You know, I'm surprised we don't have a thread for this. Or I didn't search well. One of the two. Gotta start doing meal plans for the week to help save monies and we are getting tired of the same old same ol'.
So anyways, what are your favorite go to recipes? Quick meals, fanceh meals, whatever floats your boat.
I usually have at least one or two things I can make pretty quickly out of stuff I almost always have around, in order to avoid going to stores. It's usually some kind of pasta, like aglio olio or macaroni and cheese, but it has been puttanesca for some time now. That's just my favorite and I haven't gotten tired of it for a really long time. It's best when I have Fresno peppers and some baby spinach to put in there.
(My version is pretty stinky and spicy because that is how I like it and I am a self-indulgent whore, but Matlock can't really hang with the anchovies I guess, so his go to recipe on puttanesca nights is a "Matlock sandwich," which is a cheese sandwich.)
With the aglio olio, too, it's simple enough that you can pretty much throw whatever else you have either in or near it and it'll be fine. Like if you have an extra chicken breast or some greens or broccoli or whatever, you can just make that and put it either in or on top.
My go to is spaghetti bolognese. One medium onion, one medium green pepper, and some garlic go in a pan, cooked till the onion is translucent. Then I do a tin of tomatoes, a small tin of tomato sauce, a small tin of tomato paste, then that tin's amount of water. Add in salt, pepper, oregano, and basil to taste. I use soy crumbles in place of meat so those get chucked in after the sauce begins to boil. Bring it down to a simmer, cook for about 30 mins, and put that mess over pasta. Easy and cheap.
Frittata is a go-to for me. The only thing you need consistently to make it is eggs, and then you can just throw in whatever bits and bobs are lingering in the fridge. My basic recipe is at least 8 eggs, a splash of milk, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk that all up then add cheese, fresh herbs, veggies, meats and bake in the oven. It doesn't even matter if the fresh stuff is past its prime. Wilted spinach, half-yellow parsley, speckled broccoli: it's all a rich frittata tapestry.
Most of the time I sautee the veggies first in the pan I'm going to use for the frittata. I let the pan cool down a little, spread the oil all over the pan, including the sides, then add the egg mixture. Pop it in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or so. You want it to puff up and brown slightly on the top. Take it out and let it sit for a few minutes so it flattens back down. You can serve it hot, warm, room temp or cold, which makes it an outstanding leftover. A frittata slice goes great in a sandwich too.
Never mind. I thought I had a picture of my mom with my brother's artichoke frittata and it turned out to be crispy artichoke risotto cake instead.
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"freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."
- Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
Adding black bean enchiladas to the list. Saute up some onions and peppers of your choice, add black beans and chili powder (was gonna say cumin too, was scolded by my Mexican friend-she says they don't use cumin! Their loss.) Fill up corn tortillas, place them in a baking dish with half a can of enchilada sauce on the bottom, top them with the rest and add cheese. Bake at 350 for like 15 mins. Yummy.
I have a sad confession to make. I rarely cook myself dinner anymore. Working until 8:00pm three days a week with an hour workout after has just killed that. I often have dinner at my mom's or out on Monday, so that doesn't help. It seems I only make the effort when I'm entertaining others these days.
So while I used to have go-to recipes, I really don't use them much anymore. That said, pretty much anything in a mushroom cream sauce is my ideal. Tonight I am making beef stroganoff, but that's definitely not a regular thing. I am only doing it because I got porcini egg noodles at Big Lots on an impulse buy and they just seemed to scream for beef stroganoff.
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"freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."
- Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
I go for strata (soak bread chunks in eggs and bake) Like frittata it can accept whatever veggies meat and cheese, and the added bonus is using up bread heels and leftover hamburger buns and such.
It's super easy. In a deep, oven-safe skillet, sweat some chiles (I use Fresno peppers) and garlic, add canned tomatoes--either pureed or diced--then season with Spanish paprika, cumin, S&P and whatever and simmer for a little while, then I throw in some crumbled feta, stir it around a small amount, break some eggs on top, cover, and put it in the oven until the eggs are baked/poached, and serve with big hunks o' crusty bread.
Disclaimer: I know the addition of feta is an American thing, and probably everything else about it is totally inauthentical, too.
My go-to recipe
The meat of some dead animal seasoned and grilled/or broiled on my cast iron grill pan.
Vegetable side; either fresh steamed (broccolii, carrots, squash, green beans, ect) or canned (green beans or peas)
Baked sweet potato, brown rice, or side salad
Typically comes out to 500cal or so and with different combinations you can do this nearly every night without getting burned out. Guess this wouldn't work for a vegetarian at all though since the meat is kind of "the star" of the meal.
I have a bunch of very good recipes but this is my generic go-to meal plan which is both healthy and satisfying. I try to stay away from carbs and overly sweet sauces.
For even healthier option I'll do grilled chicken, steak, or venison over a large salad with avocado. If the meat is cooked right (not overcooked) and the avocado is ripe, you don't need any dressing at all.
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Why am I naked and sticky?... Did I miss something fun?
Groats are just grains (usually oats but possibly barley or others) with the husks removed.
I like it as a thick hot stew, but if you add even more goats then when it cools it sets into a sort of cake - some people then cut this up into slices and take it to work (to eat cold) as a sort of packed lunch.
Groats are just grains (usually oats but possibly barley or others) with the husks removed.
I like it as a thick hot stew, but if you add even more goats then when it cools it sets into a sort of cake - some people then cut this up into slices and take it to work (to eat cold) as a sort of packed lunch.
Favorite Go-To recipes
for 30 minutes or so. You want it to puff up and brown slightly on the top. Take it out and let it sit for a few minutes so it flattens back down. You can serve it hot, warm, room temp or cold, which makes it an outstanding leftover. A frittata slice goes great in a sandwich too.
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