It’s back to school time, so we want to give you some school night supper ideas so you can get dinner on the table with as little fuss as possible!
Sam’s Ranch Chicken & Bacon Pasta
½ tsp each of salt, pepper, Ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and onion
powder
3 chicken breasts, cubed
12 oz pack of bacon
16 oz pkg of your favorite pasta (penne, rotini, etc)
32 oz jar of Alfredo sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3 Tbs Ranch seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Chop up the bacon and cook over medium low heat until desired doneness is reached. Remove the bacon and drain the drippings…leaving a couple tablespoons of drippings in the pan.
Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Ranch seasoning in a bowl and toss cubed chicken in the mixture to evenly coat.
Cook chicken in the bacon drippings over medium heat for about 7 minutes until all the pieces are cooked. Once cooked drop the heat to low and add the Alfredo sauce and 3 Tbs of Ranch seasoning. Mix thoroughly. Add in the shredded cheddar and mix until melted and combined.
While you’re cooking the chicken, you can boil your pasta in a separate pot. Drain when done. Add the cooked pasta and bacon to the chicken and sauce, mix and serve.
Sam’s Italian Sausage Tortellini Bake
1 lb. Italian sausage (removed from casing) or ground beef
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
32 oz jar of marinara
8 oz cream cheese, softened
16 oz Tortellini
1 ½ cups Mozzarella, shredded
Set oven to 350
In a large cast iron skillet brown the sausage. Once browned, drain the meat. Return it to the skillet and
add seasonings, Alfredo sauce, and cream cheese to the meat. Cook on low and stir until the cream
cheese is melted throughout the mixture.
Boil your tortellini until it’s al dente according to package directions. Drain and add to the meat mixture
in the skillet. Top with the mozzarella cheese and bake for 10 minutes. You may want to broil it for a
few at the end to get the cheese melted and bubbling!
*Use a large cast iron skillet so you can prepare everything on the stove and then put the cast iron in the
oven. If you don’t have a large cast iron you can add everything to a casserole dish, top with the
mozzarella, and bake.
Jodi’s Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Shrimp
1 1/2 lbs Shrimp, medium
4 cloves Garlic
2 tbsp Parsley, fresh leaves
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning OR cajun seasoning
1 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Butter
1 tbsp Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Combine melted butter, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Toss the shrimp in the mixture, then lay them out flat on a baking sheet. I always spray mine lightly first. You can include the lemon slices on the pan too, makes it look nice!
Bake at 400 just until the shrimp are pink. About 8-10 minutes. You can flip them over midway through the cooking time, but don’t have to.
Can be served on angel hair pasta – add parmesan! Or just with some crusty, warm french bread
Jodi’s School Night Board
This is a fave, bc it doesn’t involve cooking. But can satisfy everyone:
Ideas for what to PUT on your School Night Board:
PB&J sandwiches
Chicken Salad
Veggies & Ranch
Hummus & Pita Chips
Cheese
Crackers
Grapes
Strawberries
Nuts
Hard bread sticks
Jodi’s Slow Cooked Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef (the leaner the better)
OR you can use 70/30 Ground Turkey
3/4 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup parmesan cheese (and extra for when serving)
salt, pepper, cooking spray,
i jar of Marinara sauce
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
shape the meatballs, bread crumbs, garlic and all seasonings into balls. place on a pan and broil for a few minutes before placing in slow cooker. this gives the outside a nice crispness, and ensures they hold their shape!!
then place the meatballs in the slow cooker. pour sauces in and toss/mix it gently.
slow cook for 7-8m hours on Low.
top with the extra parmesan, serve with angel hair pasta OR on french bread rolls
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos (From listener Laurie!)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 package taco seasoning (or homemade)
16 oz salsa
8 oz block cream cheese – regular or jalapeno
Place chicken in crock pot, sprinkle taco seasoning on top of chicken and pour salsa over all. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. Shred chicken and serve in taco shells or tortillas with your favorite taco toppings!
Our Facebook friend, Erin, said her family makes this and likes to add a block of regular or jalapeno cream cheese to the slow cooker when it has about 1 hour left to cook! YUM!
Pizza Night
Choose your pizza crust – pre-made, homemade, french bread, crescent rolls (fill them with toppings!) or English muffins!
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
your family’s fave toppings – pepperoni, olives, peppers, onions, mushrooms etc!
This is a guarantee that the kids will NOT fuss over what you’re fixing! And it’s time spent together as a family in the kitchen!
Taco Tuesday – Taco Bake!
There are LOTS of ways to do a Taco Bake….like…you can use crescent rolls as the base, or crunched up taco shells, or even refrigerator biscuits. BUT – for School Night Suppers, I thought –let’s make this EASIER for Mom, and more like a party. Here is the basic recipe:
1lb of ground beef or pork (made with taco seasoning)
Fritos OR Multi Grain tortilla chips
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (about 1 ½ cups)
Spray the casserole dish and throw the chips on the bottom…covering bottom with a nice layer. Use plenty for a good crunch. Next, layer the taco meat (for this, it’s best for the meat to be juicy)
Next, sprinkle cheese to cover. Bake for 10 minutes at 300 or until the cheese is nice and melty.
The BEST part – are the toppings. Have that out, buffet style:
Salsa, avocado, sour cream, black olives, chopped green onions…..you get the idea.
3 Ingredient Teriyaki Beef with Pineapples
2 lbs. stew beef
15 – 20 oz jar Teriyaki sauce
20 oz pineapple tidbits, drained
Put the beef in the slow cooker. Pour sauce over the top. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Add pineapple during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking. Serve with rice! You could even get fancy and make the fried rice below.
