AIBU to give a shout out to Fay Ripley?

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

OK, I know it's not AIBU but during lockdown with a fussy (ASD) child I've been using my Fay Ripley books - first recommended on MN - practically non-stop. She is just so good for 'ordinary' meals. I start with the freezer list then cross-ref against the index for ideas... When I first bought them I didn't think that much of them as I have a reasonable repertoire and tend to use recipe books for fancy-dan entertaining but they've been brilliant over the endless cooking cycle that is lockdown. So if you have one tucked away, dig it out!

Ooh I don’t have it but wonder if they are on line anywhere?

I know what you mean- conjuring up interesting and healthy lunch and supper 7 days a week is even more of a grind right now although I do enjoy it in some ways so inspiration would be good.

Sounds good- can you list some of your favourite meals from the book?
My kids are a little fussy and don’t like the same things as each other.
Older one likes meat and two veg. Loves salad. Willing to force pasta down but not the bolognaise. Hates things with a sauce on.
Other one loves pasta and noodles and rice but turns his nose up at roast chicken!
And I’m bored of everything they like!
Argh.

I've got two of her books and they're great I agree!

Favourites include her

One pot chicken with rice and broad beans (lemony, baconey deliciousness and easy to cook) my kids love it.
Tuscan sausage stew - tomato and pesto based sausage dish
Bung it in the oven Bolognese
Her dauphinois potatoes are such an easy way of doing it
Her Sicilian beef meatballs - lovely and light with a lemon twist - these are so delicious!

So many others but I'm in bed and can't remember now! Highly recommend!

This week we've had the sesame beef stir fry - I very much underestimated how many sesame seeds I had in so only a third actually got the sesame coating, but the rest of the beef was actually lovely just fried off in the marinade.

Yesterday was the lamb kebabs with coleslaw and yogurt dip. DS does't really like chunks of lamb so I massively upped the harrisa in the marinade, was spicy and sharp but really good.

Today I'd actually planned something else but I've not been feeling very well, so I used her miso marinade for salmon. Now to be fair, I could have come up with that myself - it's just miso paste, Mirin and soy - but as I had her book on the counter and flicked through it when I decided I couldn't be arsed cooking what I'd planed with the salmon side I still count it as a win for Fay :)

@Nuffaluff you could do something like the beef with noodles for the noodle lover, then just serve the beef on its own with a salad for the meat and two veg DC? Same with the lamb, some of that would work on noodles with wraps for everyone else.

Ooh I need to investigate. My two are moaning a lot about the boring menu!

Which of her books do you recommend? I’m in need of inspiration for my kids instead of rolling out the few meals they’ll all eat.

Fays Family Food is the one I use the most

Thanks for this! I will look out for her books now

Thanks @LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett - I’ll have a look at that book

I was once on a conference call with Fay Ripley! I wasn’t meant to be. The agency arranging the call had managed to double-book the line, leading to some rather amusing taut polite discussion amongst themselves while Fay, my boss and I listened in and waited for them to sort it out. I suspect there was probably a row about it when all us pesky clients were off the lines.

She sounded very nice, if slightly bewildered to be briefly talking to two random animal welfare charity women