Really quick HOT meals I can have for supper?

[DooinMeCleanin]

I work in a takeaway. We have no double glazing, one tiny inefficent radiator and a door that is constantly opening and closing. The staff do have their own gas fire behind the counter but it's still freezing.

I had on a vest, a t-shirt, a long sleeved t-shirt and two hoodies last night and was still frozen stiff by the time I got home.

My kitchen has no heat and a stupid air brick that lets in all the cold, plus it's all tiled.

I want something hot to eat to warm me up after work that doesn't involve me having to stand cooking in my freezing kitchen for longer than 10 - 15 minutes, preferably less.

Here's the catch - I don't like most convience foods. Tinned soup I can do but it gets boring after a while, plus when I am on split shifts I don't get much time and my supper is my main meal. I don't like beans, any other tinned food or frozen microwave meals. I had soup yesterday, today I have a homemade minced lamb pasty I just bought from the butchers but I'd really like an actual meal for once.

You lovely, clever MNetters have some ideas, yes?

Oooh I just posted my 10 min pasta combinations on another thread...any longer than 10 min and my SPD gives me hell.

Can you cover the air brick?
Do you have an oven? You could put something like fish or chicken with pesto/veg and just let it bake without you being in the kitchen.

Can you prepare something before hand to heat up in a microwave?

Pasta is usually quick
Stir fry
Chicken/prawn curry using an onion, pataks curry paste, tinned tomatoes, yoghurt or coconut milk.

Or get a slow cooker?

Ah yes candid has good ideas - batch cook your own nice meals (chili, stew, bolognese) and heat in the microwave.

From another thread:

My 10 min pregnancy lifesaver has been pasta, with the formula of cheese+savoury+greens. Put the pasta on to boil, greens thrown in with the pasta at the last minute, cheese thrown in with the drained pasta to melt so it's all in one pot.

In the last three weeks we've had, mixed with penne or fusilli:
goat's cheese + crumbled sausages + shredded cabbage
gorgonzola (ok when cooked, and apparently even when uncooked now!) + pancetta + cavolo nero
boursin + field mushrooms + beet tops
goat's cheese + ricotta + leftover roast butternut squash + spinach
cheddar + bacon + leeks (and a little cream)
parmesan + olive paste + Ikea swedish meatballs

Pasta with a stir-in sauce - pesto is my favourite.
Salad Nicoise
Omelette - ham, cheese & tomato, chrozio and red pepper, Spanish if yu have leftover potatoes
Fried rice - use frozen prawns or pre-cooked chicken
Kedgeree
Grilled halloumi & salad
Noodle soup

I could let something bake. I do have an oven. I work weeknights and don't finish until midnight. By the time I get home I just want something warm to eat and/or my bed. There are times when I just need my warm bed and I go to bed without tea.

We have a slow cooker but I usually leave the dc's tea in there. We should invest in a second one really.

Pasta I like. I can do pasta. Fresh pasta with some grated parmesan. Yum.

I was wondering about homemade soups or stews? Would they keep if I prepared them on a morning since my kitchen is one giant fridge anyway?

We can't cover the airbrick because it's very important for something . So I've been told anyway.

Btw I'm really confused by your post.
Is it your work kitchen thats cold? Do you want to cook something at work to have after work?
Is your take away food not good enough?
If you work in a take away, why is your kitchen cold? Surely there will be heat from all the cookin?
Confused and nosey

My work place is cold. The kitchen at work is warm but I work behind the counter and they get annoyed with me if I keep wandering into the kitchen too warm myself up next to the deep fat fryer

When I get home my own kitchen is also freezing.

The takeway food is lovely. I would live off of chips and gravy if I could but I'm not sure that is very healthy so I want something to cook after work that doesn't involve still standing in the cold for any longer than neccessary.

Tin mixed beans, jar pasta sauce, chilli paste/Tabasco to taste; fresh coriander, mmm. Have it in a pitta and escape the icy kitchen sharpish

Ah thanks for clearing that up

What time does your shift start? Could you not have your main meal before work and then just have a snack after work?

If youre cooking for your dcs anyway, I'd suggest invest in a bigger slow cooker and make enough for all of you. The easy way out

Oooh that sounds lovely lostlady. I will have that for supper tommorrow.

Our kitchen is very cold too - we often leave stuff on the hob for a day, sure that wouldn't be a problem in your kitchen which sounds even colder.

Candid I work 11:30 until 2pm and then do the school run/fit lunch in if I can, walk the dogs and prepare dc tea. I start work again at 5:30pm.

I don't get lunch until around 2:30pm so I am not ready for dinner before I start work, I only have time for a quick lunch.

I don't make things easy do I?

You have a hectic life, woman!

Eggs are fast. My favourite omelettes are chorizo, tomato and feta or spinach, bacon, tomato and cheddar. I also love scrambled eggs with chopped spring onions and smoked Tobasco. For something carbier you could do egg-fried rice with leftover (or microwaved in a pouch) rice, fried in sesame oil, with soy sauce and whatever veg/meat leftovers you have hanging around. It's really good with ham, sweetcorn and peas.

Warm salads are also good, because you often only have to cook one ingredient for them to feel warming. Last night we had rocket, tomato, red onion, beetroot (unvinegared), smoked mackerel, hot steamed broccoli and a horseradish/creme fraiche dressing. It was delicious. Alternatively try boiling some tiny baby new potatoes and dressing them while still hot in a mustardy viniagrette with shards of crispy bacon and spring onions. Any leftovers will be good the next day for lunch. Or do a salade nicoise with hot green beans and boiled eggs. You can even do the eggs beforehand and plunge them in with the beans for a minute to heat them up, to save time.

Your omlettes are so imaginative. I just end up with ham and mushroom omlette. It's no wonder I get bored. I lack imagination

Spinache and feta omlette has gone on my list of yummy suppers.