Welcome to the
Marriage Builders® Discussion Forum

This is a community where people come in search of marriage related support, answers, or encouragement. Also, information about the Marriage Builders principles can be found in the books available for sale in the Marriage Builders® Bookstore.
If you would like to join our guidance forum, please read the Announcement Forum for instructions, rules, & guidelines.
The members of this community are peers and not professionals. Professional coaching is available by clicking on the link titled Coaching Center at the top of this page.
We trust that you will find the Marriage Builders® Discussion Forum to be a helpful resource for you. We look forward to your participation.
Once you have reviewed all the FAQ, tech support and announcement information, if you still have problems that are not addressed, please e-mail the administrators at mbrestored@gmail.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 64 1 2 3 63 64
#2517382 06/07/11 05:37 PM
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
C
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
Dinner. You have it every night. So many opportunities to meet emotion needs. So many opportunities to take good care of yourself and those you love.

Let's share our dinner successes!

Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
W
Member
Offline
Member
W
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
Okay, tonight I'm making a family favorite - Greek chicken packets.

Basically, it's orzo, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, olives, and chicken, seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and cooked in foil packets. Yummy, healthy, and very easy to make.


Me: BS/FWW: 48
BS/WH: 50
DS: 30, 27, 25
DD: 28
OC: 10
BH and I are raising my OC together.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
C
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
I'll go first.

Tonight, I am making crepes for dinner. Crepes sound difficult and complicated, but they are not. You mix eggs, flour, and milk in the blender, and voila'! you have crepe batter. Fry up the pancakes, and you've got crepes that you can fill right away, or save for later.

Crepes are a fabulous way to serve leftovers. Tonight I will be filling some of my crepes with leftover pork chop and some with leftover chicken. I had some unused leeks in the fridge, so I cooked them up and added them to both fillings. Sauces: leftover mushroom soup for the pork crepes; sauce from chicken for chicken crepes.

Crepes provide Domestic Support: I can totally see people (*cough* men *cough*) who are weak in the domestic support category learning how to make crepes and making them once a week to help meet family dining needs.

Crepes provide Family Commitment: Kids love to make crepes. Little kids can help in little ways (hold the ladle, tell you when to turn the crepe). Big kids can help in big ways (teaming with a parent to make dinner, teaming with a sib to make dinner, making dinner). Get those rug rats into the kitchen and make them earn their keep!

Crepes provide Undivided Attention time: Couples can make crepes together. Create an assembly line. Plot your fillings and sauces. Toss a salad, open a bottle of wine, light the candles, and enjoy!

Crepes are great for people in Plan B/Plan D: This is the perfect way to fix up your leftovers in a way that feels "special."

What did you have for dinner tonight, and how did you make it a marriage building (or recovery) experience?

Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
C
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
Originally Posted by writer1
Basically, it's orzo, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, olives, and chicken, seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and cooked in foil packets. Yummy, healthy, and very easy to make.

That sounds great! I assume everything is sort of pre-prepared before it goes into the foil packets? I.e., orzo and chicken pre-cooked?

Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,437
C
Member
Offline
Member
C
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,437
I made steak kabobs, with button and baby bella mushrooms, marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs from my garden (thyme and oregano). H doesn't like mushrooms but after our "anniversary weekend" I don't care what he likes. They were flipping delish. I love mushrooms.

Orzo doesn't take long to cook, so I'm assuming the juice from the chicken and lemon cooked it?


Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience.
(Oscar Wilde)
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 3
P
Member
Offline
Member
P
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 3
Quote
H doesn't like mushrooms but after our "anniversary weekend" I don't care what he likes.
MrRollieEyes


Markos' Wife
FWW - EA
8 kids ...
What to do with an Angry Husband

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,686
K
Member
Offline
Member
K
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,686
Al is making me baked chicken with lemon pepper seasoning. Mmmm.

I'm very easy to keep happy as far as cooking goes.


