Weeknight supper ideas [Cooking]
2011 May 18
chopper Great topic! I don't think anyone came up with the idea yet.
My weeknight supper ideas are usually quick because most nights I am too pooped to try new recipes. I have three criteria: they must be quick, they must be tried 'n true, and they must be yummy. (I know, I know who would not want to eat a yummy meal?-;) When I first started cooking for myself I stuck to a lot of plain recipes like stews, chili, meatloaf etc. I am now trying to think outside the box. Tonight I am having pork chow mein but other meals I like to make are a Thai noodle salad, an omelette (with eggs from Funny Duck Farms and peameal bacon from the Piggy Market - yum!), or salmon teriyaki. Weekends are reserved for making meals that take a little longer (risotto for example) or for trying a new recipe.
I'd love to hear what other people are making.
My weeknight supper ideas are usually quick because most nights I am too pooped to try new recipes. I have three criteria: they must be quick, they must be tried 'n true, and they must be yummy. (I know, I know who would not want to eat a yummy meal?-;) When I first started cooking for myself I stuck to a lot of plain recipes like stews, chili, meatloaf etc. I am now trying to think outside the box. Tonight I am having pork chow mein but other meals I like to make are a Thai noodle salad, an omelette (with eggs from Funny Duck Farms and peameal bacon from the Piggy Market - yum!), or salmon teriyaki. Weekends are reserved for making meals that take a little longer (risotto for example) or for trying a new recipe.
I'd love to hear what other people are making.
2011 May 18
Usually pasta as it reheats pretty well in the office nuke machine.
I make a chunky sauce (one can crushed tomatoes, whole red or yellow pepper, 4-5 mushrooms, 3-4 Italian sauasages chopped thick meatball-like, one whole garlic head chopped, fennel seeds, oregano, chili pepper, fresh pepper, salt, sugar, EVOO) shaved parm on top, usually with farfalle or linguine.
I make a chunky sauce (one can crushed tomatoes, whole red or yellow pepper, 4-5 mushrooms, 3-4 Italian sauasages chopped thick meatball-like, one whole garlic head chopped, fennel seeds, oregano, chili pepper, fresh pepper, salt, sugar, EVOO) shaved parm on top, usually with farfalle or linguine.
2011 May 18
solo, couple or family meal ideas? i do family meals 4-5 days, and adult meals the rest. for family meal we eat early, so things are made fast:
- poached eggs, spicy garlic black beans, bread/english muffin/pita, avocado
- pasta: tomato sauce, cheese sauce, alfredo sauce, pesto sauce (all home made, done quickly or day before)
- pizza
- grilled polenta: tomato sauce or pesto
- risotto & veggies (tonight was asparagus)
- israeli couscous, spinach and tofu
- quinoa, grilled veggies, grilled tofu
- tofu tacos
- salad, cheese, bread
- veggie burgers, sweet potato fries
- couscous salad
- barley, beans & tomatoes
- soup, bread
adult meals are eaten late & far more complicated.
- poached eggs, spicy garlic black beans, bread/english muffin/pita, avocado
- pasta: tomato sauce, cheese sauce, alfredo sauce, pesto sauce (all home made, done quickly or day before)
- pizza
- grilled polenta: tomato sauce or pesto
- risotto & veggies (tonight was asparagus)
- israeli couscous, spinach and tofu
- quinoa, grilled veggies, grilled tofu
- tofu tacos
- salad, cheese, bread
- veggie burgers, sweet potato fries
- couscous salad
- barley, beans & tomatoes
- soup, bread
adult meals are eaten late & far more complicated.
2011 May 18
i make this regularly, it is really tasty and cooks quickly. do not add the extra 1/2 cup water though (in linked recipe), i find it makes it too runny.
smittenkitchen.com
Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]
Adapted from Saveur
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.
smittenkitchen.com
Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]
Adapted from Saveur
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.
