Sign up for the Better Homes and Gardens online recipes.  Some are really good, quick simple and can be managed on any budget.

you need to buy yourself a slow cooker. they are about $30 to $40, some come with a recipe book, perfect for cooking roasts, curries and casseroles, and all you have to do is plug it in, chuck the ingredients in, put the lid on and thats it,within 5 hours dinners ready. the best thing is you can prepare dinner the night before in the dish and then switch it on in the morning and go to work knowing dinner will be ready when you get home.

My family favourite is chicken and cheese dish well thats what we call it.

1 BBQ Chicken

1 can of celery soup

250grm grated cheese (tasty)

300mls of sour cream

1 packet of 2 min noodles.

3 challots chopped finely

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

In a pyrex dish (med to large size)

Empty can of celery soup and sour cream, challots, cooked 2 min chicken noodles soup and all. Blend in broken up chicken minus the bones (obviously) skin and stuffing. then mix 125gms of grated cheese blend well with a wooden spoon.

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake in oven for 40 mins or till cheese is golden brown serve with boiled rice.

This dish will serve at least 4 people twice over, you can keep the remaining dish in fridge for the next day. It can last 2 days in the fridge.

I hope you enjoy

Why not make the beef casserole a little more exciting and turn it into some hearty individual pies. Start as if you're cooking a basic beef casserole (oil, onion, garlic, touch of chilli, stewing beef, mushrooms, beef stock, etc then add part boiled cubes of potato and carrots and something green like peas or broccoli. Cook for a very long time on a very low heat (were talking 4 -6 hours here). When the beef is beginning to crumble, thicken the casserole gravy by adding some flour (mix it with a little water first to avoid getting lumps in your gravy) and cook for another 30 mins or so.

Ladle the mix into individual pie dishes (you know those white ceramic deep bowl things) you need that night and freeze the rest. Now cut some pastry (ready made sheets are quick and almost as good as fresh pastry) to be slightly bigger than the top of the pie dish. Place the pastry over the top of the pie dish and press around the edges. prick a couple of times with a fork and cook in a moderate oven until pastry goes golden brown.

Yumbo jumbo!

And you won't need anything to go with this as it has the whole meal inside the pie (spuds, veg etc). Also reasonable healthy too as the pastry is only on top.

You can vary these too by making a chicken or lamb version, just adding different veges/herbs that compliment the type of meet - e.g chicken and mushroom, lamb and rosemary etc.

Shepards Pie is always a winner.  Easy peasy.  Mince meat. carrots, tomatoes etc and Mash potato on the top.   when makeing spag bol freeze the meat.  Buy a hot pot packet at the supermarket and follow the recipe on the back - good cassarole to freeze.   Taco's are always a winner.  Maggi makes great flavor bases like sausage cassarole. 

Go to your local library and get out some reciepe books also why not google family dinners or recipes etc...    

Also have you joined the group Quick n Easy Food?  I'll send you an invite.

Hey there

I am not the greatest cook in the world. But here are 2 of my fave recipes that i make.

I got this one from Taste.com
Easy (very slow cooked) beef casserole:

1kg chuck steak, diced
4 Desiree potato's, cubed
4 Carrots, sliced
415g can of diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup gravy powder
Bread to serve with it

Preheat oven to 130deg. Place meat, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and tomato paste into an oven proof casserole dish. Mix well.

Cover with lid and bake for 3 hours 45 mins. Stiring once or twice during cooking.

Remove casserole from oven, stir in peas. Gradually add gravy powder, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Return to oven. Cook uncovered for 15 mins.

This one i made myself.

Chicken (or beef) and vegie

1/2kg chicken or beef, cut into strips
2 Zuccini, diced
2 Carrots, diced
1-2 capsicum, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
1 large thickened cream
1 small sour cream
handful of grated cheese
Pasta (not sure how much, i have never measured)

Brown chicken or beef. Add all vegies and stir fry for a couple of mins. Add thickened cream and half of the sour cream and mix well. Add cheese. Cook on medium heat and stir until the sauce has thickened a little (usually takes about 20 mins). Add pasta and serve.

The sauce may still look quite thin after 20 mins, but once you add the pasta it will thicken up. Also you dont have to use these vegies, you can add you own, or take some out. Also it is really nice without the meat.

Hope this helps. Cass xx