Dinner help?

Question

k well i have to start making dinner for the house on tuesdays for my mum and the family. any suggestions? keep in mind in 17 and i have to feed 7 people in the house

Answer 1

Here are some faves that my family like. A lot of people chose pasta because of the house hold budget and chicken is another good stand by or soup and damper is liked in my house.

Spaghetti with

Cooking Time 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

300g lean beef mince

1 small carrot, peeled, finely shredded

1/2 small brown onion, grated

2 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley

250g dried thick spaghetti (or dried pasta of choice)

1 tbs olive oil

1 575g jar chunky garden vegetable pasta sauce (Dolmio brand)

125ml (1/2 cup) water

Shredded parmesan, to serve

Method

place the mince, carrot, onion and parsley in a large bowl. Use hands to combine the ingredients. Roll tablespoonsful of the mixture into balls and place on a large plate.

Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, following packet directions, until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until well browned and cooked through.

Add the pasta sauce and water to the meatballs. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.

Place spaghetti in serving bowls and top with meatballs.

Vegetable pasta bake

Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

500g dried penne pasta

6 rashers bacon, rinds removed, chopped

6 stalks silverbeet, leaves removed

1 zucchini, trimmed, diced

1 carrot, peeled, diced

3 stalks celery, trimmed, halved, sliced

150g green beans, trimmed, cut into 2cm lengths

250g button mushrooms, sliced

1 red capsicum, diced

737g bottle tomato pasta sauce

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 6cm-deep, 28cm x 35cm (base) baking dish. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until just tender.

Meanwhile, place bacon on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with paper towel. Microwave on high (100%) for 2 to 3 minutes or until bacon is cooked through. Set aside.

Chop the silverbeet leaves. Place in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Add zucchini, carrot, celery and green beans. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 4 to 5 minutes or until carrot is tender. Add mushrooms, capsicum and bacon. Stir to combine.

Drain pasta and return to the saucepan. Add vegetable mixture and pasta sauce. Stir to coat. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Serve.

Tuna mornay pasta bake

Preparation Time 30 minutes

Cooking Time 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

300g dried fusilli pasta

2 thick slices day-old white bread, crusts removed, coarsely torn

60g butter

2 tbs plain flour

500ml (2 cups) milk

120g (11/2 cups) coarsely grated cheddar

1 x 425g can tuna in brine, drained, flaked

150g (1 cup) frozen peas

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, place the bread in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until foaming. Remove from heat. Gradually add the milk and place over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Add 80g (1 cup) of cheddar and stir until melted.

Add the cheddar mixture, tuna and peas to the pasta and stir until well combined. Spoon the pasta mixture into a 2L (8-cup) capacity ovenproof dish. Combine the breadcrumbs and remaining cheddar in a bowl. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Serve.

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/search.p...

Slow-baked chicken pieces

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 chicken cutlets

6 chicken drumsticks

6 pickling onions, peeled, cut in half (see note)

2 lemons, cut into wedges

2 tablespoons capers

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch lemon thyme (see note)

Method

Preheat oven to 120°C. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in a large, ovenproof dish. Top with onions, lemon wedges, capers and garlic.

Whisk wine, stock and oil together in a jug. Pour over chicken pieces. Sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper. Spread lemon thyme evenly over chicken. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake for 2 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

Increase oven temperature to 200°C. Bake, uncovered, a further 30 minutes or until chicken is golden. Serve.

Notes & tips

Note 1: Pickling onions are small white onions. Look for them in the fresh produce section of the supermarket.

Note 2: Lemon thyme has tiny, bright green, lemon-scented leaves. Look for it in the fresh produce section of your supermarket or greengrocers.

serve this with mashed potatoes and green beans and bread

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/search.p...

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (16 ounces) salmon

1 small onion, finely grated

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

ground black pepper, to taste

2 large eggs, well beaten

1 to 1 1/2 cups fine dry bread crumbs

3 tablespoons butter

PREPARATION:

Turn salmon and liquid into a medium mixing bowl. Flake with a fork, removing OR mashing any bones (they are edible). Mix in grated onion, parsley and pepper. Mix beaten eggs with salmon. Add enough bread crumbs, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, to make thick enough to shape into 12 small patties. Roll patties in 1/2 cup bread crumbs. In a large heavy skillet over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter; add patties. Fry patties slowly on one side; add remaining butter, turn patties and fry until brown on the other side.

Serves 6.

Chicken & vegetable soup

Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 celery stick

1 small carrot

560mls (2 1/4 cups) chicken stock

1 single chicken breast fillet

2 chat potatoes, cubed

8 small snow peas, sliced

1 green shallot,chopped

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Crusty bread roll, to serve

Method

Slice 1/2 the celery stick and chop the remaining into larger chunks. Dice half the carrot and chop the remaining into larger chunks.

Place the stock, celery chunks and carrot chunks in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Add the chicken and return to the boil. Reduce heat to medium- low and cook the chicken for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for a further 4 minutes or until just cooked through.

