On Friday night I realised, with a modicum of horror, that I was required to produce dinner for ten (yes, count them 10!) teenage junior recipe testers. And that I had approximately 20 mins to do it.

I would like to tell you that this is something I do routinely, and without thinking or consequence to my nervous system. I relish cooking dinner for this particular crowd, all regular visitors in our home. Three of them are permanent residents and also require meals on nights other than Fridays, however I generally need more than 20 minutes notice for a mission of this magnitude.

The short notice was unfortunately due to my own ineptitude at keeping up with the social engagements of said juniors, and my inability to stay abreast of the emails that alerted me to the brewing situation. With spectacular irony, one of the juniors read the reminder announcement on social media, another avenue of information I had missed, and let me know of the need for a substantial snack - or more rightly, something resembling dinner.

Enter Meatballs in Classic Tomato Sauce.

Now, before I continue I hasten to tell you: I wrote the label for this ever popular dinner. I know that it says "Defrost overnight in the fridge or in the microwave on defrost function" & "Reheat gently".

Let me tell you what else I know: on that label I lied.

If the stress levels are sufficiently high, the meatballs can be blasted in the microwave on full whack for approximately 3 mins. They can then be squeezed out of their pouches into a saucepan and heated on high. They can be stabbed with a sharp knife to break up the large frozen chunks and covered with a lid.

In this state they can be heated in the time it takes to finish the "bake at home" bread rolls.

Once the bread rolls are cooked, Meatballs in Classic Tomato Sauce make excellent meatball subs, topped with grated cheese.

Meatball subs can be devoured by teenage junior recipe testers in mere moments standing around the kitchen bench. Sitting on the couch is to be discouraged unless you don't mind mopping homemade tomato sauce off your cushions.

When I cook dinner for people in my home I am usually at pains to create something that is balanced, contains multiple vegetables & possibly different options for those who are picky. When I am pushed it becomes a snatch and grab.

The juniors declared it to be the best dinner they'd had at our house (and there have been a few to choose from). A couple turned up for dinner again on Saturday night, which is both a joy and a compliment.

Our hope is that Dinner on the Table will help you gather your people and enjoy good food that's been cooked for you. You needn't be stressed because we've done all the hard work.

And no, you're never going to read on our labels: stab at it with a sharp knife and boil it on full whack for the shortest time possible.

But now you know the truth.