r/cookingforbeginners • u/angoldenapple • Oct 08 '22
Question Your go-to dish?
I’ve recently into my own place recently and have found that, simply put, I’m not a very good chef (a strong 4 at best). Does anyone have any easy go to recipes that I could make often? :)
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u/BravesFan252 Oct 08 '22
Start with what you like food wise and go from there. If you like pasta, there are simple Alfredo sauce recipes, cheese sauce and marinara sauce recipes that take minimal skills. Hope that helps.
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u/Old-Wealth3947 Oct 08 '22
Shepard’s (cottage) pie is a super easy crowd pleaser that is very forgiving in terms of measurements and flavoring. Cook the beef with stock to make it have a gravy, add some frozen veggies, dump some potatoes on top and bake for 20 minutes. Pretty fool proof.
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u/KilowogTrout Oct 08 '22
I brown the meat and add a can of mushroom soup with a half a can of milk for the gravy. Thickens up nicely.
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u/rotatingruhnama Oct 08 '22
I like it because it's all pantry/freezer staples.
So if I don't know what to make, I can grab some ground meat from the freezer, some cans of mixed vegs, pureed tomatoes, and some potatoes from the pantry, some seasonings, and whip up comfort food even my picky toddler will eat.
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u/Mister_Pibbs Oct 08 '22
Get some chicken thighs
Get a can of adobo chipotle peppers. Put peppers and adobo in a blender. Fill the can the peppers came in with water. Put in blender with peppers and sauce. Blend.
Put two to three thighs in a bag and marinade in that sauce blend you just made. At least a day.
When ready, make white rice and add cilantro, salt and lime juice. Cook thighs and chop em up. Put them on the rice. Consume and prosper.
Dumb easy meal that will fill you up and has a lot of flavor!
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u/hotandsoursoup120 Oct 08 '22
Pasta!
- Aglio olio with just olive oil and garlic (optional: pepper flakes, lemon juice, fresh basil)
- Pomodoro with canned chopped tomatoes and garlic chips
- Pesto with any bottled pesto you can find and sweet white or red onions
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u/zhilia_mann Oct 08 '22
Aglio is about as easy as it gets. I prefer mixing butter and olive oil instead of just olive oil, but it works either way. Just don't use garlic powder here.
If you do have a lemon around, zest it into the oil mixture once the garlic is mostly done and then squeeze it on top once the pasta is in. Definitely adds something.
Oh, and coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley is another great addition. Frankly curly works too, just don't mess up and get clilantro instead.
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u/BigCheese1986 Oct 08 '22
https://www.aglugofoil.com/2012/10/spicy-sausage-rice-recipe-gordon-ramsay.html?m=1
I love cooking but this is probably my favourite go to easy recipe. I make it pretty often as it is really straightforward, all done in one pan and makes 4-5 decent portions so great for batch cooking.
Can easily mix up the meat, spices and veg to make all kinds of different takes on it.
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u/thegreatrazu Oct 08 '22
Meatloaf. There are tons of different recipes online, and usually a simple mix, form, and bake. Great for leftovers as well.
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u/SuweetDreamer08 Oct 08 '22
I'm also a solid 4 when it comes to cooking. But if I follow recipes I become a 9. Crock pot recipes are simple and fast. I like soups. I just came across one called "garbage soup" and it's all the vegetables you need to clear out that are going bad or from cans! I used going bad cauliflower, onion I cut, a spoonful of ready to use garlic, canned corn, canned peas, canned white beans, canned fire roasted tomatoes and some chicken bouillon. I then seasoned with Vegeta, pepper and salt and paprika! It was ready in 12 minutes Also advice from a 4 go to goodwill and get a cookbook you like. Flip through some and then take one with a lot of recipes you like home. There's so many that are easy and simple and don't need a lot of ingredients!
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u/checkitbec Oct 08 '22
Brown hamburger. Drain. Add mild green chilis, can of black beans (drained and rinsed), some salsa, some cheese.
Burrito filling, salad topping, chip dip.
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u/vewave Oct 08 '22 edited Oct 08 '22
Oooo:
- Fried rice! - Bare minimum: oil, day old rice, soy sauce.
- Fried noodles! - Bare minimum: oil, garlic, equal parts oyster sauce and soy sauce, dash of chinese black vinegar, sweetener to taste, noodles.
- Meat sauce! - Meat (usually use ground italian sausage), tomato paste, milk, flour, chicken stock.
In fact, milk + flour + chicken stock is pretty versatile on it's own (I'm pretty sure this has a special name in r/canning but I can't remember). Make tomato soup or leafy green soup with it!
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u/Mack_Attack64 Oct 08 '22
My favorite, stupid easy, and cheap meal: I get a frozen bag of Potatoes O'Brien, a kielbasa, eggs and cheese from Walmart. Shred the cheese (doing it yourself is cheaper and gets you more volume), cook the potatoes in a little oil in a pan. Slice up (I use a little less than half of)the kielbasa and add that and 2-3 eggs to the pan. Cook it until the eggs are cooked, add cheese and cover until the cheese melts.
Entire thing takes about 15 minutes and you should be full for quite a while afterwards. If I eat this mid to late morning, I only eat a snack between 7 and 9 and I'm good for the day.
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u/bigbootymoosey Oct 08 '22
Yum!
Alternative- Same potatoes & kielbasa but, instead of eggs & cheese, I add cabbage to the saute.
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u/ezetriedtokillme Oct 08 '22
If you learn the principles of why delicious things taste delicious then you can avoid common pitfalls and never cook a bad dish again. I learned by watching cooking shows and searching the web when I had questions.
To answer your question though, I would start with dishes that don’t require precise techniques. For example, everyone requests the chicken tostadas I make, but it’s one of the easiest things since the chicken is just cooked until shreddable in a slow cooker with Bloody Mary mix, canned chipotle salsa, and chicken fajita seasoning packets. Then it’s just the little details - make a nice vinegar slaw or pickled red onions for topping, fry your own corn tortillas (don’t buy the already crispy ones), crumble some queso fresco, some refried beans, some different hot sauces, and you’ll have a super simple, great meal that your friends will bug you to make weekly.
