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[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 7 points 19 hours ago

I love this thread, so I extracted out everything that was listed so far. Please offer corrections for any errors and I will fix.

  1. Frozen chicken nuggets and fries; buttermilk ranch dip 
    Ingredients
  • Frozen chicken nuggets
  • Frozen fries
  • Ranch dip
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/3 cup fresh buttermilk; up to 1/2 cup for a thinner, dressing like dip
    • 2 to 3 tablespoons Hidden Valley ranch powder
    • 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
    • Optional herbs: chives; parsley; a little tarragon
    • Black pepper; optional squeeze of lemon juice

Steps

  • Bake or air fry nuggets and fries per package directions.
  • Stir sour cream and mayo until smooth.
  • Stir in ranch powder; let it sit 2 minutes so it hydrates.
  • Add buttermilk a splash at a time until the texture is right.
  • Fold in dill and any other herbs; add pepper; chill 15 to 30 minutes if you can.
  1. Chicken and salad 
    Ingredients
  • Chicken thighs or breasts
  • Salt; pepper; oil
  • Salad greens or a bagged salad kit; dressing

Steps

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper.
  • Cook in a skillet over medium heat until done; about 5 to 7 minutes per side depending on thickness; or bake at 425°F until 165°F internal.
  • Toss salad; add dressing; serve together.
  1. Risotto 
    Ingredients
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 4 to 5 cups broth, kept warm
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • Optional add ins: mushrooms; peas

Steps

  • Warm broth in a saucepan.
  • In a second pot, melt butter; toast rice 1 minute.
  • Add warm broth 1/2 cup at a time; stir often; keep adding as it absorbs.
  • Stop when creamy and the rice is tender; usually 18 to 22 minutes.
  • Stir in parmesan; fold in add ins; season to taste.
  1. Baked beans on toast 
    Ingredients
  • Bread
  • Canned baked beans
  • Butter

Steps

  • Toast bread; butter it.
  • Warm beans in a small pan or microwave.
  • Spoon beans over toast.
  1. Pasta aglio e olio peperoncini 
    Ingredients
  • Pasta
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic, pressed or thinly sliced
  • Chili pepper or chili flakes
  • Parmesan
  • Salt
  • Optional: sliced mushrooms; pancetta; chickpeas  

Steps

  • Cook pasta in well salted water.  
  • Warm olive oil on low; add garlic and chili; keep heat low so it flavors the oil without browning.  
  • Drain pasta; toss with the oil; top with plenty of parmesan.  
  • Optional: crisp pancetta; sauté mushrooms; warm chickpeas; stir in at the end.
  1. Fast mug pesto pasta 
    Ingredients
  • Pasta
  • Garlic
  • Basil
  • Olive oil
  • Salt; black pepper
  • Parmesan
  • Optional: pine nuts; olives; marinated peppers; artichokes  

Steps

  • Cook pasta.
  • In a mug, crush garlic with salt; add basil; pepper; optional pine nuts; mash well.  
  • Cover with olive oil; stir; mix in parmesan.  
  • Drain pasta; toss with pesto; finish with more parmesan.
  1. A sandwich 
    Ingredients
  • Bread
  • Any quick protein: deli meat; tuna; leftovers
  • Cheese; greens; pickles
  • Condiment: mayo; mustard

Steps

  • Build; toast if desired; eat.
  1. Quesadillas; high effort to almost no effort 
    Ingredients
  • Tortillas
  • Shredded cheese
  • Optional fillings: cooked protein; onions; peppers; garlic; seasonings  
  • Salsa; chips

Steps

  • High effort: cook protein and vegetables; then assemble; pan fry in the fat left in the pan; add butter if needed.  
  • Medium effort: use canned chicken or pre cooked frozen Mexican style meat; assemble; pan fry.  
  • Low effort: assemble; toaster oven until melted.  
  • Serve with salsa and chips.
  1. Instant noodles upgraded 
    Ingredients
  • Indomie or Buldak instant noodles
  • 1 egg
  • Furikake
  • Optional mozzarella

Steps

  • Cook noodles per package.
  • Add seasoning.
  • Add egg: crack into the hot noodles and cover 2 minutes; or top with a soft boiled egg.
  • Top with furikake; optional mozzarella.
  1. Microwaved potato with butter and salt 
    Ingredients
  • 1 russet potato
  • Butter
  • Salt

