Quick dinner recipes for busy parents

lifeatthezoo | May 29, 2013 | Uncategorized | No Comments

If I think back to dinner time as a child, it was a million miles away from the calming and relaxing evening I enjoy 20 years later. Perhaps that’s because back then I didn’t have a glass of wine to wash away the day’s worries!

Having said that, they must have done something right as I still can’t order a takeaway mid-week; I still can’t eat dinner on the sofa; I still turn off the television before settling down to my meal; and when it’s my turn to host family get-togethers, I still ensure that everyone is crammed around the table on a mismatch of dining chairs, benches, stools and deck chairs.

So, having given my childhood dinnertime some thought recently, I began to collate a few quick dinner recipes for other busy parents. My mum and dad worked until 5 or 6 o’clock in the evening but still managed to find the time to cook for us. We were never handed a microwave meal or, heaven forbid, something from the local chippy.

There are loads of fantastic recipes out there, so hard-working parents can still manage to throw something together that is both delicious and homemade. I have picked a couple of my favourites, why not try them out and see what you make of them?

Inside Out Lasagna

One of my favourite meals is Lasanga. The delicious tomato filling, covered in a creamy sauce and the crispy cheese topping… It’s a shame I don’t get the time to bake it. However, by cooking whatever pasta you have handy – my favourite is the bow ties – and mixing it up with the tasty tomato mince sauce and topping it with cheese, you get the same flavours without the added layering and baking time.

Chicken Fried Rice

This Chinese takeaway classic can be recreated at home for a super-fast but filling meal in minutes. Cook your rice as per the packet instructions. Whilst that is bubbling away, whisk up an egg and fry it in a wok until crispy. Remove the egg and add the chicken and frozen peas with a dash of dark and light soy. Once the rice is just al dente, add it to the wok with some spring onions and the chopped up egg. Keep frying and season with more soy sauce.

This is a guest post by Sainsbury’s. If you want to make your dinnertimes memorable, you need the right ingredients – but also the right setting. Visit the Sainsbury’s website today to see a wide range of stylish and comfortable dining chairs and tables.