plain cooking
November 19, 2015 9:23 AM Subscribe
due to unforeseen circumstances, i find myself having to prepare daily meals for older family members. they are adverse to anything vaguely unfamiliar, seasoned, or spicy and i'm looking for meal ideas/recipes. breakfast is taken care of. i try to have dinner leftovers around for lunch, so it can be scrounged from that, or simple sandwiches.
below are some dinners that have been successful.
burrito wrap - basically an iceberg lettuce salad with ground beef and/or scrambled egg in a flour tortilla
goulash - americanized version. i did slip a tiny bit of garlic in
french dip - i had to emphasize this was just a roast. lots of concern about weird spices
pork chops and potatoes
beans are a possibility, and i'm going to try baked ziti. also i am trying to keep the calorie count from being outrageous. any help?
*for those following along at home, this situation did solve my kitchen reno problem, albeit not how i would liked.
below are some dinners that have been successful.
burrito wrap - basically an iceberg lettuce salad with ground beef and/or scrambled egg in a flour tortilla
goulash - americanized version. i did slip a tiny bit of garlic in
french dip - i had to emphasize this was just a roast. lots of concern about weird spices
pork chops and potatoes
beans are a possibility, and i'm going to try baked ziti. also i am trying to keep the calorie count from being outrageous. any help?
*for those following along at home, this situation did solve my kitchen reno problem, albeit not how i would liked.
I find the flavors involved in a shepherds' pie (ground beef, potatoes, peas, carrots, onions, garlic, worchestershire sauce) to be totally bland and comforting, and it's super easy to make a large portion that keeps well for leftovers.
posted by restless_nomad at 9:33 AM on November 19, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by restless_nomad at 9:33 AM on November 19, 2015 [6 favorites]
Super easy to bake a bunch of chicken legs. Plus, if you have 2 pans you can easily do two batches and season one more to your taste.
posted by ian1977 at 9:33 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by ian1977 at 9:33 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
Frozen mixed vegetables in bechamel? Mac and cheese? Savoury pies?
If you Google you can read the menus for 'Meals on Wheels' for various cities and get some ideas from those. Here's one brochure.
posted by kmennie at 9:35 AM on November 19, 2015 [8 favorites]
If you Google you can read the menus for 'Meals on Wheels' for various cities and get some ideas from those. Here's one brochure.
posted by kmennie at 9:35 AM on November 19, 2015 [8 favorites]
What about a beef pot roast in the crockpot with carrots, onions and potatoes? I normally find that to be pretty bland, and I remember my grandmother liking it. If you're eating as well, you can always add seasoned salt or something similar to yours.
posted by needlegrrl at 9:35 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by needlegrrl at 9:35 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
In a similar situation I have made tuna casserole, portioned out into freezer containers, sometimes with mixed frozen vegetables on the side. Casseroles in general though.
posted by Occula at 9:41 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Occula at 9:41 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
All-American 1950s food:
-Meatloaf and mashed potatoes and a vegetable.
-Tuna noodle casserole: noodles, a can of tuna, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and peas.
-Lasagna.
Meals on wheels menus are a great idea. Is there some reason these folks couldn't just get meals on wheels?
posted by mareli at 9:42 AM on November 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
-Meatloaf and mashed potatoes and a vegetable.
-Tuna noodle casserole: noodles, a can of tuna, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and peas.
-Lasagna.
Meals on wheels menus are a great idea. Is there some reason these folks couldn't just get meals on wheels?
posted by mareli at 9:42 AM on November 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
Seconding meatloaf. Meatloaf is great! Done right it is moist and delicious and can make lots of leftovers, which can either be reheated or converted into meatloaf sandwiches. I think too many people were scarred by cafeteria meatloaf and don't realize its potential. I prefer mine to have onions and Worcestershire sauce in it. If you're eating this with them sriracha is a great replacement (or addition) for boring ketchup for you, though it sounds like maybe they won't like it.
