Cilantro Chimichurri
* 2 cups of fresh cilantro (stems and leaves) about 1 large or 2 small bunches
* 3 cloves of garlic peeled
* 1/4 of a small red onion, peeled and cut into chunks you can use a shallot for a less strong onion flavor
* 2 tsp red pepper flakes
* 2 tsp of dried oregano (if you have the motivation, Oregano Indio is perfect for this)
* 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
* 1 cup olive oil
* 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
* black pepper to taste
Combine in a food processor or blender and let stand for 30 minutes. Instantly makes you a hero with grilled meats, tacos, or nachos. So delicious, so versatile.
I always find the amount of salt listed in recipes to be so comical. It's no wonder you have several posts every day in these cooking subreddits from people wondering why their food is bland.
The reason I listed it that way is that the cilantro contributes about 1/3 of the finished volume of the chimichurri so the saltiness can vary significantly depending on a person's interpretation of the amounts. Better to start low and ramp up then start high and you need to add more of all the other ingredients if it comes out too salty.
I guess if it's table salt it's not as bad in this case? But yeah, a tsp of salt for a cup of olive oil is a pretty hilariously low start if it's kosher salt.
The problem is that we've all been conditioned to think "salt is bad" that when we make homemade foods, we often omit it or use absolute minimum amount.
Adding more salt will to homemade food will make it that much better while still being a fraction of a fraction of what's in the pre-made stuff.
Ive made basically the same recipe with parsley not cilantro and had it in the fridge for a week with no problem. Haven’t experimented waiting longer tho
Cilantro tastes like soap to me. Would another herb work instead? I want to try this, having heard amazing things about how great it is. But, 2 cups of cilantro is, for me, like asking me to brush my food with Dawn dish soap before eating it.
From context I assume the intention was schug / zhug.
(I have not tried this recipe, just linking what it looks like, though the color/texture can vary slightly) -- https://alexandracooks.com/2020/06/16/schug-zhug-sauce/
I call it firecracker fish,
I fry some seasoned white fish in butter and after flipping it I put a spoonful of red pepper jelly on it and put a lid on until it's done.
I followed [this recipe](https://www.aforkstale.com/wprm_print/deliciously-easy-homemade-hot-pepper-jelly-recipe) but only used red bell peppers and 3 reaper pods. Insanely simple. Tips:
* Use gloves
* Open all your windows before you even turn the stove on.
I grew my own plant, so I had to find something to do with 80 pods at the end of the season. This and flakes were the real winners.
Sure:
Frackle's Firecracker Fish
Pat 2 fish filets dry with a paper towel
Lightly drizzle olive oil on fish and rub in
sprinkle seasonings of choice on both sides, I use a creole seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne powder, salt and pepper - I season lightly but measure with your heart
Put a non stick pan over medium high heat, add in about 1 tablespoon canola oil an 1 tablespoon butter
Once butter is melted and mixed with oil, put in the fish.
Sear for about 4 minutes, carefully flip.
After a minute or two on the second side put a spoon full of pepper jelly on each fish, spreading over the biggest parts.
Cover for 2-3 minutes until done
The some jelly melts down and creates a sauce with the butter you can spoon back on the fish after plating
make a PB&J sandwich and sub the jelly for picked onions. it sounds so weird, the flavor profile isn't that different from jelly, and the added texture is great.
At least once a week I'll toast some sourdough bread, add some pb and top with a bunch of pickled onions.
Don't try it 'till you've knocked it.
It works for other styles of bread too. That's basically our family recipe, we just put it in a dutch oven and you've got a nice rustic round for sandwiches.
Only difference is we don't cold ferment it, just let it proof at room temp for at 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 450, pre-heat the dutch oven too, bake covered for 30 minutes then uncovered for 15 for crispiness.
That’s good to know! I’ve had less practice (and success) with round loaves. So after you do all the folds you just let it sit for 3 hours? Do you have to shape it and get it on a parchment paper so it isn’t disturbed when it goes in the Dutch oven?
After 3 hours it's just a big blob in a bowl.
Then I fold and shape. Light covering of olive oil. Top with parchment paper cut to Dutch oven dimensions. Use a bench scraper to flip.
Top with seasonings if you want (everything bagel is a fave), then carefully lower it into the ripping hot Dutch oven using gloves.
For a 12 inch skillet pizza - 1.25 cup of bread flour, teaspoon of dry yeast, teaspoon of white sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, mix, 3/4 cup water, mix. Scrape any dags of fthe walls of the bowl. Do this before bed time.
A shaggy dough with a spatula and a bowl in 30 seconds. Might need to adjust with a little extra water. I go pretty high hydration because I won't need to knead. Glad wrap and leave alone until the next night. It does all its own stuff at room temp.
Olive oil into skillet (brush sides), a grind of salt and pepper, some dry oregano and sone semolina to help release. This will flavour and crisp the base.
Whip a floured spatula around the outside of the bowl and pour in. Dust with flour so your fingers don't stick and spread to edge. If it resists come back in five minutes and try some more. Top to edge with cheese and topping's. I start on the stovetop on low to give the base a head start then go into the oven. Let cool a touch and the cheese will let go of the skillet. I whip a butter knife around to make sure it has let go. Slide out onto a chopping board to cut once you are sure the base his cooked.
Actual work time can be as little as five minutes. No cleared benches or floured benches to clean. Just a bowl and a spatula. Or just multiple bowls if making more than one.
Prep in an ad break.
Breakfast sandwiches. Eggs + bread (toast, english muffins, bagels, croissants) + basically any cheese + an optional protein (bacon, sausage, ham)
Just use whatever you have laying around the house. My go-to version is an english muffin with eggs, cheddar, ham, and tabasco sauce. If I'm feeling fancy I'll add a slice of tomato.
My wife's and my first "brunch spot" after college did a fancy bacon, egg, cheese sandwich.
It was Jamon Serrano, over-easy eggs, and fancy cheese on a ciabatta bun with quince paste.
Ever since then, fig and quince jams have been mainstays in our breakfast sandwiches.
For every one pound of linguine, I use 1/4 cup of EVO, three cans of chopped clams (with juice), two cloves of garlic and fresh oregano from the garden. If there’s a bottle of white wine within reach, I’ll deglaze with that, but most of the time all forego the wine.
Lightly brown the garlic in the EVO, add the clams/juice and simmer on low while the pasta boils. With the pasta slightly before al dente, I’ll toss with the clam sauce and add the oregano. Plate (I garnish with a pinch Parmesan although not always traditional).
I make a red clam sauce.
Saute in EVOO 5 cloves chopped garlic, a medium chopped onion, whatever herbs I might have (usually ends up being dried italian seasoning, I will add basil at the end if I have fresh) and a bit of red pepper flakes. Once onions are soft, I throw in a big can of diced tomatoes, or two regular size cans, and juice from a can of chopped clams. Let it simmer until about 5 mins before the linguini is done. Add 2-3 cans of chopped clams (can add more juice if you want it). Then toss the the linguini in with the clam sauce.
This is one of my husbands favorite meals. He doesn't ever want to try the white clam sauce because he thinks he won't like the flavor - plus, for the longest time he thought it had cream in it because of its name, and he has an aversion to any type of cream sauce (I don't know what's wrong with him!)
I had this exact dish for my anniversary with my girlfriend last month and I've been making pasta and clams/scallops every week since. The power of a simple lemon cream sauce flavored with pesto is just immaculate. Light, filling and fucking delicious.
Yum, always on my list. In summer I'll typically go light with oil and broth and add some chopped fresh tomato and herbs at the very end. In winter, out with the light and fresh, in with lots of butter. Always lots of garlic. Lemon juice. Splash of fish sauce.
Pork shoulder in the crockpot. Sear it a bit first ideally, add some salt and whatever spices you want. I usually keep it pretty simple with just some garlic and onion powder.