2011 May 19
Shakshuka is pretty good!
I tried that dish at Sunflower Cafe on Rideau st.
Not sure if they still have that as the name of the restaurant just changed :(
Anyways, for me half the time during the week I am too tired to cook.
I have a bunch of stuff I made in the freezer and fridge-some crab cakes, chicken fingers.
But I really like the spanakopita you can buy frozen at some stores.
PC used to have one and Krinos has a very good one- it is all natural and has 60 calories per piece (and great price 12 pc box for $4).
I just have a few pieces with a soup or salad,rice, cheese and crackers.
I can't eat any big meals lately,so small things are better.
Just getting over some horrible stomach problems the past 2 weeks.
-has some fried wonton w green onion in them,and a bubble tea downtown and have been ill since then....
I tried that dish at Sunflower Cafe on Rideau st.
Not sure if they still have that as the name of the restaurant just changed :(
Anyways, for me half the time during the week I am too tired to cook.
I have a bunch of stuff I made in the freezer and fridge-some crab cakes, chicken fingers.
But I really like the spanakopita you can buy frozen at some stores.
PC used to have one and Krinos has a very good one- it is all natural and has 60 calories per piece (and great price 12 pc box for $4).
I just have a few pieces with a soup or salad,rice, cheese and crackers.
I can't eat any big meals lately,so small things are better.
Just getting over some horrible stomach problems the past 2 weeks.
-has some fried wonton w green onion in them,and a bubble tea downtown and have been ill since then....
2011 May 19
Shakshuka is great! It makes a great weeknight meal when the fresh peppers and tomatoes are in season.
During the summer when it's too hot to cook I will often have cheese, paté, and a salad. Art-is-in makes this awesome fig and roast walnut loaf that goes great with cheese. Or cold cuts & salad or shrimp salad using pre-cooked shrimp.
During the summer when it's too hot to cook I will often have cheese, paté, and a salad. Art-is-in makes this awesome fig and roast walnut loaf that goes great with cheese. Or cold cuts & salad or shrimp salad using pre-cooked shrimp.
2011 May 19
Some of my quicker ideas off the top of my head:
Arroz con pollo (spanish-style chicken and rice casserole) can substitute shrimp, sausage or white fish for chicken
rice pilafs with merguez
Stir fries on steamed white rice (typically for me asparagus/broccoli/another green veg w/ oyster sauce)
Pasta (particularly thinking simple stuff like carbonara/puttanesca/with sardines, pine nuts and raisins/pesto/simple tomato sauces)
rice and black beans, roasted chicken legs
steamed/sauteed fish, quickly grilled pork chops, steaks etc. with boiled/steamed baby potatoes
broiled/roasted vegetables
sausages with lentils
risotto with whatever vegetable
frittatas, spanish omeletes, french-style omeletes, scrambled eggs, etc.
Crepes stuffed with ham, cheese, vegetables
steamed mussels, tossed with linguine or with fresh bread
Arroz con pollo (spanish-style chicken and rice casserole) can substitute shrimp, sausage or white fish for chicken
rice pilafs with merguez
Stir fries on steamed white rice (typically for me asparagus/broccoli/another green veg w/ oyster sauce)
Pasta (particularly thinking simple stuff like carbonara/puttanesca/with sardines, pine nuts and raisins/pesto/simple tomato sauces)
rice and black beans, roasted chicken legs
steamed/sauteed fish, quickly grilled pork chops, steaks etc. with boiled/steamed baby potatoes
broiled/roasted vegetables
sausages with lentils
risotto with whatever vegetable
frittatas, spanish omeletes, french-style omeletes, scrambled eggs, etc.
