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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! ;)
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- I meant Marleyspoon. Darn autocorrect. Also I mean when I cook the dinner for 2 servings I can make it 3 to 4 servings
- My husband and I rarely eat the same food except for bacon and eggs so you'll see us both in the kitchen at the same time preparing separate meals. I love the look and colour of veggies and always buy too much or end up not eating them, so waste money and food. Last year I started getting Marketspoon which delivers the ingredients and recipe cards. I bought 3 meals for 2 and they lasted me the whole week. I found it to be way too much food for me and expensive at $69. Then I saw the brought out a range called Dinnerly. Same thing, not so many ingredients and not the fancy recipe and photos. Instead I get the recipes and instructions on my phone. I started getting them weekly late last year. With delivery $47 I get 3 meals for 2 and often I can get 3 to 4 servings out them.so I also make them my lunches. The ingredients are top quality. I am very lazy and not a foodie. I would be happy with a slice of toast or a lump of cheese for my dinner. Having Dinnerly makes me eat better. This week I didn't have an order as I didn't fancy any of the dishes. There's never a problem with skipping weeks. They always want me to refer a friend by offering them a week's food for free to try. I find it much more economical to get my food this way, and it's delivered to my door. So no extra spending in the supermarket. How often do we go in for one thing, come out with 2 bags and forget the item that you went in there for.. Today's dish was Korean style sticky chicken rice
- That looks SCRUMMY, thanks @iserbrown ! I look forward to trying that one! ! Especially if there are any left overs - I often find the left overs to taste BETTER than the 'on the night' trial! ;)
- Spinach and Olive Tart - is yum and easy and great cold! I make this every summer and there's one in the fridge at present - seems to suit everyone's taste, in my household at least!
https://www.everydaydelicious.com.au/recipes/spinach-olive-pine-nut-tart-127220.aspx - I have made that recipe @arpie its really yummy. Although I have a soft spot for anything with citrus. :)
- I don't think I've put this one up before ....... it is REALLY YUMMY! So Rich!! I've made it for a dinner tonight with Keith's triathlon buddies & their wives ....... I've been making this dessert since the 70s ..... It will feed at least 12, even more!
No Bake Creamy Lemon Cheesecake - really rich & creamy - only cut into small portions!
Crumb crust: 1 packet Nice Biscuits (crushed to crumbs.) 1/2 pack butter (melted ... 125g)
Lightly grease an 8" Springform tin. Mix the butter into the biscuit crumbs. Press the mixture onto the base and sides of the tin. Chill the shell. (I used some extra biscuits as Keith had got into the packet & eaten some!! So I used about 1/4 of the 2nd pack - probably a few more than he had eaten - I also added some extra butter to make up for that increase too. I use a flat sided glass with a flat bottom to roll a bit less than half of the biscuit crumb mix on the bottom of the base & then use it to press the rest around the edges. Make sure the 'sides' aren't too thin.) When you mix the crumb/butter .... check it by pressing some hard with the back of your spoon ... it should hold together well.
Cream Cheese Filling: 2 x 250g Philly Cream Cheese. 1 c Condensed Milk 4T Lemon Juice 1T Lemon Rind
2t white vinegar 1 c thickened cream (whipped)
Allow the cheese to soften overnight. Whip the cream first (to soft peaks and set aside.) Then just use the electric beater to Beat the Cream Cheese til fairly smooth. Add the Condensed Milk, lemon rind & juice and vinegar. When nice & smooth (no lumps) gently fold in the whipped cream til well blended. Pour the mix into chilled shell & sprinkle some Nutmeg on the top. Refrigerate at least 2 days for it to chill right thru & 'set'. This one doesn't have gelatine to 'set it' so must stay in the fridge until time to serve, or it will soften.
One day, I will put it in the freezer to see how it freezes & 'comes up'!! If you have any left - give that a go!! There is No reason why it would NOT freeze well
(Once again, I increased most of the ingredients to make sure it fills the shell to the top! [and some left over as a treat too!] ) SO ..... I added an extra 1/2 pack of Philly, extra lemon Juice - 3-4 small lemons, HEAPS of lemon rind from these lemons (these flavours really 'develop' over the 2 days.) I used just under the small jar of thickened cream & 3/4 of the tin of condensed milk.)
T = Tablespoon/ounce t = teaspoon c = cup (Make sure it is one cup of thickened cream, whipped, NOT one cup of whipped cream! BIG difference!) - No worries @jennyss. Let us know how you go with it. :)
- Dear @kmakm, I'll try this recipe soon; thank you
- Looks good, @kmakm. I'm thinking the slow cooker would be good to do this in (onions on the slow setting, then dial it up to searing for the last bit. I'm not a patient person.
- @arpie No, I follow the recipe, just one onion. Sorry!