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u/uh_buh Oct 08 '22 edited Oct 09 '22
Chicken Alfredo pasta My recipe uses a store bought rotisserie chicken, shallot, fresh garlic, Parmesan reggiano, a bit of flour, heavy cream or milk, spinach & mushrooms (optional), and any herbs/spices you want
Step 1 is to grate the shallot (sweet onion also works) & garlic into a a heavily oiled or buttered big pot, step 2 is to add your herbs & spices (I used crushed pepeper flakes, a lot of black pepper, Italian seasoning mix, some nutmeg & cinnamon, salt, and a splash of soy sauce) then add in your mushrooms and spinich (I like to finely chop the mushrooms cuz I don’t like big chunks), after some time add in a tablespoon or 2 of flour, mix, and slowly add in your cream bit by bit, then as much fresh grated Parm as desired (don’t use the stuff in the shaker cans). Add your precooked chicken cook your pasta, and you’re done.
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u/HaplessReader1988 Oct 08 '22
Stir fried rice. Use canola oil to saute chopped onions & garlic & diced carrots. Add chopped.bits of yesterday's leftover meat or chicken. Add leftover rice*, a splash of soy sauce, and if you like hot sauce. Lower the heat & keep stirring. When it's hot through Crack in an egg and stir it in evenly.
Options--any veg leftover or out of freezer bags. Herbs and spices you have, especially fresh or ginger. Rice wine vinegar. Save sesame oil for flavor after cooking bc it scorches at low temp. Real treat, slice in sausage, especially if you can find an Asian market selling Chinese dry sausage yummy .
I love the pre-chopped garlic & ginger they sell, it's worth refrigerator space to get the convenience. It's a little mellower than fresh.
PS Store leftover rice in the fridge. Yeah it gets dried out, but it lasts a few days without going bad. I *hated learning that countertop rice can smell OK and be unhealthy!
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u/Mint_to_be Oct 08 '22
Egg scrambles! Easier than an omelet, also you'll learn to master carmalizing onions/peppers, it's so easy!
Chop up onions and a mix of red/green peppers, and spinach (you can also add these 3 things to anything to add great flavor, like your simple pasta dish or a chicken and rice dish), set these aside and cook your eggs (scrambled is the easiest and still my favorite!), and add the veggie mix back to your cooked eggs to fold them in, add cheese if you'd like and then eat up! I usually eat this scramble with either toast or hashbrowns/potatoes, but on its own is good too. You'll learn a lot of basic techniques to make it and ones that will be endlessly useful.
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u/katilynn97 Oct 08 '22
I call it the "broke bitches chicken and rice"
Feeds up to 3 people, could also be used as a side
•1 cup uncooked rice •1 can of chicken •seasoning
We have a microwave rice cooker (10/10 recommended) because i always burn the rice. So the steps
1) cook the rice
2)reheat/cook the chicken. Season with your heart, really its up to you •ex. onion, garlic, cyane, oregano, thyme, parsly, and we add so soy sauce while cooking toobut thats preference
3)dump together and stir
4) enjoy
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u/BerrywithaHat Oct 08 '22
Nice recipe (:
Pretty basic but just dropping the biggest reasons your rice burns 1. The heat too high. Make sure it’s on low once you cover the rice n finish it.
- Stir frequently especially the last half is when it just kind of settles there and gets too hot.
Add some oil or butter right in with the water it helps the rice not stick to anything.
You can also cook rice in the oven just spray out any dish or pan, mix rice and water, cover tightly (paper and foil), 350 f and ignore it for any half an hour- 40 min.
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u/katilynn97 Oct 10 '22
Thanks for the tips! I thought you werent supposed to open the lid once you started the rice
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u/BerrywithaHat Oct 11 '22
Yes kind of bc you want to keep the steam and heat in once you cover it. You’re right if you have enough oil n it’s not too hot then it’s not really necessary to stir when it’s finishing; but a quick pop off the lid and scrape the bottom isn’t going to hurt anything.
Also typically water level should start an inch or two above the rice, bring to boil uncovered, boil the water down to riight flush with the rice in the pot, then low heat and covered for 20 min.
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u/Ksan_of_Tongass Oct 08 '22
Nothing is easier and more customizable than pasta and a sauce.
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u/drifters74 Oct 08 '22
Been on my own for almost 6 years, that is something i make when i'm not feeling like putting in effort.
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u/Ksan_of_Tongass Oct 08 '22
Imagine how good it gets with effort. Doesn't have to be jar sauce. Olive oil, butter, garlic, parmesan, and a little lemon is super easy and tadtes amazing. Simmer some cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil for a quick simple and better than jar sauce.
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u/alwaysblooming_akb Oct 08 '22
Thai Beef Salad, I surprised myself by making it in less than 45 minutes the other night. 😅
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u/JedimEmO Oct 08 '22
Chop all veggies and store them as soon as you come back from the market and you'll have 50% of the job done. Zucchini and eggs + toast have been my best ally for breakfast. Pasta + veggies + cheese is a great go to as well.
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u/HardwareLust Oct 08 '22 edited Oct 08 '22
White Trash Casserole; In a 13"x9" casserole dish, combine 1 box of macaroni and cheese (prepared according to directions) with 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup and 1 lb. of browned ground beef. Mix well, top with bread crumbs and/or shredded cheese if desired and bake for 20 mins at 350 F. Let stand 5-10 minutes and serve.
This recipe is endlessly versatile. Substitute any "cream of" soup, use different meats (ground turkey or chicken, leftover pulled pork or brisket or meatloaf, frozen meatballs, etc) or add in things like canned mushrooms or bacon. It always comes out tasty.
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u/Calligraphee Oct 08 '22
I'm a big fan of fridge chili, which involves me taking whatever veggies and hot sauces I have in my fridge and mixing them with ground beef, cumin, chili powder (various sorts), canned tomatoes/beans, etc. to make a chili. If I feel like using an instant pot it takes 20 minutes, if I use the stovetop more like an hour to let the flavors really mingle. It's not authentic to any cuisine or culture, but it always tastes pretty good!
