Help me make girl dinner
May 3, 2024 8:12 PM
The name may be controversial, but the meal, which is made out of a variety of convenient things, is popular with everyone in my house – especially those of us who do the cooking. I'm happy to do some meal prep, though, so that's what I'm looking for ideas about. What could I make ahead of time that keeps well and would be easy and delicious to add to a plate of different things?
I know it's a broad question, but the main thing I'm thinking about is different kinds of premade salads, or other ways to keep the convenient and tasty but add some healthy. Open to different ideas, though, including for specific themed snack plates. Convenience and variety or customizability are major factors but, for example, things to serve hot aren't completely off the table.
I know it's a broad question, but the main thing I'm thinking about is different kinds of premade salads, or other ways to keep the convenient and tasty but add some healthy. Open to different ideas, though, including for specific themed snack plates. Convenience and variety or customizability are major factors but, for example, things to serve hot aren't completely off the table.
I also have no idea what you're talking about, but won't let that stop me. are you maybe thinking like, stuff you could make bowls from? cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes (or other stuff, broccoli and cauliflower roast up great), can of beans, spicy sauce. Sauteed spinach. Bibimbap components - you could get into Korean style banchan, lightly pickled vegetables...
posted by Lady Li at 8:37 PM on May 3
posted by Lady Li at 8:37 PM on May 3
Folks, just Google “girl dinner” if you’re unfamiliar with it. It was big on Tik Tok a year ago and literally every publication in the universe did a piece on it.
posted by not just everyday big moggies at 8:45 PM on May 3
posted by not just everyday big moggies at 8:45 PM on May 3
Girl dinner is a TikTok trend.
It's simple fridge to table food arranged to look nice and preferably healthy.
So hummus + fixins is good, though I'd say tabbouleh depends on the fridge turnover rate, because it doesn't keep for long. Actually, maybe look for mezze ideas. People in the region have a lot of delicious preserved items in their fridges, ready to use. Like grilled veggies preserved in oil. And all the pickles.
Here in Denmark, what we do in that type of eating situations is make a nice piece of smørrebrød. My favorite is with potato. For a normal family meal, you put out all the different foods directly from the fridge and people compose their own.
posted by mumimor at 8:45 PM on May 3
It's simple fridge to table food arranged to look nice and preferably healthy.
So hummus + fixins is good, though I'd say tabbouleh depends on the fridge turnover rate, because it doesn't keep for long. Actually, maybe look for mezze ideas. People in the region have a lot of delicious preserved items in their fridges, ready to use. Like grilled veggies preserved in oil. And all the pickles.
Here in Denmark, what we do in that type of eating situations is make a nice piece of smørrebrød. My favorite is with potato. For a normal family meal, you put out all the different foods directly from the fridge and people compose their own.
posted by mumimor at 8:45 PM on May 3
I forgot to add: smørrebrød is a really normal evening meal.
Also the Italian antipasti and Spanish Tapas can function as a whole meal (along with the regional variants in those places).
posted by mumimor at 8:48 PM on May 3
Also the Italian antipasti and Spanish Tapas can function as a whole meal (along with the regional variants in those places).
posted by mumimor at 8:48 PM on May 3
As someone who struggles with cooking regularly, I understand this question perfectly, haha.
I have found hearty salads to be good for this type of thing. Egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, pasta salad, bean salad. Basically any salad without lettuce keeps well and many actually improve after a day or two of sitting in the fridge.
Dal is also very easy to make, full of protein, and keeps well. I like to make it with yellow split peas.
posted by mekily at 9:00 PM on May 3
I have found hearty salads to be good for this type of thing. Egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, pasta salad, bean salad. Basically any salad without lettuce keeps well and many actually improve after a day or two of sitting in the fridge.
Dal is also very easy to make, full of protein, and keeps well. I like to make it with yellow split peas.
posted by mekily at 9:00 PM on May 3
Actually, maybe look for mezze ideas. People in the region have a lot of delicious preserved items in their fridges, ready to use. Like grilled veggies preserved in oil. And all the pickles.
At our house we call it "tapas dinner" even if nothing involved is actually Spanish. But the idea is to pull together a bunch of small plate, mix-and-match items that is all low-effort. It might be part leftovers, part charcuterie, part who knows what. Maybe a shared omelet, plus some chilled leftovers, plus a bit of salad?
