Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Kung Pao Tofu With Broccoli and Peanuts from Nina Simonds:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092700431.html

Martha Rose Shulman's Asian Pasta With Tofu, Shiitake Mushrooms and Broccoli:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/health/nutrition/06recipehealth.html?em

A vegan friend recently made saag paneer with tofu and it was OK.

A splash of either vanilla, Amaretto, Kahlua or Bourbon. Sometimes I add a little espresso powder. If I use cocoa, I sometimes used brown sugar instead of white.

Ina Garten's penne with five cheeses is easy, can be prepared in advance, and travels well. I double the amount of gorgonzola in the recipe, as Ina did on her show, and blue cheese works in this recipe too:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32177,00.html

Giada's orzo with garbanzos, red onion, basil and mint:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/orzo-salad-recipe/index.html

Pasta with pesto sauce is also a good make ahead, and it works fine at room temperature if reheating is a problem.

I didn't know there were any surviving Jahn's! I gotta check it out!

@Karmafreecooking, I don't like food that's so spicy you can't taste. Every Jackson Heights Indian restaurant I've been to have been very accommodating about spice levels - just tell the waiter you don't want something cooked too hot if they don't happen to ask. Or stick to dishes that are traditionally not hot, like korma, tikka masala, etc., and avoid traditionally ultra hot dishes like vindaloo. If you're in the 74th/Roosevelt area, you could be missing out on some wonderful and cheap meals that you don't have to travel to.

They're great braised with short ribs, chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie or in pot roasts instead of onions. Here's my favorite short ribs recipe, from Ina Garten:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beef-short-ribs-recipe/index.html

Craig Claiborne's classic 1960s recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon

http://leitesculinaria.com/57202/recipes-boeuf-bourguignon.html

I also love Ina Garden's lemon pound cake.

James Beard's old fashioned, plain pound cake; I use nutmeg instead of mace, and vanilla instead of Bourbon. The ten eggs both lighten and enrich the recipe:

http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2010/12/james_beards_pound_cake.html

Billy's Bakery's delish chocolate cupcakes use a pound of butter in the frosting + 1/2 pound in the cake:

http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_52cupcakes_archive.html

@bobcatsteph3, whenever you feel discouraged, please ask this board for help and suggestions. There are others here who are dealing with illnesses and allergies as well as helping relatives and friends who are.

I also agree with @Mr. Nick's advice about patience. Cooking mojo is often a matter of patience, and I think also luck. I've had some major disasters at really bad times, esp. when I had some of the horrible (now) in-laws over for the first time, who I know disliked me before we ever met (different ethnic and educational background, different interests and tastes). I thought I would make a good impression by making my tried and true recipe for lasagna (with lots of meat), and to make clean up easier, I doubled what was billed as heavy duty aluminum pans. The pans folded as I was taking it out of the oven, spilling scalding hot lasagna all over the oven, the floor and my legs.

I've had the oven conk out on me, I've forgotten to add key ingredients, overslept from what should have been short naps while something was in the oven, a refrigerator break down in the middle of the night before New Year's Eve - just to name a very few. S--- happens, and tomorrow is another day.

In addition to the Moroccan dishes, a hint of mint is great in tabbouleh. I can taste mint in my favorite versions one of my Indian favorites, kofta kebabs (I've got some recipes that I have yet to make), and a little mint in raita is good too, esp. with very hot curries. I've thought about adding it to tzatziki and felafel sauce.

It's also good in cous cous (or pastina) cooked with chicken broth, a little chopped garlic, olive oil or butter and peas or chickpeas. Even better with some leftover cooked chicken, or salmon (even better) or swordfish thrown in at the end.

