Veggie cake

This ‘cake’ is a twist on the zucchini slice recipe and another easy way to get veggies into the kids! Make this veggie cake vegetarian by omitting the bacon. Perfect for lunchboxes when served up cold.

Beef and carrot soup

As the weather cools, you can't go past a hearty, meaty meal like this beef and carrot soup. Make it on the weekend when you've got some time on your hands, then simply reheat for an easy midweek dinner.

Salmon mornay

Salmon mornay is a popular quick dinner fix for busy families. This recipe uses a couple of tins - red salmon and corn - to make a delicious one-pot dinner. Or you could add mashed potatoes to the recipe and shape the mornay mixture into tasty rissoles.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Nothing beats a good spaghetti bolognaise recipe for a hungry family. This recipe is easy to make and includes grated vegetables that your kids won't even know they are eating!

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is a family favourite that is easy to make and kind to the budget. Using butternut pumpkin, nutmeg, chicken stock and a little sour cream at the end, you can have this soup on the table in an hour.

Snazzy Sausage Rolls

This sausage roll recipe is a great one to knock up on a lazy afternoon or for a cold day's lunch, but you can also make them into mini sausage rolls for entertaining or serve them cold for school lunches.

Chicken noodle soup

Chicken soup has plenty of health-giving properties and makes the best 'get well' gift for sick friends and family. This version of the soup combines plenty of vegetables, noodles and a whole chicken.

Marcella’s minestrone

The secret to this veggie-packed soup is in the parmesan rind which flavours the broth. Keep yours in the freezer when you come to the end of a chunk of parmesan and you'll always have it ready for when you're making soup. Serve this heart soup with crusty bread and extra cheese.

Mexican layer bake

Fancy Mexican with a twist? Then try this tasty Mexican layer bake recipe. Layers of flatbread with chorizo, tomato, chicken and cheese make this a filling dinner for hungry hoardes. Serve a slice with crisp lettuce and tomato for a complete meal.

Lamb shanks with lentils

Nothing says winter like slow-cooked lamb in a rich tomato and lentil sauce. Shanks are affordable and delicious, the perfect choice for this simple dish. Here we simmer them slowly for 2 hours until they fall apart tender.

Savoury mince

Savoury mince is always a crowd-pleaser recipe. Not only does it make an easy and delicious dinner for the family, but it is fantastic as a snack the next day, warmed up and eaten on a piece of toast.

Guacamole dip

Guacamole dip is a delicious Mexican snack made of avocado, lemon juice and chilli. This dip has a spicy tang and includes diced tomato and coriander to give it a little extra zing.

Easy scones

Whip up a batch of these easy peasy scones before the kids get in from school and serve them up with strawberry jam as an afternoon treat. Better still; make a double batch and freeze the leftovers for lunch boxes!

Penne lasagne

Everyone loves pasta so this recipe for lasagne using penne pasta is great for a family dinner. Make it on the weekend and freeze so you have dinner for during the week sorted.