If you’re a cook from scratcher….

[CurlewKate]

…What one convenience thing do you buy and love? Mine is microwave pouches of puy lentils. So quick and delicious.

Yorkshire puds and custard.
I'm a good cook but can't manage either of these!

Microwave rice (I have plans to stop, though).

Yorkshire puddings and stock although planning to start this year

Stock, Yorkshire Puddings, Pizza

I don’t make any of the above from scratch

Frozen Solfeggio - ie chopped up carrot, onion and celery. Great for soup bases and bolognaise.

Frozen breaded fish and chips for Friday suppers.

Def yorkies and custard. Have just bought a monsieur cuisine (cheap version of thermomix from… Lidl!) so may try custard soon. Am coeliac which makes a lot of sauces more practical yet a pain in the arse to make from scratch.

Frozen minced garlic cubes. I know it’s not as good but I use so much garlic, I can’t always face the faff.

I’m a 90% from scratcher but I have loads of shortcuts that I love

frozen chopped onions & sofrito
microwave rice (used if short on time or for stir fry)
concentrated chicken stock- I do make my own but I use way more than I can make
stuffed pasta
thai curry paste
massaman curry paste
harissa paste
pizza

Lasagne. I’ve never made a lasagna, life’s too short.

Merchant Gourmet puy lentils are great, as are their packets of grains.

I don't often make stock from scratch. I used to but it's such a faff.

I keep frozen diced onions in the freezer and use those if we haven't got any fresh ones in. Very lazy!

Pesto, I have made it but the fresh supermarket stuff is good

Also the brown and wild rice microwavable bags.

Spice Taylor curry packets

Schwartz chilli con carne mix. It has to be Schwartz.

The packet tortellini that cook in 90 seconds, when we’re home late and the kids need something hot. It’s their favourite meal even when we have time to cook properly 😂

Never come across prepped soffritto, sounds great. I do like the ready peeled and sliced butternut squash, but I don’t think it quite counts as convenience!

I keep a box of smash-type mashed potato in my cupboard. I live alone and potatoes are different varieties here, and water is very hard, so HM mash is not the same as at home. (And I do looong hours at times). I don’t have a microwave, just hob, oven and rarely used slow cooker (I love it but not home enough to use). But I do make very effective use of my freezer!

Frozen mash potato

Soffritto. Solfeggio is something to do with magical healing music which I don't think you can freeze 🥲

Any kind of pastry (even Saint Mary of Berry uses bought pastry!)
Pesto
Yorkies
Chips
Custard
stock cubes
lazy garlic/ginger/chillies
pizza
fishcakes

otherwise, all my own work 🤣

Fresh pasta - it's so quick.

I’m very confused by the Yorkshire puddings. Mary Berry‘s recipe - easy - banging’ every time.
I cba to make curry pastes or powders though.

Chunky fish fingers and oven chips for the night I can't be bothered or don't have time or ingredients.

Stock cubes
Frozen minced garlic and ginger cubes. Mainly as I was fed up with tiny tubers of fresh gjnger and garlic that kept sprouting
Pizza
Pastry when I use normal stuff, but now need to make gluten free and I don't make good pastry at the best of times, so gf is a challenge!
Curry pastes for korma and rogan josh but have started venturing into making my own
Pesto as youngest is the only one who likes it and eldest can't have it as it contains dairy

Fish fingers, sticky rice, bistro best gravy

*not all together

Frozen chopped garlic/ginger
Massaman curry paste
Frozen Yorkshire puddings.... I love home made but my sons won't eat them 😔
Chopped frozen peppers/cauliflower/ stir fry mix (baby corn/carrot/ sugar snap peas).

Jus rol puff pastry. I make my own shortcrust pastry and I am becoming a more confident baker, so maybe I'll leave it behind one day. Other than that, I don't use convenience foods at all as I am very picky about UPFs and other nasties.