The first time we stayed in our timeshare, I tried to buy different ingredients and cook "exotic" meals (using things I couldn't get here). That just didn't work, so now I just cook the same kind of things I cook here at home, only simpler. Pasta dishes are easy, and I always try to plan more than one meal out of an ingredient, especially since I'm only cooking for two. I do bring a decent knife from home, but otherwise make do with the utensils in the timeshare. The hardest thing for me is using an electric stove and cooking with pots that aren't as heavy as I'm used to at home; I usually burn a couple of things <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Blush.gif" alt="" />.

Pan-searing a boneless, skinless chicken breast is really easy, and you can make a nice pan sauce with some butter, white wine, and capers. If you make extra chicken, then you can cut it up and mix it with cooked pasta, diced tomato (canned if you can't find fresh), garlic, capers, and artichoke hearts (canned again). Or add some kalamata olives instead of the capers. Add a salad and a baguette and you have a delicious meal.