Food to go.
March 5, 2010 11:22 AM   Subscribe

I'm looking for your favorite recipes that can be easily stored and reheated.

Basically: I want to cook for my boyfriend. But I live with my dad and would rather not invite him into the mess that is our apartment. What delicious stuff can I cook, package up and reheat?
posted by dagnyscott to Food & Drink (14 answers total) 39 users marked this as a favorite
 
Sounds like you want to make a stew, to me. Or any one-dish meal you can make in a crockpot.

Here's a list of a few dozen recipes.
posted by valkyryn at 11:26 AM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]


It would also work well to make something like a lasagna, where you can assemble all the components at home and then bake it in the oven at your boyfriend's place - added bonus of making his house smell all nice and full o' home cookin'!
posted by sabotagerabbit at 11:30 AM on March 5, 2010


Homemade mac and cheese! Nigella's is one of my favorites. For us Americans, that's 8oz, 8oz, 1 cup, and 425 degrees.
posted by ErikaB at 11:33 AM on March 5, 2010


What does he like to eat? My wife does this for her mom, and she's been able to pull off lots of good stuff without much trouble. Chicken soup or chicken and dumplings portions out really easily, as does any soup or stew, really. Is your boy is a meat and potato kinda guy? I am, and her pot roast is one of the best things to eat reheated. On the fancier end, pot pies, lasagna, and gratins can be prepped right up until they need to go in the oven, then just cooked off in about half an hour. How about bean dishes? Along with soups, those usually taste better the next day anyway. I'd be happy to give you general recipes if any of the above sounds appetizing.
posted by Gilbert at 11:36 AM on March 5, 2010


Baked ziti or lasagna reheat very well. Eggplant parmesan. You can prepare garlic bread, wrap it in foil, and pop it in the oven when you get there. All aforementioned dishes are awesome with garlic bread.

Casseroles, too. Potatoes au gratin casserole is awesome.
posted by blackcatcuriouser at 11:37 AM on March 5, 2010


This recipe for tortilla soup is super good. The great thing about soups is they often taste better after a day of two. This recipe is vegetarian, but you could add chicken to make it a bit more substantive.
posted by too bad you're not me at 11:51 AM on March 5, 2010


Quiche reheats very well. I think it tastes even better the second day.
posted by mmmbacon at 12:02 PM on March 5, 2010


Meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy reheats well.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 12:19 PM on March 5, 2010


Shepherd's pie. You can assemble it at home, then just bake it in the oven at your boyfriend's place.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 12:20 PM on March 5, 2010


There are whole blogs, commercial food sites, books, etc. devoted to this issue.
posted by caddis at 12:21 PM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]


My curried-chicken-and-rice recipe is awesome, and there are many other good answers in that similar thread.
posted by nicwolff at 1:52 PM on March 5, 2010


Al crudo dishes the fambly loves:

Bowtie pasta, pinenuts, roasted shredded chicken, feta cheese, baby spinach leaves, Sun dried tomatoes, fresh chopped garlic sauteed in EVOO, the EVOO from the garlic, shredded parmesan, kosher salt, red pepper flakes (all at room temperature before mixing. Endless variations.)

1/2 in cubed chicken, 1/2 in cubed baby swiss cheese, finely chopped red onion, diced celery, crumbled crispy bacon, toasted 1/2 in bread cubes, dried cranberries, toasted pecan halves, kosher salt, craked black pepper, all tossed with just enough basic balsamic vinaigrette to make the ingredients not-dry, not-wet. (Again, room temp, endless variations.)
posted by cross_impact at 3:09 PM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]


chili is easy to make and store, and very nutritious. There are a million ways to make it. One very basic recipe is :

1 lb ground meat (beef,turkey,pork,etc) browned and drained
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cans chili beans with liquid
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tblsp chili powder

Now you can take this basic recipe and modify it in many ways to customize for your and your bf's tastes. You can add other spices (smoked paprika, ground chipotle,etc), other kids of beans, chopped tomatos, rotel, beer, cilantro, peppers,onions, chopped olives, whatever you like. easy to transport in tupperware.

I usually double the meat, and use 7 cans of beans (two chili, two kidney, two black, 1 ranch style w/ jalep, 1 white bean), add about 1/2 a beer, double the spices, maybe some garlic. Top with chopped tomatoes and/or olives, cheese, sour cream, so on.
posted by jockc at 3:11 PM on March 5, 2010


Pasta sauce, toss in whatever is handy, mushrooms, celery, tomato, onion or shallots, spices like oregano. While that's simmering, boil-up some pasta like rotini or fuzilli. To re-heat, the pasta tends to dry-out somewhat, but add some water before tossing it in the microwave for a minute, then add-on the sauce, reheat for another minute or two.

Another option is simply rice, with soy or sweet and sour sauce.

Cous cous simply needs some boiling water and roughly 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper.

French toast, or grilled cheese, might work.

More complicated, but still quick, a toasted bagel, fried egg, ham slices, cheese if you've got it, maybe some lettuce or sliced tomato. Along the same lines, a sandwich of some sort, doesn't require reheating.

Sliced potatoes, fried-up, once cooked, again salt and pepper, maybe ketchup.

Can of tuna, maybe some celery, lemon juice, and whatever else is handy to top it up.

Hard boiled eggs.

Fruit salad, or just salad in general.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 3:54 PM on March 5, 2010


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