Something nice for dinner tonight?

[GoodyGoodyGumdrops]

We usually have a roast dinner Friday evenings, but I can't face making one on the first really hot Friday of the year.

I'm about to go do a grocery shop. Any suggestions for an alternative? Something nice, a bit special, that won't involve hours of hot kitchen.

No ideas? I'll end up doing my usual very nice, but heavily overused baked trout recipe.

Boooooooooring.

Come on MNers, help me out here!

I'm just doing a few burgers on the barbie and I nice salad. Too hot for anything else today.
I do fancy chicken in a white wine and mushroom sauce though. That would be my perfect comfort food today mmm yummy.

We are having a picnic tea, no cooking here tonight!

Pesto chicken stuffed with naice ham and emmental cheese probably with spicy wedges. Despite the weather, I never did get on board with meat + salad style teas.

I will be whipping up a quick macaroni cheese and be serving it with a big salad topped with garlic and herb croutons.

A-ha! I've had the perfect idea: child labour Ds has been begging to make sushi ever since he came home from a birthday party with a sushi mat in the party bag. (Don't ask. I really don't know!) So I've bought sushi rice, smoked salmon, and various bits and bobs, and I'll put him to work when he gets home from school.

Job done. I'm swanning off to the garden centre.

None of us are back till 6:30

Summary Moroccan mince chickpeas and tomatoes simmering in slow cooker 1

Mass of veggies in garlic and herbs steaming in slow cooker 2

Basmati rice in water inside rice cooker on timer due to go on at 6

We shall get home to this - serve and head out to our lovely garden to eat.

Umpteethnamechange I am in awe at how organised you are! Would you share the recipes? Sounds lovely.

Two slow cookers - genius!

I love my one, what I could do with two...

Roast a chicken with lemon and herbs, make a bowl of salad and buy some crusty bread/coleslaw/potato salad from the deli counter.

Argh - I forgot the avocado! I'm being sent back to the supermarket by my 10yo.

Of course! Our two slow cookers are the reason we can function with two full time jobs twonmassive commutes toddler and pet :)

So winter recipes are very different from summer.

Frozen mince and onions + Moroccan spices + a dash of Ras el Hanout + tin of chopped tomatoes + tin of chickpeas + apricot + grapes + seasoning (season well!) + harissa

This gives a very summery fruity meat dish which is bulked out with chickpeas and tomatoes so does us 2 sets of dinners andn1-2 Lunches :)

In the winter - this would probably lose the mince and use cheap bone-in brisket type cuts or oxtail + replace chickpeas with lentils to make a stew rather than a fruity type dish

Same slow cooker - different recipes by season

Sitting at toddington services on the m1 now getting a water to cool down before I head home to DH and DS and eatttt!!!!

What is ras el hanout?

Indeed it is a spice mix.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3161675/ras-el-hanout-spice-mix%3Famp

It's under £2 I think at Morrisons

Chicken and chorizo jambalaya here this evening. :)

Thank you :)

Ooh jambalaya. I don't know what I do wrong but mine is always a bit bland!