You know the feeling. Six o’clock is rapidly approaching, and it’s time to make dinner yet again – but you’re just not sure where to begin.
Our centres have come together to provide some recipe ideas to solve your dinner time woes. Taking inspiration from what the children love best, you can rest assured that these recipes will tempt even the fussiest of eaters!
Porcupine meatballs
There’s nothing spiky about these delicious meatballs, which make the perfect hot dinner, especially when the weather’s cooling down outside!
Ingredients:
- 500g lean beef mince
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 500ml condensed tomato soup, salt reduced
- 150g white medium grain rice
- Frozen vegetables to serve on side
Method:
- To make the meatballs, mix the beef mince, half of the onion, egg, garlic, grated carrot and zucchini and uncooked rice together. Roll into about 10 meatballs.
- Place the meatballs into an oven-proof dish.
- Mix together, in a big jug, the tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce and the other half of the onion. Fill the empty tomato soup can with water and add to the sauce mix. Once well mixed, pour over the meatballs.
- Place dish in oven, cover and simmer for 40 mins or until the rice is tender and meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve with cooked frozen veggies of your choice and fresh herbs on top.
Better-than-ever biryani
Let’s go around the world. Grab a globe or google the world map, help your child find India, and then cook up this delicious biryani together.
Ingredients:
- Olive oil spray
- 500 gm diced lamb
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon crushed ginger
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mild curry powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons gara masala
- 400gm crushed tomatoes
- 450g cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
- 400g sweet potato diced
- 1 cup water
- 2 bunch English spinach, trimmed, leaves shredded
- Steamed basmati rice, to serve
Method:
- Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Spray with oil.
- Brown lamb, stirring often until golden.
- Add onion, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Add the spices. Cook stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato, cauliflower, sweet potato and water.
- Bring to the boil, cook till lamb is tender and add spinach. Serve over rice and enjoy.
The perfect pasta bake
A truly delicious pasta bake needs no real explanation. This one incorporates tuna and vegetables to make a nutritious yet child-friendly and family-loving menu option.
Ingredients:
- 500g tuna in springwater, canned, drained
- 300g macaroni
- 600g frozen peas
- 200g frozen corn kernels
- 1 small onion
- 250g chopped cauliflower or broccoli
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 50g margarine
- ¼ cup plain flour
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Grease a baking dish.
- Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water, following packet directions, until just tender. Drain. Transfer to a bowl.
- Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened, add half the cheese. Cook for 2 minutes or until combined and cheese melted.
- Stir in tuna, onion, frozen vegetables, cauliflower/broccoli and pasta and stir until heated through. Spoon into prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve with fresh herbs on top should you wish.