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

2456722

Comments

  • j9k
    j9k Member Posts: 98
    @arpie do you wear any gloves when you bait the hook? I'm a bit paranoid about getting jabbed and getting an infection after ax clearance. I'm also very careful in the kitchen, gardening etc. I love fishing and even if I don't catch anything, i love sitting by the water with line in. I'm going to drop a line as soon as my mobility post Mx is a bit better but worry about the hooks. 

    As for recipes, I love a risotto. It can be anything you want it to be. Stock and rice to start, then you can do pumpkin or mushroom or meat (chicken) or anything as a base, flavoured with your favourite flavours - garlic, herbs and spices, veges. My favourite is adding green prawns and scallops about 5mins or so before serving. Bury them in the steaming rice and when it's ready to serve they are just cooked and delicious. Flavour is steamed through the rice. I like garlic, onion shallots a bit of coriander, capsicum in this one.  Chilli also works well.  I also do a cheesy risotto where you just mix in grated cheese to melt and stir through before serving. Now I'm feeling hungry!  :p
  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392
    Well I have standby I'm exhausted and don't want cook meals.
    Family meat pie with mash and veg.
    Crumbed oven baked fish and chips and veg.
    Jar marinade sauce...on chicken pieces...oven baked and served with steamed rice and veg.

    Not creative but requires very little thought. 
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,961
    Pasta is my go to - not very carb friendly but quick filling and tasty.  Chopped cherry tomatoes, oi, garlic, black olives cooked until the tomatoes soften. Wilt some baby spinach if you want. Serve over fettucine, dollop on some basil pesto and sprinkle on some parmesan.
    Also chopped tomatoes and black oli es cooked in oil, add some balsamic vinegar and grated parmesan cheese. Serve over fettucine. Or you can make a red pesto with sun-dried tomatoes, oil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and a little basil. Yummy mixed with olives snow peas and whatever else over your favourite pasta.
    My daughter does one with oil and garlic heated in one pan. Chopped broccolini, green beans and spinach sauted in another. Served over pasta with parmesan.
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    Good one @Sister my kids are big pesto fans so will give thei one a go
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,961
    @romla There's a great cookbook called "Pasta"by Eric Treuille and Anna del Conte.  I love it.
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,961
    Fried rice is also a favourite around here and Stuffed Tomato Tortillas take a bit longer (about 35 mins) but you can do something else while they're in the oven.  In a frying pan add a bit of oil and saute chopped onions and garlic. Add a tin of diced tomatoes and a little water plus a bit of black pepper and a squirt of lime juice. While that's simmering, drain and rinse a tin of 4 beans, a tin of corn kernels an add to a large mixing bowl, add some chilli and chopped coriander, 1/2 to a cup of grated cheese and a squirt of lime juice. Oil a large baking dish and swirl a little of the sauce across the bottom. Add approx 2 tblsp of bean mix to each tortilla, fill up and place in dish. Keep doing with the rest - makes approx 10 but can be stretched a bit further. Top with the rest of the sauce making sure it covers all tortillas. Sprinkle with more grated cheese and any left over bean mix. Can put dollops of sour crwam on top if you like.  Stick it in the oven for about 20 minutes.  Nice to have a bowl of guacamole on the side.
  • Eastmum
    Eastmum Member Posts: 495
    Ah yes, we have Mexican night at least once a week! Another favourite! 

    One big frypan full of mince cooked with mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste and cumin - another filled with red kidney beans, black beans and tinned chopped tomatoes - put out corn chips and tortillas, bottled salsa, grated cheese, sour cream and quacamole and everyone makes whatever they feel like for themselves - nachos, quesadillas in the sandwich press or burritos - or just wrapped up in lettuce leaves for the non-carb eaters in my house :) 


  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,198
    WOW!   I go out for a few hours ..... and there are 2 pages of comments!  LOL  (yes, fishing again!  LOL   Someone forgot to tell the fish tho!  But it was a glorious day, so I didn't mind!)

    haha  @Eastmum   @Sister   @kmakm
    Thanks for the lovely compliments, ladies ..... I just try to do SOMETHING that I love every day.  It doesn't have to be a long time - just a good time!  ;)  

    WOW!  Some great recipes coming thru too!!  I'll be trying them too!  :)   You can't beat Savoury Mince - you can cook a whole potato in the microwave & cut a cross in it & 'push it up' to open the flesh of the potato and put the reheated mince on it with cheese on top - a really easy & tasty 'left overs' lunch! 

