All mothers have that one chore, that one obligation that sends a shiver up our spine and puts dread into our very soul. Maybe it’s laundry. Maybe it’s mopping or wiping butts or dishes. For me, it’s a dirty little six-letter word called {shiver} dinner. Ugh. It just keeps happening, every single stinking day. Just when I’m starting to think I’ve made it through to bedtime, dinner creeps up and sneaks in demanding my attention. God, I hate you, dinner. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my family eating. I also enjoy eating, very much actually. But the preparation – the cooking and baking and stirring and chopping and measuring and making – I hate it all.
I’ve been the primary house chef going on seven years now, and during that time I’ve made a lot of food, some good, some tolerable, and some we still laugh about {seriously, why did I think it would be a good idea to put lunch meat in a casserole??}. But like all moms who cook, I’ve whittled down my meals to a few family favorites. So here they are – seven of my go-to dinners that even a cook as disappointing, dispirited, and incompetent as myself can manage. Good luck, fellow dinner despisers. I feel you.
*Note: None of these recipes are my own, as my own creativity is limited to strawberry or grape jam on a PB&J.
Shredded Chicken Tacos
I put this one first because it is SO EASY; three ingredients and a crockpot. If I can do it, you can do it. Plus, who doesn’t love a crockpot recipe? Dinner is basically done by breakfast, which means instead of preparing dinner later, maybe you’ll find a minute to put your feet up. Probably not, but a girl can dream. {ProTip: I use a can of Rotel as the salsa, but you do you.}
Orange BBQ Ribs
Another one for the crockpot! This one takes a bit more prep time though. Luckily, my kids are the least demented early in the day, so somehow I can always find the time. Also, the first time I made these, my husband basically wept tears of joy and told me maybe I did have a little Betty Crocker in my bones after all.
Cheesy Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
Sadly, I have lost the original recipe, but this is basically the same. My kids LOVE when I make these. They don’t eat the peppers because that would be too good to be true, but they eat the “stuffing” as if it was God’s gift to man. Which it basically is. This is one of my favorite recipes to eat, so it’s worth the work.
Shepherd’s Pie
This is the most basic of Shepherd’s Pie recipes. Feel free to spruce it up if you’re into that kind of thing. I personally keep it as is, because it already requires me to peel, boil and mash potatoes which makes it equivalent to Thanksgiving.
Crispy Black Bean Quinoa Burritos
This is a great, filling, vegetarian option. I actually alter this recipe to include Chipotle Mayonaise rather than making an avocado dip, but that makes my version a bit zippy and not always a kid pleaser. But, yum! A healthy and happy stray from my usual comfort foods.
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Rub
If you have a pressure cooker, I urge you to try this one. Somehow I always accumulate pork loins. My local grocery store often has them on sale {buy one, get one free} and a sale always gets me excited. So here I am, with a freezer full of pork loins and a limited capacity to make pulled pork sandwiches. And then, voila, my dear friend sends me an Instant Pot for my birthday. Now I know two ways to use a pork loin and leaving only half a freezer full. Life makes sense again. This recipe is really yummy for the whole family and not too big of a challenge.
Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs
The first time I made this I honestly felt like a new woman. I love finding a good new recipe, especially when I get stuck in the spaghetti and taco spiral {you know what I’m talking about}. I just kept making it and making it until my husband hinted that maybe I was going a little overboard. He was probably right. So now I make this at a reasonable rate and it never fails to hit the spot. Bonus: There is no oven time and there are MUSHROOMS which my family happens to love and using them makes me feel fancy {haha}.
Anyway, that’s it. One week of recipes. Good luck if you try them, but I understand if you’re just not up to it. We all have our spaghetti days, and honestly, thank God for boiled pasta and tomato sauce. Let me know if you go for it!
