14 Dinner Ideas Reformed Shitty Cooks Swear By

"In a slow cooker, combine three pounds chuck roast, two cans French onion soup, and one can beef consommé. Cook on high for four hours, or low for eight hours. Separate meat from the juice, put meat into hoagie buns, and dip in leftover juice. People will think you're the greatest chef, and you never have to reveal that you basically did nothing!" —kaleep43bdb1b45

"Mix 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup soy sauce, one tablespoon minced garlic, and one teaspoon minced fresh ginger. Add mixture to one pound of peeled, uncooked shrimp, and heat until shrimp is cooked through. Serves four. It is super easy, quick, and quasi-healthy!" —ashleyb112

"Boil a package of gnocchi while also heating a jar of store-bought tomato sauce on the stove. When the gnocchi is done (it will start to float), strain the water, then combine with sauce. Scoop it into a baking dish and add some fresh chopped basil, then cover with cheese to your liking (Parmesan, mozzarella, or both!) and bake at 400°F for 12 minutes. So simple, but so freaking delicious!" —dxmy

"Thaw two boneless chicken breasts, and place in a glass baking dish. Mix one can of cream of mushroom soup with one cup of milk, and pour mixture over the chicken. Then, make a box of Stove Top Stuffing, per the directions on the box. Spoon over chicken, and bake at 350°F for about 35 minutes." —betherick85

"Layer 1: Canned refried beans, fully heated first

Layer 2: Sour cream with taco seasoning mixed into it

Layer 3: Guacamole

Layer 4: Shredded cheddar cheese (get a block and shred it yourself; it's more work, but you'll thank me later)

Layer 5: Chopped black canned olives

Layer 6: Chopped tomatoes (again, better if you chop them yourself!)

Layer 7: Chopped green onions

It's mostly about chopping and assembly, not cooking!" —RhamonaQ

"Boil a package of ready-to-cook tortellini. In a separate pan, heat frozen spinach (however much you want) with one cup of cream, plus salt, pepper, and any other desired spices to taste (I like a dash of nutmeg and chervil and/or parsley). Drain tortellini and add to sauce pan, stirring until the sauce is creamy. For a heartier sauce, add grated parmesan. It's ready in 10 minutes, and idiot-proof!" —kaa

"Make one packet of brown gravy and one box of instant mashed potatoes, both according to instructions (if desired, add half a block of cream cheese to potatoes). Brown one pound of ground beef or turkey in a pan, then add eight ounces of canned mixed vegetables and heat through. Mix the meat and veg with your gravy, add salt and pepper to taste, and put into a baking dish, topping with mashed potatoes (and cheddar cheese if desired!). Place in a 350°F oven until the top is golden." —gazabk1

"Since being diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease, my go-to has become simple gluten-free pasta. Bring a pot of extra salty water with minimal oil (garlic oil, if possible) to a boil, add whatever kind of GF noodles you like, and cook for eight to nine minutes. Drain, then toss with chunks of fresh mozzarella and a small bit of dried Italian herb spices. The only thing you need to remember is to stir the pasta constantly, as gluten-free noodles tend to stick together in globs if you don’t." —katerinaX

"In a slow cooker, heat three large or four small chicken breasts with the juice from a can of pineapple chunks (set actual fruit aside) on high for three hours. Strain, then add pineapple chunks and a bottle of Hawaiian BBQ sauce, and cook on high for 30 minutes. Shred the chicken, then add garlic powder to taste. Serve on mini Hawaiian buns, or mix with rice. It was a hit with my two-year-old nephew and my father-in-law!" —Talor McPherson, Facebook

"Mix three pounds of ground beef, one egg, one small can of tomato paste, one regular can of tomato sauce, one cup of oats, one cup of dried onions (optional), one tablespoon each of dried oregano and basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into a loaf, and cook for about two hours at 350°F. It’s a very versatile recipe — hence why it’s good for shitty cooks like me!" —carrier408944e36

"Use a spiralizer to make two zucchinis into noodles. Heat olive oil in large saucepan and add the noodles, cooking on medium heat until they're soft and almost transparent. Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce, and add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste." —bethanym24

"Mix one can of chicken (the Kirkland brand tastes legit) in a bowl with several forkfuls of sour cream. Put the mixture inside flour or corn tortillas with a sprinkling of pepper jack cheese, and roll up. Pour part of a can of enchilada sauce (red or green!) into a glass baking dish, then add the stuffed tortillas and cover with the rest of the sauce (and more cheese, if you want). Bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes to melt the cheese, since the chicken is already cooked. Serve with boxed Mexican rice and canned refried beans, and it's an easy way to impress a date!" —brittanym44f06ba32

"Brown one pound of breakfast sausage (do not drain unless there is loads of grease), then slowly stir in about 1/3 cup flour. Cook for two minutes, then add three cups of milk (or slightly more, depending on preference), and cook about 10 minutes until thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mary B's frozen buttermilk biscuits are what true Southerners use to cheat on fresh biscuits. Toss them on a pan in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes, slab on some butter, and cook for another five minutes. It's my go-to weekend breakfast recipe — so easy, and the leftovers are as tasty as the first time!" —Talor McPherson, Facebook

"Just add garlic salt… to anything." —LeDiskoTech