Dinners I Made for My Family of 5 This Week

This week, I was craving a variety of different foods-truly no different than any other week lol. But my focus was more on easy meals and meals that did not take HOURS to prep or cook. My favorite meal this week was by far my signature salmon bowl that I often make for my family on the regular. So easy and delish! Here are four recipes we ate this week.

Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 half salmon filet or 6 small filets
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp ginger powder (minced ginger would be better but I did not have any ginger on hand)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tnsp sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced

Directions

1. Prep salmon and remove skin if needed. Cut into cubes and set side.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger powder, and garlic. Mix and toss with salmon. Allow to coat for at least 30 min.
3. Air fry for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees or until done. Some like their salmon crispy!
4. While salmon is air frying, pour marinade into a saucepan and heat up to boil-this will make your yummy drizzle sauce.
5. Serve with veggies and rice and drizzle with sauce.

Copycat ChickFila Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast (we get 3 patties per breast)
• 1/4 cup dill pickle juice
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• tiny dash of cayenne
• 1 cup Oil for frying if you’re going for authenticity use peanut oil, I usually just use vegetable oil and they still taste phenomenal
• Buns buttered and lightly toasted

For the sauce:

Ingredients
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

• Wrap the chicken loosely between plastic wrap and pound gently with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until it’s only about ½ inch thick all around.
• Cut the breast into two, or three, pieces, as evenly as possible.
• Marinate the chicken in pickle juice for at least 30 minutes, and up to one hour.
• Beat the egg with the milk in a bowl.
• Combine the flour, sugar, and spices in another bowl. Dip the chicken pieces each into the egg on both sides, then coat in seasoned flour mixture on both sides.
• Heat the oil in a skillet (1/2 inch deep) to about 345-350 degrees.
• Fry each cutlet for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on the outside and cooked through.
• Remove from the skillet onto paper towels. Blot to remove any excess oil, and serve on toasted buns with pickle slices.

Sheet Pan Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 pound lasagna noodles
• 1 pound ground beef (85/15)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 32 ounce jar pasta sauce (or marinara sauce)
• 15 ounce whole milk ricotta cheese
• 5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 8–12 ounces shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
• Kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook lasagna noodles 2 minutes less than the package recommends. Toss in olive oil and set aside to cool.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add ground beef along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, crumbling with a spatula until browned and cooked through.
4. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste, and cook for another minute or so.
5. Stir in pasta sauce and simmer gently while you’re prepping the other ingredients.
6. Combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
7. Spread 2 cups of meat sauce across the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet. Add half the noodles in a single layer, slightly overlapping them until you’ve covered the bottom of the pan.
8. Spread the ricotta mixture in an even layer across the noodles. Ladle 2 cups of sauce over the cheese.
9. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles.
10. Add the remaining meat sauce in an even layer. Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
11. Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese on top starts to turn golden brown in spots.
12. Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan and enjoy!

Creamy Spinach & Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients  

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms cremini or button
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach or 1.5 cups frozen, thawed and drained
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

• Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
• Season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
• In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes until they release their moisture and become golden brown.
• Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Add the spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. If using frozen spinach, ensure it’s thawed and well-drained before adding.
• Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
• Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Season with a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional), salt, and pepper to taste.
• Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the creamy sauce.
• Spoon some sauce over the chicken to coat it.
• Let the dish simmer for 3-4 minutes to blend the flavors.