What would you do to make cooking easy? | ExpatWoman.com
 

What would you do to make cooking easy?

80
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 December 2011 - 20:04

I always struggle when I get into the kitchen on what to cook. I run out of ideas on what I can prepare and what is the fastest way to prepare it. It is sometimes annoying to think for all the family on what is for lunch or dinner. What do you ladies do? How do you choose the meal you will be cooking?

2192
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 18 December 2011 - 10:58
I tend to make time consuming dinners at the weekend and opt for quick and tasty stuff in the weekdays where I need to be in and out of the kitchen. I tend to do a lot of Pasta which is great as I can take left overs for lunch the next day. Soups are also a favourite and I tend to bulk them up by throwing in some noodles and prawns. Plan your dinners ahead and shop accordingly. That way you know what you need and can cook. I use a lot of Nigella lawsons recipe . you can download the application on to your iphone and she does some fab left over recipes too.
115
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 December 2011 - 10:50
I always struggle when I get into the kitchen on what to cook. I run out of ideas on what I can prepare and what is the fastest way to prepare it. It is sometimes annoying to think for all the family on what is for lunch or dinner. What do you ladies do? How do you choose the meal you will be cooking? Do you have an iPhone? Theres a brilliant app called Epicurious, its a big database of recipes plus it has a feature where you can key in what is exactly in your fridge/cupboard and you can rustle up something from there! Also, I like to get inspiration from visiting places like the Deira food souk, the interesting veg on offer there allows you to be creative!
2383
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 17 December 2011 - 18:34
saffa - my lists are made up of things that we like to eat or recipes that I have collected over the years. Too many to list really but most of them are very straight forward. Plenty of different sauces for meats (either from scratch, out of a packet or a jar). Roasts, stews, casseroles, goulash, lasagne, steak, gammon, stir fry, etc. Curries, kebabs, Fish pie, or grilled, etc. Omelettes or quiche which we enjoy with salad. Various ways of cooking potatoes, i.e. baked with the potato scooped out and mixed with onions and cheese, or sliced and layered in a dish with tomatoes and onions, dauphinoise, plus all the usual ways you can do them. Love all types of veg., if you haven't already, try sliced courgettes, onions. peppers and tomatoes roasted (yum). I have thermos type casserole dishes that are brilliant and will keep food hot for nearly two hours. They are great if you are cooking for larger numbers. <em>edited by amelia on 17/12/2011</em>
75
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 December 2011 - 17:53
A thermomix will make not only your cooking but also your life a lot easier :)
2340
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 17 December 2011 - 07:58
Perhaps a quick internet search for an online meal planner? Some will suggest all of your meals then you print your shopping list at the click of a button. :D Here's the first one that came up for me (though it looks like dinners only!) - http://www.cookdinner.com/
80
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 December 2011 - 07:47
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Amelia, where do you get your list of meals? is there a particular site that gives brilliant ideas?
2383
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 December 2011 - 22:16
Although there are only the two of us, I do a weekly menu, prepare a shopping list accordingly and buy as much as possible in advance. If I know I will be late home on a particular evening I plan a meal that can be cooked in the slow cooker or something that can be reheated. A stir fry is brilliant as all the veg. etc. can be prepared in advance and only take minutes to cook. I have lists of meals that use meats, fish, spaghetti, rice, noodles, etc. and different ideas on what to do with them. <em>edited by amelia on 16/12/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 December 2011 - 20:31
1. Ask the family to contribute to the meal planning.......... and if they don't like this option... 2. Have my own favorite takeaway options at the ready.... I agree, it is annoying and frustrating. I hate as women it seems we have by some strange default the responsibility of meal preparation...... <em>edited by Pomegranate on 16/12/2011</em>
179
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 December 2011 - 20:27
Plan in advance. Only way. Cook whatever you can earlier on. Find recipes that you can sling together, then bake in an oven or slow cooker.
 
 

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