Easy main course

[cesy]

Does anyone have a favourite easy main course, to cook when you're short of spoons for anything fancy? I'd like to learn more things that are nearly as easy as a ready meal, while not being a ready meal.

Comments

[gwen]

I cheat a little, I follow the directions on the box of mac and cheese. Then when the noodles are done I leave them in the strainer. I put the pot on warm, I add 1 table spoon of butter and 1/2 of cubes of cheese I cut up while the noodles were boiling. Then I add 1/3 cup of milk. Let it warm up a tad. It's just to make it creamy and make it seem homemade. Then I put in the noodles and let the cheese melt, add the packet of cheese the mac and cheese comes with. Then I add 1Tsp of Tostitos Salsa Con Queso Dip. It's to taste, if you put too much in it pretty much tastes like you are eating dip. It's better to put in too little, it just adds a little kick.

If you want the hot dogs add it with the butter and let it coat. I've found if you do that your noodles don't end up tasting like hotdogs.

[cesy]

I'm assuming mac and cheese is as in McDonald's. Do you mean they sell packets of it in the supermarket near you? I don't think I've ever seen that.

[azurelunatic]

Macaroni noodles.

[gwen]

I'm so sorry, I didn't look to see where you were from before I started using American terms. My fault. I mean Kraft Macaroni and cheese. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3346141914_e28a594a89_o.jpg

[cesy]

Ah, macaroni cheese makes more sense. I shall try that out sometime. Thank you.

[damned_colonial]

Late reply but I came back here and read through comments again...

I'm non-USian (though I live here currently) and, lacking packaged M&C mixes, I used to make it from scratch. Basically I'd make a roux with a knob of butter and a bit of flour, add milk slowly til I got a white sauce, then add grated cheese. This would take about as long as it took macaroni/elbow noodles to cook. Then I'd strain the noodles and mix them with the cheese. I don't know quite what your spoon limit is, but I offer it just as an option if you don't have the packaged kind.

Related: I like mixing cauliflower with cheese sauce, topping with breadcrumbs and cheese, and baking it in the oven. If I'm feeling lazy *and* healthy simultaneously, I skip the cheese sauce and just bake cauliflower with breadcrumbs and cheese. Or just cheese. It's especially good with parmesan, and honestly, I can make a meal of it. Takes 5 mins to set up, then ignore it in the oven for a 45 mins, then take it out and eat.

[ayrdaomei.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I want to try this! Thanks for sharing! By 1/2 of cubes of cheese do you mean half a cup?