This crock pot pork tenderloin recipe is good, easy, and makes great leftovers, again either reheated or as sandwiches. (I usually use only 1/3 of the suggested maple syrup, YMMV.) I'd suggest egg noodles and a veggie they like as sides.
posted by Wretch729 at 9:49 AM on November 19, 2015
This crock pot pork tenderloin recipe is good, easy, and makes great leftovers, again either reheated or as sandwiches. (I usually use only 1/3 of the suggested maple syrup, YMMV.) I'd suggest egg noodles and a veggie they like as sides.
posted by Wretch729 at 9:49 AM on November 19, 2015
I find a simple protein with a steamed vegetable (with a little bit of butter, because... butter) is fine for most easy dinners. And you can cook the meat once and eat that as leftovers adding the veg fresh. You can grill or broil a pork tenderloin, chicken, flank steak, salmon etc with as little (or much) spice as you want. Broccoli, carrots, green beans etc are easy or sub a green salad. A bit of rice or potato for carby comfort can be added. Simple and fast and nutritious. The meat can be used in a salad or sandwich the next day for lunch.
posted by cecic at 9:54 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by cecic at 9:54 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Protein + Rice + Veggie + "Cream of" soup casseroles are easy, filling, and mild.
posted by thebrokedown at 10:00 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by thebrokedown at 10:00 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
How about picking up an old copy of the Better Homes cookbook at a thrift store? It sounds like that's what they'd like, and the recipes aren't bad, for the most part, just out-of-fashion and bland.
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:08 AM on November 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:08 AM on November 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
Okay, I grew up in Connecticut and I spent lots of time on Cape Cod, so I'm saying this with love - but if you want bland, you want New England.
Think, like, chicken pot pies, which can be made in advance and frozen, even. Or tourtiere, which is a French Canadian ground pork meat pie. Or fish cakes, which can almost be improvised out of "we have leftover fish and potato, lemme mush 'em together and make fish cakes out of 'em".
The classic New England Boiled Dinner gets most of its seasoning from the corned beef; basically it's like you are making corned beef and cabbage but you threw a couple of extra things in. And then you can even take the leftovers and throw in a beet and make red flannel hash.
Speaking of which, Irish is also a way to go. Your elders may not have heard of colcannon, but it's a super-easy combination of mashed potato with chopped kale mixed in. If your elders balk at kale, then just mix in chopped onions or steamed chopped leeks; that makes it something else called "champ". The most basic Irish stew recipe is nothing more than lamb chops, potatoes, onion, and carrot. And there's a hearty stew called "Dublin Coddle" that's another stew involving sausage and bacon in place of the lamb chops but is otherwise made the same way.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:09 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
Think, like, chicken pot pies, which can be made in advance and frozen, even. Or tourtiere, which is a French Canadian ground pork meat pie. Or fish cakes, which can almost be improvised out of "we have leftover fish and potato, lemme mush 'em together and make fish cakes out of 'em".
The classic New England Boiled Dinner gets most of its seasoning from the corned beef; basically it's like you are making corned beef and cabbage but you threw a couple of extra things in. And then you can even take the leftovers and throw in a beet and make red flannel hash.
Speaking of which, Irish is also a way to go. Your elders may not have heard of colcannon, but it's a super-easy combination of mashed potato with chopped kale mixed in. If your elders balk at kale, then just mix in chopped onions or steamed chopped leeks; that makes it something else called "champ". The most basic Irish stew recipe is nothing more than lamb chops, potatoes, onion, and carrot. And there's a hearty stew called "Dublin Coddle" that's another stew involving sausage and bacon in place of the lamb chops but is otherwise made the same way.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:09 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
The beautiful thing about meatloaf is that for slightly extra effort, in the time you make one you can make many, and freeze them.
Chicken pot pie
When you make stuff like baked ziti (see also "spaghetti pie", lasagna), you can add cauliflower (either steamed and pureed beforehand, or use a food processor to make riced cauliflower and put it in raw mixed into ricotta/cottage cheese/bechamel. You can also use whole grain pasta without them noticing the flavor.
Tip for pasta casseroles: don't pre-cook the pasta, just soak in hot water for 20-30 minutes. It doesn't get so mushy. I do this with shells all the time for cheesy mac casserole.
