Easy cooking “ tweaks”

Sorry, meant potato “dish”, not fish!

I try to cook from scratch, but do use jars of sauce from time to time.
One cheat I discovered lately is Idahoan mashed potato. It comes in a packet, there are several varieties, herb, buttery, cheesy etc. You just add boiling water and wait for a minute, fluff up and use. I was short of potatoes and used it to top a fish pie. It was delicious.
Why go to the bother of peeling and mashing potatoes when this is so quick?

"For mash get Idahoan". Nah, doesn't have the same ring

I buy ready made mash when it is on offer and freeze it ready for shepherd's pie and fish pie. I add butter and nutmeg to it before topping a pie. I make my own for sausage and mash.

Our farm shop sells fabulous cheesy [potato stacks (dauphinoise to anyone else) which are fairly expensive but really impressive!! We are having them tonight!!

Frozen chopped onions, introduced to me by my daughter. No more smelly halves of onions in the salad drawer. Fry them from frozen, throw them into soups or sauces - brilliant way to save time and effort.

Years ago I had a book called 'How to Cheat at Cooking' by Delia Smith. I wonder if she has published an updated version?

I had that too - no idea what happened to it.

DH picked up some frozen cauliflower cheese is Sainsbury's- in a packet near the frozen veg. You just shake out as much as you need (I top with extra grated cheese) it's really nice, quick and its gluten free.

I bought the Delia Smith book too. I’m still a rotten cook but we have survived.

I’ve just remembered one of the recipes from that book. Chicken pieces, a tin of tomato soup and some mushrooms. It was called Chicken Marengo and rather nice too.

I do something similar, Kate. Chicken strips, mushrooms and a can of condensed mushroom soup, cooked in the oven.