:
•   600g mince
•   1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
•   2 cups water
•   4 teaspoons paprika (sweet, not hot!!)
•   4 teaspoons cumin
•   1 chopped onion
•   2 cloves garlic
•   1-2 teaspoon ground cayenne (add more if you like it super spicy at stage 4- taste and see first!)
•   2 heaped teaspoons of cocoa powder
•   2 heaped teaspoons oregano
•   2 teaspoons salt
•   2 teaspoons cornflour (in 1/4 cup cold water, make a paste and add near end of cooking time)
•   2 tins of drained/ rinsed kidney beans
Directions:
1. Add onion and garlic, 1 tin of beans to  *:TM bowl and chop  speed 5, 5 seconds.    . 
2. Add mince and ½ cup water and cook for 5 minutes,  ^^soft spoon, 100 degrees.
3. Add all ingredients, except cornflour. On reverse,  ^^soft speed cook on 90 for 30 minutes.
4. Taste and add anything you think it may need- eg extra cayenne. Add cornflour mixture to chili.
5. Cook for 15-20 minutes, minimum- at 90 degrees, reverse, soft spoon- the longer its slowly simmers the more flavour you get.
Serve with melted cheese on top, corn chips and sour cream.

[dede]

Yum, that sounds great. Is the cocoa ingredient correct? Never heard of cocoa in a savory dish before.

[gertbysea]

Well we are all different. My mother  cooked casseroles ALL THE TIME . My brother hates casseroles but I love them. My DH would eat sausages and mash with peas every day. It is a matter of keeping some happy all the time.

I say give him a steak and chips for a week and see if he changes his mind. Get the worst frozen nasty chips you can buy and a tough bit of meat.  Bet he will not say another word about casseroles.

Give him a cookbook and let him choose. No complaints then.

Gert

[Merlin]

Definitely do chilli con carne and I was going to suggest the Swedish meatballs but your H will probably prefer them fried first then just use the TM for the sauce. My DH is similar and although he likes (?tolerates)casseroles he always opts for the BBQ if he's cooking that night. I have to say the Mongolian lamb recpe from meat on the menu is always a winner as I make it really spicy for my DH and tone it down for the kids.  Anything like the fish a la Josie ie steamed fish etc. My DH also loves Tenina's Vietnamese chicken salad. I was almost making it every second day last summer. Aren't men exasperating? Well some of them anyway! 

[Joon]

Yum, that sounds great. Is the cocoa ingredient correct? Never heard of cocoa in a savory dish before.

COCOA certainly is correct!!  Its a 'secret' ingredient given to me from my bestest friend in the US- she's entered Chili competitions, so she must know!!

[dede]

Well it's not a secret anymore Joon
What does the cocoa do to the dish? Sounds really interesting.

[kathleenm]

my boyfriend loves the cordon blue that i make in the tm also gozleme. u could make the cheese sauce from the everyday cookbook and pour over cauliflower sprinkle with parmasen the brown it under a grill or in the oven and watch it disapear off his plate.