Easy Family Recipes — make every day special

These days I don’t always have much time for cooking (maybe it’s not so much the cooking, but the clean-up)!  As a homeschool mom, I feel like I am.always.in.the.kitchen!  So when I do take the time to make something for my family (beyond peanut butter and grilled cheese), I want it to be something they love!  Nothing is worse than making a big mess and then have the meal fail–what a complete waste of time and money!  Today I’m sharing 14 easy family recipes — these are the recipes I keep coming back to…the keeper list!  The recipes are simple enough for every day–but are also special (and yummy) enough to serve up to guests on special occasions!

Favorite Recipes

I’m guessing you may be like me–looking for easy recipes that bless your family and others!  So I decided to put all my favorites in one place and share them with my subscribers! (Scroll to the end to subscribe and grab the recipes!)

• My “famous,” Cherry Limeade: This is a summer staple at our house…I have 3 teens and when their friends are over in the summer, this is something they all love and request!  So much better (and cheaper) than anything you’ll get at the drive-thru!
• Best Salsa: This is the BEST salsa recipe–ever!  And it makes a huge batch, which is perfect for parties–or giant families like mine!
• Date Night Crostini with Blue Cheese and Bacon: My hubby and I try our best to make every night, date night–it’s our way of staying sane and connected after 21 years of marriage and while parenting 6 kids!  (Wine helps with this.)  These little bites take about 10 minutes to throw together and pair great with your favorite glass of red. (Also a super easy party appetizer!)
• Everyday Meatballs:  These beauties are about as simple as meatballs get–perfect for weeknight spaghetti or meatball subs!  But we fancy them up for company by throwing them in the slow-cooker on low for a few hours (after they’ve been cooked) with Italian sausage (I just follow package directions and cook on the stove-top), our favorite spaghetti sauce, and a splash of good red wine.  This is actually our traditional Christmas Eve meal!
• Quinoa Burgers (Vegan): Sadly we don’t eat as many meatballs around here anymore because all my big kids went vegetarian or vegan on me…Basically we all eat vegan about 1/2 the time at my house!  It has actually been a really healthy change for us–and these burgers are absolutely one of our favorite vegan recipes!  Even your meat-eaters will love them!
• Panang Curry:  I never had Thai food till I was almost 30 years old…now it’s my favorite and I would request Panang Curry as a last meal!  I spent about 5 years trying to copy my favorite local Thai restaurant’s panang curry sauce–this recipe comes pretty darn close!  It’s great with sliced chicken, but we serve straight on top of rice without anything else about 90% of the time!  This comes together so quick–ready by the time your rice is cooked!
• Cincinatti Chili:  Some sweet neighbors from the Ohio area introduced us to this chili years ago…I fell in love instantly!  It’s a beanless chili served on top of spaghetti noodles or hot dogs (beans, onions, cheese, and crackers are all side accompaniments). This is such a crowd pleaser–and perfect for picky kids because they can just eat spaghetti noodles or hot dogs!  It requires a lot of spices–but definitely worth it!  The prep is actually very minimal–and we even make a vegan version by subbing lentils for beef!  We make this year-round–but especially in the fall and always serve it on Halloween night!
• Creamy Chipotle Chicken Pasta:  This is my go-to for summer company and special occasions!  So Good!
• Curried Couscous Salad with Cranberries: Love this vegan salad–can be a light meal or perfect side dish! Great for picnics and potlucks because it travels well and can sit outdoors without worrying about refrigeration!  (I get weird about potato salad that’s been sitting out!)
• Bowtie Pasta Salad:  Another great side dish for barbecues and picnics! I love the sweet dressing!
• Breakfast Pizza:  This casserole is a signature dish at our house!  I serve it when I’ve got kids sleeping over, when I need to bring a breakfast or brunch dish somewhere, and when we just feel like having breakfast for dinner!  (It’s also great to bring to new moms!)  And our Christmas morning wouldn’t be complete without this breakfast pizza and pastries!
• Baked Oatmeal:  Another breakfast favorite at our house!  (And we even make a vegan version by using a substitute for the eggs!  Our favorite egg substitute is flax seed: 1 egg = 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed + 2 Tablespoons of water.)
• Cinnamon Bundt Cake:  This cake is legendary in my husband’s family!  We make this cake for just about every birthday and special occasion at my house!  Plus–it tastes great with coffee the next morning!
• Best Chocolate Chip Cookies:  Because everyone needs a go-to chocolate chip cookie in their life!  This one tastes like it came from my favorite local bakery! (Also tastes amazing with vegan substitutes)!

Grab the Recipes!

The 14 page recipe book is available in my free subscriber resource library (along with other goodies, like my 27 page planner for organizing life + school and my 17 page homeschool planning guide).  And if you aren’t a subscriber yet–I’d love to have you join me!  Sign up below and get the instant download of the my favorite easy recipes!

Enjoy, Sweet Friends!
With Love,
Jen xo