Forum Discussion
What are your easiest, tastiest meals - quick to prepare when you can't think of anything!!
Hi guys
I have a few 'standard' easy meals that I always have the ingredients handy, in case I seriously can't be bothered cooking a 'fancy' meal ....... feel free to add your own 'Favs'! ;)
Last night, we had our winter favourite 'comfort food' - Lamb Shanks!! I cheat, and buy the Aldi FROZEN Lamb Shanks (2 for $12 already cooked - they usually cost that 'RAW'!!) - that way you can always have a couple in the freezer. I often take them with me when I am camping too - SO easy to just cook in the microwave with some sweet potato 'on the trot'!
Take them out of the box and they are even easier to store in the Freezer. If you decide to cook them up later in the day - just pop them in the sink (or big container) with cold/lukewarm water & they'll thaw out pretty quickly. Change the water if you want them to defrost quicker. They come in 'individual Vac Pacs' - and because they are already Pre Cooked - when you open them, the 'cooked fat' is already 'in solid form' and you just pull it out - so they are healthier for you too!!
There are 2 flavours - one with Mint in the gravy & the other one based on a red wine gravy. Both are LOVELY! This is how I prepare them for 2 people .......
In a BIG casserole pot, add 1 tin of diced tomato & 1 drained tin of Chickpeas. Add 1 x Cubed Potato, 1 x cubed small Sweet Potato, 1 x chopped/cubed Carrot. Mix them into the tomato/chickpeas sauce. Remove any 'solid fat' from both of the Shanks and add them to the casserole pot along with all the gravy in each pack. Mix the gravy well with the tomato mix. Cover the pot & cook at 180 degrees Celsius oven for 2-3hrs ..... stir every hour. The meat will just fall off the bone and I bet you enjoy them!
BONUS: After serving up with the gravy and veggies (and cabbage or your choice of greens...) whilst the remaining gravy & veg are still hot - use a Bamix (or similar) to pulverise it all ..... this will make a wonderful soup for the next day or so! I usually water it down a bit as it can be quite thick. Lovely with some toast for lunch.
One of my other favs is the 'Vac Pac'd' 'FLAT CHICKEN' .... once again, Aldi do a lovely one - with yoghurt & garlic with NO BONES - so you just cut up the chicken in slices when cooked. Just do a BIG ROAST - I do it in 2 dishes - the chicken in one (with alfoil under the chicken on a cake rack to reduce the cleaning!) and all the potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot & onion in another tray, all into the oven at the same time as the chicken - and it takes a bit less than 1hr to cook at 170 degrees Celsius. Turn the chicken & veg around after 1/2 hr. Cook greens in the microwave 5 mins before serving time. This gives us 2 full sized meals for 2 for 2 nights. Once again - keep one of the chickens in the freezer - as they are 'flat' they store really easily & don't take long to defrost in the sink in cold/lukewarm water - great for when unexpected guests turn up, too.
When my Grandmother first went into secure living (with her own kitchen) I suggested that she cut up a whole chicken (for numerous meals) and put it into a casserole dish with a packet of Chicken Noodle Soup & the required amount of liquid, as well as a chopped onion & sliced red capsicum ..... cook it for about an hour - and it was YUMMY - and gives lots of meals too - served with salad. (Whole frozen chickens are VERY reasonably priced ......)
Here's the 'after pic' of my lamb shanks last night ....... just as well we don't have a dog .... nothing much left! ;)
I have a few 'standard' easy meals that I always have the ingredients handy, in case I seriously can't be bothered cooking a 'fancy' meal ....... feel free to add your own 'Favs'! ;)
Last night, we had our winter favourite 'comfort food' - Lamb Shanks!! I cheat, and buy the Aldi FROZEN Lamb Shanks (2 for $12 already cooked - they usually cost that 'RAW'!!) - that way you can always have a couple in the freezer. I often take them with me when I am camping too - SO easy to just cook in the microwave with some sweet potato 'on the trot'!
