laziest meals...that look like you made an effort

[ghoulelocks]

can we pool ideas, those meals that get brownie points but are very little effort.

My contribution:

lamb casserole:
diced meat
frozen veg (tesco do nice and chunky mix)
few spices

throw in big pot, oven 90min. looks lovely, don't even get a knife dirty and takes about 2 min prep.

[OliviaYouCannotBSeriousMumsnet]

[BiddyPop]

Other easy option is my Feta Chicken

Under the skin of part-boned chick breasts, put a good pinch of thyme leaves (dried is fine) and chunk feta cheese. Roast for 40 mins or so. I generally serve with roast potatoes, and baby potatoes roasted work well in this instance for ease.

10 mins before end, put a spray of cherry tomatoes (on vine looks good and poncy) into tray with chicken (I do spuds in a different tray for this dinner).

Serve with some steamed mange tout/sugar snap peas/french beans if want extra veg, or bag salad.

(The original BBC Good Food recipe called for serving with fresh tagliatelle mixed with steamed french beans and lots of quartered olives, but I find spuds work better for us).


I also used the part-boned breasts to make a fast lemon chicken - season chick well (salt, pepper) with a sliced onion in tray and scatter over chopped garlic and some lemon zest. Squeeze the juice of a (half or whole, depends on your taste) lemon over the top in tray and put into oven to roast 40 mins. Baby roasties again. Perhaps a garlic baguette.

Usually serve with roasted meditteranean veg - bit of a faff chopping (onion, garlic, mushrooms, peppers, courgettes, cherry tomatoes, maybe some beans/mangetout, aubergine if people will eat it) but just scatter over some salt, pepper, oregano, slug olive oil, perhaps slug balsamic vinegar, and throw into oven for 30 mins. And all leftovers great in couscous or tossed in pasta next day too.

[BiddyPop]

Chorizo potatoes:

Bag baby/salad potatoes
Jar tomato and chilli sauce (Sacla one has baby cherry toms in it which is nice)
Slice a chorizo sausage into nice chunks
(Grated mozarella over top if really want poncy)

Mix together in oven dish and cook for 1 hr (until spuds done)
Throw some baby spinach over top for last 10 mins if desired, serve with chunks fresh baguette (pop into oven from part-baked pack for last 10 mins also) and some rocket or wilted spinach

[Doretaball]

Great thread.

My easy one:

Mushroom and salmon pasta

Fry an onion. Add packet of sliced mushrooms. Add carton of creme fraiche (half fat works too). Add packet of smoked salmon (either nice slices chopped up or cheap bits depending on how flush you're feeling). Add chopped parsley and squeeze of lemon if you have them.

Mix into pasta.

Super quick easy and delicious.

[DXBMermaid]

I eat this a lot when I am by myself as I hate cooking for one.

1 yellow pepper
1 courgette
1 onion
(all chopped into big chunks)
Uncooked by cleaned prawns (from the freezer section)
Pesto
Creme Fraiche (optional)

Fry veg in a little olive oil till soft, add prawns till they turn pink. Add pesto and creme fraiche, serve with bread.

Or this one:
Finely slice a fennel bulb and an apple.
Mix with blue cheese and yellow raisins. Drizzle some olive oil and a pinch of salt over it.
I'll have this with a pork chop or some sausages.

For desert I made some Eton Mess the other day and could not believe how easy it was. Dice up strawberries add a couple of tablespoons of juice and some balsamic vinegar (or alcohol). Whip cream with a little sugar. Break shop bought meringues into bowls, spoon over cream and top with strawberries.

I also like Nigella's ice cream cake. Looks so impressive! www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/ice-cream-cake-recipe/index.html I don't bother with the sauces and will use whatever chocolate or biscuits I can find in the house.

Another easy Nigella one, I make this for the office and they love it! www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-pistachio-fudge-96

[christmashope]

Thanks

[sharond101]

Christmas hope

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2852672/crispy-chilli-beef

[MiconiumHappens]

Mediterranean vegetables always gets compliments and it easy peasy......

Courgettes
Peppers
Red onion
Cherry tomatoes

Chop all the above, drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven.

Put pasta on.

