1. Pasta - Most pasta can be boiled within 10 minutes so it is great for a quick main meal.

Bolognese sauce is simple to make - fry an onion with garlic, add mince and brown, stir in chopped tomatoes or passata (cooked tomato concentrate - can substitute tomato paste) and add mixed herbs or oregano. Simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve.

You can also add vegetables to the sauce - mushrooms, peppers, sweetcorn, whatever takes your fancy. Red wine also makes a great addition to the sauce.

For a quick cheese sauce use crème fraiche mixed with grated cheese, bacon and mushrooms or use mascarpone. There are so many free recipes online for quick pasta sauces.

2. Quick Pizza - Fry some onion, garlic and mushrooms, spread passata over a slice of french bread (sliced lengthways) and pour onion, garlic and mushroom mixture over the top, grate some cheese over the pizza and grill.

3. Omelette - Omelettes are easy and quick to make and are tasty with a salad and chips or a jacket potato.

4. Slow cooker meals - use a slow cooker to cut down meal preparation. Prepare meat and vegetables in the morning before you go to work and the slow cooker will have a hot, tasty casserole ready and waiting for you when you get home.

5. Use canned condensed soups as a basis for sauces for meat and pasta.

6. Potato wedges - rather than doing chips all the time, cut potatoes (skin on or off) into wedge shapes, par boil for 10 minutes, drain, drizzle with olive oil and bake in a hot oven for 30-45 minutes. Great with fish, steak or chops.

7. Easy, no effort fish - Season fish fillets with herbs and spices and then seal in a parcel made of foil. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

8. Quick curry or Chilli - Use the bolognese recipe from tip number one and add curry powder or chilli powder to turn it into a curry or chilli. Serve with rice.

9. Rice - Rice can be fiddly to prepare in a saucepan because you have to keep an eye on it and keep stirring it. Buy a rice cooker or a microwave rice steamer to make perfect fluffy rice while getting on with cooking other things.

10. Chicken - Chicken breasts are very versatile. Look for marinade recipes and sauces to coat chicken breasts with and then bake in the oven for hassle free chicken. Serve with salad or a jacket potato for a healthy, nutritious meal.

11. Jacket potatoes - Jacket potatoes can be served as a main meal or as a side dish. Microwave, or bake in the oven to get a crispier skin, and serve with a tasty topping. Topping ideas - baked beans, beans and grated cheese, tuna and sweetcorn mayonnaise, curry, chilli, coleslaw, bacon and mushrooms, mushroom condensed soup, prawns and mayonnaise or prawn and marie rose dressing, bolognese sauce, cottage cheese, cream cheese and chives.

12. Pork chops - Pork chops are quick and easy to cook. Grill or coat with a marinade and bake. A simple but great tasting recipe is to brush with a mixture of soy sauce and marmalade and bake in the oven - very tasty.

13. Make double - Whenever you make a pasta sauce, chilli, bolognese or casserole, make double the amount and freeze for a quick meal on another day.

14. Search online for quick recipes - Print out recipe ideas, file in a ring binder and give them a rating when you have tried them. You'll soon build up a file of recipes that you can depend on.

15. Use Pre-prepared food - Use prepared salads or chopped vegetables to cut down on preparation time.

You will find many more tips, main meal ideas and recipes online. Enjoy experimenting and trying out new recipes.

About the author: Roger Wakefield works for the Recipe Collection site. If you are seeking a recipe collection which includes recipes for main family meals, amongst others, then 'Recipe Collection' the site for you. There you are sure to find a great recipe to please every palate.

The recipe for corn fitters is an old one, yet just as delicious today. I have added Splenda blend to the recipe to bring out the sweetness of the corn. We eat sugar-free syrup, but you may serve the fritters with real maple syrup if you wish. Corn souffle is a tasty side dish for grilled steak, barbecued chicken and ribs. Follow the directions to the letter and serve immediately to ensure a light, puffy souffle.

Fresh Corn Fritters and Maple Syrup

1 cup cooked fresh corn

1 cup presifted regular flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon low sodium salt

2 teaspoons Splenda blend

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 cup skim milk

Cut corn off the cob. Separate any kernels that are stuck together. Place corn in bowl and set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and Splenda blend in small bowl. Whisk eggs, canola oil, and milk together. Add fresh corn. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture.

Fill a cast iron skillet half way with canola oil and heat. Drop batter by tablespoons into hot oil, turning once, and cook until fritters are golden brown. Serve with sugar-free maple syrup, sausage, bacon or ham, and mixed fresh fruit. Makes six servings.

Corn Souffle with Chiles and Red Peppers

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons soft margarine

3 tablespoons gravy flour

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Splenda blend

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons canned green chiles, drained and diced

2 tablespoons roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and diced

1 cup cooked fresh corn

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Separate eggs into whites and yolks. Put whites in mixer bowl and yolks in medium bowl. Beat yolks with fork.

Melt margarine in medium saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings. Cook for one minute. Add milk and, stirring constantly, cook until mixture thickens. Stir in a little egg yolk to temper sauce. Add remaining yolks and cook over medium heat until very thick. Remove from heat.

Fold diced chilies, red peppers, and corn into sauce. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir several tablespoons of whites into vegetable-sauce mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whites and pour into ungreased souffle dish. Bake for 50 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.

Copyright 2008 by Harriet Hodgson

About the author: Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 30 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from Amazon.com

Centering Corporation in Omaha, NE, North America's oldest and largest grief resource center, is publishing her 26th book, "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss & Grief to a New Life."

Please visit Hodgson's Web site to learn more about this busy author and grandmother. http://www.harriethodgson.com

Ingredients:

Butter, for greasing

14 oz dried penne

1 tbsp olive oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

4 fresh basil sprigs

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese or halloumi cheese

4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and black pepper

fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Preparation:

1 - Lightly grease an oven-proof dish

2 - Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the penne and olive oil and cook until just tender, but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta, set aside, and keep warm.

3 - Beat the eggs into the ricotta cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4 - Spoon half of the penne into the base of the dish and cover with half of the basil leaves.

5 - Spoon over half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the mozzarella or halloumi cheese and then top with the remaining basil leaves. Cover with the remaining penne and then spoon over the remaining ricotta cheese mixture. Lightly sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese.

6 - Bake in a preheated oven at 375F for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese topping is bubbling.

7 - Garnish with basil leaves, if desired, and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6

Mangiare!

About the author: For more delicious Italian recipes please visit us at www.ItalianHomeRecipes.com