Cooking for a family can be tough at the best of times, especially when you have the pitter-patter of small energetic feet distracting you, homework to be helped with and washing to get on.
Doing all that in the middle of a pandemic is even more challenging.
So it's no wonder that Donal Skehan, our go-to cook for speedy meals that are as nutritious as they are delicious, has taken this particular challenge head on in his new series, Donal's Family Food in Minutes, airing tonight on RTÉ One.
Skehan has always said that when it comes to his recipes, he cooks what his family likes to eat and with two children under two years of age who seem to love food as much as their famous dad, there's no doubt he's cracked the secret to keeping all members of the family happy come dinner time.
The new series sees Skehan take inspiration from his own busy household and family favourites, mixing in his trademarked flair for world flavours and diverse cuisines. He includes everything from midweek saviours and lazy brunches, to sweet treats to get stuck into with kids and special date night meals for the nights you can steal some moments alone.
It's clear that Skehan has dug deep for this series, returning – like many of us during the last few months – to his childhood favourites, the dishes that bring him and his loved ones comfort.
And of course, being one of the most prolific cooks on Irish television – celebrating 10 years on our screens this year – he has his own bank of absolute classic recipes and fan favourites, so there's plenty to dip into.
On a personal note, it's been a red letter year for the Skehan family. Having moved from LA back to Ireland amid the outbreak of Covid-19, and with a newborn in tow to boot, there's no doubt this has been a challenging year for the family.
Skehan has been outspoken about the difficulties they've experienced as they try to settle back into a normal pace of life, sharing updates on his Instagram and offering a peek behind the glamour of social media.
"What a bloody year", starts one recent post. "As we face down the barrel of a pretty tough looking winter it's time to check in."
"It's highs and lows over here. I've always struggled with some form of anxiety and only recently in the past couple of years put a name on it. Left unmanaged it can sabotage so many great things about life. I’ve experienced burnout in recent years and put things in place like yoga, walks, & meditation to try and combat those feelings and refill the cup and while they certainly help, there are always days that they don’t.
"We’re so happy to be close to home in all this uncertainty but this year has thrown all sorts of personal challenges which have definitely made things more difficult to deal with.
"The one thing that helps the most and makes the difference is talking to friends and family- somehow sharing where you're at does help remove the power of any negative thoughts."
And as anyone knows by now, food – cooking it, sharing it, eating it – is one of the easiest ways to turn a bad day around, so we're particularly excited to get stuck into this new series.
On tonight's episode...
Skehan kicks things off with a host of recipes that are both familiar and comforting, and interesting and exciting.
This week's offering includes a Family Taco Feast inspired by the taco truck Donal visited every Tuesday in L.A. Followed by his most popular recipe, an indulgent Chocolate Biscuit Cake to satisfy any chocoholics dreams. His One Pan Italian Chicken will have everyone coming back for more and to finish up is his Damn Good Shepherd's Pie which let’s face it, says it all in the title!
Watch Donal's Family Food in Minutes on RTÉ One, Wednesdays at 8.30pm
