Midweek Meals: Five quick and easy family dinners perfect for colder nights

Quick and easy solutions for when you need to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less

From pot to plate in under half an hour.

Potato hash with Italian sausage and good cheese

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

If you have leftover potatoes from last night's dinner this is an ideal lunch

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 600g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced 

• 1 medium Italian sausage (fennel & chilli) or Chorizo 

• handful of parsley leaves, chopped 

• small handful of pine nuts 

• 150g hard sheep’s' cheese like Cais na Tire 

• 50g butter 

• olive oil 

• sea salt

• black pepper 

Method

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender but definitely not overdone. Drain and leave aside. Slice the sausage into rounds or chunks depending on your particular preference.

2. Pan fry the sausage for 5 minutes, they should release their own fats or oils, add the pine nuts, cooking for a further 2-3 minutes. 

3. Add the potatoes and red onion to the pan cooking until the red onion softens and the potatoes begin to stick to the pan. 

4. Peel the cheese into the pan in slivers with a peeler. Move the ingredients around the pan for a further few minutes until the cheese is nice and melted. Scatter over the parsley and serve.

Butternut squash mac and cheese

Butternut squash is the essential ingredient in this silky smooth mac and cheese

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, cubed

• 350ml milk

• Salt and pepper

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Grating of nutmeg

• 450g macaroni or small pasta shells

• 100g strong Cheddar, grated

• 50g Parmesan or Grana Padano, grated

• 50g mascarpone (optional)

• For the breadcrumbs (otional): 

• 100g breadcrumbs

• 2tbsp butter

Method

1. Place the butternut squash, milk and 150ml water into a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the garlic, nutmeg and salt and pepper. 

2. After 15-20 minutes, pierce the squash with a knife. If there is no resistance, turn off the heat and leave to cool slightly while you cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. 

3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. 

4. Using a stick blender, purée the butternut squash in its cooking liquid. Stir in the pasta and cheeses, stirring until the cheeses are melted and the sauce has come together. Taste, adding more seasoning if needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water to thin it out. 

5. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and stir the breadcrumbs in foaming butter until golden and crispy. Scatter on top of the mac and cheese just before serving.