How to feed the family on just one day’s cooking a week…WITHOUT panic buying

SELF-ISOLATING for two weeks could be the reality for millions of us as coronavirus cases soar.

Making nutritious meals will be a priority if you are forced to stay in — and with a bit of preparation it will still be possible to eat well.

YouTube and Instagram star Suzanne Mulholland — aka The Batch Lady — believes the key to coping with any enforced confinement is getting organised now and NOT panic-buying.

The mum of two, who lives on the Scottish Borders with her husband Peter, 44, and children Jake, 13, and 11-year-old Zara, has devised a system where your meal-time preparation just means grabbing something from the freezer.

Suzanne, 44, says: “There is no point in panic-buying more than you need, especially if these goods are perishable and won’t last.

“It’s much better to plan ahead wisely, and get organised in advance.

“I’ve been batch cooking for more than ten years and started when my children were small.

“I realised I was spending too long cooking meals, and knew there must be a more effective way.

“I’ve developed a system where I make modern batch-cooked meals that can all be made in advance and stored in the freezer.

“I’m all about efficiency and my background is in business and time management, so I enjoyed the challenge of trying to put my skills to good use.

“It means I only cook once a week and my freezer is always full of delicious meals.”

With Suzanne having more time on her hands, she started sharing some of her tips with her friends and other mums at the school gates.

In 2017 she invited 20 pals round for a demonstration of how to cook ten meals in an hour.

She explains: “They were blown away with how easy it is and encouraged me to post a video on social media.”

Now Suzanne has shared her no-nonsense advice with thousands of fans and written her first book, The Batch Lady, full of recipes and tips.

She says: “I’ve worked my recipes around three-drawer freezers.

“I use silicon freezer bags or plastic bags, which enables you to freeze flat.

“Everything is stored in your freezer like library books.

“Things such as frozen vegetables, baked beans — if you can get them — and tuna are always good to have in, as are potatoes.

“You can create a meal very easily with those few ingredients.

“I suggest making one to eat now then popping one in the freezer for when you need it.”

Suzanne thinks it is worth having a stash of sandwiches ready to go for kids’ lunches, too.

She says: “Sandwiches with filling such as cheese and ham, peanut butter and tuna mayo all freeze well.

“The key is to make sure your filling is not too wet.”

• The Batch Lady, by Suzanne Mulholland (£20, HQ), is out now.

Spinach and ricotta stuffed chicken

(Serves   4)

Preparation time: 10 ­minutes.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

You need:

• 8 cubes frozen, chopped spinach
• 1 x 250g tub ricotta
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 8 slices Parma ham
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Put your frozen spinach in a heatproof bowl and cook in the microwave on high for 2½ minutes, then stir and cook for 2 minutes more.
2. Drain the spinach through a colander lined with kitchen paper, pressing down to remove as much liquid as possible, then return the spinach to the bowl.
3. Add the ricotta cheese and nutmeg to the bowl with the spinach, then stir to combine. Season to taste and set aside.
4. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place the chicken breast flat on a chopping board and press down on it with the palm of your hand.
5. Working from the thickest end of the breast, insert a sharp knife two-thirds of the way through the meat and carefully slice down the length to the thinnest end.
6. Repeat until all your chicken breasts are butterflied.
7. Open your chicken breasts along the cuts you have created and spoon a quarter of the filling mixture into each.
8. Wrap each of the filled chicken breasts in two slices of Parma ham, securing as neatly as possible to keep the filling inside.

To cook: To cook straight away, transfer to a foil-lined ­baking tray and cook in an oven preheated to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for 30-40 minutes, until tender and juicy. Serve with your choice of ­vegetables alongside.

To freeze: Lay the filled chicken breasts on a large sheet of foil, then fold over the edges and crimp together to form a sealed parcel. Transfer to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat for up to one month.

To cook from frozen: Simply remove the chicken breasts from the freezer and leave to defrost fully, Cook as described in the To Cook section.

Chicken, tomato and chorizo pasta bag

(Serves 4)

Preparation time: 10 ­minutes.

Cooking time: 15 minutes.

You need:

• A splash of olive oil
• 1 cup (115g) chopped, frozen onions
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 5mm (¼in) slices
• ¼ cup (115g) bacon lardons
• ¼ cup (120g) frozen, diced chorizo
• ½ cup 100g store-bought, sun-dried tomato pesto
• 70g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 3¼ cups (300g) penne pasta, to serve

Method:

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onions and chicken and cook, stirring occasionally until browned, for about 5 minutes.
2. Once the chicken has browned, add the bacon ­lardons and chorizo and stir through, then cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.
3. Stir through the pesto and sun-dried tomatoes then remove the pan from the heat.

