Today I’m handing over the blog to the lovely Helen of Welshcakes and Wellies who has written up her top 5 mid week family meals. Now that my little man is eating evening meals and totally loves his food I am having to come up with new kid friendly dishes to cook all the time, obviously he is still quite young for most things but I’ll be popping a few of these in my save list to come back to them when he is older.
Welsh Cakes & Wellies is a blog all about eating out and getting out and about in South Wales with a young family. As a busy mum of three, who is based in the Vale, it mainly focuses on exploring family friendly places in the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Swansea and Cardiff along with some ventures further afield, providing honest reviews. As someone who loves to eat and loves to cook, it also shares tried and tested family recipes.
It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to cooking, relying on the same meals week in week out. When you’re working all day or are running round after your family, the last thing you want to do is have to cook complicated dinners. These are a few mid-week family meals that are budget friendly, require very little effort, but taste great. All recipes serve 4.
Meat Free Monday Aubergine Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 Aubergine
- 1 courgette
- 1 pepper
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- Salt and pepper
- Pasta 400g
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees, fan assisted
- Cut the aubergine into four lengthways and then chop into chunks. Chop the pepper into chunks, slice the courgette and finely chop the onion
- Add all the ingredients to a casserole pot along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Give it all a stir, put the lid on and place in the oven. Bake for about 60 minutes or until the vegetables or cooked through. Give it a stir half way through cooking.
- About 12 minutes before the end, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, divide into four bowls and top with the aubergine bake.
- Top with some parmesan cheese or grated cheddar
Slow Cooker Mild Chilli Con Carne
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic pressed or grated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 500 g mince meat
- 2 peppers any colour
- 150 ml beef stock.
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Then tip into the slow cooker
- In the same pan, fry the mince meat (in batches if you need to) until browned. Add to the slow cooker
- Chop the pepper and add to the slow cooker. Then add the water, wine and stock cube and give it a stir. Cover with the lid and set the cooker to high and leave for four hours.
- Then add the kidney beans and stir in. Leave for another half and hour and then serve with rice, potato wedges or garlic bread and a dollop of sour cream
Fake-away Friday Fish, Chips & Mushy Peas
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes Maris Piper or King Edward
- 4 Frozen fillets of Fish Cod or Haddock
- 2 slices of white bread
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Low Calorie Cooking Spray
- 500 g Frozen Peas
- 25 Butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (fan assisted). Peel the potatoes and then cut into chips with a crinkle cutter if you have one. Place in salted water and bring to the boil, then simmer for about 4 minutes. Spread onto a baking tray and spray generously with the low cal cooking spray. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, tossing a couple of times during cooking.
- Place the bread into a food processor and blitz into breadcrumbs. Then pop into a bowl and mix in the tablespoon of oil into the breadcrumbs gently with your hands. Next, break and separate the egg. Whisk the egg white until it is fluffy and forms peaks. Then whisk the egg yolk in a separate bowl and then fold into the egg whites.
- Put a layer of foil on top of a baking sheet and lay out your fish fillets. Spoon the egg mixture gently on top of the fish and then sprinkle generously with the breadcrumbs (set the remaining breadcrumbs aside to use another time). Place into the oven and cook for 20 - 25 minutes until the fish is cooked through
- Five minutes before the end, boil the peas in salted water for about 4 - 5 minutes until soft. Strain then add to a bowl with the butter and mash gently wth a potato masher until at the desired consistency.
- Remove the fish and chips from the oven and serve with the mushy peas
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