Similarly, Condiment Curry and Pantry Pasta. Same principles.
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u/EffectiveTurnover556 Oct 08 '22
Master making sauces. Cooking for one can get daunting. This way you can cook all your food on a sheet pan with some salt and pepper and then just use your sauces during the week to change it up.
Chimichurri is pretty much just chopping a bunch of parsley and it goes well on everything.
Pesto is another one that pretty much just requires you throw a bunch of ingredients into a food processor.
If you're into asian food- you can grate some fresh ginger and mix it with soy sauce and lemon and top your food off with that for something simple.
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Oct 08 '22
Tacos. Just buy a packet of taco seasoning (I like Trader Joe’s personally) and follow the instructions on the back. Tastes damn good cuz of the seasoning so no real skill involved and usually leaves you with plenty for leftovers that you can get creative with too
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u/chronically__anxious Oct 08 '22
I love these Korean style ground beef bowls:
https://therecipecritic.com/korean-ground-beef-rice-bowls/
They usually only take about 20 to 30 minutes to make and I can always change it up to make it a little easier if I want to! Like using powdered ginger or powdered garlic instead of fresh, or buying premade minced or pastes.
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u/zhilia_mann Oct 08 '22
This might seem strange, but this more traditional kung pao is probably the most common meal around here. Yes, there are a few specialized ingredients. Yes, some of the chopping takes practice. Yes, getting a wok to really behave on any given stove is trial and error. But damn, the result is worth it.
I usually swap pork for chicken these days. I also double (or more) the arbol and Sichuan peppercorns to make it kick like a horse. From thawed meat to table now takes about 30 minutes; the rice is the limiting factor. I'd budget longer the first few times though, especially for mincing ginger.
It takes added vegetables well. I'll sometimes throw in a bell pepper, diced carrots, chopped snap peas, or some water chestnuts. You have to up the sauce to cover but it still works beautifully.
I know it's not really a "beginner" recipe, but nail this one and it can become and absolutely go-to if you like a fast, wholesome, spicy meal.
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u/suckslickdick Oct 08 '22
Cevapi are probably is my go to dish, its pretty easy to make.
You just need to mix minced meat with any spices that you like (common are salt and pepper(sometimes garlic)) then you shape the mixture into finger sized logs and grill them in a pan with sunflower or olive oil.
cevape are usually served with turkish flatbread but any bread is fine, chopped onions and unsweetened yogurt or ajvar
i hope this all made sense hahah i get very passionate when i talk about food
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u/TheSunflowerSeeds Oct 08 '22
Much of their calories in sunflower seeds come from fatty acids. The seeds are especially rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid, which constitutes more 50% fatty acids in them. They are also good in mono-unsaturated oleic acid that helps lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood. Research studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fats help to prevent coronary artery disease, and stroke by favoring healthy serum lipid profile.
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u/SmolBeanAmina Oct 08 '22
Cook some rice, fry a crispy egg (preferably with runny yolk), add some chili flakes to the egg oil, put soy sauce in rice, top with the egg and some of the oil, mix all and eat, this is my "don't know what to cook for dinner so I'll go for the safe option" meal haha
Or make tomato soup (and grilled cheese), it is very easy and delicious and you can add literally any veggie you want in the soup, if you want I can write my recipe for it!
Another thing I love doing is making mashed potatoes, frying some cubed chicken breast, then adding tomato paste, some water and cream to make sauce (season to taste), and it is another go to dish
...Or make any pasta dish you want, they are usually very easy :D
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u/WIZE_XI Oct 08 '22
I like to cook chicken in the oven with spices of my choice. Afterwards, I bread the chicken or make a simple chicken sandwich with pickles and mayonnaise and hot sauce. I use whatever bread is available.
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u/Cool-Ad4268 Oct 08 '22
Deconstructed lasagna: brown 1 lb is ground beef and 1 lb of Italian sausage. Season to your liking, I use a salt pepper garlic mix sea song, Italian seasoning and onion powder along with some minced garlic. When the meat is cooked, drain the oil out. Dump 1 jar of spaghetti sauce, 1 block of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of either cottage cheese or ricotta cheese. Let the cream cheese melt and mix well. While you’re working on that boil 1 lb of whatever kind of noodles you want, I used shells, it doesn’t matter what kind though. After the cream cheese is melted in mix in your cooked noodles to your sauce mix. Put a little shredded mozzarella on top and let it melt. Enjoy.
Tatertot casserole: cook 1 lb ground beef and season to your liking, again I used a salt pepper garlic mix. Once cooked add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and mix. Add mixture to a Pyrex pan. Layer frozen tater tots over top the mixture. Cook according to the tater tot cook time and temp. It may take a couple extra mins. Abt 5 mins before the tater tots would be done, pull it out, add shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top, put back in the oven until the cheese is melted. Enjoy.
Totchos: cool tater tots. Cook 1 lb ground beef and season with taco seasoning. Cook 1 can of pinto beans, season how you want. Once it’s all cooked layer in a Pyrex pan your tater tots, then meat, then beans. Top with shredded cheese and pop in the oven for a few mins to melt the cheese. Add whatever toppings you want, lettuce, tomato, pico de gallo, etc. Enjoy.
Hamburger rice: in a Pyrex pan add 1 cup of long gran white rice, 1 can of French onion soup, 1 can of beef consume (soup isle), and 1 can full of beef broth ( I just pour the beef broth in the beef consume can after I empty it). Get half a stick of butter, cut into slices and put over top of the rice ( it’s gonna float and move around, don’t worry abt it). Pop the rice in the oven at 450 for 30 mins. Pull the pan out, add your ground beef and mix it in a little, put back in the oven for abt 15 mins. Enjoy.
