I cant cook, spec me some easy meals

kieranv

kieranv

kieranv

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Joined
19 Apr 2007
Posts
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Location
Glasgow, scotland
Hi,

At the grand age of 28, I cant cook. Currently I live off frozen food, the odd easy dish and takeaway.

I've always lived with someone else who did all the cooking and I never bothered to learn how to make a basic meal. Now I live on my own.

I can do things like chicken fajitas and carbonara but would love to be able to make more. I love pasta, gnocchi, chicken, red meats etc, anyone got any suggestions of something quick and easy to make?

Cheers.
 
The basic bolognese sauce can be changed to accommodate a multitude of dishes. Once you're comfortable with the process, start experimenting.

White sauce is another good one, home made it's makes a cracking lasagna or fish pie.
 
SPG said:
Tried that, still doesn't work and never looks like it does in the photo.
Click to expand...

Neither does a McDonalds burger, for similar reasons.

Since when has cooking been about how it looks anyway? And if things don't taste good you're just fundamentally doing things wrong that require more practice.

I went to uni knowing how to cook bolognese, that was about it. Now my gf rarely wants to go for meals out because unless its a top end restaurant, I can cook most things just as good/better myself!
 
One pot cooking is how I started, it teaches you lots of skills without worring about timings too much. Then you can start branching out once you have the basics down. Make yourself a nice steak and ale casserole and then freeze a couple of portions for the days you can't be bothered to cook. Make a casarole, hotpot, bolognaise and chili from scratch and you will be well on your way.

I prepare everything on the hob top chucking in my ingredients to get the flavours going and brown the meat, takes about 15 minutes. Once it is looking good the lid goes on and I move it to the over and I go and play games.

Get yourself a good cast-iron casserole dish, a good set of knives, pans and chopping boards.
 
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Chorizo
Onion
Peppers
Chicken Thighs
Passata or tinned tomatoes

The above is the minimum, then you can add spices (Paprika as a minimum I would say) and things like a bit of worcestershire sauce.

Fry off the Chorizo to get it going and pull out some of the oils, then add the onions and peppers (I usually hold about a third of the peppers back at this point), cook on a medium heat to soften then add the chicken thighs. Give them some colour add the paprika and then the passata/tomatoes.

Once the tomato has warmed up add to an oven proof dish, cover and cook at 160c for about an hour.

Serve with Rice.
 
Sausages (70% meat or above)
Peppers
Onions
Brown Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Baked Beans

Cut the sausages into 4 (removal of skin is a personal preference)

In a lidable pan, cook off the onions to soften them, then add the sausages and give them some colour, add the peppers and cook for a further minute of two. Add a tin or 2 of beans (depends on number of sausages and number to be fed). Add Brown sauce and worcestershire sauce to taste (should have a slight BBQ feel to it).

Cover with lid and simmer for about an hour.

Serve with buttery mash.
 
what are you struggling with?
best thing is youtube, as you get a far better idea of what's happening compared to a recipe.

also spend some money as its not expensive on a decent non stick frying pan and a sharp knife. they make a world off difference.

lots of good youtube channels, foodwishes is well liked
just browse through his videos for something you like the sound off.

don't worry about not looking like photos, taste is the important bit and photos for recipe books are painstakingly arranged etc.

it is also worth looking at skill videos.

but main thing is just practice, things like controlling heat takes some practice.
 
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Mango chicken
Mango chutney couple of spoonfulls
Trimmed chicken breasts 1 pp
Tub Elmlea or similar double cream.
Put all in an oven proof dish. Cook for 20 mins covered then another 15-20mins uncovered
Serve with potatoes and veg with bread rolls to mop up the sauce
 
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