To cook: If you are making this to serve now, simply cook the pasta in ­boiling water according to packet instructions, until tender.
Stir the pasta through the chicken and pesto mixture, then divide between ­serving bowls and serve warm.

To freeze: Set the chicken and pesto mixture aside until cooled to room ­temperature, then transfer to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat for up to three months.

To cook from frozen: Remove the bag from the freezer and leave to ­completely defrost in the fridge. Once defrosted, transfer to a pan and cook until piping hot. Cook the pasta in a separate pan, then combine as described in the To Cook section.

Moussaka

(Serves   6)

Preparation time: 20 ­minutes.

Cooking time: 60 minutes.

You need:

• Butter, for greasing
• Splash of olive oil
• 1 cup (115g) frozen, chopped onions
• 2 tsp frozen, chopped garlic
• 500g minced lamb
• 2 x 400g cans whole tomatoes, drained
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp dried mixed Italian herbs
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 500g frozen, roasted aubergines
• 1 x 250g tub ricotta cheese
• 1 x 200g pack feta cheese
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:

1. Grease a large ­baking dish with butter.
2. Heat a splash of oil in a large pan, then add the onions, garlic and minced lamb and cook, ­stirring continuously, for 5–7 minutes over a medium heat until the meat has browned.
3. Drain any excess fat from the pan then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, dried herbs and cinnamon and stir to combine.
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to cook for 20 ­minutes.
5. Using scissors, snip the ­frozen aubergine slices into 2.5cm (1in) strips and layer half of these in the base of your ­prepared dish. Set aside.
6. In a large bowl, beat together the ricotta, feta and beaten egg until well combined, then ­season generously with salt and pepper.
7. Once the meat has finished simmering, pour the mixture into the baking dish over the layer of aubergines, ensuring that it reaches the edges in an even layer. Top the meat with another layer of aubergines, then pour the cheese and egg mixture over the top and spread to form an even layer.

To cook: Transfer to an oven preheated to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for 35–40 minutes, until golden and bubbling. If the top of the moussaka browns too quickly, cover with foil for the remainder of the ­cooking time.

To freeze: If you are making the moussaka ahead to freeze, set aside until cooled to room temperature, then cover with a layer of cling film followed by a layer of foil. Label clearly and transfer to the freezer for up to one month.

To cook from frozen: Remove the moussaka from the freezer and defrost ­thoroughly, then cook the ­moussaka as described in the To Cook ­section.

Katsu fish curry

(Serves   4)

Preparation time: 15 ­minutes.

Cooking time: 25 minutes.

You need:

• 2 cups (300g) frozen, chopped carrots
• ¾ cup (180ml) coconut milk
• 1 x 180g jar katsu curry paste
• 4 x panko-breaded, shop-bought cod fillets (if not breading your own)
• Cooked rice, to serve
• If breading your own fish:
• 4 x skinless, boneless cod fillets (125–200g each)
• 1 cup (130g) plain flour
• 3 cups (130g) panko breadcrumbs
• 3 eggs, beaten vegetable oil, for frying
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil over a medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook for 5–7 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2. If you are using fish fillets that are already breaded, skip the next 2 stages and continue from step 4.
3. While the carrots are cooking, put the flour on a plate and ­season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Put the panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl, then put the beaten eggs in a ­separate ­shallow bowl. Set all 3 dishes next to each other on worktop.
5. Dredge the fillets of cod in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the egg and, finally, roll in the breadcrumbs until coated. Set aside and repeat until all of the fish is coated.
6. Heat the coconut milk in a small pan over a low heat, then add the katsu paste, stir to ­combine and cook gently, ­stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to simmer.
7. Add the cooked carrots to the sauce, stir to combine, then remove the pan from the heat.

To cook: Transfer the fish to a baking sheet and cook in an oven preheated to 180C/350F/gas mark 5 for 15 minutes, until golden. Serve the fish on a bed of rice, with the warm katsu sauce spooned over.

To freeze: Transfer the fish to a large, labelled freezer bag. Leave the sauce to cool to room ­temperature, then spoon into a smaller freezer bag, seal and place inside the bag with the fish.        Freeze for up to three months.

To cook from frozen: Take the frozen fish and cook at 180C/350F/gas mark for 20–25 minutes, until golden. Defrost the sauce in the microwave until piping hot then serve as described in the To Cook section.

Nduja pasta bag

(Serves   4)

Preparation time: 10 ­minutes.

Cooking time: 15 minutes.

You need:

• Splash of olive oil
• 2 cups (230g) frozen, chopped onions
• 1 tsp frozen, chopped garlic
• 4–5 tbsp nduja spread. Nduja is a spicy paste made with pork and chilli from Calabria in Italy. You will find it beside the jars of pesto in most supermarkets
• 1½ cups (300g) cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 smoked sausage sliced
• 4 cups (400g) rigatoni pasta, to serve
• 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method:

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the nduja to the pan and stir until the onions are coated, then add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

To cook: If you are making this to serve now, stir in the smoked sausage and keep warm while you cook the pasta. Stir the cooked pasta through the nduja and sausage mixture, then divide between serving bowls, scatter with Parmesan and serve warm.