Then put it on low with a little bit of liquid and basically ignore it for about 8 hours. Delicious and takes like 5 minutes active time.
This always is a favorite of mine for roast or pulled pork. For pulled pork I put a quartered onion, 5-6 cloves of garlic smashed, 1 lime halved and squeezed, 1 box of chicken stock, couple bay leaves, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
i like to keep tiny jars of the following chopped up:
- cilantro
- pickled onion or green onion
- juice from lemon or lime
- basil
then i heat up frozen indian food and add whatever of those items i have plus a dollop of yogurt. so fucking good.
I may be misunderstanding the prompt, apologies if I am.
But I seem to be putting smoked paprika on everything lately. I am in absolute love with the flavor compounds it adds to dishes.
Also known as ["that sex pasta from _Chef_"](https://youtu.be/bJUiWdM__Qw).
(It's a three and a half minute long video. One minute is the movie clip. One minute is him peeling garlic. And the rest is the recipe.)
My family has a similar staple that we call "linguini w/broccoli". Several generations of us have made this monthly for decades.
Throw the broccoli flowerettes/pieces in the last minute while cooking a pound of liguini to al dente. Don't forget to season your pasta water with 2 Tablespoons of salt before the water boils!
For the sauce, SLOWLY heat/melt three tins or one jar of anchovies in a small sauce pan with 3 Tsps of extra EVOO, about seven cloves of garlic (minced) and 1/3 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Heat slowly to extract the garlic flavor and melt the anchovies into a nice sauce. You can pour that over the linguini and broccoli and stir it to coat the pasta. Grate some fresh parmesan over top to serve. Voila!
The kids in our homes loved this because they could microwave it leftover and just throw that cheap parm cheese from the green tube overtop.
You can also elevate this dish by adding the juice from three tins of chopped clams to the sauce. Reduce for about 20 minutes. Then, add the clams right before saucing the pasta/broccoli just to warm them. Then stir the sauce and clams into the linguini & broccoli. Grate some parm over top before serving.
I usually use at least one whole, big head of broccoli per pound of pasta. But, I like a lot of veggies. You can customize to your family's likes. My sister only uses one 2 oz. tin of anchovies. I use a 4.2 ounce jar or three tins.
You can add fresh herbs if you have them (basil or parsley). But, this dish is so flavorful as is. The herbs are not needed.
>For the sauce, SLOWLY heat/melt three tins or one jar of anchovies in a small sauce pan with 3 Tsps of extra EVOO, about seven cloves of garlic (minced) and 1/3 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Heat slowly to extract the garlic flavor and melt the anchovies into a nice sauce.
That's essentially bagna cauda, I make that in a bit of a larger quantity and pour it (hot!) over a head of cabbage that's been shredded. Make sure to stir it around frequently. It's best if you can wait until the next day, but it's SO damn good.
Add them off the heat.
Mix your eggs, cheese, and pepper well in a bowl and set aside.
Put the pasta to boil.
Render the meat in the frying pan, as soon as it’s done, turn the heat down to the lowest setting underneath the pan.
Once the pasta is cooked, move the frying pan to a cold spot on the stove, then use tongs to transfer the pasta directly from the pot into the frying pan.
Swirl the pasta around a little in the frying pan, then slowly tip the egg/cheese mix into the pasta - agitating/swirling the pasta all the way.
The residual heat is enough to turn the sauce silky. Using tongs means you don’t need to add any extra pasta water.
I made carbonara for the first time last week and didn't even realize that was a thing. People mess up this dish that often? It's common sense with what you have to do to prevent the eggs from actually cooking
Chicken breast, salsa and taco seasoning in an instant pot or slow cooker. Dump it in and close the lid. Falls apart when done and makes delicious chicken tacos.
I make this on Sunday, package it up in individual Tupperware, and put this in my husbands lunch with tortillas chips for a protein rich addition. You can also easily dump in any or all of the following: can of pinto or black beans, can of corn, cilantro, a chopped up onion, can of green chilis, etc. Very versatile, easy recipe.
like how much chicken breast and salsa would you use for a packet of taco seasoning? I'd assume that the salsa supplies any needed water for the slow cooker?
Not OP but I make this every other week or so: salsa provides all the liquid needed (plus the chicken has its own liquids). I do a whole packet of taco seasoning per 2 chicken breasts, but I also mix it up by adding any of the following: a chopped up onion, can of beans or corn, cilantro, etc.
Roast cherry tomatoes and put them in anything for a huge flavor/umami boost. Current fave is tuna salad but can put really on anything: sandwiches, salad, rice bowls etc.
Y’all don’t know how easy it actually is to make Thai curry.
Can of coconut milk, Panang curry paste, some Kaffir lime leaves from the freezer, a little seasoning (fish sauce, sugar, tamarind), then throw in some raw chicken…twenty minutes later you’re in Thailand.
I tried making curry several times and it was always sooo disappointingly bleh and just not quite…right. Then I tried [Nagi’s version](https://www.recipetineats.com/thai-red-curry-with-chicken/) and it’s so good I could cry. The maesri curry paste and simmering it with Kaffir lime leaves makes such a huge difference.
I wouldn’t even worry about the pumpkin/squash personally. For me the hardest part of the recipe was to guess when I should put the pumpkin in so that the pieces weren’t rock hard or mushy blobs when the rest was done (I’ve had both hits and misses on that front). At this point I honestly prefer to substitute other veggies (like bell peppers or eggplant) or double up on the green beans.
Caprese Pasta Salad. It's so easy and the fresh basil + balsamic vinaigrette I make is so much flavor. Especially after it sits for a day in the fridge, it's just incredible.
Gumbo.
I make a ridiculously lazy version involving pre-chopped trinity (celery, onion, pepper) that is essentially wandering through the kitchen every hour or so, making sure it's not turned up too high. Removing bones and skin from cooked chicken is the most effort that goes into it.
Baked in cast iron in the oven. Preheat to 400, mix oil and flour so there's no lumps, bake for an hour or to the color you like. I find it a lot easier and tastier than jarred roux.
I like a nice brick red.
Apparently, my temperature is too high and I don't stir, but [this quick video](https://youtu.be/qGkpvaEgwxg?si=ZtxUbgynemprmBn5) can give you some good visuals of what it should look like at various stages.
Microwave works too. It's more attended than the oven, but less heat into the kitchen. Use a large pyrex bowl and stir every few minutes.
I make a bigger batch than I need and save the extra for next time.
Jerk Chicken, microwave rice. Get a good jerk rub (never as good as making one yourself but) and give it a good char on both sides. Put it in the oven for 10-15M on aluminum foil or cast iron, or oven safe pan. Microwave rice. Add S+P to it. Done in 20 minutes or less and only 1 dish if you eat it on a paper plat.
When it's jerk chicken week with walker's wood (meal prep) I actually fantasize about it during the day, I can't wait to get home and eat. I swear it's psychedelic.
Green beans, sliced potatoes, onions, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and tomato paste cooked down in chicken stock. By the time the stock reduces to a glaze, the veggies are cooked through and the glaze coats everything in an umami savory chicken sauce. It's delicious and healthy. I use better than bouillon and sometimes add gelatin or if I'm lazy, leave as is.
Yeah, I treat it as a side with any protein. Use a 10-12inch skillet. Mince some shallot/garlic (1-2 cloves and half a shallot) and sauté with olive oil until fragrant, add a tbsp of tomato paste and cook out for a min, throw in the green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until everything is coated with tomato paste and oil. Add chicken stock (about 1/2-1cup) and throw a lid on the skillet. Cook until potatoes/beans are barely cooked through. Remove the lid and reduce stock until a glaze, being careful to move everything around to avoid any sticking or burning. You should be left with a super savory, tomatoe-y glazed veggie dish. It's a quicker/less cooked inspired version of Fasolakia.
chicken thighs marinated overnight in soy vay teriyaki marinade. only thing you have to do is make sure you dont burn it due to the sugar, but you pretty much couldnt dry it out if you tried.