In all likelihood, you could just schedule out a week of meals and serve the same schedule every week and they'd be fine with it. I've had to work with novelty-averse family members and it reduced their anxiety dramatically to just declare that Sunday was pot roast, Monday was spaghetti, Tuesday chicken breasts with green beans and mashed potatoes etc. As much as you would like to expand their horizons, this maybe isn't the time. Just feed them what they want and feel safe with.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:10 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Chicken pot pie
When you make stuff like baked ziti (see also "spaghetti pie", lasagna), you can add cauliflower (either steamed and pureed beforehand, or use a food processor to make riced cauliflower and put it in raw mixed into ricotta/cottage cheese/bechamel. You can also use whole grain pasta without them noticing the flavor.
Tip for pasta casseroles: don't pre-cook the pasta, just soak in hot water for 20-30 minutes. It doesn't get so mushy. I do this with shells all the time for cheesy mac casserole.
In all likelihood, you could just schedule out a week of meals and serve the same schedule every week and they'd be fine with it. I've had to work with novelty-averse family members and it reduced their anxiety dramatically to just declare that Sunday was pot roast, Monday was spaghetti, Tuesday chicken breasts with green beans and mashed potatoes etc. As much as you would like to expand their horizons, this maybe isn't the time. Just feed them what they want and feel safe with.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:10 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Unless you have to eat with them, it's helpful to know if they really care for variety. Some of the more picky bland eaters I know wouldn't mind if every day was roast chicken and mashed potatoes.
posted by advicepig at 10:33 AM on November 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by advicepig at 10:33 AM on November 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
Roasted chicken parts with just a little butter, S&P, and sweet paprika for color, will crisp up and be good leftover reheated, pulled apart for chicken salad (and salads with chicken on them) and pair with nearly anything. You can make a gravy with the pan drippings, extra chicken broth, a tiny bit of roux, and some parsley or whatever herb they are comfortable with, and keep the extra gravy around in the freezer for sides that need it or to add to soups. Roast one type of part at a time so everything cooks evenly - getting light and dark meat to cook perfectly at one time is an art they won't appreciate, and family packs of one type of cut are often cheaper anyway.
Frozen peas are delicious now and make a great side with basically no work. Frozen corn is similar, depending on preference. You can also add these last minute to any simple sautéed vegetable to make your side more interesting and well-rounded in nutrients. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini... Just cut them into small enough pieces, toss with a little olive oil and salt, sauté until they get a little color, add some veggie broth or water, cover and let them steam through until tender/the level of doneness that appeals to your diners. Add frozen peas or corn and heat through. Make some big batches of the sautéed vegetables and reheat in a pan, adding the optional frozen veg at that time.
You can also do grain pilaf things in a similar manner. Cook big batches of rice, barley, orzo pasta, couscous - whatever they are comfortable with - and keep them in the fridge. When it comes time for a meal, cook a little onion in your pot (you can keep sliced or diced onions in the fridge for a few days to save prep time and cleanup every day) do one scoop of each grain you want to combine, add frozen peas and/or some of your sautéed veg, a sprinkle of salt and maybe an herb (dried thyme is pretty friendly, though strong so only use a little) mix it up with your onions and heat it through. Top with any protein, tons of variety.
People like egg noodles. Egg noodles with a little butter are very comfort food, but you can use them in a baked casserole too. They go great with meatballs (can your budget afford frozen? Get the ones that aren't Italian style because gasp, spices, and save yourself the work since they wouldn't appreciate good meatballs anyway) or ground meat (dark meat turkey is great stuff) with some garlic, maybe some tomato.
My grandma from Maine cooks fish in the most boring manner possible, which all my old east coast family raves about and I go "where is... the flavor...": melt a little butter in a baking dish, or use oil, just enough to cover the bottom. Get breadcrumbs (no panko here! Old school boring breadcrumbs) and mix with salt and pepper (to my grandma's credit when she has them she minces up fresh herbs into this too, you could try dill?) then sprinkle a layer on your baking dish. Take your fresh fish fillets (tilapia is cheap and has no flavor but is good for you, you could do frozen but thawed, if you want to feed them something actually good, get halibut) and pat them dry. Stick them in the dish and top with the rest of the breadcrumbs. Then pour a little milk around the sides of the dish - I know, all the breadcrumbs in the bottom will get soggy, but it keeps the fish moist and people seem to like it. Like, maybe just enough milk to be less than an eighth of an inch up the side, not much at all. Dot the top of your fish with butter or a little drizzle of oil, and bake at medium heat just until the breadcrumb on top starts to brown. Serve with lemon wedges and overcooked green beans. :) Okay actually, serve with crusty bread and a nice salad.
