Looking for a Quick, Easy, and Delicious Family Dinner Recipe

[Mrbenjamin]

Here’s a short, friendly reply:


You could try a simple sheet-pan meal like roasted chicken with veggies or lemon herb salmon. Super quick, minimal cleanup, and always impressive. Hope your dinner goes great!

 

[pictonguy]

Here’s a short, friendly reply:


You could try a simple sheet-pan meal like roasted chicken with veggies or lemon herb salmon. Super quick, minimal cleanup, and always impressive. Hope your dinner goes great!

Welcome to DC and a nice suggestion is also a good start.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

This one is fairly easy to make and outrageously impressive:

Mulignan a la Sicilian​

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized eggplant
• Kosher salt
• ½ lb ground beef
• ¼ lb ground pork
• ¼ lb ground veal
• 1 quart of homemade tomato sauce (no jarred or canned sauce, please)
• 1½ cups of Ricotta Cheese
• 1½ cups of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 egg
• Light olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly cover the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish (or you can use ramekins to make individual servings) with tomato sauce.

Slice the eggplant about ⅛-inch thick. Place the slices on racks withpaper towels underneath. Sprinkle both sides liberally with koshersalt and let stand fifteen minutes. Rinse thoroughly under coldrunning water, place on dry paper towels and pat dry.

While the eggplant is purging, combine the beef, pork and veal and brown them in light olive oil. Mix the ground meat with enough of your sauce to create a thick "sloppy joe" consistency, heat through, and set aside to cool.

Mix the three cheeses and the egg together in a large bowl, reserving ½cup of the mozzarella cheese.

In a non-stick skillet, lightly brown the eggplant slices in olive oil on both sides. The eggplant will really soak up the oil, so use itsparingly.

As they finish browning, organize the slices into sets of three of approximately the same diameter. Place one slice from each set of three in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Divide ½ of the meat mixture and ½ of the cheese mixture evenly among the eggplant slices. Add a second eggplant slice from each set and evenly distrribute the remaining meat mixture, and the remaining cheese mixture mong the eggplant slices. Add the remaining eggplant slices andcover them with the reserved ½ cup of mozzarella. Pour some of thetomato sauce over the eggplant slices, and cover the baking dish withaluminum foil.

Bakeat 375F for 45 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the mozzarella is brown and bubbly. Letstand for 15 to 30 minutes. Serve with the remaining tomato sauce.

NOTE: Mulignan is Sicilian for eggplant. In Italian it is a racial slur, so be careful to whom you say it.

 

[pictonguy]

This one is fairly easy to make and outrageously impressive:

Mulignan a la Sicilian​

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized eggplant
• Kosher salt
• ½ lb ground beef
• ¼ lb ground pork
• ¼ lb ground veal
• 1 quart of homemade tomato sauce (no jarred or canned sauce, please)
• 1½ cups of Ricotta Cheese
• 1½ cups of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 egg
• Light olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly cover the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish (or you can use ramekins to make individual servings) with tomato sauce.

Slice the eggplant about ⅛-inch thick. Place the slices on racks withpaper towels underneath. Sprinkle both sides liberally with koshersalt and let stand fifteen minutes. Rinse thoroughly under coldrunning water, place on dry paper towels and pat dry.

While the eggplant is purging, combine the beef, pork and veal and brown them in light olive oil. Mix the ground meat with enough of your sauce to create a thick "sloppy joe" consistency, heat through, and set aside to cool.

Mix the three cheeses and the egg together in a large bowl, reserving ½cup of the mozzarella cheese.

In a non-stick skillet, lightly brown the eggplant slices in olive oil on both sides. The eggplant will really soak up the oil, so use itsparingly.

As they finish browning, organize the slices into sets of three of approximately the same diameter. Place one slice from each set of three in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Divide ½ of the meat mixture and ½ of the cheese mixture evenly among the eggplant slices. Add a second eggplant slice from each set and evenly distrribute the remaining meat mixture, and the remaining cheese mixture mong the eggplant slices. Add the remaining eggplant slices andcover them with the reserved ½ cup of mozzarella. Pour some of thetomato sauce over the eggplant slices, and cover the baking dish withaluminum foil.

Bakeat 375F for 45 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the mozzarella is brown and bubbly. Letstand for 15 to 30 minutes. Serve with the remaining tomato sauce.

NOTE: Mulignan is Sicilian for eggplant. In Italian it is a racial slur, so be careful to whom you say it.

Wow 5 cups of cheese for 1 lb of meat and isn't this basically Eggplant parmigiana and if so why the meat?

