My fridge is full of stuff that needs using up. Half a roast chicken, some juicy ripe cherry tomatoes, a pack of mozzarella pearls I don’t even remember buying…

So I decided to whip up a delicious toasted sandwich for lunch this afternoon.

Two thickly cut slices of fresh white bread, piled high with chicken, tomato, mozzarella and basil.

Lightly buttered on the outside and toasted in my George Forman. Man, I love those machines. 

So delicious! Quick and easy, too!

If you’re veggie, or prefer meat-free you could switch the chicken for avocado. That would be yummy!

I hope you are having a wonderful Friday. What did you have for lunch today?

~ Natalie

The post Busy Mum Lunch: Toasted chicken, tomato, mozzarella and basil sandwich appeared first on One Busy WAHM.

Preparing meals that the whole family will love can be a challenge. My 3-year-old will eat almost anything, however, my 6-year-old would quite happily live on a diet of nuggets given half a chance. With a hard-working husband in need of something more substantial when he comes home after a long day, I am always on the look out for tasty, nutritious meals that we can all enjoy.

Mini Meatball & Mozzarella Stuffed Tomatoes

Preparation time: 3 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

You will need:

• Richmond Mini Meatballs
• Fresh tomatoes
• Mozzarella pearls
• Basil leaves
• Spaghetti pasta
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper to season
• Fresh parmesan

How To:

• Pre-heat your over to 180°
• Slice the top off your tomatoes, and using a teaspoon, scoop out the watery, seeded core

• Place one or two mozzarella pearls in the bottom of each tomato case, along with a small basil leaf
• Place on an oven tray and bake at 180° for 8-10 minutes – or until cheese has melted and tomatoes softened.

• At the same time, place your meatballs on a baking tray and cook for 8-10 minutes also.  

• Whilst your tomatoes and meatballs are in the oven, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
• Once cooked, drain the spaghetti, add a splash of olive oil and season lightly with freshly ground salt and pepper. Gently stir to mix through. 

To Serve:

• Place 2 or 3 meatballs into each baked tomato and serve on a bed of spaghetti
• Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and garnish with a leaf of fresh basil.
• Enjoy!

The verdict? 4 empty plates!

No complaints, no fussy-picking and no requests for ketchup. They loved it!

It was a pleasure to serve a tasty, nutritious dinner that everyone enjoyed. Quick, hassle-free and I loved that it looked fun for the children, yet still maintained the look of a grown-up meal, too.

This post is an entry for BritMums’ Hungry to Happy Challenge sponsored by Richmond Mini Meatballs.

Disclaimer: I received a coupon for the purchase of Richmond Mini Meatballs. All ideas and recipe are 100% my own.

The post Mini Meatball & Mozzarella Stuffed Tomatoes appeared first on One Busy WAHM.