Realy easy dinner for 4 for a non cook?!

pip31, Dec 28, 8:24pm
Just need a bit of help with some easy dinner ideas... one doesn't eat red meat. I just need something that's not too much hassle but looks like I've made a little bit of an effort! Any ideas appreciated:)

davidt4, Dec 28, 9:03pm
Buy a big free-range chicken, a lemon, a bulb of garlic, 4 red capsicums, 1 medium sized eggplant, 1/2 a pumpkin (or 3 large kumara), 6 - 8 red onions, peeled, a bottle of Village Press olive oil, a little bottle of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar.For a salad get a lettuce or a bag of baby spinach leaves.

Two hours before dinner set the oven to 180C, wash the chicken inside and out, cut the lemon and garlic into 6ths and put inside chicken with salt and pepper.Sprinkle outside of chicken generously with salt and pepper.

Put the chicken in a large roasting pan, on a rack (a cake rack is fine).Surround with the veges, all cut into big chunks.First take the seeds out of the capsicum and the pumpkin.Trickle about half a cup of olive oil over everything, put in the oven and set timer for 1 hour 45 minutes.Keep an eye on the chicken and after about 30 minutes baste it with the juices and oil from the pan.Baste every 20 min or so.

Wash the lettuce, dry and arrange in a wide bowl.Make a vinaigrette for the salad by mixing 6 tab olive oil, 2 tab vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, lots of freshly ground pepper.

When the chicken is cooked remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes while you make the salad.Serve the chicken whole on a large plate and carve at the table.Serve the veges on the same plate if it is big enough, or serve in a separate bowl.Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and serve in a big bowl.

If you are not confident about carving the chicken ask one of your guests to do it!If no-one is confident then you can have a good laugh and all do your best.Heavy scissors are quite useful - just cut the chicken into large pieces down the breastbone and crossways.

cookessentials, Dec 28, 9:19pm
Do you like wood roasted salmon?
Regal salmon do portions of wood roasted salmon with a rub on the surface. Depending on how many you are cooking for, buy one or two of these. I often do it without the peas and dill. I add extra lemon zest and juice to my taste. "Sproutman" does bags of baby spinach leaves.

HOT SMOKED SALMON AND ORZO SALAD

1 cup orzo, cooked according to packet instructions
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
½ cup fresh or frozen peas, cooked
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
Grated rind 1 lemon
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach leaves
200g hot-smoked salmon, broken into chunks

Place the orzo in a bowl and add the salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Fold through the peas, dill, lemon rind and parsley. Drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice and gently toss everything together. Add the spinach and salmon and fold them through. Serve in bowls. You can also make it go further by adding wedges of hard boiled egg if you wish.

You only need to cook the orzo for a few minutes I add a little olive oil to the water,along with a pinch of salt. I taste with the teaspoon as it is cooking to get the right texture. You want it firmish,but that your teeth will go through it as opposed to mushy.

I drain and rinse under hot water - just to keep it hot,although you eat this warm or cold

pickles7, Dec 28, 9:31pm
Coleslaw 14 day dressing

1 & 1/4 cups of white vinegar
1/2 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes
Cool & poor over coleslaw, chill.
Remove with tongs however much coleslaw, you need.

2halls, Dec 28, 10:38pm
Smoked chicken breast (thinly sliced),serve on mixed lettuce,with fresh raspberries and walnuts sprinkled over.Buy a dressing if you want to (a nice fruity vinaigrette),and serve with nice crusty bread.Go mad and add diced cucumber and spring onions if you feel you can.Serve it on a huge platter ... looks a million dollars.Have fun :-)

pip31, Dec 28, 10:41pm
Thank you all so much! these ideas are just fantastic. Much appreciated!!

duckmoon, Dec 29, 2:06am
my dessert that people love is a low-calorie version of banoffee pie.

It takes about 5 minutes to make:
1. Purchase a sponge flan (in our supermarket, they are in the deli section - it is the shape of a pie crust, but made of sponge)
2. cover with sliced bananas
3. cover with caramel yoghurt -
4. dust with cocoa powder

It is easy-peezy and every one loves it.

kate777, Dec 22, 8:07am
I'd buy a pre-roasted chicken, and wrap it in tinfoil for reheating.

Throw a bunch of cubed (wash but don't peel) vegetables into your roasting dish. Potatoes, kumara, beetroot, pumpkin, carrot etc, oil and roast until half done, then throw in sliced red pepper, halved button mushrooms and small diced onion. Roast 'til done and there's your veges.

If you can be bothered, make a salad with greens and tomatoes to go with it. Maybe a gravy if you know how or serve it with sweet chilli sauce if not