My brother had to start cooking for himself and my nephew very suddenly. My nephew was really too young to do much, and my brother worked full time, so dinners had to be quick and easy. One suggestion of mine that he took to quite well was to buy the family size packages of meat to save money, separate them into meal-sized portions, and freeze the meats in zip lock bags with marinade. That way, he removes a bag from the freezer before bed, and by dinner time the following day, he has pre-marinated meat to throw on the grill or under the broiler. I did get him a rice cooker, which he likes because both he and my nephew will eat rice plain or with just a bit of soy, which keeps the fat grams down (as opposed to most potatoes or noodles, which must have some butter or sauce). His girlfriend gave him a crock pot, and a crock pot cookbook which gets a lot of use as well. They also eat lots of salads, which they both like. I told him to cut the stem end off when he got the lettuces home, and soak them in a sink full of cool water for a couple of hours before draining them and putting them in a plastic bag with a towel to soak up any residual moisture, They keep nicely for a week or so that way, and he keeps a container of pre-cut salad vegetables in the fridge so making a salad is fast and easy. Planning is the key, all right. A couple of hours on the weekend, and the week can go much more smoothly.

If you want to eat healthier stuff, don't forget about mashed veggies...rutabaga mashed with butter and nutmeg is a favorite of mine. Mashed cauliflower with butter and parsley is delish. Of course mashed white potatoes, but I love mashed sweet potatoes with maple syrup and nutmeg. And you can mash up butternut squash and acorn squash too. What a great excuse to have something like cream of rice cereal...haven't had it in years, but loved it as a kid, esp with chocolate sprinkles on it. I have a fruit smoothie every a.m. with kale in it for health along with whey protein powder, chia seeds, coconut oil, a half of a banana, and a passel of frozen fruit. Very tasty and satisfying, even without chewing. Also, can you do plain yogurt and small curd cottage cheese? I mix my yogurt with vanilla and honey....delish. And who can forget ice cream? As long as it doesn't have nuts or other crunchies.... And there are all kinds of cream soups you can make...haven't had cream of carrot soup with ginger in awhile, but it's sweet and delish. Or cream of mushroom soup. Yum! Man, I'm getting hungry!

How about a pot pie? Ina Garten's recipe is fabulous. The recipe is a lot easier than it looks and makes a lot. I have frozen hals the pies when it has been just the two of us. Chicken Pot Pie 2005, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved Serves:4 individual pot pies Ingredients • 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on • 3 tablespoons olive oil • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade • 2 chicken bouillon cubes • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter • 2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions) • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup heavy cream • 2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups) • 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions • 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves • For the pastry: • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening • 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced • 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash • Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken. In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well. For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot. Or maybe a Quiche and Salad? Or Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce and a salad? Both easily prepared ahead and re\-heated. Linda

Hi I don't have any specific recipes to share, but all I can say is calories, calories, calories!! My ex had a broken jaw, and had to eat with a syringe type thing in the beginning, and then moved on to a straw. I fed him every type of food you could imagine (pureed of course), and he still lost massive amounts of weight. In the end, we found that it was helpful to feed him drinks like Ensure, etc every hour or two to help get more calories into him. Good luck!!