Dinners for people that hate cooking and don't have time to do it

[Anonymous]

Over the years I have gotten faster and it has become easier. But it took years to slowly build up a collection of mental recipes. I find that if I use a new recipe it takes me ages bc I have to actually look at it slows me down tremendously since I’m checking and rechecking. Maybe start with identifying 4 dinners that appeal to your tastes (as one PP said if you like sandwiches that is fine! If your kids won’t eat them as a sandwich, serve it deconstructed.

I do a lot of quesadillas (super super easy and fast, flour tortilla, 1 slice of cheese of your choice, extra protein if you like, heat in skillet and fold in half. Flip. Done)

Taco Tuesday (browned turkey meat, taco seasoning - I now make my own mix but there are packets that are fine).

Chicken (bake for 30 min @400 with a sauce and then shred). Serve with pasta.

Sautéd chicken and rice (ricer cooker for rice, pound chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Sauted on skilled 2-3 minutes each side. You can use oil but butter also adds a nice flavor. You can quickly grill too.

Burgers (I do turkey, 1 lb turkey, 1/2 cup ricotta, 2 t worrchester, 2 t mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1 cup bread crumbs. Mix and form into patties)

If I’m feeling motivated I also prep and marinade on Sundays for the week and then grill. One marinade I liked recently was 1/4 cup oil, juice from 1 lemon, 1/2 t of turmeric, garlic, cumin and coriander, 1 t salt,
1 t. Sugar)

I try to chop veggies when I get home from grocery story so that it’s easier to cook those but my kids prefer raw spinach anyway so I often do a handful of raw spinach for them as their veg. Maybe setting them up for bad habits? But easy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m with you on not liking or having the time to cook! Some of my go-to’s:

- tacos using ground beef or turkey. I use hard shells or tortillas for the kids, put over romaine lettuce to make taco salads for adults - tacos take a long time. Browning the meat takes at least 20 minutes, drain some grease, add taco seasoning and simmer, in the meantime drag out all the toppings and wash/drain, cut up and but in serving dishes, then heat up the taco shells - whole process easily takes 45 minutes. Please don't start with the - your wrong! your doing it wrong! I am superior! most people never, ever bother to time how long it really takes them so they way underestimate
- same droll as above but instead throw some chicken in instant pot with a little water & taco seasoning for shredded chicken tacos - I don't own an instant pot and if I did, I would have to run to the store after work to pick up chicken and there would be some other stuff of course, come home, unload groceries, wipe out the insta pot, unpackage chicken and if pieces are different thicknesses, decided if I am gone to smash them or not so they cook more evenly, wait for chicken to cook and in the meantime prep all the other stuff, chicken done, have to get it out, put in serving bowl and attempt to shred
- dump a bottle or jarred marinara over chicken breasts, bake in oven, sprinkle mozzarella over chicken a few min before taking out of oven. Serve with pasta. - repeat process above about going to the store and unpacking groceries, if pieces are different thicknesses, decided if I am gone to smash them or not so they cook more evenly, while they are baking make some rice or vegetables or a salad. But rice takes at least 20 minutes
- bake bone in chicken breasts with olive oil, salt & pepper. Rub BBQ sauce on at the end and serve extra sauce for dipping (my kids love this one). Serve with a veggie and Mac and cheese or frozen sweet potato fries.
- cook chicken breasts with a jar of enchilada sauce (I use Whole Foods), in instant pot. Layer corn tortillas, chicken, sauce, cheese for enchilada casserole (another kid favorite).
- you can use this chicken (or taco beef, turkey or chicken) for burritos
- marinade chicken breasts in store bought Italian dressing. Grill chicken.
- make a pot roast- chuck roast in instant pot. Add onions, carrots and celery and either a jar or marinara or canned of diced tomatoes.

For YEARS I bought into the belief that I could really make dinner during the week nights in 30 minutes. That has only happened if I did quesadilla, grilled cheese or salad and sandwiches, See above for why

I mean, many of your points above are valid (browning meat) but presumably you do have some groceries in your house and could have the chicken delivered or obtained at the same time as your toilet paper, snacks, vegetables, etc. I’ve never had the problem with chicken thickness that you describe above. It sounds to me like you are choosing to view this in the most complicated way because you hate every part of it - which I get - but it isn’t quite as complicated as you describe.

That being said, I find that cooking is easier if I find time to do prep work at another moment (easy now with quarantine, harder before). I’ll chop an onion with my morning coffee, etc. It changes the actual cooking experience to be more like a show where you just throw pre-measured stuff into a pot.

