Back-to-school: the bittersweet time where schedules and structure reign supreme once more. Whether you have a regular rhythm of Meatball Monday, Taco Tuesday, Pizza Friday, or you’re more of the wing-it-at-the-last-minute type, these quick and easy weeknight meals are easy to adapt to whatever you have in the fridge.
Do you dread the “What’s for dinner?” question every night? Well no more! We’ve got loads of new and delicious recipes for you to try. In a time crunch? Make multiple meals on Sunday and store them in the freezer. Weeknight dinner leftovers will also make a great school lunch idea for your kiddos. Two birds with one stone? I’m here for that.
We gussy up our macaroni and cheese with a healthy protein like chicken and even add some vegetables to make it a full meal in one pan. You can sub in gluten-free pasta to make these dishes GF.
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Smoked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe
Creamy smoked butternut squash puree mixed with smoked chicken, bacon, and cheese for a creamy and flavorful mac and cheese.
Meatballs are easy to make ahead and keep in the freezer until you need them for a weeknight meal. Whether it’s on the grill, in a skillet, or in a crockpot, meatballs are so easy to reheat your older kids can help you out by doing it themselves.
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Grilled Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Slider Recipe
Grilled Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders are an outstanding snack when you're craving a classic chicken wing but want to change it up a bit. We deconstruct a classic chicken wing and turn it into a flavorful meatball for sliders. A healthier alternative to fried wings!
A quick and easy dinner idea for the whole family. Italian Meatball Sliders made with frozen meatballs, Tomato Basil Sauce, Hawaiian rolls, and Provolone cheese, cooked on the grill. This whole meal comes together in under 20 minutes!
Smoked Lamb Meatballs, made with ground lamb shoulder, are jam-packed with flavor and a offer an awesome way to jazz up any pita sandwich or pasta dish.
Smoked meatball sandwiches, made with a combination of beef and pork and bacon paste to bind it. Smoked to perfection and served with a smoked marinara sauce.
Smoked meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese, slowly smoked on the grill, and then finished with a BBQ sauce glaze. These are the ultimate game day food or appetizer for your next gathering.
Smoked Cranberry Meatballs in a Cranberry Red Wine Sauce
A simple, delicious, and elegant appetizer idea for the holidays. Smoked meatballs made with pork and beef, cooked on the smoker, and then braised in a sweet and savory cranberry wine sauce.
Recipe for easy turkey meatballs and the secret to adding delicious flavor and moisture to turkey meatballs — bacon paste! Learn the trick to amazing meatballs for your favorite pasta dish.
Tacos are one of the easiest weeknight meals to make. So much so that we often have them multiple times a week! Set out filling ingredients and everyone can help themselves, making it perfect for picky eaters. We smoke a chicken or two at the beginning of the week and keep shredded pork and brisket in the freezer, so no cooking is needed during the week.
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Grilled Corn Tacos Recipe with Chicken and Tarragon Sauce
A great corn taco recipe with chicken and a fresh tarragon sauce. Best with Corn Tortillas.
Smoked ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning served in crispy lettuce wraps, and finished with a soothing avocado cream sauce and your favorite toppings.
Grilled Spicy Chicken Tacos start with chicken breasts marinated in a simple chipotle marinade, then quickly grilled and topped with a cooling avocado crema. Perfect for a weeknight family meal.
Chipotle Honey Marinade with Grilled Chicken Tacos
An easy and delicious recipe for spicy and sweet Chipotle Honey Grilled Chicken. Grilled marinated chicken, shredded and perfect for tacos, sliders, sandwiches, and so much more.
Pizza is another easy weeknight meal for picky eaters. We like to make several small pizzas so everyone gets to choose their own toppings. Cleaning out the fridge and found a slightly soft bell pepper and a lonely olive in a jar? Throw it on a pizza and it becomes a masterpiece!
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Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto and Pears
An easy grilled flatbread pizza recipe with pears, prosciutto, burrata, honey and balsamic.
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I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!
