Cheap and Easy Recipes for 4

[Summerblaze]

Help. I am getting fed up of my current recipes and find being creative in the kitchen difficult.

I am on an economy drive at the moment so need it to be cheap but with 3dc and a job, I need it to be quick as in not mega amounts of prep time and doesn't take hours to cook.

Anybody know of anything tasty (although can't be fish as dh hates it).

What do you normally cook and what's easy for you and what type of food do you all like?

Generally we do pasta/rice/couscous/potato + protein (chicken/fish/beef/sausages/lamb/halloumi cheese etc) + veg (broccoli/carrots/cabbages/sweetcorn/leafy things) - either quick stirfry or quick grill or quick boil/steam. Vary flavourings (garlic/herbs/onions/tinned tomatoes). That's about it, but everyone's happy.

We like pasta meals (carbonara, bolognese etc). I do homemade pizzas, stir fry, casseroles, meat with veg and potatoes either with gravy or a sauce. One pot stuff. I do a lovely chicken, chilli and butternut squash dish.

We like everything really. The kids eat most things apart from very spice (although me and dh like that) and dh doesn't eat fish. Anything else goes. I like to have a recipe or a full meal. Sometimes I will get a recipe for a sauce with chicken and then I have no idea what to put with it. I like one pot stuff. I like to do vegetable meal at least 3 times a week.

I love Quorn chicken style pieces, stir fried with peppers and then cooked in a tin of condensed mushroom soup, with rice. Sounds rank, actually really tasty and takes no time at all.

Chicken with veg and spuds one night, followed by chicken and sweet potato curry the next day and chicken noodle soup on day 3 is good, all popular and cheap.

Pitta pizza is a winner here too, let everyone top their own with home made sauce and whatever is in the fridge.

Oooh they all sound good. Do you have a recipe for the chicken and sweet potato curry.

Veg lasagne with quorn always a hit here - takes 20 mins to prep then just bang in the oven for 25 minutes before eating - chuck in whatever veg you like, slug of red wine, tin of tomatoes, union and garlic and veg stock cube. I cheat for the topping with half fat creme fraiche and cheese grated on top. Serve with salad or garlic bread.

The perfect no-brain chicken dinner.

We have loads of salads at the moment. Salade Nicoise, Summer couscous salad, Mexican salad with tortilla croutons, Spicy chicken, mango & jalapeño salad and so on. We tend to serve the Mexican style salads with Refried Black Beans and maybe add chicken to the salad.

Also, we have bolognese, lasagne, goulash with mash, home made burgers (with home made buns), pizzas and pizza swirls, (thai) curries, Thai squash soup and vegetable soups (with loads of courgettes).

Not really I sort of make it up as i go along. Roughly:
Sweat onions slowly over low heat
Parboil sweet pots
Add spice and chopped garlic to onions, I often use Patak's paste or just curry powder, and extra cumin and coriander.
You can add peppers too if you like.
Add sweet pots and shredded chicken, tin tomatoes and black pepper then simmer for a bit.
Nice with brown rice, naan or baked tatties.

Enchiladas are our favourite. Fry a chopped onion and red pepper and a crushed clove of garlic in 1tbsp olive oil until softened. Add 500g trurkey mince and fry until cooked through. Stir in 4tbsp red pesto and optional cheddar cheese to taste. Spoon onto 6-8 tortilla wraps and roll up. Place in a greased baking dish and top with a homemade tomato sauce and or cheese/ Bake until golden on top.

Toad in the hole? Or vary it by using chops in stead of sausages.

Doing well ladies, keep em coming.

Chicken and veg Rice, egg fried rice.
Spanish omelette with various veg from fridge.