Your favourite meal for a weekend

[Carrotcakeforbreakfast]

We have got into the habit of going out for a meal nearly weekly on a Saturday, since I have changed jobs.
This would be fine but I'm finding myself massively underwhelmed with most meals I'm having out at the moment. Seems a waste of money if it isn't particularly great.
So it has made me think I'll just cook.
I'm a decent cook and we are adventurous (other than youngest dd who hates fish) and none of us are fond of offal.
Oh and actually eldest doesn't like rice but I can always do her something else to go with.
What is your go to?
I'm happy for it to be relatively extravagant (as it will still save money) and time consuming as for the first time in 20 years I have every Saturday off, so can actually enjoy cooking rather than calling for a takeaway.

Thank you

You should check out “Just Jess” and “Laurens cravings” on Instagram, they both have really good ‘fakeawa’ recipes. There’s a JD sesame chicken that DH loves, and chicken chasi that is amazing!

During lockdown, we had a themed meal most Saturdays eg Mexican, Tapas, Caribbean, Italian, Greek, French.... with a couple of starters, more than one main and a small dessert. With matching booze for adults. Way cheaper than eating out but still quite extravagant and special.

Bbq pulled pork
Steak and ale pie
Beef goulash with dumplings
Moussaka
Spanakopita
Enchiladas
Chicken schwarma

During lockdown, we started doing "pizza Saturday" and we are still doing it. So every Sat we make our dough, choose whatever toppings we have in the fridge (sometimes meat, sometimes just veg). It's brilliant!!

• with yeast: www.recipetineats.com/pizza-dough-recipe/
• without yeast: www.recipetineats.com/no-yeast-pizza-dough/

Then everyone helps themselves to a slice, has a beverage of choice and we watch a family show.

Fajitas. They’re quick and fun too because everyone can choose their own fillings.

Another ‘in lock down post’ but, during the lockdown when our favourite restaurants were shut, we would pick a restaurant, check their menu online and pick a dish to replicate at home. Google will find you pretty much any recipe.

It was just a really simple and fun way to try some different dishes.

We love doing homemade pizza. Or something fancy on the BBQ if the weather is ok.

Following for inspiration!

In the Autumn and winter I like to cook a stew or casserole at the weekend because zi have time to get it in the oven at 4 for eating at 8. Beef with little onions or shallots and lots of carrots, Greek lamb stew or a lamb curry, chicken chasseur made with wine and lots of mushrooms, pork ghoulash - that sort of thing. With jacket potatoes or mash and lots of green veg. Obviously rice if it's a curry.

I a slightly boring but I do a roast chicken pretty much every weekend.

I vary the flavourings a bit- lemon/rosemary/garlic or 'honey and orange juice and cinnamon - or honey sesame etc.

In summer I have it with salads and in winter with vegetables and roast potatos.

I love all these ideas

We did do a couple of themed nights during lockdown
Think we did japanese and American. And a cocktail night.
Going to revisit that for sure. And I like matching the alcohol too great idea.

And I love the pizza night idea.
I think I need to invest in some better pizza tins as when I've tried before my dough gets stuck.

Funny the pp mentioned recreating something from a restaurant menu. My youngest wants to try and make an onion loaf from Miller and carter.

We usually have homemade pizzas on Friday nights and I use a pizza mesh to cook them on as I find it doesn't stick. They are super cheap to buy and don't take up a lot of space to store either.

If you are feeling extravagant DH likes making beef Wellington.

I love to make Jambalaya from Jamie's America book and dd loves using an American site where they give recipes for food from TV shows- dd makes a delicious lasagne from the Sopranos section.

Another vote for roast chicken! (Has to be v good quality chicken.) Very easy!

Very adaptable - with salad in summer - and veg in winter with gravy and maybe stuffing.

Also good with new or roast pots, mash, or chips!

Try Simply Cook. Its really easy to recreate indian, thai, Mexican food and more

Use this code for a free trial

simplycook.com/invite/0M82VT?via=app

It makes cooking quick and easy

If I had the time I’d like to have a go at making fresh pasta, and then experiment with loads of different pasta dishes.

I love days like that!

As the weather turns, more slow cooked stuff, like Middle Eastern lamb shanks, or apple pulled pork.

Really good meatballs - spend the time mixing and seasoning the meat, carefully rolling into teeny meatballs, good homemade sauce. I do pork and beef mince.

Mezze night - homemade hummus, kibbe, salads, flatbread and garlic/lemon/ sumac wings.

DD has just discovered Waga, so proper homemade ramen. Stock from scratch and loads of garnishes. With a side of tempura veg for the terminally greedy.

Felicity Cloake's perfect ramen is a good one to follow to make home made ramen and also (not adventurous) Nigella's lasagne of love is definitely a day long pottering. Also, Ottolenghi is always good - we have various of his books - NOPI is one which is more technically difficult but any of his books will deliver.

Id go for JOs ultimate veggie lasagne from his comfort food book. Takes 3 hours but Id make double the sauce and freeze the rest. It is really bloody lovely.

Have you got a slowcooker? Lots of great curries and chillis to be had there.

I kind of think this is going to sound like I'm being a complete killjoy and I really don't mean to be - but what about taking each child in turn and having them choose and cook the menu (obvs with you doing most of the actual cooking depending on age).

It's probably the only day you have time to do it, they can let their imagination go wild, you'll have a lot of fun and they'll be learning kitchen skills - win/win!

I like a curry on a Saturday night. I am vegetarian and only cook for myself. I cba with much cooking so I do a daal recipe from Jamie Oliver's 15 minute book. You blitz onion, garlic, root ginger, chilli and coriander stalks in the food processor and then fry it, add spices, red lentils, boiling water and a tin of coconut. Boil for 15 mins. Add chickpeas and spinach. Is really good!

Weekends I do myself a cashew and prawn stir fry. Chopped garlic and ginger, whatever veg is in the fridge (usually mushrooms, tomato, pepper carrot,lettuce, cabbage.) Cashew nuts, noodles and prawns. Anything , chicken eg, would be fine instead . It's delicious

@lovefoodtoomuch

Try Simply Cook. Its really easy to recreate indian, thai, Mexican food and more

Use this code for a free trial

simplycook.com/invite/0M82VT?via=app

It makes cooking quick and easy

I was going to suggest this! They're all really tasty and saves you having jars of flavours you'll never use again!

Gizzi Erskine's Wagamama Katsu is brilliant. Could serve with edamame for the
Non rice lovers.

A nice home made burger always goes down a treat too.

'The curry guy' book has a great butter chicken recipe too.
And the black Dahl from the dishoom book x