I'm running out of ideas for things to have for lunch and dinner. I'm a pretty good cook but usually just end up making the same pasta, chicken and fish dishes because of laziness and lack of imagination. I'm looking for something that isn't too costly to make, and also a good paella recipe since I've recently discovered this is the food of the gods. What are your favourite meals to cook?

i make potatoes with everything (im irish, i cant help it), there are a million things you can do with spuds (bangers and mash being the pinnacle)

lately i have been doing dauphinoise potatoes, or sometimes i grate them and do a rosti sort of thing, or slice and fry them - theyre great cause you can flavour them lots of diferent ways (cajun, garlic and butter, just really buttery and salty, cheesey, with whatever herbs you have to hand etc)

tesco has some really cheap rump steaks atm, so you could maybe pick some of those up - i like that with good cheesy mash and broccoli

i also like to add bacon to everything, so you could maybe do chicken breast wrapped in bacon, or pick up some gammon and do it with baby potatoes and a big whack of pineapple on it?

i dont really eat fish or lunch, so im not much help there - but my bf does a lovely chilli tuna, which is exactly as it sounds and really lovely?

oh and also, i make pie with everything - literally slap some puff pastry on top of whatever youre cooking and it'll feeling like a whole new dinner heh

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california goth

Yep I'm definately on board with the mashed potato and bacon, bacon is addictive. I think I'll try the rosti thing. And yes Chicken a la Sara has been served with pasta, rice, potatoes and a slice of puff pastry in the past

FUCK i'm so having bangers & mash for dinner. i don't care that it's the middle of summer.

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Swirling black lilys, totally ripe...

i could happily eat chicken picata every week for the rest of my life. i think i will.

pound chicken breasts kind of flat. salt pepper and dredge them in flour.
saute them in olive oil and and butter. almost three min per side. you can do one or two batches depending on if your serving two or four people. remove them from he pan to a plate.

add some wine or chicken stock to the pan (nearly half a cup). add about 1/3 cup lemon juice to the pan. scrape the bits and let it bubble up for about a minute. add a bit more butter and some capers (1/4 cup) and put the chicken back in for about 4 min or so.

back to the plate and pour the sauce over. fresh parsley if you have some.
nothing could be easier and it's great, lemony and salty. steamed broccoli or fresh asparagus is great with it.