Let's face it. Life is busy and finding time to cook a nice meal can be difficult. The good news is that making a well-balanced, delicious dinner doesn't have to be hard. There are a lot of recipes that are easy to make and satisfying to eat.

In this section of tips, you'll find a variety of quick easy meals that include easy recipes. French bread pizza, homemade mac and cheese, and jambalaya are only a few of the easy dinner ideas you can try in your own kitchen.

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The following articles are available for the 'Easy Meals' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Apricot Chicken with Cheesy Cauliflower Bake and Pineapple-Carrot Salad
The white sauce used in this cauliflower recipe is a basic white sauce. Master the art of making a perfect white sauce, and you can incorporate it into many dinner menus, as it is versatile. A white sauce with garlic is great over noodles or rice. Add cheese to a white sauce and lather it over most any vegetable. White sauce can also be used as part of a dessert recipe, such as in a cobble or part of fondue.

   Baked Chicken with Potatoes Au Gratin
Open a can of cranberry sauce to serve as a side dish with this delicious dinner. You could also provide a large dish of applesauce topped with cinnamon sprinkles. Consider popping a pie plate of canned biscuits into the oven during the last 8 minutes of potato baking time and serve them with honey or jelly.

   Baked Pork Chops with Asparagus Casserole
If you want to save time, cook your pork chops for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and insert your casserole into the oven and cook both dishes for an additional 30 minutes.

   Baked Pork Chops with Cabbage n' Apples and Boiled Potatoes
While a side dish of plain boiled potatoes might sound boring, you can make sure that everyone has a topping that they might enjoy. Choose to place any of the following on the table as potato toppings: fresh ground pepper, sour cream, bacon bits, chives, gravy from the baked pork chops, butter, shredded cheese, green onion, or crumbled Canadian bacon. The possibilities are many.

   Beef and Rice Casserole with Twice Baked Potatoes
A perfect side dish for this hearty meal can be a relish tray that might include raw carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, and broccoli with a Ranch dressing dipping sauce, as well as cheese cubes and pickle slices. You can also cook the potatoes in the oven alongside your casserole, instead of preparing them in the microwave. Pop them into the oven during the last 20 minutes of casserole cooking time, and everything will be ready all at once.

   Beef Goulash
If you are looking for a great tasting alternative to beef stew, then you really should look at trying beef goulash. This simple, and tasty, beef goulash recipe will give you a great place to start. Once you have the basics down, you will be able to start doing a little experimenting so that you can make your own version.

   Beef Stroganoff Potatoes
Beef stroganoff is an old favorite that many enjoy. Try switching it up by serving with potatoes instead of egg noodles.

   Beef Stroganoff with Stewed Tomatoes
My Grandmother taught me to add sugar to any recipe containing tomatoes in order to cut the acidity of the dish. Not only will it reduce the acidity, adding sugar to stewed tomatoes will complement the Italian seasoning, making the dish more flavorful. Complete this meal by serving garlic bread or frozen dinner rolls hot from your oven.

   Cabbage Rolls with Warm Chunky Applesauce
An old German tradition, cabbage and apples have been paired for centuries. This dinner of cabbage rolls complemented by warm applesauce carries on the tradition, with a new twist. The key to securing a cabbage into a roll is to use a toothpick as an anchor. When making your applesauce, you might choose not to peel your apples, lending more fiber to the meal, without compromising flavor.

   Chicken Cacciatore with Antipasto Squares
If you need to serve a special dinner for your boss or a future in-law, the title of this dinner menu is sure to impress! But don't let the names fool you; these recipes are very easy to create, even though the Antipasto is time-consuming to make.

   Delicious Bean Dip Dinner
If you're ever in need for a quick dinner, you need a few good ideas. Try making some homemade bean dip for a dinner that everyone will love!

   Delicious Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken
Crock pots cooking is a great way to make easy less time consuming meals.

   Easy Chicken Apple Pasta Salad
Are you looking for an easy meal, or an even easier side dish, that you can make for your next dinner? If so then you will love this easy chicken apple pasta salad recipe. Easy to make, and fun to eat, this recipe will long be a favored addition to your collection.

