3 Oven Dishes To Feed You For Days
We’re all familiar with that feeling when you’re super busy with uni, work, and other responsibilities. In these times, all you’re looking for is something easy to make and what will last you for several days. Here, you can find my three recipes that will save those with a tight schedule without relying on takeaway and pot noodles!
Pesto-pasta with veggies *vegetarian
- Pasta (any really, I used fusilli)
- Pesto
- Eggs
- Milk
- Cream (double preferrably)
- Tomatoes (plum or cherry)
- Courgette
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Grated cheese
I’d like to note that this recipe is so easy to modify! Choose the veggies that you like and play around. The quantity of the ingredients you’ll need depends on the size of your dish, but just wing it and it will probably be fine!
Method:
- To begin, you will boil your pasta (I used a bit more than third of the 500g bag) and cut your vegetables.
- Break eggs (3) into a glass, top with some milk. Stir the egg-milk mixture until properly mixed.
- Put your drained pasta and vegetables into an oven dish. Add the egg-milk mixture, pesto (all of it) and cream (don’t put all at once just in case). Put some garlic, salt & pepper in. Add also the cheese (not all of it), then mix everything well together. If it seems a bit dry (try to almost level the wet ingredients with the dry ones) add more cream, or if you don’t have any left then milk is totally fine too. Top with more cheese.
- Put in the oven (fan 200°). It will take around 45minutes to a bit over an hour to cook. Just eyeball it, when it’s nice and brown take it out (mine was in for 50minutes this time). Let set for a while, then serve!
Finnish Makaronilaatikko (minced meat-pasta casserole)
Photo source: https://ripaustryffelia.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/makaronilaatikko-vaaka.jpg
Ingredients:
- Pasta (macaroni for the authentic Finnish experience)
- Minced beef
- Eggs
- Milk
- Cream
- Onion
(Try/Add also: grated cheese (popular to put on top), tomatoes (a great addition), carrot, courgette, broccoli, mushrooms, red pepper, bacon, chili, garlic…. )
Method:
- I always make this in a bigger dish than the round I used in the recipe above. Boil your pasta and cook your meat (I usually put 250g of beef mince).
- Put the cooked and drained pasta into the oven dish and add the meat on top. Add also chopped onion (cut to your preferences, but I usually leave them quite chunky).
- Make an egg-milk mixture in a glass (how many eggs depends on the size of the dish and how you like it but as a general guideline I’d say 3-5, I like it better with quite many) by breaking the eggs and adding some milk, then stir with a fork to break the yolks.
- Pour in with the other ingredients.
- Add also the cream and some salt & pepper. Mix the whole thing well.
- Now, the important thing is that the wet ingredients are on level with the pasta and mince. If not, then add some milk (or cream if you have any left) until liquids are even with your macaroni and stir again.
- Put into a 200-degree oven for 40minutes to over 1 hour. It’s ready when the top is nice golden brown. Let it set for a while and serve with some ketchup and salad!
My flatmate’s potato-veggie dish *vegetarian
Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Lentils
- Broccoli
- Salad cheese / feta
- Olives
- Red pepper
- (Soy) cream
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Vegetable cube
(Try also: Courgette, cauliflower, tomatoes, chilli, onions, lemon juice…)
Method:
- Thinly slice up the potatoes. Also chop the broccoli, red pepper, olives (into half), salad cheese (if in one big block), mushrooms and put them into an oven dish.
- Drain the lentils, add to the mix.
- Boil some water and add the vegetable cube into a dash of water. Dissolve the cube, and add other seasonings (salt, pepper, oregano, herbs…) and garlic.
- Pour the cream and the water-seasoning mix into the dish and mix it all together. If it seems a bit dry, then add more water. Again, the liquids should go up to level with the other ingredients.
- Put into the oven (fan 200°) for about 1- 1,5 hours. Your dish is ready when the potatoes feel soft and cooked.
These fantastic dishes do take a while to make, but most of it is just the dish cooking in the oven so you have plenty of time to multitask during. Hopefully these easy to modify, tasty dishes will save you during a busy period!
All photos are Emma’s own