Thrifty dinners

Try our tasty line-up of easy and affordable dinners to guaranteed please all the family.

Tuna & rice pies

SERVES 4-6 PREP+ COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ REFRIGERATION+FREEZING TIME)

2 cups (300g) cooked white rice

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2/3 cup (200g) whole egg mayonnaise

3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

4 sheets puff pastry, partially thawed

425g canned tuna in oil, drained

1 egg, beaten lightly

lemon wedges, extra dill, for serving

1 Combine the rice, onion, parsley and half the mayonnaise in a medium bowl; season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, remaining mayonnaise, dill and rind; season.

2 Cut 2 pastry sheets to make 16cm x 24cm rectangles and place on a large baking paper-lined oven tray (reserve trimmed pastry strips for decoration).

3 Divide the rice mixture between pastry rectangles, leaving a 2cm boarder. Top each with half the flaked tuna and half the egg mixture.

4 Brush pastry edges with beaten egg. Place remaining untrimmed pastry sheets on top; press around the filling and trim excess pastry. Crimp edges to seal and brush pastry with beaten egg.

5 Cut out fish shapes from reserved pastry, freeze for 15 minutes. Decorate top of pie with fish shapes, brush shapes lightly with egg.

6 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fanforced). Bake on the lower shelf for 40 minutes or until dark golden brown.

Not suitable to freeze.

Serving suggestion: For a low-cost accompaniment, serve with blanched frozen peas.

Spiced chicken pilaf

SERVES 4 PREP+COOK TIME 40 MINUTES (+MARINATING TIME)

750g chicken thigh fillets, halved

1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon smoked paprika