Mumsnet Talk

I'm losing the will to live with the endless meal production in this house.

So thought instead of asking for everyone's meal plan I would just ask for your most returned to, always a hit, most commonly produced meal in your house.

Hoping to find some inspiration.....

A stir fry with garlic, ginger, spring onions, chicken, fresh noodles from a pack, mushrooms, peppers and mangetout (or whatever veg) and a sauce made from soy sauce and a little corn flour.

Or chicken breasts, chorizo and butter bean stew.

spaghetti and meat balls with garlic bread and green salad, all home made(not spaghetti) and green salad is never touched, but I still bang it out, one day.

Ds's favourite: chicken fajitas with guacamole and all the extras.

Dd's favourite: roasted vegetables with cous cous and herby roasted chicken thighs.

Dh's favourite: sausage and mash with onion gravy and vegetables.

My favourite: lamb and chickpea curry with fresh coriander and rice.

Spicy Chicken Kebabs... (ends up a bit like Chicken Tikka)

All quantities per person
1 Chicken breast
Plain yoghurt
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
chilli flakes to taste
(or substitute above with 1 tsp good curry powder)
garlic
lemon juice
olive oil
fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 green or red pepper, cut into a large dice
1/2 onion cut into a large dice and the layers separated
salt and pepper

- Cut the chicken into even-sized (2") cubes and place in a bowl
- Dry roast the whole spices in a frying pan until toasted, then pound in a mortar (or use good curry powder). Add this to the chicken pieces and stir to coat evenly
- To the same bowl add crushed garlic, grated ginger, salt and pepper, lemon juice and a little oil. Stir through.
- Finally add a tablespoon or two of plain yoghurt... enough to coat all the pieces. Allow this mixture to sit for about 30 minutes and marinate.
- In a separate bowl place the onion and pepper pieces with a little oil and lemon juice. Stir to coat.
- Thread alternate pieces of pepper, chicken and onion onto metal skewers until used up.
- Place under a moderate grill for about 15-20 minutes, turning frequently.

You're all so exotic

I think it's scrambled eggs and beans here

spag bol obviously!

DD's favourite- Butternut squash soup
My favourite- Baked carrot risotto
DS's favourite- lamb meatballs/breaded chicken pieces.

Yep another spag bol house hold - had it tonight.

meatballs in pasta sauce (with veg and peppers mixed in) with rice ... quick warming and filling on a winter night

Pancakes. Both sorts (thick and thin). Every sauce/ sweet thing under the un as accompaniment.

DH favourite: breakfast tea! (grilled bacon and sometimes sausage, poached egg/s, beans and hash browns/potato croquettes).
Me: moussaka (delia's recipe with ricotta, but don't both with all the salting/pressing aubergine nonsense, just chop and bob it in the bottom of the dish)

Meatballs in tomato sauce with pasta
Nigel Slater sausage and mustard pasta
Pork fillet stroganoff
Lamb neck fillet curry

DD's favourite - slow braised cabbage pasta
DS2 - lentils and rice or cream of chicken soup
DS3 - chicken curry with rice
DS4 - potato and onion pie or hm cream of tomato soup
DS1 - his favourite is venison so he is mostly disappointed
Me - nut roast or veg lasagne and salad
DH - chicken vindaloo

Dh- lasagne, with pork mince and chorizo with sliced red peppers.

Me- creamy onion and garlic pasta.

Dc- homemade tomato soup or homemade pizza

R2PeePoo (Love the name) Would it take too long for you to share the Baked Carrot Risotto recipe?

IceNoSlice Breakfast Tea is a great idea.

We have various pasta dishes in the main here, the odd risotto, roast chicken with cous cous and roasted veg/salad and pittas.

Some great ideas above though, keep 'em coming!

Also, I NEVER use lamb or pork dc's get it at school but I never cook with it. Any safe, foolproof dishes using those?

Ribs

mince and tatties

Toad in the hole has become a recent favourite here.

Also enchiladas are pretty popular.

Baked Carrot Risotto

You need a casserole dish with a lid that can go on the hob and in the oven.

Put it on the hob, add a dash of oil, a lump of butter, garlic, a leek and a large white onion. Gently cook these together while you chop three large carrots.