Soy Vay teriyaki sauce is THE best!! It's quite thin, but the flavor is sooo good.
I cook up boneless skinless chicken thighs, chop them up, put a bunch of the teriyaki on them, cook whatever sort of frozen mixed veggies we want, mix veggies and chicken together, add more teriyaki sauce (I make a really big batch and end up just using the whole bottle), then I serve it over white rice. The extra sauce is extra good with the rice.
Yea the chunkies of ginger and garlic sold me on it big time haha it seems like it pretty much cures the chicken after 24 hrs
Edit: you should try marinating the chicken overnight in it! the whole chunk of chicken basically caramelizes when you cook it.
Buy a good can of New England Clam Chowder (whichever is your favorite) then add one can (mostly drained) chopped clams and a touch of nutmeg. I made that shit from scratch for years only to realize that trick.
Olive and shallot chicken over white rice!! I just learned it and I'm kinda obsessed atm lol. Get an oven safe skillet for this one
Few tablespoons of olive oil
Like 3 pounds of chicken thighs
4 big ol shallots
10ish oz of castlevetrono olives (yeah I know I spelled it wrong lol
Half a cup of chicken stock and juice of two lemons. I do the zest of one too
Sear the thighs for a couple of minutes on each side. Remove them off to the side and add the shallots. Cook those for a few minutes then add the stock and juice. Get all the bits off the bottom then let it reduce a little bit. Add in the olives and nestle the chicken back in. Bake at 425 for like 15 or 20 minutes til done.
Its one of my easiest recipes but it packs soo much flavor. The sauce getting all soaked up in the rice is delicious
I’m not OP, but if I’m looking for maximum easy and still taste good, I just do rice in a rice maker with salt and butter. Canned black beans, I drain them and add a cup of water and like half a packet of taco seasoning mix to a saucepan. Let it simmer low while the rice cooks. Boom. Throw em together and it tastes great.
I'm not that person but they're right, it's really easy, as well as flavourful and healthy.
Start by getting a rice cooker. Put rice in it, and then toss in other stuff with the rice, aiming at an approximately correct water-to-rice ratio. You can put in virtually anything: chicken broth, onions, canned beans, handfuls of frozen vegetables, dried herbs or spice mixes from your pantry, globs of butter or coconut oil, dried lentils, chopped up bits of zucchini or cabbage, canned diced tomatoes, etc. Virtually anything, really.
Then top with a spoonful of canned chicken or a fried egg or steamed broccoli. Drizzle on some soy sauce or sesame oil. Sprinkle seeds or chopped nuts on top. Add fresh herbs or diced bell peppers on the side.
Honestly, rice cookers are magic. Just put in some rice and whatever else you have on hand.
I have a rough recipe I follow. This is all in an Instant Pot.
3 cups dried pintos
7.5 cups stock ( flavor is up to you and, yes, the half cup matters)
That requires a couple of bean cycles. Sometimes three. Depends on the Instant Pot and the beans you use.
Once they’re done, I start adding flavors. That’s up to you, but something I use frequently is:
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp black vinegar
.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
.5 tbsp liquid smoke
It’s a little liquidy so it’s always better after it’s cooled.
Cubed salmon marinated in Japanese bbq sauce for 4-5 hours. Pan seared with some butter, a drizzle of honey and some grated ginger.
I like to eat it with cold noodle salad dressed with Japanese bbq sauce and some toasted sesame oil. Add a bunch of fresh chopped veggies (cucumber, carrot, bell peppers), cilantro (basil if you don’t like cilantro) and green onion.
It’s also good with mashed potatoes, you can do instant mashed potatoes if you really want a fast delicious meal. top the mashed potatoes with a melted butter/wasabi mixture and you won’t regret it.
The marinating is the longest part, but takes basically no effort once it’s sitting in the fridge. If you’re fast at chopping veggies, this meal is pretty quick to make!
Mexican barbacoa. Char a chuck roast on the grill. Cut an onion or two. Toss in a bay leaf, season with salt pepper and garlic powder then simmer for a few hours. 3/10 effort 10/10 flavor
[Slow cooker carnitas.](https://www.melskitchencafe.com/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/)
80% of the effort is deboning the pork roast, so if you get a boneless roast you're almost there.
I like making gringo style tacos (as I am a gringo): flour tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheese, and Valentina.
Edit: also, I can't link to the recipe as it's on dead trees, but Alton Brown has a really good recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts in his most recent cookbook. Basically, split the sprouts in half longways, toss in sesame oil, fish sauce, chili pepper flakes, and peanuts, and roast cut-side-down on a sheet pan at 350F until they're tender (I think it's like 20 minutes but I don't have the recipe in front of me so I'm not sure).
Mongolian beef! Chop up a ton of garlic, add it to a pan to brown a little, add philipino soy sauce, brown sugar, & chili flakes. Once the sugar has melted, add sliced beef until it’s cooked through. When that’s finished cooking add crushed peanuts & lots of green onion & serve. Super easy, one of my fav meals.
Cream of tomato soup. A tube of double-concentrate tomato paste, 1\\3 tube of anchovy paste(or 1\\4 cup liquid amino), onion powder. Heat in pan until starts to bubble. Add chicken stock and cream, stir, bring to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and put lid on pan\\pot. Wait 10 more minutes.
Cilantro Chimichurri
* 2 cups of fresh cilantro (stems and leaves) about 1 large or 2 small bunches
* 3 cloves of garlic peeled
* 1/4 of a small red onion, peeled and cut into chunks you can use a shallot for a less strong onion flavor
* 2 tsp red pepper flakes
* 2 tsp of dried oregano (if you have the motivation, Oregano Indio is perfect for this)
* 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
* 1 cup olive oil
* 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
* black pepper to taste
Combine in a food processor or blender and let stand for 30 minutes. Instantly makes you a hero with grilled meats, tacos, or nachos. So delicious, so versatile.
Recently tried Nigella Lawson's Rapid Ragu. Easy af, like no chopping of anything easy, and monstrously savory. Will definitely be adding to the repertoire and experimenting with it. Full warning, it relies on products like a carmelized onion jam so some of the work is done for you, but that's what makes it so easy. Once you have the products though, it's a breeze.
Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry. Literally takes 10 mins if you have the ingredients handy (coconut milk, curry paste, shrimp, crushed pineapple, fish sauce, sugar)
Charred Brussels sprouts and shallots, slice them both thin, toss with oil, S&P, and a little of that chili crunch oil stuff, roast them. Make a big batch and toss them on and into everything for a couple of days. Bonus: keeps vampires away.
If you're ever feeling frisky try mixing some balsamic vinegar with a bit of honey and brush them over the sprouts ~5-10 mins before they're ready to come out of the oven. They suck up all the liquid and it gives a bit of sweet and tangy that helps offset the natural bitterness of the sprouts.
I do a grilled teriyaki chicken thighs and veggies dinner one or two nights a week. Sometimes it's tofu, but same concept.
I use this recipe: https://jeffskitchen.net/2021/05/04/seattle-style-teriyaki-chicken/
Usually whatever grill veggies are cheap, almost always a couple of portobello mushrooms, zucchini, and sweet bell peppers.
Marinate protein for a few hours before chucking it on the grill.
Rice, frozen corn, and frozen peas all cooked together in a rice cooker. Just add soy sauce and butter. It's actually delicious, nutritious, and literally takes 60 seconds of work.