Take them out of the box and they are even easier to store in the Freezer. If you decide to cook them up later in the day - just pop them in the sink (or big container) with cold/lukewarm water & they'll thaw out pretty quickly. Change the water if you want them to defrost quicker. They come in 'individual Vac Pacs' - and because they are already Pre Cooked - when you open them, the 'cooked fat' is already 'in solid form' and you just pull it out - so they are healthier for you too!!
There are 2 flavours - one with Mint in the gravy & the other one based on a red wine gravy. Both are LOVELY! This is how I prepare them for 2 people .......
In a BIG casserole pot, add 1 tin of diced tomato & 1 drained tin of Chickpeas. Add 1 x Cubed Potato, 1 x cubed small Sweet Potato, 1 x chopped/cubed Carrot. Mix them into the tomato/chickpeas sauce. Remove any 'solid fat' from both of the Shanks and add them to the casserole pot along with all the gravy in each pack. Mix the gravy well with the tomato mix. Cover the pot & cook at 180 degrees Celsius oven for 2-3hrs ..... stir every hour. The meat will just fall off the bone and I bet you enjoy them!
BONUS: After serving up with the gravy and veggies (and cabbage or your choice of greens...) whilst the remaining gravy & veg are still hot - use a Bamix (or similar) to pulverise it all ..... this will make a wonderful soup for the next day or so! I usually water it down a bit as it can be quite thick. Lovely with some toast for lunch.
One of my other favs is the 'Vac Pac'd' 'FLAT CHICKEN' .... once again, Aldi do a lovely one - with yoghurt & garlic with NO BONES - so you just cut up the chicken in slices when cooked. Just do a BIG ROAST - I do it in 2 dishes - the chicken in one (with alfoil under the chicken on a cake rack to reduce the cleaning!) and all the potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot & onion in another tray, all into the oven at the same time as the chicken - and it takes a bit less than 1hr to cook at 170 degrees Celsius. Turn the chicken & veg around after 1/2 hr. Cook greens in the microwave 5 mins before serving time. This gives us 2 full sized meals for 2 for 2 nights. Once again - keep one of the chickens in the freezer - as they are 'flat' they store really easily & don't take long to defrost in the sink in cold/lukewarm water - great for when unexpected guests turn up, too.
When my Grandmother first went into secure living (with her own kitchen) I suggested that she cut up a whole chicken (for numerous meals) and put it into a casserole dish with a packet of Chicken Noodle Soup & the required amount of liquid, as well as a chopped onion & sliced red capsicum ..... cook it for about an hour - and it was YUMMY - and gives lots of meals too - served with salad. (Whole frozen chickens are VERY reasonably priced ......)
Here's the 'after pic' of my lamb shanks last night ....... just as well we don't have a dog .... nothing much left! ;)
338 Replies
- OMG ..... this looks like becoming a firm favourite - it sounds SOOOOO EASY!!!
Impossible Apple Pie!
It looked SO easy - I gave it a go today! READ THE RECIPE/METHOD FIRST .... I didn't have the round pie dish or caster sugar - and my eggs were somewhat out of date But I used them anyway .... then I mashed the tin of apple (thinking it should be 'pie apple' but it should have remained 'slices'!! Coles has Apple Slices in tins, called Pink Lady!)
So I cooked it in an alfoil BB! dish ..... that I'd sprayed well .... and it worked!!
And when I let it cool down .... it looked (and tasted) terrific!!! Custard on the bottom, then apple & crunchy coconut on top!! All it needed was some ice cream (that I didn't have!) but i enjoyed it anyway!!
Give it a go ..... - ooooh - this one sounds fun .... easy to do the thin slices if you have a Mandolin slicer .... I reckon the air fryer would work a treat too!! :)
- I don’t have a formal recipe for this but a “standby “ I have is Vietnamese noodles simmered in boiling water with chicken wings marinated in honey and soy sauce and roasted in the oven (160 degrees) and I mix in some steamed finely chopped carrot and zucchini .
- I'll be trying that one, @iserbrown!! :). It looks like it would be great when camping too ..... if in a powered spot, possibly in the good old electric frypan with lid on, low temp? Or even in a camp oven away from the main flame, not too hot?
