Easy prep meals with newborn - traybakes?

[Merrow]

DS2 is 5 weeks and wanting to cluster feed all evening so I'm struggling to cook. During the day he's very chilled in the sling so I can get things done then, but I think I've exhausted my traybake recipes and my other go to easy meals involve a lot of constant stirring, which is no longer something I can achieve in the evening!

DP has a long commute and I'm breastfeeding and starving so I do want something that I can manage myself. I can cope with DS2 screaming at me if I'm quickly taking something out the oven, giving it a stir and chucking something else in, but nothing really more complicated than that. Batch cooking unfortunately out as we have very limited freezer space.

Any suggestions? On current rotation is a sausage and sweet potato dish, salmon and green veg, pasta bake and a few varieties of chicken thighs and tomatoes. Up for trying anything that doesn't involve mushrooms!

Get one of the Roasting Tin books. Loads of one-tray stuff in there!

One of the favourite traybakes in our house is fresh gnocchi, big chunks of pepper, red onion and halloumi, drizzle some olive oil over, add sweet smoked paprika and garlic granules. Gives it plenty of flavour but not too spicy for little ones. Quick stir. 20 min in oven at 220, quick stir and then another ten min.

All three of mine love it (2,5&7) as do DH and I. The gnocchi gets a nice bit of chew to it, not claggy like it can be when boiled. Takes about 5 min to prep and leftovers reheat well too. We have it at least once a week. Serve with green veg. If I'm feeling fancy I do a red pesto and yoghurt/mayo dip to go with it.

"Taming twins" blog also has some really good traybake recipes too and I think she's just released a recipe book too. Use her a lot.

Fish pie www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/cheats-fish-pie/
Oven-baked risotto www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/oven-baked-leek-bacon-risotto
Mustard stuffed chicken www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mustard-stuffed-chicken
Omelette bake www.coop.co.uk/recipes/broccoli-omelette-bake
Prawn tacos www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/quick-and-easy/ten-minute-prawn-tacos/
10 minute gnocchi https://www.gousto.co.uk/cookbook/pork-recipes/10-min-creamy-chorizo-gnocchi-with-spinach

Agree, the roasting tin books are your friend.

Gousto have a nice hoisin sausage traybake, though I prefer it with some extra vegetables than they suggest.

This honey baked feta gnocchi is really simple to make and delicious.

If you’re looking for a cookbook, I’ve been enjoying Anna Jones One:Pot Pan Planet, which focuses on one pot cooking, though some recipes involve extra yogurts or sauces or garnishes to serve so not as simple as just throwing a tray in the oven.

No real suggestions other than to say that you’re doing better than I was at 6 weeks - I was still knee deep in Cook ready meals. Well done you! xx

Have you got a slow-cooker @Merrow?

We used to do one that haven't had for a while- is about 5 min prep time, 40 mins cooking time. Get a block of polenta (cab buy in tescos- don't know about other availability). Tear into cubes and put in roasting tin. Add some cherry tomatoes (good handful), some unpeeled garlic cloves, some sprigs of fresh rosemary if have some, then grate some parmesan over top. Add a glug of olive oil and toss everything. Season with salt and pepper. On top add some chicken legs, or thighs. Roast at 180 for about 40 mins (until chicken cooked). Usually had with just steamed greens.

And congrats.

Came on here to say Iyer’s roasting tin series, then realise everyone else already has!

Nigella's chicken and chorizo tray bake is a fav in our house

If you have the oven on for a tray bake, can you cook some jacket potatoes at same time - so you can just reheat them the next day?

One of my staples when I had newborns was tuna pasta bake.

I know there are hundreds of ways of doing this but mine is to fry off some onions/carrots/celery/peppers (whatever, basically!) and then when beginning to soften cook in some flour and make a cheese sauce with all the veg in. You can add frozen sweetcorn or peas at this point too. I actually used to make quite a big quantity and then just freeze this in reasonably small pots, so as not to take up much freezer space.

Then, when the time comes to eat it, you just add tuna and pasta, and bake!

For a simple week night dinner we like to put a garlic and herb boursin in a casserole dish along with some cherry tomatoes (abd back olives if we have any), sprinkle of black pepper and some herbs. Roast for 20mins or so until tomatoes have burst. Stir well. Cook spaghetti and add a spoonful or so of pasta water to the cheese. Add your spaghetti. Beautifully easy and sooooo tasty.

Thank you for all the suggestions! I picked up the roasting tin book at the library yesterday and have flagged a handful of recipes already - it does seem exactly what I was looking for. I'm also going through all the links and recipes and I'm looking forward to trying them all.

@EssexMamisoa we burnt through the cook vouchers we were given so quickly! Then I think we had variations of bread or pasta (or takeaway) so many days in a row that I began to wonder if it was possible for my breastfed baby to develop scurvy. I decided that very very minimal cooking was better than going down that google rabbit hole...

@SiouxsieSiouxStiletto no slow cooker, but I do have an actifry.

@Topbird29 great idea about the potatoes!

Get a slow cooker, you can make something in the day and just leave it to keep warm.

Tray bake Salmon, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and slices of pepper.

Toad in the hole - prep the YP in the day then you just put some sausages in the oven for 15 mins, give them a turn and add the YP batter.

Chicken thighs with skin on, prick all over with a fork and salt, pepper and lemon juice, put on a tray with chosen veg.

Pork steaks with potatoes, apple and stuffing.

Make a packet of stuffing and let it go cold, finely slice the potatoes, add some oil to the tray so the potatoes don't stick. Put sliced potatoes on the tray, add pork steaks, cover the steaks with apple sauce and then add the stuffing on top - bake for 30 mins.