I don't have any actual recipe suggestions since we do this as a way to just be creative with whatever we have on hand. The key seems to be having enough variety that you end up with a satisfying assortment of flavors and textures, but also giving up on preconceived ideas of a "proper" meal where everything goes together.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:04 PM on May 3
At our house we call it "tapas dinner" even if nothing involved is actually Spanish. But the idea is to pull together a bunch of small plate, mix-and-match items that is all low-effort. It might be part leftovers, part charcuterie, part who knows what. Maybe a shared omelet, plus some chilled leftovers, plus a bit of salad?
I don't have any actual recipe suggestions since we do this as a way to just be creative with whatever we have on hand. The key seems to be having enough variety that you end up with a satisfying assortment of flavors and textures, but also giving up on preconceived ideas of a "proper" meal where everything goes together.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:04 PM on May 3
If you're making things ahead of time it's not girl dinner! The whole concept of girl dinner is minimal effort. But I do think you could do thematic girl dinners e.g.
French girl dinner: baguettes, brie, cornichons, proscuitto, jam/jelly
Mediterranean/Middle East girl dinner: hummus, pita, stuffed grapevine leaves, olives, feta
posted by capricorn at 9:18 PM on May 3
French girl dinner: baguettes, brie, cornichons, proscuitto, jam/jelly
Mediterranean/Middle East girl dinner: hummus, pita, stuffed grapevine leaves, olives, feta
posted by capricorn at 9:18 PM on May 3
When I first came across “girl dinner” I was like, excuse me, why are people talking shit about my favorite way to eat? Growing up my mom would call it “antipasto for dinner” and make me a big plate of veggies, fruit, cold cuts, crackers or bread, different little cupboard snacks and bits of fridge leftovers, and my lifelong favorite: olives. She would do this when they left me with a babysitter and the special treat of getting a bunch of olives was enough for me to buck up and behave for a relative stranger, hilariously. Since then I’ve come across the variously geographic terms mezze, tapas, and the most recent I have learned is the British “picky tea” which I kind of love. All of these equate approximately to “girl dinner”. I also loosely include the Korean brilliance that is banchan, because although typically they are side dishes to a central protein and/or rice and/or soup, you totally don’t have to and can just eat a bunch of banchan.
Anyhoo. Some of my favorite more complicated components of snack meal/antipasto for dinner are:
Pasta salad with a vinegar and garlic dressing, not mayonnaise based. Try sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and capers or anchovies with sherry vinegar, good olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper and a little dijon to help the dressing emulsify. Use rotini or your favorite cut pasta shape. Swap out the veggies as desired, though I like ones that are from a jar for this one especially - roasted red peppers, pickled green beans, etc.
Korean inspired broccoli salad: cut broccoli into larger bite sized florets and blanch them, put them in an ice bath and then let them drain in a colander until mostly dry (the broccoli retains a lot of water in the tops). Toasted sesame oil in a pan, heat that up and add a whole bunch of thinly sliced garlic, sesame seeds, and gochugaru (thats korean red pepper flake), and let the spices bloom in the oil. Pour it into a container and let it cool down in the fridge for a bit. When you broccoli and oil are both cooled down, combine them and toss to coat, adding salt to taste. Let it sit overnight if you can stand the wait.
Tabbouleh has about as many recipes as there are stars in the sky but it’s a great make ahead thing no matter what. The way I like to make it is with bulgur, which bonus does not need anything more than to soak in water! I like to zest and juice a whole lemon, and put the juice in a bowl big enough to hold a fine sieve over it. Then in that sieve I put: small diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion or scallions that I’ve salted. I also use a grapefruit spoon to scape out the cucumber seeds and put that in with the lemon juice. Then I go through the tedium of chopping my herbs, giving the veggies a toss and press once in a while to encourage the juices to get through the sieve. I do lots of herb combinations but I think my favorite is a combo of equal parts flat leaf parsley and mint and half as much cilantro and dill. No stems! Rinse the herbs whole and pat well dry before picking each leaf off the stem and chopping fine. It’s annoying but makes a big difference! Once all of that is prepped I see how much liquid has dripped in with the lemon juice and top it up with enough boiling water to be enough to hydrate my bulgur and do so. Then, combine the veg, herbs, fluffed bulgur, a good amount of olive oil, a bit more salt and the lemon zest. Then I usually add pepper, sumac, cumin, and coriander. Toss to combine and let it mingle for a few hours at least. It will be great for a few days. Obviously, make this when tomatoes are at their peak and make sure to use all the juice and seeds to capture their flavor.
