I'm boring myself with my cooking. Hit me with your midweek meals please?

[Megatron]

I'm literally boring myself to death with my own cooking and need some new ideas. I love cooking and not afraid to try new things but time restraints mean that I like things that don't take too long - 40 mins max unless it's just something you bung in the oven. So my usual staples are:

Spaghetti bolognese and various combinations using bolognese sauce.
Fish with lentils and tomatoes and crusty bread.
Sausage, mash and beans
Parmesan chicken, jacket spuds and veg
Chickpea curry, rice and flatbreads
Omelettes/Frittatas
Chinese style pork and rice
Chicken tikka and bombay potatoes
Macaroni cheese
Lentil Shepherds pie

I also have a very fussy 16 year old who snacks constantly but I need ideas for reasonably healthy snacks that he can take out with him. He doesn't like anything it seems.

I'd love to come to your house for tea OP, much more interesting than in mine

I posted this on another thread yesterday. Recently discovered this lovely chicken recipe. Just chucked it in the oven at 160 for about 20 mins, served with salad and crusty bread.

www.irishtimes.com/1.4274682

Lovely recipe. Might use it for Thai wraps with lettuce.

We have this every few weeks, doesn't take long. Usually have it with boiled baby potatoes.
www.eatgood4life.com/jamie-olivers-baked-salmon/

Pasta pesto with veg and bacon - fry bacon, broccoli, mushroom, tomatoes (all chopped up) in olive oil for 10 mins whilst the pasta is cooking. Add pesto to the pasta and then whack all the veg/bacon on top. Loads of parmesan on top. Takes max 15 mins.

Chicken in the oven (we call it!)....lightly brown chicken thighs/drumsticks (bone in) in a pan, then transfer to roasting dish. Drizzle olive oil, juice of 1 lemon and 5 cloves of garlic in. Whack in oven for an hour. When its done theres loads of juice which you can use as gravy. Serve with potatoes and veg or pasta and veg. I do about 12 bits of chicken and then can save the rest for lunch the next day for sandwiches etc. You can also put leeks under the chicken when its cooking for extra veg.

If anyone wants a free simply cook box use simplycook.com/invite/SV8153

We love the recipe boxes and it had lived up our dinners. The Cajun meatballs are amazing!

Tonight we're having greek marinaded lamb skewers, with pilaf rice, and green salad. About ten minutes to make the marinade, and about 30 minutes cooking time.

That sounds nice @mbosnz. What recipe is it?

Not cooking today, DH cooking pizza's in his new Pizza oven. So when people can visit he will have perfected them.

I on the other hand will be sick of them .

I make my own lamb tagine in the slow cooker so easy.brown cubed lamb and put in slow cooker.Add lamb stock tinned tomatoes handful of herbs and tin of chickpeas.Put on low and if you do it in morning it's ready for evening dinner. Serve with couscous.

It's so hot right now we're having gazpacho... I sent DH to the market earlier to get tomatoes/peppers/onions/cucumber/garlic. Blitz it up (except for some more coarsely chopped bits which you add back in later) and stick in the fridge for a few hours. It literally takes about 20 minutes to make. Serve with garlic bread.

Turkey escalopes.
Heat some oil in a large frying pan.
Mix up some flour with dried herbs, seasoning, and/or parmesan or chilli flakes.
Dip the turkey escalope in the egg and then coat in the flour. Fry for a couple of minutes each side in a medium hot pan.
Great with sweet potato mash and green beans or chips and peas!
Also with a blob of cranberry sauce on the side.

Chicken pittas
Marinade scored chicken breasts in olive oil, lemon or lime juice, with fresh chilli, some herbs and garlic with a squeeze of honey.
Cut up peppers and onions in chunks in a dish and put the chicken on top, drizzle some oil and bake for about 25 minutes. (Cover with foil for first 10 minutes).
Once cooked, roughly cut up chicken breasts and serve from the dish with lemon wedges, warmed pittas or flatbreads, salad and fries.

Making the honey and garlic pork loin tonight so will be interesting to see if DS likes it or not! 😊

InDubiousBattle I’ve just cooked the chorizo and halloumi bake you recommended. It was delicious so thank you for the recipe/idea!
This thread has been great for new ideas. Looking forward to the chicken and broccoli in creamy sauce next!

I chuck casseroles of any sort in the slow cooker...easy and delicious

Couple of really tasty gnocchi dishes which are quick and easy.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chorizo-mozzarella-gnocchi-bake

www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/quick-and-easy/gnocchi-with-peas-and-pancetta/

Mushroom barley "risotto" tonight. Longer than 20 mins but once it's on, there's no work. Approx 75g barley per adult, finely sliced leek, 4-5 cups of stock and whatever mushrooms are in the fridge. Simmer for about an hour, stir occasionally. Add more stock if it looks dry. I had pickings of chicken and some roast veg that I threw in for the last 10 mins too.

I did nigella turkey meatballs this evening served with bulgar wheat. I’ve got a load to freeze so I’ll do them with pasta in a couple of weeks.