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Original poster

Your favourite thing to cook from scratch

17 replies

sangriapeople · 30/10/2023 07:43

I'm looking for inspiration!

We generally cook most things from scratch, by scratch I don't mean the pasta, noodles. We use tinned tomatoes and stock cubes if I've none left from roasts.

Our go-to meals are as follows, they're quick and easy. Anything that takes a bit longer I make on my days off.

Chilli with rice or potatoes
Lasagne
Chicken curry and rice
Teriyaki Salmon with veg & noodles
Sausage & bean casserole
Pesto chicken pasta
Steak
Griddled butterfly chicken, veg and pots
Roast dinners
Prawn salad

I really enjoy cooking but need some serious inspiration! Please share your favourite recipe below 🤩

OP posts:
madeinmanc · 30/10/2023 07:47

Your list is very meat heavy so I'd suggest vegetable and lentil moussaka. It's a slightly more complex dish to make from scratch (not difficult but several stages) but so much more tasty home made than a ready meal version or even restaurant. Goes well in this chilly weather, too.

Basically:

Slice large aubergines into rounds, brush lightly with olive oil, griddle on stove then set aside.

Slice potatoes and steam, set aside.

Dice onion, sauté in olive oil on low heat.
Add some diced vegetables like courgette or mushroom, sauté.
Add several cloves of crushed garlic and briefly cook.
Add tinned/jarred tomatoes but not lots of juice, reduce.
Taste, if more flavour is needed add tomato purée and some bouillon powder.
Add pouch of pre-cooked Puy or green lentils, or add some you have cooked yourself if you have time.
Add ground cinnamon and season. Set aside.

Make a roux and make it into a thick white sauce. Add a bay leaf and some grated nutmeg and simmer to add flavour. Don't forget you added the bay leaf!

Layer the aubergine, tomato/lentil mix then potato twice in a dish, then repeat the layers if you have enough.

Finally remove the bay leaf and top with the white sauce.

If I'm feeling extravagant I crumble over some feta (not masses, just a touch).

Bake in the oven until browned.

Original poster
sangriapeople · 30/10/2023 07:49

madeinmanc · 30/10/2023 07:47

Your list is very meat heavy so I'd suggest vegetable and lentil moussaka. It's a slightly more complex dish to make from scratch (not difficult but several stages) but so much more tasty home made than a ready meal version or even restaurant. Goes well in this chilly weather, too.

Basically:

Slice large aubergines into rounds, brush lightly with olive oil, griddle on stove then set aside.

Slice potatoes and steam, set aside.

Dice onion, sauté in olive oil on low heat.
Add some diced vegetables like courgette or mushroom, sauté.
Add several cloves of crushed garlic and briefly cook.
Add tinned/jarred tomatoes but not lots of juice, reduce.
Taste, if more flavour is needed add tomato purée and some bouillon powder.
Add pouch of pre-cooked Puy or green lentils, or add some you have cooked yourself if you have time.
Add ground cinnamon and season. Set aside.

Make a roux and make it into a thick white sauce. Add a bay leaf and some grated nutmeg and simmer to add flavour. Don't forget you added the bay leaf!

Layer the aubergine, tomato/lentil mix then potato twice in a dish, then repeat the layers if you have enough.

Finally remove the bay leaf and top with the white sauce.

If I'm feeling extravagant I crumble over some feta (not masses, just a touch).

Bake in the oven until browned.

Edited

Ooh yes lovely!

I love veggie stuff but the men in my life might plead starvation...will certainly give it a go though, thank you!

OP posts:
43ontherocksporfavor · 30/10/2023 07:51

Kofte with pita and hummus and crunchy salads. Nigella has a nice recipe. Very easy and tasty.

43ontherocksporfavor · 30/10/2023 07:52

Chicken tray bake with whole garlic, tomatoes and courgette or whatever veg needs using.

Luckydog7 · 30/10/2023 07:59

My own easy baked creamy bacon and mushroom chicken.

Lay chicken (mini filets or slice breasts in 3 lengthways) on a layer of sliced onions in a baking dish. Cover chicken in a layer of bacon (streaky is best) cook at 180 for about 40minutes until the bacon fat is starting to crisp up.

In the mean time dice up mushrooms (i use about 2 3rds of a punnet) and put into a sauce pan. Fry in about 50g of butter with 3 smashed cloves of garlic and lots of pepper for a couple of minutes then add 300g or so of double cream.

Once the bacon is crisping, pour the mushroom sauce over the chicken, make sure to spread over all the bacon and cook for a further 40minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened to suit your tastes.

Add grated cheddar to the top for 10 minutes to finish.

I usually serve with rice and peas or sautéed cabbage.

madeinmanc · 30/10/2023 07:59

Well I suppose there is moussaka with meat, I like my version though 😁

43ontherocksporfavor · 30/10/2023 08:08

@Luckydog7 thats a long time to cook mini fillets!

Original poster
sangriapeople · 30/10/2023 08:35

@43ontherocksporfavor @Luckydog7 thank you. I'll be trying both of these. Great additions!

OP posts:
ILoveToads · 30/10/2023 17:07

This is a great thread.

How about jambalaya or biryani? Served with a side salad or garlic bread/Nan.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chicken-chorizo-jambalaya

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chicken-biryani

cheapskatemum · 30/10/2023 19:22

Provençale or Mediterranean vegetables, oven roasted in olive oil with herbs & seasoning. Add salmon steaks & roast for a further 10 minutes.

Paulwellershair · 31/10/2023 08:36

Chicken with mustard and tarragon.
Tuck skinless chicken thighs into an oven proof dish. Take a generous amount of softened butter(about a tablespoon per thigh) and mix in Dijon mustard and tarragon - dried is fine. Slather over the thighs and sprinkle with a layer of breadcrumbs. Cook at 200' for about 30 mins or until the thighs are tender. Serve with mash and a green veg.

CurlewKate · 31/10/2023 11:17

I love making Chetna Makan's recipes from YouTube. She has a mixed vegetable curry that's easy to make and really delicious.
Fish Pie
Moussaka
Red Dragon pie with aduki beans.

TheBirdintheCave · 31/10/2023 11:20

Okonomiyaki, Hiroshima style. 😋

BoardOfMuffins · 31/10/2023 11:28

Sheet pan (baking tray) fajitas so no constant stirring of a pan.
Slow cooker chicken with garlic with carrots and for extra laziness add a can of potatoes into it
Burrito bowls either beef or chicken
Pulled pork with roasted baby potatoes, freshly made tomato salsa, sour cream
Sausage tray bake with red onions, apples, spinach and cubed potatoes
And f I have lots of time (and will be doing this over Christmas) Beef bourguignon or my version of it after 20 years of cooking it, started as Julia Child's recipe and has been tweaked over the years

Mossstitch · 31/10/2023 11:39

Homemade pizza always been popular in my family. Make bread dough (will keep in the fridge in a plastic bag for a few days which makes it a quick meal).
Saute a small piece of onion in olive oil and add passata for the sauce which will also keep all week in the fridge or I freeze small portions.
Toppings of choice, which caters for my mix of vegetarian and carnivores🍕

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