   Easy Ham n' Beans with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Quick Fruit Salad
My Grandma taught me how to make grilled cheese sandwiches the old fashioned way. Increase or decrease the recipe in this dinner menu, depending upon how many people you need to serve, and how many sandwiches they might eat. When I make these sandwiches for hungry teenaged boys, I always plan on making three sandwiches each. Make sure that your margarine or butter is very soft so that you won't tear the bread when you apply it. Also, once your skillet is hot, turn the heat down to just below medium so as not to scorch the bread or burn it.

   Excellent Chicken Enchiladas
A dish that many people seem to love is enchiladas. This is a wonderful dish that is not difficult to create, if you just use this simple recipe.

   Fish Batter
Fish and chips are a great meal, and an even better snack. In order to do it the right way though, you will want to make sure that you have the right fish batter recipe. Here is an easy, and tasty, recipe that you and your family will just love.

   French Bread Pizza
Pizza is a fantastic treat, and an easy meal that anyone can make. Here is a wonderful video demonstration of how to make some great French bread pizza at home.

   French Toast with Easy Baked Apples and Granola
If you need to serve brunch to a houseful of guests, this menu is perfect since some people might choose to eat one thing, and not the other. Offering three distinct dishes to your guests or family will ensure that they leave the table full and ready to face the day. Increase or decrease the amounts in each recipe according to how many people you need to feed.

   Garlic Broiled Chicken
Nothing really seems to bring out the flavor in chicken quite the same way that garlic does. Well, if you are in the mood for a fantastic chicken dish, then you need to try out this recipe for some garlic-broiled chicken. You will find that it is exceptionally easy to make.

   Glazed Ham with German Potato Salad and Creamed Peas
Keep your ham moist by glazing it often. Prevent the glaze from burning by turning the oven heat down a little during the last 10 minutes of baking. If your dinner crowd is still hungry after eating this menu, serve up a quick dessert of prepackaged brownies topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

   Goulash with Three Bean Salad and Potato Wedges
The Three Bean Salad is best served very cold. Make it a day ahead and allow it to chill overnight in the 'fridge. The longer you allow the salad to marinate in the dressing, the more flavorful your salad will be. That's why Three Bean Salad always tastes better as a leftover the next day.

   Grandma's Delicious Meatloaf
Without a doubt, meatloaf is one of the ultimate comfort foods. After all, who doesn't like to have a great tasting meatloaf every so often? Doesn't it help bring back the loving memories of sitting down to eat at Grandma's table? Well the next time you are in the mood for this wonderful dish, try this recipe for Grandma's delicious meatloaf.

   Green Split Peas and Ham with Scalloped Potatoes
Always wash split peas before cooking and rinse well. This recipe can be made the day before the dinner and then heated while the scalloped potatoes are baking, making it possible to serve both dishes hot. A perfect addition to this meal is a can of sliced brown bread.

   Ham and Swiss Casserole with Creamed Onions and Ambrosia
Don't let the name of this casserole intimidate you. This is an easy dish to prepare since you're using pre-cooked ham along with canned vegetables. If you want to shorten your time in the kitchen, consider cooking the creamed onions in a small baking dish alongside the casserole. Make the salad a day ahead and serve as a dessert at the end of the meal.

   Having a Simple Dinner
If you're unsure about what to make for dinner, then go for simple and have a great combination of apples, crackers, and cheese.

   Homemade Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is an American classic, and while the Kraft macaroni is synthetically delicious, homemade macaroni and cheese is even better. Learn how to make homemade macaroni and cheese and you'll always impress.

   Honey Mustard Chicken with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Easy Peach Cobbler
Years ago I worked as a cook in a children's home, and the dietician provided me this recipe for peach cobbler. It is one of the easiest desserts to cook, yet it comes out perfect every time. The key ingredient for the perfect crust is the self-rising flour. Add the sugar just as the crust begins to brown and then continue to cook until the crust top is a deep brown.