Fried Rice
3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)
3 Tablespoons sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce
On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour eggs on the other side of skillet. Stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!
One Pan Garlic Ranch Chicken and Veggies
8 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
16 ounces baby red potatoes, halved
16 ounces baby peeled carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (1-ounce) package Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix
3 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. Using your fingers, work the brown sugar, about 1 teaspoon per thigh, onto both sides of the chicken. Place chicken, potatoes and carrots in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Ranch Seasoning and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place into oven and roast until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.* Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
*Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the potatoes and carrots.
This recipe is from HERE.
Chicken Pot Pie (From Jodi’s friend Tiffany)
1 can Crescent rolls
Chicken breast, cooked and diced
Cream of chicken soup
Can of Veg All
Shredded Cheese
Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. Press Cresent rolls into pan leaving points hanging over. Cook chicken in light olive oil and seasoning until done. Mix soup and Veg All together with cooked chicken and spoon into muffin tin. Top with shredded cheese and bake at 350 until Crescent is golden brown.
School Night Suppers from 2014
Pull-Apart Pizza
2 (11 oz) packages refrigerated French bread dough
1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella
pizza toppings
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a round pizza pan or pizza stone. Place one loaf of refrigerated dough on cutting board. Cut dough in half lengthwise. Slice each dough half crosswise into 16 slices for a total of 32 bread dough slices. Repeat with remaining dough. You will have a total of 64 bread dough slices when you are done.
Arrange dough slices on pizza pan or pizza stone. Top with pizza sauce, mozzarella and pizza toppings. Bake 14–16 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
–I turned the oven down to 350 at some point and continued baking b/c I felt like the outside pieces were getting crispy, but the inside was too raw. Then I let the pizza sit a good 10 mins to cool off and it seemed to help with the middle pieces getting cooked a bit more while resting!
This recipe is from Plain Chicken.
Easy Pork and Rice
1 cup uncooked rice (brown is best!)
4 boneless pork chops (seasoned as you like)
1 can of golden mushroom soup + 1 can of water
Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a glass 9×13 dish with non stick spray. Pour rice out evenly into dish and lay pork chops on top of rice. In a large measuring cup, mix can of golden mushroom soup and can of water together and add a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Pour this mixture on top of the pork chops and rice. Cover with foil and bake 45-50 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15-30 mins (this depends on what kind of rice you used). Taste it until you can tell the rice is cooked. Then let it sit a minute, so the gravy can thicken.
Beef and Broccoli in the Slow Cooker
1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
2 cups beef broth/bouillon
1 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar or honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons cooled sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)
1 can tiny corn
1 can oriental straw mushrooms
Hot cooked rice (brown or white!)
Place beef in a crock pot. In a small bowl, combine broth, soy sauce, brown sugar/honey, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine. (If your sauce is not thickening, try bringing your sauce to a boil on the stove top with the corn starch mixture. Boil until your desired consistency is reached). Add broccoli, corn and mushrooms to the crock pot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken). Serve over hot cooked rice.
Salsa Chicken
Makes 6 servings
2 cups salsa
1 cup nonfat sour cream
1 (1-ounce) package low-sodium taco seasoning
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
1/2 cup reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
Cilantro or green onion, chopped, optional
Preheat oven 350°F. Coat oblong glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In bowl, mix together salsa, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Place chicken into prepared dish. Pour sauce over chicken and bake 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro or green onion, if desired.
School Night Suppers from 2013
Oven Toasted Meatball Subs
Meatballs – frozen or fresh
Bread – Italian, French, subs…whatever you like!
Red sauce – Jodi’s homemade or jar
Shredded cheese – your fave!
Heat up sauce and meatballs in a pot on your stove. Heat oven to 275-300. Open bread and put the meatballs and sauce on it and toast it for a few minutes. Take it back out and throw some cheese on and toast again!
Slow Cooker Roast Beef Sliders
Your favorite cut of beef roast
slider buns
onion soup mix or just season with your fave seasonings
Cheese (optional)
Cook on low in slow cooker all day. No need to brown ahead of time, but DO NOT take the top off of the cooker at any point during the day! When you get home, shred the roast beef. Keep as much of the juice as you can! Place slider buns on a baking tray and open them up. Put the roast beef mixture on the bun and toast it – just enough so the bread is crispy. You can add cheese, but the meat and juice is usually enough flavor. Easy! Roast beef sliders. Handheld supper :O)
BBQ Chicken Bubble Up Pizza
2 cans (12 oz) Grands Jr. flaky biscuits
1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/3 cup chopped bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
green onions to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Cut biscuits into quarters and place in medium bowl. Toss biscuits with BBQ sauce. Add chicken, bacon and half of the cheese. Toss until well blended. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Pour biscuit mixture into pan and top with remaining cheese and green onions. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until biscuits are done.
This recipe is from Plain Chicken.
Taco Pizza
1 lb ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
2 (8 oz) cans crescent rolls
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
4 green onions, chopped
your fave taco toppings…jalapenos, chopped lettuce, dollop of sour cream on pieces of pizza
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef according to the package directions. Unroll crescent rolls into rectangles. Place on ungreased 11 1/2 inch x 16 1/2 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Press dough over the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. Bake at 375 in oven for 11 to 13 minutes or just until golden brown. Microwave beans in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Carefully spread beans over warm crust creating a thin layer. Top with cooked beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese followed by tomatoes, black olives and green onions (or whatever your toppings are!). Return to oven for 3-6 more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
This recipe is from Real Mom Kitchen.
