Sometimes you just need to get dinner on the table fast. Whether you’ve gotten stuck at work or tied up with more responsibilities when you got home, dinner time is closing in, and you need to get something on the table fast. Instead of resorting to chemical-laden freezer meals or fast food, try out some of these quick suggestions and keep the whole family happy and well-fed.
Breakfast for Dinner
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Breakfast for dinner is always a hit, and the best part is, you can whip it up fast. Whether your family favorites are steak and eggs, or pancakes, you can have dinner on the table in less than thirty minutes. Want to make your pancakes even faster, with less time spent standing over the stove? Try this:
Baked Pancakes
1 and 1/2 cups flour (white wheat gives your pancakes a great flavor, but all-purpose works, too)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 and 1/4 cups milk of choice (almond milk and coconut milk both work well, as does dairy milk)
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir until you have a smooth, thin batter the consistency of regular pancake batter. Pour into a greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Place in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Make sure that you cut into the center of the pancake to check to see if it’s done instead of using a toothpick; your toothpick will come out clean even if the pancake isn’t fully cooked. Let it cool on the counter for a few minutes, then cut into squares and serve.
Stir Fry
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There’s nothing better than a delicious stir-fry for getting vegetables into your kids. You can use any vegetable currently in your refrigerator, so you can pick all your kids’ favorites. Even better, everything is covered up by teriyaki or soy sauce, so it all tastes the same to picky little eaters. Let a batch of rice or noodles cook while you try out this stir-fry recipe and you’ll have a full meal ready to place on the table.
Chicken Stir Fry
2 Joyce Farms chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 head broccoli, chopped
1 onion, sliced thin
1 large zucchini, sliced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Teriyaki sauce, to taste
Heat the olive oil over a skillet. Once it’s hot, add the vegetables and cook until the onion is translucent and the zucchini and broccoli are tender-crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Cover with teriyaki sauce, add vegetables, and cook until done.
Mini Pizzas
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Have you ever given your kids the opportunity to make a pizza with anything their hearts desire? Their topping choices might surprise you. Slice English muffins or bagels in half and make a “topping bar” for your kids. Pepperoni, sausage, ham, leftover steak, or chicken, and any vegetable you can imagine are all fantastic pizza toppings. Make sure you have plenty of cheese! Let your kids make their own mini pizzas, then pop them in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted–about 10 minutes at 375 degrees. This will quickly turn into a family favorite meal, and the best part is, it requires almost no effort on your part!
As a busy working mom, you need easy meals to throw together, and these dinner ideas are great in a pinch. By feeding your kids home-cooked meals even when it isn’t easy, you’ll know that you’re giving them the best you can. The best part about these meals is that they’re quick and easy, so you can throw them together and still have time left to spend with your kids.
