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Super-easy Friday night dinner

44 replies

Eyelashesoffire · 13/11/2025 17:15

I'm talking open packets, put on table. I'm just shattered. I've been doing a 'mezze' style dinner recently for Fridays but they're bored of that now. To complicate things I'm low carb, dairy free but the others aren't. One is veggie.

OP posts:
BarryKentPoet · 14/11/2025 09:26

Saw a recipe on Tiktok for korma naanizzas that looked different but very easy. It was like a naan bread pizza with roppings.

OhCobblers · 14/11/2025 09:34

Google the recipe for GREEK LEMON CHICKEN AND POTATOES and have with big salad for you

senua · 14/11/2025 10:16

The other stand-by I forgot to mention was kebabs i.e. lumps of stuff threaded on a skewer. This is quick to make and to cook. It has endless permutations (ingredients, marinades, dressings) and you can easily vary it to suit personal preferences e.g. leave out the meat-lumps for the vegetarian and substitute mushrooms.
The only problem is possible cross-contamination if they are all cooked under the same grill.

bittertwisted · 14/11/2025 10:48

Crisps. Dips. Wine

Eyelashesoffire · 14/11/2025 13:56

Thanks for all the ideas, I particularly like crisps and wine suggestions! 🤣 Sadly I'm on a health drive so I'll have to go with hot smoked salmon tonight.

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 14/11/2025 13:58

Mince meat with can of tinned tomatoes and onions all cooked. So doesn't take long. With pasta

CaminoPlanner · 14/11/2025 14:05

Pasta, arrabiata sauce and salad. They have normal pasta, you have zero noodles. They can add cheese. You call all add toasted pinenuts and fresh basil and olives if you like.

Chicken tray bake with baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives and spinach. Put half a glass of white wine in the base, swirl a bag or two of spinach and a bag of tiny potatoes into it, season. Put chicken pieces on top and scatter tomatoes and olives between them. Brush garlic paste over the chicken and sprinkle with oregano or sprigs of thyme or a sprinkling of chilli flakes. Cook in the oven for 30-40 mins until the chicken is crispy, golden and bubbling.

Or Chicken breast pieces tossed in a curry sauce with quartered onions, baby carrots, green beans and cauliflower florets. Cover in tin foil and bake for 40 mins.

Both those tray bakes take 5-10 mins to prep.

CaminoPlanner · 14/11/2025 14:07

senua · 14/11/2025 10:16

The other stand-by I forgot to mention was kebabs i.e. lumps of stuff threaded on a skewer. This is quick to make and to cook. It has endless permutations (ingredients, marinades, dressings) and you can easily vary it to suit personal preferences e.g. leave out the meat-lumps for the vegetarian and substitute mushrooms.
The only problem is possible cross-contamination if they are all cooked under the same grill.

I know that should be quick but kebabs take me for bloody ever. Chopping veg and meat to the correct size. threading them onto skewers, turning them carefully, cleaning the grill pan afterwards. making a rice salad etc to go with them. It takes me an hour to make kebabs. Or am I being stupid. Do you buy them ready skewered?

DilemmaDelilah · 14/11/2025 15:13

My 'easy' meal is always cooked chicken, salad and jacket potatoes, or a version of that. Veggie could have cheese or eggs, or a quiche or something.

Still very easy is stir fry. You can buy packets of ready-prepared vegetables and meat, and ready-to-wok noodles. I'm cooking a lot of stir fries at the moment as I'm trying to eat more vegetables. I usually put in cashew nuts, so could you do a veggie version for the vegetarian with nuts for protein?

We have several stir fries a week, using different types of meat, different sauces, and lots of vegetables - usually a combination of a selection of peppers, pak choi, onions, broccoli, baby corn, water chestnuts, cashew nuts, garlic, sugar snap peas, beansprouts. I'm definitely not a vegetarian, but this is a meal I would be happy to eat with no meat and either noodles or rice.

PocketsAndSedition · 14/11/2025 15:14

@PrizedPickledPopcorn I love the sound of your salads. Do you have any particular recipes you follow?

PistachioTiramisu · 14/11/2025 15:40

What is 'zucchini'?

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/11/2025 16:35

PocketsAndSedition · 14/11/2025 15:14

@PrizedPickledPopcorn I love the sound of your salads. Do you have any particular recipes you follow?

‘Fraid not. But think of things you’ve had that you like. See what’s in the fridge. I’ve got one of those Mandoline slicers that makes it fast.