    @j9k
    Re hooks ..... luckily, I only had the 3 nodes removed and am not likely to get cellulitis from infection - but try to be careful ( .... tho I got one barb stuck in my other arm's thumb yesterday - up to the hilt!!)  I managed to get it out with the pliers -  It is still a bit tender today - so will keep my eye on it!  ;)  Yes, if you've had a LOT of nodes removed - you'd have to be very careful.  Assuming I needed to - I bought some bottles of Benadryl to have at home, on the kayak & in our camper in case of cuts & nicks ..... so far haven't had to use it!!   You CAN always wear gloves too - just with the fingertips exposed (like Cycling gloves) and that lessens the chances of getting jabbed!

    For a real 'treat' -  Coles often does a Veal Eye Fillet steak in Vac Pac at $38/kg (this is WAY cheaper than Beef Eye Fillet @ $45/kg or thereabouts) and is WAY more tender!!  There is basically NO wastage - and served with mushrooms or onions - is absolutely delicious!  Our Coles doesn't stock it - but when we go to Port Mac - I grab 4-5 packs!!  

    Keep those ideas coming ladies!!  Some yummy stuff!!  

    To be honest, I reckon that we must have about 10 meals that we just keep rotating over 2 weeks in no given order, then specific winter & summer bits that swap over with the seasons ..... my easiest EVER meal is a Tues night after Ukulele (which finishes at 6pm) ..... hubby & I stay on at Club Forster and have our dinner there!   :)  
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    Forgot this gem and it’s even better than shop bought  so my kids say .Found by my son couple of years ago online on a website called ricardocuisine.com to make for homework. However ,don’t use Woolies homebrand soup it’s dreadful for this , I use Coles or better. The website is free and well worth a look.

    Quick and Easy Butter Chicken

    • 1 1/2 lbs (675 g) chicken breast cut into pieces
    • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter
    • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) curry powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder
    • 1 can 10 oz (284 ml) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
    • 10 oz (284 ml) milk (measured in the soup can)
    • Pepper

    PREPARATION

    1. In a large non-stick skillet over high heat, brown chicken breast in butter with curry and garlic powder. Add tomato soup and milk.
    2. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add pepper to taste. Serve with rice and naan bread.
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    Can anyone help ? In this cold hubby and I are trying to master scones and have made several attempts with varying success but not like we rememer .We are complete novices and any suggestions abouthow  to make light fluffy and high scones grateful accepted. It’s the method I think we are missing.
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,198
    There is a famous recipe using cream & lemonade - supposed to be the lightest ever!!  But I have to go out for dinner just now ..... will look it up when I get back!!

    The trick if making them the 'old way' (cut the butter into the flour until resembling breadcrumbs) is to use 2 x knives (if you have hot hands, your fingers can melt the butter & it gets 'gooey'.)  Or you can put it in a processor (much easier!)

    When you add the milk to the dry ingredients - use the knife/fork to 'mix it in' - and only mix it 'lightly' (don't stir & stir & stir), then turn it out onto a well floured bench (even if still a tad 'wet') and Turn it over once or twice on the bench in the flour to make it 'not wet' and use your hands to flatten it.

    Most people over mix it & makes tough scones.

    Use a BIG carving knife to cut them into squares (press the knife down in one movement - don't 'slice' them) and dust the blade with flour for each cut (or they may 'stick' to the blue.)

    Put them 'close together' on the tray to cook (not separated.) This way, they use each other to 'push up'!!

    Make sure the oven is nice &  hot ...... and don't overcook them!
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    Thanks @arpie will try again tomorrow - we thought it would be simple to recreate a favourite from our childhood but is an art it seems just like spongemaking - we have the latter down perfect now and so easy if you now how.
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,198
    Here you go, @Romla

    Spot the error ....(or they may 'stick' to the blue.)...
    should have been .....(or they may 'stick' to the BLADE.)  Duh.

    haha - almost the same as my directions!  LOL  (I used to be a demonstrator at the Gas Company AGL back in the 70s!!)


  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    Thankyou so much @arpie this recipe is exactly what we’ve been looking for -let you know how we get on.Only wish my kids were more adventurous as those lamb shanks looked wonderful.