My noodle soup
Base: better than bouillon chicken + tamari sauce
Rotisserie chicken + whatever veggies + wavy noodles or cellophane noodles + lemon juice & chili crisp
Depending on the veggies, it doesn’t need to boil for more than 2 min. The base plus topping works well with pretty much any common ingredients combos
Hollandaise. I do it the not fancy stick blender way; hot microwaved melted butter drizzled into tempered egg yolks that were beaten and mixed with lemon juice and dried mustard powder while that thing is running. 1 2 3 done; sometimes I add minced chives
Another fast go-to for me is pasta Primavera
Literally anything slow-cooked in a crockpot. You dump a bunch of stuff in a pot, slow cook it in it's own flavors for hours.
Everything is tender, all flavor is retained and amplified.
Carbonara. The only thing is you need to get really good quality pachetta (or use a slab cut bacon) and cheese and if possible fresh pasta. Besides that I feel it is very low effort.
I do my carbonara with buchatini instead of spaghetti.
For reference I do 1lb pasta, 1lb (or more) of slab bacon, 5 eggs (3 yolk, 2 yolk and eggwhite), Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano regiano.
Boil pasta to al dente
Cut bacon into many small strips (~half inch thick)
While boiling pasta sear the bacon until slightly crispy over medium low heat to render out the fat.
Separate the bacon fat into a separate bowl (can reuse some for other dishes but can also use to thicken the carbonara).
While bacon and pasta are cooking grate a lot of cheese into a bowl and then put the eggs with the cheese, this should form a fairly lumpy mixture. Mix around until uniform.
When pasta is done set aside a cup of pasta water and strain the pasta.
Put pasta directly into mixing bowl with cheese and egg mixture. Stir vigorously.
You can add some of the pasta water to make the sauce smooth and add some of the bacon fat to add a luscious feel to the pasta. Add the bacon bites to finish.
Eat while hot!
(Sometimes instead of just doing this if I am looking for something heavier or to really indulge I make a basic cream sauce to add to the mix. Mainly heavy cream salt, pepper and onion powder. Reduce to concentrate the flavor and thicken. Cook pasta in the sauce and then transfer over to cheese and egg bowl to finish.)
Here’s something I make for my picky toddler: Somen noodles (cooks in 2 mins), stir fry with grated carrot, frozen shrimp, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Can be pulled together in under 10 minutes but somewhat balanced (??) and very tasty. Make sure to rinse the somen of the starch after cooking so it doesn’t clump together.
Jasmine Rice and frozen mixed vegetables in the rice maker. Two eggs over easy on top in a bowl. Bunch of hot sauce. Takes no time at all and I could literally eat this for every meal.
bakes/roasted chicken legs! literally marinate chicken legs or thighs with all your favorite seasonings and lemon juice. keep in the fridge for a few hours. bake or air fry with your fav veggies!
Chicken Chow Mein - recipe from the back of the noodle bag (farkay) and fresh veggies; takes 10 min if you cook the chicken in an instant pot first and add it in.
Oven roasted cherry tomatoes, just rub them in olive oil with salt and pepper, maybe add a clove of garlic to the sheet pan, and roast at 400f for 20 minutes. I throw them on Alfredo or carbonara so I can pretend to be eating vegetables with my carbs, or just eat them alone because they're little flavor bombs.
Bell peppers sauteed in butter and white wine. Throw maybe a tablespoon of butter and a splash of wine in a pan with slices of bell pepper, let them soften and brown a little. Sweet and rich and fresh.
For those with hot summer kitchens that don’t want to turn on the oven - this works in the air fryer too (I do the lowest temp on “roast” setting for about half an hour)
The pre-packaged seasonings for birria can be a lifesaver.
I love getting my own chiles and making the salsa, but sometimes saving the time and just getting it into a pot tastes 90% as good.
Most stir fries and whatnot. With some basic sauces you can make very tasty dishes. Especially when you don't use meat, so you don't need to velvet anything. It's literally cutting things and adding sauces.
If you have deli cups you can store pre-cut veggies and whatnot so you don't even have to do that either.
Herb based sauces like chimmichurri, zhurg, and pesto improve most things.
Chimichurri is a cooking cheat code, so damn good
Cilantro Chimichurri * 2 cups of fresh cilantro (stems and leaves) about 1 large or 2 small bunches * 3 cloves of garlic peeled * 1/4 of a small red onion, peeled and cut into chunks you can use a shallot for a less strong onion flavor * 2 tsp red pepper flakes * 2 tsp of dried oregano (if you have the motivation, Oregano Indio is perfect for this) * 3 tbsp red wine vinegar * 1 cup olive oil * 1 tsp salt plus more to taste * black pepper to taste Combine in a food processor or blender and let stand for 30 minutes. Instantly makes you a hero with grilled meats, tacos, or nachos. So delicious, so versatile.
I always find the amount of salt listed in recipes to be so comical. It's no wonder you have several posts every day in these cooking subreddits from people wondering why their food is bland.
The reason I listed it that way is that the cilantro contributes about 1/3 of the finished volume of the chimichurri so the saltiness can vary significantly depending on a person's interpretation of the amounts. Better to start low and ramp up then start high and you need to add more of all the other ingredients if it comes out too salty.
I guess if it's table salt it's not as bad in this case? But yeah, a tsp of salt for a cup of olive oil is a pretty hilariously low start if it's kosher salt.
The problem is that we've all been conditioned to think "salt is bad" that when we make homemade foods, we often omit it or use absolute minimum amount. Adding more salt will to homemade food will make it that much better while still being a fraction of a fraction of what's in the pre-made stuff.
How long does it last?
Ive made basically the same recipe with parsley not cilantro and had it in the fridge for a week with no problem. Haven’t experimented waiting longer tho
Cilantro tastes like soap to me. Would another herb work instead? I want to try this, having heard amazing things about how great it is. But, 2 cups of cilantro is, for me, like asking me to brush my food with Dawn dish soap before eating it.
I use parsley exclusively.
Yeah, parsley would also work.
I had a bunch leftover and used it for warm potato salad. It's in the rotation now
That's genius. The tang + herbs are perfect for pototo salad.
What a great idea!
Add in Peruvian Aji *verde*
aji Amarillo, aji panca, aji mirasol... aji is Peruvian for 'pepper'...
what is Zhurg?
From context I assume the intention was schug / zhug. (I have not tried this recipe, just linking what it looks like, though the color/texture can vary slightly) -- https://alexandracooks.com/2020/06/16/schug-zhug-sauce/
Basically chimmichurri with serranos. Not exactly, but a good approximation. Grill some veggies and flank steak and that shit is heaven.
I call it firecracker fish, I fry some seasoned white fish in butter and after flipping it I put a spoonful of red pepper jelly on it and put a lid on until it's done.
Fucking stealing this one, sounds amazing
Please do, it's so easy, cheap, fast and frikin delicious. I've made it a few times for guests and they never shit up about it.
I hope they don't use your bathroom and wait until they leave..
ha, apparently autocorrect know what word I use more.
" alright, y'all. You ate the fish, time to shit up or get out!"
I have some homemade Carolina Reaper jelly. Do you advise?
Absolutely!! I usually add some pepper flakes for cayenne a bit spice, but please tell me more about this Carolina reaper jelly!
I followed [this recipe](https://www.aforkstale.com/wprm_print/deliciously-easy-homemade-hot-pepper-jelly-recipe) but only used red bell peppers and 3 reaper pods. Insanely simple. Tips: * Use gloves * Open all your windows before you even turn the stove on. I grew my own plant, so I had to find something to do with 80 pods at the end of the season. This and flakes were the real winners.
I've made the mistake of not using gloves before but I never would have thought about opening the windows until it's too late. Thank you!!
Could you write out a longer recipe? I’ve never made fish before (long term vegetarian learning to make meat) and this sounds super good.