One year becomes two, two years becomes five, five becomes ten and before you know it, you've wasted your whole life on a problem you can't solve. That's one way to spend your life. -rwinger

I will not spend my life this way.
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 3
P
Member
Offline
Member
P
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 3
Markos is bringing home a Carribbean Shrimp Salad for me, Chicken fried steak with the BEST corn on the cob in the country for him, and a Molton Chocolate Lava Cake from Chilis. We're planning a romantic dinner to escape together from a hard day smile

We actually like to cook romantic dinners together a lot. One of our favorite UA time activities is making chocolate souffle. laugh And he makes the best risotto while I chat his ear off ...


Markos' Wife
FWW - EA
8 kids ...
What to do with an Angry Husband

Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
C
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
Mmmmmm . . . I love risotto. What does he put in it? Or does it vary?

My favorite risotto recipe uses red wine and is topped with grilled steak.

Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
W
Member
Offline
Member
W
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
Originally Posted by curious53
Originally Posted by writer1
Basically, it's orzo, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, olives, and chicken, seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and cooked in foil packets. Yummy, healthy, and very easy to make.

That sounds great! I assume everything is sort of pre-prepared before it goes into the foil packets? I.e., orzo and chicken pre-cooked?

The orzo is pre-cooked but not the chicken.

Basically you mix the cooked orzo with the artichoke hearts and half the sundried tomatoes and a tablespoon or so of oil from the tomatoes. You put that on the bottom of the foil, then top it with 4 or 5 strips of chicken, season with salt and pepper, then top the chicken with olives, the rest of the sundried tomatoes, and the feta. Then sprinkle everything with lemon juice. Then, you seal the foil packet well, put them on a cookie sheet, and bake them at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.


Me: BS/FWW: 48
BS/WH: 50
DS: 30, 27, 25
DD: 28
OC: 10
BH and I are raising my OC together.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 92,985
Likes: 1
M
Member
Offline
Member
M
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 92,985
Likes: 1
Honestly, I don't even know what half of this stuff is, y'all!! For dinner we had BBQ chicken and green beans with bacon. yum....... laugh DH did the BBQ and I made the green beans and bacon.


"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.." Theodore Roosevelt

Exposure 101


Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
W
Member
Offline
Member
W
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
Originally Posted by MelodyLane
Honestly, I don't even know what half of this stuff is, y'all!! For dinner we had BBQ chicken and green beans with bacon. yum....... laugh DH did the BBQ and I made the green beans and bacon.

LOL.

Okay, last night we had sausages on the BBQ with roasted potatoes and BBQ corn on the cob. Is that better?


Me: BS/FWW: 48
BS/WH: 50
DS: 30, 27, 25
DD: 28
OC: 10
BH and I are raising my OC together.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 92,985
Likes: 1
M
Member
Offline
Member
M
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 92,985
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by writer1
Originally Posted by MelodyLane
Honestly, I don't even know what half of this stuff is, y'all!! For dinner we had BBQ chicken and green beans with bacon. yum....... laugh DH did the BBQ and I made the green beans and bacon.

LOL.

Okay, last night we had sausages on the BBQ with roasted potatoes and BBQ corn on the cob. Is that better?

At least I KNOW what that is! rotflmao


"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.." Theodore Roosevelt

Exposure 101


Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3
J
Junior Member
Offline
Junior Member
J
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3
My favorite Chinese chopsey





Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
C
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
Inspired by writer1, tonight we made Orzo with Grilled Shrimp, Summer Vegetables, and Pesto Vinaigrette.

It was teh awesome! I already had homemade pesto in the fridge, which was cool. The only variation we made to the recipe was to reduce the amount of vinegar, per the recommendations in the Epicurious reviews. Also, we used mozzarella perline (tiny balls) instead of slicing a single ball into pieces.

Supports family commitment: The recipe includes a bunch of small steps, so it�s a great cook-together opportunity for a parent and a child.

Supports recreational companionship: This is served cold or room temperature, making it perfect for a picnic, or a boxed lunch for a recreational outing.