My favorite simple combinations are:
Gouda and Bosc pears, persimmons and nori wrapped senbei, prosciutto and melon, cucumbers and herbed cream cheese, green olives and Genoa salami, fig preserves and fresh mozzarella, hard boiled eggs with smoked paprika and mayonnaise and dill pickles. Depending on if I need a protein, starch, fruit or vegetable after I have one of these combos or similar, I use their source cuisine to guide my other choices. So like if I do persimmons and senbei that’s a fruit and a starch so I add a combo veggie and protein like edamame. If I do olives and Genoa I could do a pasta salad or a crusty bread and some in season fruit. Etc etc.
posted by Mizu at 9:52 PM on May 3
Anyhoo. Some of my favorite more complicated components of snack meal/antipasto for dinner are:
Pasta salad with a vinegar and garlic dressing, not mayonnaise based. Try sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and capers or anchovies with sherry vinegar, good olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper and a little dijon to help the dressing emulsify. Use rotini or your favorite cut pasta shape. Swap out the veggies as desired, though I like ones that are from a jar for this one especially - roasted red peppers, pickled green beans, etc.
Korean inspired broccoli salad: cut broccoli into larger bite sized florets and blanch them, put them in an ice bath and then let them drain in a colander until mostly dry (the broccoli retains a lot of water in the tops). Toasted sesame oil in a pan, heat that up and add a whole bunch of thinly sliced garlic, sesame seeds, and gochugaru (thats korean red pepper flake), and let the spices bloom in the oil. Pour it into a container and let it cool down in the fridge for a bit. When you broccoli and oil are both cooled down, combine them and toss to coat, adding salt to taste. Let it sit overnight if you can stand the wait.
Tabbouleh has about as many recipes as there are stars in the sky but it’s a great make ahead thing no matter what. The way I like to make it is with bulgur, which bonus does not need anything more than to soak in water! I like to zest and juice a whole lemon, and put the juice in a bowl big enough to hold a fine sieve over it. Then in that sieve I put: small diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion or scallions that I’ve salted. I also use a grapefruit spoon to scape out the cucumber seeds and put that in with the lemon juice. Then I go through the tedium of chopping my herbs, giving the veggies a toss and press once in a while to encourage the juices to get through the sieve. I do lots of herb combinations but I think my favorite is a combo of equal parts flat leaf parsley and mint and half as much cilantro and dill. No stems! Rinse the herbs whole and pat well dry before picking each leaf off the stem and chopping fine. It’s annoying but makes a big difference! Once all of that is prepped I see how much liquid has dripped in with the lemon juice and top it up with enough boiling water to be enough to hydrate my bulgur and do so. Then, combine the veg, herbs, fluffed bulgur, a good amount of olive oil, a bit more salt and the lemon zest. Then I usually add pepper, sumac, cumin, and coriander. Toss to combine and let it mingle for a few hours at least. It will be great for a few days. Obviously, make this when tomatoes are at their peak and make sure to use all the juice and seeds to capture their flavor.
My favorite simple combinations are:
Gouda and Bosc pears, persimmons and nori wrapped senbei, prosciutto and melon, cucumbers and herbed cream cheese, green olives and Genoa salami, fig preserves and fresh mozzarella, hard boiled eggs with smoked paprika and mayonnaise and dill pickles. Depending on if I need a protein, starch, fruit or vegetable after I have one of these combos or similar, I use their source cuisine to guide my other choices. So like if I do persimmons and senbei that’s a fruit and a starch so I add a combo veggie and protein like edamame. If I do olives and Genoa I could do a pasta salad or a crusty bread and some in season fruit. Etc etc.
posted by Mizu at 9:52 PM on May 3
As a middle-aged "girl," I love girl dinner. This one is my favorite. I eat it regularly with my girl and boy and nonbinary middle-aged friends.
Microwave a sweet potato or Japanese yam for 8 minutes.
For 2 of those 8 minutes, whisk together several tablespoons of tahini with a bit of honey and soy sauce to your taste. To thin it out a little, some people add some softened butter, some some water.
Put that in a ramekin.
Cut up the cooked sweet potato and fan it over a bed of baby spinach, either raw like salad or quickly sauteed or steamed.