To freeze: Set the mixture aside until cooled to room ­temperature, then stir through the smoked sausage and ­transfer to a labelled freezer bag.

To cook from frozen: Remove the bag from the freezer and leave to ­completely defrost in the fridge. Once defrosted, transfer to a pan and cook until piping hot. Cook the pasta in a separate pan then combine as described in the To Cook section.

Spinach and ricotta cannelloni

(Serves   6)

Preparation time: 20 ­minutes.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

You need:

• 8 cubes frozen, chopped spinach
• 2 x 250g tubs ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 large jar store-bought tomato sauce
• 12 dried cannelloni shells
• 1 cup (115g) grated mozzarella cheese (optional)

Method:

1. Put the frozen spinach in a heatproof bowl and cook in the microwave on high for 2½ minutes, then stir and cook for 2 minutes more.
2. Drain the spinach through a colander lined with kitchen paper, pressing down to remove as much liquid as possible, then return the spinach to the bowl.
3. Add the ricotta and nutmeg to the bowl with the spinach, stir to combine and set aside.
4. Pour half of the tomato sauce into the base of a large baking dish.
5. Using your hands or a teaspoon, fill the cannelloni shells with the spinach and ricotta mixture, then lay them in an even layer over the tomato sauce in the base of the baking dish.
6. Once all the tubes are filled, pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pasta, then scatter on the optional grated mozzarella.

To cook: Simply transfer to an oven preheated to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden and ­bubbling and pasta is tender.

To freeze: Wrap cannelloni with a layer of cling film followed by a layer of foil, then label and freeze flat for up to one month.

To cook from frozen: This can be defrosted or cooked directly from frozen. If defrosted, cook as described. If cooking from ­frozen, increase the cooking time to 1¼-1½ hours, covering with foil if the top starts to catch and ensuring it is piping hot before serving.

Chicken katsu burgers

(Serves   4)

Preparation time: 10 ­minutes.

Cooking time: 15 minutes.

You need:

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 3-4 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp mild curry powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 x 200g pack panko breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• To serve:
• 1 tbsp shop-bought katsu curry paste or 4 tbsp katsu curry sauce
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise (if using curry paste rather than sauce)
• Shredded lettuce and grated carrot
• 4 brioche burger buns, halved

Method:

1. Slice each of the chicken breasts into five long pieces, then set aside.
2. Put the flour, curry powder and salt on a plate and mix to combine. Put the panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl, then put the beaten eggs in a ­separate shallow bowl.
3. Set all three dishes next to each other on the worktop. Dredge the pieces of chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.
4. Dip them in the egg, then roll in the panko breadcrumbs until coated. Set aside and repeat until all the chicken is coated.

To cook: Bake the chicken at 190C/375F/gas mark 5 for 10-15 minutes, until golden. If using the katsu paste, ­combine with the mayonnaise, then spread over the buns. Layer up buns with lettuce, carrot and a few goujons. If using katsu sauce, heat in a pan and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve.

To freeze: Transfer the coated chicken to a lined baking sheet, then transfer to the freezer for 3-4 hours. After this time, transfer to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat for up to one month.

To cook from frozen: Take the frozen chicken and bake at 190C/375F/gas mark 5 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and tender and juicy. Once cooked, assemble the burgers as described in the To Cook section.

Lamb and feta burgers

(Makes 4 large or 6 medium burgers)

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

Cooking time: 12 minutes.

You need:

• 500g minced lamb
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 100g feta cheese, cut into 1cm cubes
• Splash of olive oil, for frying
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• TO SERVE:
• 4 brioche burger buns, halved
• Salad leaves
• Corn on the cob
• Sauce of your choice (sriracha mayo or cucumber yoghurt would work well)

Method:

1. Put the meat, Worcestershire sauce, dried herbs and a generous grinding of salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix with your fingers until well combined.
2. Depending on the size you want your burgers, split the mixture into four or six equal-sized portions, then divide the cubed feta evenly between the portions of meat.
3. Shape each portion of meat into a burger patty, pressing the feta cubes firmly into the mixture.

To cook: Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Serve in brioche buns with salad, corn on the cob and your choice of sauce alongside.

To freeze: Transfer to a clearly labelled freezer bag in a single layer, then freeze flat for up to one month.

To cook from frozen: These are best defrosted and cooked in a pan as described above. If you want to cook them from frozen, cook in an oven preheated to 200C/400F/ gas mark 6 for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through.