posted by Mizu at 10:35 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Frozen peas are delicious now and make a great side with basically no work. Frozen corn is similar, depending on preference. You can also add these last minute to any simple sautéed vegetable to make your side more interesting and well-rounded in nutrients. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini... Just cut them into small enough pieces, toss with a little olive oil and salt, sauté until they get a little color, add some veggie broth or water, cover and let them steam through until tender/the level of doneness that appeals to your diners. Add frozen peas or corn and heat through. Make some big batches of the sautéed vegetables and reheat in a pan, adding the optional frozen veg at that time.
You can also do grain pilaf things in a similar manner. Cook big batches of rice, barley, orzo pasta, couscous - whatever they are comfortable with - and keep them in the fridge. When it comes time for a meal, cook a little onion in your pot (you can keep sliced or diced onions in the fridge for a few days to save prep time and cleanup every day) do one scoop of each grain you want to combine, add frozen peas and/or some of your sautéed veg, a sprinkle of salt and maybe an herb (dried thyme is pretty friendly, though strong so only use a little) mix it up with your onions and heat it through. Top with any protein, tons of variety.
People like egg noodles. Egg noodles with a little butter are very comfort food, but you can use them in a baked casserole too. They go great with meatballs (can your budget afford frozen? Get the ones that aren't Italian style because gasp, spices, and save yourself the work since they wouldn't appreciate good meatballs anyway) or ground meat (dark meat turkey is great stuff) with some garlic, maybe some tomato.
My grandma from Maine cooks fish in the most boring manner possible, which all my old east coast family raves about and I go "where is... the flavor...": melt a little butter in a baking dish, or use oil, just enough to cover the bottom. Get breadcrumbs (no panko here! Old school boring breadcrumbs) and mix with salt and pepper (to my grandma's credit when she has them she minces up fresh herbs into this too, you could try dill?) then sprinkle a layer on your baking dish. Take your fresh fish fillets (tilapia is cheap and has no flavor but is good for you, you could do frozen but thawed, if you want to feed them something actually good, get halibut) and pat them dry. Stick them in the dish and top with the rest of the breadcrumbs. Then pour a little milk around the sides of the dish - I know, all the breadcrumbs in the bottom will get soggy, but it keeps the fish moist and people seem to like it. Like, maybe just enough milk to be less than an eighth of an inch up the side, not much at all. Dot the top of your fish with butter or a little drizzle of oil, and bake at medium heat just until the breadcrumb on top starts to brown. Serve with lemon wedges and overcooked green beans. :) Okay actually, serve with crusty bread and a nice salad.
posted by Mizu at 10:35 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Another source for menu ideas: the menus of places like Golden Corral and Waffle House and Cracker Barrel. These places are trying to sell to an audience exactly like the one you're describing.
Please also remember things like sliced fruit, cottage cheese, soft-boiled eggs, etc. My grandma fed me that kind of thing for lunch and dinner many, many times - part of that was because it was easy, but also that was what she was used to eating. Even one "fancy" meal in a day is historically rather unusual.
posted by SMPA at 10:46 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
Please also remember things like sliced fruit, cottage cheese, soft-boiled eggs, etc. My grandma fed me that kind of thing for lunch and dinner many, many times - part of that was because it was easy, but also that was what she was used to eating. Even one "fancy" meal in a day is historically rather unusual.
posted by SMPA at 10:46 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
I think a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup is as satisfying as it is non-challenging.