Use a slotted spoon to lift the vegetables out of the saucepan and discard. Remove the chicken from the stock and drain on paper towel. Slice the chicken thinly across the grain.

Return the stock to the boil over high heat and add the diced celery, diced carrot and potatoes. Return to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 7 minutes.

Add the snow peas and green shallot, cover and cook for a further 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Season with salt and ground black pepper and serve with the crusty bread roll.

Notes & tips

Tips:

Add 50g shredded baby English spinach leaves to the soup with the shallots.

Serve the soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice added.

Try doubling the quantity of soup when making it and freeze half for another time. The cooking times will remain the same. Defrost in the fridge and then bring it to the boil before serving.

Australian Damper Bread

This is a traditional bread baked in the coals of an open fire or in a Dutch Oven (huge lidded cast iron pot) but nowadays we bake it in a normal oven. Of course there are as many variations as there are days in the years but the basic recipe is as follow:-

Ingredients



4 cups self-raising flour

3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

Method

Sift the flour and  salt into a bowl and mix in the sugar.

Rub in the butter with your (clean) hands until a fine breadcrumb texture is achieved.

For a well in the top of the flour, pour in the milk and water, and mix well with a knife until the dough come clean from the sides of the bowl.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and silky.

Shape into a mounded loaf, (some people cut a deep cross in the top) and bake in a preheated oven, 200 c / 400 F, for 25 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 180 c / 375 f and cook a further 10 - 15 minutes until done. The loaf should be a light golden brown colour and sound hollow when tapped.

If you are "game" try cooking it on a camp fire; nothing beats that extra smoky flavour, especially using Australian Eucalyptus wood to give it that special something. If you are cooking in an oven at home, try putting a few Gum Leaves in the over to smoke as your are cooking the bread.

Damper is very similar to Irish Soda Bread, and probably developed from recipes brought over by Irish immigrants/convicts.

i hope these help

Answer 2

Spaghetti is really easy to make..

Also.. try making broccolli and cheese soup. Easy and YUMMY!

Answer 3

Log onto eons.com and join the "Down Home Cooking" group, ( it's free).  

Go to the index and you will find over 2500 recipes to choose from.  Also, you can ask any cooking question, and will get an immediate answer from the nicest folks in the world there.

I just LOVE this group.

Answer 4

Pizza is easy and you could easily make a few different ones to help please your large family!

;)

Answer 5

spagetti! its fast, inexpensive and feed alot of people, fix a simple chef salad, have Italian or garlic bread and everyone will leave full and it does not take alot of time and so easy to make.

Answer 6

ask ur family there favs?? or easy large dishes like lasange , tacos ,casseroles  or soup and sandwishes

Answer 7

dude just make sloppy joes, the directions are on the can

and make some fries to go with it, the directions are on the bag, i mean for real you are 17 and have homework and extra curricular activities, i'm sure that they don't expect a gormet meal out of you

Answer 8

as a pro chef i can tell you that the simpler the dish the happier people will be. the first one to try is spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread. the trick with pasta is to cook it the right amount of time, buy the store brand at your local supermarket, just make sure it is made with 100 % durum semolina. to properly boil pasta you must first start  with a pot that is at least 1-2 gallons in size for 7 people. fill it 2/3  of the way full with water , add two tbs. of salt , and 3 ounces of veg oil, bring this to a fast boil. open the pasta package and pour in the noodles immediately begin to stir the pasta so it does not stick to the bottom, keep stirring, until the ater comes back to a boil. keep stirring, being careful not to spalsh on yourself, folow the instructions on the package as far as time goes, when the noodles are al dente, place a colander into the kitchen sink, pour the pot of water and noodles into the basket taking care not to burn yourself or pour the spaghetti down the disposal, imediately run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking. when it is cool, drizzle a little oil on the noodles to keep them from clumping. for the sauce use jarred tomato sauce, simmply add sautee'd ground beef or sausage meat taken out of the casings mixed with ground beef, raw beef and or sausage should sautee's in a hot pan with high sides, heat 3 tbs. of oil in the pan add the crumbled beef and or sausage and keep stirring until the mixture is brown and cooked. when it is done pour off any excess oil or fat left in the bottom  of the pan, taking care not to burn yourself, if your parents have any inexpensive red wine on hand, such as a half finished bottle, ask them first, then pour in about a cup or two on top of the meat mixture. bring this to a boil, let it cook until it starts to evaporate, then add the jarred sauce, let this simmer then place th chilled noodles back into the pot they were cooking in and pour in the meat sauce, place this pot on the hot burner and simmer until the noodles have heated through, serve with store bought garlic bread or just plain rolls, it will feed an army and make everyone happy, enjoy, i hope this helps...

Answer 9

I agree with the spaghetti idea, very easy. Lasagna might be a bit more impressive (if you care about that at all!) and it is only a little bit more involved. Meatballs are easy for a big group too. Serve with garlic bread and a big salad. Cut up some fresh seasonal fruit and serve with yogurt or cream for a really easy delicious dessert.

Good luck!