   Making Perfect Gravy
Here is a recipe for great gravy that will leave your family asking for seconds. That is easy to make.

   Masterful Meat Loaf
Meat loaf is a staple in many family recipe boxes and you want to have the best one. Here is a favorite recipe that will not leave you disappointed!

   Meatloaf with Creamed Spinach and Waldorf Salad
Prepare your meatloaf and Waldorf salad a day ahead. Pop the meatloaf into the oven and let it cook while you prepare the spinach, and then remove the salad from the fridge at the last minute. This is an easy dinner to make, and it's sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. Remember to cook your meatloaf in the bottom section of your oven, using the lowest rack setting.

   Mexican Casserole with Jalapeño Cornbread
Serve jarred or canned tamales, topped with salsa, as a perfect side dish for this Mexican dinner menu. Or, if you need something to cut the heat, you could serve a fresh tossed salad, providing several types of dressings, and a big bowl of tortilla chips with a sour cream-based dip. A guacamole dip would really go great with corn or tortilla chips, as well.

   Mom's Meat Loaf
Everyone's family has their own special version of meat loaf. However, if you're looking to shake things up a bit, try this new meat loaf recipe that will renew your faith in the goodness of meat loaf.

   Oven-Fried Chicken with Baked Acorn Squash
If you think your guests or family might want more to eat than this menu provides, consider serving one or several side dishes. Visit the deli counter at your local grocery store and choose macaroni salad, pasta salad, potato salad, cole slaw, or a hot German potato salad. If you serve the side salads in a pretty bowl, no one will ever know that you didn't make the salads yourself.

   Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut with Baked Beans and Corn on the Cob
The key for serving tender corn on the cob is adding sugar to the boiling water before you drop the ears in, and only cook them for 8 minutes. If you cook them longer, you risk water-sogging the corn. Consider removing the bacon from the top of the beans before serving, and place them as a side dish.

   Potato Skins
Potato skins are a great appetizer as well as a wonderful snack for family and friends. They can be made at home for a fraction of what it costs at the restaurant. This recipe makes great-tasting, crisp potato skins.

   Quesadillas and Corn on the Cob
Here is a great meal that is easy for those nights you don't feel like cooking. Quesadillas and corn on the cob is a meal that may be easy to fix, but the taste is definitely worth it!

   Quick and Easy Jambalaya
A classic Cajun dish, jambalaya is relatively easy to make. What it usually isn't though is quick. Now, if you are in the mood for some jambalaya, but don't want to spend a whole lot of time cooking it, you have an option. Here is a quick and easy jambalaya recipe that you will just love.

   Roast Pork with Quick Mashed Potatoes and Tomato-and-Onion Salad
Choose a pork butt roast when making roast pork. Although it is called a butt roast, the roast is taken from the shoulder portion of the animal. And, unlike beef where you have to choose from quality graded cuts, pork only has two grades; acceptable and utility. All grocery stores in the United States choose to sell only the acceptable grade, taking the guesswork away when choosing a pork roast for dinner.

   Salmon Patties with Spinach-Corn Mashed Potatoes and Cucumber Salad
If you want to try the Spinach-Corn Mashed Potatoes recipe for the first time, and if you have children to feed, don't tell them the name of the recipe since they're likely to balk at the idea of eating spinach. I tried this recipe for the first time with three kids at the table, all under the age of 12, without telling them there was spinach in it, and they ate the entire bowl. The next time I made it, I made the mistake of letting them know that there was spinach in it, and they were hesitant until they realized that they'd had it before. It really is a wonderful way to get kids to eat their vegetables.

   Sausage and Rice Casserole with Cheesy Cabbage
You can substitute the Polish sausage with ground sausage but, if you do, make sure that you buy ground sausage with the least amount of fat possible. If you've ever fried inexpensive ground sausage, then you know that you end up with more grease in the skillet than sausage. And if you do use ground sausage, choose a mild type instead of hot or spicy since the rest of the ingredients in the recipe won't complement a spicy sausage.

