Dinner doesn’t have to take an hour to make. You can put dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less with these kid-friendly recipes. Sandwiches might be ho-hum but not if you follow the recipes for turkey and bacon Monte Cristo or turkey sloppy Joes with coleslaw. Another easy meal – this time with a Mexican flare? A rice and bean bowl. Then again, if your kids are stir-fry fans, try easy beef and broccoli (no trip to the Chinese take-out restaurant needed!). For kids who love pasta, try the fettuccine with spicy sausage and broccoli rabe or simple shrimp scampi.
Turkey and Bacon Monte Cristo
Upgrade the classic BLT with this turkey and bacon Monte Cristo from Rachael Ray. Build the sandwiches layered with turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, cranberry sauce and pickles. Drench each thick-sliced sandwich in a light batter of eggs, milk and Dijon mustard. Crisp the sandwiches on a nonstick skillet coated with melted butter.
Turkey Sloppy Joes with Coleslaw
Season ground turkey as it cooks with diced onion, garlic, tomato sauce, brown sugar, barbecue sauce and a little Worcestershire sauce. In another bowl, mix up some cool coleslaw with thinly sliced green and red cabbage tossed with sour cream and red wine vinegar. Hand out buns and you’ve got turkey sloppy Joes with Coleslaw from Real Simple.
Rice and Bean Bowl
Do your kids love tacos? These rice and bean bowls from All You have all the flavor of tacos and are easy to prepare. Stir together brown rice, canned beans and salsa and heat up in the microwave. Top with shredded cheese.
Easy Beef and Broccoli
Cook thin-cut beef strips until crisped in a non-stick skillet and then add in frozen broccoli, hoisin sauce, grated ginger and Catalina dressing. The combination of the dressing and the hoisin sauce gives this easy beef and broccoli recipe from Kraft a tangy Asian zip.
Fettuccine with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
While the pasta is cooking, heat hot Italian sausage with garlic cloves and crushed red pepper. Add chicken broth and broccoli rabe (or broccoli) – and heat through. Have your kids top the pasta with the sausage mixture to finish off this fettuccine with spicy sausage and broccoli rabe from Fitness.
Simple Shrimp Scampi
Melt a generous chunk of butter in a skillet and sauté shrimp. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and garlic powder. Cook for 5 minutes and serve this simple shrimp scampi from Taste of Home over pasta, rice or salad. Easy and delicious!
