You certainly can’t accuse Craig and I of being sloppy when it comes to Dexie’s meal times. He eats exactly what we have most evenings - if not a slightly mashed up version. Craig LOVES to cook so Dexter will get his meat, veg, and potatoes every night. That said, we do take the occasional short-cut and buy meat in breadcrumbs for when Craig is back late and fancies a night in front of the telly and not bent over a hot oven (I do work his manly fingers to the bone!). Richmond Mini Meatballs falls firmly under this category - quick-and-easy to prepare and a guaranteed hit with little people.

For the first time ever - we thought we mess around and create a visual masterpiece, rather than a munchkin click-lock bowl heaped to high heaven with mushy peas, gravy and donated lumps of mummy and daddy’s roast turkey…. Yep, we created a meatball lasagne pool table!

Okay, okay, it’s hardly the most beautiful dish in the village and it’s not likely tobe crowned as Britain’s Best Dish, but it’s our attempt to fit in with the big boys and embrace our inner child. I think Craigy did a fabulous job!

Here’s how he achieved it!

Ingredients:

1x tin of chopped tomatoes
1x packet of cheese sauce (yes we cheated)
Lasagne verdi pasta sheets
1 (all important) packet of Richmond Mini Meatballs
A handful of button mushrooms
Breadsticks
Tomato puree
Herbs, basil, parsley (optional)
Salt & pepper

Recipe (just in case you’re mad enough to try it out)

1. Make up the cheese sauce (as per the packet instructions)
2. In another saucepan (forgot to mention this dish is heavy on the washing up!) add the can of chopped tomatoes, 2 table spoons of puree, and any combination of herbs. Season with salt & pepper and give it a good old mix. Heat it up on the hob for 2-3 minutes
3. As if you didn’t have enough on the go, bake the RICHMOND meatballs in the oven for 8 minutes
4. Take the meatballs out of the oven and add half to each saucepan (leaving one behind for the cue ball)
5. Place the lasagne sheets in boiling water for a few minutes to soften up
6. Pour half the sauce from each pan side by side in a rectangular dish, and place the sheets on top.
7. Place the meatballs in a triangular shape up one end, and place another plain one the other end for the cue ball
8. Slice some mushrooms and place in the corners and half way on each side for the pockets, and have the breadsticks for the cue’s
9. Serve straight away

Preparation time = 10-15 mins (or if you’re as useless as me, all day)

The verdict? Well Dexter smirked at daddy’s efforts and looked utterly perplexed by the pool table (bear in mind he’s just 13 months and has never seen one before in his life). He did however love the meatballs. So much so, that he did that wide open mouth and starry-eyed thing that babies do. They taste exactly the same as Richmond sausages (yummy!) and were an easy texture for Dexie to handle. We’ll be buying them again most definitely!

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