When You Don't Feel Like Cooking

No problem crossstitchfan 👍

NanKate, I have totally misunderstood your comment! Have read it again and I get it now. So sorry.,

NanKate

Yes crossstitchfan we get your drift loud and clear 😀

Sorry, have I upset you? You sound a little sarcastic!

Yes crossstitchfan we get your drift loud and clear 😀

Grannynannywanny

A packet of salt and vinegar crisps between 2 slices of buttered bread 😋

My go-to fave cheat meal too! I crunch the crisps a bit so they go all over the bread, then add just a smidgen of salad cream to taste? The thrill of the crunch as I bite into it is better than…Enough said, but you get my drift!
I also love fish finger sarnies, but that takes a bit more effort.

Perhaps purchasing Hot Cross Buns? Off to find nice buns.

Caleo -it's made from Maggi dried noodles with a separate flavouring packet .
I just pour hot water on top .
It benefits from a minute or two in the microwave .
I do make it frequently if coming in from shopping or gardening or if I have a cold or flu .
I might add soy or sweet chilli sauce on top .
I could happily have one now !

My quickest meal is Mussels. Open chilled pack, put in pan without water, cook for 5 minutes………… done!

Lidl Cheese and Tomato Pasta, microwave cooks in about 9 mins. Airfry sausages or bacon, or whatever takes your fancy and add to the Pasta. Give it a good stir and eat out of the tray. Leaves one fork to wash up. Very tasty.

When I say Esmay's recipe for improved chicken noodle soup is doable for me, I mean that I always seek a way to eat umami real vegetables without all the faff of preparation.

I say"real vegetables" but powdered potato I do except because it makes a good enough mash without the work.

Esmay, is I guess the chicken noodle soup the sort of powdered soup that needs cooking, not sort of cup a soup?

It's a doable recipe for me. Thanks.

Another treat -I toast some soughdough bread and pour over some baby tomatoes ,mozzarella balls ,peppers and olives in oil over it .
I might rub the toast with a garlic clove first
Iceland don't sell the bread ,
but sell little cartons of tomatoes in oil etc .

I add some chopped bak choy ,spring onions and mushrooms to Maggi instant chicken noodle soup -really great if you feel chilled or tired .

I’ve just discovered the Rana pasta range.

Nothing can be easier.

This week I boiled tortellini (filled) for 2 minutes and heated up one of their vegetable sauces.

Sprinkled on Parmesan.

It literally took 3 minutes

even keen!

Is it my device?

normal deal
No, autocorrect, I typed meal deal.

DH brought mashed potato as part of a normal deal, and I'm not even on bought mashed potato.

This evening I mixed it with some lightly fried chopped onion (which I'd frozen last week), mustard, pepper and plenty of grated cheese. Topped with more grated cheese and sliced tomato, baked in the oven.
It should have had a beaten egg added, à la Mary Berry, which makes it lighter but I forgot that.

Very tasty.

Pasta with a knob of butter and a spoon of marmite mixed in. Alternatively a bar of chocolate and a bag of crisps, not together I might add. Toasted hot cross bun.

My "posh" no effort, is buy some smoked salmon when it is on offer. Then get usually seasalt crackers or with pepper or whatever. put salmon on crackers, little tartare sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add glass of cold pinot grigio. Ah bliss. Biggest effort is sometimes opening the flipping salmon packet !. - and of course only 1 plate and 1 glass to wash up too.

When I am in the mood to cook and my back allows me, I make things like casserole, mince with lots of veg in it especially onions and celery, bolognaise sauce etc. Eat some and freeze rest into single portions. On rubbish day, with neither the energy or inclination, toss up between jacket potato done partly in microwave and finished in air fryer to get good skin, and add mince or whatever. Alternatively have 2 or 3 varieties of rice take 2 minutes and add sauce. When I am in cooking mode I do my own brown rice, but dont freeze that so the quick 2 minute stuff is for down days.

The other thing is what my father called "a concoction of fantatalam" which translates as look and see what you have in the fridge and either stir fry or make an omelete of the various things. They often taste very good but you can never make it exactly the same another time.

I’m loving some of the ideas on here. I’m an eat-to-live person, not live-to-eat, so I’m not good when I’m just catering for myself.

Here’s a quick meal that does two people twice, or four folk, if you have visitors.

One tin of M&S chilli con carne
One pack of tortilla chips
One carton/jar of salsa
100g Grated cheese
Sour cream & guacamole, if desired.

Heat the chilli in the microwave as per instructions on the tin. Cover the base of an ovenproof dish with half the tortilla chips. Spread the heated chilli over the tortillas, followed by the salsa. Put the rest of the tortillas on top then sprinkle with the grated cheese. Bake in a 170deg oven for ten minutes, until piping hot. Serve with the sour cream & guacamole.

Cheese and onion toasties or cheese and piccalilli sarnie. In the next village a cheese monger has opened he also serves all cheese dishes its lovely you can have a cheese platter with grapes and olives take your own wine! Delish.

I don’t want to divert the thread but what do you all think about Wiltshire, Oaklands and Parsley Box? Worth having in as a standby?

open a tin of pink salmon, mix with diced cucumber and lettuce, add mayo, pepper and a dash of vinegar and spread over brown bread, or open a tin of soup from one of the 10 cans i always keep in the cupboard.

If I dont feel like cooking or eating, I can drink a Huel. It has all of the nutrition I need.

Mary Berry’s sausage thing is pretty easy.

Roasting pan.

Bung in sausages, red onion, red pepper and potato +garlic sliced.

Oil S&P. 180-200 30 mins turn sausages add a splash of white wine 29-30 more minutes.