Someone please help me!!

niamhocxox

Ok so I have a problem......my Dad is 60 tomorrow and I planned to take him out for dinner on Friday along with 4 of his close friends (he doesn't know about the friends though) But when I called him today to make sure he was free friday he just refused to go saying it would be a waste of money, and he would prefer me to cook for him......wish he know about the other 4 now! Anyway I think I'll just have to do it
I need some recipes
I just want to cook something tasty and very very simple! No fancy spices etc :rolleyes: I'm only 18 so not the best cook. I follow instructions well though :rolleyes: I'll just do a starter and main.....and buy dessert.
Thanks in advance!

Maglight

The simplest and tastiest salmon pie in the world. It may not sound like much and most people look very dubious when I describe it, but I've honestly never met anyone who doesn't like it (assuming they like fish of course)

For five people

1 large tin pink salmon
4 hard boiled eggs
400 ml milk
1 heaped teaspoon cornflour
generous knob of butter
salt and pepper
Potatoes

Peel and boil the potatoes until they are soft. Drain, season and mash and set aside.

Make a white sauce by bringing the milk to the boil. Mix the cornflour with a little cold milk in a cup until flour is disolved. Add the cornflour mix to the hot milk and bring back to the boil, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken straight away. If it's too thick, thin out with a little more cold milk. If it's too thin, add a little more cornflour mix. Add the butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the salmon to an ovenproof dish. Break up the salmon with a fork, removing the skin and large bones. Don't break it up too small. If you want more salmon simply add another tin.

Shell and slice the hard boiled eggs and place in a layer over the salmon.

Top salmon and egg mixture with white sauce

Add the mashed potato on top and smooth out the surface using a fork. This leaves attractive ridges on the potato that will crisp up nicely in the oven. You can dot some small knobs of butter on the potato if you like.

Bake in the oven 200 degress for about 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the sauce bubbles along the side.

Serve with a tossed salad, green beans or garden peas.

Very simple and delicious.

grandslamsmith

Shoulder of lamb
Mash or roast spuds
Veg of choice - suggest french beans

easy peasey and perfecto for this time of year...see if you can get mutton instead of lamb...older and tastier and yer Da at his age will deffo identify with it.

Season lamb
4 hours at 160 under foil, last 20 minutes uncovered

This dish is a set down in the middle of the table job, the meat falls away from the bone rich and full of flavour. Quartered carrots thrown into the roasting try about 1hour away from finish makes a fantatsic sweet accompaniment. If you dig garlic then throw in a full unpeeled bulb at the start which will roast, sweat down and almost confit itself.

A hearty Mushroom soup with crouton woudl kick this off.

1 Oinion
1 punet of button mushroom
1/2 bag of dried procinis
Chicken stock
chopped parsely
lemon juice
Cream

Sweat onion and chopped mushroom (don't colour - squeezette of lemon juice)
Soak procinis (strain out any grit..keep liquid) and bung in
Add stock - 1/2 litre
Simmer (don't boil) 20minutes
Add cream as per your own peference and blitz with parsely. If the soup doesn't taste shroomy enough through in more RAW mushrooms and re-blitz.

olaola

Steak, potato gratin and veg?

trackguy

If you are not too confident at cooking the dinner -

The classic prawn cocktail to start. Buy some cooked prawns, Tesco has a good selection. Serve with some nice iceberg lettuce. Get a recipe for cocktail sauce off allrecipes.com. Ketchup, mayo, vineger, paprika etc

You can barely go wrong with steak. Buy striplion, its not too expensive but it is tasty and tender. Season with salt and fry it on a high heat for 3 minutes a side for medium-rare. TO cook it to medium or more, lower the heat a bit and fry for another minute on either side.

Serve it with roast potatoes. Pre-heat your baking tray at 200c with a few tablespoons of oil in it. Par-boil rooster potatoes for 7/8 mins. Drain and put the lid back on the pan. Shake the pan for a few seconds to rough up the edge of the potatoes. Add to the baking tray and coat in the oil. Return the tray to the oven and cook until golden brown and cooked through. It will take 40 mins approx.

For veg, chop up some carrot and parsnip into 1 inch slices. Boil until tender and mash with plenty of butter. Season.

Make a simple sauce with 500ml beef stock (Knorr Stockpot is very good) and the same quantity of red wine. Boil until well reduced in volume. You should only be left with 250ml of liquid. Add butter to make the sauce rich and shiny. Taste and season to your liking.

jhynes2009

How about stew or casserole?

Brown meat (chicken or beef pieces) on pan in a little oil with onions, and then put them into your casserole dish along with carrots (chunks), parsnips (chunks), mushrooms (washed and left whole) any other veg you like (peppers, suede, turnip - all cut into chunks)

Add all the veg into the casserole dish with meat and mix up with some salt and pepper (bit of chilli if you like), wash and half potatoes and put on top.

