5 Easy Family Meal Ideas That Are Quick To Make
I am back with some new, easy family meal ideas. I am sharing five nights of dinners that I have recently made for my family. They were all new to us and have quickly become family favorites.
1. Cheeseburger pizza
I'm pulling a cheeseburger pizza recipe from this super easy Pioneer Woman cookbook. If you have seen a lot of her recipes, she likes to use frozen bread dough a lot, which is super convenient. I just let that thaw and rise overnight, so it was perfect when I needed it.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound frozen bread dough, thawed and risen overnight
- 1 onion, diced
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- Lawry's seasoned salt
- Worcestershire sauce
- Olive oil
- Garlic salt
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Lettuce, diced
- Tomatoes, diced
- Dill pickles, chopped
- Bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Directions:
1. In a skillet, cook the ground beef until halfway done. Then season with onion powder, salt, and pepper. If desired, cook diced onion with the ground beef.
2. Drain excess grease from the cooked beef. Stir in ketchup, mustard, a dash of Lawry's seasoned salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Let it simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Roll out the thawed bread dough into a large oval shape on an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Drizzle olive oil over the dough. Use a brush to spread the oil evenly, ensuring it coats the edges. Sprinkle garlic salt over the dough.
5. Sprinkle half of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the dough. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the cheddar.
6. Spread the seasoned ground beef mixture over the cheese layer, leaving a border for the crust.
7. Sprinkle the remaining sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the ground beef.
8. Sprinkle seeds around the crust for a sesame seed bun look. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
9. While the pizza bakes, prepare desired toppings like diced lettuce, tomatoes, chopped dill pickles, and crumbled bacon. Add toppings over half of the baked pizza, or customize as desired.
10. Cut the pizza into squares and serve hot.
2. One pot pork chop and rice skillet
I found this recipe on TikTok. This recipe caught my attention because of one of the ingredients used: soy sauce.
Ingredients:
- Pork chops
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Soy sauce
- Canola oil (or preferred cooking oil)
- 1 can (2 cups) chicken broth
- 1/2 cup water
- Jasmine rice
- Garlic, minced
- Onion (optional)
- Roasted broccoli (for serving, optional)
Directions:
1. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Ensure the soy sauce coats the chops evenly.
2. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops for 1.5 minutes per side to create a sear. Avoid overcooking to prevent dryness.
3. Add chicken broth and water to deglaze the pan in the same skillet. Add jasmine rice, minced garlic, onion powder, and more soy sauce. Stir well and bring to a boil.
4. Once boiling, return the seared pork chops to the skillet and any juices from the plate. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
5. Once cooked, the rice and pork should be tender and the liquid absorbed. Serve hot, optionally, with roasted broccoli on the side.
3. Honey Buffalo garlic chicken with pasta salad
I will be grilling on the Blackstone to make a delicious chicken dinner, but I'll first make an Italian pasta salad as a side dish.
Italian pasta salad
Ingredients:
- Rotini pasta
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Salad Supreme seasoning
- Italian dressing
Directions:
1. Boil the salad rotini in salted water until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
2. Chop the cucumbers and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add them to the cooked pasta in a serving bowl.
3. Season the salad with Salad Supreme seasoning. Add Italian dressing to taste. Mix well and chill in the fridge until serving.
Honey buffalo garlic chicken
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
- Minced garlic or two garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons green onions
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley, dried
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Canola oil
- Kinder's buttery steakhouse seasoning
- Asparagus
Directions:
1. Mix honey, buffalo sauce, and minced garlic.
2. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and dried parsley. Coat with a few tablespoons of the honey buffalo sauce.
3. Preheat the grill to low heat. Drizzle canola oil on the grill and lay down the chicken thighs and asparagus. Season the asparagus with Kinder's buttery steakhouse seasoning. Cook chicken and asparagus, flipping occasionally, until cooked through.
4. Brush the remaining honey buffalo sauce over the chicken while grilling.
5. Plate the chicken thighs and asparagus. Serve with the chilled Italian pasta salad.
4. One pot taco pasta
Next, I'm going to be making a one-pot taco pasta. This recipe seriously impressed me.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter
- A few cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 package of taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons beef powder
- A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can mild Rotel tomatoes
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
- Pasta of choice (e.g., shelled pasta or wagon-wheel pasta)
Directions:
1. Shred the Monterey Jack cheese and cube the Velveeta cheese. Bring them closer to room temperature.
2. In a Dutch oven, brown the ground beef until cooked. Drain excess grease.
3. Add butter to the Dutch oven. For a few minutes, cook minced garlic with the ground beef and butter.
4. Stir in taco seasoning until the beef is coated. Add heavy cream, water (or beef broth substitute), Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and Rotel. Stir well to combine.
5. Add the pasta to the Dutch oven. Cover with a lid and stir every few minutes to prevent sticking. Cook until the pasta is tender, which may take longer than the box instructions suggest.
6. Turn off the heat. Gradually add the shredded Monterey Jack and cubed Velveeta cheeses. Stir until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy. Let the pasta cool down slightly to thicken before serving.
5. Chicken Caesar sandwiches
This was one of those nights where I didn't know what to cook and didn't want to go to the store. I had everything on hand to make it, and we all loved it, especially my kids.
Ingredients:
- Ciabatta rolls
- Butter, softened
- Caesar dressing
- Deli chicken slices (or shredded rotisserie chicken)
- Colby Jack cheese slices
- Tomato, thinly sliced
- Garlic salt
- Black pepper
- Lettuce leaves
- Potato salad (russet potatoes, boiled eggs, dill pickles, mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika)
Directions:
1. Split open the ciabatta rolls. Spread softened butter on the inside of each roll.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast the buttered ciabatta rolls in the skillet until golden brown.
3. Spread Caesar dressing on one side of each toasted roll. Layer deli chicken slices on the bottom half of the rolls. Place Colby Jack cheese slices on top of the chicken. Season tomato slices with garlic salt and black pepper, then place them on the cheese. Add a leaf of lettuce on top.
4. Close the sandwiches with the top halves of the rolls. Serve with potato salad on the side.
Easy family meal ideas
I hope you enjoyed these easy family meal ideas. Will you be making any of them for your family? Let me know your favorite in the comments below.
Next, check out my 4 Easy Slow Cooker Recipes That My Family Is Loving.
Comments
Join the conversation