Here’s an actual sub-30 minute dish:

https://leitesculinaria.com/1390/recipes-cacio-e-pepe.html

Jamie Oliver also has a nice 5 ingredient cookbook. Not all recipes are sub-30 minutes but fewer ingredients usually means faster to table.

Buuuuut if there is prep work that you are doing ahead of time, and you aren't adding that time into the total, then that immediately negates the declaration that it is a 30-minute meal. You can't conveniently neglect to add a substantial amount of prep time to the total. For some reason you don't seem to be getting that. And I like Jamie Oliver's work but there is no way that many of his 5-ingredient recipes constitute a full meal including all of the items / nutrients needed for a well-rounded plate.

[Anonymous]

I have a wonderful 5-ingredient cookbook and a smaller slow cooker cookbook that I use constantly. I often make rice in the rice cooker and a stew or meat in the slow cooker. I make pasta or noodles once a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Over the years I have gotten faster and it has become easier. But it took years to slowly build up a collection of mental recipes. I find that if I use a new recipe it takes me ages bc I have to actually look at it slows me down tremendously since I’m checking and rechecking. Maybe start with identifying 4 dinners that appeal to your tastes (as one PP said if you like sandwiches that is fine! If your kids won’t eat them as a sandwich, serve it deconstructed.

I do a lot of quesadillas (super super easy and fast, flour tortilla, 1 slice of cheese of your choice, extra protein if you like, heat in skillet and fold in half. Flip. Done)

Taco Tuesday (browned turkey meat, taco seasoning - I now make my own mix but there are packets that are fine).

Chicken (bake for 30 min @400 with a sauce and then shred). Serve with pasta.

Sautéd chicken and rice (ricer cooker for rice, pound chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Sauted on skilled 2-3 minutes each side. You can use oil but butter also adds a nice flavor. You can quickly grill too.

Burgers (I do turkey, 1 lb turkey, 1/2 cup ricotta, 2 t worrchester, 2 t mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1 cup bread crumbs. Mix and form into patties)

If I’m feeling motivated I also prep and marinade on Sundays for the week and then grill. One marinade I liked recently was 1/4 cup oil, juice from 1 lemon, 1/2 t of turmeric, garlic, cumin and coriander, 1 t salt,
1 t. Sugar)

I try to chop veggies when I get home from grocery story so that it’s easier to cook those but my kids prefer raw spinach anyway so I often do a handful of raw spinach for them as their veg. Maybe setting them up for bad habits? But easy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Over the years I have gotten faster and it has become easier. But it took years to slowly build up a collection of mental recipes. I find that if I use a new recipe it takes me ages bc I have to actually look at it slows me down tremendously since I’m checking and rechecking. Maybe start with identifying 4 dinners that appeal to your tastes (as one PP said if you like sandwiches that is fine! If your kids won’t eat them as a sandwich, serve it deconstructed.

I do a lot of quesadillas (super super easy and fast, flour tortilla, 1 slice of cheese of your choice, extra protein if you like, heat in skillet and fold in half. Flip. Done)

Taco Tuesday (browned turkey meat, taco seasoning - I now make my own mix but there are packets that are fine).

Chicken (bake for 30 min @400 with a sauce and then shred). Serve with pasta.

Sautéd chicken and rice (ricer cooker for rice, pound chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Sauted on skilled 2-3 minutes each side. You can use oil but butter also adds a nice flavor. You can quickly grill too.

Burgers (I do turkey, 1 lb turkey, 1/2 cup ricotta, 2 t worrchester, 2 t mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1 cup bread crumbs. Mix and form into patties)

If I’m feeling motivated I also prep and marinade on Sundays for the week and then grill. One marinade I liked recently was 1/4 cup oil, juice from 1 lemon, 1/2 t of turmeric, garlic, cumin and coriander, 1 t salt,
1 t. Sugar)

I try to chop veggies when I get home from grocery story so that it’s easier to cook those but my kids prefer raw spinach anyway so I often do a handful of raw spinach for them as their veg. Maybe setting them up for bad habits? But easy!

If I’m stumped for dinner, one hit here is to cut chicken breasts, fillet style, dredge them in some flour, salt and pepper and sauté in a little melted butter. I do a knorr pasta side and steam some veggies. Super fast!