That's a nice girl dinner with a baguette and a glass of white wine. You're supposed to have ice cream later.
posted by ojocaliente at 10:31 PM on May 3
Microwave a sweet potato or Japanese yam for 8 minutes.
For 2 of those 8 minutes, whisk together several tablespoons of tahini with a bit of honey and soy sauce to your taste. To thin it out a little, some people add some softened butter, some some water.
Put that in a ramekin.
Cut up the cooked sweet potato and fan it over a bed of baby spinach, either raw like salad or quickly sauteed or steamed.
That's a nice girl dinner with a baguette and a glass of white wine. You're supposed to have ice cream later.
posted by ojocaliente at 10:31 PM on May 3
I find that shredded kale or broccoli salad lasts dressed in the fridge for 3-4 days! I like this recipe: Broccoli Spoon Salad made with broccoli or kale (I skip the cilantro also) or this kale and apple salad (I just use pre shredded kale, the Brussels sprouts don’t do much imo), both from Bon Appetit.
posted by MadamM at 10:44 PM on May 3
posted by MadamM at 10:44 PM on May 3
the main thing I'm thinking about is different kinds of premade salads
Huzzah, I get to recommend my favorite cookbook to recommend!
The Moosewood Restaurant has a series of cookbooks, and there's one called Moosewood Daily Special, which is nothing but soups and salads. The reason for the "Daily Special" title is that the restaurant has a couple of different "soups of the day" and "salads of the day", and their restaurant lunch special is "pick one of the salads and one of the soups and you get it as a combo plate".
So all of the salads and soups in the book can be mixed and matched, and are even designed to be mixed and matched, so you can serve yourself "a little of this, and a little of that, and there, I'm set." Several of them are hearty main-dish salads or soups that can hold up well in the fridge, and some are simpler side-dish salads. Many hold up well in the fridge for a few days, so you could make a couple of them and just let them live there and then serve yourself from them over the course of a week.
This cookbook has been a god-damn boon for me over the years. I belong to a really active CSA, and during the season I turn a lot of what I get into salads from the book; I get home, make up a couple of the salads using whatever I got with the CSA haul, and then leave them in the fridge all week and they become the basis for "I have to pack my lunch in the morning" and "I need to eat dinner but I'm too tired/it's too hot to cook". With those salads stashed in the fridge I can just open the door, take a scoop from one container and another scoop from another container, and I'm set. Or I just have a bowl of the soup and a roll. On nights when I'm a little hungrier, I fling a single chicken leg into the oven and have the salads as side dishes. They also have recipes for things like salad dressings and bread-type things to go with the soups - full-on breads, but also things like popovers and biscuits. Their recipe for cold sesame noodles, biscuits, and popovers are my go-to's.
I have at least three servings of a lentil and fruit salad in my fridge at this very moment, and I am cooking beans this morning which will go into another couple soups and salads for this coming week.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:33 AM on May 4
Huzzah, I get to recommend my favorite cookbook to recommend!
The Moosewood Restaurant has a series of cookbooks, and there's one called Moosewood Daily Special, which is nothing but soups and salads. The reason for the "Daily Special" title is that the restaurant has a couple of different "soups of the day" and "salads of the day", and their restaurant lunch special is "pick one of the salads and one of the soups and you get it as a combo plate".
So all of the salads and soups in the book can be mixed and matched, and are even designed to be mixed and matched, so you can serve yourself "a little of this, and a little of that, and there, I'm set." Several of them are hearty main-dish salads or soups that can hold up well in the fridge, and some are simpler side-dish salads. Many hold up well in the fridge for a few days, so you could make a couple of them and just let them live there and then serve yourself from them over the course of a week.
This cookbook has been a god-damn boon for me over the years. I belong to a really active CSA, and during the season I turn a lot of what I get into salads from the book; I get home, make up a couple of the salads using whatever I got with the CSA haul, and then leave them in the fridge all week and they become the basis for "I have to pack my lunch in the morning" and "I need to eat dinner but I'm too tired/it's too hot to cook". With those salads stashed in the fridge I can just open the door, take a scoop from one container and another scoop from another container, and I'm set. Or I just have a bowl of the soup and a roll. On nights when I'm a little hungrier, I fling a single chicken leg into the oven and have the salads as side dishes. They also have recipes for things like salad dressings and bread-type things to go with the soups - full-on breads, but also things like popovers and biscuits. Their recipe for cold sesame noodles, biscuits, and popovers are my go-to's.