Add the carrots to the dish, then 300g risotto rice. Stir for two/three minutes.

Add 700ml of stock (veg or chicken)

Put lid on dish, put in oven set at 200degrees and bake for 23-30 minutes.

Lamb Meatballs

Put a tablesspoon or two of oil in an oven dish. Add salt, pepper, garlic puree.
Put in oven to heat for a few minutes.
Get lamb mince. Roll into balls. Chop large white onion (optional butternut squash and courgettes).
Remove dish from oven. Add lamb and onion. Put in oven at 200 for 20-30 mins. If you add butternut squash it needs to go in after ten minutes, courgettes ten minutes after that. Stir once or twice.

Its very fatty, there will be a lot of oil/fat in the pan but it makes the meatballs really juicy and the DC more likely to eat them.

Chop the leek and the onion etc for the risotto and the onion for the meatballs needs to be in large pieces.

<Tired and now very very hungry>

Thanks so much R2

No problem, I'm not used to being asked for recipes as all my cooking HAS to take less than thirty minutes and use less than ten ingredients. I really dislike cooking so this was a whole new experience!

Jools' Pregnant Pasta
Smoked salmon gnocchi
Mexican chicken and rice stew
Black bean and sweet potato chilli

apart from usuals, chicken and chips, pizza (home made dough in breadmaker, toppings of choice), they all love lentil soup (oddly).

Fry up some chopped up bacon, pancetta or chorizo (or some veggies like peppers if you are vegetarian) and fry in a bit of oil
Chop 2 onions really finely, and some garlic and add.
Add a tin of peeled toms and 2 stock cubes plus a bit of smoked paprika (if you have it, if not pepper is fine, but smoked paprika adds a real WOW)
add about 400 grammes of Puy lentils (the little ones) and a litre of water

Simmer for 40 minutes, add more water if needed.

Taste for salt and pepper, eat with crusty bread (baguette)

even nicer the next day.

Spag bol.

A Claudia Roden recipe for little kebabs.

Sausages with roast veggies and baked spuds (just to make sure I use up every part of the oven!)

Risotto. Various kinds. Will be trying the carrot one - thanks, R2PeePoo.

Savoury rice dish with leftover meat and chorizo.

Goulash.

Ooh yes we eat a lot of lentils too but usually the pink ones - will be trying that recipe; it sounds great - thanks!

Spicy red lentil and chickpea stew with carrot flatbreads - I kid you not! dS1 not an enormous veg fan, but he loves this, and ask for it once a fortnight.

Fried chicken of some description, I make several.

Risotto. Currently mushroom and spinach www.toddler-recipes.co.uk/porcini-mushroom-and-spinach-risotto.html

R2 that baked carrot one sounds lush, going to give it a go!

Netto what sorts do you make? I always like the look of Nigella's Southern Fried but not been brave enough to try any yet.

I've made korean
Japanese
Southern fried
Parmos
Parmigiana
Buffalo strips

Have another Japanese recipe bookmarked to try once I get the ingredients online for it.

They're here, on my blog, just ignore the ones that aren't fried chicken!

corned beef hot pot! cheap, easy and delicious!

Fab, will have a look now.

BBC good food Leek and Bacon risotto.
Anglesey Eggs.
Toad in the hole.
Garlic and thyme roast chicken.
Spag bol/lasagne.
Macaroni cheese.
Lentil hotpot.

Sticky rice (steamed Thai Glutinous Rice), salmon and broccoli, all with soy sauce.

lentil bolagnese is a current hit with the cook (quick and easy to make) and the tasters (very nice to eat)!

I also like the sound of spicy red lentil and chickpea stew with carrot flatbreads- is there a recipe online for that Momin?

Corned beef is lovely but sadly no longer cheap!

Sausage and green lentil casserole - I use an Allegra McEvedy recipe with fresh red chili and chorizo, we all absolutely love it (including the baby) plus the fact that it includes lentils makes me feel really smug and wholesome.

Spinach and goats cheese risotto is another failsafe.

Definitely a roast.
Beef,roast potatoes,carrots,broccoli and yorkshire puddings.

