5 QUICK-PREP RECIPES
5 QUICK-PREP RECIPES for Easy Family Dinners
Hello! I’m so excited for you to explore this wonderful little resource! My goal is to provide you with a handful of simple, quick-prep dinners that you can turn to on your busiest weeknights when there’s just nothing else on the menu! These ideas take advantage of a variety of ingredients and cuisines, so there’s something here for everyone -- from chicken to beef, pork to seafood, and even a vegetarian option. The recipes only require about 5-10 minutes of prep and utilize basic pantry staples -- with the hope that you might even be able to avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store! This isn’t fancy, gourmet cooking. It’s just a compilation of some of my favorite go-to recipes that come together in a pinch. It’s familyfriendly cooking for real life! Print out this mini cookbook and keep it in your kitchen for quick reference when you need it most. I hope that you enjoy the meals as much as we do!
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Table of Contents Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caprese Pasta…………………………………...4 Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce…….5 Mom’s 20-Minute Red Beans & Rice………………………………………..6 Sheet Pan Flank Steak with Crispy Potatoes and Broccolini….……….7 4-Ingredient Maple Glazed Salmon………………………………………….8
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Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caprese Pasta Serves: 8 Prep: 10 mins Bake: 40 mins 2 cups diced, cooked chicken 1 3/4 cups halved grape tomatoes (can substitute with a can of undrained diced tomatoes) 12 ounces (about 3 cups uncooked) uncooked penne pasta 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided ½ cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves, divided 2 teaspoons minced garlic ½ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl), stir together cooked chicken, tomatoes, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese, about half of the basil leaves, minced garlic, and salt. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover; stir. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of mozzarella over the top. Bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender). Garnish with remaining basil leaves just before serving. NOTE: Serving a smaller family? You can easily cut the ingredients in half and bake this meal in an 8-inch square pan. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce Serves: 8 Prep: 10 mins Cook: 8 hours For the pork: 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 4 teaspoons minced garlic 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder 1 (4-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (or pork butt) For the Sauce: 2 cups mayonnaise 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper Juice from 1 lemon To prepare the sauce: Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (it will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks). To prepare the pork: Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over the onions and garlic. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, chili powder, salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat. Serve the pulled pork on sandwich rolls, on salad, or stuffed into baked potatoes. Spoon Alabama White Barbecue Sauce over top! NOTE: The leftover pork (without sauce) freezes very well in an airtight container for up to 3 months!
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Mom’s 20-Minute Red Beans and Rice (Beef or Vegetarian Option) Serves: 4 Prep: 5 mins Cook: 15 mins 1 lb. lean ground beef (or can substitute with ground turkey or chicken) -- *SEE NOTE for a vegetarian option! 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 onion, chopped 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 2 tablespoons cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies 1 (15 ounce) can pink beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper For serving: cooked rice; shredded cheddar cheese; sliced green onions; sour cream; hot sauce In a large skillet, brown meat with onion and garlic. Drain. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Serve with rice. Top with cheese, sour cream, green onions, and/or hot sauce. *NOTE: For a vegetarian option, replace the meat with an additional can of beans.
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Sheet Pan Flank Steak with Crispy Potatoes and Broccolini Serves: 4 Prep: 5 mins (plus chilling) Cook: 27 mins ½ cup soy sauce ¼ cup olive oil, plus an additional 1 tablespoon (divided) 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (can substitute with balsamic vinegar) 1 ½ tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon dried ginger powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 ½ lbs. flank steak 1 lb. baby red potatoes, halved or quartered (if large) 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted 2 bunches (about 16 oz.) broccolini
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic powder. Place flank steak in a large Ziplock freezer bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and toss to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Place top oven rack 6 inches from heat. Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes with butter, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake potatoes for about 15 minutes. Stir potatoes and move them to the outer edges of the pan. Place broccolini in the middle of the pan. Place steak on top of the broccolini and discard the remaining marinade in the bag. Change oven setting to BROIL. Return pan to the oven for 6 minutes. Turn steak, stir vegetables, and broil 6 more minutes (or until it reaches desired doneness). Remove from oven, allow steak to rest 5 minutes. Slice steak against the grain, and serve with broccolini and potatoes.
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4-Ingredient Maple Glazed Salmon Serves 4 Prep: 5 minutes + 1 hour chilling Cook: 5 minutes ¼ cup soy sauce ½ cup maple syrup 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard* 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)** In a small saucepan, whisk together soy sauce and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until slightly thickened (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in Dijon mustard until smooth. Set aside 4 tablespoons of glaze in a small bowl. Pour remaining glaze into a large dish and add salmon fillets flesh-side down in a single layer. Refrigerate salmon to marinate for about 1 hour if time allows. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove salmon from marinade and shake off excess liquid (discard remaining marinade from the dish). Place salmon fillets in hot skillet and pour reserved marinade over top. Cover with a lid and cook until salmon is browned on each side and flakes easily with a fork (about 2-3 minutes per side). Spoon pan sauce over fillets as they cook. Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. *I used a combination of whole grain Dijon and creamy Dijon for texture, but just creamy will work well too! **Fresh or frozen salmon is fine. If you use frozen (like I did), just thaw the fish in the refrigerator the night before.