Crepes stuffed with ham, cheese, vegetables
steamed mussels, tossed with linguine or with fresh bread
2011 May 19
I was a vegetarian for many years so I always incorporate at lot of veggies in to my meals. I now cook for a family of 4 (partner and 2 year old twins). The kids are still too young to really eat what we eat. I never thought I’d make 2 meals but when one menu consists mostly of fish sticks, frozen veggies, frozen french fries , yogurt, apple sauce, cheap cheese, etc. then you have to make something else for yourself. I tend to eat quite simply when it is me and the kids. Favourite is soup (preferably home made otherwise, there are a few brands I like that come in frozen individual servings like french onion and wonton - sold at Costco). My favourite thing to go with this aside from a salad is cheese on toast. But it has to be good cheese like my favourite - Prince Edward County’s Fifth Town - Lighthall Tomme - available at Farm Boy - worth every penny!
When my partner is home for dinner and I decide to actually cook, I tend to make enough for a few meals. I often make a meat dish with a marinade. The Joy of Cooking has a simple recipe for what they call Char Sui (Chinese BBQ pork). I wouldn't really say it is authentic Char Sui however, it is a simple, straight forward Asian inspired marinade consisting mostly of soya sauce, hoisin, honey, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. I use this on chicken, pork tenderloin and sometimes beef. When I am pressed for time, I have resorted to buying store made sauces and marinades, I try to read the label carefully in order to avoid recipes with a lot of sugar and salt. I have found a few good ones. I tend to like Chinese, Thai and Indian inspired sauces. Mix the meat with veggies and serve with rice, pasta or potato. Often, I will buy large quantities, like when Metro has the buy one get one free deal with small fryer chickens or club packs of thighs and I will prepare it all in the marinade and then use some and put the rest into zip lock bags in 4 person portions sizes and freeze them for a later date. I find it works well. One of my friends likes to “butterfly” the small fryer chickens however, I haven’t quite mastered the butterfly technique and find it easier to cut up the chicken myself so I know it will cook evenly.
When my partner is home for dinner and I decide to actually cook, I tend to make enough for a few meals. I often make a meat dish with a marinade. The Joy of Cooking has a simple recipe for what they call Char Sui (Chinese BBQ pork). I wouldn't really say it is authentic Char Sui however, it is a simple, straight forward Asian inspired marinade consisting mostly of soya sauce, hoisin, honey, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. I use this on chicken, pork tenderloin and sometimes beef. When I am pressed for time, I have resorted to buying store made sauces and marinades, I try to read the label carefully in order to avoid recipes with a lot of sugar and salt. I have found a few good ones. I tend to like Chinese, Thai and Indian inspired sauces. Mix the meat with veggies and serve with rice, pasta or potato. Often, I will buy large quantities, like when Metro has the buy one get one free deal with small fryer chickens or club packs of thighs and I will prepare it all in the marinade and then use some and put the rest into zip lock bags in 4 person portions sizes and freeze them for a later date. I find it works well. One of my friends likes to “butterfly” the small fryer chickens however, I haven’t quite mastered the butterfly technique and find it easier to cut up the chicken myself so I know it will cook evenly.
2019 Jul 22
the instant pot has been helpful for us with two kids.... taco pasta is quick and easy... and the kids love it. We also make some peanut chicken and a few others quite often. My sister is really into this one pot, one step spaghetti recipe that I have not personally made yet but again, it's everything at once you can set it and forget it.
This might sound nuts but at the cottage we sometimes do frozen burgers in the instant pot... you wrap the frozen burger in tinfoil and cook it in the instant pot. Because I can put it on timers we just have to come up from the beach and the burgers are ready without having to slave over a hot grill.
I do spatchcock chicken often as well because it's pretty fast and on charcoal, tastes like heaven.
This might sound nuts but at the cottage we sometimes do frozen burgers in the instant pot... you wrap the frozen burger in tinfoil and cook it in the instant pot. Because I can put it on timers we just have to come up from the beach and the burgers are ready without having to slave over a hot grill.
I do spatchcock chicken often as well because it's pretty fast and on charcoal, tastes like heaven.
chopper