But,less ambitiously (for a weekday night) either DH's chicken korma or my homemade wholemeal pizza.

beef stew (quorn one 4 dd)
roast beef
or spaghetti and meatballs with added chilli flakes
ds comfort food beans + sausages chips toast and cheese

Just remembered that chicken casserole is very popular in our house atm too. There are not many dishes that everyone eats, si it is great whne you find one that everyone enjoys.

Sausage and leek pie.

Cook sausage and leek, mix in butter flour and milk, put in a dish layer sliced potatoes and grated cheese, bake in the oven....yum!

Smoky lentil shepherds pie with peas and carrots

Bangers and mash with carrots and gravy

Cauliflower or broccoli cheesy bake

Plain shepherd's pie
Pasta with tomato sauce or pesto
Pizza (bought base plus tomato sauce)
Mash potato and anything
Ham risotto
Mushroom risotto

In our house it's either beef stew with dumplings or chicken and chorizo paella.

With both of these even DD2 eats some of the vegetables which is almost unheard of.

Jamie's ultimate chicken pie with swede and carrot mash and broccoli. The pie is from the 30 min book but I can't make it in less than 45!!

Toad in the hole
Breakfast tea is amazing
DD1's (2.11) current fad is pork chops with apple (sliced and done in the microwave) with mash and broccoli

DD detests all veg except broccoli - I'm sick of the sight of it!

One pot roast dinner. Marinate chicken thighs in supermarket packet powder of tandoori masala (v cheap), a few spoons rubbed into thighs. Then put in tray, throw in potatoes, carrots parsnips and any other veg. Sprinkle with salt pepper and drizzle of olive oil. Put in oven and it all cooks in about an hour. Serve with yoghurt, salad, Pitts, or on its own. If you don't want spicy chicken then just leave plain or drizzle with lemon and throw in garlic cloves. This is cheap and a winner with all.

Tuna Pasta Bake.

Boil pasta shells. In last three minutes of cooking, add some frozen peas. Slice some mozzerella. Open a tin or two of tuna.

Drain pasta, stir in a jar of tomato sauce (I use Lloyd Grossman with chilli.) Layer in a baking dish - tuna, pasta, mozzerella, tuna pasta mozzerella. Grate parmesan on top. Bake 30 mins.

(This recipe my own invention inspired by a delicious vegetarian aubergine bake in a book about Italian Vegetable Cooking. It was so lovely. But too vegetarian for DH. And a bit more work, as aubergines needed pre-cooking. And it didn't use a jarred sauce, of course.)

stressedHEmum would you please share recipies for slow braised cabbage pasta and potato and onion pie?

Thanks for the simple instructions. Off to look for further inspiration at Netto's blog.

Ds's fave meal is a cheese toastie aka gwilled cheese (as says Porkie Pig).

My method is:
Warburton's white sliced bread - toast
Put sliced cheese on - serve
Serve with veggies and sliced apples.

Mine - roast
DH -Steak, homemade wedgies and salad.

Wagamama Cha Han (Chicken fried rice).

DD - Spag Bol (except I use penne or fusilli because it's easier for her to eat)
DH - Silverside or ham with cabbage, mash and mustard sauce
Me - Sausages, mash, peas, broccoli and gravy.

We also love:
Roast (Any!)
Steak with chips, eggs and salad
Baked salmon (I bake a fillet with soy, lemon, ginger and spring onions) with mustard creme fraiche (sp?), greens and mash.
Tacos

I'm finally living in a country with great supermarkets again so noting down lots of ideas here for us!

Roast dinner, followed closely by spag Bol

Kids' favourite at the moment is pasta in homemade cheese sauce (with lots of mustard in) with broccoli and salmon. Easy peasy.

A cassoulet type thing with tomatoes, garlic, read wine, pork and chorizo in would probably be the favourite for dh and I.

chandon i made your lentil soup today &
Can confirm its lovely. The smoked paprika is a really nice addition.
Even my fussy 3.5 yo ate a large bowlful & said it was "yummy". High praise indeed!

Thanks for the recipe.

Bangers and mash served in a giant yorkshire with onion gravy, peas, mint sauce.