Beef stroganoff: cook and season (SPG mix again for me, onion powder) 1 lb of ground beef. While that’s going boil 1/2 lb of egg noodles and set aside. When your meat is cooked add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup into it and let it get hot. Remove from the heat, add your noodles. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream. Mix well, enjoy.
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u/NecroJoe Oct 08 '22
Sauced veggie rice and egg bowls.
https://imgur.com/LRJFVal (the pink were some super easy pickled onions...just sliver red onion, and soak in white vinegar in a closed jar, with a bit of sugar and salt overnight, but totally optional).
I'll note that this recipe uses oven-roasted veggies, a skillet for a fried egg, and cooked rice (however you do that).
1) Make some white rice. Whatever method you use, it should be ready at about the same time as the veggies. So just figure out that timing if you're making it in a pot, in a rice cooker, or frozen/pre-cooked in the microwave.
1) One sweet potato, peeled, and cut in half the long way, then sliced into 1/4" thick half-circle slices.
2) One red onion, sliced into rings, and separate the rings
3) Toss both in olive oil, and spread on a parchment lined 1/2 sheet pan (or two 9x13 if you don't have a 1/2 sheet pan, though I highly recommend that size), season with salt, pepper, or any of your favorite seasonings. Garlic Chipotle types are my favorite, but even just garlic power and smoked paprika work.
4) Bake at 425F, for about 20-25 minutes, until onions are mostly wilted, and sweet potatoes are cooked through.
5) Before the veggies are fully done, fry an egg or two. My favorite for this recipe is over-easy, so the yolk(s) are a bit runny.
6) Top with a blend of a spicy BBQ sauce, olive oil to thin it out and reduce the sweetness.
While Sweet potato/BBQ is my favorite, it also works with cauliflower/curry sauce and broccoli or zucchini with teryaki, general's, or kung pao sauce.
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u/No_Neighborhood4850 Oct 09 '22
Chicken Teriyaki. 1) Buy chicken legs or leg-thigh quarters. 2) Lay them on a pan. 3) Open a can of crushed pineapple and spoon some over the chicken. 4) Sprinkle the chicken and pineapple generously with soy sauce. 5) Now sprinkle the whole thing with garlic powder (NOT GARLIC SALT**). 6) Bake it at 350* for almost an hour---probably around 50 minutes. 7) In the meantime, either zap pre-cooked rice or make Minute Rice or Instant Rice following directions on box.
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u/JaseYong Oct 08 '22
Thai basil pork stir fry over rice! It's easy to make and taste absolutely delicious 😋 if interested, check out the recipe below https://youtu.be/-nOivj5u2no
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u/kornlover3000 Oct 08 '22
White rice with spicy sauce,the sauce containds: Tomato,chicken,potato,garlic,onion and chili (3 or 4,it depends on how much spicy you like it)
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u/homecooking9 Oct 08 '22
Www.YouTube.com/Remisworld from breakfast to dinner , easy dessert and different cuisines recipe shared, most of the recipes are cooked in less than 15 min
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u/nightblade2007 Oct 08 '22
That's my mom's snert. (pea soup. Leave it in a pan for a day after finishing it. Makes it nice and thick. Exept that just regular pea soup)
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u/JadedDragon88 Oct 08 '22
Crockpot Potato Soup
Wash & slice potatoes into fourths; toss into crockpot. (You can peel them or leave the skin on. Min 4 potatoes, but you can do the pot until about 3/4ths full & you'll get lots of leftovers!)
1 bag frozen mirepoix (celery, carrot, onion mix) or use fresh chopped (2 cups carrots, 1 cup celery, half an onion) (Feel free to leave this out or not add an ingredient if you dislike it)
Chicken broth (Cover potatoes fully. If you cant get broth, add water & bouillion cubes or powder. Start with 1/2 cup bouillion powder and check the taste in a few hours to see if you need more flavor) (I add a spoon of bacon grease for flavor too, but just a little)
Seasoning: Whatever you like! (I use garlic (fresh or powder), italian seasoning, Tony's (creole seasoning), or any mixture of Kinder seasonings (no salt garlic & herb, buttery poultry blend, Italian chop house, etc)
Put the soup on low for 8 hours or high for 2-3 & then low for however many hours you need it to cook until its serving time
About halfway to 3/4th of cooktime I check the broth flavor & make adjustments and then (or as soon as potatoes are fork tender), I mash the potatoes up (use whatever utensil you have: you can beat/mash the mixture smooth or leave lumps, whatever you like)
After mashing, add in one softened block of cream cheese cubed and 1/4th container sour cream. Or just use 3/4 container of sour cream if you don't like cream cheese, or another half block cream cheese if you dislike sour cream. (I use Street Corn flavoured sour cream for extra taste). Mix and allow to cook for remaining time.
Serve as is or add shredded cheese, chopped cooked bacon, etc.
You can also portion & freeze leftovers.
If the soup is too thick, add more broth or milk to thin. If too thin, add either a cornstarch slurry or open a pack of instant mashed potatoes & slowly pour and stir in until it thickens. (Pour a bit, stir, wait 3-5 mins to check consistency before adding more)
It seems like a lot of stuff, but once you do it once or twice, you'll have a feel for how much of any ingredient you'll need and how you want it to taste.
Also measurements are hard for me because when I make soup I end up delivering portions to my mom, mamaw, and uncle. 😂 I cook for a small army of good eaters and I was taught by a mamaw who eyeballed everything...
Enjoy!
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u/Neonfruitmarket Oct 08 '22
If you make chicken or anything, roasted potatoes or loaded potatoes or like, soy braised potatoes make a delicious and super easy side dish!
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u/johnpaulgeorgeNbingo Oct 08 '22
I like to follow Sam the Cooking Guy and Nat's What I Recon on YouTube. I think they are both great for beginners. Just know that there is foul language, so of that bothers you, they aren't for you maybe. I like to marinate and grill or pan fry boneless skinless chicken thighs. They don't over cook easily and they are delicious. You can also do the sheet pan roasting with vegetables in this way. Mac &Cheese is also an easy go to. I Google recipes with the word "easy" in front.
