Getting three square meals on the table between Zoom meetings and homeschooling is no small feat. If your greatest hits are getting a little played out, here are some recipes that take less than half an hour to concoct.
Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo
Wrap yourself in the comfort of carbs and cheese with this copycat recipe for chicken fettuccine Alfredo from the OG. Sick of chicken breast? Substitute grilled steak, shrimp, bacon, or roasted vegetables. No heavy cream? No problem. Here are nine effective heavy-cream substitutes.
Easy One-Pan Caprese Chicken
Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil drizzled with EVOO and balsamic make for a fabulous salad, sandwich, pizza, pasta, skewers, or even quiche. The holy Italian trinity kicks chicken breast up a notch in our Easy One-Pan Caprese Chicken. This recipe stretches ingredients by splitting the chicken breast in half lengthwise, so you get four servings out of two breasts.
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
What’s the opposite of takeout? Bring in? Bring in the beef! This Instant Pot Mongolian Beef recipe transforms flank steak into a sexy, saucy beast. Ginger and garlic are simmered with soy sauce, beef broth, and brown sugar to create a sauce that is both sweet and savory. Serve over white rice, with a side of stir-fry veggies, or both!
Pan-Seared Scallops
Who’s in the mood for some juicy, crispy crusted sea scallops? These little suckers can be intimidating to cook at home, but our recipe for Pan Seared Scallops will have you feeling like a bivalve buff. One of the secrets to this small saltwater shellfish is knowing the difference between wet and dry-packed scallops. While wet are more common, dry are tastier and easier to work with. The other trick is using a vegetable cooking oil with a high smoke point (400 degrees F and higher), like canola oil. Cooks Illustrated says to cook them until the centers reach 115 degrees because the carryover cooking will take them up to their “ideal final temperature of 125 to 130 degrees.”
Mouthwatering Chicken Parmesan
I always keep chicken breast in the freezer, but the other day I was so uninspired I simply seasoned it before throwing it on the grill. To be fair, it was pretty good (shout out to my sister for the Nature’s Seasons Seasoning Blend suggestion—it’s delish on fish too!). But if you’re looking to make your chicken a little more “mmm”-worthy, give this Mouthwatering Chicken Parmesan a shot.
Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheese in under 30 minutes? Ground-breaking, we know. If you’re getting a little lackadaisical about lunch, mix up this classic cheese and carb combo with these 15 Popular Ways To Make Grilled Cheese You Should Try.
The Best Pepper Steak Recipe
There’s only one way to find out whether this Pepper Steak Recipe really is the best, and that’s to put your wok to work and try it for yourself. This 20-minute recipe does use a couple ingredients of the Asian persuasion: rice wine (aka mirin) and sesame oil. If you’re all of out of mirin, we’ve got you covered with The Best Mirin Substitutes To Use In A Pinch.
Chocolate Chip Bananamilk Muffins
This chocolate chip muffin recipe was made for our lactose intolerant friends. It uses the plant-based dairy-alternative bananamilk, plus dairy-free chocolate chips, and and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks. Don’t worry dairy lovers, you can sub buttermilk for the bananamilk.
Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Technically our Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Tenders take 34 minutes to make, but once these homemade chicken tenders touch your lips, you’ll forgive us for the extra four minutes. We also offer up some creative dipping sauces, such as the 50/50 bar-b-ranch.
Instant Pot Spaghetti For A Stress-Free Weeknight
What can’t you cook in an Instant Pot? With our recipe for Instant Pot Spaghetti, there’s no waiting around for the water to boil. Plus, it only uses one pot for quick clean up. For more recipes that use ingredients you probably already have on hand, see our Pantry Dishes Using At-Home Staples.
One-Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
Speaking of one-pot pasta, our spicy One Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta will bayou some time. See the recipe notes for vegan and gluten-free variations.
Perfect One-Pot Pasta for a Busy Night
Okay, last one-pot pasta recipe, we promise! The weeknight staple is just such a conveniently quick and easy dish, it’s hard to resist. The best part about our perfect one-pot pasta is that it’s customizable. Toss in any mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers, kale, or any other veggies that needs to be used. We also included alternative ingredients for vegan, gluten-free, and Keto diets.
Delicious Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil
Everyone knows we need our Omega-3 fatty acids, but there are only so many nights you can eat salmon drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with lemon juice and dill. Our Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil recipe uses brown sugar, oregano, parsley, rosemary, and thyme to make your fish more flavorful. Serve this superfood with some Healthy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes or sweet potatoes. Fish fans should also see our recipe for Baked Tilapia in Foil Packets.
Simple Smothered Salisbury Steak
James Salisbury was a proponent of a meat-centered diet before Robert Atkins was born. We have him to thank for this lovely burger patty swimming in gravy creation. Interestingly, it is named after Dr. Salisbury because as it was becoming popular in the early 1900s, WWI had us avoiding German-sounding words like “hamburger”. Serve this Simple Smothered Salisbury Steak with a side of freedom fries.