I have at least three servings of a lentil and fruit salad in my fridge at this very moment, and I am cooking beans this morning which will go into another couple soups and salads for this coming week.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:33 AM on May 4
Roasting vegetables is a lot of bang for a small buck. Turn on oven, put potato in oven. (OK, OK, wash potato, stab potato so it doesn't explode.). You just need to start early enough.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:43 AM on May 4
posted by SemiSalt at 4:43 AM on May 4
Coming back in quick - because I found a version of a salad I've also made a lot that is actually not in the Daily Special book.
I'm weirdly ambivalent about potato salad, but this one I love - and happily, it's also extremely easy. It calls for two kinds of mustard, some oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, and cooked baby potatoes, and that's it. Add some chopped herbs if you want, or don't.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:59 AM on May 4
I'm weirdly ambivalent about potato salad, but this one I love - and happily, it's also extremely easy. It calls for two kinds of mustard, some oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, and cooked baby potatoes, and that's it. Add some chopped herbs if you want, or don't.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:59 AM on May 4
but also giving up on preconceived ideas of a "proper" meal where everything goes together.
Yes, this was why I emphasized that in our culture, it is perfectly normal to have smørrebrød for one of one's meals, lunch or dinner depending our where you are. It's easy, it's tasty and everyone gets what they prefer while we are still all at the same table. You can scale it up or down depending on your energy level. Smørrebrød can be fine dining, and there are modernist versions too. But it can also be very humble. You decide. Regardless, it is perfectly OK to have pickled herring with eggs and then leftover roast or potatoes, all on a piece of rye bread and with whatever pickles and fresh garnish you like.
I think growing up with this has made me very appreciative of other cultures that also appreciate lots of different and contrasting things on the table. Which reminds me, do you have a rice cooker? I'm still learning to cook Asian foods so can't come with specific recommendations, but maybe someone else can?
posted by mumimor at 6:21 AM on May 4
Yes, this was why I emphasized that in our culture, it is perfectly normal to have smørrebrød for one of one's meals, lunch or dinner depending our where you are. It's easy, it's tasty and everyone gets what they prefer while we are still all at the same table. You can scale it up or down depending on your energy level. Smørrebrød can be fine dining, and there are modernist versions too. But it can also be very humble. You decide. Regardless, it is perfectly OK to have pickled herring with eggs and then leftover roast or potatoes, all on a piece of rye bread and with whatever pickles and fresh garnish you like.
I think growing up with this has made me very appreciative of other cultures that also appreciate lots of different and contrasting things on the table. Which reminds me, do you have a rice cooker? I'm still learning to cook Asian foods so can't come with specific recommendations, but maybe someone else can?
posted by mumimor at 6:21 AM on May 4
We call it snacky dinner. Some nice stuff to buy/prepare in advance: hard boiled eggs, jarred roasted peppers, oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, interesting pickles, jarred or premade pesto (we make loads in the summer when basil is plentiful and freeze it), hummus and baba ganoush (homemade or premade; freezing roasted eggplants before adding good stuff for baba ganoush doesn’t wreck the texture too much), savory muffins, dried fruit, interesting nuts/roasted chickpeas, marinated baked tofu, hiyayakko (keep a pack of silken tofu on hand). Our grocery store has balsamic reduction in the Italian aisle, which turns some veg and avocado on a piece of bread into something a little more unified. Pita keeps well in the freezer. There are also lots of little items in the freezer section—falafel, spanakopita, samosas—that you can toss in a toaster oven for 15 minutes while you make a pretty plate or change out of work clothes.
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:26 AM on May 4
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:26 AM on May 4
[Several comments removed. Hi folks, please just focus on helping the O thanks! If you're not sure what "girl dinner" is, this comment has a good summation! ]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:45 AM on May 4
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:45 AM on May 4
This carrot dip lasts in the fridge and freezes pretty well (skip the essay, recipe is at the bottom of the page).
I make my own labneh (although cheesecloth lining a strainer over a bowl in the fridge works better for me than this technique).
Vinegar-based slaws are nice to have in the mix since the tart+crunch combo is nice. Any kind of quick pickle is also good.
I particularly like curried chicken salad or smoked fish salads with this style of meal.
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:39 AM on May 4
I make my own labneh (although cheesecloth lining a strainer over a bowl in the fridge works better for me than this technique).
Vinegar-based slaws are nice to have in the mix since the tart+crunch combo is nice. Any kind of quick pickle is also good.