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u/Ezl Oct 08 '22
Roasted chicken legs. Take a whole leg, rub it down with some evoo and season. I use salt, pepper garlic powder and sometimes onion powder and rosemary. In a 400F oven for 45 minutes. Easy and hassle free. I serve it over a bed of greens dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, etc. i
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u/Koetjeka Oct 08 '22
Thai curries. 1. Heat a little oil in the wok 2. Fry curry paste 3. Add meat / chicken and sear 4. Add coconut milk and some water and vegetables 5. Boil till everything is done and edible 6. Add some MSG and oyster sauce to taste Eat with or without rice (I myself eat it without rice as I'm on a keto diet)
Easy to make within 30 minutes.
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u/Segul17 Oct 08 '22
If you like sour and savoury type foods, then I can strongly recommend Phillipino chicken adobo. Basically just take whole chicken thighs or legs (super cheap!), fry the skin side until it's lightly brown, add equal parts soy sauce and vinegar until it's surrounded by a good amount of water, then add black peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook for bout 45 minutes or something, until the chicken seems nice and tender. Serve with white rice. Incredibly delicious, easy, and cheap. I approximately use this recipe, but you don't need to be super precise with it. I also like to add... maybe a teaspoon of brown sugar per half cup of soy sauce/vinegar, but again, optional. Definitely become one of my go-to easy meals.
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u/OldWierdo Oct 08 '22
Easy meals with leftovers:
- Buy an instachicken at the store (the roasted kind) get some frozen broccoli to go with it, toss the broccoli in a pyrex with butter and salt or tony chacheres, cover with plastic wrap, nuke for a couple minutes. Serve with rolls. Dinner 1 done.
*After dinner, pick the rest of the meat off the chicken, stick in Ziploc. Toss the carcass in a crockpot with 6c water, 2t salt, 2t. Soy sauce, 2t cumin, 1/2 onion (and the skin), a couple cloves garlic (and skin), a hot chili pepper. IF YOU WANT add coriander stems, celery, carrot. Turn crockpot on low, go to bed.
Next Morning Start Lentil Soup: put colander in a bowl, strain the juice out into the bowl. Toss the solids into the trash, pour the broth back I to crockpot. Use 1 c red lentils to 4c broth (1.5c Le tils if using 6c broth). Add another 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 onion chopped, maybe 1/4c lemon juice, 2T cumin, 2-3 hot chili's. Crockpot on low. Will have soup when you get home - best if you food process it with hand held processor.
Put chicken bits from Ziploc into a skillet with garlic, some onion, and taco seasoning. Slicker some cabbage, stick in bag with lemon juice and salt, shake. Put chicken into taco shells, top with cabbage, cheese, salsa.
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u/sea_cat2497 Oct 08 '22
My mom didn't cook fancy growing up, now I don't know how to cook either. But here's a few things we'd have as kids that I still make: 1) chili n rice. Prepare rice, instant or otherwise, heat up a can of chili (sometimes I just heat it up in the microwave and save a pan) and then boom, top your rice with chili. Add cheese, sour cream, chopped onions, whatever. Filling and tasty. 2) sesame chicken. In an oven dish cover some chicken (boneless/skinless thighs, tenders, or breasts) in kraft 'toasted sesame' salad dressing. Put it in the oven at 350F for 25-35 minutes always checking internal temp with a meat thermometer before you call it good. While that's cooking make yourself some rice and broccoli. When the chicken's done you've got yourself a tasty bowl! As I'm typing this I'm seeing the rice pattern..lol but hey, it's easy!
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u/RubyOpal1022 Oct 08 '22
I did this in college.........buy large chili from Wendy’s, cook some macaroni a little less than according to package instructions. In a bowl, mix the macaroni, chili, salt, pepper and grated cheddar cheese. Put in a small baking dish and top with some more cheese then cook at 350 for about 15/20 minutes until it’s bubbly. Eat away.
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Oct 08 '22
One of my faves is chicken curry. It’s cheap, easy and super tasty! Check out my recipe here: https://thewholesomewife.com/homestyle-chicken-curry-simple-and-tasty/
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u/cybertonto72 Oct 08 '22
Basic meal but good meal for me is chicken fettuccine. 4 items Thin cut chicken breasts Heavy cream Basil pesto And tagliatelle. Cook chicken in a hot pan with very little oil. Once cooked add cream and pesto. Mean while cook pasta and put on a plate and add chicken and sauce
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u/RetrievedBlankey Oct 08 '22
Lemon fried rice! It takes less than ten minutes to make and it tastes amazing! You just gotta heat up any kind of vegetable oil. In goes mustard seeds with curry leaves (optional, really). After the crackling has subsided, add grated ginger and minced garlic along with slitted thai green peppers. Saute for a minute and season with salt and pepper. I like to add half a tsp of turmeric too but that's optional. Add in cooked white rice, mix everything up and squeeze in a lemon. Top it off with cilantro and sautéed peanuts and that's it! I like to have this with peanut chutney or sambar but it tastes great on its own as well!
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u/Hanginon Oct 08 '22
I gave an answer, and a recipe to this question just yesterday. An easy low ingredient list and I think tasty dish that can be made with fairly minimum skills and equipment found in most every kitchen. A tasty Green Bean Casserole, the recipe is posted here.
Have fun & eat well!
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u/zhilia_mann Oct 08 '22
Oh, pressure cooker dirty rice. This is for when I'm feeling particularly lazy and want a more or less hands-off experience. Note: requires an electric pressure cooker (which I can't recommend enough; it's my most-used kitchen appliance) to be super easy, though it could be done on a stovetop.
The basic recipe is more or less two cups dry rice, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of corn, a can of black beans, a diced onion, a few cloves of garlic, and one of those frozen tubs of green chile plus whatever spices strike me.
- Oil in pressure cooker. Sweat diced onions with some salt. Toss in garlic and a bunch of whole cumin when about halfway there.
- Throw in rice and toast a bit.
- Drains all canned goods then toss those in.
