Does this lunch sound horrible?

[pastashapes9]

One onion and one clove of garlic, chopped then heated in sunflower oil for 5 mins. Add two chopped carrots, 1 chopped red pepper, 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 can chopped tomatoes and chopped fresh basil. Simmer for 30 mins then blend, serve with fresh fusilli and cheese.

It’s for my 6.5 month old baby who is weaning, but me and DH are going to have some too.

I’m a crap cook so am just experimenting and trying new things.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.

You can add eggs at the very end - either mixed with previous ingredients or left at the top until fully cooked.

Ad a pinch of Cinnamon... Italian trick for tomato sauce...

Sounds delicious. Is baby used to onion and garlic?

I'd omit the garlic! It is for a baby and maybe not suitable.

@pastashapes9

It’s literally just bits and bobs we have in the fridge mixed together - no idea if it’s going to work!

What time can I come for dinner? Love these kinds of dishes, but I will require the entire block of cheese - More melty the better. I promise to feed myself. :D

We do this sort of meal quite a lot. You can’t beat pasta for comfort food.

For the adults, I would throw in olives or chillies or anchovies (but not all of them at once) and definitely agree with the cheese!

Sounds yummy. I would add some Worcestershire sauce to the grown up's portions.

Sounds great, and you can use that sauce as a base for a bazillion other things so once you’ve nailed that you can rustle up a whole range of dishes. Good luck x

Yes. Why not? All healthy stuff. You wouldn't really need the 2 tomatoes with the tinned ones though. Add a spoonful of olive oil. Nice!

Looks ok to me: just don't cook the onions and garlic for 5 minutes as that's too long and cook the onions and carrots together as carrots take longer to cook THEN put the garlic in as it can be bitter if you overcook it and chuck the basil in at the end.

I like Jaime's 15 minute meals, great book to have handy.

Sounds nice

I"m probably not the one to ask, as I add a tiny bit of milk chocolate to my chili. Everyone raves about it, then freaks out when they find out that there is chocolate in it. I will say, that some, not all or even most, children that age can be sensitive to onions and garlic, but try it once. If they love it and don't have any upsets from it, GO FOR IT! It sounds delicious.

My family love the minestrone soup from the Olive Garden in Florida.
I make it at home and it’s basically the same recipe that you have made minus the cheese but adding veg stock

It’s basically a homemade bolognaise sauce with some carrots and peppers thrown in too so definitely works with pasta! I’d put in a dash of Worcester sauce too :) absolutely love it with loads of grated cheese and mushrooms rather than meat.

Yum 😋

That sounds yummy. I di a similar pasta sauce for my 6 year old made with garlic onion peppers celery peppers and tomato (mix of fresh, tinned or passatta whatever I may have in house), bit of salt and pepper and half a teaspoon sugar cos of the tomatoes oh and of course tomatoes puree. Simmer it all then blitz it with hand blender so it's all smooth. Freezer really well too if you portion it up before freezing. You say you are an anxious cook but with the recipe you noted you obviously are a great cook listening to your instincts so just believe in yourself a bit more x

Some great advice here and so many replies - thanks everyone!

@BikeRunSki

It sounds fine, it just pasta and veg sauce. My dc loved eating pasta with their fingers when they were weaning. I also did (still do, they are 9 and 12 now!) a blended version of that sauce, served with pasta and meatballs. I put sweet potato in too, to take the bitterness of the tomatoes away, and to thicken it a bit.

Bit of sugar with tomatos 🍅

Sounds like a typical pasta sauce

Sounds lovely, could mash in potato or couscous if you have it.

If you caramelized the onion it will be great. Chop it add little oil and fry very slowly till brown then add garlic, fry bit more add tomato. With a good onion base you can't go wrong x

Lemon zest or squeeze of juice brings out tomato flavour.

Go to mumsnet (classics) Tina's stuffing recipe or something like that. Shit load of dishes

I'd use a can of chopped tomatoes and axe the carrots. I'd also not blend...leave it slightly chunky for baby and don't bother for you. Favourite family meal! You could also add some chopped mushrooms.

Sounds lovely op, I always grate the carrot in pasta sauces and add what ever veg I have on hand, sometimes courgette, spinach with peppers etc and some black pepper, herbs and squidge of tom puree. It is so versatile.