[Anonymous]

Reading this thread really makes me wish schools taught home ec still. Cooking is a lot easier if you know how to do it. If you know when to shortcut and when not, if you knew how to cook in the right order so you’re more efficient, etc. So many people hate cooking because they were never taught how to cook and suddenly are expected to cook.

[Anonymous]

Burgers (I do turkey, 1 lb turkey, 1/2 cup ricotta, 2 t worrchester, 2 t mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1 cup bread crumbs. Mix and form into patties)

Do these hold together? Are they dry? I am intrigued by your turkey burger recipe!! I haven’t made one yet that I like. (Smitten’s turkey meatballs are good, however.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Burgers (I do turkey, 1 lb turkey, 1/2 cup ricotta, 2 t worrchester, 2 t mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1 cup bread crumbs. Mix and form into patties)

Do these hold together? Are they dry? I am intrigued by your turkey burger recipe!! I haven’t made one yet that I like. (Smitten’s turkey meatballs are good, however.)

PP here. Not dry at all. Great flavor. Recipe is from once upon a chef. I think she uses less bread crumbs but I find it holds together better with more. Ricotta keeps is really moist and the condiments add a great flavor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading this thread really makes me wish schools taught home ec still. Cooking is a lot easier if you know how to do it. If you know when to shortcut and when not, if you knew how to cook in the right order so you’re more efficient, etc. So many people hate cooking because they were never taught how to cook and suddenly are expected to cook.

+1

Experience really helps speed things up.

Oh - and I rarely put things out on the table. Instead I serve or now that kids are older I will place things so they can assemble. If I had to put out in serving dishes, etc that would really take too much time and clean up!!

[Anonymous]

I think the key is to have 10-12 minimal ingredient dishes that you know how to make really, really well. This will speed up the entire process. Also, some dishes have a longer cooking time but little prep time and those are perfect to make for times like this when you are at home but busy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We batch cook on the weekend and freeze food. It's a pleasent 3 hour activity on sunday night, listening to podcasts and sipping wine....Weeknights involve just defrosting food. It is awesome.

Do share... what do you batch cook?

[Anonymous]

Someone posted this recipe somewhere recently -- https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/02/taco-torte/

I think if you cook up the bean/tomato/onion/spinach mixture on the weekend, it would be a very easy dinner to assemble during the week. We all thought it was fun and tasty.

A few notes...
- I did not add any tomato paste, and I increased the spinach by about 30-40%.
- I increased the cheese (colby jack) from 8oz to about 12 oz.
- I used two 9-inch cake pans with three layers each (I have no idea what she is talking about when she recommends 6 layers in one cake pan. Maybe if you have a taller springform pan.)
- I served with sour cream and avocado slices

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burgers (I do turkey, 1 lb turkey, 1/2 cup ricotta, 2 t worrchester, 2 t mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1 cup bread crumbs. Mix and form into patties)

Do these hold together? Are they dry? I am intrigued by your turkey burger recipe!! I haven’t made one yet that I like. (Smitten’s turkey meatballs are good, however.)

PP here. Not dry at all. Great flavor. Recipe is from once upon a chef. I think she uses less bread crumbs but I find it holds together better with more. Ricotta keeps is really moist and the condiments add a great flavor.

Thank you, turkey burger chef! I am going to try these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading this thread really makes me wish schools taught home ec still. Cooking is a lot easier if you know how to do it. If you know when to shortcut and when not, if you knew how to cook in the right order so you’re more efficient, etc. So many people hate cooking because they were never taught how to cook and suddenly are expected to cook.

+1

Experience really helps speed things up.

Oh - and I rarely put things out on the table. Instead I serve or now that kids are older I will place things so they can assemble. If I had to put out in serving dishes, etc that would really take too much time and clean up!!

+1000 The kids grab plates and come to serve themselves at the stove/counter top. saves time/dishes.

Also, I almost never make cooked veggies. Celery, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper strips, cherry toms. I also usually put hummus on the table, so the fussy eaters will at least be eating veggies and protein. And my carb side is often crusty bread from Republic instead of potatoes or rice. And in a pinch - a glass of milk, hummus and veggies, and a slice of good bread can count as dinner!

[Anonymous]

This week I made a pork butt in the instant pot, we ate bbq pork sandwiches that night, then I turned them into pork taquito's the next day (make the meat rather plain, seasoned after). I still have leftovers that we've had for lunch and I'll probably freeze some.

Baked ziti (Olive Garden copy cat) with salad.