One of the greatest things about being a family is family meals, right? Unfortunately at times we tend to deprioritise cooking (or cooking the more fancy meals) because of all sorts of other things that are going on in our lives. How about remembering those cooking skills this Father's Day by dishing it up for the family!

Recently we've come across a website called "menumade.co.nz" - a great little site that provides meal planning and wholesome recipes for the whole family. It even tells you what to buy and you can specify any food likes / dislikes as well as dietary requirements or allergies. How Cool! In fact we liked it so much that we organised a Father's Day competition with them - check it out here.

Often it seems mum’s seem to dominate the kitchen space in most homes and dad rules the garage. This of course is a broad generalisation and of course if you are a single dad you soon have to pick the slack in the kitchen otherwise you will be surviving on takeaway food or TV dinners.

What ever your situation is though, kids love to mess around with food in the kitchen and this is a great way to spend some quality and useful time with them. Whatever the age there are recipes to suit. We don’t really want to get the toddlers too close to a raging deep fryer used for cooking doughnuts or fish n chips, but for a teenager, its crucial they get used to the more , lets say risky forms of cooking. Toddlers can have fun with other types of food preparation though. Making Pizza is one recipe that spans all ages.

I’m a single dad of two kids 5 and 6, and pizza night generally co-insides with the end of the week and more often than not a movie rental.

Mince Baskets

Suitable for toddlers

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Basic Mince Mixture - Ingredients

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
500g lean beef or lamb mince
2 Tbsp tomato purée
420g jar pasta sauce
1 tsp mixed herbs or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (optional)
8 slices fresh bread, crusts removed

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan, and cook the onion gently for 5-6 minutes, until tender. Add the mince, breaking up with the back of a spoon to form small pieces until cooked thoroughly and no longer pink. Stir in tomato purée, canned tomatoes and herbs. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes until reduced and thick, but still moist. Set aside.

This is an area that i struggle with – cooking for a 10 month old and a couple of 30+ year olds. Its a little easier with a 10 month as Im not going to cook an Indian Vindaloo of some sort but surely veges just don’t cut the mustard anymore!

So what I have is a recipe that I believe Dad’s can cook and make not only for the adults but their little ones also!

Meaty Hot Pot
Suitable from 6 months

Ingredients
• 500g diced beef or lamb casserole meat such as beef chuck, blade steak or boneless lamb
• 420g can baked beans
• ½ small swede (or kumara), peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato purée*
• 1¼ cups water
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp oil

Method
1. In a large casserole dish, mix together the meat, beans, swede or kumara, carrots, onion and tomato purée.
2. Stir the water into the casserole mix.