When your weeknights become hectic with kids’ sports schedules, Zoom meetings, or dentist appointments – quick dinner ideas that everyone will love come to the rescue! From cozy one-dish meals to budget-conscious grocery store staples – these recipes will surely please.

This quick seafood dinner features succulent shrimp and asparagus cooked to perfection in record time, alongside deliciously creamy pasta made right in the same skillet.

Asian Chopped Salad with Rotisserie Chicken

This fresh and flavorful salad is ideal for nights when you want something light and healthy to snack on. Made with Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, green onions and cilantro tossed with an umami peanut dressing before being finished off with crunchy chow mein noodles for crunchiness – perfect for meal prep! This salad keeps well in the fridge so is also an ideal way to meet daily nutrition goals!

Vietnam restaurants serve this savory and refreshing salad as an everyday favorite, and it makes an ideal weeknight dinner option. Shredded cabbage soaks up all of the amazing nuoc nam sauce (Vietnamese version of creamy peanut dressing) along with all the other ingredients. Crunchier veggies than you’d find at a restaurant add an extra element of texture while crunchy wonton strips provide an additional dimension in flavor and texture.

Make this salad your own by customizing its ingredients – feel free to experiment! Use different nuts or seeds, switch up chickpeas for black beans, add in spicy sauce like Sriracha or red pepper flakes for more heat, add bean sprouts or pickled jalapenos and marinate the ingredients longer in its delicious dressing! For optimal results make the dish ahead of time so all its components have time to marinate together in its flavors.

Andouille Sausage Mac & Cheese

Add smoky, spicy andouille sausage to this mac and cheese for an explosive punch of zesty flavor! Cajun spices such as smoked paprika, oregano and garlic add additional depth and complexity. If andouille isn’t available, any other smoked sausage with strong aromatic notes (chorizo or Polish kielbasa are excellent choices) works equally well.

Prepare the aromatics: in a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry andouille sausage and bell pepper together until golden-brown and slightly crisp (approximately 2 minutes). Transfer to a plate or bowl; clean out skillet before heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil to shimmering before stirring in butter and flour to form a thick paste that darkens as it cooks (2 minutes).

Pour in the milk and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and fold in any additional shredded cheeses that may have been set aside; stir to incorporate them. For added sauceiness, drizzle some of the reserved pasta water as desired.

Fill a greased casserole dish with macaroni and cheese and top it off with the seasoned bread crumbs for baking. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before refrigerating before serving; this recipe makes enough macaroni and cheese to fill an 11×17-inch baking dish.

Shredded BBQ Chicken on Buns

This easy recipe is ideal for using up leftover chicken from roasts, rotisseries or even boiling frozen breasts. Tangy North Carolina barbecue sauce paired with sweet shredded chicken makes for a tasty filling meal on soft buns with coleslaw and pickles for weeknight meal prep convenience.

To prepare the sauce, combine ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar and onion powder in a large pot and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and allow it to boil for one or two minutes while stirring periodically to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce to low heat before adding boneless skinless chicken breasts – cover and simmer them for 20-22 minutes, turning occasionally so they remain tender before taking them off of heat once tender enough for shredding!

Allow the chicken to cool slightly before shredding with a fork or paddle attachment of a stand mixer, if desired. Add back into sauce for another stir before assembling sandwiches by toasting buns as desired and spreading mayo or another preferred condiment on each slice; stack pieces of grilled pineapple, caramelized onions and generous serving of BBQ chicken on top!

Serve the sandwiches with side salad, jalapeno cornbread, spicy mac and cheese or baked potatoes as an accompaniment. Leftover shredded BBQ chicken may be stored for up to three days in the fridge before gently reheating it on either the stovetop or microwave.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Bisque Soup

Tomato soup and grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food and it’s simple to prepare. Juicy roasted tomatoes combined with garlic, sweet onions, and heavy cream create a vibrant flavors, complimented by melting cheese and thick slices of toast bread for a satisfying dish that warms both body and soul! Enjoy it any time of year but especially enjoy during winter when its soothing warmth fills your soul!

Cream is completely optional in this recipe; however, I find that its addition helps soften the acidity of tomatoes more closely mimicking freshly made tomato juice than canned. Plus, adding cream makes this soup much more filling!

Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of sourdough bread liberally before placing onto the griddle butter side down and topping with grated Comte, Gruyere or cheddar gratings before covering with another piece of bread with its butter side up – then flip and toast both sides until golden-brown and crispy!

Remove your grilled cheese sandwiches from the pan and accompany with a bowl of this creamy tomato basil soup. For an extra special touch, garnish your bowl just before serving with some freshly chopped basil leaves for added flair!