10 Great Cheap, Easy Family meals.

I thought I'd start a series of some of our favourite family meals - easy stand-bys.

Some, or most of these meals can be cooked earlier in the day. I love it when I make the effort to cook early in the day - it means that the "arsenic" hour will be so much more relaxed.

I cook everything gluten and sugar free, but you can use normal flour, breadcrumbs etc.

I'm sorry I don't have a picture for this meal.I did mean to photograph it before we ate, but didn't and now it is all gone!

So here is number one in the series:

Tuna Rice Bake:

Prep time : approx 10 mins, Cook 25 mins

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
1/4 cup finely chopped onion ( I actually use a whole medium onion)
1/4 chopped carrots ( I didn't have carrots and substituted with celery)
6 Tablespoons butter ( I use a mix of butter and olive oil sometimes)
3 Tablespoons Gluten Free Plain flour
A grinding of pepper
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 cups of milk (or use half each of milk and cream - very delicious)
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 large (425 grams)can of tuna
1 cup of frozen peas ( I used fresh spinach instead last night)
4 cups of cooked rice (brown rice is particularly nice, but any will do)
1/2 cup rice-crumbs or bread-crumbs

Method:

1. Saute onion and carrot in butter for a couple of minutes.
2. Stir in flour,pepper and mustard.
3. Continue stirring until smooth and bubbly.
4. Gradually add the milk, stirring.
5. Cook, stirring until thickened.
6. Add half the cheese.
7. Add the tuna and peas.
8. Mix the rice in to the creamy mixture.
9. Spoon the mix into a lightly greased baking dish.
10. Mix the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs and spread over the mix.
11. Bake in a moderate oven for 20 -30 minutes.

Delicious - a real family pleaser.

If you feel like making a salad, it will go quite nicely with the tuna bake, but I never bother.This dish is very satisfying on its own.

Enjoy!