Mix stock cube with boiling water from kettle to make up 2-3 pints of stock (you may need 2 stock cubes) Or if you rather you can use soup either, pour this over all veg and meat in casserole dish (until bottom of potatoes are submerged in liquid)

Put in oven at 180 degrees for 1hr 30 mins or 2 hrs or so!

Serve with garlic bread!

Darkginger

I wouldn't attempt steak for 6 people if you're a beginner! Difficult to get the timings right. If I were you, I'd stick with something like a roast - probably chicken (you'd need 2, but would have some leftovers), because people have different preferences when it comes to beef and lamb - some like them pink in the middle, others well done etc.

So - how about roast chicken for the main, with roast potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots, green beans or peas, and a really nice gravy? You could make a bread sauce to go with it, too.

Here's the instructions:

Take your chickens out of the wrapping (doh!), and remove that string they use to truss them with. Stick your fingers between the skin and the breast of each bird, and ease the skin away from the meat, so there's a kind of pocket. Push some butter into the pocket, on each side of the breast. Squeeze some lemon juice over the chickens, then season with salt (rub it in for a crispy skin) and pepper. Shove half an onion into each bird, and roast at 200 degrees for about an hour and a half. Check after the first half an hour to see whether the breasts are getting too brown - if so, put a bit of foil over them. Baste with the pan juices at 30 mins, 45 mins, 55 mins and 60 mins into cooking. Test that the chickens are done by piercing the thickest part of the breast and the thigh - if the juices run clear, they're done, if they're pink, they're not. Alternatively, I find that if you pull on a wing, and it comes away in your fingers, the bird is done

Allow half an hour for the birds to sit and rest after they come out of the oven - they'll be much easier to carve if you do this, and juicier, too.

For the roast spuds and parsnips - peel, and bring to the boil in a pan of water - then boil for 10 mins (no longer, you don't want mush). Drain, allow to dry, then roughen up the edges by turning them out of the colander into the pan and back again a few times. Heat some oil in the oven, in a metal roasting pan, and when it's hot, add the spuds and snips, basting to make sure they're covered in oil. Cook for 30 mins at 200 degrees, then turn them over so they brown on both sides, and cook for approximately another 15 mins.

Try to time it so the spuds go into the oven 15 mins before the chickens are due to come out - that way the chicken gets to sit and rest for the 30 mins, whilst the spuds cook, and all should be ready at the same time.

Carrots take around 15 mins to cook, when sliced fairly thickly and boiled. Frozen beans and peas just take 5 mins plus the time it takes for the water to come back to the boil.

I know it's not 'cooky', but I think Bisto chicken gravy granules work as well as anything else to make gravy - use the water from the carrots/veg to make it with. On the other hand, if your Dad might like it, a red wine sauce infused with thyme and perhaps some wild mushrooms (those dried porcini, pour boiling water over them and allow to sit for 30 mins before using) goes very well with chicken - just reply here if you need the recipe, cos otherwise this post is going to turn into War 'n Peace!

Bread sauce isn't bad from a packet, but if you feel up to it, making your own is more impressive - infuse (ie, simmer) an onion, cut in half, in 500ml full fat milk, with a couple of bay leaves, 2 or 3 cloves, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Allow to cool, then strain the 'bits' out of the milk. Bring the milk back to a simmer, and add some breadcrumbs (it's hard to give quantities, but you want a sauce like thick cream - remember the breadcrumbs swell as they cook) and keep stirring until you have a thickish sauce. Serve this on the side (ie in a sauce or gravy boat, so people can help themselves).

Alternatively, a creamy mushroom sauce would go well with chicken - again, ask if you need instructions/recipe.

I hope some of our (me and the posters above) suggestions help - if not, do come back and ask again - obviously, we don't know what sort of food your Dad likes!

grandslamsmith

Here's a question to ask yourself before you start niamhocxox...it's yer Da's Birthday right? Special occassion? Soooo how often does he actual have chicken? Beef? Fish? I reckon you pick something left of centre but that's basically dead simple and yet pretty impressive, no?

So yer Da's pal asks him "what did you have cooked for you on your Birthday?"....."Chicken"....yawn....steak....."yawn"......."4hour slow roasted shouller of mutton with a porcini soup starter"......."what, wait, wow, really"....."yip, I'm a pretty special guy"

Top of the pops!


Slam

Minder

Do you want to go Saturday night beer with the boys, pizzas, wings, fries, salads, nachos? Or do you want sit down dinner - 3 courses with wine at home??

dh0661

Might be easier to get caterers in, I'm sure some local restaurant would be willing to oblige.

niamhocxox

Hey guys thanks for all the replies!

My Dad is really traditional and loves a nice Irish "boring" (someone said) leg of lamb so I think I'll go with that and prawn cocktail for starter.

