Suggestions for quick and easy meals

[Posey]

I'm sure this has probably been done before so if anyone can point me in the direction of a suitable thread, that would be great.
If not, I'm looking for inspiration. Dd (6) will eat anything and ds(1), looks like he'll be the same. Its for those days when you've had no time to prepare anything in advance, have gone somewhere straight after school and by the time you get in, they're starving and will wait no more than 15-20 minutes for food. Added to that baby is being a clingon so you don't want to be standing over the hob.
Things along the lines of fish fingers and potato waffles that can just go in the oven. Its just that they're getting a bit boring.

Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks

I used to give my ds baked beans with some cheese melted into it with toast fingers. That was when he used to eat anything - he won't touch it now (but he did used to enjoy it - honest!)

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I've taken to buying the fresh pasta sauces and then freezing them in ice cube trays.

Chucking a couple of them (defrosted in the microwave) over some pasta/yesterdays leftover pasta or new potatoes with some cheese grated on top is one of my quick meals. Any leftovers - tin of tuna, bits of chicken or ham - get thrown in too.

Not very exciting but nutritious and always well received!

I was thinking of starting a thread along these lines Posey. I wish I had a bigger repetoire of quick meals that suit all 3 of us - dd is still only on milk so that's easy, but ds is veggie and I hate pasta so not as simple as it sounds. Enid started a thread about freezer friendly recipes ages ago, I'll see if I can find it.

Our DD loves pasta with a stir in sauce and melted cheese. Takes about 10 mins.

not something you aways find in my fridge, but for quickness, very thinly sliced frying steak put inside a roll - an upmarked hot dog. Add tomatoes and onions etc.

fish in buttter sauce (boil in bag) is also one of our standbys.

Thanks very much everyone. Have made a note of the ideas and hope dd will be suitably impressed!

This takes as long as the pasta to cook but does involve stirring so you'll have to unclip the clingon for 10 minutes. Fry a little garlic (or a lot if you're from my family) in loads of olive oil with 2-3 cubed courgettes. Defrost a couple of mugs full of frozen prawns by running them under the hot tap in a collander. Just before pasta is cooked, add the prawns to the courgettes and warm through. Dump the cooked pasta in with the courgettes and prawns and serve with very generous sprinklings of parmesan. Add salt and pepper to yours if you like. Well yummy.

Another one that takes as long as the pasta to cook is to fry garlic and spring onions till soft. Then add a tin of tuna and some creme fraische (never know how to spell it) and and a generous handful of chopped parsley or basil. Mix together with the pasta and voila!

Yet another quickie (i'm on a roll here) is to fry garlic, ginger and spring onions until soft. Add chopped mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Defrost some prawns and add them. Meanwhile put some 4 minute noodles into a pan of boiling water (with some optional small bits of brocolli, chopped mange toutes or green beans). When cooked, drain and add to the frying pan and stir through. Add fish sauce or soya sauce to taste (leave out of kids servings if you prefer)and generous dollopings of hot chilli sauce (definately not for kids!).
Hope that helps - looking forward to hearing about more, am sick to death of my cooking!

Fry garlic & onion til soft, add chopped frankfurters & tsp of paprika, fry for one min. Add carton of passata, warm, serve over cooked pasta. gets 10/10 in my family

1 tblsp of korma paste stirred in a acrton of passata, pile in ssome cooked chicken serve with rice and naan

half pint d.cream,2 tsp mild mustard, handful of grated cheese, bit og tarragon, left over cooked chiken. all mixed together. top with fresh bread crumbs. stick in oven for 20-30 mins DELICIOUS

Fry courgette, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Add tin baked beans, and a big dash of soy or worcester sauce. Have with pasta and garlic bread, or a baked potato if you have long enough to cook one. Don't be put off by the baked beans, it really is nice, and when they're all cooked together its yummy. Only takes 15 mins (5 to chop veg and 10 to cook).

Fried egg with bread and butter!!

toasted sandwiches?

This is yum

1)put some potatos in microwave 4 mins each
2)peel them and then chop into cubes
3)fry with some onions with oil & butter in a pan until golden
4)cube up some salami or large ham chunks.
5)add to pan and cook till golden
6)beat up 2-3 eggs
7)add to pan mixture & a)leave to set & finish under grill or b) moosh around until a bit like scrambled.

U can add all sorts to it like honey or chilli to enhance flavour.

It is a version of a russian dish from ancestors that uses up leftovers.

Or you can add some grated cheese with the egg for a change.

Right, I'm off to Sainsburys first thing in the morning. Brilliant suggestions .
Just one question (call me a philistine!) but what is passata?

sieved tomatoes. like tinned chopped tomatoes except smoother. you'll find it in every supermarket...

if you have a leftover roast chicken, then cooked chicken, pesto and creme fraiche stirred into pasta (I often chuck in some cooked peas or sweetcorn as well) is delicious on pasta...

(3 chicken breast will be ok for 2 adults and a hungry toddler)
dice chicken and fry in a small amount of oil til browned
put in abot 300ml passata and the same amount of water
put in some chopped dried apricots and raisins
simmer for 20 mins (covered with lid)
tomoatoey stuff will reduce down to a thic syrup
we have it with rice or couscous
could put herbs in if you wanted

passata btw is sieved tomatoes without pips or skin
most supermarket seel it now...near tinned tomoatoes

btw i didnt know about it until about 6 months ago!

Passata it is then. I've got a completely new shopping list.
Dh will think its his birthday!

ps - to be flash, I call my recipe 'morrocan chicken'!!!

popsycal, thanks for the chicken recipe - ds and I had it for dinner this evening and both had clean plates. DH will have his later when he comes in from work but I'm sure he's going to like it too. Thanks very much.

BadHair, I made the baked bean thing last night and we really enjoyed it! My husband said that I should make more next time... it's very good.