One of the things I have discovered since becoming a mum, is how important time is! No longer do I have hours to think and plan what we are going to have for dinner! When it was just the two of us, it didn’t matter if we both wanted to eat something different – I had all the time in the world. But when Little Miss and Little Sir came home, I quickly realised that I was going to have to change the way I planned and cooked.  So, after many many months of tearing my hair out, I came to the conclusion that finding quick and easy recipes was necessary, and if they involved using ‘cheat’ ideas, then that worked even better.  So, one of our favourite family recipes is my Cheat’s Lasagne.  It can be made in under 45 minutes, tastes great, and best of all, has a cheat hack within it.

Lasagne Ingredients

500g minced beef

Large tin chopped tomatoes

300ml Passata

1 small onion

1 pepper

Drizzle of oil

Pinch of cinnamon

2 handfuls grated cheese

Dried lasagne sheets

Cheese sauce granules (made up as per the instructions)

Method  

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade.
2. Chop the onion and the peppers into bite sized pieces and fry  in a drizzle of oil over a medium heat until there is a little colour on them.
3. Add the minced beef and cook through, occasionally stirring.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, passata and pince of cinnamon, combine well and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Layer the mince and lasagne sheets in an oven proof dish, starting with the mince and finishing with a layer of lasagne sheets.
6. Make up the cheese sauce as on the packet, and pour over the top of the lasagne, ensuring some of it runs down the inside of the dish.
7. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and pop in the oven for about 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and a knife easily slides through the middle of the lasagne.

I tend to serve it with a lovely green salad but it’s just as nice on it’s own!  I’d love to know if you have any fantastic family recipes which include a quick and easy cheat! Let me know in the comments and I’ll try them out!