Supports attractive spouse: So healthy! The veggie-to-pasta ratio is high. You can also find ways to lower calories, like using scallops instead of shrimp, cutting back on the olive oil, skipping the mozzarella.

Last edited by curious53; 06/08/11 07:43 PM.
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
W
Member
Offline
Member
W
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,803
I love Pesto!

Glad I could serve as an inspiration. That sounds very good. I'll have to try it sometime.

Tonight, I am making a chicken and vegetable stir fry over brown basmati rice.


Me: BS/FWW: 48
BS/WH: 50
DS: 30, 27, 25
DD: 28
OC: 10
BH and I are raising my OC together.
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 3
P
Member
Offline
Member
P
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 3
Originally Posted by curious53
Mmmmmm . . . I love risotto. What does he put in it? Or does it vary?

My favorite risotto recipe uses red wine and is topped with grilled steak.
He uses white wine, I believe, and often makes it with sundried tomatoes since I love them so much. smile


Markos' Wife
FWW - EA
8 kids ...
What to do with an Angry Husband

Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
C
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
Tonight we will be having Grilled Chicken Pan Bagnat. I just got the chicken started marinating.

Variations: I�m only using 2 chicken breasts and cutting everything else by a third-ish. Instead of sourdough, I�m using a large loaf of ciabatta (I don�t expect to use the whole thing). I�m using fresh herbs from my garden (rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano) in place of the dried herbs de Provence. Since dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor than fresh, I went heavy on the fresh. I plan to spread the last teaspoons of homemade pesto still sitting in the fridge onto the bread. If my husband notices the call for anchovy paste, I�m sure he�ll talk me out of using it. I will be cooking the chicken inside rather than sending my husband out into the 100 degree heat to grill two measly chicken breasts!

This recipe was designed to be made in advance and eaten later. Therefore, it is perfect for taking with you on some sort of recreational companionship outing or a family commitment outing. As it doesn�t dirty up a lot of dishes, it gives you a small break on providing domestic support.

Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
C
Member
OP Offline
Member
C
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 699
Tonight we enjoyed grilled steak with chimichurri sauce, grilled tomatoes, and grilled ciabatta (leftover from the Pan Bagnat).

The best part: take the grilled ciabatta, rub the grilled surface with garlic, spread over it the grilled tomato pulp, drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Awesome! Just like in Spain. (sigh)

Since everything is grilled, there are few dishes to clean, which is great for your domestic support efforts.

Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 92,985
Likes: 1
M
Member
Offline
Member
M
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 92,985
Likes: 1
Tonight we are having grilled hamburgers and cole slaw and green beans with bacon! lashes

Homemade coleslaw: a sack of shredded cabbage from Sam's, throw in some dill weed, malt vinegar, and real mayo to taste. So yum!


"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.." Theodore Roosevelt

Exposure 101


Page 1 of 64 1 2 3 63 64

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Search
Who's Online Now
1 members (anchorwatch), 293 guests, and 45 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
annonymous, Robert Robertson, Myramillan, rufaia1231, esenlee
71,888 Registered Users
Latest Posts
20 appointments and $1000’s later…
by IrishGreen - 10/30/24 07:20 PM
Happening again
by jah - 10/29/24 11:00 AM
I grounded my wife - am I proceeding correctly?
by Mature - 10/27/24 03:05 PM
How Do I Tell Him I Don’t Love the engagement ring
by BrainHurts - 10/22/24 10:30 AM
Children
by BrainHurts - 10/19/24 04:02 PM
Can I become attracted to anyone?
by phinnino1 - 10/11/24 08:57 AM
MBRadio show discussing electric fence pers.
by phinnino1 - 10/11/24 08:55 AM
Forum Statistics
Forums67
Topics133,614
Posts2,323,458
Members71,888
Most Online3,185
Jan 27th, 2020
Building Marriages That Last A Lifetime
Copyright © 2024, Marriage Builders, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Site Navigation
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5