 

[Kathleen]

Don't forget dessert! My easiest go-to is a scoop or two of really good ice cream with a couple of cookies stuck in the side.

If you want something more, line the bottom of a small square pan with ladyfingers (light spongy cake) and smother it with softened ice cream. Freeze this. When time to serve, cut into squares and pour some macerated strawberries over it. A dollop of whipped cream and done.

 

[dragnlaw]

I'll jump back in and say it is probably better to stick with something you have already made and do a good job with.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Wow 5 cups of cheese for 1 lb of meat and isn't this basically Eggplant parmigiana and if so why the meat?

Why the meat? Because it is NOT eggplant parmigiana, it is much more!

 

[pictonguy]

Why the meat? Because it is NOT eggplant parmigiana, it is much more!

It sure is.

 

[dragnlaw]

hmmm, however pictonguy - I think this style is known as Sicilian Eggplant with Ricotta, Parmigiana and Mozzarella.

 

[Martina0000]

How about a roast chicken with rice pilaf and a veggie everyone likes, maybe butternut squash?

Or meatloaf with baked potatoes and veggie?

Lasagna?

Beef stew with fresh baked rolls?

Thanks so much! The roast chicken with rice pilaf and butternut squash sounds perfect!

 

[Martina0000]

How about trying an Indian Curry? Many curries use only one pot and most ingredients can be prepped and staged ahead of time. Here is a link to a site I use for Indian food recipes. Indian cuisine also uses a lot of vegetarian or vegan dishes. You can make a lot of food for your budget. My $0.02

Recipe Index of Swasthi's Recipes

www.indianhealthyrecipes.com

Hope you post an update as to how it all went.

Chef Odin

Thanks for the suggestion! Indian curry sounds delicious and practical—I’ll check out the recipes on your link. Really appreciate your tip!

 

[Martina0000]

A really easy way to make an impression without going through all your money is to get the little details right.
Have a bread basket and butter dish on the table.
Make sure everyone has a water glass along with their wine/beer/whatever beverage glasses. Have a water jug on the table.
Make sure everyone has a nicely folded napkin at their table setting.
Be mindful of the cutlery required for the entire meal and ensure everyone has what they need.
Just be thoughtful about what your guests will need to be comfortable - those little details are important to help your food really shine in a hosting event.

Thanks for the tips! I love the idea of focusing on the little details—it really makes a dinner feel special. I’ll keep these in mind!

 

[Martina0000]

Try and keep it simple, something you've done before. There's pork cutlet or chicken, pounded thin, do Schnitzel, takes no time at all to cook. You can pound, bread, chill (on a rack if possible) cover loosely and it can hang out in the fridge. Potatoes can be done ahead and a vegie, what ever you and the family like, buttered carrots? Both can be kept warm in the oven.
Unless you are a baker, just buy a tart at the grocer's for dessert or some nice cookies and ice cream?

I also agree with Shining Wizard, little things mean a lot, but don't over do it if your family is not used to that sort of thing... LOL they might think you are putting on "airs".

And yes, as mentioned, a stew on the stove top or in a slow cooker. Also prepped ahead - just need rolls and a small salad to go with. Bowls and spoons, fork on a salad plate. Done!

Thanks for all the tips! Keeping it simple sounds perfect—I’ll try the schnitzel and prep ahead as you suggested. Really appreciate your advice!

 

[Martina0000]

Just off the top of my head;

A super easy one we make is baked salmon that we first brush with a 50/50 warm mix of dijon mustard and honey, and serve with a vegetable.

Chicken or salmon Ceasar salad is another easy one (with plenty of garlic and anchovies).

Carbonara is simple and easy, too.

Marry Me Chicken isn't hard either, and is an incredible flavor bomb.

Chicken Provencal and Chicken Normady are a little more involved, but reasonably fast as well, and amazing. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Do you have a smoker, by chance? Spatchcocked chicken is incredible on the smoker, as are other things like stuffed lork tenderloin.

Thanks for the suggestions! Baked salmon and Carbonara sound perfect and easy. I’ll definitely try a few of these recipes this weekend!

 

[Martina0000]

Don't forget dessert! My easiest go-to is a scoop or two of really good ice cream with a couple of cookies stuck in the side.

If you want something more, line the bottom of a small square pan with ladyfingers (light spongy cake) and smother it with softened ice cream. Freeze this. When time to serve, cut into squares and pour some macerated strawberries over it. A dollop of whipped cream and done.

Thanks for the dessert ideas! Ice cream with cookies sounds perfect, and I love the ladyfinger and strawberry suggestion too—I’ll definitely try it!