During term time I find myself keeping odd hours due to lectures and practice sessions for choir and ensemble work, so finding meals that are nutritious, simple to prepare and easy to cook are so important to me.
When I am at home during the summer break I gather up all the recipes and suggestions that I have found during term time and try them out on my family. This helps me pick out the ones that that I can add to my culinary repertoire ready for next year. So here are a couple that I have been sent by friends on the internet which seemed to go down well after cooking them 🙂
Chicken Stir Fry
Another meal I attempted to cook last week in the small kitchen at work was minced beef and veg. I wasn’t sure about this when it was suggested to me but I must admit it was very tasty and quite filling.
So these are a couple of ideas but I need some more so if any of you can suggest other recipes to try out I would really appreciate it 🙂 I have quite simple tastes but will have a go at anything that looks appetizing and is simple to prepare, but I’m no “Master Chef” contestant just a hungry student without much time and a tight budget 🙂
Hello, you can try this link.there “rougail saucisse” and other recipe in english :-)….My best thought…..http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1262258-Rougaille-Saucisse-de-La-R-union
Hi Pascal, I made a note of your recipe from FaceBook with chicken and peppers and was going to try that last night but I had some of the ingredients missing so I did stir fry instead. Thank you for my lovely picture it makes me look as though I can actually cook 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
Chicken Broccoli Bake is a good one. The one I make serves 4.
4 Chicken breasts, head of broccoli, 2 tins of Baxters Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Mayo and curry powder.
Fry your chicken, and then put in a casserole dish, cook your broccoli about 3 quarters of the way, then layer over the chicken. Mix the two tins of soup with 2 tablespoons of mayonaisse and 2 teaspoons of mild curry power. You can add more if you’d like a better kick from it. Layer over the chicken and broccoli, then cover with breadcrumbs. Cook in the oven on about 180 for 45 mins 🙂
I remember something similar from when I was little but no curry powder, this sounds delicious and definitely a good one if I’ve friends around and we can chat while it bakes in the oven. Can you freeze it and reheat it do you think? Thank you.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I’m not sure actually, I’ve never tried lol
I did another simple one tonight. All that is required, one packet of pork sausages, onion and beans and a potato.
Cook sausages, just to give them a bit of colour, cry onion in the same pan once sausages are done. Chop them up and layer them in the bottom of a casserole dish, layer over the onion. Then follow with a layer of beans and top with mashed potato. Again cook in the oven 🙂
Time really is the enemy to cooking lots of fancy dishes! We love making polpette in umido when we get the chance: http://bit.ly/1mATxDi. Good luck with summer recipe list!
Exactly, you have to remember cleaning up time too, I love meatballs thank you for the link, I always buy them ready-made but it sounds easy enough. I want to have about twenty quick and easy recipes and a few special meals for when I have a bit more time.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Well done Charlotte! Quick nutritious meals are difficult to find in cookery books especially when you haven’t much money to spend on ingredients. I often cook the following for my family. (It is similar to your stir fry).
1. Chop onion and soften in a pan with a little oil.
2. Put some water in a saucepan and bring to boil. You can add a little salt and/or oil to the water. Add enough pasta for you (and guests), bring back to the boil then simmer until al denté.
3. Chop and add to the onion a mixture of any veg you have to hand – peppers, courgette, green beans, mushrooms etc.
4. Add salt/pepper/herbs/soy sauce/worcestershire sauce or whatever you like to flavour the dish.
5. Simmer the vegetables until they are also al denté, stirring occasionally.
6. If you wish you can add tuna or cooked bacon, sausage, seafood or leftover meat to the vegetables at this stage.
7. When the pasta and vegetables are cooked, drain the pasta and add to the vegetables. Stir them together and serve immediately.
This takes about twenty minutes.
I’m not very adventurous either Clare and this sounds great I’m going to call it The Pooley on my recipe card. I usually make a tomato sauce or cream sauce to pasta so it will be interesting to have it like this.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Fine Job here!
