Family favourites

Chicken Burgers 

I was listening to the radio this morning and the last item on the news was that most families only cook 9 dinners rotating them all the time.

I think we can all relate to this! The main factor in dinner decisions is speed, affordability and whether the whole family will eat it. It got me thinking about my own dependable stand bys and thought I'd give you a list of dinners that we all like and how long they take to make.

I do try and cook at least one new thing  a week. I know this sounds ambitious, but I often go searching for a new recipe on monday or tuesday and spend the week thinking how to go about making it. I think how I can involve the kids so they can help but enjoy it, where to get the ingredients, and maybe if I can do some of it in advance. As far as possible, I try and pick recipes that use things I have in the cupboards so I don't need to do a load of shopping.

If it works out, I write it down.

So,,,, here are a few ideas

1 Butternut squash Risotto  (oven baked so it is not time consuming)

2 Pizza  (homemade so the kids can make their own)

3 Prawn stir fry with egg fried rice (the fried rice is a real favourite with the kids, they even let me put peas in it.) 

4 Chicken goujons (kids love flour, egging and breadcrumbing)

5 Chicken burgers, mashed potato and pureed veg (carrot, parsnip, sweet potato etc )

6 Macaroni and Cheese

7 Fish gratin

8 Fish Pie

9 Spaghetti Bolognese

10 Lasagna

11 Vegetable pie (We only tried it last night and it was a success)

12 Moroccan chicken casserole (the EASIEST in the world)

13 Fish Cakes

14 Tomato soup

I am going to add the recipes for all the above over the next day or two, and I will include how long (realistically!) they take to make. I will take into account that if the kids are helping it takes longer! Please try them and let me know how you get on and if the kids like them.

The recipe books that I find most family friendly are anything by Rachel Allen (that girl has her head screwed on when it comes to cooking for the kids) and any of Barefoot Contessa's (Ina Garten) recipes. there are some on the web.

First one is the recipe for the chicken burgers shown above. It is a Rachel Allen recipe slightly modified.

For 10 decent sized burgers, (they are very filling, I usually manage one and a half)

600g chicken breast and 400g pork belly minced together. If you ask the butcher to do this they will

100g breadcrumbs (buy them!! Life is too short!)

Bechamel sauce (recipe below)

Salt and Pepper

grated nutmeg (about half teaspoon)

Beaten egg

Choppen chives

For the bechamel heat 100ml of milk with a slice of onion, bayleaf, slice of carrot and 3 peppercorns. In another pot melt a tablespoon of butter and add a tablespoon of flour. Mix until in a paste and strain the hot milk in. Whisk until it is a thick sauce, it should be quite thick, bur stirrable. This takes 10-15 minutes at the longest 

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with your hands and form into patties. They freeze really well. I don't let the kids handle them, I'm nervous about raw chicken. 

But the kids can trim the chives with a scissors and grate the nutmeg and beat the egg.

This takes about 10 minutes

Then fry for 3-4 minutes on each side in a little sunflower oil. I find they are still pink in the middle so I throw them in the oven for 5 - 8 minutes at 190c to cook through.

Serve on a bun with whatever you want..... nice with relish

Or

with mashed potatoes and pureed carrot and parsnip.

Enjoy!