Genuinely easy family meals you have on rotation?

[cupwithyellowflowers]

I'm a single mum to two teens, don't love cooking but can do it and love food! I am making the same meals week in week out and getting very bored.

What meals do you make for your family that are really truly easy (like 30 mins prep easy, no special equipment?) and not too pricey? Things that take ages in an oven are fine but not loads of chopping and multiple steps etc as I have a busy WFH job. The teens are not fussy and have good appetites.

Also be great to hear of any meals your teens make, so I can hopefully outsource some of the cooking :)

Naanizza

1 or 2 Naan breads per person (supermarket average size)
Any curry paste paste
1 tub of cream cheese
Ready cooked chicken chunks
Thin sliced onion
Baby leaf spinach shredded

Mix 2 tablespoons of curry paste with the cream cheese. Spread over the naan breads. Top the naan breads with the spinach, chicken and onion. Bake for 15 minutes in the oven at 180. I serve with mint yogurt and a finely chopped tomato/cucumber/red onion salad

This is my go-to Chilli recipe. Great served with rice or tortilla chips or on top of a jacket potato.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chilli-con-carne-recipe

Thanks. This is genuinely quick. A lot of things on this thread are not.

Sausage tray bake- sausages, new/small potatoes, peppers, green veg of your choice, smoked paprika, garlic. Add passata after 20mins, mozzarella (optional).
Tortellini- 2 x packets of, red pesto, rocket or spinach, grated cheese
Salmon, pouch of flavoured grains & sweet potato wedges
Chicken, sweet potato & chickpea slow cooker curry - Joe Wicks recipe.

Ty. I agree. I don't think chilli is quick for example. There's chopping and frying and a few stages...I find it a faff on a busy work night

If you have a pressure cooker (Instant pot/Ninja etc)

( minutes spaghetti and meatballs - I love this as the pasta cooks in the sauce and absorbs the flavours!
For 4 -
A portion of dried spaghetti per person, snapped in half
1 jar of good quality sauce (meatball/bolognaise - any will work)
Pack of ready made meatballs (or make your own)

Put the meatballs in the bottom. Place the spaghetti on top. Pour over the jar of sauce plus half a jar of water. Switch on the pressure cooker for 9 minutes then let it naturally release for 5. Then manual release.

Top with cheese when you serve!

I use the slow cooker a lot, especially in winter.

All your chilli, curry, bolongese or any combination of soup and stew can be done to perfection!
It's easy, just choppe all ingredients and chuck it in ... 6- 8 hours on low and all you need to do is some rice, pasta or potatoes.

I often don't bother with frying meat or other ingredients but will prep things in the evening & store in fridge overnight.

Eggs are a great resource. I love this very simple tortilla recipe from Delia Smith. You need eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve with a salad and perhaps some bread. https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/collections/delia-online-cookery-school/tortilla-spanish-omelette

Salmon fillets baked in the oven in foil, or fried to make the skin nice and crispy. I sprinkle them with a bit of jerk or cajun seasoning before cooking. Serve with baby potatoes, boiled or steamed, or basmati rice, or lentils (pouch), or buy a potato dish that can go in the oven with the fish, and one or two other simple vegetables. Lemon or lime wedges to squeeze over.

Sea bream or sea bass fillets, fried. Takes under 5 minutes. Serve with oven chips or home-made wedges (takes hardly any more time). I always do peas with this because it was one of my Mum's standards and that's what she did. Tartare sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup etc on the side, plus lemon wedges.

Dukkah chicken: https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/16265829.recipe-of-the-day-dukkah-chicken-with-sultana-and-red-pepper-couscous-and-minted-yogurt-by-blonde-restaurant-edinburgh/ This is very good, easy, and much quicker if you buy the dukkah mix instead of making it. I'd allow a bit longer for cooking the chicken than the recipe specifies. I would in fact probably use thigh fillets, not breast, as I think they have more flavour, but in both cases they don't take long to cook.

I love food but can't stand cooking, DH is better at it but we are a busy family of 5 including a baby so time is very limited, as is money.The two older kids are fussy eaters- they usually have school dinners then a snack tea.If they eat meals at home it is either sausages or freezer food, so no point making family recipes (we have tried)

Me and DH try not to just eat freezer stuff but are very time limited plus don't want too much cleaning up after tea when we need to be sorting baby/doing bedtime routines, so some of our non freezer fairly quick go to meals are as follows;

-Sausages, mash and yorkshires with veg and gravy
-Salmon or Smoked Basa fillets with rice/couscous or new potatoes & veg
'Omelette with new potatoes or wedges (with packet seasoning) and beans
-Stirfry using BBQ Pork strips- tesco do a good deal where you get those, the noodles, stir fry mix and sauce.
-Bolognaise or lasagne (we do use jar sauces though, same with Pasta bake)

All our during the week meals are quick due to work hours and clubs. I do make a roast on a Sunday though. This weeks menu is
Monday - chicken egg fried rice (with leftover roast chicken from the roast) - 10m
Tuesday - sweet chilli chicken mince stir fry - 10m
Wednesday - sausage and mash - 25m
Thursday - pork chops with creamy mustard sauce and mash - 30m
Friday - fish + chips - 30m
Saturday - Turkish style chicken wings with flatbread and salad

Poor old Owen!

(sorry)

Inspired by the mentions of smash tacos upthread, and the fact that I have some turkey mince and small tortillas in the freezer that need using up, I've just found this recipe which looks as it would be very easy, quick, tasty, healthy and not expensive. https://www.tesco.com/recipes/en-GB/recipe/lahmacun-style-smash-tacos

Oooh another one...