- https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/bacon-vegetable-slice-recipe-2/maj4akpy
This is a hit in our home! - Now THIS one looks great for a cold winter's night (you could do it in a camp oven when out camping too!)
Potato & Meatballs in Bechamel Sauce with cheese topping!
Before & after pics .... a good one for the kids to cook, I reckon!INGREDIENTS
For the Bechamel Sauce
- 2.5 oz of Butter
- A quarter cup of plain flour
- 4 cups of milk
- 2 tsp of salt or according to your liking
- Half a teaspoon of Nutmeg
For Potatoes & Meatballs
- 3 Potatoes
- 1 medium-sized Onion - diced finely
- 500 g Beef Mince
- Chopped Parsley
- 1 tsp of Paprika Powder
- 4.5 oz of Mozzarella Cheese
- Salt and Pepper for seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
How to make the Bechamel Sauce?
- You will start by making a well-blended bechamel sauce that will be used later.
- First, you need to take a saucepan and keep it over medium to low heat and melt the butter.
- Add the flour and stir it with the butter.
- Keep mixing the flour and butter until it gets smooth and changes its colour to light golden.
- You can take another pan for boiling the milk.
- As soon as your milk is boiled, start adding it gradually to the butter and mix it. You must stir constantly to make sure that the mixture is smooth.
- Now increase the flame and let the mixture absorb the milk.
- You can cook for around 10 minutes and then reduce the heat.
- For seasoning your sauce, add nutmeg or salt to give the perfect balancing taste.
How to make potatoes and meatballs:
- First, preheat the oven at 400 degrees before you put the potatoes and meatballs to cook.
- Now, take a large bowl, add meat, onion, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper. You can even try some other seasonings if you like them in your meatballs. (Mixed Herbs could be nice!)
- Mix the ingredients to make a perfect mixture.
- Peel 3 potatoes and boil them for 5 to 7 minutes until they are semi-soft. Now, take a knife and slice them in rounds.
- Take a square or round dish, spray with oil, and put the slices of boiled potatoes in it.
- You can add the potatoes on the side and the bottom.
- After that prepare your meatballs from the mixture. You can either take an ice cream scoop spoon for help or prepare them with your hands.
- Now, add those meatballs to the potatoes in the dish.
To fill the gaps between the meatballs add potatoes on the sides of them. - Now, add your delicious bechamel sauce on the meatballs and potatoes until the dish is half-full.
- Now, add a thin layer of cheese above the sauce.
- Finally, put the dish in the oven and let it cook for 15 minutes.
- Your wonderful and tasty dish is ready and you will definitely fall in love with it.
Hmmmm - I think I'd leave it in for a tad longer than 15 mins (even tho the potatoes are already half cooked & the bechamel sauce is still hot) .... that doesn't really sound long enough for the meatballs, as they are quite large!
Let me know how you go when you make it - and how long you left it in for? - They are even better if you blacken them on a BBQ and then peel them. Delicious. When we have a BBQ a few get thrown on !
- YUM - Roast Chicken has to be my alltime FAVOURITE ..... what time is dinner?? ;)
I just made another lot of Roast Capsicum strips - in the fridge cooling down now xx. YUM!!! It is the only way I'll eat Capsicum!! Great as a side on ANY meal! - Hi I don’t have a photo but my “ go to” dish is classic roast chicken - we had it tonight.
I buy an organic chicken and stuff it with a breadcrumb mix of fried onions and zucchini , breadcrumbs and mixed herbs plus an egg.
I do baked vegetables in the baking dish ( potatoes, sweet potato and beetroot) and steamed green veggies.
I make the gravy in the baking dish after removing the chicken and resting it upside down under Alfoil for 10 minutes with some flour and water and a splash of wine ( either Chardonnay or Pinot noir).
Next time I’ll post the photo . - Having fun with the air fryer ... I did a nice batch of roast capsicum strip's.... just remove the seeds and slice (wide strips) ... I did about 3-4 capsicums.
Place them in the air fryer and spray lightly with olive oil.
200 degrees for 7 mins .. check them, give them a shake if you like. Then another 7 mins and they should be 'done' ...
It is much quicker than in the oven, for the same result. ENJOY
