EVERYBODY post your struggle/lazy/easy/low spoons go-to meals so when we all struggle next we can explore the notes.
Flavored brats/sausages with cheese or fruit etc can be delicious air-fried and plain, and wrapped in a paper towel and eaten by hand without dirtying plates and cutlery. (If you’re up to it, add buns/side/toppings to your ability level.)
"Dama's Chicken One Pot"
2 cups water
1 cup long grain rice
3 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups frozen veg
1/2 tablespoon salt
Seasoning (i like a lot of curry, tumeric, paprika, a dash of something spicy, maybe a pinch of cinnamon, pepper, basil, etc. just vibe babygurl)
Add frozen veg and chicken to water and salt in pot along with seasonings. The water won't cover everything perfectly but get as much as possible submerged. It's not that important tho. Bring to boil. Once boiling, add rice and cover with fitted lid. Let it come up to a simmer then turn the heat down to bare minimum. You want it to just barely simmer, and no more.
Set a timer for 23 minutes, and fuck off. Come back when your timer goes off.
"How do I know the rice is done?" It is, but to be sure, use oven mitts and tip the pot while holding the lid tight. The rice shouldn't really move until you get past 60° angle from level. Or if you want drier rice, listen to the pot, get like, real close but be safe that you don't burn yaself, and listen. If you hear bubbling, it's not done. If you hear nothing, its done but moist. If you hear cracking, the bottoms' got a good crack on and its done done.
Regardless of how you like your rice, when done, take off the heat, open the lid, and "fluff" the rice, basically lifting it up so it doesn't get clumpy and can release a lot of steam.
DO NOT OPEN THE LID BEFORE IT'S DONE. THAT MAKES THE RICE SAD AND STICKY.
Let it steam off a bit and cool, then pull the chicken. If you like, chop and add back to the rice, or just serve whole.
Now, you can do this with any meat. Adjust the seasoning to match. I like to add Worcestershire sauce and cumin especially if I do beef. I don't recommend this with rice cookers unless you thaw everything first. Scales up and down real easy, fits small pots best, but if you're making a lot go crazy.
If you're light on available seasonings, break up a cube or two of bullion in there. Works fine w/o meat, but if you're looking for non-meat protein, remember it's boiling a long time so a lot of meat-substitutes will do poorly. Properly pre-soaked or canned beans do extremely well and have the benefit of being super cheap.
It ain't fancy or pretty, but it tastes good and it fills a lot of stomachs, or one stomach repeatedly, for very cheap.
Oh, and once fluffed and allowed to cool to room temp, you can bag/box individual servings and freeze them for later!
