Five Easy Family Dinners (a.k.a. Potato Week!)

Hey everyone, welcome back! Hope you’ve had a great week.

I decided to share every dinner I cooked for my family this week — and after looking back, I realized there was a theme. Potatoes. Lots of potatoes. What can I say? We’re southern, and we love a good tater.

These are all realistic, everyday dinners — simple, budget-friendly, and great for a busy week. Let’s get into it.

BBQ chicken and roasted root veggies

Ingredients

• 5–6 chicken breasts
• 3 lb yellow potatoes, chopped
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• ½ bottle BBQ sauce
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Prep the veggies

Toss the potatoes and carrots with olive oil and seasonings. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

2. Prepare the chicken

Trim the chicken breasts, season lightly, and place in a casserole dish.

3. Make the sauce

Mix the cream of mushroom soup with BBQ sauce and pour over the chicken. Bake at 350°F until fully cooked through.

4. Serve

Plate with the roasted veggies — or use paper plates, because sometimes that’s just real life!

Crockpot smothered pork chops

Ingredients

• 4–6 pork chops
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 tbsp seasoning blend (store-bought or homemade)
• Olive oil for searing

Instructions

1. Sear the pork chops

Season and sear the chops on both sides until golden.

2. Make the sauce

In the same pan, sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add both soups, stir well, and remove from heat.

3. Slow cook

Add the pork chops to your slow cooker and pour the sauce over. Cook on low for 6–8 hours.

1. Make the batter

Whisk all batter ingredients until smooth.

2. Prep the chicken

Season, then coat in the batter.

3. Fry until golden

Fry in batches until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

4. Make the sauce

Combine all sauce ingredients except the slurry. Simmer until slightly thickened, then stir in the slurry.

1. Make the fries

Peel and cut the sweet potato into fries. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 40 minutes, flipping halfway.

2. Make the quesadillas

Layer cheese, pulled pork, and BBQ sauce between two tortillas. Cook in a skillet until golden on both sides. Slice and serve with the fries.

1. Bake the meatballs

Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes.

2. Make the sauce

Combine BBQ sauce, grape jelly, and water in a pot. Add the baked meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Roast the potatoes

Toss with oil, garlic, seasonings, and Parmesan. Roast at 375°F until golden and tender.

4. Roast the asparagus

Toss with oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. Roast for 15 minutes at 375°F, then sprinkle with Parmesan.