working mum would like meal ideas please!

[slightlyconfused85]

Although I quite like cooking, I work 4 days a week and DP full time so don't have masses of time for cooking in the week. I'm also an average cook, but not as inventive as I'd like to be. We have a nearly 18 month old DD and I don't really like cooking twice too often, so she normally eats a portion of whatever we had the night before.

Things I do that we all eat are:

Fish pie
Goulash
Spag Bol
Risotto with some of chicken, ham, leek, pea, butternut squash
Mac cheese with leek and spinach mixed in
Lamb moroccan meatballs with cinammon and apricots

DP and I will also eat Fajitas, Stir Frys or Dahl but DD isn't keen on these. If we have these, she will eat chicken/fish, pasta or rice and some broccoli or courgette.

I'm looking for some more meals that we can all eat, but run out of ideas. Help gratefully received!

Watching with interest as you guys seem to like the same stuff as us!

Do you eat Thai curry? I find a version of nigellas curry in a hurry goes down well. Tray bakes with chicken thighs, new pots and root veg. Salmon wrapped in parcels with leeks and spinach served onto Cous Cous. I also do beef/pork/chicken casserole in the slow cooker....pork in cider seems a hit. Beef stroganoff and rice. Enchiladas. Chick pea and chorizo stew. Smoked salmon creamy pasta. In a real hurry 'nice' fish cakes with steamfresh bags of veg and frozen mash (yes it's actually nice!). Frittata.

Basically I find stuff that is in a creamy type sauce is better and quicker than proper tomato based sauces which if done properly take ages so I save stuff like lasagne/moussaka for my days off.

Also you could try mixing broccoli and either pancetta/chorizo in with your macaroni cheese, serving with salad. My kids go mad for this and ask for it all the time.

Meals I make are very similar to yours but what about things like cottage pie, curry (mild and fruity ones like a korma or take out a small portion for DD before you add spice), noodles with sweet & sour sauce, fish or chicken goujons, veg fritatta, salmon and spinach in a cheese sauce?

You could cook twice as much and freeze half for next week rather than having the next day. That way the second week you do no cooking!

Enchiladas
Meatballs and crusty bread
Pasta pesto with chicken/bacon and leeks/corn/cauliflower/peas
Roast dinner with veg and mash/wedges
Chicken/fish goujons with veg and mash/rice/wedges
Wraps with chicken and roasted vegetables
Homemade pizza
Steak pie
Mince and potatoes with yorkshire pudding
Shepherds pie/cottage pie
lasagne
cous cous with chicken and vegetables

Have you got a slow cooker? I save masses of time just bunging stuff in the pot the night before and turning it on in the morning. There's loads of recipes you can do in them and it's really nice to have dinner sorted when I get home.

Chorizo and med veg pasta bake
Tuna pasta bake
Slow cooker stew/casserole
Chicken breasts wrapped in bacon
Stir fry
Lasagne
Cottage pie
Indian or Thai curry with chicken and veg
Homemade quiche, new pots and salad or ratatouille
Bean burgers in buns with homemade coleslaw

Oh and cauliflower and broccoli cheese

You can turn a spag bol into a chilli with the right ingredients and rice instead of pasta, I do this often

Nursey, me too. I make loads, freeze it in portions as bolognese, then if I want chilli I just add a can of kidney beans in chilli sauce, some frozen chopped peppers and a teaspoon of chilli powder. Reheat and presto.

We like Carbonara. Quick, tasty and satisfying