I know that a lot of you are busy. I know I am. But despite my packed schedule, I make dinner a priority. It is important to me to put good, homemade meals on the table (or in front of the TV if we’re being honest) for my husband, as well as for myself. After subsisting almost entirely on fettuccini alfredo for my six year college career, I look forward to experimenting with new recipes and trying out new things.
I know it is hard to get that home-cooked meal on the table at the end of a work day. That’s why I have quite a few go-to meals that are easy to prepare, and they taste good. I have compiled them into a list here, in case you’ve got a busy week coming up and need some inspiration. Plus, lists make my life easier.
All this meal requires of me is a little chopping in the morning. Dice up some onion and some cilantro, throw everything into the crock pot, and leave for work. It is so flavorful, you’d never guess that it practically makes itself.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but nachos are ridiculously easy to throw together after work. Line a pan with foil, season some black beans, and top the chips with beans, and anything else you like. 15 minutes in the oven and you’ve got a filling dinner that rivals any Mexican restaurant.
This is a recipe that I created to fill a need. I didn’t have time to make chicken and dumplings the way I was taught, but we just have to have them in the fall and winter. And sometimes the spring and summer, too. This is a crock pot recipe that was born out of a rather labor-intensive process. The only real prep it needs is to mix the dumpling dough before you leave, then drop it into the crock pot and let it cook for about an hour after you get home.
Pizza is the best way to be creative on a time crunch. I make the pizza dough in the evening, a day or two ahead of time, and throw whatever I have in the fridge on it, plus some cheese. There are several pizza recipes here on Wife Meets Life, in case you need some inspiration.
This is one I discovered recently. I Devote an entire day on the weekend to making ravioli. It is a labor-intensive process, but I make enough to eat for dinner, plus some to freeze. The frozen ravioli is what I fall back on when I have no idea what to have for dinner. It cooks in boiling water for 5 minutes, then you can add store-bought sauce, or whip up some alfredo sauce while the pasta is cooking. Easy, and it tastes like you spent hours making it. Which you did, just not that particular day.
I hope this list gives you some weeknight inspiration.
What are some of your go-to weeknight meals?
The Wife
I’m familiar with and like all of your recipes, original or reinvented. For some reason (call me crazy) I love the contrast between the red plate and the relatively colorless chicken and dumplings (even though this is one of my favorites). The dark colored serving spoon next to this dish just adds extra appeal. In short, I love your presentation.
Thanks!
I agree that dinner is an important time of day and should be made a priority. Quick yet healthy meals are a key in making dinner a daily reality. Tacos are a fast favorite at our house too. And the crock pot is a life saver! Thanks for sharing inspiration for the every day dinner that is the fabric of family life.
I’m glad you enjoyed the compilation! We’ve been working on “healthy” as well as delicious lately. It’s surprising how easy it is to find healthy meals that taste delicious!
Does your pizza dough have yeast in it? If so, how do you store it the night before without it continuing to rise?
The recipe I use has yeast in it. After I mix it up, I put it in a bowl coated with olive oil, cover it with plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge. It stays in the fridge for a day or two, until I need it. It has never risen too much.