Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

My family just lost my grandmother, and although it's not the same, my grandfather appreciated these the most: cold cuts & cheese with rolls, mayo, mustard, pickles (big plates of them--we have a huge family and we were all over there all day, every day, for over a week! So it was great for all of us to have easy eats); coffeecakes & muffins; lasagna. I like the idea of ingredients to throw in a crock pot, but I will confess that none of us would have been up for even that. I would definitely say keep it as simple as possible. Frozen homemade anything is ideal, since it can keep without the pressure being on to eat it right away. It's wonderful of you to pitch in and help, and ANYthing you give will be appreciated.

There's a pretty good article in the latest New Yorker issue; I read it on the subway to work this morning so the timing with your post is right on! http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/28/090928fa_fact_orlean

I've had great luck with the dough recipe on 101 Cookbooks--I think it's Peter Reinhart's recipe. We just did pizza on the grill for our book club (since we didn't want to heat the apt with the oven) and it was a resounding success! I do think you need the bread flour vs. AP flour; this makes a huge difference.

Another vote for Oikos. I like plain, then add my own honey.

A "picnic" dinner for me--chunks of cheese, crackers, pickles, pepperoncini, and little chunks of salami if I'm in the mood (and have it on hand). Olives, as well, and sometimes cut-up fruit or a handful of grapes. Eaten on the sofa with a book or a crime show re-run (like CSI).

I usually just make cowgirl coffee when I'm camping, but this may be worth trying--fewer grounds to deal with!

Yes--sushi for me, too.

We make Risengrynsgrøt with almond milk and it has been a HUGE success (I don't tolerate milk protein well so the Lactaid milk, while deliciously delicious, is a no go)! The unsweetened vanilla and the plain are both excellent for this purpose--although I prefer the sweetened vanilla for cereal. I take my tea and coffee without milk or with minimal Lactaid milk since I don't love the texture of non-milk milk in warm beverages.

I'll have to give Silk another shot since some people clearly like it! I've only had the plain and it seemed to have a funny texture...but new things are fun to try.

Gazpacho! Or maybe I'm just feeling that way lately because it's summer. In the winter, herbed risotto is a favorite. Also red onion soup (like French Onion Soup only better--with vegetable stock and red wine and red onions instead of beef broth, topped with gruyère and toast.)

I was so giddy when Peanut took me on our first date, I barely noticed where I was (an Asian restaurant that wasn't a chain, for the record). We're still together 4 years later, and I'm pretty sure we would be no matter where we'd gone.

I'm another Hellman's Light Mayo user, although I use maybe a teaspoon a month at most (I don't like any mayo very much, but use it as a binder whenever I have tuna salad, and as the fat for making grilled cheese). The three biggest things I eat that I probably should not are: Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal, Nature's Valley crunchy granola bars (peanut butter flavor, preferably), and vegetarian meatballs (or "veg-t-balls"). I'm sure there are others, but day-to-day, those are my biggest. Maybe the boxes of wheat pasta--I'm not sure what's in those and I definitely eat that stuff!

@vegemite: I've heard about the coin negating bad knife luck, too! My parents always give a knife block (well--when it's a couple we as a family are very close to, not EVERYone gets the knife block) with a coin taped to each knife.

I have an intolerance for fresh apples, which is a personal tragedy since I have always loved them...only in the past 3 or 4 years has the intolerance gotten bad enough to stop me from eating them. I also have a milk protein thing which the doctor called an allergy but I have since been scolded for using that term--so maybe that's an intolerance, too. Like lactose intolerance except there's nothing to be done for it. Sometimes I have the milk products anyway cause they're too yummy not to, but I always pay for it :-(