I'm Nicole. Here you’ll find easy, delicious, low-cost family dinner ideas that you can make with simple ingredients, without having to spend hours in the kitchen!
I love eating. Cooking is just the part I have to do to get there. 😂 And as we head into the busiest part of the year, I’m even less interested in spending hours in the kitchen! The calendar is filling up, the to-do list never seems to get any shorter, but I still want us to sit down to a really good dinner at the end of the day. This week’s meal plan is about finding that happy middle ground. Recipes that make you look forward to dinner, without making you dread preparing it. We’ve got Crispy Minced Chicken Burgers, Loaded Potato Taco Bowls, Cheat’s Dan Dan Noodles, Greek Chicken Risoni and Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders for the busier nights, plus a comforting Shepherd’s Pie and Pot Roast for when you’ve got a little more time. Seven delicious dinners, everyday supermarket ingredients and plenty of variety. I hope these recipes give you some fresh inspiration and make the coming weeks a little easier. We can still eat really well without spending all our spare time cooking!
These Crispy Minced (Ground) Chicken Burgers are juicy on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside, and baked rather than fried. The patties are made with simple ingredients, coated in a parmesan-panko crumb and baked on a metal tray for maximum crispness. With minimal prep and no flour-and-egg crumbing station, they’re an easy weeknight burger that still feels like a proper fakeaway.
Crispy roasted potatoes make the perfect base for this loaded taco bowl, topped with spiced beef, guac, salsa and cheese. This Loaded Potato Taco Bowl recipe is budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and a fun way to mix up taco night without adding extra effort.
These easy Cheat’s Dan Dan Noodles combine minced (ground) pork, thick wheat noodles and baby spinach in a rich, creamy peanut chilli sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes with minimal prep and made using simple supermarket ingredients, they’re a brilliant family-friendlyfakeaway for busy weeknights. I love that the chilli can be adjusted or left out completely for kids, then added at the table for anyone who likes more heat.
Golden, juicy chicken thighs with crispy skin, nestled into garlicky, lemony risoni – all cooked in one pan. No boiling pasta, no juggling pans. This One-pan Greek Chicken and Risoni (Orzo) recipe is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner that looks impressive but couldn’t be easier!
This easy Shepherd’s Pie recipe combines minced (ground) lamb with carrots, celery and peas in a rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes. It’s a versatile dish that can be made ahead or frozen, then served with your favourite steamed greens for a complete, cosy dinner.
These Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders are cooked until golden and crispy, then brushed with a sticky homemade honey BBQ sauce and served with creamy Comeback Sauce for dipping. Using chicken tenderloins (mini fillets) keeps the prep quick and easy, while a few simple coating tricks help you get that craggy, crispy finish at home. Serve with coleslaw and crispy potato wedges for a fun, family-friendly weekend fakeaway.
This easy oven-braised pot roast is made with a whole beef chuck roast, carrots, celery and onion, slowly cooked until the beef is fall-apart tender. Everything cooks in one pan with a simple homemade beef gravy made from tomato paste, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs – no packet gravy in sight. Serve The BEST Beef Pot Roast recipe with creamy mashed potatoes for the ultimate comforting family dinner. The hands-on preparation is minimal and the leftovers are just as delicious the next day.
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