A whole cucumber, dill, black pepper and a spoon of yogurt. Extra good if you take the time to salt and drain the cucumber first.

From the Indian take away, cucumber chunks with yogurt and mint. Finely chopped onion, tomatoes and cucumber.

Bean salad- sugar salt and vinegar whisked together. Finely chopped onion. Different beans- kidney, Lima, chickpeas, butter beans, edame/soy, baby broad beans. Sweetcorn, maybe finely chopped red pepper. This one really needs to sit for a few days, stirring occasionally, so the beans soak up the sweet vinegar.

Coleslaw variations- red or green cabbage, carrot, some dressing- yogurt, mayo or salad cream. Add some variations of apple, walnut, dried fruit.

lettuce with lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar

Grated carrots and salted peanuts, raisins/sultanas if you like them.

lentils, vinegar, spices…

roast cauliflower, cumin, butternut squash,

Ooh, coriander. I don’t make it often because DS1 is one of those no coriander peeps. But Mexican style salsa with chopped tomatoes, onion, sweetcorn and coriander leaves.

You can add seeds to anything, too. Most of those get better with age except for the lettuce one. That’s good on day 2.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/11/2025 16:36

PocketsAndSedition · 14/11/2025 15:14

@PrizedPickledPopcorn I love the sound of your salads. Do you have any particular recipes you follow?

Courgette. Depends where you live.

senua · 14/11/2025 16:36

CaminoPlanner · 14/11/2025 14:07

I know that should be quick but kebabs take me for bloody ever. Chopping veg and meat to the correct size. threading them onto skewers, turning them carefully, cleaning the grill pan afterwards. making a rice salad etc to go with them. It takes me an hour to make kebabs. Or am I being stupid. Do you buy them ready skewered?

Chopping veg and meat to the correct size
chicken is often diced breast, so already chopped. Veg tend to be big chunks.
cleaning the grill pan afterwards
Line with tin foil
making a rice salad etc to go with them
do it while the skewers are cooking

PocketsAndSedition · 14/11/2025 17:01

@PrizedPickledPopcorn that's a brilliant set of ideas, thank you! Sometimes my brain just goes blank on these things.

jay55 · 14/11/2025 17:04

Ham egg and chips, no chips for you, no ham for the veggie.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/11/2025 17:12

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/11/2025 16:35

‘Fraid not. But think of things you’ve had that you like. See what’s in the fridge. I’ve got one of those Mandoline slicers that makes it fast.

A whole cucumber, dill, black pepper and a spoon of yogurt. Extra good if you take the time to salt and drain the cucumber first.

From the Indian take away, cucumber chunks with yogurt and mint. Finely chopped onion, tomatoes and cucumber.

Bean salad- sugar salt and vinegar whisked together. Finely chopped onion. Different beans- kidney, Lima, chickpeas, butter beans, edame/soy, baby broad beans. Sweetcorn, maybe finely chopped red pepper. This one really needs to sit for a few days, stirring occasionally, so the beans soak up the sweet vinegar.

Coleslaw variations- red or green cabbage, carrot, some dressing- yogurt, mayo or salad cream. Add some variations of apple, walnut, dried fruit.

lettuce with lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar

Grated carrots and salted peanuts, raisins/sultanas if you like them.

lentils, vinegar, spices…

roast cauliflower, cumin, butternut squash,

Ooh, coriander. I don’t make it often because DS1 is one of those no coriander peeps. But Mexican style salsa with chopped tomatoes, onion, sweetcorn and coriander leaves.

You can add seeds to anything, too. Most of those get better with age except for the lettuce one. That’s good on day 2.

That should have said a finely sliced whole cucumber- not a whole cucumber sprinkled with dill and yoghurt. That would be silly!

kennycat · 14/11/2025 22:35

chicken/halloumi/whatever, rip up some onions, peppers, mushrooms , tin of pulses, etc. grab 4 slices blindly from the spice cupboard, a swig of wine and olive oil (in the dish rather than your mouth) and air fry for 20 mins.
loaf of cutty bread or a baguette and there you go.
tun of ice cream and some biscuits for
pud.

TiredofLDN · 14/11/2025 22:39

supermarket rotisserie chicken.
salads
French stick and butter for those who want it
If you felt like pushing the boat out, you could make like a Chermoula dressing, or microwave one of those merchant gourmet packets of something pulse-y for the veggie. But I wouldn’t bother with lentils for myself.

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