1:

Well, of course I'm going to start by recommending Spaghetti Bolognese!

It is one of the easiest and quickest meals to prepare and the leftover meat sauce (without the pasta) gives you a night off later in the week when you can use it to make a simple lasagna, by layering it in a baking dish with freshly boiled lasagna noodles and then top with grated Mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake at 350°F or 180°C for about 40 minutes until top is golden brown, serve with salad and crusty bread and you have a wonderful meal.

You can also use the leftover sauce as a filling for pizza pasties, using store bought pastry if you don't have time to make your own. These are great for lunches.

Another unusual option that our kids used to love is to spread the Bolognese sauce into a baking dish and top with Yorkshire Pudding batter, bake at 350°F or 180°C until the Yorkshire topping has risen and is browned (about 45 minutes)

2:

Shepherd's Pie is often the most common standby for a quick and easy meal in any family. For a second meal from the leftovers, mix the mashed potato topping thoroughly into the meat, moistening with some beef stock if necessary. Line a pie plate with pastry, add the filling, top with a pastry crust and bake at 350°F or 180°C for about 40 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve this beef pie with gravy and vegetables for a hearty meal.

3:

Beef Stroganoff is one of the easiest and fastest meals you can prepare! In the time it takes to boil the noodles, you can get the beef and mushroom sauce made. Supper on the table in about 25 minutes - nothing could be easier! Serve with a salad or your favourite vegetable. We never have leftovers from this meal.

4:

Swiss Steak certainly qualifies as an easy meal that can be prepared in very little time. This recipe can be adapted by substituting pork chops or almost any other meat for the beef. Just serve with baked potato or rice and a veggie.

5:

Toad in a Hole is fabulously simple to prepare, and elevates simple sausages to something special - most kids just love this meal. It's basically sausages baked in Yorkshire Pudding.

6:

Spicy Chicken Casserole or 'Arroz con Pollo is an easy all-in one pot meal that requires the minimum of preparation and effort. After the chicken, onions, etc, have been sautéed, the one hour cooking time is mostly unattended.

7:

Gnocchi with Bolognese Sauce is another quickie, especially if you have left-over Bolognese sauce or even substitute Chili con Carne with the Gnocchi for a delicious change of pace.

8:

Mock Lasagna has to be one of the easiest recipes on my site. The preparation is simplified by using ravioli for the filling, with a simple tomato sauce and cheese topping. Nothing could be easier!

9:

Chicken Cacciatore makes a great meal and goes together quicker than you would think.

10:

Stuffed Chicken Thighs - the main work here is to make the stuffing, which only takes about ten minutes. The bacon wrap gives a wonderful flavour to the meat.

11:

Savoury Flan - just great for a lighter supper option, especially served with salad. Use store-bought pastry if you are in a rush.

12:

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Thighs Omit the crumb topping if you wish - this recipe also works well with skinless chicken breasts.