Five Lazy Girl Recipes You Should Know.
If it’s not quick and easy I’m not making it. I don’t like following recipes, cleaning a million bowls and spoons (and let’s face it the grout and the ceiling too) grinds my gears and more than anything, I make a MESS in the kitchen. Ask my partner, I can’t butter a slice of toast without leaving a trail.
If I am cooking, I am entertaining, and if I’m entertaining there is no way I’m not joining in on the fun!
The Easiest Recipes to Impress
Now don’t be fooled by these recipes - bar the box brownies, I whip the rest up once in a blue moon - or more precisely, on a public holiday, when family is visiting or friends are coming over. Maximum domestic goddess effect, minimal effort.
I will preface this by saying that a nice cheeseboard saves all - with a bit of flair, even the cheapest cheese will steal the show. But the anatomy of a great grazing platter is a subject for another day, and another way to fool everyone into thinking you’re a trad wife, when really you’re a career girlie with several side hustles.
Back to the actual topic of this blog post - recipes you can whip up in a flash, ie when your guests have already arrived because in Australia “le quart-d’heure de politesse” (the fashionable fifteen minutes late a French person will turn up to anything, because they well know you’re still in the shower) simply does not exist.
Image: Pinterest
The Starter That Slaps: Flûtes au Fromage (aka Cheese Sticks)
My greatest entertaining hack. The one item every Swiss person will religiously have at their “Apéro” (knock off drinks) are Flûtes au Fromage. A fancy word for puff pastry sticks coated in cheese. They take a solid minute to make per batch and will have you looking like the hostess with the mostess.
Image: Pinterest
Spice Up Your Sides: DIY Everything Salad
Next up - an elaborate salad. Using a simple system, you can turn boring leafy greens into an elaborate work of art everyone will be talking about all night. I get told I make “the best salads” regularly.
I do not - I throw everything into a pretty Robert Gordon dish and I call it a day, but I religiously follow these rules (only when I’m entertaining - my weekday salad looks like the kitchen sink).
Mix up your green leafy base: Try spinach and rocket or kale, rather than the soggy five leaf mix you reach for everyday.
Add fruit: Slice apples, oranges and pears for a wintery spin, or throw in diced melon, berries, or stone fruit (grilled peaches = chef’s kiss) for a summery vibe.
Give it some texture: Nuts and seeds add crunch and good fats while croutons, fried onions, wasabi peas or roasted chickpeas give your salad that bit of oomph to keep it interesting.
Pick a good sauce: You can’t go wrong with good quality EVOO, balsamic vinegar, honey and salt and pepper. Try not to overpower your ingredients (Thousand Island dressing I’m looking at you) and DIY it. Why not mix in some fun flavours like truffle or XO mushroom?!
Hot tip: Add grains to your base to make it a meal of its own or make a yummy lunch with the leftovers!
Image Credit: Pinterest
Meal in a Minute: Hearty Quiches and Light Galettes
Quiches are THE best showstoppers, and better yet, you can make them in the blink of an eye. Try a hearty Quiche Lorraine with lardons, eggs and cream, or make a lighter galette with an assortment of veggies sprinkled with cheese. So easy, so good.
Image Credit: Pinterest
Nail Your Performance With Dessert: Tiramisu
There is always room for Tiramisu, this is fact not fiction.
Granted, this one takes a bit more preparation, as the flavours really come through once it has rested overnight, but if you have the patience (and skill) to separate egg whites and beat them into stiff peaks, this recipe is one you must try!
I love a hearty cream to everything else ratio, and while I refuse to stray from the classic coffee and cacao version, you can experiment with raspberries, matcha, Biscoff spread or pistachio (bonus points if you throw in some Pistachio Papi spread) to create a crowd-pleasing dessert.
Image Credit: Pinterest
The Emergency Solution To Most Things: Box Brownies
If all else fails - box brownies. If you’re in Australia, Aldi makes the best. I always (try) to keep a packet on hand in our pantry, for emergencies of all kinds (birthdays that sneak up on me, or a particularly peckish night). Chances someone in your household has eggs and butter in the fridge, and if not, I’ve used coconut oil in a pinch, and probably omitted the eggs at some point, and they turned out just fine.
There you have it - I’ve shared all my secrets to impress without barely lifting a finger, or spend an absolute fortune, all saved to my Pinterest, in case you forget what you wanted to make! Happy hosting!