5 Quick & Delicious Dinners When You *Just Can't*

Here are the five weeknight-friendly dinners I'm making for my family this week.

Mar 10, 2025 - 07:00
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5 Quick & Delicious Dinners When You *Just Can't*
ground beef and pepper casserole
Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

Every Monday, our editors bring you Simply (Weeknight) Recipes, five quick and easy dinner recipes to make this week.

Between Thanksgiving and spring daylight savings time, board games have a renaissance in my home. The kids are on a winter hiatus with sports, so our evenings are wide open. After dinner, we work out our meal with Just Dance on the Xbox and then sit down for a game of Rummikub, Boggle, or Settlers of Catan. 

My kids are finally old enough that it’s actually enjoyable (and competitive!). No one bursts into tears, and the board rarely gets knocked over. Children getting older and more independent is such a game changer and so much fun.

Spring season for sports starts next week, and I am honestly going to miss these quiet evenings stuck indoors with my family, so I am savoring every bit of it.

Here are five weeknight-friendly recipes I'm making for my family this week, including smart tips from our contributors.

Microwave Oyakodon

Microwave Oyakodon and Rice in a Small Plate Surrounded by a Table Setting with a Spoon, a Table Napkin, and a Small Plate with Kimchi
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Unless I’m buying a whole chicken, I don’t ever cook chicken breasts. They are easy to overcook and when cooked in the microwave, they’ll get dry and stringy. I would recommend sticking to chicken thighs—they’ll stay juicy even if you microwave them for too long.  

Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe

Bowl of Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe Next to a Fork and Spoon on a Kitchen Towel, a Glass of Wine, a Bowl with More Cacio e Pepper, and a Small Bowls with Cracked Black Pepper
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Contributor Sharon Lehman says, "Watch your brown butter closely. It can go from perfectly golden to burnt quickly. If you sense that it will burn, quickly but carefully transfer the butter into a heat-proof bowl to stop it from further browning."

Miso, Mustard, and Maple Salmon

Triple M Salmon
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

Contributor Maya Ferrante says, "I prefer buying salmon filets whole and with the skin on. You could use four to six portioned filets—or whatever size you can get. This recipe makes enough sauce for 1 1/2 pounds of fish."

Sausage White Bean Soup

A white bowl with a soup filled with kale, white bean and sausage
Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Contributor Sara Haas says, "I like spinach because it cooks quickly, but other greens will also work. Chop kale or collard greens and simmer until just tender."

Unstuffed Peppers

spoonful of unstuffed pepper lifted from skillet with more
Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

Contributor Jasmine Smith says, "Using microwavable rice means you don’t have to dirty a pot making a batch of rice. You don’t even have to microwave it—the rice will finish cooking and heating up in the skillet.

"Any microwavable white rice will work, including Ready Rice, Bird’s Eye, and store brands like Trader Joe’s. Just note the size of the package—you'll need about 8.5 ounces."

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