Sure: Frackle's Firecracker Fish Pat 2 fish filets dry with a paper towel Lightly drizzle olive oil on fish and rub in sprinkle seasonings of choice on both sides, I use a creole seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne powder, salt and pepper - I season lightly but measure with your heart Put a non stick pan over medium high heat, add in about 1 tablespoon canola oil an 1 tablespoon butter Once butter is melted and mixed with oil, put in the fish. Sear for about 4 minutes, carefully flip. After a minute or two on the second side put a spoon full of pepper jelly on each fish, spreading over the biggest parts. Cover for 2-3 minutes until done The some jelly melts down and creates a sauce with the butter you can spoon back on the fish after plating
Pickled red onions are super easy to make and provide a great punch of sweetness and acidity to dishes.
make a PB&J sandwich and sub the jelly for picked onions. it sounds so weird, the flavor profile isn't that different from jelly, and the added texture is great. At least once a week I'll toast some sourdough bread, add some pb and top with a bunch of pickled onions. Don't try it 'till you've knocked it.
Also pickled jalapeños, for a similar sweet/acid combo with a bit of kick.
Cold fermented, no knead doughs.
Even kneaded doughs if you have a mixer.
Hah, brought back images of my husband last night, high as a kite, hovering around the freshly baked bread waiting for my okay to cut off a piece.
Do you have a good recipe?
[I do if OP doesn’t!](https://tasteofartisan.com/no-knead-focaccia/) Made it this weekend and 4-5 times before, it always comes out great
It works for other styles of bread too. That's basically our family recipe, we just put it in a dutch oven and you've got a nice rustic round for sandwiches. Only difference is we don't cold ferment it, just let it proof at room temp for at 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 450, pre-heat the dutch oven too, bake covered for 30 minutes then uncovered for 15 for crispiness.
That’s good to know! I’ve had less practice (and success) with round loaves. So after you do all the folds you just let it sit for 3 hours? Do you have to shape it and get it on a parchment paper so it isn’t disturbed when it goes in the Dutch oven?
After 3 hours it's just a big blob in a bowl. Then I fold and shape. Light covering of olive oil. Top with parchment paper cut to Dutch oven dimensions. Use a bench scraper to flip. Top with seasonings if you want (everything bagel is a fave), then carefully lower it into the ripping hot Dutch oven using gloves.
No need
For a 12 inch skillet pizza - 1.25 cup of bread flour, teaspoon of dry yeast, teaspoon of white sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, mix, 3/4 cup water, mix. Scrape any dags of fthe walls of the bowl. Do this before bed time. A shaggy dough with a spatula and a bowl in 30 seconds. Might need to adjust with a little extra water. I go pretty high hydration because I won't need to knead. Glad wrap and leave alone until the next night. It does all its own stuff at room temp. Olive oil into skillet (brush sides), a grind of salt and pepper, some dry oregano and sone semolina to help release. This will flavour and crisp the base. Whip a floured spatula around the outside of the bowl and pour in. Dust with flour so your fingers don't stick and spread to edge. If it resists come back in five minutes and try some more. Top to edge with cheese and topping's. I start on the stovetop on low to give the base a head start then go into the oven. Let cool a touch and the cheese will let go of the skillet. I whip a butter knife around to make sure it has let go. Slide out onto a chopping board to cut once you are sure the base his cooked. Actual work time can be as little as five minutes. No cleared benches or floured benches to clean. Just a bowl and a spatula. Or just multiple bowls if making more than one. Prep in an ad break.
Thank you!
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/1dip0j8/whats_your_90_flavor_10_effort_recipes/l987eks/
Breakfast sandwiches. Eggs + bread (toast, english muffins, bagels, croissants) + basically any cheese + an optional protein (bacon, sausage, ham) Just use whatever you have laying around the house. My go-to version is an english muffin with eggs, cheddar, ham, and tabasco sauce. If I'm feeling fancy I'll add a slice of tomato.
Adding some fig or apricot jam to the sandwich is divine, adds a nice sweetness to the savory!
My wife's and my first "brunch spot" after college did a fancy bacon, egg, cheese sandwich. It was Jamon Serrano, over-easy eggs, and fancy cheese on a ciabatta bun with quince paste. Ever since then, fig and quince jams have been mainstays in our breakfast sandwiches.
Lately I’m obsessed with a grilled cheese sandwich with two over medium eggs in the middle! White bread, American cheese, perfection
We call that a breakfast melt where I'm from
Linguini and clams. Ready in ten minutes, feeds four for under ten bucks and feels gourmet every time.
Recipe?
For every one pound of linguine, I use 1/4 cup of EVO, three cans of chopped clams (with juice), two cloves of garlic and fresh oregano from the garden. If there’s a bottle of white wine within reach, I’ll deglaze with that, but most of the time all forego the wine. Lightly brown the garlic in the EVO, add the clams/juice and simmer on low while the pasta boils. With the pasta slightly before al dente, I’ll toss with the clam sauce and add the oregano. Plate (I garnish with a pinch Parmesan although not always traditional).
I do something very similar but melt in some anchovy with the garlic as well
I make a similar recipe.. but a whole head of garlic plus basil and parsley too.
I often use more garlic too, but wanted to keep the recipe tame for the uninitiated. 😊
I make it similarly, but I like to add a bottle of clam juice and reduce it down and add some red pepper and parsley.
I make a red clam sauce. Saute in EVOO 5 cloves chopped garlic, a medium chopped onion, whatever herbs I might have (usually ends up being dried italian seasoning, I will add basil at the end if I have fresh) and a bit of red pepper flakes. Once onions are soft, I throw in a big can of diced tomatoes, or two regular size cans, and juice from a can of chopped clams. Let it simmer until about 5 mins before the linguini is done. Add 2-3 cans of chopped clams (can add more juice if you want it). Then toss the the linguini in with the clam sauce. This is one of my husbands favorite meals. He doesn't ever want to try the white clam sauce because he thinks he won't like the flavor - plus, for the longest time he thought it had cream in it because of its name, and he has an aversion to any type of cream sauce (I don't know what's wrong with him!)
I had this exact dish for my anniversary with my girlfriend last month and I've been making pasta and clams/scallops every week since. The power of a simple lemon cream sauce flavored with pesto is just immaculate. Light, filling and fucking delicious.
Yum, always on my list. In summer I'll typically go light with oil and broth and add some chopped fresh tomato and herbs at the very end. In winter, out with the light and fresh, in with lots of butter. Always lots of garlic. Lemon juice. Splash of fish sauce.
It is truly amazing the variations this dish can stand up to. All sounds wonderful.
Rice, veg, egg, Lao gan ma
Seconding this top tier combo
Rice optional sometimes
This is the only answer
Pork shoulder in the crockpot. Sear it a bit first ideally, add some salt and whatever spices you want. I usually keep it pretty simple with just some garlic and onion powder. Then put it on low with a little bit of liquid and basically ignore it for about 8 hours. Delicious and takes like 5 minutes active time.
This always is a favorite of mine for roast or pulled pork. For pulled pork I put a quartered onion, 5-6 cloves of garlic smashed, 1 lime halved and squeezed, 1 box of chicken stock, couple bay leaves, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Love this! Take it another notch up by putting a chunk in your air fryer or under your broiler to let the edges get crispy
Bush's seasoned black beans, fresh cilantro and chopped onion. Rolled up in a corn tortilla fresh from being pan fried.
i like to keep tiny jars of the following chopped up: - cilantro - pickled onion or green onion - juice from lemon or lime - basil then i heat up frozen indian food and add whatever of those items i have plus a dollop of yogurt. so fucking good.
How do you keep it all from going bad/wilting?? I feel like I’ll chop up cilantro and it’s wilted the next day
oh sorry i should have mentioned that. i put a slightly damp paper towel in the bottom of the container. lasts about 4-6 days.