Lemon and coriander cous cous (cook it) then divide it between two sheets of tin foil. Put a fillet of salmon on top of each, along with some mange tout and baby corn. Squeeze over lemon juice. Sprinkle some herbs. Pull the tin foil together so it looks a bit like a Cornish pasty. Put the parcels on a baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes at 180.

We've been enjoying this chicken and pesto bake, really easy. Prep is really quick and then it's just in the oven
www.instagram.com/reel/DcjRVXCC360/?stkn=MTFlMXdwczh2dmFqeg==

Campbells creamed mushroom soup is a really tasty base for chicken,onions,garlic mixed veg ,tarragon served with rice or pasta…it’s absolutely amazing!

There's a couple of websites I use for inspiration.

https://www.tamingtwins.com/ very tasty food, there's slow cooker recipes, traybakes, etc. Worth a browse.

https://www.feastingathome.com/ An American site with recipes written by someone who was a professional caterer, she's a vegetarian and her husband's a meat eater, so you get options for both. There's Instant Pot, slow cooker and recipes for all sorts of cuisines. Do try her Peruvian chicken, it's gorgeous.

https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/recipe-for-easy-slow-cooker-korean-beef/ is a very easy, throw it all in the slow cooker and leave it to do its thing recipe. I substitute 2 tablespoons of gochujang paste for the tomato paste and the ground red pepper. We have it with mange tout, baby sweetcorn and rice, it needs a bit of crunch from the veg.

Hope this has helped.

Mexican bean soup: you only have to chop some onions, peppers and chorizo, and the rest can be canned tomatoes, beans and frozen sweetcorn if you don’t have time to prepare everything fresh. Add some sour cream on top. So tasty and healthy.

Vegetable rice: again, chop the onion and then you can use frozen vegetables if you don’t have time to chop everything fresh. You can add bacon or chicken. I also make it with half quinoa and half rice to make it healthier.

Gnocchi with cheese sauce and steamed vegetables on the side. You can use frozen vegetables to make it even quicker.

Paella: chop the onion (and meat if you want) and the rest can be canned or frozen vegetables if you’re short on time. The rice will cook itself in the water.

I do a lot of Bolognese and chilli beans, but usually make a huge amount and freeze them into smaller portions. That way I only need to make the pasta or rice when needed, so on days when I have no time for cooking, I already have a homemade meal ready.

Just one idea but I make cottage pie, shepherds pie or fish pie in batches, usually Hairy Bikers healthier versions and freeze portions in boxes. Take out of freezer and turn upside down over a ceramic dish that fits in an air fryer drawer (I got mine from John Lewis). Leave to defrost enough that it drops cleanly into the dish. Ping some Sainsbury’s frozen mash, mix with butter and grated cheese according to your preference. I grate a block of cheese and put in the freezer so it’s just a case of grabbing a handful. Put pie in airfryer for 20 mins and serve with whatever fresh or frozen veg you have quickly pinged in the microwave. Easy peasy.

@cupwithyellowflowers this recipe looks complicated but it really isn't. We had it again this week and I have been wanting to go to make it again as I keep thinking about it

https://khinskitchen.com/chinese-chicken-broccoli/#recipe

Another suggestion would be fish pie. I use Mary Berry's recipe, and leave out the eggs as we don't like them in fish pie

https://maryberrycooks.co.uk/mary-berry-luxury-fish-pie/

Chicken ramen, which I often do for meat free Monday with mushrooms, pac Choi and baby sweetcorn

https://www.forkknifeswoon.com/simple-homemade-chicken-ramen/

I'm at a work event tomorrow from 7 - 7. Tonight, I'm going to throw some halloumi and chicken pieces into a fajita spice mix and leave it marinating until I get home.

By the time I get home, I'll only have to heat up the oven to cook it, throw together some salad, and cut open the pack of wraps I usually use a bought salsa but add some fresh lime juice etc. Also grate some strong cheddar and have a bowl of chillis and yoghurt with it.

It's super fast, easy and everyone here loves it.

I actually want to make cottage pie, but its not going to happen tomorrow night!

Chicken fajitas
Chilli
Spag bol
Thai curry

If you have an hour, and don’t want to be stood around at all, with only 5mins prep time… Chicken and chorizo tray bake is perfect!

Chicken thighs
Chorizo ring
Baby potatoes
Red Onions x2
Dried Oregano
Olive oil

• Slice the chorizo until 2cm thick chunks
• Halve the baby potatoes
• Quarter the red onions
• Chuck all ingredients in to a tray with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of oregano and lots of salt and pepper

In to a preheated over at 180° - 200° for around an hour

Serve with some fresh crusty bread and butter, vegetables if you really want to, but this always goes down a treat on a gloomy weekday. Minimal washing up and I don’t have to think about it!

My favourite easy recipe is chicken breasts (can be frozen, two pits of Salsa (I use own brand) and a drained tin of black beans. Cook in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours, shred the chicken with two forks. Serve either jackets (I cook them in the air fryer) or pouches of Mexican rice. It’s sort of like a very easy chilli

Chilli
Spag bol
Chicken/veg stir fry
Beef/chicken stew in the slow cooker
Jacket potatoes, beans & cheese
Jacket potatoes, tuna & broccoli
Pasta, Pesto, bacon & spinach with grated cheese on top
Fish & oven chips
Shepherds pie
Cheesy mash & beans
Sausage, mash & onion gravy
Chicken curry

Fajitas and everything I don’t necessarily see as meals because they require little cooking. Same with spag Bol, lasagne.

There’s a good chicken recipe book I have that has lots of chicken recipes in it.

I can do chicken Kiev. Chicken breasts slice in half put Boursin in or Philadelphia. Roll in breadcrumbs, bake. Cheats chicken Kiev.