If you want a peek into what our team Zoom calls look like, first of all — have you read our Links + Loves roundups?! Because they sound a lot like that. But secondly, we do a lot of recipe swapping. Sometimes out of excitement (this recipe was SO good), sometimes achievement (my kids actually liked it), and sometimes relief (I found an easy weeknight dinner recipe that didn’t turn my kitchen into a war zone).
This list of our favorite recipes is where it all overlaps: delicious, family-friendly, and somewhat simple or quick. Our team pulled together the recipes we’ve cooked more than once and found them to be worth it in every sense. We all have families — some of us with picky kids (or picky husbands) — and some of us like to cook while others prefer the eating part. But ALL of us have found ourselves in the kitchen a lot more in These Pandemic Times and the cooking rut is real. With that in mind, we hope you’ll find something new to add to your menu this week!
Spicy Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken Finger — Half Baked Harvest
This dinner is perfect for adults and kids. I mean baked chicken fingers with pretzel crumbs and a spicy sauce – the sauce is SO GOOD. My girls aren’t fans of it, so more for the adults! I pair this with some grilled broccolini and everyone is happy. —Jen
Roasted Citrus Beet Salad with Goat Cheese — Familystyle Food
Who says you can’t make a delicious salad in the winter? It IS citrus season after all! This Roasted Citrus Beet Salad With Goat Cheese is our favorite salad recipe right now. It has so many yummy flavors. —Jessi
Classic Italian Caprese Salad — An Italian in My Kitchen
This Easy Classic Italian Caprese Salad recipe is all my husband and I eat during the summer. We always add a side of cantaloupe melon — it sounds weird, but trust me. It’s an authentic Italian staple that will transport you straight to Lake Como! —Jessi
{photo via The Kitchn}
Bacon Avocado Salad Bowls — The Kitchn
Salads-as-a-meal can and should be delicious. This Bacon Avocado Tim Riggins Salad is, yes, named after a Friday Night Lights favorite. It’s nuanced and delicious…just like its namesake. —Brittany
One-Pot Chicken and Sage Dumplings — Half Baked Harvest
On cozy winter nights in Wisconsin, we love bundling up and slurping this amazing chicken + dumpling soup recipe from Half Baked Harvest. Sage in winter is my absolute favorite herb! —Danielle
Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage and Kale — The Modern Proper
This is a soup that’s both worthy of a dinner party and good for a quick kid-friendly dinner. I’ve made it SEVERAL times. It’s the most popular recipe on one of my favorite go-to food blogs, The Modern Proper, and for good reason. (Another favorite soup is this Whole30 Zuppa Toscana Soup from All the Healthy Things. It’s a warm hug in a bowl.) —Brittany
Saucy 30-Minute Thai Basil Salmon Curry — Half Baked Harvest
I’m obsessed with salmon, but always feel like I overcook it. This salmon Thai curry from Half Baked Harvest is incredible because you poach the salmon in the curry stew and cooks it beautifully. Juicy, spicy, cozy + fresh. It calls for a bunch ‘a basil, but cilantro works well, too! —Danielle
Favorite Easy Weeknight Dinner on Repeat: Homemade Pizza with Trader Joe’s Dough
An easy weeknight dinner for us is Trader Joe’s pizza dough with their pizza sauce and shredded mozz. My husband likes to add bell peppers and mushrooms but I like plain cheese. Or try this Burrata Pie or a White Pizza with Prosciutto and Hot Honey if you want something fancy! You can find the dough in the refrigerated section with pre-packaged soups and salads. —Katie
Tacos de Carnitas — New York Times Cooking
Tacos are life for my fam. If you’ve never made carnitas, this is my go-to recipe. Plus, I always have delicious leftovers for bowls, quesadillas, omelets, etc. (Two tips: skim the surface before you add the seasonings and start an hour earlier than you think you should.) It’s a simple recipe that takes a while to cook but it’s SO worth the wait. —Brittany
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30-Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs — Half Baked Harvest
This one is easy to make and tastes so good! My whole family loves it (which can be hard with 4 and 7-year-old girls!) I love serving the meatballs over farro and definitely add some hot naan bread. Yum! —Jen
Sheet Pan Korean Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Yum Yum Sauce — Half Baked Harvest
I love this recipe because it’s so much less work than you’d think it is and the chicken is super tender and flavorful. —Brittany
Beef Bulgogi Bowls — a Simple Weeknight Recipe from Hello Fresh
One of our favorite recipes we get in our Hello Fresh box is Beef Bulgogi bowls. There’s a lot of flavor in this one and I love a good bowl recipe. —Katie
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake — Half Baked Harvest
There is just something about cheesy rice. At times, I’ve baked this up weekly. It reheats deliciously for leftovers and it’s topped with TJ’s Everything Bagel Seasoning so it’s basically perfection. Try it with broccoli, too! —Brittany
Simple Weeknight Recipe: Kale Pesto with Grilled Chicken
One meal we’ve been making for years which is easy, healthy and everyone loves, is grilled chicken with pesto. I make my pesto with kale (instead of basil) and pistachios (instead of pine nuts) and Israeli couscous (also works great with quinoa but my girls aren’t fans of quinoa). —Jen
{photo above from a great recipe for Kale Pesto from Bon Appétit}
Another easy meal for Trader Joe fans? Buy the mushroom risotto from Trader Joes; add in extra mushrooms, grilled chicken and top with a bit of truffle salt and parm. SO EASY and super yum. —Jen
Kielbasa Fried Rice — Bon Appetit
Besides pizza, my family’s favorite quick, affordable, end-of-the-week dinner is this Kielbasa Fried Rice. It’s such a simple weeknight recipe and pairs well with Netflix and wine. —Brittany
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Bake — The College Housewife
I won’t even tell you how many times I’ve made this Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Bake this month because it could be pretty embarrassing. It’s our go-to for the ultimate winter comfort food. I’ll usually add in some sautéed zucchini for extra veggies. —Jessi
Healthy Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie — Healthy Fitness Meals
This is a new entry to our kitchen recipe pile, but it’s quickly become a favorite easy weeknight dinner! Healthy Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie. It’s so simple and hearty. Plus! You can double the recipe and feed an army! —Jessi
Do you guys have a fave easy weeknight meal? We’d love to hear in the comments!
