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Food

When You Don't Feel Like Cooking

(127 Posts)
Caleo Sat 12-Apr-25 15:30:12

Handful of frozen stir -fry mixed veg in a small pot with more than enough water to cover. Boil until reduced enough to make Bisto gravy of the veg + water.

Pour the vegetable gravy over some (powdered) mashed potato.

Pepper to taste.

nanna8 Sun 13-Apr-25 08:47:57

Thai takeaway. They deliver if you can’t be bothered driving down the street. Probably around once a fortnight or so.

kittylester Sun 13-Apr-25 08:59:47

Lots of these solutions to 'When you can't be bothered to cook' seem to involve cooking.

merlotgran Sun 13-Apr-25 09:09:54

Eloethan

Poach salmon in oven in a little milk, butter. salt and black pepper, and a sprinkling of fresh dill and/or oregano.
Serve with either mashed potatoes or scrubbed baby potatoes and frozen peasl

Oven-baked potato, small tin of tuna mixed with a little mayonnaise, sliced beetroot and tomato and some watercress.

Shop-bought pasta (3 mins gentle boil) plus home-made tomato sauce - chopped tomatoes, 1 finely sliced onion, 2 garlic cloves, chopped, fry together gently (add fresh sage leaves or a couple of pinches of dried oregano) until soft. Mash manually or use blender to smooth, pour over cooked pasta, add a little grated cheese.

Sounds like proper cooking to me!

JaneJudge Sun 13-Apr-25 09:14:55

Sausages, potato waffles done in the air fryer with baked beans ir green beans

Little home made pizzas on pittas ir flatbreads with a red pesto base, some cheese and tomatoes on top - also can be fine in the air fryer

Ready made chicken Kiev’s with salad

Mt61 Sun 13-Apr-25 09:18:34

CanadianGran

Grannywannynanny - that sounds horrible! grin Never heard of chips (crisps) in a sandwich!

For me an easy dinner is an egg, and those hash brown patties, don't know if you have them in UK. Save the veg for another day.

Wow you haven’t lived if you haven’t ever had a crisp buttie 😊
Two nice slices of home baked white bloomer, butter, crisps of choice (lightly salted for me), add dash of brown sauce or ketchup- delicious 😋 we had chicken sandwiches yesterday with crisps.

kittylester Sun 13-Apr-25 09:24:48

No sauce Mt61 just really thick butter - definitely ready salted crisps.

pascal30 Sun 13-Apr-25 09:34:56

cheese, butter and marmite on crumpets cooked in the airfryer

merlotgran Sun 13-Apr-25 09:41:19

A slice of ham, Brie and some chilli jam inside a buttered gf bread roll, microwaved on the defrost setting for 20 seconds- just enough to warm the bread and slightly melt the cheese.

buffyfly9 Sun 13-Apr-25 09:54:41

Crisp sandwiches made with cheese and onion crisps in home made granary bread with a splodge of Hellmans Mayo. I had the most divine home made crisps in our local pub on Friday. Yes, I know it's cooking but I'm going to make some today. Maris Piper potatoes sliced on a mandolin, rinsed until water runs clear, dry on tea towel and fry small batches in oil at 180 till golden brown, place on kitchen roll, sprinkle with pink sea salt. You will never buy another packet again.

Patsy70 Sun 13-Apr-25 10:32:44

Family lunch at the pub for granddaughter’s 19th birthday! 🥳
(I have made her favourite lemon drizzle cake, though!)

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 10:33:37

If you want it to be vegetarian, fibre, vitamins, and inexpensive too? Frozen vegetable gravy made with onion Bisto, poured over some carbohydrate such as mash, or oven chips.

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 10:36:22

Buffyfly, can these be made by oven roasting perhaps in a well oiled oven glass dish?

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 10:39:07

Pascal I will ask my son who has an airfrier if he'd like try cheese, butter, and crumpets cooked in it.

kittylester Sun 13-Apr-25 10:47:29

merlotgran

A slice of ham, Brie and some chilli jam inside a buttered gf bread roll, microwaved on the defrost setting for 20 seconds- just enough to warm the bread and slightly melt the cheese.

Oooooh! Must try that.

JaneJudge Sun 13-Apr-25 11:09:08

I have a tip for parsnips. Peel and cut into wedges and parboil and drain. Mix 1 table spoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of marmit. Melt in the microwave and then pour over the arsnips on a roasting tray. Roast in the oven for about 20-30 minutes. They are lush, even when cold

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 11:19:29

"A packet of salt and vinegar crisps between 2 slices of buttered bread "
(Grannynannywanny)
Good idea for tarting up bought bread ,so I will try bread sandwich with crisps , grilled with cheese on top.Maybe put some apple slices on the toasted cheese.

A whole apple and a lump of cheddar, bite and bite about, in front of the TV , is very very easy.

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 11:28:59

If you don't have any breadcrumbs for gratin and can't be bothered making bread crumbs are there any easy alternatives e,g, crumbled Weetabix or even sugary cereal.

BTW I heard that grated cheddar keeps longer than cheddar in a block. I wonder if that is true. Disadvantage of grated cheddar is bits fall off the bread for cheese toast and then the grill thing has to be steeped and washed.

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 11:31:09

I wonder if powdered potato and butter can be creamed together to make crumble or a sort of pastry?

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 11:34:53

JaneJudge, I like your recipe. smileWhat size of parsnip wedges please? How hot the oven?

Grannylynj Sun 13-Apr-25 11:34:57

Don’t understand ‘if you can be bothered ‘ comment

Caleo Sun 13-Apr-25 11:41:24

@ Kittylester, many do involve cooking but the cooking may be very minimal. My recipe for veg and gravy for instance involves only boiling on the hob for about five mins means I must stay in the kitchen or I go away fand forget, However it only takes a few minuted to reduce the water content. I suppose I could cook the frozen veg in the microwave.

Granniesunite Sun 13-Apr-25 11:49:01

I do like to cook its something I find therapeutic but I phone Just Eat and get a delivery fish and chips,curry,pasta, or sometimes a full roast dinner if I can’t be bothered to cook!

A real treat.

Aldom Sun 13-Apr-25 11:54:09

Grannylynj which comment are you referring to? I've looked, to see if I could answer your question, but only see 'if you can't be bothered' quotes. smile

Shinamae Sun 13-Apr-25 11:57:59

Franski

Other lazy tips. Bung a whole chicken in the slow cooker. Add salt and pepper. Chuck in any unpeeled carrots or potatoes. Cook on slow all day. Eat it over next 5 days.

I’ll definitely give that a go as I sometimes work till eight at night and don’t get home till 830….

farmgran Sun 13-Apr-25 12:02:20

Baked beans on toast!