Cooking/Dinner Advice

Whats_my_age_again

Hi there,
Maybe not the most relevant topic but from my lurking you all seem a very good bunch.

Basically my GF has been away on holiday and is back on Tuesday night and I want to make her a good dinner - I am not a great cook but want to make the effort. Thing is I have to go and pick her up from airport so won't be able to cook on the tuesday night.

So any suggestions on what I can do? Can I cook something tonight that will heat up tomorrow, or can I prepare something that can be cooked in quick smart time when we get back from airport.

Any suggestions as to what is nice and simple to cook is appreciated, as I say I am no chef!!

Thank you all for reading

shell2001

If I am pushed for time i always make a lasagna using fresh lasagna sheets. Then I set the timer so the oven is preheated by the time I expect to get home so it is just popped in the oven for about 30 mins. Just enough time for your girlfriend to have a nice soak in the bath or shower!

What a lovely boyfriend you are, this would definately earn you major brownie points in my eyes.

If you want to do a pudding a really easy one is lemon cheesecake using condensed milk, lemons and bit of cream. Really easy to make and tastes lush - a lovely lady on this site suggested it to me when I had a couple of tins of condensed milk to use up.

Whats_my_age_again

Thanks Shell. I will give you a proper forum thanks when I get home - bloody work computer does not allow it for some reason!

I think I will just concentrate on making a dinner - pudding would be too much for me to cope with!!! Although would probably prefer to make a pudding!

Lasagne is certainly an option - mine would have to be a can based one though which said gf may not approve of but I'm sure she would be happy with it.

Setting timer on oven is not an option - it is just a cheap table top one in rented accommodation.

Any other suggestions?

mrs_metal

Hi

When I want a quick dinner for the next night I'll usually make a curry or a chilli a day or two before. Curry especially tastes even better the next day and on the evening you only have to cook the rice and re-heat the curry

I'm very new here and have been lurking for a little while but there seemed to be some nice curry receipes by curry queen that looked quite straightforward.

I think it wonderful of you to do this, especially if you don't normally cook, if I were your girlfriend I'd be very impressed

Whats_my_age_again

thanks mrs metal.
unfortunately I do not like curry so it is kind of a no no for that one

keep the suggestions coming i appreciate then greatly

Wardi

For quick and easy I like making spaghetti (or any pasta really works) cooked, put it back in the pan after draining it, mix in a tin of tuna, some sweetcorn (if frozen add it in whilst the pasta is cooking) and then grate some cheese, bit of salt and pepper in and mix it all up. The heat should melt the cheese and heat the tuna up and bit and makes a nice dish! Get fresh pasta and its super quick.

You could also buy a jar of tomato pasta sauce and the tuna and sweetcorn into that (maybe assemble tonight so it is just a matter of heating up) and then pour over the pasta, grate some cheese on top. Shouldnt take long to heat up and like Shell2001 said if she has a bath/shower you will have time to knock this together.

Another suggestion would be a shepherds/cottage pie made tonight and then heated up in the oven tomorrow. Anything bake like would be easy to prepare tonight and then heat tomorrow.

Hope my gibbering makes sense!

Definitely worthy of good boyfriend brownie points!!

Whats_my_age_again

shepards pie did cross my mind. Does anyone know of a real simple recipe. I have made it before but I prefer something written down to follow so I do not forget something! or in what order things should be done.

dannahaz

You could make a bolognese, or beef casserole today, and then reheat it tomorrow without any problem. Or you could put the beef casserole on to cook while you go off to the airport.

Here's a recipe for a very simple beef casserole:

Braising steak, cut into cubes (I use 500g and this gives me enough to freeze an extra portion for later use)
One good sized onion, chopped (or sliced if you like it that way)
Mushrooms (I use about 125g, but it's up to you)
Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (I use two or three large carrots)
Garlic cloves, crushed (I use three)
Beef stock cube, dissolved in 500ml boiling water.
A little oil.

First heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, and fry for a few mins on a medium heat. Now add some of the beef cubes, and brown on all sides. When the first handful is done, take them out of the pan and put the next lot in. (Don't put them all in together as this kiust creates steam, and then it will take ages for the meat to brown).

When the mean is all browned, add the garlic, and fry for a minute or two.

Now pour in the stock. Then add the carrots, and mushrooms. Stir, put the lid on and bring to the boil.

At this point I normally transfer it to an oven (gas 4) for an hour and a half to two hours, depenbding on how long I'm out.

If you want to add dumplings, make them (follow instructions on pack) 30 mins before the end of the cooking time, and give them 20 mins to cook.

If you want to turn this into a pie, you can use ready made pastry. 30 mins before the end of the cooking time take the casserole out of theove, Spoon the meat into a pie dish, not too much gravy, and cover with pastry. Bake at the temp stated on the pastry packet. Save the rest of the gravy to serve on the side.

Hope that helps

Wardi

Couttsy wrote: »

shepards pie did cross my mind. Does anyone know of a real simple recipe. I have made it before but I prefer something written down to follow so I do not forget something! or in what order things should be done.

When I make it this is what I do...

- Heat some oil, add some chopped onions, cook for a few minutes until softened.
- Add mince and cook till brown
- Crumb a stock cube over it and add some hot water (just enough to cover the mince, so you get a bit of gravy)
- peel and chop some carrots into little bits and add those, can add peas or whatever you like!
- Add salt and pepper, cover and leave to cook for a little bit

- make your mash potatoes

- spoon the mince mixture into a dish, add some of the liquid in too to keep that moist. Add the potato on top and then bake in the oven for a bit, until the potato has crisped up.
- with the left over liquid I add a few gravy granules in to thicken it up

A quick, not accurate recipe, hope it gives you an idea of how to assemble it!!

mrs_metal

for Shepard pie I usually fry off chopped onion, mushroom (and sometimes carrots), add the mince and a tablespoon of tomato puree, stir til the mince browns then add salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce to taste and about a teaspoon of mixed herbs (sometimes add some freshly grated nutmeg), add half pint of beef stock, bring to the boil and simmer for about 40 minutes, stiring occasionaly, put this into a casserole dish then top with mashed potato, let it cool down completly before putting in the fridge. I don't put the veg into the pie I steam it separatly to serve with the pie cos I'm a fussy eater and don't like much veg so instead of depriving my husband I cook it separalty so he can have some

Rikki

I made an easy Thai green curry the other day.

2 Chicken breasts
tesco's jar of Thai green curry paste
Tin of coconut milk
I also cheated and bought Thai Jasmin microwave rice. ( I'll be drummed out of Old Style now)

Easy to do...
Heat oil in wok, add 1/2 jar of paste (careful it spits), when you can smell the flavours add sliced chicken, when outside of the chicken is sealed add tin of coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes.
Cook rice and serve.

I like mine with onions and peas. I fry onion rings seperately and add in the last 5 minutes with frozen peas.

Its so simple to do and delicious.:drool: