ISO Something to cook - I'm on my own for a while

[true_manc08]

Hi all, this is my first post.

From this Sat (5th jan) my mum will be in mexico for a couple of weeks so i will have to cook for myself, now i can do a spag bol and other simple dishes but i want to create something else.

If anyone has any ideas pls comment.

P.S I dont do peanuts, mushrooms or seafood.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gargoyle1972]

hi

how about doing a grilled chicken breast???

Firstly take 1 breast of chicken , butterfly by slicng through almost in half.
Marinate in juice of 1 lemon, garlic and fresh basil or thyme. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour or if you can longer or overnight.
Take breast from marinade rub olive oil. Then either griddle in griddle pan so you get lines on it . or panfry with a little oil. or even pop in ovenproof dish with a little wine or water and bake for 12 mins moderate oven.
Serve either with a mixed salad or maybe on some simple pasta and tomato sauce? or with any veg of choice?

 

[pdswife]

Hi welcome to our group!

There are so many choices. Do you like soup?

Here are a few easy soups.

French Onion Soup
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups onions ( chopped or sliced) sliced is the normal way but... chopped is easier to eat.
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
sliced French bread
swiss cheese
parm. cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pan.
Add the onions and cook over med. heat until nice and brown.
Stir them every once in awhile so they don't burn.
Add broth, wine and worcestershire sauce and a dash of pepper.

Boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 or 15 minutes.

You can eat it at this point or

put soup in oven safe bowls... top with a slice of bread... top that with the cheese.
Put soup in the oven and bake until the cheese is nice and melted. Turn the broiler on
if you want cooking time to go faster.

I often add stew meat
to mine.

Enjoy!!!

Lentil Soup 8 cups water ( or chicken or beef broth may be used instead of or in a combo with the water)
2 cups lentils
1 medium onion chopped fine
8 cloves of garlic ( more or less is fine)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Rince lentils.
Add all ingredients ( except salt)
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 60-90 minutes or until lentils are soft. Then add salt.

You can add ham or sausage if you wish and amounts are really all up to you. I always have extra garlic and onions in mine and sometimes celery too.

Add one tsp of vinager to each bowl at serving time.

Good luck and enjoy your
time alone.

 

[kitchenelf]

A really simple yet good cream of tomato soup is:

Take equal parts of tomato sauce and heavy cream and heat with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Don't let it boil - just gently heat. Remove the thyme and add a few sprigs of fresh basil cut chiffonade (stack the leaves, roll like a cigar, slice in rings) and heat for another 10 minutes. REALLY good, simple, and goes great with a grilled cheese or grilled ham and cheese (for ham and cheese I really prefer mozzarella).

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Another thing I like to make when it's just me is:

Saute some onions and green peppers if you like them, add some ground pork and brown until done. To that add a can of diced tomatoes, with juice, and cooked macaroni noodles. Cook until heated through.

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Take a chicken breast and pound it out as thin as you can get it. Salt and pepper it. Spread some montrachet on it, sundried tomatoes, a little pesto if you have it or layer in a few basil leaves. Roll and brown in some olive oil and finish in the oven. If you brown seam side down first it shouldn't fall apart.

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Saute some fresh veggies (carrots, onions, celery) until just starting to soften. Add some chicken broth, fresh basil, canned white beans, canned green beans in you like them, heat. Next add some sliced zucchini and thinly sliced cabbage. When almost done add a little more fresh basil, fresh spinach, and some kind of small pasta (I prefer tubettini). Stir often at this point so the pasta doesn't sink to the bottom and burn.

Serve in a bowl topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 

[jpmcgrew]

What types of foods do you like? It would make it easier to narrow down some dishes for you.

 

[true_manc08]

jpmcgrew, i generally as a rule dont eat anything unless it has a meat form in it, so:

beef, chicken, turkey, ham, gammon, bacon, lamb and pork.

Anything that incorporates any of those would be appreciated.

Also if anyone has simple dessert recipes they would be welcomed as well.

Thanks

 

[jpmcgrew]

jpmcgrew, i generally as a rule dont eat anything unless it has a meat form in it, so:

beef, chicken, turkey, ham, gammon, bacon, lamb and pork.

Anything that incorporates any of those would be appreciated.

Also if anyone has simple dessert recipes they would be welcomed as well.

Thanks

OK,next questions what ethnic cuisines do you like chinese,thai,mexican etc and what level of skill are you at cooking beginner,middle or better?

 

[true_manc08]

i like thai, mexican, malay. Not so keen on Indian or Chinese or Japanese. Italian is also a favoured choice.

My cooking skill would be between beginner and middle. I can cook, I know the general basics

My favourite dish is Spag Bol with a few added ingredients to it.

 

[QSis]

This is one of my favorite DC recipes from 2007! I've made it with pork loin, country style spare ribs and pork chops - it always comes out great! http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f49/melt-your-mouth-pork-loin-39428.html

You can substitute cream of celery soup for the mushroom soup, if you want.

Serve over instant mashed potatos (I love Idahoan brand) or rice, or toast.

Lee

P.S. What is Spag Bol?

 

[true_manc08]

Spag Bol? Spaghetti Bolognese

 

[ErikC]

If you like eggs, then you can make a frittata, which is simply a baked omelet.

Pre-cook the stuff you want to mix in, like onions, sausages, chicken pieces, asparagus, ham, whatever you want.

Then mix up the eggs, splash a bit of water in, and season well with salt, pepper, and maybe some hot sauce and/or garlic powder. Beat well to get bubbles incorporated (makes a fluffier end product).

Put your non-egg ingredients in a small baking dish and spread around the bottom of the dish. Now pour the eggs around these ingredients, and bake at about 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. You can tell if it is done by jiggling the baking dish -- you don't want it to slosh around, otherwise it still needs to cook.

The nice thing about this dish is that it can be different every time, and you don't need to learn anything new. You can also use up leftovers really easily!

 

[Alix]

Spag Bol? Spaghetti Bolognese

Did you read the Uglies?

 

[gargoyle1972]

Vanilla ice cream topped with a shot of baileys irish liquer is a nice dessert and little flaked chocolate or grated chocolate
Adult jellies, make up jelly with half water and half sparkiling wine. pour into moulds over mixed berries. lovely and refreshing. instead of booze could use lemonade to dissolve jelly too or elderflower cordial.
will post more tomorrow! just a couple of quickies for you

 

[Bilby]

Make the mince for the Bol but instead of adding it to pasta, top it with mashed potato for a cottage pie. Put some grated cheese on top of the pie, place in the oven at 180C (or whatever temp in F you would use to reheat) until the cheese has melted - all the ingredients of course are cooked, so provided you haven't allowed anything to cool, it is ready to rock.

The mince can also be used for tacos, burritos and nachos or place into a lettuce leaf cup and roll up.

Get a couple of lamb chops, rub with honey, garlic and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried parsley and dried chives. Put in the oven in a baking dish at 180C for about 20 mins, or until the lamb is cooked (turn half way thru cooking). To make a mini roast dinner, add your choice of veges that have been zapped (two-thirds cooked) in the microwave, into the pan with the lamb, making sure they have some oil and seasoning over them.