Meals for a bachelor????

Question

I am a bachelor and I really do not mind cooking, and I actually think I do pretty well, but my problem comes in creativity. I seem to have the same meals over and over, I have about 8-10 things in the rotation, and I start to get tired of these meals sometimes and that is when I start to eat out (Which I hate to do). Does anybody have any suggestions of good meals I can add to my lineup??? Here are my criteria:

1. somewhat inexpensive
2. fairly easy and quick to prepare
3. easy to prepare small portions ( I dont like to waste food)

Answer 1

try the basic brown and basic red dinners:

Basic brown:

Microwave a potato in a covered dish. If you have cabbages, onions or carrots or other fresh veggies add them

While the potato is cooking, if you had no veggies in with the potato, start a can of your favorite simmering. Using no stick spray fry up some meat. Anything will do, steak, chops, Turkey burger, Ham, anything lean and red.

When the meat is done "deglase" the pan with water or wine and soy sauce, and a bit of margarine. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.

Make a thin slurry of corn starch and water. Add it to the "deglased" meat drippings, a bit at a time stirring constantly over heat until a gravy forms

Arrange potato veggies and meat on a plate, pour gravy over all

Basic red dinner:

Cook up you favorite pasta in plenty of water in a big pot.

Using cooking spray, fry up some chopped onions and green peppers. Add a bit of olive oil. Add some red ground meat or sausages cut into convenient pieces. Anything will do, polish sausages, turkey sausages, and turkey burger work well. Add some garlic powder and Oregano while frying in the last minute. Pour in a can of your favorite pasta sauce and heat about ten minuets, simmering slowly

Pour sauce over pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese

Tired of meat? try the basic green dinner:

Arrange torn lettuce and cut tomatoes and other cut up salad veggies in a large bowl. Add precooked fish such as drained canned tuna fish, or imitation crab on top, or hard cooked eggs and cheese. Pour on home made vinaigrette Below:

2/3 salad oil 1/3 vinegar Lots of garlic powder, plenty of Oregano, a few grinds of fresh ground pepper, a bit of ground mustard, some sweetener and salt to taste. Shake and pour

Hint: Stretch olive oil with regular oil, about 1/4 to 3/4

Answer 2

Cook up some frozen mixed vegetables. Smash up a closed package of ramen noodles. Open the package and cook the noodles but don't drain them just yet. Either scramble an egg or cut up a hotdog. Mix everything together and stir a little. Drain the water off in a colander. Add the little package of stuff from the noodles, or maybe only put in half. Put the whole mess in a bowl and eat it with soy sauce.

Answer 3

Here is my recipe for what I call "Bachelor Chow"

Make some kraft macaroni and cheese. If you like you can make this dish low fat by using skim milk and just a pat of butter. Then mix in one can of tuna. Then add some peas. Use frozen peas and cook them in the microwave first. Then do the same with carrots. Use frozen as canned SUCKS! Put in a caserole dish. Then cover with bread crumbs and bake it in the oven at like 350 until the top is nice a brown.

This makes about two man servings and will last in the fridge for a few days.

Manja!

Answer 4

Salmon Patties..I use a can drained, grated onion, blackening seasoning, 1 egg, oats/bread crumbs/cornmeal whatever you like, maybe a little lemon. Pan fry in 1/4 c. patties..makes 7-8. If you don't want to fix it all leave mixed in fridge or fry all and use the extra for sandwiches the next day. Serve with Ketchup!

Chick peas are a staple for me...Hummus like mixtures are perfect for sandwiches and a no cook alternative. I mash with a potato masher and mix with yogurt, cilantro, whatever you like...

Pizzas built on Flour tortillas also quick and easy.

Answer 5

Tuna & Noodles
Boil water
add pasta, drain when cooked
add 1 can cream of mushroom soup,
1 can tuna. salt and pepper to taste. 1/2 cup of milk.
Heat & enjoy

Answer 6

Do a search on the internet for meals like you're asking for or buy cooking magazines in the checkout at the grocery. They usually give good ideas.

Answer 7

You might want to try this book:

The Working Stiff Cookbook (Chronicle books)
By Bob Sloan