Planning family meals shouldn't make you want to pull your hair out. Here are ten easy recipes that don't require any hard-to-find ingredients or too much advance planning. And the best part about these stress-free suppers: even picky eaters will polish off their plates.
Don't be fooled by the exotic name of this dish; kids love it! I can't claim it's authentic, but the spices -- an aromatic blend of cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, paprika and coriander -- make it taste decidedly Moroccan. It only takes minutes to prepare, and there's barely any clean up. GET THE RECIPE
When you're craving comfort food, you can't beat meltingly tender short ribs slow-cooked in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. And here's the best part: only 15 minutes of prep work and the oven does the rest. Unlike many roast or stew recipes, it's not necessary to sear the meat first. You just slather it with sauce, put it in the oven, and let deliciousness ensue. GET THE RECIPE
The whole family loves Taco Tuesday. You can feel good about whipping up these nutritious chicken and veggie tacos, and you won't miss the beef one bit. GET THE RECIPE
This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson. It's an elegant and remarkably easy dish, one that completely belies the amount of effort on your part. Most of the ingredients are right out of the pantry, and you can have it on the table in 20 minutes. Honest! GET THE RECIPE
Here's an easy recipe for when you're craving Chinese food but don't want to go out. It's the quintessential Beef with Broccoli: tender strips of steak and crisp broccoli florets in a rich brown ginger and garlic sauce. You don't need a wok -- just a large skillet -- and the ingredients are all easy to find at your regular supermarket. GET THE RECIPE
This family-pleaser will become part of your rotation. Kids love it -- I think mostly because it bears some resemblance to chicken fingers. GET THE RECIPE
This is one of my go-to recipes when I have to hit the kitchen running. It takes just twenty minutes to make, I always have all of the ingredients on hand, the kids love it as much as I do, and there's barely any clean-up. Serve it over pasta or with a lightly toasted baguette for mopping up all of the garlic-butter sauce. GET THE RECIPE
Tender chunks of stir-fried chicken, crispy roasted cashews and bright green scallions in an authentic brown garlic sauce -- this one tastes just like take-out, only better. GET THE RECIPE
Comfort food doesn't have to be unhealthy. This BBQ turkey meatloaf is hearty, flavorful and -- bonus -- low in fat. GET THE RECIPE
This dish is family-friendly (it's not too spicy) and incredibly easy to prepare. The chicken is first seasoned with garlic, chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika and then broiled with a sweet and tangy honey glaze. GET THE RECIPE