Mega fast meals that aren't ready meals...

[HeadFairy]

I'm on nights next week and as dh can't boil water without burning it, I usually buy meals that are really quick and easy to do so I can just throw it all in a pan (I usually sleep until 6pm so I can't really spend ages preparing stuff) but I'm really running out of inspiration. I'm just doing my online shop now, and so far we're going to have pasta with home made white sauce and ham and mushrooms on one day (white sauce already made and in the freezer) and stir fry on another day... any other ideas. Ready meals are so flipping expensive and usually yukky, so I want something I can make in about half an hour... I need three more meals preferably.

HeadFairy, you can do risotto in the oven, doesn't get you out of the chopping but DOES get you out of stock-adding, stirring and faffing. Spanish risotto on the BBC website is a nice recipe, and also provides a good basis for the oven method.

oh thanks dontcallmebaby, I'll have a look. I always feel being half Italian that I should do it the old fashioned way or my Nonna would be spinning in her grave, but something's got to give when you're on nights!

I like the chorizo recipe. I'll have to give that a go too... yummy, unbelievably I'm actually looking forward to next week! I particularly like the more filling ideas, anything with beans or suchlike is good because I do crave carbs when I'm on nights.

Sorry that took ages to type! Yes risotto can be a pain because you actually have to stay and cook it

Would your dh be able to turn the oven on and shove a chicken inside it? We often have chicken with rice or baked potatoes then add some frozen peas-chopping free meal! The chicken takes a while to cook obviously but you can just put it in and leave it til it's done so not a lot of cooking required.

Here's an easy dish (does involve a small amount of chopping).

Chuck a handful of chopped mushrooms in an ovenproof dish, lay chicken breasts on top - pour over three tablespoons of vegetable stock, three of lemon juice and sprinkle with paprika. Cover dish with foil and bake in the oven at 190C for 40 minutes. Serve with rice.

mmm yummy oldestcat, that sounds nice. DH protests he doesn't like mushrooms but I usually ignore that and chuck them in to my risottos all the time without him noticing

Clairybee - I think he could throw a chicken in the oven if I gave him some instructions, but there wouldn't be much in the way of seasoning on it (unless I gave him instructions). I'm probably as much to blame as he is, sometimes I just find it quicker and easier to do it myself. The amount of questions and hurrrumping from the kitchen would drive me spare!

BaangBang Chicken (or pork)
Put half an inch of water in a deep frying pan. Add some sweet chilli sauce and some Soy sauce (or Nam Pla if you have it) Cut the chicken into small chunks and poach it in the liquid.

While this is happening, create a big green salad on your plates. When the liquid has boiled down a bit (10 minutes or so) add a big spoonful of peanut butter and the juice of half a lime/lemon. the peanut butter will thicken the sauce. Pour/slop the chicken and sauce mixture over the salad.

It's a Thai salad, so it's supposed to be a hot sauce on a cold salad. This is also a very good way of making a small bit of meat go a long way.

Oven Risotto - AKA babysitters dinner
This can be made before hand and left in the fridge ready to put in the oven.
Chop some onions and garlic and put it in an ovenproof dish.
Dry fry some chicken mince until it's crumbly and a bit browned. Add to the onions in the dish.
Add short grain rice (arborio or paella rice) to the dish, use about half a cup per adult.
Make up a chicken stock, one cup for every half cup of rice or so. Add this to the hot pan after you have fried the chicken and you should be able to scrape up all the little bits left there which adds to the flavour and makes cleaning the pan easier. To this stock add any Tai spices you have to hand, lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, chilli, ginger etc. Pour this into the dish as well and give it a stir. The liquid should just cover the rice and meat. Don't worry if there's too much, this can be adjusted later.
At this point you can put it in the fridge and leave it till you are ready to cook it.
Heat oven to 200C. Cover the dish tightly with foil or a lid. Bung it in the oven for 20 minutes or so. Take it out and have a look. If it's looking dry, add a splash of water, if it's too wet, put it back in the oven with the lid off. At this point I often add some chopped red pepper or basil leaves (if i remember)Give it another 5 minutes or so after that, or until the rice is cooked.
Serve with a salad and the red pepper you forgot to put in earlier.

I'm coming back to this thread because it is so useful. Here are some other things I've done recently that took no time at all...

Sweetcorn pancakes with bacon - packet pancake mix (or mix the dry ingredients the night before and add the wet ones, plus a small tin of drained sweetcorn, when you are ready to start.) Fry smoked streaky bacon in a big pan. When it's done lift out of the pan and add a knob of butter to the bacon fat. Dollop the sweetcorn pancakes into the pan and keep them warm in the oven once they are done until you finish the mixture. Serve with the bacon, and a rocket and avocado salad. This is also great for brunch.

