10 Recipes You Can Easily Make On A School Night
Weeknights during the school year can be especially difficult with homework, studying, and other social obligations that are happening at the same time. Somewhere between all of the craziness, you still have to find time to eat a delicious and filling meal. Here are 10 recipes you can easily make on a school night!
1. Baked Feta Pasta
There’s nothing easier than throwing all of your ingredients in a pan and 20 minutes later, dinner is ready! This recipe will do just that and it is super simple to make. For this school night dinner
Ingredients:
- Pasta
- Feta Cheese
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Garlic Cloves
- Oregano
- Salt and Pepper to taste
First, boil your pasta until al dente. Put the pasta away and place the feta, tomatoes, seasonings, and olive oil into a separate and oven-safe dish. Bake the dish at 400 for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Stir the mixture and combine cooked pasta. Enjoy!
2. Cheeseburger Casserole
Remember the nights where your parents would make Hamburger Helper and it would taste like one of the greatest delicacies in the entire world? Us too! This amplified version of a school night classic will have you feeling full and wanting more!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 2 (10oz) cans Tomato soup
- 1 (1lb) box Pasta shells
- 2 cups Cheddar
- 1 cup Mozzarella
- 1/2 cup Water
- garlic, salt & pepper to taste
Boil your pasta, using salt to taste. While water is boiling, brown ground beef and season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Once both the ground beef and pasta are cooked, combine the two, adding tomato soup cans and cheddar cheese. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.
3. One Pot Sausage and Rice
The worst part about eating and cooking at home is the mess that slowly takes over after each step in your recipe. And after you have finished your delicious meal, you are left with a mountain of dishes to either “soak” for a few days in the sink or pile into the dishwasher. This recipe only requires one pan and a spoon to stir.
Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, separated
- 11 oz. Sausage
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- ½ cup Yellow Onion, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 ½ cups Chicken Broth
- 1 ¼ White Long Grain rice, uncooked
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper, sliced
- 1 small Green Bell Pepper, sliced
- 10.75 oz. Cream of Chicken Soup
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ¾ cup Milk
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes, optional
Begin by searing the cut-up sausage in olive oil and put aside. Add butter, onions, and garlic and cook until softened. Add chicken broth and rice to the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes. After the rice is cooked, add in sliced peppers, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add in milk, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and cheese. Stir until melted and add back in the seared sausage. Enjoy your school night dinner!
4. Everything Bagel Chicken Bake
You’ve tried it on avocado toast, you’ve tried it on your bagels, but have you tried it on your chicken? This recipe is a step up from your usual breakfast as you wrap up your day. Paired with steamed rice or fresh and seasonal veggies, this is a quick and tasty dinner that you need to try!
Ingredients:
- Chicken Tenderloins
- Everything Bagel seasoning
- Panko bread crumbs
- 1 stick of Butter
Melt the stick of butter in the microwave and place it in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs and everything bagel seasoning. Dip chicken into butter and fully coat. Dip the coated piece of chicken into the dry ingredients and place it on a baking sheet. Line up chicken on the sheet and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
While you might be loving your usual Kraft Mac and Cheese dinners or regular, old butter pasta, this is a much tastier option that you can easily make in the middle of a busy week. Pair this dish with some french bread or garlic bread with your favorite greens for a meal you will want to make over and over again!
Ingredients:
- 1 package of large shells
- 1 package of washed spinach
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 jar of pasta sauce
- 2 cups of Ricotta cheese
- Garlic, salt, and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 and begin boiling the large shells until al dente. Heat oil in a skillet and add onion until tender. Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add in a package of spinach and allow to cook and wilt. Use about half of the jar of pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Spread cheese mixture with spinach and stuff the shells. Line the shell in the baking dish and top with the remaining amount of sauce.
6. Pizza Quesadilla
Can’t decide on Italian food or Mexican food tonight? Why not settle for having both? The perfect blend of both of these excellent flavors will have you feeling satisfied with this easy school night dinner. One of the simpler recipes that you will find but is just as tasty!
Ingredients:
- 6 Pepperoni, slices
- 1 cup of Marinara
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tortilla, large
- 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
Heat a griddle on the stove. While waiting for the stove to heat up, butter the sides of the tortilla and add the marinara sauce with the Italian seasoning. Sprinkle mozzarella and pepperoni on top of the marinara mixture and wait for the cheese to melt. Serve and enjoy with marinara for dipping.
7. Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Combine your favorite school night dinner with another classic to create this tasty, baked dish that you can enjoy between study breaks. Gobble down this one fast because everyone will want a bite of it!
Ingredients:
- 1 Rotisserie chicken, small
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 (24oz) jar Marinara or spaghetti sauce
- 1/2 lb Pasta
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, and then mix with the chicken, marinara sauce, seasoning, and half of the cheese. Spread the pasta onto the bottom of a small greased casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over top. Next, mix together the bread crumbs, butter, remaining parmesan, and garlic powder until well combined; sprinkle over top. Bake uncovered in a 350 oven for about 15 minutes or until the panko crust gets crispy and turns golden brown.
8. Chicken Fried Rice
Tired of the takeout menu and the expensive takeout prices? Just make your favorites at home! Ordering in can be easier on time for your during the week, but nothing tastes better than a homemade meal!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 lbs Chicken breast
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Green onions
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cube Chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp Soy sauce
- 4 cups Rice, cooked
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 Salt
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 1 Vegetable or canola oil
- 2 cups Mixed vegetable, frozen
Scramble eggs and cook until scrambled. Set aside and cook seasoned chicken until fully cooked. Set aside and cook onions, garlic, and cooked rice. Add in the chicken bouillon, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Add in cooked chicken, eggs, and veggies, and enjoy your easy school night dinner!
9. Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
We love this school night dinner recipe for how easy and tasty it is! It’s just like eating at a restaurant and hearing that familiar sizzle of the fajitas arriving at your table. For your school night dinner,
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs Shrimp
- 1 Bell pepper, orange thin
- 1 Cilantro, fresh
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 Lime
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1 Red bell pepper, thin
- 1 Red onion, small thin
- 1 Yellow bell pepper, thin
- 2 tsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Paprika, smoked
- 3 turns Pepper, freshly ground
- 1 1/2 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/2 tsp Cumin, ground
- 1 Tortilla
Cover your shrimp, onions, and peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Toss together until thoroughly covered. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Garnish with lime juice and cilantro.
10. Taco Spaghetti
Another blend of two delicious flavors, this easy school night dinner will bring those amazing Italian and Mexican food traditions to your table. This easy recipe will be ready to serve in just minutes for you to enjoy during your busy week.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles broken into thirds
- 10 ounce cream of chicken soup
- 10 ounce cheddar cheese soup
- 12 ounce evaporated milk
- 10 ounce Rotel
- 2 cup shredded cheese
Brown ground beef with onion and seasonings. Add Rotel, cream of chicken soup, and cheddar cheese soup. Mix the sauce together and add in cooked pasta. Pour into a baking dish and top with cheese and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted!
Which school night recipe are you going to be cooking up tonight? Do you like to keep your week packed full of things to do? Share with us in the comments below!
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