Don't you just love those all-in-one meals that can be scooped out with a big spoon, all the flavours mingling together? Terry Farris reveals her five favourites

These recipes are so easy, healthy and inexpensive, no week's menu should be without at least one or two. Once the initial effort of assembly is made, your all-in-one meal cooks away, leaving you to get on with other things. Ingredients go further, which helps the budget. And once you've got the idea, there's lots of room for experimentation. So forget the individual convenience foods and whip up a one-pot-wonder.

Recipes serve 4-6 depending on appetite

• Lazy Chicken and Rice
• Roasted Vegetable Lasagne
• Potato, Spinach and Pork Chop Bake
• Turkey, Pea and Ham Pot Pie
• Minced Beef Hot Pot with Potato Crunchies

Lazy Chicken and Rice
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45-55 minutes

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs, skin on
4 chicken drumsticks
salt and black pepper
2 tbsp light oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
250g mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp mixed dried herbs
Half tsp crushed chillies (optional)
250g basmati or long grain rice
850ml boiling chicken stock (Marigold Swiss bouillon powder or a cube is OK, but reduce the salt, if using)
juice of 1 juicy lime or lemon

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and lightly oil a large, ovenproof baking dish. Heat the rest of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and fry until the skin is golden, about 5-7 minutes.

2. While the chicken is frying, scatter the chopped onion, pepper, mushrooms, garlic, herbs, chillies (if using) and rice over the bottom of the baking dish. Lay the browned chicken pieces on top, skin side up.

3. Pour the lime or lemon juice into the hot stock, place the baking dish with the chicken and rice on the middle shelf in the oven and carefully pour over the boiling stock. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Check for doneness - the chicken should be thoroughly cooked and the rice tender. If not, cook a little longer, checking after 5 or 10 minutes.

Note: if you have a fan-assisted oven, check half-way through cooking to make sure the liquid has not evaporated away, adding more (water will do) if necessary.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
450g courgettes
1 aubergine
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 kg firm, ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
10-12 fresh basil leaves, torn
salt and pepper
2 x 125g buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced
150g fresh lasagne sheets
100g freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. Slice the courgettes and aubergine into half -cm/ half-inch diagonal slices. Heat a ridged grill pan, brush the slices with olive oil and grill for several minutes each side until chargrilled, then remove. You will have to do this in batches.

2. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Brush the inside of a large baking dish with a little oil. Place a layer of sliced tomatoes (about one third of the total) on the bottom, slightly overlapping. Next, layer with half of the courgette and aubergine slices. Sprinkle with half the chopped garlic and one tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Scatter over half of the torn basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.

3. Layer half of the mozzarella slices on top, then cover with half the lasagne sheets. Continue layering with the rest of the ingredients, ending with a layer of tomatoes on top. Sprinkle over the Parmesan.

4. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes until the Parmesan is golden on top.

Potato, Spinach and Pork Chop Layered Bake

Prep time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes, plus 10 minutes resting

You could substitute thick slices of ham or gammon steaks for the pork chops.

Ingredients:
1 kg potatoes
4 x thick pork chops or pork loin steaks
1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, sliced
275ml single or double cream
2 eggs
salt and black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
200g spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions:
1. Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pan of boiling water and cook until just done, about 10-20 minutes, depending on size. Drain and when cool enough to handle, peel and slice into half-cm/half-inch slices.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and, over a high heat, quickly brown the pork on both sides. Remove from the pan. In the same pan and oil fry the onions until soft and just beginning to colour, about 10 minutes. In a bowl or pouring jug mix the cream and eggs, season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg and add the onion.

3. Lightly grease a baking dish, approximately 21 x 30 cm/8 x 12 ins and 8 cm/3 ins deep (or a similar size in square, round or oval). Begin with a layer of potato slices, then a handful of raw spinach, packing the spinach down with your hand as best you can. Then spoon over half of the onion and cream mixture.

4. Continue to layer the potatoes, spinach and onion mixture, ending with a layer of potatoes.

5. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Lay the browned pork chops (or gammon steaks on top), cover with tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until set and heated through. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the liquid to be re-absorbed.

Turkey, Pea and Ham Pot Pie

This is great for making in advance and leaving in the fridge or freezer until ready to bake. For a special touch, make small, individual pies using 6 x 200ml glass ramekins.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
500g diced turkey thighs
1 thick slice of ham (about 175g) from a supermarket deli counter, cut into bite-size chunks
5 tbsp flour
salt and pepper
3-4 tbsp light oil
1 onion, chopped
250ml chicken stock
150g frozen peas
2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp creme fraiche (half-fat is fine)
375g ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Place the flour in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss the turkey chunks until coated. Shake off any excess flour, retaining it in the bowl. Heat about one or two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan and brown the turkey on all sides, working in batches and adding more oil as needed, then remove from the pan.

2. Heat the rest of the oil in the same (unwashed) pan and fry the onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour (about one tablespoon) and cook for one minute. 3. Pour over the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the turkey to the pan, add the ham, peas and herbs and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche, if using. Transfer the mixture to a pie or baking dish, approximately 23-25 cm/9-10 ins in diameter (or equivalent in square, rectangle or oval) and allow to cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Lay out the puff pastry, rolling if necessary, to a size just larger than the top of your baking dish. Brush the edge of the dish with a little of the beaten egg and lay the pastry on top, pressing gently to seal. Crimp lightly around the edges with your fingers or a fork. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg and use the leftover pastry to cut shapes and decorate, if desired. Brush the decorations with more egg and make small slits in the top for steam to escape.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is completely heated through and the pastry golden brown.

Minced Beef Hot Pot with Potato Crunchies

This should be a big hit with the kids - a version of cottage pie with quick and easy potato crunchies on top instead of mash.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
500g minced beef
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 tbsp flour
1 x 295g can of Campbell?s beef consomme (or use beef stock)
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
100g frozen or canned sweet corn (optional)
400-450g frozen potato croquettes or oven crunchies, depending on size of dish

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion, celery and carrot until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the beef and brown well, using a fork or wooden spoon to break up the mince. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Add the can of beef consomme or stock, the tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning (the consomme can be quite salty), add the sweet corn, if using, and cook another minute or so until heated through.

3. Spoon into a baking dish and arrange the frozen potato croquettes or oven crunchies on top. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and bake for 25 minutes or until the croquettes are hot and golden.

If making this dish ahead, cool the meat mixture and keep in the fridge until ready to bake. If freezing, once cooled, lay the frozen croquettes on top and return to the freezer.