My partner hates my cooking, any recipes?

Question

Does anybody have any quick, easy recipes that I can use to make dinners for my partner who hates my cooking?
We have been together for 6 months, and I have cooked for him three times in that time period. Every time, he criticizes everything about my food, one time, he said, "This doesn't belong on the plate, it belongs in the garbage."
Granted, I am not the best cook, but I think I do alright. My meats usually wind up tough on the outside but moist on the inside, sometimes slightly dry. I usually don't follow recipes for meats or pastas, I make up things as I go. I like to use alot of garlic, oils, and italian seasonings.
The last dinner I made was chicken breasts cooked in lemon juice and vegetable oil, topped with raspberry sauce and layed over plain pasta, boxed mashed potatoes, and brussel sprouts on the side.
Any suggestions for foods to make? Remember, nothing too complicated.
PS - My partner is an excellent cook and has catered many events, including weddings.

He has cooked about ten times since we've been together, but he drives three hours to and from his job and is usually too tired to do anything besides crash on the couch when he gets home.
Most of the time I we eat separately, I cook for myself, he picks at munchies in the fridge and cabinets.
But it would be nice if I could cook for him, and have him eat it, and like it. After all, he does drive such a long distance from work, he shouldn't have to cook when he gets home. I WANT to have dinner ready for him, at least three or four nights a week.

Answer 1

1. Never serve brussel sprouts!
2. potatos and pasta is too much starch in one meal
3. If he doesn't like your cooking, have him be the one who cooks!

Even if my husband hates what I have made (I can tell by his face) he always is polite about it. If your partner is disrespectful, you need to consider if this is the partner you want.

Answer 2

Well tell him to teach you how to cook better or have him do the cooking. Ask what he preferes too. If he cocks attitude...no pun intended find another...

right now follow the recipe & get a feel for cooking before you experiment.
A lot of garlic isnt a good thing or oil that's why your meat is cooking so fast drying and not fully. Your heat may be to high too
let your meat thaw to room temp before cooking too.

Your last din din: Okay it was innovative but to much conflicting flavors...a variety of flavors are high lighted on foodtv, but it's not a good thing to follow: using the lemon juice as a marrinade is good for chicken and fish, but dont use the rapberry after maybe a butter & basil sauce or rosemarry. mashpotato...use salt & lots of butter now if he likes garlic too you can add some garlic to those potatoes. the sprouts again use salt and pepper with some butter.
use the italian season with italian cooking, pasta and some meat, but not everything. unless you're frying dont use so much oil
simplicity is best with cooking, but i'd ask him for the tips of what to do in the kitchen

Answer 3

O.K. here we go. This is fool proof and easy. Take some boneless skinless chicken breast. Cook in a high sided fry pan on the stove. It is best to cover them while cooking this way they wont dry out. When they are done, move them to a plate and let them rest for 10 minutes. Slice the chicken, put it back in the pan, now add 1/2 Cup Tomari sauce ( its a dark soy sauce you can find in the asian section of the grocery) also add 1 Cup of Apricot preserves, not the sugarfree kind, the regular, sprinkle in a little ground ginger, ( becareful no to put in too much just like a pinch. Bring this to a boil and then lower heat and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the sauce gets a little thicker. When done, serve over rice. It's great!!

Answer 4

I know you didn't ask this, but it is very rude of him to criticize you when you are trying to do something nice for him. You simply may not be able to please him...

But if you want to try...

What about stuffed peppers? You can find a recipe anywhere, they are simple and fairly easy, and have the flair of a more complicated meal when it is essentially just peppers, hamburger meat, and rice. Switch it up and used ground turkey and whole grain rice.

Ask him to show you some tricks. It will play to his ego and maybe you can learn some tricks from him. Some tips from me that I have learned the hard way. Don't cook everything on high - it doesn't get done faster - it gets burnt and dry faster. Don't over season. If it goes in the oven, more than likely you will want to put foil over it for at least part of the time to keep it moist (unless it is a pastery/bread.) Eggs will continue to cook after being removed from heat - take them out of the pan/water/etc slightly before they are done and they will finish cooking before they cool and be moist and tender (be reasonable here - don't get sick.)

If he keeps being mean to you, tell him I said he was mean...

Answer 5

Chicken and Potatoes
INGREDIENTS:

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
* 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or mix basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder to equal same)
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
* 4 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or thick slices

PREPARATION:
Place chicken in bottom of Crock Pot. Sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing, spices, and the grated cheese. Put the potatoes on top or around the chicken. Sprinkle with the rest of the dressing, spices, and cheese.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until the chicken is done and potatoes are tender.

Answer 6

Ok that meal sounded nasty. Not a good combo, since noone else gave you any recipes here is something to try and I'm sure it will help change his mind on how bad a cook youare....

MAIN DISH= Easy Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients: * Nonstick cooking spray * 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
* 1 (16-ounce) can peeled tomatoes
* 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 large green pepper, chopped
* 1/2 chopped cup celery
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 cup sliced mushrooms
* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions: Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomatoes and their juice, tomato sauce, green pepper, celery, onion, mushrooms, oregano, basil, parsley, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

SIDE= Red Potatoes with Fennel and Onions
Olive oil cooking spray
8 red new potatoes, scrubbed, patted dry, and quartered
1fennel bulb, cut in large dice
2 red onions, peeled and cut into eigths
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.Arrange potatoes, fennel, and onions on the baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and bake for about 45 minutes or until the onions are browned.

Good luck and I hope you both like it!

Answer 7

Have you consider asking him to cook with you. Kind of like a cooking lesson. I would keep trying (if the relationship means that much to you) you can only get better. If he doesn't eat what you cook either quite cooking for him or remove his plate in front of him and through it in the trash.

Answer 8

If he is an excellent cook nothing will please him but I would start with the basics and get a good cook book like Better Homes or Betty Crocker. Not only do they have some good (and updated) recipes, they also show you some basics, like when the meat is done, shopping for staples, etc. Good luck but he sounds very controlling and impossible to please.

Answer 9

On youtube they have this how to do it your self chef thing. It is really simple meals and its all on video. Its a 5 minute videos, with a lot of simple but fancy meals ideas (its done by a chef). I thought it all looked tasty. Its called foodwishes.com but on youtube you type in foodswishes thats the name, it under the how to, DIY section. He makes things from pork tenderloin with black cherry sauce to easy chicken tandorri on the grill and also chinese food. You should really check it out.

Answer 10

follow a recipe planner and dump his a##. he called your food garbage, how rude. at least you're trying. but seriously, as you're learning to cook sometimes it's better to use recipes until you really get a taste for things. your last dinner sounded kinda awful.