It may be boring to many of ye but it is my Dad's birthday, not mine, and I know he'd like it this way.

I would get in caterers but sure he doesn't want to go to a restaurant so it wouldn't make sense.

It's been a tough year for us (its just me and Dad in our house) financially so he wants me to cook instead, have to start somewhere I guess :rolleyes:

niamhocxox

Minder wrote: »

Do you want to go Saturday night beer with the boys, pizzas, wings, fries, salads, nachos? Or do you want sit down dinner - 3 courses with wine at home??

Sorry I'm not sure why you posted this reply?

I think I was pretty clear about what I wanted in my question?

I'd appreciate if you would take my question a bit more seriously, I have respect for my Dad so no I won't be taking him out for Saturday night beer with the boys, pizzas, wings, fries, salads, nachos..............

The Hill Billy

Hi there. Minder was simply suggesting some grub that is easy to prepare & that a lot of guys would like on a Saturday evening with their mates. That covers what you requested in your original post.

HB

Darkginger

Sounds like you're really trying to please your Dad - I bet he'll appreciate whatever you cook

For the prawn cocktail, if you can get hold of green (that is, uncooked) prawns, and cook them yourself, they'll be a lot nicer than any frozen ones (which are always disappointing woolly, I find). Frozen, uncooked are fine too (just defrost them in the fridge). Failing that - those ones that come from the chilled cabinet, in little pots of brine, taste better than the frozen too.

Schwarz Lamb Seasoning is good, sprinkled over the joint before you cook it, and some sprigs of rosemary for the spuds - just pull the little leaves off and sprinkle over the spuds as they roast. Makes them that little bit more special, without being overpowering.

Sure your Dad will appreciate whatever you cook for him - hope it all goes well!

ladypip

Hi there Niamh

If you nervous of cooking and want a decent yet easy option you could try this

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056145519

Its a link to m&s main, side, dessert and wine for 12.50 deal you could buy three of the deals and you'd have enough wine to go with dinner. The options are quite decent too such as: Whole Trout with Sundried Tomato & Basil Butter. The poster of the original thread includes a link to the m&s website wher you can check the options and see if your dad would like any of them.

Good luck with your meal

grandslamsmith

here's just one other piece of advice - a pet hate of mine aswell - don't (if you can humanly avoid it) get you lamb in a supermarket....it's FULL if crap. Any butcher, anywhere in the city...pleeeeease. There are tow great one on Camden Street, a cracker in Donnybrook and the North side is stuffed with them.......remember thsi rule as well.....the grubier looking the butchers shop the better!!!

Hope it all works out and like one other poster mentioned, yer Da seems happy to have you cook so no matter what you do you're on a winner

Slam

Minder

niamhocxox wrote: »

Sorry I'm not sure why you posted this reply?

I think I was pretty clear about what I wanted in my question?

I'd appreciate if you would take my question a bit more seriously, I have respect for my Dad so no I won't be taking him out for Saturday night beer with the boys, pizzas, wings, fries, salads, nachos..............

I didn't ask you if you would go for a Saturday beer with the boys. I wanted to know if your Dad would like the sort of food that is Saturday night beer with the boys (at home) or three course meal with wine (at home).

I was thinking that the first option was easy for you - buy some basic pizzas and dress them up with fine parma ham, black olives, artichokes etc. Make buffalo wings with franks hot sauce; blue cheese dressing with celery sticks; nachos with salsa amd sour cream, chilled beers. Lots of recipes for all of that sort of food here on the cooking forum. But as you have said in your later post, your Dad likes the traditional food, so go with that.

niamhocxox

Hey guys,
Thanks for all ye're help! I ended up making some vegetable soup (from scratch) Had lamb, roast potatoes, mash, carrots and parsnips (mashed together), some brocolli and of course gravy, for the main and just Romantica for dessert. Went down a treat and everyone said they loved it. Oh and we had Dad's b-day cake and tea later on Overall, I think it went well and I'm looking forward to making it again, especially my soup......YUM

niamhocxox

Minder wrote: »

I didn't ask you if you would go for a Saturday beer with the boys. I wanted to know if your Dad would like the sort of food that is Saturday night beer with the boys (at home) or three course meal with wine (at home).

I was thinking that the first option was easy for you - buy some basic pizzas and dress them up with fine parma ham, black olives, artichokes etc. Make buffalo wings with franks hot sauce; blue cheese dressing with celery sticks; nachos with salsa amd sour cream, chilled beers. Lots of recipes for all of that sort of food here on the cooking forum. But as you have said in your later post, your Dad likes the traditional food, so go with that.

Hey Minder,
I was harsh so I apologise....I just thought you were joking cause its my Dad's 60th not 21st :P and he's a typical Irish guy who likes a good olde dinner, he's never even heard of the food you mentioned But thanks for you're help anyway, reading your post had made me hungry by the way