Minimum mess cooking

[stainesmassif]

Dh has developed an interest in cooking inspired by the Jamie Oliver iPhone app. Unfortunately jamie's recipes generate four day's worth of washing up.

Any suggestions for tasty dinners that don't use every kitchen utensil? (dh will not eat anything like a casserole to make the challenge more interesting)

anyone?

Tell him he has to do the washing up as well and see how many utensils he uses.

IME, men never wash up as they go along.

well that's the problem right there. he will do the washing up, just not until all of the utensils have been used including egg cups and fish slices. possibly next week.

Every man I know that cooks (father, husband, brother) uses everything in the kitchen when they do. Has to be the biggest knife, biggest pan, biggest chopping board etc.

Need to look out for one pot recipes I'd say. Chilli, casseroles and stews, pot roasts, even pies (lid only type) if you get ready made pastry and use and oven proof pan to cook the filling in. Men tend to like to eat this kind of food too which always helps.

Good on him for taking up the challenge though! Not many do. And good on you for supporting him!

Sorry - just read the end of your post re casseroles. Do you think he might be like kids - like the food if he made it himself?? Hope that doesn't sound patronising although I'm pretty sure it does.

haha! it does and should sound patronising! he has ridiculous 'rules' about 'wet' food. curry is okay - what's that if not a casserole with a hot sauce? but stews, casseroles etc are considered to be dirty food. i blame his mum - she takes his dad's chicken off the bone for him before serving it!!

OMG! That's nuts. He definately has food issues. What's dirty about a casserole?? I feel for you! But still, he's trying, so should encourage him. Lancashire hot pot is great, slow cooked and manly but not as 'wet' as a casserole, so maybe not considered dirty? I have a top recipe if you'd like it.

Oh no, definitely falls into the casserole category. Also it contains lamb, which may remind him of the fact that he's eating an animal. He's a hopeless case!

Successful Jamie dishes are anything with chicken breast, any pasta. Fish is generally unacceptable. God, now I think about it, he's worse than our 2 year old.

Lol! If he likes pasta, get him making his own. Plenty of mess to make there!

oh yes, he'd enjoy that! i can just picture it. if he's ever allowed to make pasta it'll be the day before the cleaner comes.