   Sausage-Egg Casserole with Blueberry Coffee Cake
We have a family tradition of serving a menu of "Breakfast for Dinner" at least twice each month. And while most times that dinner includes scrambled eggs, since our family prefers them, sometimes I change things up and serve something out of the ordinary, such as this sausage-egg casserole. The key to ending up with a crisp, rather than soggy, crust is to make sure that you not only drain the grease from the fried sausage, but rinse it with hot water, as well.

   Secrets of Making Great Gravy
Are you tired of lumpy gravy that is either too thick or too thin? Here are some simple solutions to help make the perfect gravy. Having the perfect gravy is easy, that is if you have the secret to making the perfect gravy. You just need to know some of the secrets that make gravy an easy side for your table to compliment your meat and potatoes and still taste great.

   Simplify Stir-Fry
Stir-fry is fast and easy. Use these tips to help you make this favorite even easier.

   Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Slow cookers are a wonderful piece of kitchen equipment that can be an absolute necessity in today's world. With these appliances in the kitchen, you can make everything from stews and chili to pot roast. However, if you don't know how to do it, slow cooker pot roast can quickly become a mess that no one really wants to eat. Here is how you can make some absolutely wonderful slow cooker pot roast.

   Snow on the Mountain
Casseroles make for an easy dinner. Snow on the mountain was one of my kids favorite meals when they were growing up.

   Spaghetti Pie
Italian food is always a family favorite. This recipe adds a twist to traditional spaghetti and meatballs.

   Stuffed Green Peppers with Cold Pasta Salad
The key to creating great stuffed peppers is knowing how long to cook them. Since oven temperatures vary, test your peppers with a fork during cooking time. If the skin is easily pierced, then your peppers are nearly done and should only require a few more minutes in the oven. Keep in mind that the hot ingredients inside of the peppers will continue to cook the peppers long after you remove the dish from the oven.

   Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles with Creamed Spinach and Hot Applesauce
Instead of using frozen meatballs, you can use fresh ground beef to form your meatballs. Simply use a binding agent, such as eggs and breadcrumbs, and any spices you want to incorporate for flavor, and then fry them in a deep skillet over medium heat until they are done. Make sure that you drain the grease away before continuing with the remainder of the recipe.

   Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Cheesy Macaroni and Cole Slaw
Consider serving a dish of sweet-and-sour sauce so that your dinner crowd can add more zing to their meatballs. For those that don't care for macaroni, you could also provide a dish of plain white rice as a bed for the meatballs and sauce.

   Tasty Leftovers
Here is tasty idea for a simple dinner, that will leave everyone happy and you will not be disappointed with all the time you save. Change leftovers from lame to awesome.

   Tomato Bacon Squares
Appetizers are a handy treat around the holidays. Tomato bacon bites are easy and transport well to covered-dish meals.

   Tuna Casserole with Macaroni Salad and Baked Tomatoes
The tuna casserole in this dinner menu is not your ordinary tuna casserole. The French fried onions add a new twist, lending more flavor and texture to the otherwise ordinary and bland tuna. And if you really want to shake things up, try adding chopped celery, diced tomato, chopped zucchini, green onions, and substitute plain yogurt and Dijon mustard for the canned soup.

   Turkey Breast with Green Bean Casserole and Noodles Alfredo
While you could garnish this meal with a can of cranberry sauce, forego the temptation to make a copycat Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, choose to place a platter of finger foods such as cheese cubes, olives, and bread-and-butter pickles, or fry a batch of skillet scones and serve with honey butter or jam.

   Turkey Pot Pie
Do all the turkey leftovers have you wondering what to do? You are probably looking for a fast meal with little time required for preparation or cooking. A stuffing turkey pot pie gives a new flare to an old recipe. You will want to try this wonderful turkey pot pie on a cold winter night.

   Worry-free "From Scratch" Lasagna
Lasagna is a perennial favorite for meals. Unfortunately, it has always been an extremely difficult dish to prepare. With this recipe though, you can prepare wonderful lasagna with little hassle.