Cooking Made Easy For Lazy Days

Winter is almost here and it brings with it lazy days and the lack of motivation to get anything done. Even the thought of collecting ingredients, preparing meals and then cleaning up the mess is daunting. 

The never-ending discount offers every week seems more attractive than getting into the hassle of making a home-cooked meal. So, here are a few hacks that can make your cooking experience fun and easy! 

To make your cooking time-efficient, keep a supply of pasta/noodles and canned items such as corns and tomato paste. Since winters are here, it would be ideal to stock up soup and 3 in 1 coffee sachets as well for long chilly winter nights. 

In addition to this, I would highly recommend making good use of freezers to have good quality food whenever you wish. Frozen vegetables, french fries, kababs, and nuggets have proven to be a great help to me when I don’t feel like putting much effort into cooking or if I’m short on time. Another way you can utilize your freezer is by cooking double batches and then freezing the remaining for the next two-three days. Once you’ve motivated yourself to get into the kitchen, why not make use of it to get the next few days to relax. 

I personally love one-pot meals such as pasta and soups because it not only saves dishes and cleaning time but also tastes more delicious! If you’re looking for something simple to put together in just a few minutes, you’re going to LOVE this one-pot pasta recipe I found on the internet. Although, I made some alterations as per my taste. But if you have a sweet tooth, this super delicious brownie recipe is just for you!

One-Pot Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound chicken breast diced into 1/2″ cubes
• salt & pepper (1 teaspoon each) 
• 1/2 cup onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon Oregano/Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
• 1.5 cups diced tomatoes 
• 3 cups pasta water + 1/2 cup extra if needed
• 1 cup cream
• 1 packet penne or medium pasta
• 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese 
• 1/2 cup Mushrooms (optional) 

Method:

1. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook chicken until no pink remains. Set aside.
2. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms to the pan. Cook until onion is tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Add seasoning, parsley, 3 cups pasta water, tomatoes, and cream, and bring to a boil.
4.  Add pasta. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender and thickened. If you need, add 1/2 cup broth till pasta is cooked. Mix in 1/4 cup cheese.
5. Add the chicken back to the skillet. Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup cheese, then broil 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. 
6. Enjoy!

One-pot chicken pasta can definitely be made in advance, just keep it in a covered container. When ready to cook, pour it all into a skillet and reheat on low on the stovetop. When you reheat it, add a splash of milk or cream if you like saucy pasta. 

Let us know in the comments below how your dish turned out!