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Hello! I’m so excited for you to explore this wonderful little resource! My goal is to provide you with a handful of simple, quick-prep dinners that you can turn to on your busiest weeknights when there’s just nothing else on the menu! These ideas take advantage of a variety of ingredients and cuisines, so there’s something here for everyone -- from chicken to beef, pork to seafood, and even a vegetarian option. The recipes only require about 5-10 minutes of prep and utilize basic pantry staples -- with the hope that you might even be able to avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store! This isn’t fancy, gourmet cooking. It’s just a compilation of some of my favorite go-to recipes that come together in a pinch. It’s familyfriendly cooking for real life! Print out this mini cookbook and keep it in your kitchen for quick reference when you need it most. I hope that you enjoy the meals as much as we do!
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Table of Contents Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caprese Pasta…………………………………...4 Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce…….5 Mom’s 20-Minute Red Beans & Rice………………………………………..6 Sheet Pan Flank Steak with Crispy Potatoes and Broccolini….……….7 4-Ingredient Maple Glazed Salmon………………………………………….8
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Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caprese Pasta Serves: 8 Prep: 10 mins Bake: 40 mins 2 cups diced, cooked chicken 1 3/4 cups halved grape tomatoes (can substitute with a can of undrained diced tomatoes) 12 ounces (about 3 cups uncooked) uncooked penne pasta 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided ½ cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves, divided 2 teaspoons minced garlic ½ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl), stir together cooked chicken, tomatoes, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese, about half of the basil leaves, minced garlic, and salt. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover; stir. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of mozzarella over the top. Bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender). Garnish with remaining basil leaves just before serving. NOTE: Serving a smaller family? You can easily cut the ingredients in half and bake this meal in an 8-inch square pan. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce Serves: 8 Prep: 10 mins Cook: 8 hours For the pork: 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 4 teaspoons minced garlic 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder 1 (4-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (or pork butt) For the Sauce: 2 cups mayonnaise 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper Juice from 1 lemon To prepare the sauce: Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (it will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks). To prepare the pork: Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over the onions and garlic. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, chili powder, salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat. Serve the pulled pork on sandwich rolls, on salad, or stuffed into baked potatoes. Spoon Alabama White Barbecue Sauce over top! NOTE: The leftover pork (without sauce) freezes very well in an airtight container for up to 3 months!
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Mom’s 20-Minute Red Beans and Rice (Beef or Vegetarian Option) Serves: 4 Prep: 5 mins Cook: 15 mins 1 lb. lean ground beef (or can substitute with ground turkey or chicken) -- *SEE NOTE for a vegetarian option! 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 onion, chopped 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 2 tablespoons cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies 1 (15 ounce) can pink beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper For serving: cooked rice; shredded cheddar cheese; sliced green onions; sour cream; hot sauce In a large skillet, brown meat with onion and garlic. Drain. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Serve with rice. Top with cheese, sour cream, green onions, and/or hot sauce. *NOTE: For a vegetarian option, replace the meat with an additional can of beans.
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Sheet Pan Flank Steak with Crispy Potatoes and Broccolini Serves: 4 Prep: 5 mins (plus chilling) Cook: 27 mins ½ cup soy sauce ¼ cup olive oil, plus an additional 1 tablespoon (divided) 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (can substitute with balsamic vinegar) 1 ½ tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon dried ginger powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 ½ lbs. flank steak 1 lb. baby red potatoes, halved or quartered (if large) 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted 2 bunches (about 16 oz.) broccolini
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic powder. Place flank steak in a large Ziplock freezer bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and toss to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Place top oven rack 6 inches from heat. Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes with butter, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake potatoes for about 15 minutes. Stir potatoes and move them to the outer edges of the pan. Place broccolini in the middle of the pan. Place steak on top of the broccolini and discard the remaining marinade in the bag. Change oven setting to BROIL. Return pan to the oven for 6 minutes. Turn steak, stir vegetables, and broil 6 more minutes (or until it reaches desired doneness). Remove from oven, allow steak to rest 5 minutes. Slice steak against the grain, and serve with broccolini and potatoes.
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4-Ingredient Maple Glazed Salmon Serves 4 Prep: 5 minutes + 1 hour chilling Cook: 5 minutes ¼ cup soy sauce ½ cup maple syrup 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard* 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)** In a small saucepan, whisk together soy sauce and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until slightly thickened (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in Dijon mustard until smooth. Set aside 4 tablespoons of glaze in a small bowl. Pour remaining glaze into a large dish and add salmon fillets flesh-side down in a single layer. Refrigerate salmon to marinate for about 1 hour if time allows. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove salmon from marinade and shake off excess liquid (discard remaining marinade from the dish). Place salmon fillets in hot skillet and pour reserved marinade over top. Cover with a lid and cook until salmon is browned on each side and flakes easily with a fork (about 2-3 minutes per side). Spoon pan sauce over fillets as they cook. Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. *I used a combination of whole grain Dijon and creamy Dijon for texture, but just creamy will work well too! **Fresh or frozen salmon is fine. If you use frozen (like I did), just thaw the fish in the refrigerator the night before.
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