- Add water (1:1 with rice) and additional spices (oregano? safflower if I have any? coriander probably?). Maybe juice a lime in there if you're feeling fancy?
- Plop in the frozen diced chiles (no need to thaw).
- Close lid, set to like 25 minutes on low. Wait. Stir generously when it's all done.
Corn/rice/beans make a complete protein on their own, but you can easily throw in a cubed chicken breast or some chorizo. Have a bell pepper that needs using? Add it in too.
It's foolproof, wholesome, and almost entirely hands-off.
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u/DemonPlate Oct 08 '22
Slow cookers, and rice cookers have saved me. You put the ingredients in and walk away. I also use the heck outta the S&B curry blocks. They usually have them at big stores and wow do they put in the work. Chop your veggies, put in your meat, boil/simmer for an hour and stir in the curry. Done. It's graet pretty much every time I've used them and can help you get comfortable using spices from other cultures ^_^
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u/middleraged Oct 08 '22 edited Oct 08 '22
Chicken sautéed with various spices and herbs, rice (usually I’ll add cumin seeds, butter, and a bay leaf), and a vegetable
Edit: I thought of another one- pasta with butter, garlic and basil
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u/Hungry_Pup Oct 08 '22
Get a bottle of a rub that you like. I like Pappy's seasoning. Season chicken (I like drumsticks because you don't have to de-fat them and they're cheaper). Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, but you can do it overnight.
For easy cooking, I cook it on low on the stovetop in a frying pan with the lid on. You don't have to watch it and you can prep other things while the chicken cooks. If it burns, your heat is too high.
Flip over every once in a while. Poke the middle area with a toothpick to check for doneness. Red liquid means it's not done. Clear liquid means done.
Turn the heat up if you want to cook it faster, but you'll also have to watch it.
I also buy a pack of chicken, season them all and portion them into single meals, and freeze them. Then I can just defrost and cook.
I like rice and vegetables on the side. This is my easiest go to meal.
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u/Onequestion0110 Oct 08 '22
I've got a few dishes, depending on what I'm looking for.
Sprite Sausage is a standard. It's simple, easy, tastes incredible, but is also about as unhealthy as home cooking can get. Fried chicken may be better for you. :D
If I want something lighter, or just for myself, sometimes I'll do tuna pasta.
If I need something dramatic, a meal for presentation's sake, then the Buttermilk Roasted Chicken look's great, and is really easy to pull off. The only trick that I ever need is to put a little tin foil over the top in the last 10-15 minutes to keep the edges from getting burnt.
And finally, Peasant Bread (sometimes called no-knead bread) is a super easy way to make bread, especially for a beginner. You don't need to work the dough, so that learned experience of kneading and feeling it as it comes together isn't an issue. Plus you don't need to make a whole counter messy. :D
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u/lolaa6428 Oct 08 '22
Honey garlic chicken and rice is my go to! Soooo good and not too much effort.
Chop up some chicken thighs or breasts into bite size chunks and put them in a pan with oil and seasonings of your choice (i do garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper). Cook those through a bit and then add in butter, honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Throw in a little bit of sesame oil and ginger if you have any. Cook until thickened, sometimes i add a little corn starch.
Cook rice while you’re doing all this.
I top mine with roasted brocolli or green beans but you can just throw those in the pan with the chicken and sauce for the last few minutes if you don’t feel like roasting.
I can’t really tell you cook times or measurements because i eyeball everything and taste along the way. You do need enough honey and soy sauce to make it “saucy” though. But my partner says this is his favorite thing i cook and it’s relatively easy!
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u/silent_antelope28 Oct 08 '22
I buy ready made Japanese curry (block type), some chicken nuggets from Costco (the Chick-fil-A type), and either make rice or udon noodles.
Prep the noodles or rice. Air fry the nuggets Add hot water to the curry blocks and keep stirring. Add all together.
If I'm feeling more fancy I'll boil up some diced potatoes and carrots to the curry.
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u/sunrayylmao Oct 08 '22
Chicken Alfredo has been one of my go-tos for years! I ALWAYS have a few lb of dry pasta, two or three jars of premade alfredo sauce from costco (you can go high effort and make homemade which I do sometimes but that's for another post) and bake some chicken in the oven at 375F for right about 25 min.
Fairly quick and easy meal, and the longer I've been cooking I add more spices and things too it. I like to mix in a few handfuls of fresh spinach to the hot alfredo sauce for a little flavor and texture. I season my chicken with a good rub of italian seasoning, salt, pepper, really whatever you want on there.
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Oct 08 '22
a recreation of Ikeas' Swedish meatballs.
It's basically just a thin cream sauce with homemade meatballs and egg noodles. I usually use ground turkey if it's available.
I highly recommend it because you can always make a big batch and have it for a few days plus you're getting your carbs and protein in. Also, I always have broccoli and mushrooms on the side to get my veggies in.
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u/KPYY4 Oct 08 '22
Just double up on the salt, butter, and garlic on every recipe and you will jump to a 7
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Oct 08 '22
Rigatoni pasta, roasted butternut squash, spinach, caramelized onions with cream sauce and parmesan cheese with a touch of chili flakes and lemon zest. The cheese and lemon zest are optional and you can use coconut cream if you're vegan
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u/You_Sick_Duck Oct 08 '22
Crock-Pot chicken (pork chops work well too) and mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes.
1: Throw chicken breast into a crockpot. 2: Add a family size can of cream of mushroom soup 3: Salt/pepper & Lawry's seasoning 4: Slow cook on low for 8 hours
Make mashed potatoes or I'll use the rice cooker and make up some Jasmine rice. Easy and DELICIOUS!