Or things in pita bread - get some ready made falafel and heat them up or fry up some cubes of lamb. Serve with pita bread, humous, feta, rocket, tomato, red onion and chilli sauce. All you have to do is some chopping and everyone will assemble their own. Equally good with mini-burgers (squeeze mince into appropriate shape, fry) and guacamole instead of humous, or fried strips of chicken (or lamb again) with garlic yoghurt sauce. Or lamb burgers with the works.

Hiya,

I use this recipe for a really quick fish pie - it only takes 20 mins to prepare and 10 to cook so done in half an hour!
www.britishpotatoes.co.uk/quick-fish-pie/

This site is really good for finding other quick recipes for the family too, potato is the common ingredient to all, but since we all serve potatoes in some shape or form most days, its quite handy....I came across this site when I was looking for fun recipes to entertain and involve the kids in cooking.....

Good thing about the fish pie is you can substitute whatever fish you don't like for the fish that you do.....plus if you make enough it will keep till the next day? I try to cook pies/stews/curries in a big quantity so that I can make the meal last for 2 days, saves me having to cook anything on the next day and gives me a day off. It means I only have to come in and do the rice or you can always rustle up different veg or a salad on the second day to make it stretch......

The BBG Good Food Magazine website has some good recipes...

Easy risotto with bacon and peas - This is a 'cheat' version which doesn't need much chopping / stirring and is easy to modify with different ingredients

Mediterranean fish stew - quick and easy, especially if just served with crusty bread as suggested

Spanish rice and prawn one-pot - haven't actually tried this one, but it's next on my list!

Have you got a slow cooker? I make allsorts in mine, takes ten minutes in the morning and can be left to cook all day...

One of our super quick meals is salmon and prawns in creme fraiche.

Buy - 1 pkt hot smoked salmon pieces (we get from Sainsburys), 1 pkt prawns, tub of creme fraiche, chives, frozen peas

Chuck salmon and prawns into frying pan and stir around. Add creme fraiche and peas. Snip in chives. Heat till bubbling.

Serve on rice (btw, you can freeze cooked rice really easily, so cook a big load, cool rapidly and freeze in plastic bags serving sizes. Microwave in about 2 mins from frozen), or thai rice noodles (3 min in hot water)

You can use microwave from frozen salmon fillets instead of the hot smoked pieces if preferred, or any other fish that you flash fry

Chickpea tagine - fry up diced onion, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon for a minute or so. Add a can of chickpeas, a can of tomatoes, a handful of sultanas and a cinnamon stick. Add a bit of water and put the lid on your saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer for about 25 mins. Really good if you have it the next day, too. Good with super-quick cous cous or rice and salad.

Salmon teriyaki - marinate salmon fillets in a mixture of soy sauce, crushed garlic and honey or brown sugar (do it the night before or in the morning). Bung under a grill or in a pan for 10-15 mins or until cooked through. Serve with egg noodles (5 mins to boil up) and steamed or stirfried greens.

Chicken kebabs - marinate chicken breast pieces in a mixture of plain yoghurt, curry powder and a squeeze of sweet chilli sauce for up to 24 hrs. Thread on to skewers with chunks of pepper, mushroom, onion etc and grill. If you can't be bothered to faff with skewers, just marinate the chicken breast whole and serve with rice & salad, or in pitta pockets with salad.

Baked sweet potatoes are a good alternative to jacket potatoes, and quicker. Serve with a steak & salad. Lovely jubbly.

King prawn linguine - 5 mins to boil up some quick cook linguine, then warm through ready cooked tiger prawns in a pan with hot garlic butter, add the spag to the pan when it's cooked, mix in some parsley and lemon juice. Done.

Quick spaghetti meal

Cook spaghetti, in another pan, fry some chicken strips, when nearly done throw in some cherry tomatoes or peppadew peppers to soften. Mushrooms work well too.
Mix with drained spaghetti, add some garlic butter and herbs(or I use green pesto as alternative) and some grated parmesan.

Chicken in a bag

As it says on the tin really,

Place chicken breasts (marinated or not, i usually sit in tomato puree with garlic oil and rosemary) into individual foil bags(or one big one), throw in some cut up veg (part cooked if hard like carrots and baby potatoes, sweet potato chunks), eg courgette, spring onion, cherry toms, muchrooms, peppers etc.
Pour in a tea spoon olive oil, season and cook in oven for 25-30 mins. Bag will fill with steam and cook everything perfectly. To serve simply tear open bag and pour on plate.