What do you cook when it's just for you?

[ManicMinor]

DH is working away during the week at the moment, and on the days I work, the DC have their evening meal at the childminders. So after I've put them to bed, I need to think about my dinner.

I typically have sandwiches for lunch, so I want something reasonably substantial in the evening. Not watching my weight, if anything I need to make sure I eat enough. And it needs to be pretty quick, preferably starting to eating under 30 mins. And I don't have a slow cooker! I do have a big freezer so could do batch cooking.

So tell me what you eat...

The sort of stuff DH would deem not a proper meal/vile!

I hark back to childhood and cook stuff like

Jackets, beans and cheese

Mum's spaghetti neapolitan (basically strips of onion, carrot, celery, pepper in a tomato sauce, on spag with cheddar on top)

Mum's risotto (diced onion, frozen mixed veg, loads of l&P, basmati rice, cook til you get a crispy bottom, fling in some sultanas. It's a total bastardization - I cook proper risottos now for the family and love those - but I love this too as it has fond memories)

Proper risottos but veggie ones like pea/roasted squash/carrot

Refried beans with salad and cheese in pitta breads

Onion bhajis in flatbreads with some kachumber salad in flatbreads

Soup and cheese on toast

Omelette/cashew nut stir frys

Sardine bake (slice an onion and fry it in the oil from a sardine tin, add a waxy potato cut into matchsticks and fry for a couple of mins. Slosh in a glass of milk, good grinding of salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Layer the tinned sardines in the bottom of a small oven dish and pour the milky oniony potato mix over the top. Bake for about 25 mins til pots are tender and top is golden and crispy. Have with peas. It's gorgeous)

Leftovers

Vegetable omelette

Egg & chips

You've made me wish he'd go away now!

I eat things everyone else hates. ...

Salmon and cream pasta
Mushroom and cream pasta
Cream and cream pasta (joking- but everyone hates cream so I eat loads of it when I can!)

I also love simple stuff like a frozen pizza all to myself and a nice pudding :)

I had pasta with onion chicken bacon courgette a dollop of creme fraiche and a -large- sprinkle of cheddar. This is my go to when I'm on my own yummy

That sardine dish sounds weirdly amazing. Is it actually something you had to have eaten as a child to really enjoy as an adult? Or is it properly good?

Dh is away tonight, so I've got some mussels! Usually if he's away I end up with tapas sort of food, dips, carrot sticks etc. I graze :)

I'm very impressed with all these recipes. Left to my own devices, I generally eat peanut butter on toast!

Gosh you're all so creative! It would be cheese in toast for me!

nkf actually it's properly delicious. I first made it about 3 years ago so nothing childhood-y about that one. It's a River Cottage recipe, based on Jansson's temptation which is swedish and uses anchovies.

Veggie curry :) potato spinach chickpeas and spices. Batch cook and freeze yum yum

Something spicy as my DH doesn't like spice at all.
When I feel like cooking macarones arrabiata, chicken fajitas with extra heat, curry and when I'm feeling lazy beans on toast or takeaway

Mainly Jacket pots and eggs a different way every day. I'd take the opportunity to eat a bit lighter and try to lose some lbs.
I've wanted to try Delia's egg and lentil curry from the original complete cookery course (can only find updated recipe on line) for years, that sort of thing, DH would hate it as no meat/fish and too many pulses, yum!

Some fab ideas, thanks - I've been thinking about what DH doesn't like, so have added tuna pasta and cauliflower cheese (not together, obvs!) to my list. And we're having a ham today, so should be some leftovers to work with there. I've wanted to try dhal, but DH screws up his face at the prospect - need to see if I can find a good recipe.

Ooh for dahl you need Remus's recipe, it's fabulous.

I have tweaked it a bit to make it spicier and this is what I do now, but her original will be on here somewhere:

Serves 2-3 depening on how greedy - freezes fine, just do some extra spiced onions when reheating.
Onion
Garlic
Tsp turmeric
Tsp cumin seeds
Tsp garam masala
Tsp mustard seeds
Dried chillis to taste (I use 3 bird's eyes which are v hot!)
Fresh Ginger (a thumb sizedish pices)
150 red lentils
Coconut milk
Salt
Chopped coriander
Extra cumin seeds, mustard seeds, chilli flakes
Fresh coriander to serve

Heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and sizzle for a few seconds, then add the finely chopped onion, turn heat down an soften for about 5 mins, and add a couple of cloves of garlic for a few minutes. Add 1 tsp turmeric and one of garam masala. Add the dried chillis and a bit of chopped ginger.
Add 150g red lentils and water to cover. Cook. When nearly tender add a good half tsp of salt, or to taste, half a can coconut milk and a load of chopped coriander and cook until tender.
Meanwhile heat some more oil and add a generous tsp cumin seeds, one of mustard seeds and a pinch of chilli flakes if wanted, sizzle for a few seconds, then add another onion sliced into thin half moons, and fry on meium heat til browned, add some sliced garlic and be careful not to burn it!- when nearly done add masses of fresh coriander, just turn it in the hot oil and then tip the whole lot into the dahl and swirl it through.
Serve with lots more fresh coriander and season with extra salt at the table.