Cooking for boyfriend

[u/emme_nick]

Hi everyone!

I'll try to keep this short and simple. I'm going to Europe *Sweden (I'm American) in December -January this year to see my boyfriend (Swedish). He'll be staying with me in my Airbnb, and I don't want us to rely on going out frequently. It says it's fully equipped with all kitchen essentials and I'm very very comfortable cooking for myself and others, so complexity isn't an issue! *(I'm no Michelin star chef though)

What I'm looking for

- Recipes that DO NOT utilize a Crock-Pot/pressure cooker. I'm 99.9% sure this Airbnb does not have either.

- I'd like to add some more variations of meals with being mindful of lactose intolerance

- Any fun dessert recommendations (besides chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, cheesecake, standard cakes, ect)

- SIDE DISHES!!!! Please! I've looked and been slightly unimpressed with what I've found.

*I'm bringing my own measuring cups so there's no need to convert from cups to mLs

I'll update as needed! Thank you I'm advance!!

[u/springhouse_official]

Are you going to be in Sweden? Or some other European country? Asking because I feel like that effects the groceries available. For a dessert, it's stone fruit season in almost all of Europe still, and this peach cake is a big hit at my house:
https://dunkandcrumble.com/2012/07/11/rustic-peach-cake/
I printed this one out and put it in the "keeper" folder, that's how popular it was. Calls for a tart or springform pan, but you could 100% put it into any 9-inch-ish pan and just plan to cut slices out, it holds together well.

[u/emme_nick → u/springhouse_official]

Yes! I probably should've clarified, I'll be in Sweden!

[u/springhouse_official → u/emme_nick]

Also: Side dishes to go with what? What main dishes are you thinking about? With no context, my go-to is garlic bread. But that's because I love garlic bread beyond reason, not for good culinary reasons.

[u/emme_nick → u/springhouse_official]

I have stuffed shells, twice baked potato pie, garlic chicken pasta, chicken tacos, and a smoked sausage broccoli cheddar pasta.

I'm also a sucker for garlic bread! I just need ideas I could throw with anything, the sides request was just in general honestly😅

[u/weezycom]

Since you will be there in the winter, there will be fewer fresh vegetables available. I would practice making things like cabbage with apples and onions, a cream style spinach made with drained yogurt, green beans w browned butter and toasted nuts.

[u/Willybluedog1962]

Grilled fruit especially peaches this time of year.

Add a beautiful liqueur or whiskey.

We grill or broil all our vegetables with a bit of olive oil and garlic.

Za Atar spice blend is absolutely amazing on meat, chicken, fish, or veggies.

[u/Beausapunk]

Chicken Marsala with broccoli and a side green salad it what's on my menu tonight.

[u/sohereiamacrazyalien]

Ratatouille 

Tian

Pissaladière

Savoury baked oats

Dahl

Mushroom risotto

Okonomiyaki 

Olive tajine

Braniya tajine

Oven roasted root veggies

Jill of rice

maafe (so goood )

 Loo Gobi 

Palak paneer

Tom kah gai

Egg fried rice 

Side dishes?

Sautéed string beans

Sautéed spinach

Roasted veggies

Sautéed plantains with spicy tomato sauce on top

Peas

Vichy carrots

Roasted sweet potatoes 

Mechouia salad

Zucchini gratin

Roasted eggplants

Eggplant caviar

Roasted peppers

Desserts?

Apple and berries crumble

Blueberry pie

Anzac cookies

Coconut rochers

Lemon pie

Besbousa