Heather Vines answers:

This is may favorite meal to make because it become two meals. I have the same size family and the portions work great. 1 Whole chicken (4-5lb) cook at 350 for 1 hr and 40 minutes in a covered roasted pan, uncovered on low broil 5-10 min for crispy skin. Flavor can go many different ways, (all include salt and pepper) 1) saffron and lemon juice, 2) Italian seasoning and olive oil, 3)rosemary, lemon and olive oil, 4 Barbecue rub and than BBQ sauce at broil point.Than once you had your fill removed all pieces of chicken from the bone and chop up. The following meals (plus many more) I like to make most often, (use according with flavor though most can be mixed around), BBQ chicken sandwiches, BBQ chicken pizza, (just need crust cheddar cheese, and some more BBQ sauce), paninis (pesto sauce on sourdough bread with provolone cheese, use a George foreman or just press in pan with a heavy plate), chicken salad ( mayonnaise or miracle whip, onions, salad pickle cubes, and for a little freshness raisins) , or quesidillas , (tortilla shells, cheddar cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, and just grill flat in pan same as paninis )
Chicken is my favorite food so I have most suggestions for it.
Slow cooker suggestions
4-5lb Chuck Roast, spices of choice, potatoes, onions, celery , and carrots. Cook 1 hour on high, low for 7 more. Reserve 1 cup juices before serving and serve leftovers with provolone cheese on sub buns to dip in reserve juices for french dip sandwiches.
4-5lb Boston Butt, spices of choice, onions, green peppers, cook high 1 hour and 5 hours low, use juices to make gravy serve as “pork chops” with sides of choice. Reserve 2 cups juices for next day place butt back in slow cooker add reserve juices and BBQ sauce, cook 1 hour high and 1 hour low (or until completely fall off the bone) pull meat off bone and serve with coleslaw for bbq sandwiches.
Basic slow cooker recipes cook everything high 1 hour and low the rest to help build up heat for a long cook, if you throw random ingredients in there , i.e stew meat ( after coated in flour and browned in oil for a few minutes) potatoes, carrots, random veggies and water to cover, now you have stew. You can use tomato paste to make traditional vegetable or beef stew, or if you had chicken, veggies, tomato paste, water you will be making Brunswick. Random veggies equal veggie stew. I normally cook my stew 1 hour high 5 hours low. If you stick in freezer for about 10 minutes after the stew has cooled you can removed the extra fat from the top. I like the fat so I don’t do that. Hope I was very helpful since this was such a long answer. I just know what it is like coming up with ideas for a family.
Oops I didn’t see you don’t like onions, but that is okay as it is used for flavor and filler in these recipes and can be easily removed.

Heather Vines answers:

These will impress him!

Appetizers
Artichoke Squares
Serves 6 (4 per serving)

2 (6 oz cans) Artichoke Hearts
2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 White Onion, Minced
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Eggbeaters
1/4 Tsp Pepper
8 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/4 Cup Italian Style Dried Bread Crumbs
3 Seconds Nonstick Cooking Spray

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325ºF

Drain the liquid from 1 jar of artichokes into 1-quart saucepan. Drain liquid from second jar of artichokes and discard. Finely chop all artichokes; set aside.

Coat a 12×8 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In the artichoke liquid, over medium heat, cook minced onion until tender.

In a medium bowl add eggs, cooked onion and chopped artichokes, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until set and lightly browned. Allow to cool for 15 minutes in dish on wire rack.

With knife, cut lengthwise into 4 strips then cut each strip crosswise into 6 pieces. Arrange appetizer on platter and serve.
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Main Dish
Chicken Parmesan
Serves 6

1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 Tsp Italian Seasoning, crushed
6 (4 oz) Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup White Onion, diced
1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup 2% Milk
1 (1 oz packet) Ranch Flavored Salad Dressing Mix
6 Slices Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 (10 oz pkg.) Spinach, frozen, thawed, drained
1 Tbsp Pimiento, chopped

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF

In a small mixing bowl combine cheese, ranch salad dressing mix, and Italian seasoning. Roll chicken pieces in cheese mixture to coat lightly; set remaining cheese mixture aside. Arrange the pieces in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. In a small saucepan cook onion in hot margarine until tender.

Stir in flour; add milk all at once. Cook and stir till bubbly; stir in drained spinach and pimiento. Place a slice of cheese and spoon the spinach mixture over the chicken; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until tender.
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Dessert
Basic Pie Crust
Serving Size : 2 9-inch pie crusts

2-1/4 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
10 tablespoons Chilled butter, lard or shortening — cut small pieces
4-1/2 tablespoons Ice water

Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter or lard and cut into flour using your fingers, a pastry blender or 2 knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in water with a fork, 1 tablespoon at a time and work in with your hands until dough is just moist enough to come together in a smooth ball. You may not need to use all the water. Be careful not to overwork or dough will be tough.

If you’re making 2 crusts, cut in half and shape each half into a flattened round. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Remove 1 round of dough from refrigerator and place on a lightly-floured surface. Roll into a circle about 14 inches across and 1/8-inch thick. Gently fold dough in half, then in half again so that you can lift it without tearing, and unfold it into a 9-inch pie or tart pan.

Crimp edges or pinch in a decorative border. Fill and bake as directed in recipe. Dough may be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, or frozen.

Apple Pie
8 servings

1/2 recipe Basic Pie Crust
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups thinly sliced, pared, tart apples
2 tablespoons butter

Heat thr oven to 425ºF.

Prepare pastry and line pie pan.

Mix dry ingredients together. Stir in apples. Pour into pastry lined pie pan. Dot with butter or margarine. Cover with top crust, cut slits, seal and flute edges. Bake until crust is light brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in top, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Heather Vines answers:

Steak, fish, a nice pasta dish. My hubby LOVES meatloaf, so if we stay in I am going to make him meatloaf & an apple pie. If you want recipes, email me & I will send them to ya.

Heather Vines answers:

Smoked sausage would be good, and sliced tomatos on the side would add some nice color

Heather Vines answers:

How thoughtful! I’m sure your girlfriend will appreciate it

I recommend this recipe for chickpea cutlets:

http://www.veganpeace.com/recipe_pages/recipes/ChickpeaCutlets.htm

This site has tons of easy veg recipes if you’re looking for something simpler:

http://www.chooseveg.com/vegan-recipes.asp

Good luck.