My mother recently died and my father is struggling to gain some cooking skills. Does anyone have any very simple but tasty recipes I could pass on to him. He is a meat and 3 veg man and is cooking the veg okay.

When I was living by myself I found things like casseroles and stews were very good as you can add all the veges to them and cook them in the one pot/dish. Maggi make some great cook in the pot sachets that are very nice and very easy to make.

Perhaps if you gave him one of the Flatters cook books. They appear to be written for basic goodies, with an added amount of progression. I have found that non cooks tend to have difficulty with the timing of various ingreds.

Or, alternatively ask him what he likes and then write/ type out the recipes step by step. Hope this helps :p

I am looking for specific recipes. We know about packets and he would be daunted by a book.

Hi Helen
I had a chat to my sister in law who is now on her own and she finds that cooking casseroles and then dividing them up into meal size portions and freezing them works really well. That way, you can make 3-4 different casseroles and you have a choice in the freezer. Another way is to cook a roast and veges and freeze that into meal size portions. I find that when I cook a casserole I usually cook too much and freeze what is left and give it to her for a surprise meal. Greta finds that way if you dont feel like cooking you can pull something out of the freezer and you have an instant meal.
There is a cooking book put out by I think Aus. Womans Weekly called Cooking for One which Greta has found really good.
Hope this helps
Helen Coveny-Bell.

Helen...not sure if your dad is into satay but a simple one is....slice a chicken breast fillet into finger size pieces or smaller if desired...place in a bowl with satay sauce...as much as desired along with some olive oil....the oil helps the sauce carry through the chicken...slice up some red pepper ...spring onion...red onion...season with pepper and mix together...refrigorate to allow the flavours to mingle....pan fry...serve with creamy satay 3 minute rice..................... also look at buying him a wok....lots of quick simple meals can be concocted.......also try him with cordon bleu....you can make several at one time and then freeze them....Cheers Garry

Some time ago Lois Daish's Listener feature was about cooking by/for 'older' people and a recipe she gave was for lamb patties. For 3 patties:
200gms minced lamb, 1 tbsp plain yoghurt, small clove of garlic crushed ( or sub. the jarred garlic), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cummin (curry powder could be an alternative), ground black pepper. Mix all together with a fork, form into 3 patties and cook in frypan. Perhaps he, or you, could make up a batch and freeze the extras for quick meals at a later date.

And then there's the fabulous 'Electric Hangi' which Elaine D posted here a while ago. (A big thank-you for that one Elaine - I've made it 3 times so far!)
If I don't have whole cabbage leaves available, I just put a layer of thickly sliced cabbage on the bottom of 2-3 layers of foil, lay the meat (maybe a pork chop, chicken drumstick/s) and root veges over that, another layer of thickly sliced cabbage on top, s&p and a knob of butter, then wrap it all up. (I also add a few drops of liquid smoke, which adds an 'authentic' touch.)

Lynne2

Thanks - they are the sort of ideas I was after - keep them coming

And if he likes his pudding, there's always the Microwave Steamed Pudding posted by Ann on 16 June. A tub of icecream in the freezer, or a carton of ready made custard, and he'd be a happy man for 3-4 nights.

Lynne2

Another one is to wrap chicken thighs or fillets in bacon ...secure with a toothpick...then grill...good with a salad....thighs could be seasoned prior to grilling...cheers garry

Hi Helen,
I would suggest making several small dishes of shepherds pie or lasagne, and freezing, as they always turn out well. It's worth investing in a few individual sized baking dishes for this purpose.
Here are one or two other suggestions for your Dad...they are all two servings, but usually taste just as nice on the second day (and saves cooking too) or can be frozen.

Beef & pasta casserole.

4oz mince
8oz pasta, cooked and drained
1/2 small chopped onion
1 cup water
3oz tomato paste
1 oxo cube
1 cup grated cheese
Couple of tbspns red wine or water

1/ Cook mince & onion in large pan till no longer pink, stirring continuously.
2/ Add water, tomato paste, wine and stock cube and stir occasionally for 10-15 minutes untill flavours are well blended.
3/ Layer in a small baking dish; 1/2 pasta, 1/2 mince and 1/2 cheese. Repeat.
4/ Bake for 20-25 mins at 175°c until heated through and cheese is bubbling.
Eat half to-day and half tomorrow.
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Baked Chicken

1 beaten egg
2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 tbspn milk
1/2 cup marge, melted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
salt & pepper to taste

1/ Beat together egg & milk.
2/ Mix together cheese, flour, paprika and seasoning.
3/ Dip chicken breasts in egg mixture, then cover with flour mixture.
4/ Put in a baking dish and pour marge over.
5/ Bake at175°c for 1 hour or until tender.
Again; eat half to-day and half tomorrow.
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Pork Chops & rice

2 pork chops
2 slices of onion
pinch salt
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1/2 can condensed soup ( Tomato, celery, chicken, mushroom etc)
1/2 can water

1/ Brown chops.
2/ Cook rice.
3/ put slice of onion on each chop, sprinkle with salt and put rice on top.
4/ Cover and bake for 1 hr 30 mins at 175°c, till tender.
2 servings.
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