Midweek Meals: five quick dinners that even fussy eaters will enjoy 

It's hard to please the vegetable refusers and picky eaters, but these recipes are always a winner 

Even the most veggie phobic member of the family will like these dinners.

Hidden vegetable pasta sauce

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This sauce is really versatile. It can be used as a base for bolognaise, lasagne or even burritos. It freezes well and it is worth making in a big quantity and dividing up into portions

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 celery stick, finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 400g tin tomatoes

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

Method

1. Add the carrot, celery, onion, pepper, oregano and garlic and cook for about 6 minutes, add a dash of water if the pan becomes dry.

2. Add in the tomatoes and 300ml of water.

3. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree the sauce until it is smooth.
   
   Photo by Greta Hoffman from Pexels

Chicken parmigiana

How to make chicken parmigiana worthy of The Sopranos

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, sliced through the middle and flattened

• 150g panko breadcrumbs

• 100g Parmesan, finely grated

• 3 eggs beaten

• 200g flour

• 100ml olive oil

• For the sauce: 

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 600ml passata

• 1 onion

• 1 tsp butter

• Salt, pepper, sugar, to taste

• For the parmiagana:

• 2 balls of mozzarella, sliced

• Basil or parsley, chopped (optional)

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Method

1. First, make the sauce.

2. Add the olive oil and garlic to a cold saucepan. Turn on the heat to medium and as soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, pour in the passata.

3. Cut your onion in half and add to the sauce along with the butter. Cover, turn to low and simmer for twenty minutes.

4. Taste, check for seasoning and add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Remove the onion.

5. While your sauce is cooking, set up a breading station by pouring your breadcrumbs and cheese onto a plate, your flour onto another plate and your beaten eggs onto a third plate. 

6. Dip your chicken first in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs. Place onto a wire rack and place into the fridge for ten minutes. 

7. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan and heat to medium. Fry the chicken for seven to eight minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through. Leave to rest on the wire rack.

8. Preheat your grill

9. In an oven-proof dish place the chicken in a single layer. Spoon over the tomato sauce and top with the cheese. Grill for around eight minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.