Midweek meals: Five quick family dinners to kick-start an after-school routine

Schools are back after the summer break so here are some easy dinners to enjoy with school-going kids

Take the stress out of back-to-school week with these recipes

Garlicky Sausage Pasta

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

Quick and simple Italian food, without sacrificing style or substance!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 454g (1lb) pork sausages

• 1 tbsp oil

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped (or more)

• 175g of broccoli, chopped

• 1 tin of red kidney beans, drained

• 300g pasta

Method

1. Get your water on to boil while you prepare the speedy sauce.

2. Using a sharp knife remove the skin from the sausages and fry them in a little oil on a medium frying pan. Use the back of your spoon or break up the sausage meat into chunks. Once browned, add the chopped garlic and stir before adding the broccoli. Stir.

3. Put the pasta into boiling salted water. After five minutes add a ladleful of the pasta water to the frying pan and this will cook the broccoli and add a sauce. Finally, add the kidney beans and simmer.

4. Strain the pasta and add to the sauce and serve.

 

Cheesy pasta bake

recipe by:Ciara McDonnell

This pasta bake reheats beautifully for an office lunch.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 50 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs

• 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes

• 500g penne or pasta shape of your choice

• 200g grated cheese

Method

1. In a pan, fry the onion and celery in the olive oil for five minutes before stirring in the garlic and balsamic vinegar and herbs. Bubble for a minute or two until the vinegar has reduced. Add in the tins of cherry tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Cook the pasta in lots of boiling water with salt for seven minutes. Add the pasta into the sauce along with half a cup of pasta water and stir to combine, seasoning with salt and pepper. Top with cheese and pop in the oven for 40 minutes until the pasta is cooked through and the top is crispy and delicious.

3. If portioning your pasta for lunch, wait until it has cooled down, as it is easier to cut.

 

Air-Fryer Chicken Tenders in a Honey & Chilli Yoghurt Sauce

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

If you're stuck for Aleppo pepper, a combination of sweet paprika and cayenne pepper is a good substitute.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 27 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• Chicken Tenders:

• 1 large egg

• 3 tbsp plain flour

• 150g panko dried breadcrumbs

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• 400g mini chicken fillets

• Olive oil spray

• Salad:

• 1 head little gem lettuce

• 3-4 spring onions

• Small handful flat leaf parsley

• Small handful fresh coriander

• Juice of half a lemon

• Extra virgin olive oil

• A little honey

• Yoghurt dressing:

• 250g Greek yoghurt

• 1 tsp honey

• Splash of lemon juice

• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper

• Salt and black ground pepper to season

• To serve:

• 4 pitta breads

• Thinly sliced red onion

• Chilli sauce

Method

1. Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk it lightly. Put the flour in a second bowl, and in a third bowl combine the breadcrumbs, cumin, garlic powder, sea salt and paprika. Line the three bowls up on your countertop, with a plate at the end. Working one chicken mini fillet at a time, toss each first in the flour, coating it well and shaking off any excess. Next, dip the chicken in the egg, again coating it thoroughly. Finally toss it in the breadcrumbs, gently pressing in the breadcrumbs to ensure the chicken is evenly coated. Do not worry if the coating of breadcrumbs seems a little thin to your eye, they will crisp up beautifully in the air fryer and give you a lovely crunchy coating. Place the coated chicken fillets on the plate as you go. When they are all prepared, spray them on both sides with a little olive oil. You only need a little, two sprays on each side per chicken fillet is plenty.

2. Air fry the chicken at 180 Celsius for eight to ten minutes until they are crisp and golden. The time needed will depend upon the size of the fillets, so check them after eight minutes, and then give them an additional two minutes if necessary. If you have a probe meat thermometer, use that to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Once it is at 74 Celsius, it is done.

3. While the chicken is cooking, make the salad and yoghurt sauce, and toast the pittas. Shred the lettuce, finely slice the spring onions, and roughly chop the herbs. Combine all three in a bowl, and add the juice of half a lemon, a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a little honey, some flaky sea salt and a grind of black pepper. Toss the salad, then taste, adding more seasoning or honey to your own preference. Set aside for now.

4. Combine the yoghurt, Aleppo pepper, one teaspoon of honey, a splash of lemon juice and some salt and pepper in another bowl. Stir to combine everything thoroughly and set aside.

5. Toast the pitta breads.

6. By now your chicken will be ready. Remove it from air fryer and assemble the pitta pockets. Cut a slit in each pitta bread and open it up on one side. Spoon in some of the yoghurt sauce and lots of the salad. Stuff the pittas with the chicken fillets, and then finish with some very thinly sliced red onion and your favourite chilli sauce. Serve with the rest of the yoghurt sauce on the side and any sides of your choice.

 

Chicken Enchiladas

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

A quick and easy take on a Mexican classic.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 34 mins

Total Time

 39 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

• Handful of fresh mint leaves

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tsp olive oil

• ½ red onion, finely chopped

• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets, cubed

• 30g fajita spice mix

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 2 tortilla wraps

• 60ml tomato passata

• 50g cheddar, grated

• 60ml natural yoghurt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

2. Use a fork to mash the avocado, mint and lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

4. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.

5. Add the chicken, spice mix and garlic and cook for 3–5 minutes, then set aside.

6. Divide the avocado mixture between the two tortillas, spreading it into an even layer.

7. Add a layer of passata, followed by a layer of the spicy chicken mixture.

8. Neatly roll each tortilla, then place them side by side in an ovenproof dish.

9. Sprinkle the cheddar over and place in the oven.

10. Bake for 15–20 minutes.

11. Divide the enchiladas between warmed serving plates and top each one with a dollop of natural yoghurt.

 

Just Keep Swimming Fish Cakes

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

In the movie ‘Finding Nemo’ the character Dory has a wonderful determination to just keep swimming no matter what life throws at her. That’s what I’m thinking about when I take out a tin of tuna.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 9 mins

Total Time

 29 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 200g stale breadcrumbs

• 70ml milk

• 200g tinned tuna (drained)

• 1 red pepper

• 3 spring onions/scallions

• 1 handful of coriander (stalks and all)

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

• Salt & pepper

Method

1. Put half the breadcrumbs into a large bowl and pour over the milk. Allow to soak for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the tuna to the breadcrumbs and mash with a fork.

3. If you have a mini-blender or stick blender, blend the pepper, onions and coriander into a loose paste, otherwise chop them as finely as you can. Mash this into the fish and breadcrumb mixture.

4. Heat the sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat.

5. Take the remaining half of the dry breadcrumbs and put them on a flat plate.

6. Use your hands to shape the fish mixture into small rounds, then pat into the breadcrumbs on either side to get a crumb coating.

7. Fry in the hot oil until golden on each side.

8. Serve with as many fresh vegetables as you can muster from the fridge or garden. I like to fill a soft wrap with the fish cakes and a little bit of lemony mayonnaise then top with garden leaves and scallions. Yum!