I particularly like curried chicken salad or smoked fish salads with this style of meal.
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:39 AM on May 4
The answer is a copy of Cucina Fresca by Evan Kleiman and Viana LaPlace.
The first edition said something about 'room temperature' on the cover, which appears to be gone, but most of the recipes don't require cooking.
Or Cucina Rustica, if you want to cook, but not that much.
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:09 AM on May 4
The first edition said something about 'room temperature' on the cover, which appears to be gone, but most of the recipes don't require cooking.
Or Cucina Rustica, if you want to cook, but not that much.
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:09 AM on May 4
Apparently having lots of side dishes are a big thing in Korean cuisine. Google "Korean side dishes" to come up with some recipes. Kimchi, cucumber salad, noodle salads, potato salad and pickled radish are some ideas that come to mind, but I'm sure there are tons. Any of those things would keep a few days in the fridge no problem.
German breakfast is another tradition that relies on lots of finger foods. You could do a variety of breads and pastries with butter and jam; cold cuts, cheeses, yogurt, granola, and a fruit plate. No reason you couldn't have German breakfast for dinner.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 11:27 AM on May 4
German breakfast is another tradition that relies on lots of finger foods. You could do a variety of breads and pastries with butter and jam; cold cuts, cheeses, yogurt, granola, and a fruit plate. No reason you couldn't have German breakfast for dinner.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 11:27 AM on May 4
Not a recipe, but tinned fish is great for girl dinner, and comes in a million different flavors and fish types these days! I like smoked oysters, anchovies in a tin, and anything with tomato sauce.
posted by LeeLanded at 1:13 PM on May 4
posted by LeeLanded at 1:13 PM on May 4
Mr Cheese and I often do this on a Sunday night.
Some of the things we have recently enjoyed:
- a cheese of some kind (duh) accompanied by crackers and quince paste, or apple slices, or grapes
- a dip, often hommus, with vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, capsicum aka bell pepper, green beans etc). Extra luxe is to dip your piece of carrot into some hommus and then into a little plate of dukkah or savoury granola (I can't remember if that was the recipe I used but it was similar)
- cherry tomatoes
- olives
- canned dolmades
- Mr Cheese likes canned oysters, very not my thing.
posted by Cheese Monster at 3:05 PM on May 4
Some of the things we have recently enjoyed:
- a cheese of some kind (duh) accompanied by crackers and quince paste, or apple slices, or grapes
- a dip, often hommus, with vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, capsicum aka bell pepper, green beans etc). Extra luxe is to dip your piece of carrot into some hommus and then into a little plate of dukkah or savoury granola (I can't remember if that was the recipe I used but it was similar)
- cherry tomatoes
- olives
- canned dolmades
- Mr Cheese likes canned oysters, very not my thing.
posted by Cheese Monster at 3:05 PM on May 4
It's very easy to make corn tortillas (King Arthur (points to Pati Jinich's instructions)) . We keep leftovers in the fridge and microwave them as needed. Tortillas and girl dinner components work well together, one bite at a time.
posted by kingless at 4:26 PM on May 4
posted by kingless at 4:26 PM on May 4
We make a thing we called 'cold pizza' which we usually make ahead. It has been popular as a dish at various work parties.
It starts with the crescent roll dough (Pillsbury, etc) that you buy in the dairy / cold case section of the store. Place it flat on the cooking sheet rather than rolling it, and bake it the time mentioned on the package. Then spread cream cheese on it, sprinkle your seasonings on it, like garlic powder or other seasonings, top with cut up vegetables, onions, tomatoes, olives and shredded cheddar (or other) cheese to taste.
You'll want to experiment with what combinations of seasonings or toppings work for you.
posted by TimHare at 7:28 PM on May 4
It starts with the crescent roll dough (Pillsbury, etc) that you buy in the dairy / cold case section of the store. Place it flat on the cooking sheet rather than rolling it, and bake it the time mentioned on the package. Then spread cream cheese on it, sprinkle your seasonings on it, like garlic powder or other seasonings, top with cut up vegetables, onions, tomatoes, olives and shredded cheddar (or other) cheese to taste.