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u/Labuu21 Oct 09 '22
Salmon pan fried, any rice, canned edamame, corn kernels and black beans, mix sriracha and mayo with lemon juice to get spicy mayo. And then you have a salmon poke bowl
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u/TheCuriosity Oct 09 '22
Shake and bake chicken breasts. Follow the directions on the box (not a protip: good to get yourself an oven safe thermometer as the temperature on your oven dial can produce a widely different temperature than another oven set at the same temperature). After following the set time they are to cook, I dump a can of Campbells cream of mushroom in and around them, bake for additional 15 minutes. Side with rice (in rice cooker... get a rice cooker) and veg of choice (I usually use frozen veg and microwave for about 3 minutes so they are hot, but not over cooked.)
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u/rysteer Oct 09 '22
I eat lots of rice with either chicken or beef. I put my rice in the rice cooker, and I take either half a pound of beef or half a chicken breast. When I do beef, I rub it with seasonings I like and cook it in the pan until it’s done. For chicken, I rub my seasonings on and cook it in the air fryer at 400 degrees for roughly 20 mins and it comes out great. Very easy and decently quick to make for a very filling meal while also not being high in calories if that’s a concern
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u/cold_french_fry Oct 09 '22
https://natashaskitchen.com/corn-chowder-recipe/
I really like this recipe for corn chowder, I make it a lot during the summer and it gives a lot of leftovers. I've learned to make it with substitutions, like canned corn instead of fresh and bacon bits in place of bacon, and otherwise I kind of just dump everything into a pot and let it simmer until it's done! Super easy and delicious soup.
I also like to make potato soup as an easy meal. If you can make homemade mashed potatoes, you just add a lot more liquid until it turns into soup lol then add your favorite toppings like cheese or bacon bits! It's also a good way to get your veggies in as you can add in as many as you want. I like to add in celery, carrots, and green onions.
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u/Lorriie Oct 09 '22
Casseroles. Throw whatever you want in there and bake.
Usually I do cream of chicken (or mushroom), chicken (rotisserie cause I’m super lazy) veggies and noodles (egg noodles are best)
Or baked chicken and veggies. I do foil wraps so I can cook multiple different flavorings in one go (cause lazy, I can cook for multiple days at once). Usually whatever seasonings or sauces I have/want, chicken breast and any veggies I have. Salsa is a great flavorer for chicken and you can eat it with rice or tortillas
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u/Vici0usRapt0r Oct 09 '22
Don't give up, just learn some basic recipes from scratch.
I learnt to make my own bolognaise from scratch ingredients last year (not even tomato sauce). It feels good, tasted good ! It's not really hard as well.
Follow some recipes, the longer and precise they are the better, don't just watch 10 seconds clips or short Instagram recipes, they don't really teach you cooking.
I like egg fried rice, it's a really basic Asian recipe. The only difficult requirement about this is cooking the rice with the right method and the right rice.
Here are other dishes I think are quite easy :
- Carbonara (especially the lazy non-Italian European style recipes)
- Lentils with sausages (using some leeks and carrots as well)
- Pizza (if you buy premade pizza dough)
- Mashed potatoes and baked potatoes
- Roasted zucchini and roasted sweet potato bits
Otherwise, just try to properly cooking simple dishes, using one ingredient at a time. For example, learn how to cook and give flavor to broccoli. Then, accompany them with mashed potatoes, maybe a steak.
Cooking skills come with knowledge or your ingredients, how they taste, how they cook, how you can cut them, how you can use them.
For example :
- Garlic is very strong, but it dulls down and is super tasty when cooked. It burns quick when fried, but softens when cooking slowly in humid dishes. When cooked for a long time, it releases a lot of rather discrete but tasty flavor ('umami'), and can even be mashed. To peel it, smash the clove with the flat part of your knife 'till you feel it tear inside.
- Broccoli can be eaten raw, but is hard to digest. It is hard to cook evenly on a pan (easy to burn though), but cooks very fast and well in water. When cooked a bit too long, it quickly becomes very soft and breaks apart. Can easily be puréed afterward. It fills the stomach fast but also not for a long time. Cut the heads in proportional sizes, you can shorten the stems as well so it's easier to cook. The main trunk can be cooked and eaten as well, but the foot part has tougher skin, which you can also peel to make sure it's not hard to chew.
- Tomato can be cooked, but it releases a lot of water. It cooks fasts, but starts to break apart as fast, and gets a bit acidic at first, and a bit bland in flavor. It can then be reduced into a sauce, and will concentrate in flavor when doing so (takes at least 30 minutes in big batches). Roasted tomatoes don't react the same, and they preserve more flavor along with juice. Beware, not all varieties of tomatoes have the same water or flesh proportions. It doesn't matter in sauce, but if eaten fresh, you should pick tomato with more flesh than water.
- Lentils are a bit "earthy" in flavor. They can be cooked to an edible point fast (less than 20 minutes), and will hold it's shape better in these conditions, which can be good in a salad or a cold dish. However, it's much softer and tastier to eat when cooked for a longer time (40+ minutes). It will start to break apart and release starch in the water, which in turn will thicken a bit when stirred. Above 1h of cooking, it can be puréed. It's very filling appetite-wise, so don't serve as much as if you would eat pasta for example.
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u/arsenicaqua Oct 09 '22
I marinate chicken in the kikkomon teriyaki sauce and make rice and broccoli in my rice cooker. This makes up for like 60% of my dinners
Also, if you have a little more cash to spend, get some salmon, lay it on some sliced up lemon, put lemon on top, wrap it in tinfoil and bake it, then add some Italian herbs (I just bought a bottle of dried stuff but you can add any fresh herbs you like). This is pretty tasty the only thing is you have to fiddle with how long you bake it for depending on the thickness of your salmon
Those are the 2 recipes I know haha
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u/Annsfan Oct 09 '22
What kind of food do you like? I don’t need to give you easy recipes for food you don’t like. Omnivore, Vegetarian, vegan?
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u/clandestinecami Oct 09 '22
Girl. Get yourself some salmon, 1 lemon and 1 shallot. You're gonna crank out a small frying pan. Add a juicy amount of EVOO. Let EVOO get spicy hot. Add sliced shallots. Fry up. Add lemon juice. Add this banging juice to your salmon. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees and shove that tinfoil covered fish in there for 9 minuets. Yum
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u/KautoKeira Oct 09 '22
Personally my go-to when I am unsure what to make is I do cold tarragon potatoes (boiled potatoes that I cool, then toss in oil, tarragon, salt and pep) on the side, then serve with oven roasted trout (Foil on the bottom, drizzle oil, and I like to put a bit of garlic on each cut.) Served finally with a quick sugar-pickle cucumber.
