easy meal on a budget ideas!?

Kark

Hi!

Does anyone know of any cheap easy meals to make?
I want to cook something for my partner. I'm not a great cook, anyone have any ideas?

Nevyn

Try the cooking forum.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=610

Vodkat

Breaded and Stuffed chicken breast fillets with a medley of roasted veg:

Use left over bread for stuffing and breading.
Parsnips onions and baby potatoes from lidl.
If you would like the recipe just ask no point in typing it all out unless you want it

Kark

Sounds nice!
how easy is it to make and does it take long to prepare? As i said, i'm not the greatest cook!

Dubdude

Tesco do a meal deal Large lasagne, garlic bread and a desert for 7.00 euro cant go wrong...

Kark

hmmm now thats easy! But i don't want to get a pre prepared meal, i said that i would cook something and cook i shall!!

Rubecula

Not a recipe as such, but have you thought about using a slow cooker.

I bought one not long back and I do joints of meat in it. The meat always comes out as 'melt in the mouth' Do it with a few veggies and make a drop of gravy and it is very very good.

Slow cookers can be bought very cheaply now too, and you can use it time and again.

Just an idea, but remember it has to be done in advance.

Kark

I don't have a slow cooker unfortunately.

goat2

Kark wrote: »

hmmm now thats easy! But i don't want to get a pre prepared meal, i said that i would cook something and cook i shall!!

fruit coctail for starters, or melon
dont go for those prepared meals in shops, nothing beats home cooked,

prok chops
mushroom sauce
new potatoes
peas

fry chops
fry mushrooms in pan you fried mushrooms in
add salt pepper and garlic, sprinkle with cornflour
add cream,
plate pork chops
pour mushroom sauce
potatoes
peas

dessert
make pancake beforehand
heat in microwave when needed
plate pancake
add icecream
a bit of maple or golden syrup
fold pancake over
drizzle a little bit of the maple or golden syrup over
it is beautiful

hey presto
very tasty

Vodkat

Kark wrote: »

Sounds nice!
how easy is it to make and does it take long to prepare? As i said, i'm not the greatest cook!

Yeah its easy. everything cooked in one roasting tin. About 20 mins prep and 35-40 mins in the oven (sit on the couch and have a glass of vino while you wait).

Recipe for 2 people:

Chicken Stuffing:
100g breadcrumbs
1/2 onion (Use the other half with the veg)
1 1/2 teaspoon sage.
Add salt and pepper.

Cook the onion in a saucepan until soft.
Add breadcrumbs and sage to the sauce pan and mix well.
Cut a slit along one side of the chicken breast and stuff it. You can either wrap it in bacon after stuffing it or tie it with string and coat it in breadcrumbs. (Beat an egg, coat the chicken then dip it in breadcrumbs)

Roasted veg:

1 large carrot
10 baby potatoes
1 parsnip
1 1/2 onion
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoon oil.


Cut carrots and parsnip into sticks.
Quarter the onions.
Leave the baby potatoes whole.
Coat them with oil and place in one half of the roasting tray. Sprinkle with the herbs. Put the chicken in the other half of the tray (grease it first to prevent sticking.

Place in oven @ 190 for 30-40 mins!

mikemac

Not truely budget but excellent value

M&S have a dine for two, main course, side dish, desert and wine/bottled water for 12.50

Good deal I reckon

Kark

goat2 wrote: »

fruit coctail for starters, or melon
dont go for those prepared meals in shops, nothing beats home cooked,

prok chops
mushroom sauce
new potatoes
peas

fry chops
fry mushrooms in pan you fried mushrooms in
add salt pepper and garlic, sprinkle with cornflour
add cream,
plate pork chops
pour mushroom sauce
potatoes
peas

dessert
make pancake beforehand
heat in microwave when needed
plate pancake
add icecream
a bit of maple or golden syrup
fold pancake over
drizzle a little bit of the maple or golden syrup over
it is beautiful

hey presto
very tasty

Yeah nice! Thanks a lot! sounds simple enough too!

