Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas for the Family

3 Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas for the Family

Most people will agree that nothing beats a home-cooked meal. Perhaps, it's why 98% of Americans prefer home cooking to any other meal. There's a reason people look forward to heading home to connect with family over a delicious plate of dinner, but depending on what you're cooking, dinner can take up a lot of time. What if you can sustain the momentum by cooking a storm in very little time? In this piece, you will read about some time-efficient and straightforward meals you can prepare for the family.

1. Soy-glazed meatloaf

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This meal is meat-based, and with some vegetables of choice, you can serve a tasty plate for your family's enjoyment. With balsamic vinegar, parsley, onions, diced or shredded carrots, soy sauce and of course, the main ingredient, ground beef, you will serve dinner in no time. For families seeking healthier options, 85% -90% lean ground beef is a better alternative, as it cooks quicker and makes the meat maintain moisture without feeling or tasting overly greasy.

Many family recipes claim a secret to the most delicious and moist meatloaf, but on the whole, one cuts across it; the meatloaf glaze. Now that is the real secret to attaining a juicy and delicious meatloaf! Before stuffing the main meal (your meatloaf) into the oven to bake, glaze the outer portions with your soy-glaze, usually a mixture of brown sugar, ketchup, and umami soy sauce. Because soy sauce tends to be high in salt, be mindful about the quantity used.

On the other hand, for those with soy allergies, wheat-free Tamari works just fine. Furthermore, due to this dish's versatile nature, it can be combined with other simple accompaniments for an evening meal. Moreover, you can refrigerate leftovers for up to five days only. In the freezer, wrap unbaked meatloaf in food foil or a tight container for up to two months.

2. Tamale pie

Casserole dishes take roots from French history, and one of the most popular ones is the tamale pie recipe. The main ingredient in the tamale pie is its well-seasoned ground beef. However, with cornbread, corn, cheese and other optional vegetables, your tamale pie will achieve its place as a regular family dinner meal. As a constant feature in home economics classes, this spicy meat-based pie is filling, nutritious and flavor-packed.

What makes it a loved meal is its versatility and long storage option in the freezer. To do this, prepare all the ingredients in advance, but do not bake. While uncovered, put it into the freezer for an hour. After that, wrap the mixture into a plastic food wrap and freeze. With this method, you can freeze your unbaked tamale pie for as long as six months.

3. Spaghetti and meatballs

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This meatball dish is a regular feature on busy family dinner tables. Aside from its quick to cook method, this meal is nutritious and healthy for an evening meal. Once again, lean meat is a better option to improve your cooking time.

Did you know that there’s an interesting history behind this popular meal? When Italian immigrants living in the United States began to earn more money from their work, meat became a staple. At the time, spaghetti was one of the very few Italian ingredients available in the States. Therefore, these immigrants decided to put the two together and it became a permanent feature on dinner tables. Many years later, spaghetti and meatballs became a staple in many American homes. To make it even more nourishing, you have the option to add on tomatoes, beans, celery or artichokes. Other edible add-ons will be based on your preference or individual preferences of the family.

Dinner can be a bonding period for families worldwide. However, to get the most of this bonding time, you can go big on some of these simple dinner ideas to maximize moments spent together with family. You can also get creative by adding on other ingredients per your preferences. So, the next time you're making a meal, hopefully, these mentioned here will feature on your table.

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