Ideas for dinners prepared during lunch?

[hollyangel]

Now that a lot of us are at home more, I've realised that getting dinner prepared during my lunch-hour makes the whole rest of the day go so much smoother.

I made tandoori chicken at lunch today, 900g chicken thighs/drumsticks marinated for 3 hours with one pot of Greek yoghurt mixed with tikka powder and also large splodge
of leftover Patak curry paste I had in
in the fridge. It was delicious served with homemade raita and a salad.

Does anyone have any tasty dinner suggestions of things I can either prepare quickly during lunch and cook in the oven for a few hours? Or else something I can prepare at lunch and then throw in the oven for 20 minutes?

I made my best ever cottage pie today. 500g of beef mince, browned with half a pint of gravy. 850g of potato. I used a potato ricer to just riced the spuds onto the mince. Topped with grated parmesan, cheese and bought breadcrumbs. Half an hour at 200 and perfect. 15 min to prepare.

Stew - start it off on the hob (seal the meat, soften the onions) then put in a low oven for a few hours

Make a bolognaise sauce and leave to cook all afternoon over a low heat

Prep a pasta bake then finish off in the oven just before eating

Good idea.

Hollyangel, which curry paste did you use?

I have been preparing a big super salad which I then put in fridge in a large Pyrex dish with lid which gives me side salads and big lunch salads for 3 days. Can also do a sort of fruit salad too to encourage more fruit and veg eating!

Need some more autumnal things though as I’m not feeling as salady as I was a few weeks ago.

This recipe for lasagne says that for best results you need to let it stand for 6 hours before cooking. That’s why I’ve always made this at lunchtime. www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mary_berrys_lasagne_al_16923
I make burgers and leave them in fridge so all I have to do is cook them.
Steps 2 and 3 www.coop.co.uk/recipes/mediterranean-chicken-traybake
You can marinate the chicken in this recipe www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sticky-chinese-chicken-traybake
You can do most of this chicken pie www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/chicken-potato-pie/
These enchiladas can be assembled reading to bake www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chicken-and-bean-enchiladas

Baked ziti
Chicken kiev
Chicken Milanese
Fish pie
Lasagne
Lamb curry
Shepherd’s pie
Spaghetti and meatballs
Spinach and potato curry

I like assembling oven traybakes. Veg/potatoes, flavouring, and protein stuff on top to go in the oven in the evening.

Current favourites include sweet potatoes, sliced pepper and onions, chorizo and chicken thighs; broccoli, mushrooms, peppers and onions with chilli, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and a dash of sherry with salmon; courgettes, aubergines, peppers and chickpeas with halloumi and random veg and potatoes with sausages.

Also soup.

Or chopping everything I need in advance for a stir fry.

Ooh, thank you for all these ideas, they're all great.

@lovemylot1 I used a Patak mild curry paste, but any of their pastes would work too. We had it for lunch cold today, it was even nicer.

I also have made minestrone soup this week, a really hearty one that I make at lunchtime and then serve with pita bread pizzas.

Love autumn cooking!

@Ricekrispie22 That Chinese chicken traybake looks so nice.

Have you seen any of the recipes from Rukmini Iyer's Roasting Tin books, all dinners that can be prepared in a tray?

I found this recipe and I think it could be easily prepped at lunch.

www.you.co.uk/the-quick-roasting-tin-chilli-peanut-beef-with-red-peppers-sweetcorn-and-spring-onions/

Thanks holly I think you sound like a more proficient cook than me though based on the homemade raita!!

Love the ideas on the thread thanks all

@lovemylot1 raita is so easy! I use a big tub of Greek yoghurt, full fat is nicer, but low fat ok too. peel half a cucumber, grate it, sprinkle a bit of salt on it and leave for 5/10 mins and squeeze out all the moisture.

Dice half a red onion really finely. mix the yoghurt, cucumber and onion. Then I add a teaspoon of Colman's mint from a jar! Salt & pepper to taste.

Probably not very authentic, but it's so nice with tandoori chicken, basmati rice and a dollop of mango chutney.

@NachoFries

Baked ziti Chicken kiev Chicken Milanese Fish pie Lasagne Lamb curry Shepherd’s pie Spaghetti and meatballs Spinach and potato curry

Hi! Where are you getting your ziti from in UK? Is IA DH’s favourite meal but he say hard to find the right pasta here? Like large ridged penne I believe?

[quote hollyangel]@Ricekrispie22 That Chinese chicken traybake looks so nice.

Have you seen any of the recipes from Rukmini Iyer's Roasting Tin books, all dinners that can be prepared in a tray?

I found this recipe and I think it could be easily prepped at lunch.

www.you.co.uk/the-quick-roasting-tin-chilli-peanut-beef-with-red-peppers-sweetcorn-and-spring-onions/[/quote]
This is the most DELICIOUS recipe, go for it!

@Endlessmizzle on my weekend list!

@Endlessmizzle, rigatoni is a good zitti substitute - same shape, just a bit wider.

I like to marinade chicken in peri peri marinade or gyros seasoning and thread onto skewers with peppers/onions/courgette/mushrooms at lunch time ready to serve with salad/pitta/rice/cous cous etc. I also sometimes like to make either a steak or chicken pie filling and have it bubbling away in a casserole over a few hours to be topped with pastry. I love to use minced beef for a beef minestrone or chilli beef and bean soup and these are much nicer cooked and cooled then reheated. If I'm doing Singapore fried rice I tend to cook and cool the rice and lunch time and slice marinade the meat and veg. Sometimes i just chuck some chicken, garlic, pesto, olives, cherry tomatoes and new potatoes into a roasting tin at lunch time ready to pop into the oven later and add a bit of spinach for the last few minutes. Pork steaks, cajun spices, peppers and onions again just in a dish served with what you fancy. I will add anymore that pop into my head as I cook at lunch time alot because I'm a bit lazy.

@user1469989812 How do you make Singapore fried rice? Sounds lovely.

@hollyangel

I add lots of peppers and carrots to mine.

@VirginiaWolverine I'm a traybake fan too. It's only me eating as DD eats at nursery so I can throw together a traybake in the morning and it's nicely marinated by the time I put it in the oven at 3:30.

Current favourites are a Spanish chicken and chorizo, Chinese style with whatever protein I've got in and loads of veg, and a totally veg based one with sweet potato, broccoli, baby sweetcorn, sugar snaps and sometimes feta.

I often use the slow cook function on my multicooker when working from home. Great for soups, curries, bolognese, etc. I also have a bread maker so often put it on when I start work in the morning. Freshly baked bread for lunch is heavenly!