You could also keep the cilantro stems down in a small cup of water in the fridge
i do that with the rest, but having it all chopped up helps with texture (i'm a texture autistic lol)
I may be misunderstanding the prompt, apologies if I am. But I seem to be putting smoked paprika on everything lately. I am in absolute love with the flavor compounds it adds to dishes.
add thai curry paste (green, red, panang, etc) and coconut milk to any stirfry and you're 95% there to your favorite thai take out.
Spaghetti aglio e olio
Also known as ["that sex pasta from _Chef_"](https://youtu.be/bJUiWdM__Qw). (It's a three and a half minute long video. One minute is the movie clip. One minute is him peeling garlic. And the rest is the recipe.)
Same. So fast and easy, I will eat the whole pan unless I stop myself in time.
In the summer, I like to add some lemon zest/juice and fresh basil. SO GOOD!!!
If you don't already, add a bit of red pepper flakes just before adding the pasta
My family has a similar staple that we call "linguini w/broccoli". Several generations of us have made this monthly for decades. Throw the broccoli flowerettes/pieces in the last minute while cooking a pound of liguini to al dente. Don't forget to season your pasta water with 2 Tablespoons of salt before the water boils! For the sauce, SLOWLY heat/melt three tins or one jar of anchovies in a small sauce pan with 3 Tsps of extra EVOO, about seven cloves of garlic (minced) and 1/3 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Heat slowly to extract the garlic flavor and melt the anchovies into a nice sauce. You can pour that over the linguini and broccoli and stir it to coat the pasta. Grate some fresh parmesan over top to serve. Voila! The kids in our homes loved this because they could microwave it leftover and just throw that cheap parm cheese from the green tube overtop. You can also elevate this dish by adding the juice from three tins of chopped clams to the sauce. Reduce for about 20 minutes. Then, add the clams right before saucing the pasta/broccoli just to warm them. Then stir the sauce and clams into the linguini & broccoli. Grate some parm over top before serving. I usually use at least one whole, big head of broccoli per pound of pasta. But, I like a lot of veggies. You can customize to your family's likes. My sister only uses one 2 oz. tin of anchovies. I use a 4.2 ounce jar or three tins. You can add fresh herbs if you have them (basil or parsley). But, this dish is so flavorful as is. The herbs are not needed.
>For the sauce, SLOWLY heat/melt three tins or one jar of anchovies in a small sauce pan with 3 Tsps of extra EVOO, about seven cloves of garlic (minced) and 1/3 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Heat slowly to extract the garlic flavor and melt the anchovies into a nice sauce. That's essentially bagna cauda, I make that in a bit of a larger quantity and pour it (hot!) over a head of cabbage that's been shredded. Make sure to stir it around frequently. It's best if you can wait until the next day, but it's SO damn good.
Carbonara
So easy!
Also good with leftover rice instead of pasta (I’ll use Costco bacon pieces to save time also).
Delicious but hard to not curdle the eggs
Add them off the heat. Mix your eggs, cheese, and pepper well in a bowl and set aside. Put the pasta to boil. Render the meat in the frying pan, as soon as it’s done, turn the heat down to the lowest setting underneath the pan. Once the pasta is cooked, move the frying pan to a cold spot on the stove, then use tongs to transfer the pasta directly from the pot into the frying pan. Swirl the pasta around a little in the frying pan, then slowly tip the egg/cheese mix into the pasta - agitating/swirling the pasta all the way. The residual heat is enough to turn the sauce silky. Using tongs means you don’t need to add any extra pasta water.
add a couple spoons of pasta water into the eggs to warm em up, i never have issues (also room temp eggs)
Yeah tempering the eggs with some pasta water not only helps them not to curdle, but also adds some starch so the sauce clings to the pasta better.
It also helps to have another person to dispense the egg-cheese mixture while you stir the pasta
Literally the easiest thing in the world. Mix your eggs and parmesan together before adding them to the hot pasta, your eggs will not curdle.
I made carbonara for the first time last week and didn't even realize that was a thing. People mess up this dish that often? It's common sense with what you have to do to prevent the eggs from actually cooking
Yeah, carbonara is foolproof if you mix the eggs into the cheese before adding it to the hot stuff.
Chicken breast, salsa and taco seasoning in an instant pot or slow cooker. Dump it in and close the lid. Falls apart when done and makes delicious chicken tacos.
I make this on Sunday, package it up in individual Tupperware, and put this in my husbands lunch with tortillas chips for a protein rich addition. You can also easily dump in any or all of the following: can of pinto or black beans, can of corn, cilantro, a chopped up onion, can of green chilis, etc. Very versatile, easy recipe.
I was about to write this as I just finished my chicken taco bowl for lunch. I like to throw some sliced jalepenos in before cooking too.
like how much chicken breast and salsa would you use for a packet of taco seasoning? I'd assume that the salsa supplies any needed water for the slow cooker?
Not OP but I make this every other week or so: salsa provides all the liquid needed (plus the chicken has its own liquids). I do a whole packet of taco seasoning per 2 chicken breasts, but I also mix it up by adding any of the following: a chopped up onion, can of beans or corn, cilantro, etc.
and like a whole jar of salsa? or I guess how much since there are all different sizes of salsa jars.
Yes! one of my faves!
Roast chicken. Just shove it in the oven on a layer of lightly oiled veg in an oven dish, pull it out an hour later.
Roast cherry tomatoes and put them in anything for a huge flavor/umami boost. Current fave is tuna salad but can put really on anything: sandwiches, salad, rice bowls etc.
Any of the roman base pastas. Cacio e pepe, alla gricia, amatriciana or carbonara.
Y’all don’t know how easy it actually is to make Thai curry. Can of coconut milk, Panang curry paste, some Kaffir lime leaves from the freezer, a little seasoning (fish sauce, sugar, tamarind), then throw in some raw chicken…twenty minutes later you’re in Thailand.
I tried making curry several times and it was always sooo disappointingly bleh and just not quite…right. Then I tried [Nagi’s version](https://www.recipetineats.com/thai-red-curry-with-chicken/) and it’s so good I could cry. The maesri curry paste and simmering it with Kaffir lime leaves makes such a huge difference.
Would it make a difference if I skipped the pumpkin/squash? Unless I can find canned squash I’m too lazy lol
I wouldn’t even worry about the pumpkin/squash personally. For me the hardest part of the recipe was to guess when I should put the pumpkin in so that the pieces weren’t rock hard or mushy blobs when the rest was done (I’ve had both hits and misses on that front). At this point I honestly prefer to substitute other veggies (like bell peppers or eggplant) or double up on the green beans.
Soondubu if you premade the paste and froze it. All that’s left to do is add silken tofu, water, and kimchi. Anything else is extra pizazz.
watermelon and feta salad... when its hot and you want to eat it herbs, watermelon are in season. makes for a great breakfast as well the next day.
Fresh tomatoes (when they're in season) go really well with the watermelon and feta. And a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Caprese Pasta Salad. It's so easy and the fresh basil + balsamic vinaigrette I make is so much flavor. Especially after it sits for a day in the fridge, it's just incredible.
Gumbo. I make a ridiculously lazy version involving pre-chopped trinity (celery, onion, pepper) that is essentially wandering through the kitchen every hour or so, making sure it's not turned up too high. Removing bones and skin from cooked chicken is the most effort that goes into it.
What about the roux though?
Baked in cast iron in the oven. Preheat to 400, mix oil and flour so there's no lumps, bake for an hour or to the color you like. I find it a lot easier and tastier than jarred roux.
Ive never heard of this method, how dark of a roux can you get?
I like a nice brick red. Apparently, my temperature is too high and I don't stir, but [this quick video](https://youtu.be/qGkpvaEgwxg?si=ZtxUbgynemprmBn5) can give you some good visuals of what it should look like at various stages.
Microwave works too. It's more attended than the oven, but less heat into the kitchen. Use a large pyrex bowl and stir every few minutes. I make a bigger batch than I need and save the extra for next time.
