Help with easy recipes for a non cook please

cagneyfan

Linda32 wrote: »

I have a receipe that might help, its called Million-vegetable mince. Having read on here that it isn't bolognase by any stretch. But we do have it with spagetti and its very very nice.

I don't think I can copy it exactly so I'll add little snippets in IYSWIM

Chop 2 onions, 2 carrots (small pieces) pepper (I don't bother with this - its up to you), 2 courgettes and 150g mushrooms (I don't) just to keep costs down.

Fry 500g mince.

Add chopped veg
garlic
and 2tbsp tomato puree

cook for a further 5-10 mins stiring well

Pour over 300ml stock
and a can of chopped toms

Add black pepper to taste

Bring to the boil, then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.


I do not make this when I get home from work I make it as a big batch, then freeze in portions.
Take out of freezer at tea time, the night before you want it to defrost in fridge.

I re-heat in oven at gas mark 6 for 30 minutes.

It does look abit dry when you first re-heat but it does re-heat very nicely.

Obviously, you can alter the veggies to suit, but I think carrots and courgettes go very nicely with mince and toms.


HTH

Thanks very much for taking the time to post this - and everyone else too - thanks.

This sounds really nice, quick and easy. I've been hoping to start cooking as I want to be healthier and not waste as much food as I do.

I think I'll try this and do as you do - freeze in batches

By the way - what does IYSWIM mean?

Skint_Catt

I've had a student cookbook for years - it's called 'How to Cook An Egg' - you can probably find it (or similar) in places like The Works or other discount bookshops. I still refer to it for reminders & ideas and goes from boiling/poaching/frying an egg & beans on toast, through toad in the hole, spag bol to a full roast.
C xx

Determined_2b_Debt_Free

Try THE DINNER LADY by JEANETTE ORREY. I love it! It's got great traditional recipes in made simple - usually very short methods. I was thinking the other day how it would be good for someone who was new to cooking.

You could get it from the library or if you're lucky charity shop - I was just about to buy it and then found it in a CS for £3!! Best bargain in a long while

I'm self taught (by that I mean I wasn't shown by my mum or anyone - she didn't like cooking much, but I just love recipe books) and the best tip I could give is start with something you fancy learning and use it in as many ways possible. Jamie Oliver is also good for this, I loved it when I made pesto for the first time - it made me so happy to produce this out of a few ingredients and I used it in various ways.

Determined_2b_Debt_Free

Also one pot dishes that require throwing a few things in a pot are the ultimate in satisfaction because they taste so good and are foolproof. Jamie Oliver does a crispy chicken recipe like this or something like a sausage casserole is fairly easy - it will inspire you the first time you make something amazing

Determined_2b_Debt_Free

IYSWIM = If you see what I mean

lindseykim13

I've always done my spag bol is about 20mins lol never had any complaints from dh and the kids but i did have to teach myself to cook so didn't know i had to simmer! I do spag bol as my easy meal
put spagetti on first
fry mince (pour out the fat once cooked through yuk)
add chopped onion
add chopped mushrooms
garlic
grated carrot some peas or spinach or all 3(gets the kids to eat more veggies)
carton of pasata (thicker than tinned toms as concentrated)
dried basil

once spagetti is done i normally serve.

I am a very basic lazy cook and don't like millions of ingredients- this has been my fav book out of quite a few that i've tried, my fav was the sheppards pie i learned from it http://www.amazon.co.uk/Family-Healthy-Balanced-Little-Kitchen/dp/1905862156

BitterAndTwisted

All of these methods go against everything I've ever known. I always sweat off the unions first before adding anything else. There might be a reason for it or none.

Any road, I agree that what the OP probably needs is a simple, straightforward studenty-type cookbook. Sometimes it's easy to get overwhelmed when you don't know what something's supposed to be doing or what it should look like but that comes with practice and confidence.

The other thing I would suggest is to get some made on the weekend when there's more time and portion it up and keep it in the fridge or freezer for later in the week. That should prevent the packet-of-biscuits temptation which I am very familiar with. Mine's cheese and water-biscuits when I'm famished and cba

squeakysue

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

All of these methods go against everything I've ever known. I always sweat off the unions first before adding anything else. There might be a reason for it or none.

I always do the onions 1st too

spiddy100

Another good cookbook for people starting to learn is Jamie's Ministry of Food. He has some basic recipes and then suggests ways you can vary them. It's usually one you can get out of the library to see if you like it before you spend any money.

Stephen_Leak

OK. We all had to start somewhere. Try these two for a start. The Bolognese Sauce is the Tomato Sauce with minced meat plus a stock cube.

TOMATO PASTA SAUCE

Enough for pasta for 2

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic
2 onions
1 tablespoon of olive oil
400g tin of plum tomatoes
140g tin of tomato puree
2 teaspoons of mixed herbs

METHOD

Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onions and chop them into tiny pieces.

Put the oil into a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Fry the garlic and onion for about 4 to 5 minutes until the onion is soft. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Put the juice into the pan. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the pan). Put the chopped tomatoes into the pan.

Add the tomato puree and herbs. Stir thoroughly.

Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils, until the sauce has reduced.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Use basil instead of the mixed herbs.

Add a glass of wine and cook for a bit longer. Or drink the glass of wine and cook for the same time.

Add ¼ of a teaspoon of chilli powder to make it into Arrabbiata sauce.

This sauce can also be blended and used as a pizza topping.

BOLOGNESE PASTA SAUCE

Makes 4 x ~250g portions

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic
2 onions
1 tablespoon of olive oil
500g of minced meat
400g tin of plum tomatoes
140g tin of tomato puree
2 teaspoons of mixed herbs
1 beef stock cube

METHOD

Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onions and chop them into tiny pieces.

Put the oil into a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Fry the garlic and onion for about 2 minutes. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Put the meat into the pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the time. By this time, it should have broken up and be an even colour, with no pink bits.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Pour the juice into the pan. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the pan). Pour the chopped tomatoes into the pan.

Add the tomato puree and herbs. Crumble the stock cube into the pan. Stir thoroughly.

Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils, until the sauce has reduced.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Use minced beef, lamb, pork or turkey. If the pack is a bit less than required, add some finely chopped mushrooms and/or grated carrot at the same time as the meat.

You can make a vegetarian version, with minced Quorn or any other mince substitute, and a vegetable stock cube.

Use 1 teaspoon of oregano and 1 teaspoon of rosemary instead of the mixed herbs.

Add a glass of wine and cook for a bit longer. Or drink the glass of wine and cook for the same time.

If you need instructions how to cook pasta, let me know. Send me a PM if you're embarrassed to ask on here. If you want to move up to Chilli Con Carne (It's the BS, but minus the tomato puree and herbs, plus a tin of beans and chilli powder) let me know.