Crowd pleasers chez nous -

Roast chicken with the usuals.
Chicken stir fry with noodles
Italian sausages in passata + pasta or rice + salad.

GooseyLoosey what kind of salmon do you use please? Tinned or smoked or do you cook it fresh or...?

Thanks

Beef kra pow with rice - Thai dish takes 15 mins and is so amazingly delicious, I add fine green beans to make it healthier

good idea for a thread, we're big fans of chickpeas and butter beans too. and spag bol, obv.

These meals sound delicious. Would it be possible to have the recipes for:
JennyPiccolo - your chicken, chorizo and butter bean stew plus Mintyy - your lamb & chick pea curry?

Mince n tatties
Chilli with lots of hidden veg
Tuna pasta

Those are the kids favourites.

I like a roast dinner, but only if someone else cooks it.

Dh would probably say anything as long as he can put it between 2 slices of bread

I shouldn't complain though. We don't throw much out. He went to work once with a haggis, hoummous and pickle sandwich. I am not kidding.

Pasta pasta and more pasta.

I like a nice homemade burger but the Things just pick everything off and mainline the buns.

Tonight I was forced to use curly kale as it came in the veg box. Yuck.

Spaghetti bolognese or chicken fajitas.

Noodle soup/noodles, which is endlessly variable but mostly includes:
Leek and carrot, gently fried/sweated
add either packet noodles or cake of rice/egg noodles and veg or chicken stock
sometimes I add a dash of 5 spice seasoning or garlic powder
throw in some form of protein (small pieces of chicken, quorn, prawns depending on who's eating it)
drizzle some sesame oil on top and perhaps some soy sauce/mirin

Depending on veg available I've sometimes added beansprouts, tomatoes, courgette - and frozen peas or sweetcorn to cool it down if it's too hot when hungry kids want to eat.

The beauty of this meal is the fussy 2.5yo who doesn't eat much else WILL eat this, no matter what I've thrown into it. Everyone else eats it too, including the 5yo who doesn't eat veg. It's quick, very healthy (if not too much soy used) and there's not much washing up.

WE LOVE NOODLES!

DD loves chicken (or bacon) fried rice. Also a big fan of noodles - any kind - in a vegetable bouillon or just with a dash of vinegar.

Sausage chips broccoli 3 times a week

Spag Bol again! Although fussy ds doesn't eat it.....
Chicken wraps, although as they are based on fajita's can be expensive.
Beef casserole/beef in red wine/ale plus additions to bulk it out
Fry up night.
The night I refuse to slave over a hot stove and it's a free for all for things that can go inbetween/on top of bread.
Tonight we had chicken and chips.
But the overall ultimate winner is a gammon/ham joint, thrown in the slow cooker with a couple of spoons of brown sugar, left on low and served many hours later with just about anything! There is literally nothing left when I serve it up. We have it with bread, chips, mash, eggs, beans, veg,, anything! If I feel flush and buy a much bigger joint then some goes in a broth the next day. A basics ham joint is equally as good.
Good thread!

Is it possible to do the brown sugar ham in an ordinary fan oven?

Shepherd's Pie is our favourite to eat but takes too long to cook. Pasta and tomato sauce or pesto is what we have most often.

At the moment we are enjoying chilli con carne with nachos and rice, lasagne and chicken chorizo stew done in the slow cooker

Chicken and mushroom risotto

tagliatelle carbonara - fry bacon bits and cook tagliatelle - whisk up one egg plus as many more egg yolks as there are people - throw the drained tagliatelle into the pan with the fried bacon in it, take off the heat and put the eggs through it...goes down a treat every time - add parmesan and black pepper as you like.

The stuff I love we never seem to have often enough, SHEPHERD'S PIE!

oven baked bacon and cherry tomato risotto. never any leftovers.
daal and rice.
calzone.

Indian food: I can never have enough of a good lamb biryani or a chicken jalfrezi

Other: I love homemade pizza on wholemeal wrap as a base, its just divine. The thinness of the base means you get more flavour from the pasta sauce and veggies! :

Kids: Love home-made jumbo cod or haddock fish fingers (frozen or fresh fish). I can never make enough of these! Also, home-made wedges (no par-boiling) made by smothering potatoes cut into wedges with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs. Bake for 45 mins! Divine!

