Having to make dinner night after night can be a drag any time of year, but it can feel even more like a chore in September if you have kids in school.
After the (relatively) relaxed days of summer, it can take a while to get back into the rhythm, routine and energy of a school year. In addition to making sure everyone gets fed, evenings bring homework, packing book bags and lunches, putting yet another load of laundry into the washer and laying out clothes for the next morning.
Between sporting events, teacher conferences, dance or music lessons and other after-school events, the weekly calendar can quickly fill up. Add parents’ jobs to the mix, it all can feel just so … chaotic.
But with a little planning, it’s possible to get a nutritious family meal on the table, at least some of the time, while also pinching your pennies. It’s even better if you can get family members to help with the chopping, stirring, plating and cleanup.
Here’s another reason to gather around a home-cooked meal with your kids: Multiple studies show that connecting with kids over dinner can improve their academic performance, increase self-esteem and also improve cardiovascular health by encouraging healthier eating habits.
Children and teens who eat dinner with their families also experience less stress and have a better relationship with them.
We’ve gathered three easy but tasty recipes that can be made in a single pan on the stove top or simply tossed in a bowl. None take more than about 30 minutes to prepare once you’ve assembled all the ingredients.
Chicken Tinga Quesadillas
To make the quesadillas a little more substantial for heartier appetites, add cooked rice or black beans. The filling can also be used to fill taco shells, rolled into a burrito or added to a plate of nachos.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, sliced
3/4 cup red enchilada sauce, canned or homemade
2 or 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 flour tortillas, warmed
2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Guacamole, for garnish
Garlic Lime Sauce
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
3 tablespoons mayo
2 teaspoons lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice
1 clove garlic, finely minced
In a large skillet, add olive oil, chicken and onion. Set over medium-high heat. Cook 5-8 minutes, until the chicken is seared. Add poblano pepper, enchilada sauce, chipotle chiles, oregano, cumin and salt. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
To assemble, layer cheese and chicken mixture on one half of a tortilla. Sprinkle with a little chopped cilantro. Place another tortilla on top to enclose the fillings.
Heat a second skillet over medium heat. Quickly brush the top of the quesadilla with a light coating of oil, then carefully flip it with a spatula.
Let the quesadilla cook until golden and crispy on the bottom, about 1-2 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent burning. Brush the top with a light coating of oil, then flip it and cook until the second side is golden and crispy.
Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board. Let it cool for a minute to give it time to set, then use a chef’s knife to slice it into wedges.
Meanwhile, make the garlic lime sauce. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt.
Serve quesadillas topped with garlic sauce, guacamole and cilantro.
Serves 4.
Gluten-free Chicken Noodle Salad
This recipe embraces the world’s best ingredient for busy cooks — a grocery store rotisserie chicken. It’s paired with shredded napa cabbage and spiralized cucumber “noodles” for a gluten-free take on lo mein.
For salad
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
4 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 carrot, cut into long thin strands or strips with a spiralizer or julienne peeler
1 cucumber, cut into long thin strands or strips with a spiralizer or julienne peeler
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces mixed coriander and basil leaves, with a few mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 ounces roasted, salted peanuts
For dressing
4 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 or 2 hot red chilies, chopped
1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup or agave syrup
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil or other neutral-tasting oil
Mix all salad ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. Make dressing by placing ingredients in a separate bowl and mixing together well.
Pour dressing over salad, toss well and serve.
Serves 2-3.
Crispy Fish Sticks
Gorton’s fish sticks are a school-night classic, but it’s almost as fast — and imminently better — to make them at home. I used cod and served them with a homemade tartar sauce.
1 1/2 pound firm white fish fillet, such as cod
Salt
1 teaspoon each black pepper, oregano and paprika
1/3 cup flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying
Parsley, for garnish
Fresh lemon slices, for serving
Pat fish fillet dry and season with kosher salt on both sides. Cut fillet into pieces or sticks (1- to 1 1/2-inch thick and about 3 inches long).
In a small bowl, combine black pepper, dried oregano and paprika. Season fish sticks on both sides with the spice mixture.
Place flour and egg wash in separate shallow dishes. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs and grated Parmesan.
Take a fish stick and dip it in the flour to coat both sides; shake excess flour off. Dip fish stick in egg wash and then in bread crumb and Parmesan mixture. Pat to help the coating adhere. Repeat until all the fish sticks have been coated.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add fish sticks and fry in batches until golden brown. Remove onto paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. For baked fish sticks, arrange coated fish sticks on an oiled baking sheet and mist with baking spray. Bake in a 400-degree oven until fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon slices and your favorite dipping sauce.
Serves 4.