posted by wizardpants at 10:53 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by wizardpants at 10:53 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: This is basically my dad. He eats:
-goulash
-spaghetti w/ meatballs (frozen meatballs w/ basic jarred red sauce)
-meatloaf
-BBQ chicken (chicken breasts, on the grill, basted with store-bought bbq sauce)
-hot dogs and hamburgers
-taco kit tacos (ground meat, either beef or turkey, with the spice packet from the box, hard shells, iceberg lettuce, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes)
-beef pot roast with a side of either country-fried potatoes or egg noodles with breadcrumbs
-grilled steak (usually overcooked) w/ mushrooms sauteed in butter and soy sauce, rice, A1 on the side
-shake and bake pork chops
-grilled cheese (white bread, american cheese) and campbell's tomato soup
-plain white rice, but more soupy than you'd get with a basic rice cooker ratio
-thanksgiving turkey and sides (plain mashed potatoes, stuffing w/ just onion/celery no meat or other mix-ins, gravy, canned cranberries)
-roast chicken
-fish and chips
-pulled pork sandwiches
-pork tenderloin roast
-spanish rice/stuffed peppers
-mac and cheese (but a soupy bland version that is not good IMO)
-mac salad, potato salad, german potato salad
-cold cut sandwiches
-BLTs
-caesar salad
-chicken fingers and other fried foods
Much of this is derived from 1950s catholic home cooking (which, in my dad's area, was a mix of Polish, Irish, and southern Italian), with as much "new" stuff as my mom was able to squeeze in over the years. Most things on an average diner menu are fair game particularly the "blue plate specials."
posted by melissasaurus at 11:36 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
-goulash
-spaghetti w/ meatballs (frozen meatballs w/ basic jarred red sauce)
-meatloaf
-BBQ chicken (chicken breasts, on the grill, basted with store-bought bbq sauce)
-hot dogs and hamburgers
-taco kit tacos (ground meat, either beef or turkey, with the spice packet from the box, hard shells, iceberg lettuce, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes)
-beef pot roast with a side of either country-fried potatoes or egg noodles with breadcrumbs
-grilled steak (usually overcooked) w/ mushrooms sauteed in butter and soy sauce, rice, A1 on the side
-shake and bake pork chops
-grilled cheese (white bread, american cheese) and campbell's tomato soup
-plain white rice, but more soupy than you'd get with a basic rice cooker ratio
-thanksgiving turkey and sides (plain mashed potatoes, stuffing w/ just onion/celery no meat or other mix-ins, gravy, canned cranberries)
-roast chicken
-fish and chips
-pulled pork sandwiches
-pork tenderloin roast
-spanish rice/stuffed peppers
-mac and cheese (but a soupy bland version that is not good IMO)
-mac salad, potato salad, german potato salad
-cold cut sandwiches
-BLTs
-caesar salad
-chicken fingers and other fried foods
Much of this is derived from 1950s catholic home cooking (which, in my dad's area, was a mix of Polish, Irish, and southern Italian), with as much "new" stuff as my mom was able to squeeze in over the years. Most things on an average diner menu are fair game particularly the "blue plate specials."
posted by melissasaurus at 11:36 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
Plain spaghetti with salt and pepper and a little bit of olive oil is actually really good. You don't even need the cheese, but you can add it if you want.
I also think blanched greens would be really tasty, as well as cabbage soup, made with a pork hock or a chicken stock from the bones. Any type of clear vegetable soup with a meat base or a good vegan stock would be helpful. Rotisserie chicken is also a great idea. Maybe different types of bread? Costco has some great prepared meals as well, so you don't have to do all the cooking.
posted by yueliang at 11:50 AM on November 19, 2015
I also think blanched greens would be really tasty, as well as cabbage soup, made with a pork hock or a chicken stock from the bones. Any type of clear vegetable soup with a meat base or a good vegan stock would be helpful. Rotisserie chicken is also a great idea. Maybe different types of bread? Costco has some great prepared meals as well, so you don't have to do all the cooking.
posted by yueliang at 11:50 AM on November 19, 2015
For lowering calorie counts you can do the following with many of the brilliant recommendations above:
- double the veggie content and halve the starch (ex: halve the potatoes in a pot pie and double the peas and carrots)
- use lower fat versions of soft cheeses and sour cream
- sub cauliflower or other veggie purees for mashed potatoes (don't overdo this if cruciferous veggies cause stomach upset)
- sub familiar veggies for all/some pasta in casseroles (ex: broccoli, spinach or carrots instead of pasta)
- make simple soups with broth bases. If those won't be interpreted as a full meal, then serve them as a side or appetizer.
