What are your easiest, tastiest meals - quick to prepare when you can't think of anything!!

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  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,122
    edited February 2022
    Oooh .... I LOVE One Pot meals!  Before & After Pics ....
    I haven't tried it, but it looks good!



    "Blow your MIND" Tomato Basil Pasta! - No Straining, just Stirring.

    Pasta, Tomatoes, Veggie Broth, Olive Oil, and Seasonings (details below)

    Throw it all in the pot, INCLUDING the uncooked Pasta, and cook! - Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta
    Ingredients
    12 ounces (about 2/3 of 500g packet) pasta (I used Linguine)
    1 can (400g/15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid ( I used zesty red pepper flavour)
    1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
    4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
    2 large sprigs basil, chopped
    4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    Parmesan cheese for garnish
    Directions
    Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.
    Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – You can leave about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – or you can reduce as desired .
    Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

  • Locksley
    Locksley Member Posts: 974
    @arpie how much grams is 12 ounces of pasta please.
  • iserbrown
    iserbrown Member Posts: 5,728
    340 grams
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,122
    That time of year again ...... time to crank out some Anzac Biscuits - ALWAYS YUMMY


  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,122
    The easiest recipe yet ...... Follow me for more easy recipes!  ;)

    Happy Easter 


  • iserbrown
    iserbrown Member Posts: 5,728
    There's some great recipes within s
  • Locksley
    Locksley Member Posts: 974
    @iserbrown I've been going through some of the older receipes.   I had the same cookbook at school. Still use it.  I had it in pristine condition.  Then younger brother used it.  Came back to me in the different condition.
  • Julez1958
    Julez1958 Member Posts: 1,246
    Tonight I am doing classic
    roast pork.
    I put the pork out of fridge for an hour with olive oil and salt on the skin
    then cook for 20 mins to get the cracking going
    then reduce to 180 degrees
    serve with vegetables including this time of year cauliflower with cheeze sauce .
    Amazing 😊
    .

  • Julez1958
    Julez1958 Member Posts: 1,246
    Meant to say start on 220 degrees 
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,122
    This one looks easy enough to cook ..... but WILL I??  Probably not ..... 

    Who will be the first to try this recipe??


  • Blossom1961
    Blossom1961 Member Posts: 2,489
    OMG @arpie. Where did you get this recipe? I have had this since I was a child and was told it was a family recipe. Someone must have lied to me. But they are good. A pinch of cinnamon for something different. Sometimes I add choc chips. Mmmmm
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,122
    edited September 2022
    Oh dear @Blossom1961... I fear your secret recipe is 'out'!!  It was online - Grandma's tasty recipes, I think it was!! 

    Hmmmm .... maybe someone in the family has blabbed?? 

    ooooh - I like the addition of a touch of cinnamon or choc chips too!  Makes them quite decadent!!

    So you can guarantee that they are nice???   I just thought they were 'easy'!  LOL

    (For me - any recipe that says "Cream the butter and sugar'' = TURN THE PAGE!!) LOL
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,122
    edited September 2022
    You can't beat a good casserole - very much 'comfort food' for Winter - but also good for Summer, specially when camping!  Nothing nicer than a scrummy casserole for dinner before climbing into the tent or campervan!  

    They can also be terrific to turn into Jaffles for 'left overs'  (YUM!).... A few Tablespoons put between 2 pieces of bread & cooked in the Jaffle Iron.  I have a gas hob now, so can do them at home!  :) 



    Call me a hoarder .... but I still have THOUSANDS of Recipes from when I used to work with AGL 40+ years ago, as a 'Cooking Demonstrator' (I grabbed virtually the FULL SET before I left ....)

    So, if anyone wants any specific recipes or style (eg Greek, Chinese etc) - ask me & I'll see if I can find them!! They were tried & tested hundreds of times back in the 70s & 80s before being unleashed on the public .... 

    My Weekly Cookery Classes were hilarious - everyone would put $1 on the table & someone would go & grab a cask of wine - and we'd have a sit down meal at the end of the demonstration ..... It was SO much fun! 

    Sometimes, we started the wine BEFORE the cooking demonstration started .... with some hilarious results .... often with ingredients still left on the counter!  LOL
  • Blossom1961
    Blossom1961 Member Posts: 2,489
    The peanut butters biscuits are even more decadent if you pull them out of the oven just before they are cooked so they are still gooey inside
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,122
    Don't you LOVE a good Cottage Pie?  They used to be made from left over Roasted meat that was ground up & made into a pie .... but hey!  Why not make a BIG ONE from scratch & then make up a few for the freezer?  Add the Orange Sweet Potato as the topping & DOUBLE YUM!   

    Those alfoil takeaway containers with the cardboard lids - are invaluable! 

    I use them with my Smoked Fish Pies, too :)  Each one would feed 2 people easily.

    (I never realised the difference between Cottage Pie & Shepherd's Pie .... did you??)
    Shepherds pie with sweet potato topping

    Not only is this dish the perfect comfort food for a chilly evening, but it’s also a meal with an interesting history.

    Made to use up any leftover meat, Shepard’s pie dates back to the 1790s. When it is made with beef it's called cottage pie and if it is made with lamb, then it's shepherd's pie.

    The sweet potato really spices this recipe up a bit to give it some kiwi flavour.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tbsp. butter, olive or coconut oil
    • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
    • 2 medium carrots, medium diced
    • 2 celery sticks, medium diced
    • 450g lamb mince
    • 1 ½ (375ml) cups beef stock
    • 1 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
    • 40g tomato paste
    • 2 large sweet potatoes, peel and cut to quarters
    • 2 more tbsps. of butter
    • Dash of cream or full fat milk
    • ½ cup mozzarella cheese grated
    • ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
    • Freshly ground salt and pepper

    Method:

    1. Preheat oven to 180°C for a fan forced oven.
    2. Heat butter in a large pan and on a medium heat add onions, carrot and celery.
    3. Cook stirring for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
    4. Add lamb/beef mince and cook until browned, for about 5-8 minutes, squashing any lumps with a fork.
    5. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.
    6. Season with salt and pepper.
    7. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally and cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until sauce thickens.
    8. When meat sauce has thickened, spoon into an oven proof dish and spread with mashed sweet potatoes (I would store some in separate alfoil containers at this point in time ....) and then continue with the smaller serve for 'this evening's meal'  ...
    9. Sprinkle with the two cheeses.
    10. Bake 20 minutes or until the top is golden and juices are bubbling through.
    11. Serve with some simple steamed broccoli.