Mint is often served in Thai salads, including my favorite - spicy, cold grilled steak. Here's a good recipe from Mark Bittman; I add a few spoons of sesame seeds as well as a handful of bean sprouts:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/03/thai-beef-salad-recipe.html

I agree that all the above is great advice, and I'd like to add that menu planning is important, esp. if you're having a lot of company - getting everything to the table at once can be challenging. Consider preparation times, what can be made in advance, started in advance and cooked in real time, and how much time you want to spend in the kitchen. (I have some horrible in-laws, and since they would never lift a finger to help anyone, I'm glad to spend time away from them in the kitchen; with other guests, I try to minimize the time).

Also have some disaster back-up plans in case something goes wrong - like dropping, burning, opening a package and finding what's inside is spoiled, etc. Having a big bag of peas, large ravioli, homemade pasta sauce (I always make very large batches so I can freeze some), etc. in the freezer, plus extra veggies in the fridge), ingredients for simple cookies, etc. They always come in handy for last minute guests.

Cinnabon... I love them.

Chola, on E. 58th bet. 2nd & 3rd has great Indian food and a $14 lunch buffet; the regular dinner and lunch menus are very reasonable too, but the buffet is one of the best bargains in the city.

Ippudo in the E. Village on 4th Ave bet 9th & 10th is billed as a "Ramen Shop," but don't think it's anything resembling the stuff in the styrofoam in the supermarket. It's a great, everything fresh and reasonably priced Japanese noodle bar and more:

http://www.ippudony.com/menu.php

Caracas Arepa Bar, IMHO, even beats out the lady with the pushcart in Jackson Heights, is also in the E. Village on 7th Street between 1st Ave & Ave A. Try going at off hours, because it's a small place and the lines can be looooong:

http://caracasarepabar.com/manhattan.php

Fanelli's has been in Soho on Prince near Mercer before it was Soho - it's almost 100 years old. They might not have the very, very, very best burger in the city, but they are excellent + great pub food at very good prices for the trendy area. It's got great atmosphere and has stuck to its original decor.

From Fanelli's, head over to Ferrara on Grand St. in Little Italy for dessert. It's not the best Italian bakery in the city, but it is really good - it wouldn't have lasted well over 100 years if it wasn't. And it's also got great atmosphere, sometimes with kitschy mandoline players and singers on weekends. It was featured in The Sopranos a few times:

http://www.ferraracafe.com/nyc/

Check out Rocco's on Thompson in the W. Village for really good "red sauce" Italian. It's also been a neighborhood favorite for about 100 years, and though it's not the very, very best in the city, the prices are great:

http://www.roccoristorante.com/history/

Mario Batali's Eataly on 5th between 23rd & 24th is a showcase for Italian food - it's basically a fabulous food hall with booths filled with the best of the best. It's very pricey, but you can buy little bits and snack your way through heaven:

http://eatalyny.com/

Turkuaz for great, inexpensive Turkish food and atmosphere on Bway & W. 100th St.:

http://www.turkuazrestaurant.com/Menus.html

Dervish in the theater district is really Turkish good and has great prices, esp. for a very pricy area:

http://dervishrestaurant.com/

And The Carnegie Deli for the best corned beef, pastrami, etc. in the city:

http://www.carnegiedeli.com/home.php

Ess-A-Bagel is the It's a great stop for an overstuffed bagel for breakfast or lunch, esp. with their homemade cream cheese:

http://www.ess-a-bagel.com/

If it's not too cold, take the Water Taxi to Bubby's in Dumbo for spectacular views of the city, and well priced American food. They've got a great brunch at good prices, and they don't hustle you out even when they're crowded. Just be sure to call in advance to make sure they're not booked for a party:

http://bubbys.com/bubbys-brooklyn/

Bubby's has great desserts, and they are famous for their pies, and about a block away is Jacques Torres' chocolate shop, where you can pick up some treats (they're pricey):

http://www.mrchocolate.com/

Jacques Torres is also in the city's premier food hall, The Chelsea Market, and it's well worth the walk if you're in the 'hood. Amy's bread (and wonderful cookies and cakes) is my favorite bakery there, and there's also one in the W. Village on Bleeker St:

http://chelseamarket.com/

Let us know if there are any particular areas you'll be visiting for more ideas.