Thanks Annette, I preferred the mince and potatoes to the stir fry 🙂 When I was growing up I did activities every night of the week so my parents are playing catch up now, and they eat lots of fish which I’m not too keen on. My Dads also the son of a chef who was the son of a chef etc. so he gets a bit complicated for me.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Those look good! I’m not a big cook either, so being easy and fast is important to me 🙂
I just wish I enjoyed it more! I like other people liking my food when I’ve made something nice and everyone always helps me to tidy up but cooking just for myself :/ it’s got to be quick and easy and my Mums saying I’ve got to eat much more green veg.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Looks really good!
The stir fry to be honest I could take or leave, but it was quick and easy to make. I like the Uncle Ben’s rice that cooks in the sachet in two minutes in the microwave too, that makes rice much quicker and easier when I’m in a rush.
Best wishes
Charlotte
This is great, love the first photo… A natural 🙂
Pascal made it from a photo of me cooking at home; I love my Mum’s hob it’s so easy to clean. I need about twenty good quick meals and that will do me for another year to add to the few I learnt last year.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Step by step photos for all my recipes! http://www.christinascucina.com/p/recipes.html
Thanks so much Christina I was hoping my cooking blog friends would put links here so that I had them in one place to refer to. It’s always interesting to see other cooks menu’s for some of my favourites meals like Shepherd’s Pie and Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It’s hard to beat a good stir fry for taste, ease of preparation, and speed. I had friends over last night and I cooked some roma tomatoes halved, red onions quartered, and small new potatoes (cut in half where necessary). I placed them on a baking tray and then drizzled them with a mix of brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. 40 minutes later on 180 C, they tasted quite lovely. While I like to cook, I don’t normally spend that long in the kitchen on a week night. Normally it’s just me at home though.
I put balsamic vinegar on salad but I’ve never thought to use it as a flavouring. I’m the same as you it’s got to be quick on a work night, I like the idea of it all cooking itself on a baking sheet you can leave on timer and not have to mess with too much. Tomatoes have to be sweet for me, if they’re sour I don’t enjoy the sauce the same.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Aww… that’s such a cute and creative photo! Love it! 🙂 Happy cooking, Charlotte!
Thanks Priya I love your menus and diabetic menus because at the end of the day a healthy low sugar diet is in everyone’s interest whether they are diabetic or not.
Best wishes
Charlotte
fish tacos, pan fried? browned really fish filets then warmed tortillas, chopped cabbage shreds or lettuces, and a bit of pretty purple onion and thus the last of the mix? a drizzle of annie’s brand cowgirl ranch dressing. advantages? brain health is improved with flish and the obvious is I like it. disadvantages is that to me a diabetic i find fish and tortillas both are high glycemic impact foods- or sugar raisers …thus have to be carefully chosen meal choices, this and also the boringness of feeling lesser special by purchasing a box in a frozen section however premium still is a box does lessen the joy neverminding the pizazz of the sound of potato cruch fish fillets ala gorton’s 😉
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if you’re able to obtain a slow cooker, I think you might enjoy some adobada chicken which is excessively pretty as a toastada which is about 20 minutes of prep first with the chicken and later the veggies i suggest shredded lettuce and pico de gallo….otherwise a little cilantro onion and tomato minced. the “chili water” of the chicken is naught but garllic and paprika… I have to avoid salt personally. and if you’ve the desire or a better chicken flavor, browning it in a dash of oil prior to slow cookery is desired but please do not add water to a hot crock pot as it will likely shatter… just a tip 😉
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happy quick inexpensive cooking even if you don’t choose my fast easies.
Yes I have a slow cooker, I’m not a big fish eater, really just a salmon fillet but I’ve got to get more adventurous so I’ll give it go.
Best wishes
Charlotte
mmmmm salmon. you’re reminding me of home fired wood coals and the Finnish gent’s parties. mmm good luck, I really am a fan of potato crunch gorton’s it’s agreeable when stretching out in our tastes.