DD (almost 3): beef stew, chicken casserole or anything with pasta (bolognese, meatballs, salmon, herbs, garlic and red peppers)

DH: Homemade burgers

Me: creamy pasta with mushrooms, garlic, bacon and peas, or chicken, leek and mushroom pie

great idea for a post
Roast Chicken - has to be with cauliflower cheese
Home made pizza - they like doing own toppings
Unitl last night would have said beef or chicken stew - but have just had the request to please stop with the stews! (I am a slow cooker addict)
Indoor burgers - or rissoles as they are called in Australia
Tomato soup fav - but do lots of soups depending on what is rotting in veg drawer.
Pies - particularly chicken and leek
Home made chicken nuggets - make them with quite a bit of minced garlic and pass them off as chicken croquettes so they also pass as adult dinner.
Home made fish bites - add a chili dipping sauce for adult version.
Lentil soup is one i used to do and forgot about - will try recipe posted above - looks good.
Chicken crepes - shredded left over roast chicken in white sauce and then rolled in a crepe and baked in oven.
Meatballs always popular - good for in slow cooker.
Nigella Lawson has a ribs 'n' chicken maple syrup recipe which you can bag up and freeze and then have ready for cooking. I am sure it will be on the internet but let me know if can't find it.

My fall back meal at the min is chicken chassuer I make it with thighs/drumsticks so its very cheap.

Spag Bol natch

Sausage and baked bean casserole (in the slow cooker) and pasta

www.nigella.com/recipes/view/maple-chicken-and-ribs-18

Nigella ribs recipe that bickie mentioned - think i'm going to give that one a go!

Roast chicken dinner then Spag Bol!

My mum's roast chicken dinner (has to be my mums!)
Or just for me and dd, tuna pasta
Tuna Pasta Recipe and usually add in peas and grated carrot or chopped peppers

Rice pudding, served cold, out of the tin, with an apple for desert!

Steak! Doesn't happen often.
Did some lamb Shawarma last week, it went down incredibly well - think home made donner kebab.

Spanish Chicken (chicken, peppers, onions, garlic, paprika in passata) with rice.
Sussex chicken (not when we are on a diet.) chicken breast with a crumb made from a packet of ready salted crisps and cheese, baked in the oven with chips.
Honey pork, leeks, peas, carrots, chopped up cheap cuts of pork, chicken stock cube and heaps of honey, reduces to a sticky loveliness!

Dramajustfollowsme can you be more precise with the honey pork recipe please.

Roast chicken dinner with Yorkshire puds
Pasta bake
Sausage casserole
Bangers and mash
Jacket spuds with tuna and sweetcorn
Spaghetti and meatballs
Macaroni cheese

Tinned Heinz spaghetti on toast always a good standby!

Roast chicken dinner here too with the roast spuds done in a pampered chef stone dish - deeeeelicious! Followed closely by a chicken/brocolli/peach bake, the peaches put alot of people off, but if you don't mind that bit of sweet in your savoury it's lovely.

Stovies. Onion tatties cornbeef oxos and dripping. Used to be a cheap meal to make as well but the 2 or 3 tins of cornbeef needed is ridiculously expensive nowadays.

Honey pork, soften a chopped up leek in wok, brown off 500g of pork add any other veg, add one chicken stock cube in 1/2 pint of water and 4 tablespoons of honey (although I usually use more!) Leave to reduce, this seems to take aged but sudden happens very quickly. Serve with rice.

Thank you drama

This is a really handy thread with some good ideas. Can't wait to try lentil soup, nigellas chicken/pork and dramas honey pork!

Ds1.... ideal meal would be soemthing like Lentil Dahl or pasta puttenesca (tomatoes, olives, capers) Anything with no meat is preferred. He always eats his veg.
Ds2..... A whole spit roast animal would suit him nicely which he would happily gnaw on with not an accompaniment in sight (and a glass of mead perchance!)

Dh and I love food! Family meals that work well are curries, pasta, pizza!, roasts, casseroles etc.