Chop up feta

Drain pasta put in bowls, roasted veg and feta on top, then drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Also just roll home made garlic bread is piece of pie and goes nicely

[christmashope]

Where do I find the crunchy beef recipe? Thanks in advance x

[MissLurkalot]

Toad in the hole

I pop oil and sausages in a pan... Part cook for 10-15 mins..
Then, open a packet of Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire Pudding mix... Pop in jug, add 22ml water, whisk... Then pour over the sausages and continue to cook until done!

www.auntbessies.co.uk/products/store-cupboard/yorkshire-pudding-mix-1/


Key Lime Pie

Base
250g digestive biscuits
100g butter, melted

Filling
405g can Carnation Condensed Milk Light
finely grated zest and juice of 5 large limes
300ml carton double cream

To decorate (optional)
Lime zest
85g half fat crème fraîche

You will also need...
20x30cm rectangular loose-bottomed tart tin or 23cm (9in) round loose-bottomed tart tin.

1. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter in a bowl.
   
2. Press the crumbs into the base and up the sides of the tin. Chill for 10 minutes.
   
3. Whisk together the condensed milk and cream, then add the lime juice and zest (watch it magically thicken!). Pour into the tart case and chill or at least 1-2 hours.
   
4. Remove the pie from the tin and place on a serving plate. Cut into slices and serve with the crème fraîche and lime zest.
   

This recipe can also be made with lemons ? replace the 5 limes with 4 lemons.

[HalleLouja]

Lamb shanks with stock and mint / mint sauce in the slow cooker. So yummy.

I am going to make the crispy beef as it look yum too.

[sharond101]

Crutchlow35 Iam so pleased. We do the beef in batches too.

[Crutchlow35]

Sharond101. I also made the crispy beef. Last night and tonight. Tweaked a bit today with less vinegar and corn four but inhaled. Amazing and once you have done the prep (does anyone know how to do julienne?) very quick to make.

I also found it easier to do the beef in batches.

Thanks for the link.

[spottyparrot]

.

[chasingtail]

great thread...marking place

[MERLYPUSS]

Carbonara
or
Huevos Rancheros with bought bread

[snoworneahva]

Fellatio fabulous recipes - any more?

[Juniperdewdropofbrandy]

Thanks for those. Yes we really enjoyed it. Got it written down to take on hols too as we're staying in Britain for Easter.

[sharond101]

Juniperdewdropofbrandy Iam delighted you enjoyed it. Here is another two we like,
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9646/chinesestyle-braised-beef-onepot

www.itv.com/lorraine/food/sticky-honey-pork/

[propitia]

Chocolate Tarts
Fab & very easy recipe found in a sainsburys mag - egg/free & veggie
use 6 or 8 individual ready made all-butter pastry tart (Waitrose/Sainsburys/M&S)
Bring to the boil 150ml single or double cream with 1TBS sugar. Take off heat & throw in 150g chopped up chocolate & leave for a minute then stir gently till melted through. I have used dark choc, milk choc & Divine white choc w strawberries, all equally yum. Pour gently into cases & fridge for at least an hour, ideally two.
Serve, having dusted with icing sugar or cocoa powder.

[Juniperdewdropofbrandy]

sharond101 I made the crispy beef tonight, it's beyond delish!! Everyone inhaled it Minute steaks from our butcher were fantastic, proper steak for around £3.50 and fed 4 of us. It's a keeper.

[Laquila]

Tomato tart - use ready-rolled puff pastry and spread it with either cottage cheese or creme fraiche mixed with a dollop of wholegrain mustard. Cover with any combination of: sliced tomatoes, sliced courgette, ham, salami, lardons, spinach, feta, goats' cheese, any cheese, spring onions - basically anything you need to use up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for approx 20 mins on a baking tray, drizzle with balsamic reduction (if you're feeling fancy), et voila.

[Breadandwine]

Try layering your lasagne with slices of cooked potato - simply gorgeous, a bit cheaper, and fewer calories as well!

[UserError]

Creamy broccoli pasta.

Tub of garlic and herb Philadelphia. Tip into a small saucepan, add a glug of hot water and a chicken stock cube. Stir. That makes your sauce. If you're a garlic fiend like me, add more chopped garlic or some really lazy stuff from a jar.

Cook your pasta, add broccoli to the cooking water towards the end. Drain, tip the sauce in. Eat.

[changeasgoodasarest]

Chicken and chorizo casserole. I think I orginally robbed it off Mums net.

Sooo easy and even my youngest loves it.

Serve with pasta, rice or just bread. Just google on chicken and chorizo. It only takes half an hour and only 5 mins of that is prep.

Tip: Don't overboil or the chicken goes tough (take meat out if you need to reduce and then put back) .
Tip ~2 add butternut squash blitzed to tiny pieces - extra veg that they don't notice and tastes fab.