thread: Best weeknight/quick meals

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    Southwest Syd
    1,858

    Best weeknight/quick meals

    With DH back at work after he was being the SAHD and my 3 days work I'm struggling to come up with quick meals that I can do when I get home from work. I use the slow cooker a bit on my off days to make food for the work days but need more inspiration!! Please

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Dec 2009
    58

    The Taste website is great for ideas. My Favs are carbonara and fried rice.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Vic
    337

    I tend to try and cook larger meals so that i can do something with the left over's the following night. It means less preparation time.

    Last night we had Arancini's and I made extra bolognaise sauce .

    tonight i made mashed potatoes and reheated the left over bolongnaise sauce (also added some frozen peas to it) as topping.

    Quick and easy.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    Southwest Syd
    1,858


  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    8,369

    Cook 4 sausages the night/morning before and put them in the fridge.

    In the evening: cook some penne pasta in a pan. Peel a courgette down to the seeds in the middle (so long, thin strips that are mostly white) into a frying pan and fry them WITHOUT adding any oil. In another pan, cook some tinned tomatoes and thyme with the chopped up sausage from the fridge. When it's all cooked, add everything to one pan and mix. Then serve. Takes about 15-20 minutes.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Jul 2006
    In The Land Of Wonderful...
    1,751

    How about a quiche - takes 5 seconds to whip the eggs & throw in whatever ingredients you want. (ham, cheese, tomato, mushroom, shallots etc).
    It usually takes less than 10 minutes to make... and then about 40 mins to cook in the oven, but that leaves you free to do baths/homework etc etc.
    I usually serve it with a salad or those little Pomme Noisettes (sp?!) - the potato balls a little like potato gems

    Another one is napolitana pasta (a few tins of crushed tomatoes, onion, fresh garlic, parsley, basil, rosemary, a splash of red wine & a spoon of tomato paste.)
    I also add chilli to mine.
    I just serve with fresh bread rolls or bread in the oven which takes about 10 mins.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    in the garden
    3,767

    I need some new ideas too.

    Last night I bought a BBQ chicken, we had wraps on lavash bread with tomato, baby spinach, red onion, avocado.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Sep 2008
    Australia
    471

    The most simplist meal that we have here is I make a nice salad and a quick jacket potato and DH throw the meat on the bbq. I know it's not fancy or anything but everytime we resort to this, both DH & I love it.

    I often stuff chick breast or thighs with something like fetta, sundried tomato and wrap them in filo pastry serve with veges.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    In the middle of nowhere
    9,362

    salmon patties made with leftover mash/tin salmon/onion and an egg?
    We often have grilled fish and salad when I'm pushed for time.
    Chicken cacciatore made with a BBQ chicken.

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Add Sammiejane on Facebook

    Aug 2007
    Melbourne
    2,654

    Home made hamburgers
    500g mince
    1 egg
    breadcrumbs
    onion
    garlic
    parsley
    woster sauce.

    Mix all together, roll into patties and cook.

    DH and i have these in buns with lettuce etc
    MJ has her hamburger on a plate with some veggie mash that i pre make and freeze in batches with some salad veggies to try
    We are having this tonight!

    the other quick one (was also going to mention BBQ chook or quiche - which i make in advance usually) is soup and Ravioli.
    the cheats way which i do when i am working is to buy a tin of Thai pumkin soup, some sour cream and a packet of fresh ravioli.
    Heat soup and cook psata seperatly.
    once cooked add together and serve and pop a bit of sour cream on the top. can have a side salad if you like or some toast.
    If i have more time or in the winter i make and freeze batches of Pumpkin soup then add cocnut milk and spice to the soup at the time of cooking.
    This is one of MJ's fav's

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    4,427

    Tuna pasta bake

    Two tins of tuna in springwater drained (we like extra tuna but you could just use one)
    Boiled Pasta
    Jar of pasta bake sauce
    grated cheese

    Mix tuna and jar of sauce through cooked pasta
    Put into a lasagne dish
    sprinkle grated cheese on top and cook until cheese i melted.

    YUMMY, QUICK, EASY and everyone likes it.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    Melbourne, Vic
    4,338

    Maybe try that 4 ingredient cookbook, very simple meals in there.
    We eat alot of just meat and 3 veg I know not very exciting but I usually try make the meat nice with a sauce, like apricot chicken, steak with mushroom sauce...
    Also anything oven based is really easy altho take longer to cook preperation is fast. We often throw something in oven, bath the kids then eat.