posted by annaramma at 11:55 AM on November 19, 2015
- double the veggie content and halve the starch (ex: halve the potatoes in a pot pie and double the peas and carrots)
- use lower fat versions of soft cheeses and sour cream
- sub cauliflower or other veggie purees for mashed potatoes (don't overdo this if cruciferous veggies cause stomach upset)
- sub familiar veggies for all/some pasta in casseroles (ex: broccoli, spinach or carrots instead of pasta)
- make simple soups with broth bases. If those won't be interpreted as a full meal, then serve them as a side or appetizer.
posted by annaramma at 11:55 AM on November 19, 2015
Stroganoff
Funeral potatoes
That steamed cauliflower thing with cheese mustard and mayo
Shake n bake chicken
Lasagna
posted by asockpuppet at 12:44 PM on November 19, 2015
Funeral potatoes
That steamed cauliflower thing with cheese mustard and mayo
Shake n bake chicken
Lasagna
posted by asockpuppet at 12:44 PM on November 19, 2015
I've done this; here are things that were succesfull:
A clear broth with frozen veg mix and tiny meatballs and if possible tiny gnocchi too
Cauliflower souffle though obviously no cayenne
An extremely bland chicken curry, where the "curry" is basically softened onions and a bit of curry powder with white gravy stirred in, and then leftover chicken cubes warmed in the mix (as you may sense, this is my personal least favorite, but there was a widespread popular demand). Served with rice. I did sometimes try to replace it with a mild Thai curry, and it wasn't all bad..
Oxtail stew got five stars with all old people, it's simple, but takes ages to prepare unless you have a pressure cooker
Osso buco is very similar to oxtail stew: it's good, old people like it and so do you, but it is time consuming
Lasagna
Roast (perhaps charcuterie) chicken with a very simple salad on the side
Baked potatoes with toppings
Omelettes with or without fillings
Plain fried eggs - maybe with very thinly sliced bacon, but not necessarily
Any fish florentine style though probably spinach should be chopped up a bit more than in the linked recipe
Any style of fricassee - this is just an example
Very surprising outlier: saltimbocca - my dad came up with this as a memory of travels in his youth. I found it difficult because while it is really quick to make, it requires 100% attention, which is not easy when your dad is in the beginning stages of dementia. But it was succesful with other family members as well.
One thing I learnt was to avoid crunchy vegetables or chewy bread. Many elder people, and people of all ages who have gone through cancer treatment have tooth and gum issues. And oftentimes they hate to talk about it because they are embarrassed. So they will just discreetly discard food that is hard on their mouth. Frozen vegs are often preferable to fresh, and I learnt to either grind fresh vegetables to pulp or to soften them slowly till all crunch was gone (for dishes like lasagna). This is why salads need to be simple - just lettuce and maybe thinly sliced tomato or avocado. If cucumber, then peeled and thinly sliced. In my view, overcooked broccoli is disgusting - and many elderly people hate broccoli because they only get it overcooked. But if you cut of all the stalks so you only have tiny flowers, then you can steam it just five minutes and serve with butter, salt and lemon, and it is delicious.
As mentioned above, peas and corn are great for this very reason. Very young, fresh green beans can be good, because they evoke memories, but they can also be inedible.
There was a great demand for soft bread - my gran kept cutting brioche recipes out of magazines for me, until I got the point. You can both bake and buy soft bread with more grain, and as soon as you figure that out, all sorts of sandwiches become more popular.
Maybe in the US, it's only in the South. But here, our local version of grits could be served every single day to great praise. If you can't imagine that, risotto might be an adult version?
posted by mumimor at 2:28 PM on November 19, 2015
A clear broth with frozen veg mix and tiny meatballs and if possible tiny gnocchi too
Cauliflower souffle though obviously no cayenne
An extremely bland chicken curry, where the "curry" is basically softened onions and a bit of curry powder with white gravy stirred in, and then leftover chicken cubes warmed in the mix (as you may sense, this is my personal least favorite, but there was a widespread popular demand). Served with rice. I did sometimes try to replace it with a mild Thai curry, and it wasn't all bad..
