No Substitutions

What are your family’s top 3 favorite meals?

Meals became more complicated when my fiancée’s son moved in with us. He likes to cook, and did so for awhile, but now that he has a job (blue collar with lots of physical exertion during the day), he’s in no shape to whip up some sort of meal upon returning home. So it’s back to me.

I have a couple of go-to meals that my fiancee really likes. I decided to make burritos one night a few years ago and she went wild for them. We have them about every two weeks. She’s not a fan of refried beans but does love mushrooms so I omit the former and include the latter. Fortunately, I like them too, so they’re a staple.

She also likes my panko bread crumb encrusted chicken thighs. They do turn out well when I make them. So I like to put that into the mix on occasion, often with air fried Brussels sprouts with a dab of maple syrup.

At this point, this is one of those blogs that fit the category of “report-talking”—when you check in with a friend or spouse and give just the facts. So I’d better try to change it up in the ensuing paragraphs.

Cooking for three diverse tastes can be difficult. My fiancee hates spicy, and any hint of even ground pepper has her diving for her dinner beverage. She and I like a fish called swai (product of Viet Nam) that I had never heard of before, but which she learned of at a Greensburg buffet. Her son, however, prefers salmon. And shrimp. And then there’s the ton of meats in the freezer; she kept buying for a rainy day, often taking advantage of BOGOs, and so I’m frequently challenged by trying to make a 2-year old cut of meat turn out right.

Do we have a third go-to meal? We used to get DiGiorno’s frozen croissant crust pizzas and add mushrooms (of course!), peppers, and ham to them to make them better. Unfortunately, the company has made them worse; the last time I popped one out of the plastic we were stunned at how much smaller they’ve become—while the price increased. We found a good substitute at Aldi with a good size and price, so that might become #3.

And companies? We see you downsizing your food, and don’t have to buy it. In the words of Paul Simon, “Who do you think you’re fooling?” Vote with your wallets, my friends!