Midweek Meals: Five quick and easy dinners that go from pot to plate in under 30 minutes 

A super quick bolognese, sausage stew, salmon and veggies, mac and cheese and a butternut squash soup with cheese toasties. Yes please

Quick, easy and delicious dinners to make this week.

Speedy bolognese

recipe by:Darina Allen

Don't have time to make a slow-cook bolognese? Try this quick version tonight

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• ½ medium yellow onion

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp butter

• 450g fresh tomatoes

• 340g ground beef chuck

• salt

• 280g tagliatelle or pappardelle

• 30g Parmesan, freshly grated

Method

1. Peel the onion and finely chop it. Put the olive oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet, add the chopped onion, and place over medium-high heat. Sauté until the onion turns a rich golden colour (about five minutes).

2. While the onion is sautéing, peel the tomatoes and coarsely chop them. When the onion is ready, add the ground beef, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until it has lost its raw colour and just begins to brown (two to three minutes).

3. Add the tomatoes, season them with salt, and cook over medium heat until the liquid the tomatoes release has almost completely evaporated (10-12 minutes).

4. Add about two tablespoons of salt to the boiling pasta water, add the tagliatelle, and stir until all the strands are submerged. Cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve at once.
   This recipe is from Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta: 100 Quick and Easy Recipes.

Macaroni cheese

recipe by:Darina Allen

A classic childhood favourite, this supper can be enjoyed with cooked bacon or ham - creamy, delicious and simple

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 225g macaroni

• 3.4l water

• 2 tsp salt

• 55g butter

• 55g flour

• 850ml boiling milk

• 3 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley (optional)

• salt

• pepper

• 145g mature cheddar, grated

• 1.1l capacity pie dish

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the salt. Sprinkle in the macaroni and stir to make sure it doesn’t stick together. Cook until just soft, 10-15 minutes approx. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile melt the butter, add in the flour and cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the milk gradually, bring back to the boil, stirring all the time. Add the mustard, parsley if using and cheese, season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

4. Add the cooked macaroni, bring back to the boil, taste, correct seasoning and serve immediately.

5. Macaroni cheese reheats very successfully provided the pasta is not overcooked in the first place, it is very good served with cold meat particularly ham.

6. Top Tip: Macaroni soaks up an enormous amount of sauce. Add more sauce if making ahead to reheat later.