As I’ve shared on Instagram lately, life is very busy at the moment. I know many of you are feeling that spring rush, as well. We’re in a mad dash until graduation, but family dinners are still a priority. Luckily, these Asian Noodle Bowls make an easy and delicious weeknight meal. My husband and I started cooking together regularly during quarantine, and we now evenly split our weekly dinner prep. This is a recipe he first made earlier this year, and it was a huge hit. It’s now on repeat. We all appreciate the “make your own bowl” approach. It’s especially good for busy nights because you can prep things…

With spring in full swing, now is not the time for complicated dinners. My 30-Minute Meatballs make a delicious meal for busy weeknights. My favorite things about these meatballs: (1) my kids devour them, and (2) they freeze really well. I always double the recipe and keep my freezer stocked with meatballs. When we have one of those weeks—you know the ones where you hardly have a break and your kids have a million activities—I simply reheat them for a quick and tasty meal. Sometimes, I heat them on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven. Other times, I combine them with jarred pasta sauce (Rao’s is our favorite)…

I’m back from spring break after a wonderful week at the beach, and spring is in full swing. This is such a busy time of year, and I know it can be difficult to get a healthy dinner on the table. My Easy Minestrone Soup is the answer.  This has been a family favorite for over a decade, and it’s one of the first recipes I shared on The Joyful Home in 2014. It’s full of healthy protein and veggies, and your slow cooker does most of the work. Prep it in advance in your slow cooker, and then enjoy a delicious dinner at the end of the day. The…

Today, I’m sharing another favorite weeknight dinner recipe: 30-Minute Asian Meatballs. My kids love meatballs—“regular” Italian-style meatballs, Greek Meatballs, and these Asian-flavored meatballs. I was inspired to create this recipe when my kids fell in love with pan-fried pork dumplings at our favorite Chinese restaurant. These Asian meatballs come together quickly, and I usually double or triple the recipe. The leftovers freeze beautifully and are perfect for super busy nights when I don’t have much time to cook. I serve the meatballs over steamed rice and our favorite teriyaki sauce (Reduced Sodium Soy Vey) with a side of roasted broccoli. 30-Minute Asian Meatballs 1 lb ground pork or chicken ½…

This week’s recipe is another family favorite: California Roll Sushi Bowls. I hesitated calling this a “recipe.” It’s really more of an idea that takes the California rolls we all love and turns them into an easy weeknight dinner that requires very little cooking. My family loves sushi, and during Covid (out of necessity), we learned how to make our own California rolls. While it was a lot of fun, it can also be quite a bit of work to assemble the rolls. These sushi bowls combine the yummy flavor of California rolls, but eliminate the hard labor. I use fresh lump crab because Costco usually carries it, but you…

Another week, and another recipe for you. These Baked Chicken Taquitos are my son’s favorite. If I ask him for meal planning suggestions, he won’t hesitate to add these to our menu. The filling on these is so flavorful, and I serve them with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Chicken Taquitos 2 cooked chicken breasts, finely diced (rotisserie chicken works well) 1 cup shredded cheese 3 T finely diced onion 2 T finely chopped cilantro 1.5 t ground cumin 1 t salt Grapeseed, avocado, or veggie oil for frying 24 corn tortillas Fresh salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for serving Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan…

My family loves tacos, and my 30-Minute Fish Tacos have been a favorite for over a decade. These are full of flavor and come together quickly with a simple, flavorful marinade. We buy frozen mahi filets (Costco has great ones!), but if you have fresh fish, then by all means use that. While you’re marinating the fish, prepare some delicious toppings and condiments for a taco bar or board. I suggest shredded lettuce or cabbage (cole slaw mix works great), fresh chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sliced avocado or guacamole, salsa, sour cream or spicy aioli, and pickled onions. I’ve included recipes for spicy aioli and the tastiest pickled onions below. 30-Minute…

I’m kicking off February with one of our family’s favorite recipes: Sheet Pan Paella. Longtime followers will remember this one. It is not a traditional paella by any means. Instead, it is paella-inspired and easy enough for a weeknight dinner. You can use regular smoked sausage or andouille if you like a little spice. For shrimp, frozen is usually the way to go, and it thaws quickly while you’re prepping the other ingredients. We really like the Argentinian red shrimp from Trader Joe’s. I usually have frozen rice on hand, but fresh also works fine. I rely on my rice cooker to do the work because I hate cooking rice…

Need a quick dinner your family will love? I’ve got you covered with my 30-Minute Greek Meatballs.  Meatballs are a staple on our dinner table because they’re delicious and can be frozen and re-heated for a fast weeknight meal. We enjoy my Greek meatballs served bowl-style with plenty of options to please everyone. In addition to the meatballs, I set up a buffet with roasted sweet potatoes (because we all need extra veggies), feta cheese, store bought hummus and tzatziki sauce, and a simple salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Greek meatballs are also delicious served over rice or salad greens and topped with Greek dressing or…