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Top 10 Quick Dinners

By September 7, 2011July 30th, 201526 Comments

If I didn’t know that September was here by the first-day-of-school butterflies, the sudden, almost primal urge to re-organize my bulletin board, or the to-do list spinning through my brain like a slot machine at 3am, I’d know it by looking at my DALS email inbox. Help! You all write. I need quick dinner ideas for the back-to-school scramble. I started replying one by one, but then I thought almost everyone out there would be interested in my suggestions. So here they are, in no particular order.

1. Pretzel Chicken Courtesy of City Bakery (pictured Below).
2. Chicken and Rice for Beginners. You’ll never go back.
3. Pork Chops with Kale A Bugiali favorite.
4. Angel Hair with Corn and Bacon Your window for sweet summer corn is about to shut — take advantage of the fresh ears as much as possible!
5. Sausage Stew with Kale and White Beans I’m making this tonight.
6. Avgolemeno Insane how creamy this lemony Greek soup tastes — without using any cream at all.
7. Salmon with Brussels Sprouts and Ginger-Scallion Sauce  Superfast, superhealthy.
8. Quick and Easy Pork Fried Rice Easily made veg by omitting the pork. It’s almost too easy!
9. Turkey Sloppy Joes with Melted Cheddar For nostalgia night.
10. Chicken with Artichokes in a Creamy Mustard Sauce This is in danger of becoming my new “Stairway to Heaven” of Dinners. It always makes whatever list I’m compiling. But I promise it’s more satisfying.

Quick Dinner #2.

26 Comments

  • Avatar Amanda says:

    Jenny, where did you find those step stools? They are perfect! Thanks for the dinner suggestions!

  • Jenny Jenny says:

    Amanda- Ikea! I wish I had bought two. We use it every day 40 times a day.

  • Avatar Bodi says:

    I LOVE this list. I cook dinner almost every day for my husband and son, and have made various meals from your blog more than any other. I love the emphasis on good food on a family schedule.

  • Avatar Melissa@Julia's Bookbag says:

    Thank you and thank you! You read my mind. I was just thinking yesterday, hmmm I wonder if Jenny will do some quick dinner suggestions — Yay! 🙂

  • Avatar Kate says:

    Thank you! I love your ideas! Would love to see a blog post on school lunches too… 🙂

  • Jamie says:

    Some great ideas… the pretzel chicken will be up first I think! Also loved the peek into your kitchen!

  • Avatar Melanie Rehak says:

    I was just sitting here watching the rain thinking about how I didn’t want to go to the market because I didn’t know what to make for dinner, and my own spinning to-do list is making it hard to think. And now I only have to go to the fish–ie, shrimp–store! (Fortunately nan is a freezer staple at our house.) I’m making this tonight, too and will raise a bite to you. Thanks!

  • Avatar Jay Jay says:

    Jenny – thanks for the list. I tried the link to the greek soup but there is no recipe –there is only commentary on how great the soup is! =(

  • jenny jenny says:

    Jay Jay — Sorry about that. All fixed.

  • shari brooks says:

    the pretzel chicken is a hit! I love the idea of the list of quick dinners. It’s so crazy during back-to-school time, it makes complete sense to not have to spend hours in the kitchen dealing with meal prep.

  • Torrie @ a place to share... says:

    Oh wow. I’m saving… printing… “liking”… tweeting…

    …because “quick dinners” are like gold around this time of the year.

  • Avatar Jay Jay says:

    Thanks so much! Love your recipes!

  • Avatar blissmamaof3 says:

    Just tried the Trader Joe’s Autentico salsa yesterday per your suggestion. Wow, just wow. Jar is almost gone, need to buy this by the case. Best jar salsa I’ve ever had, thanks for the suggestion. I saw it mentioned in your peach salsa post on Babble from last summer. Miss you there!

  • Avatar Heather B says:

    Awesome, awesome, awesome! Perfect post to help us all, perfect picture (looks great but captures a real moment), and perfect reminder (beans on toast, not just for breakfast anymore!). Also a good reminder that dinner not need be a perfectly balanced, food guide approved example every night. Yay!

  • Slauditory says:

    I made the pasta dish, except I didn’t have spinach (mix-up at the Asian grocery–I have some variety of choi), so I had peas with whole wheat spaghetti, parmesan, onions, and a dollop of pesto (made with walnuts). It was delicious, light, and refreshing! Thanks for sharing this recipe and thank you, previous commenter, for suggesting peas, which I had in the freezer.

  • Slauditory says:

    The previous commenter on the pasta dish post, that is. I’m going to get on that corn and bacon pasta. Mmm, bacon.

  • Avatar Alexis says:

    Thanks so much Jenny! The pretzel chicken is always a hit with my kids. They love it. Another super quick dinner i make often is chicken, broccoli pasta. I just sear up some super thin chicken breasts with salt, pepper,garlic powder, and red pepper flakes or dice up any leftover grilled/roasted chicken i have sitting in the fridge. Boil up a salted pot of pasta. add the brocoli to the pasta in the last few mins to blanch it. Then combine pasta,chicken, and broccoli with olive oil, tons of fresh garlic and a few pats of butter and sautee for a minute in a hot skillet. Yay, and there you’ve got dinner. Veggie, protein, and carbs all in one. If I have leftover chicken, which i normally do, this meal takes under 15 minutes…and on a busy school night thats awesome!

  • Avatar Michele says:

    What are your floors?? Love the color.

  • jenny jenny says:

    Michele – the floor is cork! We love it.

  • Avatar Michele says:

    Another kitchen question…I love marble but have you ever (accidentally) stained it?

  • Avatar Kate says:

    Thanks for the great suggestions! What I love is that most of these don’t have marinara sauce. I have one kiddo that won’t eat red sauce and finding quick dinners can be tricky. We will be trying some of these this week!

  • Avatar catherine says:

    the Sloppy Joes link doesn’t work 🙁 sounded great!

  • Avatar Kelli says:

    Help, I can’t remember where I got your recipe for turkey sloppy joes. It’s not in either book (both of which I love) and I can’t find it on the internet. And, it was a hit with both kids.
    Thanks!

  • Avatar kelli says:

    Just kidding, I realized that it is in Playbook. Argh.

  • Avatar Megha Ahuja says:

    Great non-vegetarian recipes! Also read some interesting veg recipes from Soyer. I like them all.

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