I like these, thanks. I have to cook because it’s cheaper and more healthy compared to eating out and you get more food for your money. For myself, I like brown rice, broccoli, and the meat can be lean beef, baked chicken, (or fish if it’s on sale). I love biscuits with boysenberry jam. MmmHm. 🙂 But tonight I had eggs and pancakes, partially because I missed breakfast, but mostly because I had a taste for it. Happy Tuesday.
You should try the mince meal Eric it was very easy and quick to make, I’m going to use an Oxo cube next time because I like the gravy thicker and darker, I ended up using some gravy granules. Pancakes and eggs! I’ve never eaten pancakes with eggs just sugar and lemon or nutella as a sweet.
Best wishes
Charlotte
That looks wonderful! I’m starving…
Thanks Marcus, that’s sometimes the problem for me, I get home starving then don’t feel like cooking so get a ready meal out, 3 minutes ping and they’re done. I was better last year and in my third year I’m going to be even more organised.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I think you should go on ‘Come Dine With Me’ you would blow them away, I don’t mind being the singing waiter lol.
I’ll do you a deal Dennis you cook, I’ll sing, or you sing and Helen can come and cheat and help me in the kitchen lol. Loving the picture 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
You can’t beat the classic omelette! Great for using up leftovers. Jamie Oliver’s way of cooking is my fave. Love, love, love your featured image on this post!!
I usually start making omelette then turn it into scrambled eggs . It is one of my staple quick meals though so I agree. The picture is fab, when Pascal sent it to me I knew I had to use it in a post.
Best wishes
Charlotte
You are ADORBS! And your food pictures have my mouth watering, you songbird, you!
Thanks Kimberley, hope you’re keeping well. What’s your favourite quick meal to cook?
Best wishes
Charlotte
Yum
I preferred the mince dish John but it is great to try new things out and build on the few recipe ideas I already use.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I used to adore a hamburger patty with cheese and egg. Can be made in one pan and stacked on bread if you have no bun.
Looks very delicious!
I cant wait to try out a few more of the recipe ideas that I have been sent so far. Do you have a favourite quick and easy dish to cook?
Best wishes
Charlotte
My favorite dish that I find quick and easy to cook. Is an omelette with ham and cheese. I usually chop up the ham and place it with the eggs and when it is just about done, I place slices of cheese on top of the omelette. I let the cheese melt. Then I place it on slices of bread. Now, if I have time and have fresh parsley, basil and green onion top, I add this to the omelette also.
And Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Your two recipes look delicious! During the winter, I make lots of slow cooker dinners. They tend to be easy–just chop up everything the night before and throw it in the slow cooker before you leave for work in the morning. Nothing beats coming home to a house that smells like stew or soup and having dinner waiting for you.
Hi Nanette, I have tried to use my slow cooker several times but I find my sauces are a little too thin and watery, The flavour is there but I do like a thicker sauce. Do yu add anything to your recipes to thicken up the sauce at all ?
Best wishes
Charlotte
I make a chicken stew that’s like the filling for chicken pot pie. I add a bit of flour with the seasonings and then stir in some cream just before serving to thicken the sauce. If it’s a tomato-based dish, I add tomato paste to thicken it a bit. Happy cooking!
You have many talents, Charlotte. Sounds good. Enjoy your cooking!
I suppose I should let people know that I had a taste of your mince dish and it was delicious! I liked it so much I will try it at home and maybe experiment with adding some different spices. Well done Charlotte xx
Love how you try recipes during summer and then add onto your repertoire! 🙂 Have you considered trying fried rice? I heard it’s pretty easy, and I’ve tried it a few times before and I think it’s quick and easy. You just throw in everything and the rice and stir fry it! Happy cooking!! 🙂
Thanks for following me. I like what you made;) Have a nice day
Thank you, you have a lovely day too 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
😉