When only takeaway will do?

lostinrates

It takes as long as it takes to pick up a takeaway to cook some pasta and a super quick, light and healthier tomato sauce....so about ten minutes....depending on what pasta you choose of course. Time efficiency is important...it can take tqice as long if you aren't thinking like a time/motion study...

walk in, fill boil kettle, weigh pasta, get out pasta pan and frying pan (on the hob, turn on, splash of oil in frying pan, put pasta in pan pouring boiling water OVER the pasta if its long so that it folds and sinks into water if your pan is on the smallish side. then chop an onion, some garlic, chuck in pan, reasonably hot, add some fresh toms, or a tin of toms, some fresh herbs, grate some parmesan into a bowl.... for your family in particular worth adding some left over chopped chicken, or some pre cooked sliced sausages.

Stews are great, but too heavy some evenings. There are many actual recipes for stews and casseroles if you feel nervous of chucking together....beauf bourginon for example.

Personally, I don't think clarissa dickson wrights beef stew can be beaten.....I was amazed when I tasted it...BUT I wouldn't recommend it for this sort of family meal as its light on veg and the last thing you want is to be prepping a side dish on a rushed evening.

when pasta done tip in to bubbling light sauce and then serve.

It should take that long for kids to take shoes of, wash hands and if required

bigmuffins

Baked potatoes - wash, dry and rub with oil and salt, put in oven before you go out and should be cooked by time you get back.
Can put all sorts of toppings - left over bolognaise, chilli con carne, tuna, baked beans, prawns, cheese etc add salad and/or garlic bread to bulk it up. Is hot and filling and not a lot of effort especially if you have a programmable oven! Think you can do in slow cooker too but I have never done it.

happy35

i usually put something in the slow cooker for busy evenings, if I am going to buy something then it will be a Lloyd Grossman sauce with pasta on the table within about 10 minutes

I have made corned beef hash, shepherds pie etc the night before and OH will put them in the oven so they are ready to eat as soon as wh come in the door.

tanith

Pizzas and salad..

Chell

My lot love pasta with some pesto, creme fraiche and sweetcorn. Just warm these ingrediants in a pan while the pasta is cooking. Drain the pasta and stir it into your sauce in the other pan.

SailorSam

Is a takaway that quick, by the time you get there (10mins), wait in a queue (10mins), and get home (10mins). If you've got veg in the freezer, tin of tomatoes in the cupboard; and eggs in the fridge you can throw together some sort of rice or pasta dish.

Little_Vics

fajitas for us - fridge to table in 15mins last night. Chop up onion, pepper and chicken quite small and fry off. Add some fajita spice for the last 2 mins. Shove wraps in the oven to warm through, or have them on nachos like we do. Serve with salsa, sour cream and grated cheese. Easy.

martinthebandit

One things puzzles me, if OH and DD are already home when you get back from swimming, why haven't they already started cooking the meal?

valk_scot

If your OH is home before you, why doesn't he cook that night?

ali-t

What about a big pot of stovies so you just have to heat it through and slop it onto plates yum yum

Or chilli that can be batch cooked into lots of portions and you could alternate what you eat it with. One week you could have it in wraps or taco shells with salad to have a mexican munch, another night on a bed of doritos covered with cheese, another night with rice etc etc