I’ve said it before: I am to cooking what Humphrey B. Bear is to mime.  So every night is the same in our house.  The goal is to have dinner cooked (or at least prepared and left to cook) in ten minutes. That’s right, baby. 10 minutes. You know people who find great joy in stirring sauces and chopping fresh herbs? Yeah, I’m not one of them. So when it comes to making dinner, I’m all about speed. Put it this way, I won’t even contemplate a recipe that’s longer than a paragraph.

So with that in mind, I thought I’d dedicate this post to all the other ‘non-cooks’ out there who would rather get up and sing a Taylor Swift tune in a karaoke bar than try and make their own pasta.

Here are two of my fav speedy suppers.  They taste great and best of all, they’ll have you out of the kitchen and sipping a martini in no time. Well, in ten minutes.  In the past we’ve shared our favourite comfort foods, our kitchen fails, our best slow-cooker recipes and how far we’re prepared to go with birthday cakes. This time I’m hoping you all come and share your favourite quickie.

Broccoli & Potato Soup (from Donna Hay’s 10 Minute Meals)

You’ll need:

Recipe: Place the stock, potatoes and broccoli in a saucepan over high heat and cook covered for 5 minutes or until the vegies are soft. Puree the soup with a stick mixer (or do what I do and just mash it – in the pot – with a potato masher).  Add the cream, salt and pepper.  Serve with toast! Or garlic bread (from a packet, obviously).   Serves 2.

Grilled Chicken Breast with Lemon Mustard Dressing  & Salad (the dressing is from Donna Hay’s 10 Minute Meals)

Recipe: Whack your chicken breast fillets onto a healthy grill to cook (or use some pieces of a store-bought freerange BBQ chook). Make the lemon mustard dressing by combining the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic in a bowl and mixing.  Tip your salad leaves, your cherry tomatoes, feta and red onion into a bowl.  When the chicken is cooked,  place a chicken breast and some salad on each plate. Drizzle with dressing.  Serves 4.

Five-Minute Cheesecake (given to me by my also-hates-to-cook mum)

You’ll need:

Recipe: Cream the cheese and pour in the condensed milk slowly – beating all the time. When thoroughly mixed add lemon juice and mix in.  Then pour the mixture into store-bought pastry cases and sprinkle with cinnamon. Watch Real Houswives marathon while cheesecakes hill for three hours in the fridge. Enjoy!!  (I have no clue how many tarts this will make.  Maybe a dozen?)

Share your favourite 10 minute meals. Can you top these?