You'll want to experiment with what combinations of seasonings or toppings work for you.
posted by TimHare at 7:28 PM on May 4
Look up ploughman's lunches! It's a similar idea to girl dinner.
posted by creatrixtiara at 9:17 PM on May 4
posted by creatrixtiara at 9:17 PM on May 4
If you have an Aldi near you, they have these mini naan that are perfect for a girl dinner. So good, especially warm out of the toaster. Yesterday I had a few for lunch: One spread with hummus, one spread with this garlic asiago parmesan dip, and one spread with the last couple tablespoons of some tuna salad from the day before. On the two with spreads I added slices of cucumber, and I wrapped the tuna salad one around a dill pickle spear and ate it like a hotdog. That, to me, is the essence of girl dinner -- eating a mix of fresh veggies and carbs (crackers, bread, whatever) with the last dregs of a leftover or premade something-or-other.
Anyway, for make-ahead ideas: tuna, egg, or bean salad. I love using a veggie chopper and making a huge batch of vegetable confetti, which can be used any number of ways depending what veggies you choose. Roasted chickpeas are great for crunch in salads or eaten out of hand like a snack. Maybe make some farro or quinoa or brown rice (especially grains that take longer than white rice to cook on the stovetop but are healthy and versatile to have pre-cooked in your fridge or freezer.)
posted by misskaz at 7:52 AM on May 6
Anyway, for make-ahead ideas: tuna, egg, or bean salad. I love using a veggie chopper and making a huge batch of vegetable confetti, which can be used any number of ways depending what veggies you choose. Roasted chickpeas are great for crunch in salads or eaten out of hand like a snack. Maybe make some farro or quinoa or brown rice (especially grains that take longer than white rice to cook on the stovetop but are healthy and versatile to have pre-cooked in your fridge or freezer.)
posted by misskaz at 7:52 AM on May 6
The French Salad Nicoise is easy and flexible, also delicious/ nutritious.
Greek salad - a composed salad of sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Greek olives, dressed with fruity olive oil, served with crusty bread. You can sprinkle on some oregano and add a few greens if you must. We ate this daily in Greece many years ago. Put a tiny jar of balsamic vinegar on the table, to add to the leftover juices, to sop up with bread.
I've been making big pasta salads with tons of vegetables - sliced cabbage, red pepper, frozen peas, broccoli, cauliflower (fozen broc & cauli are less chewy in salad, frozen veg cool the pasta quickly), canned artichoke hearts(marinated if you have time), red onion, maybe shredded carrots, and black olives, with tuna. Dress with a mix of mayo and vinaigrette. Should be 2/3 veg. I make a big batch, it keeps well, and I don't get tired of it. You can go in all sorts of directions with pasta salad, just try to add actual vegetables.
Noodles with peanut sauce, Mark Bittman's recipe is really, really good. His cookbooks are rewarding.
Fresh spring rolls. You can make traditional ones with noodles, shrimp, basil, cilantro, veg, or you can get creative. Save some peanut sauce, but also make or buy sweet chili sauce.
posted by theora55 at 8:32 AM on May 7
Greek salad - a composed salad of sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Greek olives, dressed with fruity olive oil, served with crusty bread. You can sprinkle on some oregano and add a few greens if you must. We ate this daily in Greece many years ago. Put a tiny jar of balsamic vinegar on the table, to add to the leftover juices, to sop up with bread.
I've been making big pasta salads with tons of vegetables - sliced cabbage, red pepper, frozen peas, broccoli, cauliflower (fozen broc & cauli are less chewy in salad, frozen veg cool the pasta quickly), canned artichoke hearts(marinated if you have time), red onion, maybe shredded carrots, and black olives, with tuna. Dress with a mix of mayo and vinaigrette. Should be 2/3 veg. I make a big batch, it keeps well, and I don't get tired of it. You can go in all sorts of directions with pasta salad, just try to add actual vegetables.
Noodles with peanut sauce, Mark Bittman's recipe is really, really good. His cookbooks are rewarding.
Fresh spring rolls. You can make traditional ones with noodles, shrimp, basil, cilantro, veg, or you can get creative. Save some peanut sauce, but also make or buy sweet chili sauce.
posted by theora55 at 8:32 AM on May 7
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I think you'll need to give a few examples of what you usually include. Like, I'm thinking of what we call "hummus feast," which is a bunch of veggies and some hummus, some tabbouleh, and some pita. But maybe you mean more like my son's school lunch, which is raisins and a cheese stick and sliced cucumbers or red peppers and some goldfish crackers and a yogurt. Or maybe you mean something else? Sorry, I think some examples would help.
posted by gideonfrog at 8:28 PM on May 3