Can you only cook 4 dishes? Do you eat spag bol twice a week?

Idiophreak

JackieO wrote: »

I rarely cook spag-bol as it's not worth the effort for one person.I prefer the food I grew up with...cottage pie...

Come on, spag bol's easier than cottage pie!

4 dishes is just saddening.

newlywed

I don't cook spag bol anymore as the kids make too much mess eating it!!!

Shepherds pie
Lasagna
Pasta bake
Chilli
Curry
Toad in the hole
Roast chicken
Pork chops
Risotto


Guess that makes me above average - Hurrah!!!

patchwork_cat

I do wonder who they ask. Nobody I know only has 4 dishes in their repertoire. Maybe they stood outside the local high school!

The other day on BBC breakfast they said the price of the average party bag is £7.50, maybe among a distinct group of millionaires, but no party my children get invited to they're lucky if the party bag costs a £1.

I do wonder where they get their data!!

MrsTinks

nah cottage pie is sooooo easy!!! Well I think so...

I have a fairly good repetoir I guess...
Pasta bakes (rarely jar ones but occasionally if they are on a bogof offer)
pasta with sauce (surprise... I never know what I might find in the fridge)
Lasagna
Roast chicken
Chicken salad
Fajita's (this is my ultimate lazy meal and junk food cop out)
Baked Spud
Pork Tenderloin (cooked in orange juice and white wine in a roasting bag and served with rice)
Coq Au Vin
Soup
Cottage Pie
Meat and veg with gravy or Baernaise Sauce

I'm sure there are more but that's what comes to mind that we've had in the last couple of weeks

immoral_angeluk

Cheese and tomato pasta bake
sausage casserole
Toad in the hole (:D thanks to the lovely os'ers who helped me yesterday!)
Chili con carne
Spag bol
cottage pie
Cheese and potato pie with beans

Definately need more inspiration!

showtunesgirl

My list of dishes is basically whatever I have a recipe for. I saw a programme about this and apparently people get / receive cookbooks and never use them!

What I often do is go to the supermarket, find something I haven't used before and figure out what to make afterwards.

I also have an allotment which also forces you to cook creatively.

I have to say that I am someone who can't bear eating the same thing two days in a row so I have to be inventive.

And yes, my fiance is very, very spoilt!

thriftlady_2

Craftyscholar wrote: »

Casserole, cottage pie for one???
Recipe source please. That's why I buy meals for one. I am selective though. Will not pay silly prices but do like some of the M&S ones. Taste far better than any attempt I could make.

You divide the recipe ingredients by the amount it is intended to serve :rolleyes: , so if a casserole calls for 1 lb of meat for 4 people you use a quarter of a lb. If it calls for one chopped onion, you use a quarter of an onion and wrap up the rest and put it in the fridge.

OR you can freeze the extra portions and have your own ready meals.

It really isn't rocket science

thriftlady_2

I don't think there is anything wrong with having a fairly limited repertoire - not spag bol twice a week though. I'm actually in the process of scaling down my repertoire. I have so many cookbooks that I am reciped out.

I like the idea of building up a solid base of traditional British dishes so that my children will have an idea of what British cooking is.

I rather suspect that French, Italian and Indian cooks are not bombarded with 'foreign food', that they cook the dishes they grew up with and not an everchanging mish mash of global cuisine. I think it is a shame that our food culture has been swamped by food from other cultures. I love all sorts of food and we have maybe one meal a week that is Indian/Chinese/Italian, but I favour the kinds of dishes Jackie O mentions.

I find if I try lots of new recipes for Thai this and Morrocan that my cupboards become cluttered with half used ingredients. I like a nice simple storecupboard from which I can still make a variety of good old-fashioned meals.

MrsTinks

I have bags and bags of couscous in my cupboard... BUT I do use it especially in summer for salads when we BBQ I have a nasty habit of throwing anything in that I can find so if we BBQ'd the day before any BBQ veg that is left over gets bunged in, same for any chicken and occasionally sausage if the dog hasn't snaffled it... then just some herbs and maybe tomaro pure and if in the mood some crushed chilli and cook on the hob for a few mins to cook the flavours into the couscous and leave to cool down and I have salad for work or a light dinner
I also have enough pasta to feed a small army... again great for meals but also for salads with leftovers...

newlywed

thriftlady wrote: »

I find if I try lots of new recipes for Thai this and Morrocan that my cupboards become cluttered with half used ingredients. I like a nice simple storecupboard from which I can still make a variety of good old-fashioned meals.

I agree I don't have much space and so don't want cupboards full of herbs and bits we only ever use once every 6 months. Before I buy herbs and spices now I try to think of at least 2 things I already cook or can cook and would use it in fairly regularly.

Can't be doing with a page long list of ingredients you need a "pinch" of