You just can’t go wrong with this warming, filling and family-loving sausage and lentil casserole. As soon as it starts bubbling away on the stove we start getting a steady stream of visitors asking ‘what’s cooking?’, ‘is it ready yet?’, ‘can I just have a taste?’ All in a ten minute period.

“Hi Scott, just wanted to say the family loved the sausage and lentil casserole last night – we’ll be having that one again!” – Katherine

Last week I was asked how we found time to create the menu plans – I think we’re up to 48 weeks worth now, and basically it just comes down to using those little pockets of time that everyone has in their day. You know, the little empty spaces around the larger events – while you’re watching TV, waiting for the pasta to boil, the brief period you have before you go pick up the kids, or even that most underutilised block of time – waiting by the side while your kids swim, dance, play, practice, train… You know what I mean. There’s so much we can get done once we realise that there is very little that actually has to be finished in one sitting.

Nothing too extravagant planned for this week, but we do have something new on Sunday and a couple easy basics as well. Should be good.

If you would like to create a plan for yourself then please check back here soon as I’m currently writing a special report that will be a short, free, ‘How to create your own menu plan – the easy way’.

This Week’s Menu

Last Week’s Family Favourite

(NB: Many of our recipes have been taken from various books throughout the years, as well as created from scratch or passed down within the family. Unfortunately, I have no idea where most have come from, so if you read a recipe that belongs to you, then I’m sorry and please feel free to lay claim)

Sausage and Lentil Casserole

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Freezing: Recommended (ie, cook double and freeze half)

Ingredients

• 450g (16oz) pack of pork sausages
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 large carrot, coarsely grated
• 175g (6oz) Puy lentils
• fresh thyme, to taste
• 400g (aprox 14oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 600ml (1 pint) hot beef stock
• 4 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooking

1. Prick the sausages all over, then dry-fry in a non-stick pan, until lightly coloured. Add the onion to the pan and continue to stir-fry until the onion is softened and golden. Add the garlic and carrot and cook for a further minute.
2. Stir in the lentils, thyme sprigs, chopped tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding a drop of water if the mixture becomes too dry. Season to taste.
3. When the casserole is ready to serve, stir in the crème fraîche and serve with mashed potatoes.

TOP TIPS Try Puy lentils, which you will find in good supermarkets. They require no soaking and taste great! Otherwise, green, red or continental lentils are a good substitute.

VARIATION For a vegetation option, user 2 x 250g packs of Quorn sausages and replace the beef stock with a good quality vegetable stock.

How about preparing this for Guy Fawkes night or the 4th of July? It can be made well in advance, leaving you time to concentrate on the festivities.

Serve with a generous spoonful of mashed swede (rutabaga), which is an interesting alternative to potatoes.

If you would like help creating your own Menu Plan then check back here soon as I’m currently writing a special report that will be a short, free, ‘How to create your own menu plan – the easy way’.

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Have you tried this recipe or any of the dishes listed? If so, let us know what you liked or disliked the most… any variations that worked better for you?