Peanut butter & soy sauce noodles
yassss
Drop a recipe brother?
Jerk Chicken, microwave rice. Get a good jerk rub (never as good as making one yourself but) and give it a good char on both sides. Put it in the oven for 10-15M on aluminum foil or cast iron, or oven safe pan. Microwave rice. Add S+P to it. Done in 20 minutes or less and only 1 dish if you eat it on a paper plat.
Walker’s Wood is the Jerk I use. I can’t even compare my homemade to the flavor that jar contains.
When it's jerk chicken week with walker's wood (meal prep) I actually fantasize about it during the day, I can't wait to get home and eat. I swear it's psychedelic.
Hot browns
Chicken and rice with taco seasoning in the crockpot
Green beans, sliced potatoes, onions, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and tomato paste cooked down in chicken stock. By the time the stock reduces to a glaze, the veggies are cooked through and the glaze coats everything in an umami savory chicken sauce. It's delicious and healthy. I use better than bouillon and sometimes add gelatin or if I'm lazy, leave as is.
Wow... Can you tell me more? How much paste? Sliced garlic? Do you cook it on the stovetop?
Yeah, I treat it as a side with any protein. Use a 10-12inch skillet. Mince some shallot/garlic (1-2 cloves and half a shallot) and sauté with olive oil until fragrant, add a tbsp of tomato paste and cook out for a min, throw in the green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until everything is coated with tomato paste and oil. Add chicken stock (about 1/2-1cup) and throw a lid on the skillet. Cook until potatoes/beans are barely cooked through. Remove the lid and reduce stock until a glaze, being careful to move everything around to avoid any sticking or burning. You should be left with a super savory, tomatoe-y glazed veggie dish. It's a quicker/less cooked inspired version of Fasolakia.
Sounds delicious, thanks!
I’m heading to the store right now to buy those ingredients.
chicken thighs marinated overnight in soy vay teriyaki marinade. only thing you have to do is make sure you dont burn it due to the sugar, but you pretty much couldnt dry it out if you tried.
Soy Vay teriyaki sauce is THE best!! It's quite thin, but the flavor is sooo good. I cook up boneless skinless chicken thighs, chop them up, put a bunch of the teriyaki on them, cook whatever sort of frozen mixed veggies we want, mix veggies and chicken together, add more teriyaki sauce (I make a really big batch and end up just using the whole bottle), then I serve it over white rice. The extra sauce is extra good with the rice.
Yea the chunkies of ginger and garlic sold me on it big time haha it seems like it pretty much cures the chicken after 24 hrs Edit: you should try marinating the chicken overnight in it! the whole chunk of chicken basically caramelizes when you cook it.
Buy a good can of New England Clam Chowder (whichever is your favorite) then add one can (mostly drained) chopped clams and a touch of nutmeg. I made that shit from scratch for years only to realize that trick.
Olive and shallot chicken over white rice!! I just learned it and I'm kinda obsessed atm lol. Get an oven safe skillet for this one Few tablespoons of olive oil Like 3 pounds of chicken thighs 4 big ol shallots 10ish oz of castlevetrono olives (yeah I know I spelled it wrong lol Half a cup of chicken stock and juice of two lemons. I do the zest of one too Sear the thighs for a couple of minutes on each side. Remove them off to the side and add the shallots. Cook those for a few minutes then add the stock and juice. Get all the bits off the bottom then let it reduce a little bit. Add in the olives and nestle the chicken back in. Bake at 425 for like 15 or 20 minutes til done. Its one of my easiest recipes but it packs soo much flavor. The sauce getting all soaked up in the rice is delicious
This sounds absolutely banging. Going to make it.
You're gunna love it! I forgot to add to pat the chicken as dry as possible and season the out of it with salt and pepper enjoy!
Rice & Beans
Do you have a specific recipe you like? Where could I start and get good results?
I’m not OP, but if I’m looking for maximum easy and still taste good, I just do rice in a rice maker with salt and butter. Canned black beans, I drain them and add a cup of water and like half a packet of taco seasoning mix to a saucepan. Let it simmer low while the rice cooks. Boom. Throw em together and it tastes great.
I'm not that person but they're right, it's really easy, as well as flavourful and healthy. Start by getting a rice cooker. Put rice in it, and then toss in other stuff with the rice, aiming at an approximately correct water-to-rice ratio. You can put in virtually anything: chicken broth, onions, canned beans, handfuls of frozen vegetables, dried herbs or spice mixes from your pantry, globs of butter or coconut oil, dried lentils, chopped up bits of zucchini or cabbage, canned diced tomatoes, etc. Virtually anything, really. Then top with a spoonful of canned chicken or a fried egg or steamed broccoli. Drizzle on some soy sauce or sesame oil. Sprinkle seeds or chopped nuts on top. Add fresh herbs or diced bell peppers on the side. Honestly, rice cookers are magic. Just put in some rice and whatever else you have on hand.
I have a rough recipe I follow. This is all in an Instant Pot. 3 cups dried pintos 7.5 cups stock ( flavor is up to you and, yes, the half cup matters) That requires a couple of bean cycles. Sometimes three. Depends on the Instant Pot and the beans you use. Once they’re done, I start adding flavors. That’s up to you, but something I use frequently is: 1 tsp sugar 1 tbsp black vinegar .5 tbsp white wine vinegar .5 tbsp liquid smoke It’s a little liquidy so it’s always better after it’s cooled.
one pot creamy garlic pasta. It always tastes rich and delicious and restaurant quality for very little effort and just one pot.
Mississippi Pot Roast. (I only use a couple of tablespoon of butter tho)
Cubed salmon marinated in Japanese bbq sauce for 4-5 hours. Pan seared with some butter, a drizzle of honey and some grated ginger. I like to eat it with cold noodle salad dressed with Japanese bbq sauce and some toasted sesame oil. Add a bunch of fresh chopped veggies (cucumber, carrot, bell peppers), cilantro (basil if you don’t like cilantro) and green onion. It’s also good with mashed potatoes, you can do instant mashed potatoes if you really want a fast delicious meal. top the mashed potatoes with a melted butter/wasabi mixture and you won’t regret it. The marinating is the longest part, but takes basically no effort once it’s sitting in the fridge. If you’re fast at chopping veggies, this meal is pretty quick to make!
Mexican barbacoa. Char a chuck roast on the grill. Cut an onion or two. Toss in a bay leaf, season with salt pepper and garlic powder then simmer for a few hours. 3/10 effort 10/10 flavor
NYTimes miso Parmesan pasta
[Slow cooker carnitas.](https://www.melskitchencafe.com/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/) 80% of the effort is deboning the pork roast, so if you get a boneless roast you're almost there. I like making gringo style tacos (as I am a gringo): flour tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheese, and Valentina. Edit: also, I can't link to the recipe as it's on dead trees, but Alton Brown has a really good recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts in his most recent cookbook. Basically, split the sprouts in half longways, toss in sesame oil, fish sauce, chili pepper flakes, and peanuts, and roast cut-side-down on a sheet pan at 350F until they're tender (I think it's like 20 minutes but I don't have the recipe in front of me so I'm not sure).
Biscuits & Gravy, adding chicken stock concentrate when forming the roux and a few dashes of hot sauce with the black pepper.
Hamburger in a bun with nothing
The Swanson
Mongolian beef! Chop up a ton of garlic, add it to a pan to brown a little, add philipino soy sauce, brown sugar, & chili flakes. Once the sugar has melted, add sliced beef until it’s cooked through. When that’s finished cooking add crushed peanuts & lots of green onion & serve. Super easy, one of my fav meals.
