Same old, same old

I hate cooking! The greatest joy of my life is eating a meal that someone else has cooked!

I know what you mean - I just churn out similar things week in and week out + ready meals. How I managed to produce 3 meals a day for 5 people for decades is beyond me!

Add to this that I do not eat red meat and cannot have cheese (migraines) and the possibilities are limited.

I am watching this thread with interest.

Me too. I seem to have forgotten how to produce interesting food. Suspect it’s because really I don’t want to do it any more. It’s a relief to know I’m not alone.

I enjoy a nice meal out , but could eat the same food everyday at home without really caring ! I took a Bagel out of the freezer last evening and reached for the houmous , but daringly had cheese and tomato with it instead

Steamed salmon with mustard sauce (basic white sauce, with mustard powder added, and a little splash of white wine (if any), mash and broccoli......yummy

After a lifetime cooking for the family I too am a jaded cook. I really can't be bothered but do make the effort (because I feel I should) interspersed with M&S or Waitrose ready meals. I do, however, love baking but as we are constantly on diets I don't even do that now!

jaded, that's a great word. Yes, very.

Mutual feeling here.
I have cooked for so long, I could have the cooker taken out and use a microwave oven instead if I didnt feel
(a) guilty
(b) lazy.

Smug here. We host young travellers/workers for a few weeks at a time and at the moment we have the world's best chef! I keep telling him he should open a restaurant. I'm vegetarian but despite being a meat eater himself he comes up with the tastiest food.
Not sure if its compatible with weight loss but it's the perfect end to the day.
Last night we had tagliatelle with freshly cooked tomato sauce with plenty of garlic and herbs, salad with feta cheese and tomatoes and olives, and baked sliced aubergines topped with grated cheese. He's French.

Chickpea curry. It doesn't have to be vegetarian, you can add anything you want to it. I make this as it doesn't have onions in it, as I'm allergic. I've copied and pasted it so it's a long post?.
INGREDIENTS
1 clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
2 cups sliced potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce)
1 tablespoon honey (or agave syrup, for a vegan adaptation)
1/4 cup slivered basil leaves, plus small whole leaves for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
In a mortar, grind the garlic, peppercorns and coriander seeds into a paste. (Alternatively, finely chop the garlic with ground versions of the peppercorns and coriander.)
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Fry garlic mixture until fragrant. Add curry powder and fry a little longer to release flavors.
Add stock, potatoes and carrots and bring to a gentle simmer. After about five minutes, add the cauliflower, tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas, soy and fish sauces and honey. Bring to a gentle simmer and continue cooking until the vegetables are done and the sauce has begun to thicken.
Taste for seasonings and add additional soy sauce or honey as needed. You may want to add more heat via hot chile paste if your curry powder wasn't hot enough.
Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Serve over rice with the additional basil on top as a garnish.

Tonight is vegetable curry. Going to get pitta bread and stuff to go with it later today. I tend to batch cook and freeze alot.
Breakfast however, don't know what i fancy

I have a collection of recipe books, and I take one off the shelf, and gradually work through the recipes I want to try, alternating with the usual meals.
Do you like cottage pie? I do several variations....one has grated turnip on top of the usual mince and onons mix, then either mashed, parboiled and sliced or small chip shaped pieces of potato. Another has tinned tomatoes, finely diced pepper and mushroom added to the mince. Another has baked beans and a dash of brown sauce to spice it up added to the mince. I always really brown the mince first, almost incinerated, and then I slow cook the meat mix in a casserole dish for an hour at about 150 fan, it really makes the meat melt in your mouth whilst still having that roast beef flavour from the incineration! And I often make a large amount of the tomatoe-y one and freeze the mix to add to pasta at a later date.

Tonight will be the last of the lovely spag bol but as for tomorrow- who knows- it may well be my old favourite, scrambled eggs with so much cheese it is gorgeous.

I have gone off ready meals and nowadays if I cannot be bothered doing much it is usually egg based. Living on my own means it does not matter if I fancy a cereal.

I’m with you Elvive. Thanks for the thread!

I think it’s because we’ve all ‘cooked’ for years now.

I just want to ‘eat’ without faff any more - the easier the better too!

My go to? It certainly isn’t cooking as such. Try this, it’s yummy!

For 2 people:
Put 4 chicken thighs in a dish.
Pour over the contents of a Nando’s piri peri sauce
Oven for 50 minutes, turning thighs over once
When done, open a pouch of mushroom rice and ping for 2 minutes.

As you can see, nothing to do - read the paper or watch tv whilst the chicken cooks!
?

Why is it when you ask others in the house (unless you live alone) for ideas you get "I don't mind, you choose" or similar.
No, I'm asking you because I've run out of ideas !
I have a rolling menu that contains mince, fish, pork chops and chicken in various guises. It doesn't help that I can't be bothered with a whole load of prep.

You lot make me feel like a real woman! I hate cooking too, we are the real deal! Might try your recipe Urmstongran, but have no idea what peri peri tastes like.

It’s hot! But we love curries etc. I think there are 2 types. Don’t go for the hotter one!

I'm still a very enthusiastic cook even after cooking for family and many others and running a cafe at one time, I'm never happier than when I'm in the kitchen.
I can offer you many suggestions but first I want to know:

a) what are your 'bored-with' dishes?
b) do you want quick and easy or don't mind a bit of fiddle and prep?
c) what about spices and herb - like or loathe?
d) have you any special dietary requirements, or things you absolutely will not touch?
e) do you want dessert ideas as well?

PM me if you like as I'd love to help.

When I am feeling lazy I do a similar chicken recipe to Urmstongran's, but add a few sliced mushrooms and for the sauce a can of condensed mushroom soup (undiluted).

I like that idea shysal I will try it - and substitute my usual mushroom rice for American long grain so as to not get mushroom overload!
?

Sounds great Urm! Like it hot!

Not only am I bored with cooking but I am also not interested in cooking. On a loser!

I'm finding it a big effort now, even though we only have one main meal a day. When you think about all the time we spend on it - we have to plan ahead, shop for the ingredients, start cooking and have it on the table on time.
I sometimes make a fish pie with a selection of fish.
Then next day mash up the remains, add a couple of eggs and make fishcakes.
Another favourite is ox liver and onions, though I know a lot of people don't like liver. I make enough for 2 days.

I'd rather cook/bake than clean the house !
I do most meals from scratch ( fresh ) daily as I'm quite paranoid about having one prepared meal a day whatever it might be.
Baked potatoes are easy enough ( 2 large ones for me ) baked in the oven with whatever fillings you choose ( home-made )

CrazyH, I'll be sampling your steamed salmon with mustard sauce----sounds tasty. I'm all for a change.

I've just packed all my recipe books into a box in the shed. I find anything I want on Pinterest. Just enter your main ingredient and it gives you a whole raft of options on how to cook it. Problem solved.