Steps

  • Poke potato all over with a fork.
  • Microwave 5 minutes; flip; microwave 3 to 6 minutes until soft.
  • Split; add butter and salt.
  1. Oatmeal porridge with an egg 
    Ingredients
  • Oats
  • Water or milk
  • Salt
  • 1 egg

Steps

  • Cook oats with a pinch of salt.
  • While hot, stir in the egg steadily until it thickens; or top with a fried egg.
  1. Natto and cheddar on toast 
    Ingredients
  • Toast
  • Natto
  • Cheddar

Steps

  • Toast bread.
  • Mix natto per its usual prep; spoon onto toast.
  • Add cheddar; broil briefly if you want it melted.
  1. Stuffed frozen chicken breasts; rice; frozen vegetables 
    Ingredients
  • Stuffed frozen chicken breasts
  • Rice
  • Frozen vegetables

Steps

  • Bake chicken per package directions.  
  • Start rice; stir frozen vegetables into the rice near the end, or microwave vegetables separately.  
  • Serve together.
  1. Sweet pasta with poppy seeds or walnuts; powdered sugar 
    Ingredients
  • Cooked pasta
  • Poppy seeds or chopped walnuts
  • Powdered sugar
  • Optional butter

Steps

  • Toss hot pasta with a little butter.
  • Add poppy seeds or walnuts.
  • Dust with powdered sugar.
  1. Toasted cream of wheat with pasta; jam 
    Ingredients
  • Cream of wheat
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Cooked pasta
  • Jam or jelly

Steps

  • Toast dry cream of wheat in a pan with a pinch of salt until lightly nutty.  
  • Carefully add water; cook into porridge.
  • Stir in cooked pasta.  
  • Top with jam or jelly.
  1. Paprika potatoes with noodles 
    Ingredients
  • Potatoes
  • Optional onions; optional peppers
  • Sweet paprika
  • Salt; pepper
  • Cooked noodles

Steps

  • Boil potatoes until tender.  
  • Optional: sauté finely chopped onions and peppers.
  • Lower heat; stir in sweet paprika; salt; pepper.  
  • Mash potatoes; mix in the paprika mixture.
  • Fold in cooked noodles; serve.  
  1. Simple skillet goulash 
    Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground meat
  • 1/2 pound chopped vegetables; bell peppers and onions are common  
  • 1 jar pasta sauce; about 28 ounces  
  • Water; about 80 percent of the empty sauce jar  
  • 1/2 pound dry pasta  
  • Shredded cheese

Steps

  • In a 12 inch skillet, cook meat and vegetables until meat is almost browned.  
  • Add pasta sauce and water; stir well.  
  • Add pasta; bring to a boil; reduce to low; cover.  
  • Cook until pasta is tender; 11 to 20 minutes depending on pasta.  
  • Stir in shredded cheese; serve.  
  1. Canned beans and rice; scale the effort 
    Ingredients
  • Cooked rice
  • Canned beans
  • Hot sauce
  • Optional upgrades: proper seasoning; smoked sausage; chicken thighs; Mexican rice; cornbread; jambalaya style  

Steps

  • Warm beans; season; add hot sauce.
  • Serve over rice.
  • Optional: brown sliced smoked sausage; stir into beans; or add roasted chicken thighs on the side.
  1. Sweet farro bowl 
    Ingredients
  • 10 minute farro
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Dried fruit
  • Pie spice  

Steps

  • Boil salted water; add farro; simmer about 10 minutes.  
  • Drain.  
  • Stir in butter; dried fruit; pie spice.
  1. Frozen salmon; microwave sides 
    Ingredients
  • Frozen salmon fillet
  • Olive oil; salt; pepper
  • Optional sauce
  • Microwave green beans; olive oil; salt; pepper  
  • Microwave rice  

Steps

  • Heat oven to 425°F.  
  • Put frozen salmon on a foil lined tray; season with olive oil; salt; pepper; optional sauce.  
  • Bake about 20 minutes until flaky and cooked.  
  • Microwave green beans; season; serve with microwave rice.  
  1. Hobo stew 
    Ingredients
  • Frozen or canned vegetables
  • Beef broth
  • Potatoes, diced
  • Ground beef

Steps

  • Brown ground beef.
  • Add broth; potatoes; vegetables.  
  • Bring to a boil; simmer about 30 minutes until potatoes are tender.  
  • Season to taste; reheats well overnight.
this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2026
36 points (97.4% liked)

Cooking

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