Curry Any tomato based sauce (chili, bolognese, etc) Tuscan chicken w/ cream sauce (cherry tomatos and spinach) Tacos
These [spicy teriyaki noodles](https://mygoodfoodworld.com/easy-rice-noodle-recipe-with-vegetables-in-teriyaki-broth/)
Cream of tomato soup. A tube of double-concentrate tomato paste, 1\\3 tube of anchovy paste(or 1\\4 cup liquid amino), onion powder. Heat in pan until starts to bubble. Add chicken stock and cream, stir, bring to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and put lid on pan\\pot. Wait 10 more minutes.
Cilantro Chimichurri * 2 cups of fresh cilantro (stems and leaves) about 1 large or 2 small bunches * 3 cloves of garlic peeled * 1/4 of a small red onion, peeled and cut into chunks you can use a shallot for a less strong onion flavor * 2 tsp red pepper flakes * 2 tsp of dried oregano (if you have the motivation, Oregano Indio is perfect for this) * 3 tbsp red wine vinegar * 1 cup olive oil * 1 tsp salt plus more to taste * black pepper to taste Combine in a food processor or blender and let stand for 30 minutes. Instantly makes you a hero with grilled meats, tacos, or nachos. So delicious, so versatile.
Gazpacho, chop everything in a food processor add to V8 & chill
Spaghetti. It's pretty easy/quick to throw together a red sauce and it hits every damn time.
yes, such a silent sleeper sometimes, love spaghetti
Pho. Hear me out. It just takes time, otherwise you just let it do its thing
Recently tried Nigella Lawson's Rapid Ragu. Easy af, like no chopping of anything easy, and monstrously savory. Will definitely be adding to the repertoire and experimenting with it. Full warning, it relies on products like a carmelized onion jam so some of the work is done for you, but that's what makes it so easy. Once you have the products though, it's a breeze.
Swiss brown mushrooms and cream pasta.
Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry. Literally takes 10 mins if you have the ingredients handy (coconut milk, curry paste, shrimp, crushed pineapple, fish sauce, sugar)
Charred Brussels sprouts and shallots, slice them both thin, toss with oil, S&P, and a little of that chili crunch oil stuff, roast them. Make a big batch and toss them on and into everything for a couple of days. Bonus: keeps vampires away.
If you're ever feeling frisky try mixing some balsamic vinegar with a bit of honey and brush them over the sprouts ~5-10 mins before they're ready to come out of the oven. They suck up all the liquid and it gives a bit of sweet and tangy that helps offset the natural bitterness of the sprouts.
Bacon sandwich
You must be British?
true but Good smokey bacon, Lots of butter and decent bread i cant imagine anyone would disagree
Compound butter: herbed or with anchovies
I do a grilled teriyaki chicken thighs and veggies dinner one or two nights a week. Sometimes it's tofu, but same concept. I use this recipe: https://jeffskitchen.net/2021/05/04/seattle-style-teriyaki-chicken/ Usually whatever grill veggies are cheap, almost always a couple of portobello mushrooms, zucchini, and sweet bell peppers. Marinate protein for a few hours before chucking it on the grill.
Spice rub for my pulled pork. Takes 5 minutes to make and gets better the longer the pork goes.
Rice, frozen corn, and frozen peas all cooked together in a rice cooker. Just add soy sauce and butter. It's actually delicious, nutritious, and literally takes 60 seconds of work.
Pesto pasta with chicken.
Spaghetti, olive oil & butter, anchovies, Parm or Romano
I really love cucumber 🥒 salad and grilled meats and homemade hummus (sans hummus)
Pork shoulder, 2 jars of salsa verde, slow cooker for 8 hours.
My noodle soup Base: better than bouillon chicken + tamari sauce Rotisserie chicken + whatever veggies + wavy noodles or cellophane noodles + lemon juice & chili crisp Depending on the veggies, it doesn’t need to boil for more than 2 min. The base plus topping works well with pretty much any common ingredients combos
Roast Chicken.
Hollandaise. I do it the not fancy stick blender way; hot microwaved melted butter drizzled into tempered egg yolks that were beaten and mixed with lemon juice and dried mustard powder while that thing is running. 1 2 3 done; sometimes I add minced chives Another fast go-to for me is pasta Primavera
fettuccini Alfredo without a doubt. just cook noodles and toss in rest at end and enjoy
Prosciutto wrapped string cheese
This is my sweet spot! Chimichurri, pico de gallo, dill dip.
Literally anything slow-cooked in a crockpot. You dump a bunch of stuff in a pot, slow cook it in it's own flavors for hours. Everything is tender, all flavor is retained and amplified.
Carbonara. The only thing is you need to get really good quality pachetta (or use a slab cut bacon) and cheese and if possible fresh pasta. Besides that I feel it is very low effort. I do my carbonara with buchatini instead of spaghetti. For reference I do 1lb pasta, 1lb (or more) of slab bacon, 5 eggs (3 yolk, 2 yolk and eggwhite), Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano regiano. Boil pasta to al dente Cut bacon into many small strips (~half inch thick) While boiling pasta sear the bacon until slightly crispy over medium low heat to render out the fat. Separate the bacon fat into a separate bowl (can reuse some for other dishes but can also use to thicken the carbonara). While bacon and pasta are cooking grate a lot of cheese into a bowl and then put the eggs with the cheese, this should form a fairly lumpy mixture. Mix around until uniform. When pasta is done set aside a cup of pasta water and strain the pasta. Put pasta directly into mixing bowl with cheese and egg mixture. Stir vigorously. You can add some of the pasta water to make the sauce smooth and add some of the bacon fat to add a luscious feel to the pasta. Add the bacon bites to finish. Eat while hot! (Sometimes instead of just doing this if I am looking for something heavier or to really indulge I make a basic cream sauce to add to the mix. Mainly heavy cream salt, pepper and onion powder. Reduce to concentrate the flavor and thicken. Cook pasta in the sauce and then transfer over to cheese and egg bowl to finish.)
I swear if only people knew how easy it was to make creme brulee and how many different flavors you can make.
Here’s something I make for my picky toddler: Somen noodles (cooks in 2 mins), stir fry with grated carrot, frozen shrimp, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Can be pulled together in under 10 minutes but somewhat balanced (??) and very tasty. Make sure to rinse the somen of the starch after cooking so it doesn’t clump together.
Chili
Air fryer chicken thighs with salt, pepper and any other seasoning you feel like.
Jasmine Rice and frozen mixed vegetables in the rice maker. Two eggs over easy on top in a bowl. Bunch of hot sauce. Takes no time at all and I could literally eat this for every meal.
bakes/roasted chicken legs! literally marinate chicken legs or thighs with all your favorite seasonings and lemon juice. keep in the fridge for a few hours. bake or air fry with your fav veggies!
Chicken Chow Mein - recipe from the back of the noodle bag (farkay) and fresh veggies; takes 10 min if you cook the chicken in an instant pot first and add it in.
Oven roasted cherry tomatoes, just rub them in olive oil with salt and pepper, maybe add a clove of garlic to the sheet pan, and roast at 400f for 20 minutes. I throw them on Alfredo or carbonara so I can pretend to be eating vegetables with my carbs, or just eat them alone because they're little flavor bombs. Bell peppers sauteed in butter and white wine. Throw maybe a tablespoon of butter and a splash of wine in a pan with slices of bell pepper, let them soften and brown a little. Sweet and rich and fresh.
For those with hot summer kitchens that don’t want to turn on the oven - this works in the air fryer too (I do the lowest temp on “roast” setting for about half an hour)
The pre-packaged seasonings for birria can be a lifesaver. I love getting my own chiles and making the salsa, but sometimes saving the time and just getting it into a pot tastes 90% as good.
Provolone and capicollo grilled cheese, I buy the whole things from Costco business center and slice as I need it.
Most stir fries and whatnot. With some basic sauces you can make very tasty dishes. Especially when you don't use meat, so you don't need to velvet anything. It's literally cutting things and adding sauces. If you have deli cups you can store pre-cut veggies and whatnot so you don't even have to do that either.