Main Meals

Burgers are filling and family pleasing meal. This recipe uses a bag of premade slaw, but you can swap it for lettuce and tomato if you prefer.  Ingredients 4-6 large potatoes, scrubbed (I allow one per person) a dash of...

If you've never made a risotto before this one is a good basic formula, you can add a bit of chopped bacon or chorizo to the onion and garlic if you like or swap out the pumpkin. Ingredients 2 cups...

You'll need to allow an extra 40 minutes if making your own onion jam, (see below for recipe), it's very easy and cheap or use store-bought onion jam if you prefer, it's an easy recipe to double and the tarts are...

This is a great recipe for making a little bit of leftover chicken go a long way. If you are using chicken leftovers use what you have, a little more or less meat will not make much difference. The dish...

Summer is the ideal time to make this sweet spicy stir fry as fresh vegetables are in plentiful supply, however you can also make it with a bag of frozen stir fry mix or a combo of fresh vegetables and frozen in place...

Bacon & Egg Pie is a Kiwi classic that’s great for lunch, dinner or a picnic. The kids will love it in fact it’s so easy they could make it. I use a square cake pan 20.5cm x 20.5cm, or...

Cottage pie is a family classic. It doesn’t take long to make and is real “all ages” comfort food. Use floury potatoes for the mash on the top, and serve with other seasonal vegetables. Ingredients For the filling 500g beef...

This easy quick chicken curry is a good “beginner” curry, no unusual ingredients. Mildly spicy, fruity and very tasty and is delicious served with creamy coconut rice. Ingredients For the curry 500g boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut in bite...

Omelettes are a delicious way of making a little bit of something, go a long way. Follow these 3 easy steps to master a basic omelette then try adding a little grated cheese, some ham or tomato or a few...

This family friendly dinner dish can be made with pork or beef mince, so use what you have on hand as it's equally good with either. Ingredients ½ tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic crushed 3 rashers,...

A good mince pie is a real family favourite. It’s easy to make and doesn’t need a big amount of mince. Metal pie dishes conduct the heat more effectively than glass or ceramic dishes which may result in greasy pastry...

The real secret to successful fried rice is to use “day old” cooked rice. Either make extra the night before, or cook it in the morning and leave in the fridge till evening. Fresh rice becomes sticky and wont fry....

Use a basic supermarket baguette to add crispy garlicy goodness and an instant upgrade to a modest meal. Ingredients 1 Baguette or crusty long loaf of French or Italian style bread100g butter, at room temperature3 fat cloves of garlic, crusheda...

This simple layered bake makes a little bit of minced meat go a long way. We usually use lamb mince, which gives the dish a distinctively lamby flavour but beef mince works well too. Slow cooking rewards you with a...

This basic meatball mixture is perfect for spaghetti and meatballs, and primavera is simply a pasta sauce with veg in it. Ingredients Meatballs 500g beef mince ½ an onion finely chopped 1 tsp mixed herbs ½ tsp oregano 2 slices...

Real sausages make this pastry plaint into a sophisticated relative of the ever popular sausage roll. Great “boy” food. Ingredients 2 slices bread made into crumbs – grate on a coarse grater if you don’t have a processor 1 onion,...

With its crispy potato topping this layered dinner dish is a family pleasing and affordable meal. It does need a long stint in the oven so why not make it while you are cooking tonight's dinner then keep it in...

A Ham at Christmas is marvellous. It may scorch the wallet initially but, per serve, a ham is good value, looks impressive, goes such a long way and keeps well, so you can enjoy it for several days after Christmas....

I use basmati by preference - it has a lovely flavour and texture and is the only white rice that is low GI so makes you feel full for longer. I like fluffy rice with curries. You don't need to...

Turkey is very lean so basting with pan juices and covering with sliced bacon and a layer of foil is the usual method employed to keep the meat moist and succulent while imparting flavour into the flesh.  Frequent opening of...