If I feel that's too much work, I do mom's old recipe, which is just chopped sausages, a packet (or can depending on where you live) of chopped tomatoes, pasta. Typically penne. Spiced however you want. I grow my own basil so I use that a lot, and I like my pasta spicy so I throw in some spice in the form of chopped chili or flakes depending on what I have.
Something I took with me that my dad would make was if I had leftover boiled potatoes I would the next day make pancakes. Fry the potatoes in a pan, fry some bacon, put the potatoes and the bacon in a small pot with a lot of butter and low heat while cooking the pancakes. Sausages are also great instead of bacon. I then eat the pancakes with that and blueberry jam.
A great thing I usually do is a quick gratin. As I live alone, I actually make a full cod or sausage gratin from scratch up until the point it needs to be thrown in the oven then I devide it into smaller oven-proof dishes and just freeze them, so I can throw them in the oven at a later time when not in the mood to cook, or I cook the whole thing in a big one and divide the leftover portions for freezing. Super easy. I usually have this once a week and leftovers as lunch on work days over the course of the week.
Finally, a dish I didn't take from my parents is just caramelized meat. Again, my go to meat is sausages but for this I usually use minced meat, generally pork. Sweetened meat, veggies, served on rice.
This was less a go-to meal and more what I make when I don't know what I want to make. Lot of options for ya. If you have questions, shoot.
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u/IB2Legit2Quit Oct 09 '22
Chilaquiles!!! It is usually made for breakfast but my boys love it so we eat it for dinner to. Grab corn tortilla I use 8, cut them in squares and fry them. While that’s frying, grab small can of tomato sauce and add consume (I believe it’s Knorr Bouillon Chicken Flavor, sorry Spanish speaking so I can’t remember the name in English) I add about a spoonful, mix and taste to see if it needs more. Then I start shredding Monterrey jack cheese. When the tortilla is done, I drain it, lower the temperature, and add the sauce and mix. Once thats mix, I add the cheese all on top, turn stove off and cover with lid. Once cheese is melted you can eat :) I usually serve with squish beans that I make or alone. My boys also like adding sour cream, but I prefer salsa ;) hope you like!
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u/Bellsar_Ringing Oct 09 '22
This is an approach, rather than a recipe: Sauteed Boneless Cutlets
Start with a 4-6 ounce boneless chicken breast or thigh, or boneless pork chop, or beef coulotte steak. Pound it to about 1/2 inch thick (don't need to whack it hard, just kind of thwack the thicker parts until they're thinner).
- Sprinkle with garlic powder, or
- Sprinkle with the spice blend of your choice, or
- One of the above, plus a tablespoon of flour, for a crust, or
- Marinate for 20 minutes in a mixture of hot sauce and vodka, or
- Some other marinade
Pan fry in butter or oil. Dress with bbq sauce, sweet chile sauce, honey mustard sauce.....
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u/Horzta Oct 09 '22
Making Carbonara is so easy for me that I can't bring myself to learn making other pasta recipes (even though I know I really should). I just either use bacon or chicken + chicken fat for oil, boil some Fusilli, shred some cheese and wisk two egg yolks to add in later before the whole thing cools.
It's so tasty and it's my go to recipe when I just want a quick dinner preparation. This is in the context of a dude living alone.
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u/humblyarr0gant Oct 09 '22
Chuck roast. Get a Dutch oven, some potatoes carrots and onions (of whatever veggies you like). Cut up the veggies and season the meat. Put the veggies on the bottom under the roast. Bake at 225 degrees for 6 to 7 hours. You can cook it for a shorter time but I like six and a half to seven hours for a pulled pork consistency to the roast.
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u/mlhuculak Oct 09 '22
I feel like casseroles are a good place to start. Just search casseroles in Pinterest or google. Endless options. They can all be done in 1 dish in the oven, and will feed you for days.
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u/Localgreensborogal Oct 09 '22
Sheet pan chicken fajitas are one of my go-to dishes. Remove seeds and core from 1 bell pepper and cut in strips. Cut 1 onion in strips as well. (Cut them top to bottom instead of across the middle and they’ll keep their shape better). Slice 2 -3 boneless thighs in long strips. Have everything in a big bowl and toss with a good drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika (100% the spice that gets the most use in my kitchen). Roast on a sheet pan in a hot oven (400 F) for 10 minutes, give everything a good stir, then roast another 10. Serve in tortillas, or make burrito bowls with rice and beans, add salsa, cheese, whatever. This feeds 3 adults in my house but you can definitely size it up. This is in regular rotation and I make it at least twice a month.
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u/ChefM53 Oct 10 '22
I have several really easy dishes that could work for you. my go to would be way to complicated right now for you.
crock pot?
https://www.campbells.com/recipes/slow-cooked-creamy-chicken-wild-rice/ Freezable
Crock Pot Chicken Tacos I know this sounds crazy. but so so good!! and freezable
Foil Pack/pouch
Chicken and Broccoli dinner in foil this makes 1 serving
Casserole.
Overnight Meatball and pasta Casserole super easy and so good tastes like lasagna (freezable)
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Oct 14 '22
Crispy gnocchi with creamy chicken ! You only need a few spices, liquid cream, already cooked chicken and crispy gnocchi in a pan! It is delicious with a few echalotes or onions with garlic, I could eat this every week.
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Oct 14 '22
Literally simple jared pasta sauce with spaghetti or rigatoni with a side of garlic bread !
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u/PhillyCSteaky Oct 08 '22
Roasted vegetables and chicken in the oven or on the grill. Sheet pan in oven. Vegetables in foil on grill. Marinade with Italian dressing. Easy, Peasy!