Oxtail stew got five stars with all old people, it's simple, but takes ages to prepare unless you have a pressure cooker
Osso buco is very similar to oxtail stew: it's good, old people like it and so do you, but it is time consuming
Lasagna
Roast (perhaps charcuterie) chicken with a very simple salad on the side
Baked potatoes with toppings
Omelettes with or without fillings
Plain fried eggs - maybe with very thinly sliced bacon, but not necessarily
Any fish florentine style though probably spinach should be chopped up a bit more than in the linked recipe
Any style of fricassee - this is just an example
Very surprising outlier: saltimbocca - my dad came up with this as a memory of travels in his youth. I found it difficult because while it is really quick to make, it requires 100% attention, which is not easy when your dad is in the beginning stages of dementia. But it was succesful with other family members as well.
One thing I learnt was to avoid crunchy vegetables or chewy bread. Many elder people, and people of all ages who have gone through cancer treatment have tooth and gum issues. And oftentimes they hate to talk about it because they are embarrassed. So they will just discreetly discard food that is hard on their mouth. Frozen vegs are often preferable to fresh, and I learnt to either grind fresh vegetables to pulp or to soften them slowly till all crunch was gone (for dishes like lasagna). This is why salads need to be simple - just lettuce and maybe thinly sliced tomato or avocado. If cucumber, then peeled and thinly sliced. In my view, overcooked broccoli is disgusting - and many elderly people hate broccoli because they only get it overcooked. But if you cut of all the stalks so you only have tiny flowers, then you can steam it just five minutes and serve with butter, salt and lemon, and it is delicious.
As mentioned above, peas and corn are great for this very reason. Very young, fresh green beans can be good, because they evoke memories, but they can also be inedible.
There was a great demand for soft bread - my gran kept cutting brioche recipes out of magazines for me, until I got the point. You can both bake and buy soft bread with more grain, and as soon as you figure that out, all sorts of sandwiches become more popular.
Maybe in the US, it's only in the South. But here, our local version of grits could be served every single day to great praise. If you can't imagine that, risotto might be an adult version?
posted by mumimor at 2:28 PM on November 19, 2015
crockpot beef stroganoff we've made this a couple of times using whatever beef(mostly ground beef for ease)+mushroom+cream products we have on hand
posted by pennypiper at 3:45 PM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by pennypiper at 3:45 PM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
> My grandma from Maine cooks fish in the most boring manner possible, which all my old east coast family raves about
Because that's scrod and it's delicious, you heathen. Although the milk addition is new to me, and I mistrust innovation.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:26 PM on November 19, 2015
Because that's scrod and it's delicious, you heathen. Although the milk addition is new to me, and I mistrust innovation.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:26 PM on November 19, 2015
Good grilled cheese sandwiches are absolutely lovely. I don't believe pizza has been mentioned. You can either make the crust your own or buy pre-made and then top with whatever the family enjoys.
posted by mmascolino at 7:05 PM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mmascolino at 7:05 PM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Pot au feu. You will want to put your face down next to the bowl and suckle your supper. It is so good. So so good. So plain. So good.
You may tell your audience they are eating "boiled dinner."
posted by mimi at 8:39 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
You may tell your audience they are eating "boiled dinner."
posted by mimi at 8:39 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
OK, sorry, that link is too fussy and I can't find anyone who's posted Julia Child's excellent recipe except the LA Times (free reg. required). It's in Mastering volume 1 and it is lovely.
posted by mimi at 8:51 AM on November 20, 2015
posted by mimi at 8:51 AM on November 20, 2015
My father describes as "magic" the potato soup he discovered in the hospital cafeteria during my mother's last illness. It is basically puréed potatoes with a little chicken broth and milk, maybe some rice for texture. If he is feeling adventurous we can add a little bit of bell pepper (nothing hot, just for a little flavor and/or color) and salt into the mix. In general hospital cafeterias are very good at this kind of thing.
posted by sophieblue at 6:30 PM on November 20, 2015
posted by sophieblue at 6:30 PM on November 20, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
-Chili (i.e., beef, salt, pepper, tomatoes, bell peppers and *maybe* some cumin)
-Sloppy joes
-Hamburgers
-Spaghetti with meat sauce
-Soup + sandwiches
posted by damayanti at 9:29 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]