How long do you cook the chops/ mushrooms and what temperatures? And they are cooked all together including the cream?
also how long do potatoes cook for?
how much cream and cornflour is needed?

Kark

Vodkat wrote: »

Yeah its easy. everything cooked in one roasting tin. About 20 mins prep and 35-40 mins in the oven (sit on the couch and have a glass of vino while you wait).

Recipe for 2 people:

Chicken Stuffing:
100g breadcrumbs
1/2 onion (Use the other half with the veg)
1 1/2 teaspoon sage.
Add salt and pepper.

Cook the onion in a saucepan until soft.
Add breadcrumbs and sage to the sauce pan and mix well.
Cut a slit along one side of the chicken breast and stuff it. You can either wrap it in bacon after stuffing it or tie it with string and coat it in breadcrumbs. (Beat an egg, coat the chicken then dip it in breadcrumbs)

Roasted veg:

1 large carrot
10 baby potatoes
1 parsnip
1 1/2 onion
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoon oil.


Cut carrots and parsnip into sticks.
Quarter the onions.
Leave the baby potatoes whole.
Coat them with oil and place in one half of the roasting tray. Sprinkle with the herbs. Put the chicken in the other half of the tray (grease it first to prevent sticking.

Place in oven @ 190 for 30-40 mins!

Sounds delicious!
So the chicken breasts are stuffed with breadcrumbs and sage?
then coated with egg and breadcrumbs?

Vodkat

Kark wrote: »

Sounds delicious!
So the chicken breasts are stuffed with breadcrumbs and sage?
then coated with egg and breadcrumbs?

Yep stuffed with breadcrumbs, sage and onion.
Then coated with egg and plain breadcrumbs Or you could just wrap it in bacon if your feeling very lazy!

goat2

Kark wrote: »

Yeah nice! Thanks a lot! sounds simple enough too!

How long do you cook the chops/ mushrooms and what temperatures? And they are cooked all together including the cream?
also how long do potatoes cook for?
how much cream and cornflour is needed?

new potatoes 20 minuits the outside when added to boiling salted water, but check in case they turn to mush, as some cook faster than others

cook chops first
then remove from pan and keep warm
half pint of cream, a heaped teaspoon of cornflour let cook for a further minuit and stir ingredients, add the cream last just a minuit before serving and stir

toss in mushrooms, salt pepper and garlic, sprinkle with cornflour
the cornflour thickens the sauce
i use gas
a big frying pan, a little oil say 2 teaspoons, bring pan to hot
sprinkle a little salt and pepper on chops and put in pan, turn down heat when it starts sizzling so the chops will not burn, when golden on one side, trun and let them go golden on other, i would say 7 to ten minuits in all for chops, and 4 minuits for mushroom sauce
good luck

Kark

goat2 wrote: »

new potatoes 20 minuits the outside when added to boiling salted water, but check in case they turn to mush, as some cook faster than others

cook chops first
then remove from pan and keep warm
half pint of cream, a heaped teaspoon of cornflour let cook for a further minuit and stir ingredients, add the cream last just a minuit before serving and stir

toss in mushrooms, salt pepper and garlic, sprinkle with cornflour
the cornflour thickens the sauce
i use gas
a big frying pan, a little oil say 2 teaspoons, bring pan to hot
sprinkle a little salt and pepper on chops and put in pan, turn down heat when it starts sizzling so the chops will not burn, when golden on one side, trun and let them go golden on other, i would say 7 to ten minuits in all for chops, and 4 minuits for mushroom sauce
good luck

Can i use lamb chops for this or does it have to be pork chops?

goat2

Kark wrote: »

Can i use lamb chops for this or does it have to be pork chops?

yes you can
or chicken fillets

Kark

goat2 wrote: »

yes you can
or chicken fillets

Even better! Thanks so much, definately trying this!